Chapter 6 - The Agency

Three days elapsed, and although still feeling a bit sluggish, Jason reached the limit of his patience with the hospital. He decided it was time to take matters into his own hands and discharged himself. Fortunately, since the incident had occurred while he was still a student, he didn't have any medical bills to worry about. Now liberated from the confines of both the hospital and school, he embarked on a direct journey to the address Amber had provided him. This address was nestled in the city centre of the sprawling metropolis known as 'Cloud City,' a moniker that had been adopted by most of its inhabitants due to its perpetual overcast state. Jason had no money and wasn't sure where all his belongings were, or if he even had any, except for his phone, which now lay lifeless with a dead battery.

As Jason slowly trudged through the bustling streets of the inner city, surrounded by towering skyscrapers that pierced through the clouds, a sleek black luxury car with tinted windows glided up beside him and smoothly lowered its rear window.

"Get in," a familiar voice beckoned from within.

Jason squinted to peer inside the car and recognized Amber, who had come to pick him up. He opened the rear door and gratefully entered the vehicle, relieved that he wouldn't have to traverse the entire distance on foot.

Curiosity nagged at him as he settled into his seat. "How did you know I was out of hospital?" he inquired.

"I asked the nurses 'very nicely' to let me know when you were discharged," Amber replied with a polite smile, gesturing to him to sit. Jason sat down and fastened his seat belt, as his eyes adjusted to the car's dimly lit interior.

The vehicle they occupied was a spacious marvel, boasting two rows of seats elegantly arranged to face each other. Inside, opulence radiated from every corner, as sumptuous red leather seats invited passengers to sink into luxury. The upholstery sported intricate patterns, and crystal-clear champagne glasses sparkled in their holders. She had strategically positioned him opposite herself, ensuring they could converse without effort. While the car didn't quite reach the grandeur of a limousine, it still offered ample legroom for both, granting Amber the comfort of crossing her legs with ease. She was dressed in sophisticated business attire, which gracefully accentuated her figure—a testament to her refined style, much like the outfit she had worn during her recent hospital visit, albeit with a much shorter skirt this time.

"So, I've been wondering; you haven't yet told me about the work you need my assistance with," Jason inquired. The card she had given him had her name and address, but no clues about the task at hand. Amber nodded with a smile.

"I was deliberately vague in the hospital for security reasons, but this car is company property, and we can speak here privately. I run an agency, partially funded by the government, that undertakes missions the government can't handle, tackles private cases, and conducts internal investigations," Amber explained with a reassuring smile.

Jason, however, remained puzzled. She hadn't yet explained why she specifically wanted him.

"That still seems rather ambiguous. Why did you choose me for recruitment?" Jason asked, his confusion evident.

Seeing the concern on his face, Amber hastened to reassure him. "Your power is incredibly strong, at least S-rank or higher. I saw your seven familiars with my ability. I also understand that you've had minimal time to explore your powers, but we can help with that as well," Amber explained.

Jason found himself at a crossroads. Should he disclose his power to her? He felt a sense of trust but didn't want to rush into anything. Memories of their past encounters that would establish trust remained elusive. For now, he decided to keep his abilities a secret, simply respond with a vague smile and hope no one gets offended because he didn't correct her use of the word familiar.

"Alright, good to know," he said, intentionally leaving his response ambiguous.

"Don't worry, I don't expect you to divulge everything," Amber replied, offering further reassurance. Jason felt a sense of safety around Amber but decided to exercise caution. His plan was to explore the office, learn more about their operations, and then make a decision.

"So, where are your familiars?" Amber inquired.

"They're either inside my mind, visible only to me, or fully revealed. Currently, I'd say they're all within my mind," Jason replied.

Suddenly, Liz appeared in the vacant seat beside Jason, in her translucent form. She wore a mischievous smile as if she had something to share.

"Interesting. Who controls when they manifest?" Amber asked.

"I can politely request them not to appear, but ultimately, they make that decision themselves," replied Jason, pointing his remark at Liz.

"Interesting," Amber mused.

Liz frowned and placed her hand on Jason's leg, slowly sliding it upward. While transparent to others she could interact with his body. As her hand slid closer to his crotch, he got more and more nervous, but she refused to stop, so Jason spoke up before Liz got carried away.

