[Constance]
8 AM the following Monday Morning. Constance was to arrive at the facility right and early to meet with her colleagues and her superior. Her objects in this place were clear to her when she received her mission; discover the reason for the disappearances of recruits and officers and arrest those responsible. As far as the people here were concerned, she was a deputy Enforcer trainer in charge of the younger recruits. This assignment appeared to be simple and straight forward. In most cases the disappearances were easy to find since most of them were runaways or elopers with lovers.
It was a short walk from the Condominium to the facility, with how small the city was most things were a short walk, Constance left early though to get a better look at the streets and access points to the facility. She held at her side a nylon duffle bag, brief case combination case containing paper work, memorabilia, and a box of rounds for her Glock. Black high heeled shoes clicked the ground each step she took reaching the front doors of the facility. Wearing a uniform, knee skirt in a dark blue tone, a dress jacket of the same color, and a silk undershirt to finish it off, Constance appeared to be a model officer. Her short hair was brushed back from her eyes by a white gloved hand before she went past the clear, glass doors into the lobby.
The facility was an older designed from the early days of the TSAB. Much of the architecture modeled steel and granite then computers and steel combined. Many years ago the wiring had been gutted and the lobby reconstructed being the only “new” part of the compound aside from the laboratory. The lobby held a massive two story fountain at its base. Marble floors, marble pillars raised up five stories, offices to the right and the elevators to the left. A quick approach to the receptionist desk gave her directions to the elevator on her left; the top floor at floor 15 was her destination.
The elevators were a series of wide, glass cylinders using magnetic energy to raise and lower the platforms to each floor and then the roof; access to floors 12-14 and the roof was only granted to special authority. Each floor the elevator reached a soft ding signaled either its passing or stopping, for Constance it was a non stop flight to the top. At the top, the doors didn’t open immediately, instead they remained closed for a time period of one minute giving the person riding it a moment to gaze out across the city’s span.
The hard steel doors finally opened allowing Constance to step out into the hallway. Another receptionist sat in front of a single door in the back, to her left and right another four doors sat with the four other Commanding Officers offices. She walked without worry or lack of confidence reaching the receptionist’s desk. A moment pausing, she gazed down at the ditzy looking green head behind the desk. She appeared to be only in her early twenties like Constance, thick eye makeup, skirt dangerously too short to be professional, breast implants from the looks of it, and who knew that a low cut blouse with a few buttons unbuttoned was regulation dress wear. The secretary was seated in front of a wide, metal desk with a holographic keyboard and screen positioned in front of her. “I’m here to see, Admiral Franklin Secrin.” Constance spoke raising her voice enough to get the Teen Dream away from her computer conversation on the holographic screen.
Over the sound of thick gum chewing, the stereotype secretary pushed a button in front of her buzzing the twin, red wood door behind her. “Go on in. He’s waiting for you.” She said annoyingly nodding her head to Constance returning to her computer screen.
Constance felt an urge to throw the girl across the room for principle alone. Irritation swept over her normally calm manner. Turning swiftly to the right she went forward pushing her way inside of the office. The massive room was a good twenty feet by twenty feet. Antique legal Logia, paintings from various worlds and times, antique weapons, and a giant tank containing a lizard sized dragon. ‘Certainly has his share of money… Doesn’t he?’ Constance noted gazing around as she walked forward towards the back of the office. The back wall was a window, a massive desk in front of it mirroring how many officers seemed to keep their offices. Constance assumed that the man sitting on the back facing chair would be the admiral. “Admiral, Constance Lantus Reporting.” Constance spoke aloud, her legs coming together to obtain a proper stance.
The expensive, dragon leather chair spun around to face Mage Trainer Constance. Admiral Secrin was one of the youngest Admirals to ever be given the position. Coming from a middle class family from the suburbs; The Admiral excelled in no major classes in school or in the academy that he was in. What did he excel in if not in magic or academic skills? Improvising, sabotaging, data manipulation, and contacts within the facility. He rose in the ranks quickly with these means ducking under watching eyes by either changing videos, rankings, or ensuring those ahead of him faltered. It was when Commander Gil Graham had resigned that he was finally given his position of Admiral; a decision that the founding Brass regrets to this day. Shuffled around until he was placed at an older Facility, the Admiral has since reformed the facility to his own personal needs and desires. The admiral’s appearance fit a young man well. Black hair with tips dyed blond, goatee running around his mouth with a triangle bottom, broad shoulders, thin hands, and athletic legs. He wore his uniform seemingly proudly with his rank and medals shinned and shown for all to see. Many would argue that those same medals belong to others for accomplishments that he stole. “Welcome. Yes I received the information of your transfer recently. Welcome to my Facility, Trainer Lantus.” He gave her a seducers smile flashing perfect straight teeth. The sunlight from the window giving his pale skin a certain glow.
“Yes, sir.” Constance replied setting her hands behind her back, left hand holding onto her wrist. “I will be conducting a new training technique here at the facility to see how well it works before being applied to other facilities.” Her words were spoken without hesitation or doubt in why she was here. The perfect cover, after all, had to have perfect confidence.
