[Ryan's PoV]
So… Mystic Falls.
It seems one of the Seals is closer than I expected.
I always held the possibility of one of the seals being there. Considering the town's history, it would be no surprise to me.
Unfortunately, I preferred to be certain of my objectives before acting. The town was not the safest, after all. So… better safe than sorry. It's not like daddy dearest was in a rush.
But now that he has identified one of the seals, I have to act. God, he will be so pissed if he learns I know about a Seal and didn't act.
First and foremost, I have to learn what exactly he did.
That reaction was intense, I almost passed out from it due to the abruptness.
Considering his circumstances… probably a creature. He couldn't do much more than that.
But what did he release?
He's been too weakened over the past century. He probably can't release something too powerful out in the world to retrieve one of the seals.
At the same time, he wouldn't release anything lesser. He might not know how the world has developed up until now, but father knows better than anyone what creatures walk on it and what is trapped within him.
He must at least have the notion to send something decent enough.
But trying to guess would be a waste of time, even to me. There are simply too many options.
Now, second question. How did he learn one of the seals' location? What triggered it?
Magic isn't an option. There may be an infimal chance if someone tried to peek in it. But I hardly doubt that. If the slight touch of magic was enough to alert father, then we totally failed in the spells when splitting his essence.
No… it is something else.
What could it be? What woke him up?
Hm…
As if a lamp lit up in my head, I unconsciously smiled as the only possibility crossed my mind.
How could I forget my baby half-brother? Or would it be full brother since I don't have a mother, just a father? Or maybe ¾ brother? Forget it, it doesn't matter.
What matters is that I finally caught sight of you, brother. I think that more than learning about the Salvatore School, I have to pay a visit to Mystic Falls now.
Isn't it a beautiful coincidence that father's vessel found one of the seals? What are the chances?
Really, what are the chances…
It seems father became a little wiser during his time as a pit. I think that's what happens when you are locked for a century after trying to take over the world.
Hm, but it wasn't enough time to help him in trusting me with the location of his vessel. Well… I guess that's what happens when you betray your father, he loses most of his trust in you.
Now, let's take a better look at this school, shall we?
[Tomorrow, 19/02]
A heavy silence weighted upon Triad Industries.
Torrence rain fell over the buildings, a cold chilling wind howling across the towers that illuminated the night.
But within the corridors, no sound but the steps of armed soldiers and their breath was carried. Not a single voice muttering. Or so it was thought…
Where no light reached, cries of agony were deafened by the structure of concrete and steel. Blood crying eyes visible through the physical and mental darkness they live in.
In this place, where the coldness of human indifference and a torturing hell existed, a single person seemed to be affected by a seemingly outside influence.
His vision blurred. His mind stopped working for the fraction of a moment, almost collapsing forward.
Shit! I know you are angry, dear father! But is this necessary? Clarke cursed within, biting his inner lip to shock himself out of it through pain. Just remember, Ryan. This is for her. For her. A relieving breath escaped his lips. This pain is necessary.
When recovering from the sudden mental impact, Clarke took a last look at the files in front of him before rising to his feet. He gathered all the documents and steadily walked out of the room he found himself in.
Outside the room, he didn't even bat an eye at the passing guards. He walked with his destiny in mind.
Turns, corridors, rooms, Clarke walked for a few good minutes before finding himself before the same metallic door as before.
"Stars in the void." He muttered near the door.
The door opened. And on the other side of it, he was given the view of scientists pacing around, gathering around the recent data processed by the computers. And the mere sight of the data triggered diverse reactions from all of them.
"It seems everyone is working very hard." Clarke said, his characteristic smile taking form on his lips.
"Agent Clarke." Veronica called him out.
Turning to her, Clarke could see forming dark circles under her serious eyes. Her expression screaming her not so great patience for useless comments.
"I hope your presence is an indication of the fact that you accomplished the task I gave you, not to make sarcastic comments." Her voice sounded irritated, even if so slightly.
"Here it is, Director. I resumed what is important on the first two pages. Or would you wish for a vocal explanation?"
"Be quiet for now." Veronica ordered him.
Clarke nodded at the words, turning around to take a look over the room meanwhile. When his eyes wandered through the facility, the scene brought a slight amusement to him, his lips curling into the smile from earlier.
"The pattern is almost identical to the one from yesterday."
"But the intensity has increased considerably."
"But there is no indication of an unknown ME source like before. Why?"
Through the room, the scientist discussed among themselves, trying to comprehend the unfolding event detected by their facility.
All the while, Clarke just watched everything with amused eyes, almost humming a song to his content.
"Is everything in this paper correct, Agent Clarke?" Veronica asked him, giving the man a side glance.
"Yes, Director." Clarke nodded. "I like to think I'm very competent in my job."
Veronica's reply came in the shape of silence, her fingers flipping the pages, the existing frown in her forehead slowly intensifying.
With observing eyes, Clarke kept himself close to the woman, reading her expressions.
"May I ask what is bothering you so much, Director?"
Still in silence, Veronica ripped one of the pages from the documents and handed it to Clarke, who gave a brief reading to it just to remember the content.
"Jonathan Néo, 16 years-old. Apparently born in California. No registered biological parents in his official documents, and no relatives found through DNA tests. Been adopted by a family in Kansas before being scouted by the Salvatore School after his performances in scientific activities." Clarke spoke briefly, just a resume of what was written in the paper. "They did good in making an identity hard to prove false. For normal groups, of course." He added.
"As far as we know, even his name and age might be lies. No known origin, species unidentified and no official registration in any database we have access. As far as we know, the young man going by the name of Jonathan Néo never existed in the civilized world."
