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After leaving Hargrove's, Ethan got into Bumblebee and headed for the Bureau of Internal Affairs.
Graves had called him earlier, cryptic as always, refusing to say what it was about. He'd only said to come to the capital when Ethan had time.
Following J.A.R.V.I.S.'s navigation, after about forty minutes, Ethan reached his destination.
Looking at the plain, old-fashioned building in front of him, he was mildly surprised. It was hard for anyone to picture. The headquarters of the most secretive organ in the whole Republic, housed in a building like this.
The guard at the entrance stopped him, but a brief exchange got him through. Their director had, after all, personally given word ahead.
It was evening. At an ordinary agency, the lights would be off and everyone would have gone home. But inside this building, staff moved through the halls in a steady bustle.
The moment Ethan stepped into the lobby, the people who'd been busy a second earlier all stopped.
Unlike ordinary citizens, these members of the Bureau knew the arc of Ethan's rise like the backs of their own hands. It was precisely because they understood it that they were struck with awe. As Ethan entered, they couldn't help but stare at him with open respect.
Ethan, oblivious to all of this, had meant to ask where Graves's office was. Seeing the scene, he swallowed the question.
"President Mercer. Please, come with me."
After a brief silence, an observant staff member stepped forward.
Ethan thanked him and followed quickly. Any longer, and he was half afraid those fervent stares would eat him alive.
Being led along, Ethan had the honor of touring the Republic's most classified department. In fairness, though the Bureau's headquarters looked no different from an ordinary building outside, inside it was another world entirely.
Take the walls. An ordinary person might see nothing special. But with his current knowledge base, Ethan could tell at a glance that they were extraordinary. Even J.A.R.V.I.S.'s signal fluctuated briefly the moment he followed Ethan inside. The technology and materials in those walls were likely something advanced he hadn't seen before. If there weren't so many eyes on him, Ethan would have wanted to chip a piece off to take home.
After about two minutes, Graves's office appeared ahead.
"President Mercer, the Director is inside waiting for you. I'll leave you here."
With a slight nod, the staff member turned and left. Ethan pushed the door open and stepped in.
Inside, Nathan Graves was frowning over a stack of documents. Hearing the door, he knew who it was. Only that one reckless kid dared walk into the Director of the Bureau of Internal Affairs' office without knocking.
"Find yourself a seat."
Without lifting his eyes, Graves gestured to the side with his chin. Seeing him busy, Ethan didn't rush him and sat down on the sofa.
About fifteen minutes later, Graves finished, picked up the water cup at his elbow, and took a few gulps. Ethan sensibly pulled a chair over and sat across from him.
"Old Graves, I'm not lecturing you, but the country doesn't endorse grinding people to the bone around the clock. It's inhumane. Look at your people. They're stretched to the breaking point. Give them a holiday. Let them go home and rest."
Graves gave him an annoyed look.
"A holiday. Domestically, we keep watch on the officials and executives with criminal leanings. Internationally, the Bureau is responsible for blocking and monitoring infiltration from certain countries. I'd love to hand out holidays. The scum on both ends don't give me the chance." He paused, regarding Ethan with a flat look. "And you think everyone's like you, with your low sense of duty? If I walked out right now and announced a holiday, do you think a single one of them would leave?"
Ethan wasn't annoyed by the complaints and the jab. If anything, he felt a touch of genuine sympathy. It was because of people like these, standing guard in the shadows without fear of danger or hardship, that the Republic enjoyed the stability it did.
There was one thing Graves didn't say. The Bureau had always had plenty of work, but never anything like the load it carried now. And the party responsible for the change was Ethan himself.
Ever since the kid became famous, the Western powers and the big multinationals had dispatched no end of spies to infiltrate the Republic. The intensity was without precedent. It was no exaggeration to say the Bureau caught a slipped-up agent nearly every single day. They were busy as bees.
And yet no one directed their frustration at Ethan. If anything, they were glad to be run ragged. The harder those hostile foreign forces pushed, the more it proved that Ethan was bearing down on them, that they were worried, even afraid.
After a few words, Graves dropped the small talk and got to the point.
"Two things. The first is the evaluation. The leadership has decided to grant you the title of Academician this July or August."
Ethan was startled, then puzzled.
"I thought the Academician evaluation was held every two years. Wasn't it just held last year? It shouldn't be my turn until next year."
Graves' tone was unfriendly.
"You brat. Just be glad you're getting a good deal. In light of your considerable contributions to the country, the committee discussed it and unanimously decided to make an exception and hold a separate evaluation for you alone."
Seeing the envy on Graves' face, Ethan knew perfectly well the old fellow was jealous.
"Then, Director, does my work count toward the Academy of Sciences or the Academy of Engineering?"
The question stopped Graves cold.
Right. Which one did the kid count as?
Generally, an Academician evaluation was categorized by research field, once a scientist had produced an outstanding result. Two types: Academician of the Academy of Engineering, and Academician of the Academy of Sciences.
But what in the world was the situation here? In under a year, this kid had produced four or five top-tier results. Some could be classified as achievements for the Academy of Engineering, some for the Academy of Sciences, and every single one of them was, on its own, sufficient grounds to be evaluated as an Academician.
Such a situation had never come up in any prior evaluation. Did that mean they had to grant the kid an Academician title in both academies at once? Since the founding of the Republic, there was no such precedent.
The thought made Graves' head throb.
"Let's set that question aside for now. I'll report it up and we'll discuss it further. I'll notify you once there's an answer. Now, the second matter I want to raise concerns New Future, and the entire energy industry."