“Yes, yes. I read the briefings and reports. I apologize that I do not have more time to discuss your stay here. Enforcer Damuel will be your fellow trainer.” The Admiral gave a dismissive wave to her. He truly had no interest in this new trainer as he should have had. “She is waiting for you out on the training grounds. She enjoys showing off her skill to the new recruits before they begin their training. Before you go to the elevator, please tell my secretary I need to see her.” The admiral turned in his chair fully disregarding Constance’s presence in the room.
Constance smirked at the Admiral’s back. A very cocky, upstart of a man she determined just by this meeting. She bowed her body forward then turned twisting on the heel of her shoes around back to the door. Her hand slid down into the pocket of her skirt withdrawing a small marble sized device. A quick squeeze on the thin outer layer broke the device’s coating turning it into a sticky ball. Constance flicked her wrist sending the device against a nearby statue, no doubt to remain until she removes it.
Once she escaped from the office the secretary didn’t have to be told to go in, she was already waiting for Constance to reach the elevator before descending into the Admiral’s office. Inside of the glass tube again, Constance pressed the button for the basement level then leaned against the glass wall. “Once chore down, no doubt Malaki is on his radio on time listening to whatever the Admiral is going to ever say.” Constance turned her head enough to again gaze out the window watching over the city. The assignment didn’t make much sense to her. She was to investigate reporting of officers and new mages going missing along with unusual magic readings from the laboratory. The two primary suspects are the Admiral and Doctor Celesti Damuel.
Constance lingered for a long moment in the elevator when it reached the basement. Her thoughts a high wire act of wonder and intrigue about this place. Celesti Damuel was the one who caught her attention the most. At one point she was a scientist working in conjunction with Precia Testarossa and on the very same project she worked on, until she broke off to search out her own methods. This alone would have caused an investigation to come over her after the Jewel Seed Incident but nothing happened. As for the Admiral, his quick rise through the ranks, unusual rise to wealthy status, and lack of investigations into many alleged crimes; possible rape, embezzlement, murder, kidnapping, and witness to many suicides, has many wondering how he did even make Admiral to begin with. These allegations made him a prime suspect just by principle alone.
Constance mind shifted instantly when she left the garage area where the elevator was and out in the training field. The open air area expanded to the size of a football field. The area that Constance came from had above it a U shaped stadium set of seats to sit spectators and officials when in the past they would take notes of how training went. Various spots of the dusty field had small emitters implanted into the ground to create structures or enemies at quick disposal for the necessary exercise at hand. Above, various beams went form one side to another to act for rappelling or swinging during combat. At the end of the field, about a quarter mile off, was a massive lake with at the far end the laboratory sat looming in the shadow of a massive mountain. Constance didn’t know what experiments they performed in the multi high rise building, but she was bound to find out sooner or later.
Constance took a moment glancing around the open field. On her left upon leaving the garage a group of young trainees were waiting to watch the mages in work. Most of them had to be anywhere between 10 and 13 years of age. They were staring forward in amazement at the six figures currently on the field; the six before them was Alexandria and her five chosen members of her unit. Each of them wore identical Barrier Jackets to Alexandria’s; a skin tight cat suite of black that covered from their necks down to their feet and hands. Specialized mechanical shoes and finger less gloves were worn on their limbs designed for added traction and grip. Metal plates were specially sculpted to fit onto their shins, thighs, and arms for added reflection projection. Over their torsos they wore metal chest pieces set to fit their individual body shapes. Over their faces, Wyvern masks were placed to hide who they were individually. Of the five of Alexandria’s unit, there were four women and one man, the man and one woman with dark skin, and the other three with light.
Alexandria motioned for her unit to move away and disperse to the side lines. The machinery and holograms went to work creating an urban setting of sprawling buildings and automobiles around. Alexandria smirked when she saw her future partner Trainer standing with the new recruits. “Twilight, Activate Crescent Blades” Alexandria commanded touching the black star imbedded in her chest armor. A bright light engulfed her hands creating her weapons. The dual swords were an unusual shape for long swords; their hilts made of half crescents with the handle attached at the ends opposite the curves. Ice shard wings appeared on her back followed by a glass shattering sound when Alexandria leapt upwards taking to the air; a streak of ice powder flowing behind her. At twenty feet above the materialized structure, Alexandria flipped back down with her back facing the ground in a beautiful summersault. She twisted her self diving towards the ground with the blades extended in front of her. Moments before she hit the hard dirt her body twisted it’s self to fly horizontal with the earth below, the blades extending outwards at her sides with cold energy pulsing to freeze the buildings at their base where they touched. At the end of the holographic street she straightened her self then landed onto her feet. Now, came the fun part.
