???
Within a facility in an undisclosed location, a conversation was taking place between a man and a woman. They sat across a small table, within a dimly lit room with no windows, and just a single lamp hanging from the ceiling. Very spooky. Maybe even more so than the Council Chambers.
The woman among the two asked, "Are you sure this is true? It's still only been a few days since this so-called Crisis blew up in the Cordiale's faces. These forces could just be another clean-up crew, or hunting something from the Cracks. We can't go around intervening in everything the Cordiale does, less we bring their full attention upon us."
The other man responded, "We're positive this is something entirely else, Vitro. You know intelligence gathering is my team's forte. One of the Divisions is showing an unusual amount of activity. A whole battalion is being mobilised right now in Canada. Considering they've been doing everything about the Crisis through Central operatives, don't you find it a bit strange that an Overseer's Division is moving like this all of a sudden?" With that, he threw down a series of files across the table, which the woman, Vitro, picked up. Her eyes scanned the files with near superhuman speed, before they abruptly stopped at a particular note written across the files.
"Rhythm and Beat? Them, huh……"
The man asked, "Do you know of them?"
Vitro remained unresponsive, deep in thought. Seconds passed, before turning into a whole minute. The whole time, silence dominated the room. The other man soon began growing impatient.
"Vitro? The hell is going on? Is this another one of your schemes, again?"
After a few seconds, Vitro began quickly flipping through the remaining files. As she did so, she replied to the man in an amused tone, "Well, sort of. Rather than a scheme, it's more like a repercussion to one. You see, a few years ago, I sneaked in a vengeful double-agent into the ranks of the Cordiale Inquisitors."
The man looked surprised. "The Inquisitors? Those are the Administrator's forces, right?"
Vitro ignored his words, continuing on with her own little speech as she continued to flip through the files. In response, the man gave her an exasperated look. He had known Vitro long enough to be familiar with her little habit of monologuing.
Vitro spoke, "That double-agent went rogue, though, and ended up acting prematurely. They did a lot of damage to the Inquisitors, but they got caught in the end. A shame, really."
The man asked, "...and why does that matter exactly?"
Vitro smiled, before staring directly at the man as she spoke, "Because I pulled some strings with our Overseer collaborator on the Council, and managed to scoop him out of an interrogation and premature execution, right under the Administrator's nose. But he's cut contact ever since. My personal belief is that he was just tired of chasing after vengeance, and didn't want to get involved in my schemes any more. So-"
The man forcely cut her off, clearly reaching the limits of his patience, "Vitro, what are you getting at? Why does any of this matter?"
As Vitro finished flipping through the files, she calmly explained, "The two names I mentioned. Rhythm and Beat. They're codenames for the operatives that caught my little double-agent after he went rogue. I'm very familiar with how the Administrator works. If those two operatives are coordinating with a whole battalion from Samiel, they could only be moving on the Administrator's orders, and for that guy to personally get involved……it might be that he's caught wind of the double-agent's survival. I don't think the Administrator would personally make a move over monsters from the Crack."
The man gave her a doubtful look. In response, Vitro continued, "You're probably thinking I just have an over-the-top imagination. But when I say I'm familiar with the Administrator, I mean it. Samiel doesn't move without his orders, and he's never issued any orders these last few years, which means the Division itself has barely been fully active these past couple of years. If he's moving them personally, I have a fair hunch it's out of personal motive…such as catching a despicable traitor. How he became aware of the double-agent's survival, I have no clue. I think it has to do with the Crisis, but that's just a hunch. Regardless, that doesn't matter for now."
Before the man could interject, Vitro continued on, "What does matter is that my former double-agent is currently being hunted. Though he's cut ties, he's still a potential asset to us. With the Administrator on the hunt, it may be a good time to bring him back into the fold."
The man looked confused, clearly not following her logic.
She continued on anyways, "Mobilise all teams. It looks like I'll have to cover for Calvin, one last time."
At this, the man reacted. He fiercely protested, "You want to come into conflict with an Overseer of the Cordiale? Weren't you the one who just said we couldn't draw their attention? And as much as I hate to admit, the Deuxieme isn't ready for a frontal clash with the Cordiale. Yet."
The man added the last word in an impromptu fashion, but Vitro merely gave a calm smile in response, telling him in an almost soothing tone, "I assure you, friend, that this will be worth any risks. Regaining Calvin will be a massive boon."
After a short pause, she added, "For the noble cause of the Deuxieme. For the end of the Cordiale's order."
