“And you must be Detective Alfa,” the lady said, softly, as the door slowly closed behind her. “I’ve heard much about you.”

  Alfa did her best to keep the frown out of her face. She’d been told that her meeting would be with someone important to decide her fate. But the commissioner had not given her any other piece of information besides that.

  Looking at the woman, Alfa was impressed. She looked like a woman in her late thirties, a woman that was no stranger to the gym. She wore fitted clothes but not so much that it hugged her. Studying her, Alfa came to a simple conclusion with ease: the woman in front of her was a Delver.

  The woman was also tall, easily standing at six feet. Alfa had to tilt her head slightly to meet the woman’s gaze, but only so slightly.

  Eckberth, her direct supervisor, closed the door behind him, locking them in the office. Alfa found it surprising. She’d never been called up for a disciplinary meeting, but she had always assumed that there would be a lot of posturing.

  She couldn’t see any posturing.

  Eckberth looked scared and confused. The fear was more about not knowing what was happening than actual fear. People like Eckberth who indulged in shady things like nepotism tended to get worried when powerful people stopped by and they didn’t know what was happening.

  The lady moved casually to one of the chairs—a comfortable couch placed against the wall—and took a sit. She turned her attention to Alfa once more, tilting her head up now that she was sitting where Alfa had been the one tilting her head up when the woman had been standing.

  “Would you like a seat, detective?” the woman asked. Her voice was gentle with an underlying tone of command.

  If she was a Delver, she was accustomed to being in charge of her own team. A commander. Alfa could respect that.

  “That’s alright, ma’am,” Alfa replied. “I’m more than happy to stand.”

  The commissioner paled at her words but looked too scared to object to them. That was very interesting. It had Alfa wondering if the woman was one of those Oaths that the commissioner had been talking about.

  The woman’s eyes never left Alfa.

  “I don’t know if it’s a 'you' thing,” she said, “or if you’re deciding to stand while I sit out of some form of respect.”

  Alfa didn’t like sitting in the presence of people she did not know. It placed her in a less than advantageous spot. In a situation that could cost you your life, it was best to remain standing. It kept you alert and was the best position to move from. That level of safety and alertness had translated into her everyday life. She did not currently fear for her life or any form of bodily harm, but she was more alert and prepared standing.

  “It is a show of respect,” she answered.

  The woman nodded in understanding. “Well, I do not care for such shows of respect. I am currently sitting, and that means that I have to look up to look at you. That, I do not appreciate. So please,” she gestured at the chair opposite the office desk the commissioner was sitting behind, “sit.”

  There was something in the way she said the last word that rubbed Alfa wrong. She was politely informing her that it was not a request even if she had phrased it as a reasonable one.

  She thinks she’s giving me a chance to correct my mistake, Alfa noted. She’s establishing dominance.

  Normally, Alfa would fight back. But she wasn’t in a hurry to this time. Not all fights needed to be fought. Besides, she remembered the only other Oath she had met—that was assuming that this woman was potentially an Oath. The man’s team had been the ones to take her and her detectives out without killing them.

  Remembering it annoyed her. Everyone in the house at the time had been manhandled like children, beating without their assailants even breaking a sweat. Then the Oath, Melmarc’s father, had strolled in and paid her and her husband the littlest attention.

  Alfa hesitated a little longer, it was all the defiance she could show before moving over and occupying one of the two chairs at the desk.

  “Thank you,” the lady said politely. “Now, have you been informed of who I am?”

  She looked from Alfa to Eckberth but did not look at the commissioner.

  Eckberth nodded. “Mrs. Lockwood,” he answered politely. “As I said before, it is a pleasure to meet you.”

  Mrs. Lockwood nodded kindly. “Thank you.” She turned to the commissioner at last. “And how many of them know more than what the superintendent has just shared?”

  The commissioner gulped.

  “I know more than what the superintendent just shared,” Alfa said.

