Project Seraphina [LitRPG, Magitech, GL]

“How are you doing, Dad?” Chloe asks once we step into a darkened chamber in one of the wings of a hospital just outside of Arlington.

We didn’t realize there was anything wrong during the battle itself, but shortly after the fight concluded, Hank suddenly collapsed. The combination of Renault’s treacherous attack, all the time spent out in the daylight, and the use of the [Sphere of Eclipse] was just too much for him to handle. Thanks to Chloe’s quick intervention and magical potions, his condition is stable, but he’s subject to medical monitoring for a little while longer before being discharged.

“Alive, thanks to you, Chloe,” Hank says in a weak voice. “A little better every day. I shouldn't need more than another day or two before I’m ready to head home.”

“No more government projects, no more hiding in your compound, no more working with shady people that inevitably develop delusions of grandeur? None of that stuff?” Chloe’s eyes bear down upon her father.

“No, I think it’s time for us to all go home and spend some quality time together. As a family. Alicia and God only know that I’ve been an absolutely shit parent and husband as of late. No, I think I need some time away from Project Seraphina and secret projects and glyphs. Time to just live my life for a change.”

“I’m glad to hear, and I’m sure Mom will be too once she reads my text.” Chloe’s smile lowers a bit. “Now, let me get a good look and check your vitals real quick.”

“Still not going to get used to the fact that I’m being given medical treatment by my own daughter. Just yesterday…” Hank’s voice trails off. He closes his eyes and drifts back off to sleep.

“He’ll be fine,” Chloe says. “He just needs a little more to clear all the light energy out of his system.”

“That’s a relief.”

We make our way out of the hospital and down to the Hoover building; much as I’d rather not, we’ve been requested to speak with Clara and her supervisor before leaving DC. Do I suspect that this is some sort of a trap? Honestly, I’m sure that there are plenty of people foolish enough to try. A small part of me hopes it actually is; I’d enjoy smacking Clara around more than is entirely healthy.

It’s a bit strange that this building was left intact rather than being destroyed by either Legion or Loyalist forces, although once I get a closer look at the complex, I see why. There’s several small shifts in the flow of Ether inside. Inscriptions line the walls; so far as I can tell, most of them are designed for sound-suppression and privacy. Some of them are the usual mix of durability, and there are more inscriptions that expand the space. The building must have been too durable to have been destroyed by anything less than a concerted effort, and too valuable for the Legion to have destroyed it after their coup d’état.

I didn’t realize that they had that kind of technology already, but I suppose Hank and his team had to speak with someone to secure funding and give reports to. I figured it’d be military or DoD, but in retrospect, this makes sense too.

“Miss Seraphina,” a receptionist half says and half asks. I suppose there’s not too many visitors coming to FBI headquarters. That, and it’s not like I should expect anonymity anytime soon. Pretty much everyone knows who the two of us are; if we were local celebrities two months ago, now we’re national, maybe global.

“That’s me, with Chloe Jacobs. We’re supposed to speak with Clara Bennett and a Brian Marcott.”

“Yes, I see the two of you on her calendar in five minutes. I’ve already let her know–”

Before she can finish, Clara is there, moving down the hallway with the sort of swiftness expected of higher leveled individuals. Without a word spoken between us, we follow her down the hallway and then down another, longer hallway, then up two flights of stairs, before arriving in her office.

With her is a well-dressed man who looks to be about forty, perfectly clean-shaven with dark brown hair just longer than a buzz cut. I don’t sense any strong aura coming off him the way most high level individuals emit, but I don’t for a second drop my guard. Clara has made it clear that she sees us as a threat, and I do believe she’s the sort of individual who would resort to duplicitous tactics to take us down, just like all cops.

“Please, have a seat,” Clara says. “I don’t expect this to take too long. I just want to ask you a few questions.”

Before we do, the man who I assume is Brian stands up and introduces himself, confirming my suspicions. We each shake his hand, me more trepid due to the fear of being watched… of being recorded. Not for a second do I assume that everything I say or do can’t and won’t be used against me, even without needing to formally have my rights read.

She clicks a button, which I assume started a recording device somewhere. “Normally I would offer you water, ask how you are, get you settled in, advise you of your right to have legal counsel present and so on. However, as I suspect that neither of us wants to have this conversation go on any longer than necessary, and because this is more of a formality, I will be brief.”

“Miss Seraphina Mortensen, can you confirm that you had no involvement with the incidents in Chicago on August 20, in Detroit on August 24, or in Baltimore on September 14 of the year 2023?”

“I was not in any of those cities on any of those dates. I have alibis from Major, soon to be Major General Nicholas Richardson for the first two of those dates. As for the last, I was teaching that afternoon, and have records from the date in question to prove it.”