"Alright!" he exclaimed, startling Amber.

Liz then materialised beside Jason, her hand still on his leg. Amber jumped slightly, not ready for someone, let alone a demon woman, to appear so readily. Liz pulled her hand back and leaned on Jason before greeting Amber.

"Hello, my name is Liz, and I am one of Jason's 'familiars,'" she said, emphasising the word 'familiars' with air quotes.

"Oh, hello, Liz," Amber replied, attempting to regain her composure after the surprise.

"Did you want to talk to me?" Liz asked, her hands gently exploring Jason's chest.

Jason felt exceedingly uncomfortable with Liz's actions but didn't want to appear rude. The worst part is she knew this and was taking full advantage of it. Amber, caught off guard, scrambled for a question.

"Uh... Do any of you remember what happened to Jason?" Amber queried, though Jason assumed she already knew the answer.

"Unfortunately, no. When Jason's body or mind is affected, we share the same fate. Our memories vanished as well. We know who we are and our purpose, but not much else," Liz explained with a hint of disappointment.

This revelation was news to Jason, and it left him pondering whether it included all emotions, including anger and pleasure. If this was true, Liz's actions were starting to make more sense now, as she appeared to be focused on making him feel pleasurable.

"So, if you get injured, does it affect him?" Amber asked, keeping Jason's interest in her line of questioning.

"Fortunately, it's a one-way street. If we get hurt, we heal quickly and can't die unless Jason does," Liz replied, gripping Jason's chin and playfully moving his head as if to say, "Don't die."

Amber gazed out of the window, a veil of contemplation masking her expression. Her sudden silence left Jason intrigued, his analytical mind working overtime to decipher her thoughts. In the midst of her reverie, Amber unconsciously swapped the leg she had crossed. For a split second Jason saw straight down her skirt at her black lace underwear, which was instantly arousing. Liz, who must have seen the memory as he did, turned her gaze towards Jason, a sly wink passing between them, hinting at future discussions. A heartbeat later, Amber broke the silence, her voice carrying a newfound gravitas. "So… can you interact with objects while in the ethereal state?" she queried, her intent shrouded in mystery.

"No, only Jason," replied Liz.

Amber pressed further, "What about dematerializing while holding an object?"

Liz, curious herself, responded, "I don't know. Let's find out." With that, she slid to the opposite side of the car, picked up a champagne glass, and then seamlessly dematerialized. To their surprise, the glass remained in Liz's ethereal grasp. Confirming Amber's hypothesis, Liz reappeared and placed the glass back in its original spot.

A mischievous smile graced Liz's lips as she confirmed, "It seems the answer is yes."

The car pulled into a garage, coming to a stop, signalling their arrival at their destination. Amber, her intrigue satisfied, turned to Liz and offered a parting remark, "Interesting. Thanks for the enlightening chat."

Jason nodded at Liz as if to say, you can go now. Liz pouted momentarily but then disappeared back into Jason's mind without protest. Amber exited the vehicle, signalling for Jason to do the same. The car reversed and left the garage. After a five-minute journey, Jason found himself walking down a long hallway to the end. Amber unlocked the door, revealing a sign that read "A.W. Consulting" illuminated in clear glass with shutters on the other side.

The office was a modest single room containing three desks and a box of parts for a fourth. Each desk was equipped with the latest holographic computers. Surrounding the door were several filing cabinets, testifying to the enduring usefulness of physical file storage. This room would normally be the offices of a single person, but it appeared Amber was making most of the space.

Before Jason could pose more questions, Amber handed him a file.

"Consider this a gesture of goodwill," she said with a nod, urging him to open it. Jason complied, finding a wealth of information about his case meticulously gathered by Amber. It was evident that she was genuinely interested in helping him.

Malcolm appeared beside him, rubbing his hands together eagerly. "Give that to me. One of my abilities is to read information and transfer it to your memory. May I make an appearance?"

Jason nodded, and Malcolm materialised, once again startling Amber. Jason handed the file to Malcolm, who made his way to one of the desks to read the contents.

"Another one of your familiars?" Amber inquired.

"Malcolm's the name," he stated, not looking up from the file.

"Nice to meet you," Amber replied, to which she only got a grunt from Malcolm in response.

"So, shall we get down to business?" Amber inquired with a smile.