  Mrs. Lockwood pressed her lips into a thin line and her eyes closed slightly. It was the look a person had when someone did what they were not supposed to and you were trying to calm yourself.

  “Thank you, Alfa,” she said. “But please be kind enough to only speak when spoken to. Now, that you know who I am, you should understand that we are currently not friends.”

  And there it is.

  “Understandable,” Alfa said with a nod.

  “Good. Then for the duration of this meeting, only speak when spoken to. Thank you.” the woman turned her attention from her back to the commissioner. “What punishment has she been given.”

  “She has been relegated to desk duty, stripped of a portion of her salary for a period of time,” the commissioner answered quickly. “And she has been relieved of all her current cases.”

  Alfa fought back the frown on her face. She was not comfortable simply being dismissed like an unimportant child. However, she was doing her best to understand the woman. Beneath all that power she was wielding was a pissed off mother. She was willing to compromise for a pissed off mother.

  “That is all?” Mrs. Lockwood asked the commissioner.

  The commissioner nodded. “That is all, ma’am. Is it not to your liking?”

  Alfa almost gagged. This entire thing was just bullshit. And the commissioner was doing too much ass kissing.

  You’re a grown ass man for crying out loud, have some balls.

  “Her punishment does not sound like a punishment,” Mrs. Lockwood said simply. “So I will modify it. She will be paid her full salary.”

  Alfa paused. That does not sound like a punishment.

  “Because,” the woman continued, “if we are being honest, the fault is not entirely hers. However, she is a leader who failed to keep her subordinate under proper control. So she gets to keep her salary. She will also be passed up on her next promotion, whenever that may be.”

  Alfa scowled but said nothing. Mrs. Lockwood didn’t even look at her.

  “Then,” she continued, “you will return all her active cases to her. I am aware of her rates and achievements. There is no need for others to suffer and criminals to enjoy just because of her lapse in judgement. She will get to keep her work and work on it with a team of her choice.”

  The commissioner looked very puzzled. Alfa didn’t blame him. She was just as puzzled. But Mrs. Lockwood was not done.

  “In addition,” she said. “She will resume two hours earlier and close two hours later than she normally does in her official capacity.”

  Alfa opened her mouth, ready to bark out how she was a married woman. No words came from her lips and she shut her mouth.

  “She will also work seven days a week until she gains the promotion that she deserves. Remember, her next promotion is already forfeit.”

  The commissioner nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”

  Alfa couldn’t believe this. The woman was basically demanding that she become a slave.

  “She still gets paid leave,” Mrs. Lockwood continued as if she was having a simple conversation with an old friend.

  “All of it?” the commissioner asked, earning him a baleful look from Alfa.

  Mrs. Lockwood nodded. “All of it. And one Sunday off every month as a break from all the work she’ll be doing every day.”

  “That is fair,” the commissioner conceded.

  No, it’s not!

  Alfa looked to Eckberth reflexively as if seeking help before remembering that the man was not one to help her. To her surprise, the man was standing in the corner doing an act. He was almost as unimportant as some dull office ornament. It almost looked as if he was trying to go unnoticed.

  “This punishment will last for two years,” the woman was saying. “Then she can return to her normal life. During that period, I will be handing her cases to handle. If not me, then my son will be in charge of it. She will give those cases priority and deal with them properly. If she does a good job, I might be willing to offer her a reward.”

  Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

  “Am I some kind of dog?”

  “If she does not like these terms,” Mrs. Lockwood said as if Alfa had never spoken, “then she can resign from the force. If I ever find out that these rules are not being adhered to, she will be fired and is more than welcome to return to the Delving world. I will know when anything goes away from what I have decided. You don’t want to know what will happen if that comes to be.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Alfa bit down on her lower lip to keep her mouth shut.

  “Good. I think we are done here.” Mrs. Lockwood got up and still didn’t look at Alfa.

  Turning casually, she walked up to the door. She gave Eckberth a simple nod in acknowledgement and opened the door. The door was only partly opened before she closed it and turned around.

