Eleanor

The morning after that unnerving dinner, I found out that my housemate went on another mission again through Allen, which I haven't heard from for a while now. 

I planned to lounge in the Sanctum and continue reading books when I received a message from the UAO that my house was already finished. They required me to sign some documents and receive the key to my renovated home.

Feeling excited, I jumped out of the couch and bolted out the door. 

An hour later, I was mesmerized by my fully furnished new home. It was totally different from the old one, but it was more pleasant and cleaner. It stood out from the lines of old and crowded houses in the street.

The neighbors peeking out their windows were trying to gain my attention by gossiping louder than before, but I didn't spare them another glance. 

I walked in, feeling proud. This new modern house is mine now. I laughed. I should start packing my things in the Sanctum and move here right away.

With that in mind, I headed to the NSA to ask permission to move out. I saw Etienne in the lobby. Our eyes met. He smiled and waved his hand, then, he began walking toward me. 

"Jade, you're not going to train with that arm, right?" Etienne asked softly, but there was a warning in his voice. 

I shook my head in response. 

"Thank goodness," the pretty guy sighed in relief.

"I'm here to see someone."

"If you're looking for the captain, he and the vice-captain haven't come back. I'd like to say you can wait for them inside, but they didn't say how long they will be gone."

"That's fine. I'm here for someone else." 

I'm thinking of asking Patrick, but there's no need to mention it. 

Etienne walked with me inside. We passed the Hex Gate and I was surprised when I heard the alarm beeped after Etienne came in. Looking at the monitor, Etienne's dark energy level was beyond seventy. 

"Ah, it was because I went on an errand with Noir, and I had to use my ability quite a lot this time," Etienne explained with a tired smile. 

He was always smiling, even when two NSA employees approached him. He was brought into a Minder's counseling room immediately. Etienne told me to go on my way, but he looked like he was going to faint any moment, so I insisted on following.

I waited outside the room, seated on one of the waiting benches. Half a minute later, Etienne came out, blushing. 

"Are you okay?"

His shoulders jumped in shock. He must have forgotten I was waiting. Looking away, embarrassed, Etienne composed himself and cleared his throat, before nodding. 

I sighed in relief. 

"How about Noir? He must have injured himself too much." I don't care about that guy, but I just remembered something. 

Etienne shook his head, looking a bit disappointed. "He wasn't injured. We had to catch a group of unregistered awakeners and he ended up almost killing all of them, even after they surrendered. If I didn't heal them, Noir would have to face disciplinary action and even get dismissed."

I was silent for a minute. Etienne looked upset, but he wasn't angry and even sounded concerned for that guy. I wondered why. 

"You and he must be close," I said, trying to fish for some information.

Etienne sighed. "We became members of the team at the same time, and we're also the same age. Maybe that's why."

"I thought you guys were childhood friends. You're always together. So, I was actually going to ask you something about a nickname…or a pseudonym?" 

Screw fishing. I'll just ask straight away.

"Noir's nickname?"

I nodded. Etienne gave me a baffled look. However, he didn't pry and just looked up, lost in thought, thinking hard.

"I don't know. I just called him Noir, sometimes, I heard the vice-captain addressing him Ilya Noir, his real name. I never really asked him about that kind of thing before. Is it something important?"

I shook my head. "No, it's nothing. His name just reminded me of someone's nickname."

"Really? I thought Noir's name was unique."

"Yeah. But doesn't it sound like a girl's name? Eleanor, I mean."

Etienne paused. He glanced at me with widened eyes. 

"Oh, you're right!" He chuckled softly. "I'm going to use that to tease him!"

"Eh, please don't tell him I gave you that idea!" I don't want to be his puppet!

"Sure, I won't te—oh, Noir!" Etienne shouted out of the blue. 

My back shuddered. Slowly, I turned around and found Noir looking at us, his eyes disappearing from his broad smile. 

"Have you received counseling, Noir?" Etienne asked. Noir nodded enthusiastically. For someone who almost murdered a few people, he sure was lively and unregretful. 

His eyes half-opened, a smile still lingered as his crimson irises gleamed when they flickered on me. Unconsciously, I felt shivers run down my body. I felt my throat tightening for no apparent reason. 

Is he using his ability on me again? No, Etienne would have reacted if he did. Then, what's this uncomfortable feeling?

"I have. Are you both leaving now?" 

"I'm going back home. I don't know about Jade, though," the kind Etienne looked at me. "Didn't you say you're going to meet someone?"

"Yes. I should get going now," I answered immediately. I wanted to get away from them as much as possible. Etienne stared at me, seemingly bothered by my sudden change in demeanor. I forced a smile and nod at Noir without meeting his eyes. 

"Aw, what a shame. I was thinking of having lunch together. Well, if our dear newbie's busy, there's nothing we can do about it, huh? Get home safe then, Etienne." 

Noir left after that, only then did I was able to breathe properly. I watched Etienne leave, my mind still bewildered by what had occurred. 

After composing myself, I headed to where Patrick's office was. 

"Are you sure about that, Jade?"

"Yep. I'm notifying you in case Captain Vanderheinz returns and wonders why I'm not at home. I'll be moving out today."

Patrick sighed. He agreed after a few convincing, which means he had no idea of the reason why I was living with Claude in the first place. Sure, it might be for my own safety, but what the RDC said still weighed on my head. 

Claude denied it, but I'm sure I'm being monitored, not just to be protected but also to be shot as soon as I turn to the dark side.

My home is my safe zone. And I'm going to take my training seriously from now on, so I can protect myself without relying on another.

Before I went back, I shopped for a few things. I bought new clothes, new kitchenware, and dinnerware, and checked for a few appliances not included in my new house. I dropped them off at my place, before going back to Claude's Sanctum.

The sun had set on the horizon when I arrived. Seeing that the lights inside weren't turned on, I figured that the owner hadn't returned. 

In the past two months I lived in the Sanctum, the number of times I bumped with Claude inside can be counted on my ten fingers. He was always out doing missions. I bet the time he spent on Earth is shorter than his time inside a vortex, fighting monsters. 

Is he one of those kind of people? Those people who feel alive when they fight with their lives on the line, enjoying the thrill of it.

I pushed the door open while my head was pondering about the captain when a shadow loomed over me from behind. Thinking it was him, I turned around with a welcoming smile, but that smile vanished as soon as I realized who it was. 

I hadn't even asked him what he wanted from me when I felt my body slammed to the door after my neck was struck hard. 

I lost consciousness after that.