Looking up at the big chandeliers sparkling, the reflection of light shining so luxuriously. Like a world that existed somewhere between. Silent and empty filled with facts and secrets. A reality that’s formed between the lines of a role that was succumbed to.

  Entering a door that felt too big to be welcomed into omniscient feelings formed in my gut. Poking and aching as I walked through the big waiting room.

  Itsuki walked in front with me following behind.

  We entered the elevator.

  The level of this hotel building is twelve stories up.

  Itsuki had pressed the number eight.

  Without any exchanges we waited for the lift to come to the floor. Once the doors opened we both exited into a long corridor.

  It looked like a regular hotel lobby. Long and tall hallway with many doors on each side.

  I followed him to the end of the lobby, the third last door on the left.

  We entered the room.

  It was a conference room with a big large table right in the middle. Mounted TV’s on the walls. On the desk at each seat is an office phone with water bottles next to it. And right at the end of that table sat a person: Reigen Lawyet.

  “Good Morning, Rory! Itsuki!” Reigen immediately greeted me and then Itsuki.

  "Good Morning, Reigen!” Itsuki replied before me.

  “Morning…” I said while side glancing at the guy. "What's this?” I asked.

  There were neatly stacked documents next to Reigen. He didn’t possess any particular expression at this moment. Looking rather focussed.

  “Please have a seat.” Reigen did not reply, instead hold out his hand to sit on one of the chairs.

  Itsuki eyed me for a moment giving a glimpse and a nod and moved to sit down.

  Once we both were sitting, Reigen folded his arms on the table and cleared his throat to speak.

  “I invited you to this meeting for official duties.” Reigen spoke in a very official tone, like reading a script.

  The vibe felt odd and unfamiliar.

  “Official duties?” I questioned.

  Reigen nodded.

  “You have received a rare item. The white card Yukari Winters have given you. That is the purpose of this meeting.” Reigen explained the reason I was called here.

  “...why is this guy here then?” I asked, pointing at Itsuki.

  Itsuki did not react. He ironically was looking very closely at his nails. Acting like he was killing some spare time.

  “Just pretend he is not here.” Reigen didn’t even bother to look at the guy as he said this. “The position that you are about to take…it's a important part of Akasia. We are supposed to go over some basic things like contracts and rules.” Reigen explained.

  I only stared. Not saying anything.

  Reigen proceeded by picking out a large folder of documents.

  “This is a basic manual that everyone needs to go through before taking a job in our research facility.” Reigen stated.

  The folder was at least a book size in big A4 format thick covers.

  “We will have a meeting each day this week to go over every important passage in here.” Reigen said something that made my eyes open wildly.

  “That’s why you arranged to ban me from university? For this?” I couldn’t help but raise my voice.

  “No. The reason you were banned was explained in your email.” Reigen shook his head. “Did you already forget your actions?” He reminded me.

  “Of course, I remember! But you were the one at fault there!” I said.

  “Publicly you were the one hitting my brother.” Reigen replied.

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  I just stared at him for a minute. Ending up letting the whole thing go.

  “Right…” I subtly shook my head.

  “Anyways…” Reigen went right past this and continued, passing me the big folder. “Take this and open the first page.” He urged me to do this motion with his eyes.

  Slowly, I reached out for the folder. It read Terms & Conditions.

  “A rule book? Why is it so…” I flipped over the pages, glancing at the size of this thing.

  “..thick.”

  I looked over at Reigen.

  He only let out a breath. Not even an inch of irritation on his face. Rather, he was civil and very professional.

  I had to take a double look if that is even the same person I met the last time we saw each other.

  “As you have noticed Akasia is very protective of its information flow.” He said.

  “Open the next page.” He urged me to do it.

  I flipped the pages while Reigen read it out loud.

  “The number one rule is not to discuss anything that is in development. Any project strictly cannot be discussed outside the walls of the research facility.” He said this clearly and sternly.

  My eyes were on the twelve paragraphs in small letters with sub notes below each.

  “A non-disclosure agreement…” While reading I said these words out loud.

  “You are correct.” Reigen nodded. “It is a NDA and it's very specific. Every potential scenario is accounted for.” He said.

  “Huh…” I huffed and opened the next page. Then the next, briefly reading through the points mentioned there.

  Reigen let me scroll through it, watching me.

  One minute, two minutes. Then five minutes of total silence.

  Itsuki still looked bored.

  Reigen simply watched me.

  After seven minutes I finally closed the whole thing and looked right back at Reigen.

  “Is something the matter?” Reigen questioned me.

