Chapter 44

"You know something, aren't you?" Trance averts her attention to the screen. She blinked her eyes due to its light which caused black patches on her sight. Trance stared at it for long, not looking away for why Nine bought up.

"It's not like I would attack you for such a deep as a small pail reason." Nine chuckled and leaned on her seat, "What? Are you thinking that I would charge against it?" Nine stared at Trance's hand the moment she balled it into a fist. Trance stood up and grabbed Nine by her collar. Nine didn't utter a word or two, instead, she remained motionless as she was. Trance pulled her closer; not minding the big difference between the two of them.

"Listen, if you know my crimes you can shut the fuck up."

"And if I don't? What are you going to do?" Trance narrowed her eyes at Nine, her breath fanned on the blonde's lips. She closed her eyes while Nine glanced at the gadget in front of them before deepening what Trance started. Nine let Trance guide it until she pulled away.

"Oh, so Lady Miyazaki is committing things such as this now? Aren't you---" Nine got cut off when Trance did it again, intentionally silencing her. Nine didn't allow her to do what she did the first; she stared at the monitor, drifting away from what was in front of her. At that moment Trance ran out of breath, Nine tapped her shoulder, "What is your problem?" She asked in an emphasizing yet calm tone.

"I just wanted you to shut for a meantime," Trance forced a fake smile despite his she silently wished for herself to dissolve, "This is the feeling when you kissed someone." She added. Nine's frown never leaves her face; scanning Trance all over.

"Look, Lady Miyazaki, or may I say Agent 0315, I don't know what you're talking about. However, could you please don't do it again in the middle of work?" Nine shrugged off, "You know? Sometimes you need to directly tell me what you want rather than kiss me. You have two questions to ask me. Choose properly. If you wanted me to get infected by a lethal disease or virus, better think twice." She said, standing up and pouring another cup of coffee.

'She really figures it out.'

"Calm down, it'll go away. There's no such monster that will chase."

"I'm not accusing you. I just wanted to know what I'm going to do to free my brother." Trance explained. Strike two, for another embarrassment.

"That counts." Nine retorted. Trance grunted and bowed her head in regret.

'Why it's so hard to talk to you?!'

"This unit, what is this unit?"

"Like what I expected." Nine leaned at the aisle, "Getting tired of pretending aren't we?" She took a sip of her coffee.

' She caught me. This is what I got for trying hard to pretend that I knew what situation I was in. What the--'

"I'll put it in the simplest way for you, Lady Miyazaki." Nine stared at Trance's leaning figure, "This unit is rendered by the Headmistresses. They picked the most peculiar person you've ever encountered."

"How peculiar?"

"People possessed with inhumane ability."

"Are we some sort of superheroes?"

"If that's what you think."

"Then why am I here? What about you?"

"Well.." Nine pulled the drawer beside her and took out a knife. She handed it to Trance while showing both of her wrists, "There's a reason that I can't disclose to you, princess. My personal life is not for you to meddle with. But, I want you to keep that knife with you. I will show you something."

Trance stared at Nine. What comes out of Nine's mouth is like nothing to her. Trance just stared and did nothing, making Nine snatch away the blade from her. Trance closed her eyes when the knife created a harsh contact against the blonde's pale skin.

"Open your eyes. Come on. No mad creature would come out from my wrist." Trance slowly opened her eyes, not letting her guard down. The blood streams down to the floor. Trance witnessed how the wound closed on its own.

"How the hell--"

"Don't scream. It's too early in the morning." Nine deadpans, "What if I told you that your brothers have the same ability as mine? Are you going to scream and think they're monsters? If the others show theirs, would you be the one who cried wolf?"

"I don't have any intention to raise my voice. But how did you know that?"

"Trance, I know who's who. I know who am I working with."

"What's the point of me being part of this?"

"You know the answers yourself. I don't want to give answers to the third and not necessary one." Trance flinched and then turned her attention back to the screen. Nine handed her another laptop in the middle of their search. Trance glued her age to the silver laptop in her grasp.

"Open that. I wanted you to do something rather than doing this."

Trance gave no response, however, she opened it. Soon when the program started to work, she tapped Nine. Digging up on the trail of binary codes scattered didn't last long after Trance tapped the keyboard once more in confusion. Nine noticed her and darted her attention to the screen.

"Hey, there's something wrong in here. The fuck?" Trance typed random letters on the keyboard after the laptop's screen turned into static and turned off on its own. Trance narrowed her eyes at the screen soon when a jester appeared on the screen. He looked at Trance with laughter enough to scare off an average person. His wide grin that ends ear to ear never leaves his face. He waved at the raven to taunt her.

"Hmm, guess what we have here?" He tilted his head, "Oh! So it's a little woman who goes through the system. Oh! Nine is with you."

"Ilsel, you little piece of shit, are you aware that we are in the middle of work?" Nine asked him in an emotionless tone. Ilsel laughed and waved his hands as if he was too shy to accept a compliment.

"Can't offer a smile for even once, Nine?"

"So instead of messing with us this time, why don't you join in since we are in full hands on deck?"

"What's the exchange? I would if Nine would agree to a rematch." He pointed to the blonde beside Trance, "My whole months of vacation is all meant for training so I can have my victor against that demon beside you." Trance took a breath in and forced a smile.

"You're months too late for that but, if you insist." Nine smirked smugly, crossing her arms in amusement.