  “In case I have not made it clear,” she said to the commissioner. “The aim of this punishment is to work the detective to the bone until she understands how to control her subordinates. I will also be leaving with the [Sage] you have locked up in your little cell.”

  How does she know about that?

  Only a handful of people knew about the cell Naymond was in.

  The commissioner nodded. “Yes, ma’am. You were the one that brought him in after all, it is only fair that you choose how his sentence is served.”

  That was a piece of information that Alfa did not, in fact, have. Mrs. Lockwood was not done, though.

  “The woman at the counter,” she said, looking at Eckberth this time. “Thalisa Elicotte. She is to be fired effective immediately. Get the necessary approvals and have it done before close of business today. If I found out that she still has a job by the end of the day, then you will be leaving with her.”

  “I understand, ma’am,” Eckberth said hurriedly. “But I assure you that her behavior was not a normal occurrence. A more suitable punishment would be to have her suspended. I promise you that this does not happen often.”

  Mrs. Lockwood sighed in exhaustion and turned to the commissioner. “Fire Ms. Thalisa Elicotte before the end of the day or you, this superintendent, and Ms. Elicotte will be out of a job by tomorrow.”

  “Consider it done.”

  Eckberth looked from the woman to the commissioner. His lips moved but no words came from them.

  Alfa could at least appreciate that. The commissioner had always been the one person everyone knew could fire the woman without getting any pushback, but a man of his level of importance had no reason to single her out and fire her. Also, bringing her to his attention was too far beneath him. Chances were that he would simply ask you to deal with it yourself.

  Now the woman was gone.

  Mrs. Lockwood paused in thought then shrugged in the end. “If there is anything else, I’ll let you know. Now, can someone take me to the [Sage].”

  “I can,” Alfa said.

  As much as she hated the idea of it, she was hoping that spending time with Mrs. Lockwood would help lighten her punishment. If the woman got to know her, even if only a little, perhaps she would show more leniency.

  Mrs. Lockwood looked at her for a very brief moment. She seemed to consider the offer in that brief moment before saying nothing. She opened the door and walked out.

  Alfa looked from the door to the commissioner.

  “Go on,” the man said, making a shooing motion. “You offered.”

  And she didn’t answer.

  Alfa didn’t say the words, instead, she got up from her seat and made her way out of the office.

  Now, she just had to find a way to reduce her punishment.

  How hard can it be? She thought sarcastically.

  …

  “Why Dan from New York?”

  Dantani paused. “Dantani from New York?”

  Naymond nodded absently, as if there had been no need for the correction of his words. “Why that?”

  “Because I’m from New York?” Dantani shrugged.

  They were still in the cell area. Dantani stood like a man who was hiding out, stretching out his lunch break while avoiding work.

  Naymond shook his head at Dantani’s reply. To him, it did not suffice. “Doesn’t make sense,” he said simply.

  “Why?”

  “Because we are in New York.” It was a no-brainer. “And just to double-down on it, we are in New York in New York. So how does one get the moniker ‘from New York’ from New Yorkers?”

  “I didn’t get the name in New York,” Dantani answered. “I got it up in Ohio where I was dealing with a gang of Gifted. Turned out they were actually being led by a non-Gifted.”

  “Oh.” Naymond paused. “Then how did it take here?”

  “I went with a squad of my own. When we got back, they kept using the moniker. Then everybody started using the moniker. Now, here we are.”

  “Dantani from New York.” Naymond rubbed his jaw in thought. “I like it.”

  Dantani sighed. “I really do not care if you like it or not, Nay. My only interest is in getting you out of here.”

  “Legally?” Naymond asked, surreptitiously.

  Dantani’s brows furrowed in confusion. “Do you have plans of getting out illegally?”

  Naymond bobbed his head from side to side in thought. He stopped after three bobs, then bobbed again another three times.