  “I can’t sign this.” I said.

  “You can’t?” He looked confused.

  “Yeah…my mother would never allow me to sign anything without her notice…and I refuse to involve her in any of your plot.” I said my reason.

  Reigen stared at me for a long moment. His eyes focused, rethinking this whole thing.

  “If you refuse to sign this, I can’t permit you to use the benefits with your card.” Reigen said.

  “I don’t want that position right now.” I replied.

  My mind was made up on this.

  “Can I ask your reason?” He asked me.

  “I am still a student…let me come back to this conversation when I graduate.” I gave my answer.

  Reigen nodded understanding.

  “I see…” He said and looked over at all of the documents and reached out his hand to take the big folder, putting it back where it was before. Next to himself.

  “That clears my schedule then…” Reigen looked around. Eventually ending his gaze at Itsuki.

  “Rory…Itsuki you both are not from here. Any involvement with people from here. Even if you consider them friends proceed with caution.” Reigen spoke to both of us now. His words left a warning to me and Itsuki who simultaneously looked at each other then back at Reigen.

  “I don’t know what you are implying.” Itsuki raised an eyebrow at this statement nonchalantly.

  “Me too.” I honestly didn’t know what he meant.

  “I won’t explain in detail. Just proceed with caution.” Reigen warned.

  “I am simply doing the job you hired me for.” Itsuki shrugged his shoulders. Adjusting the position on the chair he sat.

  “What is your job?” I couldn't help but ask out loud.

  “Right now…it’s you.” Reigen answered for Itsuki.

  “Me?” I questioned.

  “Well…our last meeting was strange and confrontational.” Reigen looked at me as if he was giving me the worst apology, without an apology. “I am not an enemy. Unless you break rules.” He said with the most unimpressed impression.

  His words made me snicker. Not believing any of his tactics.

  “Oh…after the stunt you did, nothing you say to convince me to trust any of your intentions.” I replied clearly to his words. Then I continued. “Hire ten Itsuki’s but you won’t get the location of my dad. As I told you before. I don't know where he is and have no means to find him right now.” I repeated the statements from our last meeting.

  “Your dad?” Itsuki asked innocently. “What’s the deal with your dad?” He asked me.

  That made me look at Reigen and then Itsuki.

  Either Itsuki masterfully was playing dumb or intentionally trying to throw me off the course or he really had a different agenda. Honestly, it was hard to tell. Those yellow cat-like eyes were still a mystery to me.

  “What would be your job if not find out the whereabouts of my dad then?” I asked.

  “Non-disclosure!” Itsuki replied to me with hands up as if saying to give up asking.

  I looked at Reigen instead.

  “I can’t discuss it either.” Reigen replied.

  “So you can tell me that his job is me but what exactly you can’t tell.” I huffed.

  Both of them simultaneously nodded.

  “Sure…then is it really true this city is hidden from the world?” I asked a question that seemed to perk up Reigen’s ears.

  He looked over to me rather interested in my interest in this.

  “It’s true…only a handful people with clearance can be here or know of its existence.” Reigen confirmed this question.

  “Is it like a government secret city?” I was intrigued by this.

  “We are connected but separate from their views.” I honestly did not expect Reigen to answer these questions. Because he did answer them. More questions piled up.

  “Then…it’s true you kill people who try to leave or speak about this place? Is this the true reason why you are chasing my dad? Has anyone else escaped? What does that mean for me? If I try to leave…will you kill me off?” I asked multiple questions as my curiosity peaked.

  Part of this questioning was influenced by what Athena told me about her past.

  Reigen’s expression grew more complex after each question presented to him. He took a minute of silence to collect his words and then spoke.

  “That's a rather outrageous statement. If anyone breaks the rules and tries to speak or flee they are detained and questioned. We don’t kill anyone…” Reigen said looking at me rather strictly as if these have in some way offended him.

  He continued. “You…Itsuki and your mother are possessing a special clearance to leave Akasia.” Reigen answered another question. Ignoring the mention of my dad.

  “That's a special condition…” I raised an eyebrow.

  “Exactly…don’t abuse it.” Reigen warned us. “The situation with your family and Sano…put’s you in a special position. As you already are aware of it.” Reigen said.

  Somehow the compliance to my questions unsettled me.

  Especially the unbalance in his behaviour.

  Have they changed tactics and decided to give me answers? The last time he was specifically secretive. It feels so inconsistent.

  But it made my curiosity to peak and get the most of the situation.

  I looked over at Itsuki. Then back at Reigen. To continue to gather the answers to my questions!