Inside the somber office somewhere within the outer districts of New Avalon, the middle-aged man narrowed his gaze as a cold glint escaped the reflection of his frosty sapphire-like eyes. "Hmm... Astonishing, to say the least. Where did you get or hear that name?"
The ambiance of the office gradually dampened as the soothing luster of the chandelier dimmed the setting. Bookshelves loomed from the walls like adorned statues while paintings watched the consultation in utter silence. The two gazed upon one another, eyes blazing and cold.
Alexander's words weren't a mere inquiry but an outright demand. It articulated a pressure of authority, molded across hundreds of dealings. However, Robin stood her ground and responded routinely as though accustomed to the constant probing.
"I have my sources. Nothing more, nothing less." It was crystal clear. A statement of her involvement, or lack thereof, to the great powers of New Avalon. She represented a side, an untamed part of the world.
Alexander's gaze softened after meeting her determined yet transparent rosy eyes. It reminded him of a long-forgotten past buried in the shackles of tragedy and regret. "Connections, huh? I supposed everyone must have one these days. Otherwise, one wouldn't last long in the market."
Obscured behind the shaded darkness of his somber office, there was no doubt that he was intrigued by the circumstances the so-called best rookies found themselves in. "Nonetheless, your reputation precedes you, Miss Robin of the newly-established company."
"Rhodes..."
Robin's magenta-stained gaze widened ever slightly, though for a far different reason than one would imagine. However, her reaction made the Inquisitor smile with some trace of satisfaction. "Surprise to have your identity laid bare?"
She promptly retracted from her stupor and shook her head in denial. "Not at all. I'm just surprised that someone was aware of a start-up company like ours. Especially not the infamous Inquisitor of New Avalon."
"You're already sounding like one of those corporate stooges, but it is a required skill in the corporate world." Alexander chuckled when he heard of Robin's frank rebuttal. "Regardless of the corpos, I heard of Rhodes to be the rising star of the widening PMC Industry."
"Headed by only three members. It seems that your fellow peers are busy oppressing you from the lack of commission your company has received. An expected state of affairs." The somber office appeared to lighten as he continued. "After all, none would want a competent rival."
"But I believe that a business manager like you, Miss Robin, is aware that my service demands a substantial price. You should be capable of purchasing my assistance." It was time for the negotiations to start.
For a business-savvy like Alexander, he straightaway established the expectations of payment and a costly price tag. A known and prominent strategy in negotiations. Sadly for him, Robin already broke negotiations before it had even officially begun.
"Uhm... Okay, so how can I say this. My finances aren't the best right now. But I will pay you double the rate once I have the funds." She hesitantly presented two of her fingers while barely maintaining her confidence.
"Are you proposing a debt?" Alexander raised his eyebrows in a scrutinizing manner while Robin hurriedly nodded in agreement, hoping he would accept the terms. Unfortunately, however. "The industry of Inquisitors does not work with promises, Miss Robin."
"I'll expect a better assurance than a flimsy and mere promise. No less than a guarantee." It was difficult not to become exasperated. Especially when it felt as though he was handling a child who was recently employed in the job.
"A guarantee? Is there anything I can even use as collateral? I cannot use the company. So... Is a personal favor good enough? I'll be willing to do anything to the best of my capabilities as long as it does not stand in opposition to my morality." Robin placed her strongest card on the table.
Alexander squinted his eyelids as he placed his chin over his hand and leaned forward. "Quite a dangerous offer, Miss Robin. Although I would have preferred the entirety of Rhodes, seeing you are its leader, perhaps you may possess a comprehensive ability to warrant your position."
"I will be expecting a lot from you." In the larger picture, it wasn't a bad deal for the Inquisitor. Rhodes was a rising company within the industry; a personal favor from its leader was an investment that would prove itself over time.
However, as mentioned earlier, Alexander wasn't someone who would accept a meager promise as assurance. Standing up from his splendid chair, he walked onward and unveiled himself to the somber luster of the office. "Be that as it may, I require some evidence of our agreement."
He stood with quiet authority, his presence towering over Robin's modest, feminine frame. Every line of his figure was sharp and deliberate, the finely tailored black vest clinging to his torso with precise intent.
Beneath the vest, a pristine band-collar shirt framed his neck with disciplined simplicity; its crisp fabric cruised fairly down and tucked seamlessly into a pair of charcoal-hued, tight-fitting trousers.
Robin observed his stature from the bottom to the top and took notice of his tousled jet-black hair alongside the pair of sapphire-like jewels that were his piercing eyes. A thought passed by and left at the same time. One echoing word. 'Handsome.'