  “Honestly,” he said finally, “I don’t really have anything else that I’m doing here. I wanted to catch the mole in the department but that’s more about vengeance based on principles than actually helping anyone out.” He shrugged, dropping the idea. “But I guess I can leave them to deal with it.”

  “Who’s the mole?” Dantani asked, jumping on the subject immediately.

  “Tony.”

  Dantani frowned. “The older guy in Alfa’s team? I hear he’s quite respected because of his age.”

  “And experience,” Naymond pointed out. “Really good at his job, too. If you’ve got a problem you can’t handle as a detective and need help, I’ll advise you to go to him.”

  “How long have you known about this?”

  “A while.” Naymond shrugged. “He’s not really good at hiding his… misbehaviors.”

  Dantani ran a hand down his face. “And you never thought to tell Alfa about it?”

  “Can’t be bothered to go through the stress of convincing her.” Naymond walked back to the wall and sat down. “Forgive me but my legs have grown bored of standing. Anyway, I don’t really have anything I’m doing here, so I can leave any time.”

  “But…” Dantani paused, shook his head as if a lot of things were not making sense. “But you’re a prisoner. A felon turned consultant to serve out some of his time.”

  “I’m a special kind of prisoner, Danny,” Naymond chuckled. “I’m the kind that can now walk out of this precinct whenever I want. I would not be needing permission… Well, maybe I’ll be needing a key. So there’s that.”

  Dantani shook his head again. “I can’t help you break out of jail, Hitchcock.”

  Naymond almost laughed. It was funny how the man still had an issue with how to address him. Sometimes he called him ‘Nay’ other times ‘Naymond.’ Then there were times when he called him ‘Mr. Hitchcock.’

  Naymond gave him an assessing look as his lips spread into a knowing grin.

  “You have the key,” he said, grinning. “You fucking bastard, you have the key.”

  “I am not letting you out of this cell,” Dantani said, adamant. “It is not right.”

  “I could actually argue that being in this cell is not right,” Naymond threw back amiably. “I mean, if you really think about it, why exactly am I in a cell?”

  “Insubordination?” Dantani tried.

  Naymond shook his head. “They don’t throw people into a cell for weeks just because of some level of insubordination, Dan. We aren’t the military. We right them up or something. But definitely not,” he gestured around him with both hands, “a cell.”

  Dantani looked slightly conflicted.

  Naymond was getting to him, his words working their way into the detective’s head. Dantani frowned, clearly not liking whatever debate his mind was having with itself.

  After a while, his expressions lightened, slipping into something calmer. The man had found something to focus on, something to stop the noise.

  “Why now?” he asked.

  “Because I’ve gotten all I need from the precinct and it’s time to move on.”

  “Not that,” Dantani said with a shake of his head. “The mole. Why now?”

  “I know. I was answering that. Because I’ve gotten all I need from the precinct and it’s time to move on.”

  “God help me I’ll shove a crucifix down your throat,” Dantani hissed. “I mean what principle, what did Tony do that made you want to go after him. Sounds like you were happy to leave him all this while. Was he the reason you ended up in a portal with the kid?”

  Naymond shook his head. “That one was my fault. I got a little too cocky. What he did was have a prisoner I needed to be transferred here killed.”

  “Oh.” Dantani’s expression dampened. “Did you know the guy?”

  “No idea who exactly he was.” Naymond shrugged. “He was just a clue in a multitude of plans to achieve my goal. Didn’t work out.”

  “So you’re just mad that he crossed you?”

  Naymond nodded. “Pretty much.”

  Dantani’s jaw dropped. Flabbergasted had a look and it was the one on the man’s face. He clearly could not believe what he was hearing.

  “How about we clear your case and then we deal with the mole.”

  “Too bothersome,” Naymond replied. “What time is Alfa’s meeting?”

  Dantani looked down at his watch and checked the time. He was old school like that. Most people these days checked their phones. A lot didn’t even bother wearing wrist watches anymore.