Multiple humanoid drones dropped down form the tops of the buildings crashing to the ground below. They held no weapons for this particular exercise but they would be well enough for what she needed. Alexandria waited no time at all to attack the drones. When they struck high she ducked down or rolled beneath their blows driving her blades through their legs then up to their torso. The long swords slid on their curved hilts changing their direction without changing how Alexandria was holding them or swinging. When only a few of the drones remained, Alexandria took to the skies positioning her self above the final drones. She moved her blades so one was set behind the other, their shape merging together forming a long range rifle; light blue metal attaching to it. “Twilight, Blast Spike.” Alexandria commanded. Magic symbols appeared beneath her body, energy collected with in the barrel of the rifle. “Fire” She spoke aloud firing at high speeds a globe of dark blue energy.
The orb crashed against the ground sending spikes of ice in every direction where the bottoms of the buildings were frozen. The sharp ice sickles broke the bases of the buildings bringing the high rises crashing down around the drones crushing them beneath the weight. The crowd of on looking recruits began to cheer loudly as the Ice Queen came down landing in front of them.
Constance was amazed by the tactics that she used to defeat her opponents. Not only did Alexandria use brute force and magic to dispatch them, but she used her surroundings to her advantage as well. Constance stepped forward to approach the head Enforcer Trainer of the Facility. Her hand came up brushing back her short, dark brunette hair then took a proper soldier stance. “Good morning. Alexandria Damuel, if I am not mistaken.”
Alexandria glanced up and down over Constance. Her hands drawing back her long black hair from her eyes and shoulders letting it fall behind her. Her barrier jacket vanished in a glow of blue energy, Twilight reforming as a necklace around her neck. “Yes, I have been expecting you. We have much to discuss.”
Alexandria and Constance turned moving back into the garage. Both of them in their peak physical shape, walked with a poise of confidence and maturity rarely seen in officers. “I run my training session’s tough. If someone is unable to understand the dangers of battle, or understand that only the best should become Enforcers, then I ensure that they do not move on.” Alexandria began speaking stopping her movements in front of the closed Elevator. Her hand raised pressing for the fifth floor.
“I agree completely. Someone who is not ready to fulfill a position of combat should not be placed into live combat. It could jeopardize the mission and the lives of others around them. Strict training to draw out and eliminate their weakness is the only method that should be approached.” Constance replied glancing over to the stunning, black haired woman the back forward waiting for the elevator to come down to them.
“We are one in the same it seems. From what I have been told, you will be eliminating possible rejects before they are put under my training. This will allow me to further train possible Enforcers further then I have all ready.”
“Exactly. I have read of your records, and from what I have seen I am quite impressed with your methods of combat and styles. You accomplish your battles quickly and use everything at your disposal.” Constance put her hands behind her back, one hand holding the other’s wrist. She tilted her head back watching the numbers for the floors light up as the elevator reached each designated floor.
“We have much to discuss it seems. I am sure I will enjoy working with you, Trainer Lantus.”
“As I, with you, Enforcer Damuel.”
[Minea]
Dear Diary, March 27th
I’m afraid I angered Alexandria again this morning. When I woke up she was sitting at the end of my bed watching me sleep but… she was clearly angry with how she was snarling. All the pictures I had on my walls been torn down; the photos of Signum, mother, Alexandria, and everyone at the diner littered the ground.
“What have I told you about disrespecting Mother and I.” She said throwing a picture of Signum at me. “I should be the one you look up to and cherish, my dear sister. Not someone you have never met.” She screamed at me as she began to hit me. “I am going to discipline you now, my dear sister.” I remember her saying that just as I felt her grab my leg, and a painful crack coming from my foot. I don’t know how much time passed, but when she was done, Judas took me to Mother’s lab to be checked on.
Mother was there to see my injuries. She put my foot in a splint and told me it was broken, she bandaged my left cheek, above my right eye, and wrapped my ribs up saying two were cracked. She actually spoke to me though this time, “She does this out of Love, Dear Minea.” She’s never talked like this before. “You should listen to what she and Mother say.” Judas took me home so I could call Vanissa to tell her I wouldn’t be coming in for a week; Mother told me that I would be out for that long. The mage who normally heals me is away right now.
Judas took me home and set me to bed. He made me lunch then went to sit at my door to make sure I didn’t leave. I want to go to the diner even if I am hurt but mother said no. She told me that they both love me… That’s what she said. I just want to make them happy but not be hurt for it… Isn’t there anything I can do?
[Celesti]
Celesti sat in her underground office watching on her holographic screen as Minea wrote in her diary. Two other screens were opened monitoring Minea’s vital signs and the energy coming from her Logia heart. Realization would surmise showing on her face as the energy from the Logia increased when she spoke about love and spending time at the diner, but decreased during the time she wrote about turmoil. Celesti turned once of the three screens to show the activity of the Logia from 9 years ago when the Condominium complex’s pets changed into monsters from the Logia draining their life. She had written about being lonely, and wanting her family. “Brilliant. I may know how to activate its full potential. Precia was close to uncovering the truths, but her madness caused by fools drove her to the brink. My dear Minea, you hold the blood of my self and another’s in your veins. Soon, our dreams will be realized.”