???
Within a facility in an undisclosed location, a conversation was taking place between a man and a woman. They sat across a small table, within a dimly lit room with no windows, and just a single lamp hanging from the ceiling. Very spooky. Maybe even more so than the Council Chambers.
The woman among the two asked, "Are you sure this is true? It's still only been a few days since this so-called Crisis blew up in the Cordiale's faces. These forces could just be another clean-up crew, or hunting something from the Cracks. We can't go around intervening in everything the Cordiale does, less we bring their full attention upon us."
The other man responded, "We're positive this is something entirely else, Vitro. You know intelligence gathering is my team's forte. One of the Divisions is showing an unusual amount of activity. A whole battalion is being mobilised right now in Canada. Considering they've been doing everything about the Crisis through Central operatives, don't you find it a bit strange that an Overseer's Division is moving like this all of a sudden?" With that, he threw down a series of files across the table, which the woman, Vitro, picked up. Her eyes scanned the files with near superhuman speed, before they abruptly stopped at a particular note written across the files.
"Rhythm and Beat? Them, huh……"
The man asked, "Do you know of them?"
Vitro remained unresponsive, deep in thought. Seconds passed, before turning into a whole minute. The whole time, silence dominated the room. The other man soon began growing impatient.
"Vitro? The hell is going on? Is this another one of your schemes, again?"
After a few seconds, Vitro began quickly flipping through the remaining files. As she did so, she replied to the man in an amused tone, "Well, sort of. Rather than a scheme, it's more like a repercussion to one. You see, a few years ago, I sneaked in a vengeful double-agent into the ranks of the Cordiale Inquisitors."
The man looked surprised. "The Inquisitors? Those are the Administrator's forces, right?"
Vitro ignored his words, continuing on with her own little speech as she continued to flip through the files. In response, the man gave her an exasperated look. He had known Vitro long enough to be familiar with her little habit of monologuing.
Vitro spoke, "That double-agent went rogue, though, and ended up acting prematurely. They did a lot of damage to the Inquisitors, but they got caught in the end. A shame, really."
The man asked, "...and why does that matter exactly?"
Vitro smiled, before staring directly at the man as she spoke, "Because I pulled some strings with our Overseer collaborator on the Council, and managed to scoop him out of an interrogation and premature execution, right under the Administrator's nose. But he's cut contact ever since. My personal belief is that he was just tired of chasing after vengeance, and didn't want to get involved in my schemes any more. So-"
The man forcely cut her off, clearly reaching the limits of his patience, "Vitro, what are you getting at? Why does any of this matter?"
As Vitro finished flipping through the files, she calmly explained, "The two names I mentioned. Rhythm and Beat. They're codenames for the operatives that caught my little double-agent after he went rogue. I'm very familiar with how the Administrator works. If those two operatives are coordinating with a whole battalion from Samiel, they could only be moving on the Administrator's orders, and for that guy to personally get involved……it might be that he's caught wind of the double-agent's survival. I don't think the Administrator would personally make a move over monsters from the Crack."
The man gave her a doubtful look. In response, Vitro continued, "You're probably thinking I just have an over-the-top imagination. But when I say I'm familiar with the Administrator, I mean it. Samiel doesn't move without his orders, and he's never issued any orders these last few years, which means the Division itself has barely been fully active these past couple of years. If he's moving them personally, I have a fair hunch it's out of personal motive…such as catching a despicable traitor. How he became aware of the double-agent's survival, I have no clue. I think it has to do with the Crisis, but that's just a hunch. Regardless, that doesn't matter for now."
Before the man could interject, Vitro continued on, "What does matter is that my former double-agent is currently being hunted. Though he's cut ties, he's still a potential asset to us. With the Administrator on the hunt, it may be a good time to bring him back into the fold."
The man looked confused, clearly not following her logic.
She continued on anyways, "Mobilise all teams. It looks like I'll have to cover for Calvin, one last time."
At this, the man reacted. He fiercely protested, "You want to come into conflict with an Overseer of the Cordiale? Weren't you the one who just said we couldn't draw their attention? And as much as I hate to admit, the Deuxieme isn't ready for a frontal clash with the Cordiale. Yet."
The man added the last word in an impromptu fashion, but Vitro merely gave a calm smile in response, telling him in an almost soothing tone, "I assure you, friend, that this will be worth any risks. Regaining Calvin will be a massive boon."
After a short pause, she added, "For the noble cause of the Deuxieme. For the end of the Cordiale's order."
