Jake walked out of the bar with a sour look on his face, the street were bustling with people.
He looked around then chose a direction to walk to; it was an alley, he blended into the crowd.
—
A man walked out of the alleyway in a formal attire, a brown suit and hat to match, and his posture was straight.
A carriage stopped in front of him and he opened the door to get in
At the back there were two people a man and a lady sitting beside him, the man was the one that had entered the pub earlier.
The lady had packed up black hair, and her lips were red she was of nobility and had red eyes.
"I send my greetings commander Ren and lady Eunice." The man bowed with his hat off, he was seated opposite Ren.
"I'll leave it for the head of internal security to know about my wife as well, James, Jared, Jack, Jake? what was your name again?
You've gone through so many J's that I've forgotten your real name." Ren smiled.
"Jaun-" Jake opened his mouth to speak.
"Don't worry it doesn't matter." Ren said.
Jake smiled a bit. "I admire your sense of humour sir it's Jaunty, and it's also quite funny that you happened upon me whilst undercover, with the same intentions as I.
But it actually worries me that you would bother yourself when we are already on the search for them." Jaunty said.
Eunice rested her head on Ren's shoulder.
"It's been what, seven- eight months? Yet no news of them, I can't take your group seriously if you can't find four people within that time." Ren said with a frown.
"I'm aware of our incompetence and I apologise, but for all we know they might as well be deceased.
Barely any records of them exist, except that of Curth and little on the girl, but the man and the boy might have as well been fictional" Jaunty said.
"Exactly why I stepped in, I can't leave this to you people…" Ren removed his hat.
"You can push blame to the internal security all you want but we weren't the ones beneath that wall, or the ones that failed to keep their people in check." said Jaunty.
Ren stared at him, his words rung true, so true that it was hard for him to deny it, he clocked his tongue and his face eased up.
…
"How is the press getting away with this propaganda, it has gotten so bad in such a short amount of time." said Ren.
"It's our job to stop misinformation from spreading especially since it could be dangerous, but the papers are not exactly wrong." Jaunty rubbed the stub from his beard.
"This doesn't count as dangerous?
Those papers are making the people turn on the saviours of humanity." Ren said loudly.
"It's a shame we don't have any proof of what occurred, it's easy to say the light is gone but can you really say that when we're now under attack from monsters almost daily?." Jaunty said.
The carriage was about to veer into a main road but they came to a stop, lots of open ended wagons were going to both directions.
The ones heading south were filled with ammunition, and the ones heading north were empty.
"This is exactly what I'm talking about commander, it might sound like I'm on the side of the press but I believe you people.
But would the people who see this almost everyday believe?
It's easier to be swayed when you've been lied to and hiding aether away from the people wasn't the best choice either, that little lie created a room for doubt.
Your people caused this." Jaunty said.
"Hiding it was to reduce panic and results like this." Said Ren whilst clenching his fist slightly.
"And how did that end up in the long run?
I respect your father for what he has done in the army and in the empire at large, he's the reason why we've come this far.
He has done so much including stopping the revolution and also leading humanity to victory, and I can't overstate my respect for him.
And that respect also goes over to you and the other commanders, I personally could never be at the forefront of battle or conflict.
The same reason you use swords and I hide behind a gun...,but not to stray too far off from what I wanted to say;
There's an investigation currently going on behind you and your father's backs." Jaunty's tone was dead serious and Ren's expression changed.
"An investigation?
Behind our backs…?" Ren repeated Jaunty's words. "Why?"
"It's about your intentions for hiding aether, which I don't know of either, and one on the special unit in its entirety.
I'm doing my side a disservice by letting you know of this, just take it as me doing you a favour.
The part that should worry you the most is that it began before your group left on the expedition.
The main reason the search for those people has been taking so long." Jaunty explained.
Veins popped on Ren's head. "If what you say is true, then there's only a group of people whose orders take precedence over Heimer's."
"Yes, it's as you think.
The board is doing some digging, I don't even think I'm safe now that I've let you know if this, but I have to do this much for Supreme Heimer." Jaunty said.
"Why would you go such lengths…" Ren asked.
"Well he saved my friend's life in the past, don't think too much of it." Jaunty said.
"Thanks for everything, sorry for earlier." Ren said.
"Eh." Jaunty shrugged. "I'll be dropping here."
The carriage stopped.
"Farewell officer Jaunty." Ren said.
"Goodbye Ren, I'll see what I can do about the misinformation.
I liked the name Jared, I'll use that one this time, who knows maybe it'll get more with this persona." Jaunty dropped off and blended into the crowd.
—
"You're awake aren't you." Ren said. "I was sort of an asshole there wasn't I."
"You did good to apologise, quite surprised you did." Eunice said.
"I've let Lana rub off on me" Ren thought. "Why did you insist on following, you could've stayed at home."
"You left me for week me for weeks and now you expect me to wait again." she said in a pompous manner.
"I'll make it up to you." Ren said.
"And how?" She asked. "Hey, hey" she began giggling as their journey continued now northbound.