  “It should be starting in a few minutes,” he said. “Hopefully she gets out of it okay.”

  “She will, but there’ll be punishments,” Naymond said, knowing his words to be true.

  “She’s been suspended.”

  “More punishments,” Naymond said easily. “I don’t think she’ll lose her job—her judge isn’t that cruel—but there will be something. Something she’ll most likely hate.”

  War and Madness were never unjust. But their punishments could feel downright malicious. Madness’ punishments weren’t malicious, though, only unpredictable. Naymond had once seen him punish a man by giving him a check of fifty cents. The punishment was that the man go to the bank and withdraw it.

  The man was guilty of the crime of almost getting a teammate killed in a portal. It was completely ridiculous.

  That was until the man had gone into a random bank the next day to cash the check and hadn’t walked out alive. There had been a robbery while he had been cashing the check and he had been electrocuted to death by the Gifted robber.

  Even now, Naymond often wonders if it had all been a part of Madness’ plans. It scared him just thinking about it from time to time. The terror of War’s punishments existed in the punishments themselves. Madness’ existed in the anticipation of the punishments. You were never sure of what exactly your punishment was until you were done with it.

  “Alfa’s the face of the precinct,” Dantani said. “They won’t let anything too bad happen to her.”

  “Maybe.” Naymond got back up, something pricking the edge of his skill [World of Insight]. “But we won’t know until we…”

  Frown lines marred his brows as the thing pricking the edge of his skill stepped fully within range of him.

  “What the fuck?” he blurted completely taken aback by it.

  Whatever it was, he could sense it but couldn’t make out any detail. It was like trying to focus on flashing lights when you have a headache and are prone to seizures.

  It was there, but it wasn’t there, like shadows dancing at the corners of your eyes. You could see them when they were there, but when you turned to look, they were gone. If he allowed his skill, he could tell that someone or something was there. When he focused on it, he got a headache and saw nothing.

  Frowning, he turned to the other person that had entered the range of his skill. She was a tall dark woman, athletically built. She looked like she went to the gym but didn’t devote her life to it. Naymond focused a little, ignoring Dantani. She had brown eyes, olive skin. Her hair was cut low. She had three ring piercings on her right ear and two on her left. No nose piercings.

  Naymond’s frown deepened.

  Whoever or whatever was walking next to her was nonexistent when he tried to pay it any attention. It had to be a person because the lady was talking to the person. More annoying was the fact that they were having a conversation. And while he was completely aware of her state of conversing, he got nothing from the other person.

  Her companion was completely blank.

  This had never happened before.

  “What’s wrong?” Dantani asked. “You look worried.”

  That was because he was worried. Naymond had never met someone like this before or something. He had never met something that he could completely evade his attention. It was…

  Naymond paused.

  No.

  There was one person—a man who had stood right in front of him and had yet been completely nonexistent to his senses.

  Naymond paled.

  The man in question had hair like wool and eyes as grey as the sheen of silver with skin almost as dark as night. The one person who had once evaded his sight was the same man who had told him to come to this world if he wanted to save his own world.

  Naymond’s eyes moved to Dantani.

  The woman had brought someone into the precinct without even knowing who the person was. And she was leading them right to him.

  “Naymond?” Dantani said, voice stained with worry. “What’s happening? You look like someone's got a gun to your head.”

  Naymond didn’t give the answer about to come out of his mouth very often and mean it. Why? Because it rarely ever happened. But in this moment, there was nothing else to be done.

  “I don’t know,” he said.

  What was more terrifying was that he well and truly meant it.

  Naymond had no idea what was happening. But he did know one thing. It was a simple thing, a worrying thing. He had seen what the man who had sent him here to save his world was capable of. When he'd met the man, the man had slain more than a handful of monsters without any strain. Then he had proceeded to kill the S-rank Players that had been in the portal with Naymond. He had done so with an equal lack of strain before approaching Naymond.

  "Someone's coming," Naymond said, finally.

  And his voice was heavy.