The Coordinate

Chapter 15.5: Explanation

            8:20 P.M.

            A silver light pierced through the thick gases in the sky. It didn’t glisten at his skin and on the windows of the city. Little, unmoving fireflies were glued there, little dots filling the whole place with a dimmer, moodier light.

            These lights were fake. An imperfect, technological imitation of what should have been the regular view on the surface upon looking up. Winter never liked it.  She hated it. Those dots were supposed to be the stars, and yet she never looked up once everytime they walked in the underground at night.

            Wherever underground she goes, she’s never satisfied with the artificial views.

            Yellling, and grim, serious voices echoed through the walls, Rori’s, and some investigators along with it.

            Why wasn’t anyone questioned me yet, Jordan thought. He closed the window and sat down on his bed. Flicking his wrist, he prompted open the messaging program.

            ‘So many things happened’ he wrote in, and sent to Winter. Nothing else would make him happier than to just lie down in bed with her and cuddle with her to relieve his stress—while pressing his face between her breast that is, just like used to. He didn’t like the idea of doing anything naughty with her, but every teenager, including himself, loves boobs.

            A couple minutes passed, and still no replies. His chest became a little heavier.

            ‘Are you really that busy?’ he sent again.

            Still no response.

            He sighed, sprawling his limbs all over the mattress.

            The echoes from the walls stopped now.

            His door parted suddenly, and Mrs. Finch walked in.

            “Is it my time to be questioned now?”

            “Yes, but I was given the privilege to question you instead. Can’t have scary investigators forcing out the answers from you like how they did with Rori after all.” Mrs. Finch replied,

            “Let them. I’m not scared of some incompetent detectives who can’t even do their jobs right.”

            “I know, right? Who would have thought that you, a 17-year-old, engineering student would outdo an entire New World Government search brigade. Perhaps you really are a genius, Jordan.”

            “You flatter me too much, Mrs. Finch. So, can I ask you a question?” His eyes narrowed.

            “Mrs. Finch sat on the chair across Jordan, “Yes, go ahead.”

            “You intentionally handed me the visitation pass authority, didn’t you?”

            “And you met the fugitive and gave it to him?”

            “I did. What else could I have done?”

            “Good.” A sly grin crept on her face.

            Jordan’s brows raised. “What do you mean good?”

            “We planned this from the start, Jordan. And it seems like it worked. Now, we’ll have to wait until the subject at hand springs into our trap.”

            “What trap?”

            That grin on Mrs. Finch face widened further. “Ah, you’ve always been a good boy. I suppose I could entrust you with this, but say a word about this to anyone, and you’ll be arrested and prosecuted, is that clear?”

            “That doesn’t scare me, and why the hell would I tell someone else about this anyway?”

            Mrs. Finch stood up and walked across the room, towards the room’s window. “I’ve always admired that part of you, Jordan. You’re fearless. Unbreakable. Dangerous. Even the Council of Sectorates are considering making you a member when you reach 25. The moment you and Winter joined the Collegium Initiative Program, I’ve seen in you a potential to make this world… better.”

            “With all due respect, Mrs. Finch, I’d like to hear what you plan instead of more flattery. I take Winter’s compliments and insults to heart more than even the Zionous’.”

            “I see. Well, let’s sum it up, shall we? Basically, Jordan, I intended to let you roam free and find Rori on your own. I had faith that you’d be able to do it. It’s why I didn’t contact the police to find and withdraw you. I expected you’d find her, but from Rori’s answers, I didn’t anticipate you’d actually meet him. Thankfully, I gave you and you alone the authority for a visitation pass, just in case.”

            “You really don’t care about students, do you, Mrs. Finch? I mean, the Zionous was also attacked by some old world fanatics in the surface city, and you aren’t even concerned that I could have been attacked by them.”

            “Oh those? The New World Government already took care of that small militia. And no, I do care about my students, especially you.” She smiled devilishly, “However, I didn’t need to worry about you as much as I would worry anyone else.

            “You people overestimate me. I don’t really mean it when I call myself a genius, you know?” Jordan sighed, “So why didn’t you track me?”

            “We couldn’t. I had long suspected that particular individual had a cloaking program or something. However, it would be obvious that he’d have to get a visitation pass if he wants to get inside the underground city, so the Council let me execute my plans and gave the authority to you. And knowing your slight disregard for authority, I riled you up on purpose to make sure you go on your own. By the way, since five of the council thought my plan was foolish and placed a wager, I’ve won 30,000 credits from those geezers, convenient, isn’t it?”

            Jordan threw a laugh, “You owe me at least 25% of that amount since I made it happen then.”

She laughed back. “No way, you already have 100,000 credits.”

            “Anyway, why would he want to get inside the city so badly? He said he wants to rescue Winter, and help ‘humanity’.

            “He’s not going to help humanity, Jordan.” Mrs. Finch asserted, looking up the window. “It’s Class A level classified information. Even I don’t know the details. What I know is that its goal is the extinction of every novasapien on Earth.” Her face turned grim.

            “I see. As long as Winter’s going to be fine from all this, I don’t really care.” Jordan said.

            “Hmph. I don’t understand you two, you know? You treat her like your rival, talk to her like she’s your dog, and speak about her like she’s your lover.”

            Jordan snorted, “Who knows? Probably an unhealthy obsession or something? But anyways, aren’t you going to ask me about what that man said?”

            “Oh. I don’t think we need to know. As long as he uses that visitation pass to come here, he’s done for. You and Rori will proceed to the Spacer Bay as per your agreement.”

            “That’s where Winter is, right?”

            “Yes.”

            Jordan exhaled, “That’s a relief. We’ll get to see her tomorrow, right?”

            Mrs. Finch walked across the room, heading to the door, “By the Zionous, Jordan. It’s only been two days since you’ve last seen her.”

            “I guess. Does that include your interrogation, if you can even call it an interrogation?” asked Jordan.

            “Yes. We’re done. Rest easy, Jordan. That Swallow guy will be handled, however, with your personal encounters and proven competence, the Sectorates will ask for you whenever necessary. Can we count on you?” she said, about to leave.

            “Yeah, sure.”

            Mrs. Finch nodded and exited the room.

            Jordan let his back sink into bed like an anchor. His mind was like a dry calfskin, squeezed of every single drop of water. His body begged for him to just stay in bed and not do anything, and that, he will.

            Though one sentence from that Swallow guy lingered in his head. It bothered him more than he’d think it would.

            ‘Would you believe me if I said I want to save Winter Swan? She’s probably being experimented on by now.’