“And, knowing that lying to a federal officer in the course of her investigation is a felony, can you state that you were not involved with the Legion in any way, shape, or form? That you did not provide aid or comfort to the enemy?” She glares at me.

If she wants to play stupid games, then she can win stupid prizes. “You were bitching at me because I didn’t rush in to fight them back during the operation to rescue Alicia. You accused us of harboring sympathies with the Legion due to my unwillingness to bow and kiss your stupid little badge. And truth be told, yeah, I didn’t really want to get involved. I’ve sworn no oath, nor do I have any legal or moral duty to fight on your behalf.

“And even if all of that stuff you were spouting off was true, when last I checked, thoughtcrime isn’t a criminal offense and shouldn’t warrant having to come down here and clear my good name in this obvious sham of an interrogation. So, if you feel that I’ve obstructed your so-called ‘justice’ or that I’ve ‘interfered with an official investigation’, then try to arrest me and–”

“I believe that’s enough,” Agent Marcott says, cutting me out of my well-earned tirade. “Agent Bennett, I believe your point has been made quite clearly.”

“Thank you, Agent Marcott.” From the way her head lowers, I can tell that the two know each other quite well, and that the statement from her superior precedes an admonition.

“Miss Seraphina,” Brian continues. “I want to apologize for wasting your time. As far as I am concerned, and in light of the testimony everyone has given, this case is closed. You are free to–”

“I must beg your reconsideration, Sir,” Clara says, protesting what I assume is her boss’s decision. “Seraphina and Chloe have demonstrated time and time again that they are lawless menaces to society. They have shown no respect for authority, disregard my lawful orders–”

“Clara. When I started out here, I, like you, like many others who join the ranks of the Bureau, started out with lofty goals. That we were going to put criminals behind bars, enforce justice, protect the innocent and see that the guilty were punished. But then I started realizing something. Certain types of criminals were subject to a lot more scrutiny than others. My friends up the DA’s office were instructed to spend their time and energy throwing the book at low-level drug offenses while wealthy tax cheats were turned a blind eye toward.”

Clara sits back down. “But–”

“Seraphina and Chloe were ‘menaces’, to use your words. But there is still a vast expanse between ‘being a menace’ and ‘being a criminal’. Moreover, were you aware that the two of them are being fast tracked as Medal of Honor recipients?”

“That shouldn’t even be possible. The Medal of Honor is an award given exclusively and explicitly to members of the armed forces. They aren’t–”

“The official story from the top is that they had enlisted to a one-day term of service under the command of Brigadier General Nicholas Richardson.”

He wasn’t kidding when he said the promotion had been fast-tracked. The battle was on Friday and here, Monday morning, and he’s already been promoted. I guess the gears of politics really can turn quickly when there’s enough political will to do so.

“Considering that there’s direct video and audio evidence, including your own testimony, stating that the two of them were instrumental in defeating Renault, and that none of us would be here today if not for them, do you believe that anyone is going to seriously question that position? Especially when there is evidence that they have a contract dating back to this past April for services rendered under his command, and further such instances in all months subsequent.”

Clara’s head lowers in defeat. “I just don’t understand why you are so quick to justify this, Brian. Surely you understand as well as I do that the law cannot be just unless it binds everyone equally. And has it not been conclusively demonstrated that there is more than enough evidence to charge them?”

“Because, Clara. We must never lose sight of our true purpose. The law is important, but only when it serves the greater ends of justice. And I do not believe wasting your time and resources on this investigation— one which is rapidly turning vindictive, based on your personal animus rather than the broader interests of justice— is how best the interests of justice will be served. Or do you disagree?”

“I– No, Brian. I do not agree with you. I do not believe that we should be lax on these two individuals just because they are being heralded as heroes. I do not believe we should countenance their acts of wanton vigilantism simply because they have too much individual power to be properly contained and prosecuted. And I believe that dropping this prosecution sets a very dangerous precedent, that people with sufficiently high levels are given free rein while our efforts are focused solely on the very same low-level individuals who you were concerned about before.”

“I understand,” Chloe says. “In truth, both of us are planning to go home and live quiet lives as civilians, at least until the next conflict arises that demands our involvement.”

“We were just speaking with General Richardson the other day,” I say. Damn, it still feels weird to call him ‘Major Richardson’, let alone ‘General’. “And we were talking about how we hoped not to hear from him again for a long time. So I will say the same thing to you that I said to him. In fact, I hope the next time the three of us meet is even longer away still.”

Brian stands up and shakes our hands once more. “I wish you all the best with your peaceful lives. I will go ahead and guide you back to the lobby.”

Clara just sighs. “Very well, Seraphina. Let us hope that our paths do not cross again.”