Chapter 136 - Updated Later
Chapter 136 – Updated Later
{Updated Later}
"You are really expecting me to believe that you just accidentally shut down a trafficking ring? To be frank, I do believe it, but the incident is too suddenly that to believe that it was an accident is rather hard, if you get my drift."
Anna, Del, and Aveline were in the student council office. Anna sat down on the chair in front of Aveline's desk. The desk was big and filled with files that stacked very high. Aveline was holding a pen while writing on a piece of paper. Many papers were waiting for her pen to write upon.
Most of them were proposals. Others were reports from the security division. Anna and Del were there to present the case as witnesses, and Aveline's job was to listen to his explanation, especially Del's explanation. After all, Del was the person that figured what was happening and the person that took action.
"More or less, that's what happened."
"I see, it looks like your skills are more useful than I previously expected, Del Moore."
"Hey, what can I do? It's not like I can leave the girl alone and let her disappear next week, it's just not my style," Del said.
"Still, it meant that you are very capable of dealing with tasks at hand. For that regard, don't you think that the security division would be perfect for you?"
"No."
Del refused straightly. Security division would be too much for him. Mainly because he knew that he would be told to do wet work for free and that was not something that he wanted to do all along. If it was morally unquestionable wet work, he would have done it for free anyhow, even if he wasn't a part of the security division.
Of course, the next question that came out of Aveline's mouth would be, "Why?"
"I know what you want, but I'm not sure whether I want to do what you want," Del said.
"Can you even read my mind?"
"Why would you need me in the security division in the first place? I meant Anna is adequate for the current situation unless you have something else in your mind. In that case, I'd rather not join the security division." Del insisted.
"Interesting…" Aveline sipped her tea, thinking about what she should do. She then gave Del a file, a file containing multiple pictures in black and white. The pictures spoke many words, those who were preferred not to be said.
The folder had classified stamped on top of it, alongside with a logo of intelligence agencies, the internal security, to be exact. Now, why would a file like that end up in Aveline's hand, Del had no idea, but it might be useful.
The file was the report of the human trafficking in slumps. Several pictures suggested that some of the victims were students of that academy. Del had an idea that this was something that he needed to solve.
The pictures were gruesome as well. A girl laid down on the ground with a knife slitted on her neck. The body was found in the sewer with rats eating it. There was another picture, a picture of a window. Behind the window was a girl, seemingly screaming for help as several men were approaching him from behind.
The rest was more or less the same. The content of the file was obvious. The fact that it was given to him was obvious too. Aveline wanted Del to solve the problem, or at least, find the root cause of the problem.
"You want me to do this wet work? I'll be willing to do it myself, but again, why?"
"One person will get less attention than a group, a group will get less attention than two groups, and so on. Do you get my point, Del?"
"Do you really think that I can pull this off without getting any meaningful attention? How? I'm just a teenager, same as you, same as Anna, same as the rest of the students. You shouldn't overestimate the realm of my ability."
"Yes," she said, "But again, you're better than the security division in this regard."
It was true, he was better than the security division. Still, he needed resources to search for clues and leads. Del doubted that Walter would be enough, he needed an ally from the intelligence services to get to the root of this problem.
"I need backup on this one, do you have any contact in the intelligence?"
"I have some. Who do you need?"
"Someone that is relatively open. I want someone who doesn't keep too many secrets from me," Del said.
"Why don't you use your contact?"
Aveline didn't have any idea on what kind of contact that Del had, but Del response was rather expected, "No, she can't use her power like that. She might work with intelligences, but she isn't that generous with me."
Aveline just nodded. Anna just sat down in the chair, quietly, as if she was invisible. There was a degree of truth there, it was useful to get Information from two people talking without any interference.
She was busy with writing her report for the head of the security division about the trafficking ring that Del just accidentally destroyed with his own hands. A report was a fully written document filled with the details of the operation and the possible motive of the operation.
Basically, she assessed the amount of dead bodies, the amount of possible hostages, and so on, and so on. To make it worse, all of it should be handwritten with a pen rather than typed with a typewriter.
Not a waste of time, but it was rather a formality. It required to be handwritten so anyone that wrote it would be responsible for any disinformation written on it. Basically, it was an attempt to minimize report forgery using the same template signature from one person. A good approach, to be honest.
"Anna, are you there?" Del waved his hand in front of her face, "I want to ask something about security division."
"Shoot."
"Say, if I call you using my radio transceiver, will your group come to help me?"
"Perhaps? If you have enough trust with them, I think convincing them won't be an issue. Do they trust you, though?"
"That's quite hard. Did you say something nice about me?" Del asked.
"I have, but some of them were saying you are too entitled to enroll into the program."
"Say what they want, it's not like I give a damn to them."
"Anyway, if it's school related, I think I can convince them," Anna said.
"That's logistic side solved." Aveline crossed her hands, knowing that one thing had been solved. The next thing that needed to be solved was the intelligence side of the plan which needed to be evaluated as soon as possible.
"Intelligence is still a problem, huh?"
"Yeah. C'mon, convince your contact to help. We don't need too much info. We're taking down criminal organization here, not a terrorist organization."
"Fair enough. I'll call her and see what I can find about the slump. In the meantime, I want access to all of the files that the security division keeps."
"It can be set up fairly easy. Anything else, Del?"
"Yeah, I also need Anna if I need her, do you mind?"
"Nah, I don't mind. In fact, it's better for her to accompany you if the need arises."
"Good, is there anything else that I can do for you?"
"Nah," Del stood up from the chair, "I don't think I need anything else." He picked up the file from the table. He would take a better look at it later when he had the chance. For now, he just wanted to go home and consult Walter for his next move.
After all, anything required Walter's agreement, even a basic action like that would require an agreement. Nevertheless, it made full sense. Del was practically owned by him and any demand from Walter should be prioritized. The question was, would he be able to convince him that his task was important or not?
"And Del!" Aveline stopped her just when Del touched the door know with his hand. Why would she need to stop him in the first place? It was not even a necessity for him.
"What?" Del asked her.
"Be careful, ok?" Aveline said.
"Why would you need to tell me that? Of course I'll be careful. If not, I wouldn't even be in here, don't you think?"
Del opened the door and left the room. Anna was still have to finish her report before she could leave the room. Nevertheless, Anna could finish it up by herself. She only needed a little push from Aveline and she would be done in no time.
For Del though, it meant he would need to endure a long investigation into the trafficking ring.. Hopefully, it would be worth it at the end of the day.