"Uncle..." She muttered under her breath, earning the confused gaze of Alexander. He was no doubt a middle-aged man, a handsome one at that. Unable to understand the girl, Alexander sighed and continued his proposition.
"I need a collateral, Miss Robin. As such, I will be taking the artifact you stole from the Revenants once located, if you don't mind." Robin returned from her daze and furrowed her eyebrows. The artifact hailed from their commission, and it took a great deal of trouble to acquire.
But her companions were of utmost importance. Without an Inquisitor to guide them out of the macrocosm, they would be stuck there for quite a long time and could die from starvation or dehydration.
After taking her time pondering about the proposition of the infamous Inquisitor, Robin took a deep breath and decisively answered. "As long as you bring them back, Sir Alexander. I don't care about the price. They are my friends and family."
"I wouldn't be able to live for myself if they died in my command."
'Died in your command...' Even when relieved of their duties, some habits die hard, particularly if one originated from the military. Habits tend to be forged there, making them spectacularly difficult to naturally relinquish.
Although, in actuality, Alexander didn't care about the origin of the Rhodes Private Military Company. Its members and leader were but customers of his growing business. He considered the suggestion of their identities as extras.
"Good... It seems that we are in agreement. But me bringing them back?" He walked towards a nearby drawer and took out a lone key. "No, you will be coming with me. After all, the fighting capabilities of Inquisitors aren't the best against those who dwell within microcosms."
"Gifted people like you are much better at dealing with the intricacies of dead zones. In simpler terms, I need some protection while I handle the task, wouldn't you agree?" The edges of Alexander's lips turned into a smirk.
---
On the 48th Highway of New Avalon, northward of the capital city. A lone SUV clad in metallic black drove through the empty road leading to the seventh exclusion zone where a macrocosm known as Alcyone dwelled. It was the nearest of the macrocosms within the Western Theatre.
Residing between the old government blocks and the outer districts of New Avalon, Alcyone was an inactive macrocosm, existing merely to hinder humanity's efforts passively. Though, it wasn't always there, to begin with.
Alexander was behind the driver seat, gazing through the tinted windows where streetlights flashed in and out from view. Beside him was Robin, who leaned back with an aloof expression. The luster outside gleamed over her face and faded moments later.
She appeared far different from the determined, upfront, and awkward girl in the somber office. It was to be anticipated from the boss of Rhodes, though it might also be the remnants of her past seeping out.
The company car of Rhodes was crushed to tiny bits by the Revenant during their recent pursuit. It was their hard-earned money pulverized into scraps, giving trouble to the budding businesswoman. For this reason, Alexander offered for the two of them to drive together.
Their destination was the macrocosm of the incident, Alcyone.
Macrocosms were regions characterized by temporal and spatial anomalies resulting from unprecedented concentrations of aetherion. These tend to be enclosed, presenting a distinct fractured border. It would take the form of a broken reality, urging even the bravest to yield.
Nevertheless, these anomalous regions had the disposition to expand once fed with aetherion. As such, the three military powers of New Avalon made it their duty to ensure that none of the macrocosms throughout the region expanded away from their perceived limits.
At any rate, Alcyone was among the several macrocosms scattered throughout the Western Threatre, prominently known to be the nearest to the capital city of New Avalon. Due to the sensitivity of the region bordering the capital, the macrocosm became a haven for those who could afford inquisitors.
A smuggling haven.
'In the end, it is but a foolish endeavor. Those who underestimate the macrocosms will be devoured and forgotten amidst the thousands of missing persons. Only crazy people would dare to enter macrocosms.' Alexander glanced at Robin beside him for a moment.
'But these deranged individuals provide business and further my goals. The macrocosm exploration is a growing industry, after all.' As a few hours passed by, the two of them finally reached their long-awaited destination.
The black SUV shortly halted from its tracks, hurling dirt and dust into the air. Alexander and Robin observed the ruined surroundings through the tinted windows of the vehicle, perceiving an eerie silence and emptiness that pervaded them.
While taking a brief look at the outside, Robin glanced at him and softly inquired. "Where are we, Sir Alexander?
Alexander turned his attention towards the girl as the muted ping of the SUV chimed in the background. "This is one of the many entrances of the macrocosm that aren't crowded by checkpoints from the Defense Force. Our way in and out of Alcyone, the door to saving your friends."
A glimmer of luster returned to her rosy gaze as her previous aloof expression waned and was wholly replaced by her usual self, determined and straightforward. She looked onward and saw the peculiar fissure imprinted in the air. It hummed and glimmered with a golden hue as though welcoming them.
There's no doubt that the assignment had begun.