"Yet, this young man appeared last month bragging about himself like he was some god." Veronica said.
With a swift movement of his eyes, Clarke stared at the woman. "What do you mean, Director?"
"Immortality, strength, speed, flight, and magic even." Veronica listed off. "It's been proven he possesses all these gifts, all by himself and ocular witnesses."
"Then why isn't there any mention of anything in his profile?" Clarke questioned.
"Because I didn't see the necessity of updating it." Veronica said, waving it off.
Clarke, however, couldn't just wave it off. "Do you intend to keep it hidden from them, Director?"
"Would they even care? I hardly see why they would bother with such a thing."
"Because you know what happened the last time that you-."
"Agent Clarke." Veronica cut him off, giving him an annoyed look. "Remember your job is working for me."
"..." Faced with such an abrupt display of irritation and reminding of who is the superior here, Clarke backed down in silence. Play the role, Clarke. Play the role. "Of course, Director." He bowed his head slightly.
In silence, Veronica retrieved a device from a nearby table. She pressed the screen a few times before silently passing it over into Clarke's hands. "Watch it." She said before returning her sight over to the scientists.
Clarke held a curious look in his eyes, wondering what the woman wished to show him.
Unfortunately, by playing the video, his curiosity was not satisfied, but enhanced.
Fire erupted in the sky, lightning crackled through the air. The lower clouds ripped apart by the potency of the clashes, and the wind swirled by the pressure exuded by their movements.
Witnessing the fight through the screen, Clarke's expression almost distorted, only the will he tempered by decades in the darkness preventing it. But it wasn't enough to stop his strength over the device tightening, threatening to break the object by the strangely high force owned by the slim man.
How? Why is there a god here?! He screamed internally, eyes fixed on the small figure of the two in the sky. They shouldn't be present in the current age!
"Surprised, Agent Clarke?" Veronica suddenly asked.
Raising his eyes, Clarke noticed she had her back facing him.
I almost let my emotions take over. He thought, releasing his grip over the device. "What, what was that?" He asked, his tone claiming surprise from his part.
"A dragon. An existence that should have long been forgotten by the world."
"Why?"
"Because they are one of the first species erased by the pit." Veronica answered, turning to him, an impassive expression on her face. "Not surprising you not knowing. You are just an Agent, your authority is not high enough to know of these things."
Yes, I know that. Who among others suggested not disseminating such knowledge to every person? Clarke sarcastically thought. Right, little old me. But you wouldn't know that, Director. After all, even your grandfather wasn't born at that time. "So, Dragons are real too, but what is he?" He looked again at the small figure in the recording.
And no matter how many times Clarke looked, a single existence came to his mind.
A god… He muttered internally. But how? They should all be gone, sealed away or fucking hiding. How did one appear now? He questioned himself, trying to think of the possibilities. Maybe a demigod? They are not under the same conditions as their parents, so maybe one finally decided to slip out from their hiding home? An invisible frown appeared over Clarke's forehead.
As Clarke pondered internally the existence of the young man, Veronica readily replied to him.
"We don't know yet. I am also concerned by the fact we didn't notice any magical energy coming from him. I wonder why." She muttered at the end.
Of course you wouldn't sense his magic. If he is a god, then you can forget about even trying to erase his existence. Clarke thought, keeping his impassive expression. Triad has no chance against him in its current state.
Veronica taking a look at him, saw his expression and got curious. "You have less of a reaction than I expected." she commented.
To that, Clarke just gave his usual smile. "I am an agent of Triad, I should be able to surpass my emotions for where I stand."
"Fair." Veronica replied, the earlier irritation slowly disappearing, taking a more stern posture. "As you can see from our team's reaction, Agent Clarke, apparently, a bigger problem than the dragon has appeared." She looked at the scientists, who were still discussing the results strongly.
"I noticed." Clarke muttered, taking a look once again at the scientist pacing around. "So, another creature appeared?" He inquired.
"Apparently so." Veronica nodded. "However, we are incapable of seeing it."
But you already know where it is, don't you? "Any clue?"
"More like an answer: Mystic Falls." She answered, her eyes piercing through the glass. "It's where the dragon attacked, and from my sources, where it was defeated. The dragon was sent there for a purpose, though not fulfilled. Then, the pit sent another." Though attempting to remain expressionless, Veronica's eyes hid a fixation hard to miss by wise eyes.
Eyes like Clarke's, for example. Her fixation didn't escape him.
"I can imagine you must have something already in mind, Director?"
"I do." She affirmed. "Agent Clarke, prepare yourself for an undercover field mission. You and one still to be decided agent will follow me to Mystic Falls. I plan to visit Principal Saltzman for a meeting."
"Just four of us, Director?" Clarke questioned, though respectful. "We are basically walking into enemy territory. Especially considering the presence of the Mikaelson girl in the school." He said, the last part carrying a more deep meaning.
"I know." Veronica didn't disagree, understanding all meanings in his words. "However, we are not going there seeking conflict or anything. I will just be going as a mother worried for their son. As for you and your colleague, your task will just to become my eyes and ears. One driver and one secretary. Your presence will merely be to gather data from our surroundings and turn this into useful knowledge, understood?"
"Yes, Director."
"Good." She nodded in satisfaction. "You may go prepare yourself, Agent Clarke. I have the slightest feeling this trip will reveal interesting things to us."
"Understood, Director." Clarke nodded, his words still respectful. He turned on his feet and started to walk out of the facility.
However, within his mind, the words he wished to say were not respectful. They were just as most of their thoughts were, trying to find amusement in things for himself.
If things depend on father, you have no idea how entertaining this trip will be, Director. Hidden from all, an amused and mischievous smile bloomed once again in Clarke's lips.