What Do You Have In Mind
"So this is your room?" Aiden's voice sounded out, as he looked towards the room in front of him.
Before him, seemed to be a mix between a workshop and a lab, with equipment of different kinds.
Mai on the other hand stood at the doorway with Aiden, her stoic demeanor betraying no emotion as she surveyed the room before her.
Watching the duo stand in the hallway, Jonathan said with a sigh, "Would you guys come in, and stop staring at the room, that's a public hallway you know. Plus it's not mine, I rented it for two days."
Upon hearing this, Aiden walked in with Mai following behind him. Like the rest of the Silence's headquarters, this room was cold, but Aiden liked it this way.
Slowly, his gaze swept over the medical equipment in this room with detached efficiency, noting the pristine examination bed at the room's center.
Despite the technical intricacies of the devices surrounding him, Aiden remained composed, his expression unreadable as he observed the array of diagnostic tools meticulously arranged.
The hum of machinery filled the air, punctuated by the occasional beep of monitors displaying vital signs.
"What's all this for?" Aiden asked as he turned to Jonathan who sat in his rotating chair spinning as he chuckled at Aiden.
Mai on the other hand walked, around as she observed the intricacies of the room in detail.
Tapping his cheek, Landon said to Aiden, his tone one of excitement, "Ever since we parted ways I've been thinking of ways you could pass the ability test without being discovered. I came up with a few, but then I discovered that all my thesis was based on humans and hell energy."
"Haha," Mai suddenly giggled from the side, amused by Jonathan's comment.
Raising a brow at Mai, Aiden asked, "What's so funny?"
"No offense Aiden but with that tail of yours you're far from a human, you look more like a stunning lizard?" Mai responded.
Upon hearing Mai's comment Aiden's face scrunched up a bit, but just when he was about to retort, Jonathan interrupted from the side, "Aside from the difference in anatomy and bone structure, I just realized that I don't know what kind of energy you use, it sure isn't hell energy because I would have seen it with my eyes, I don't know how this new energy works, and I worst of all, I don't know if the EDAC can read it."
There was a short gap after Jonathan's words, until Aiden asked, "What's the EDAC?"
"Energy density assessment cylinder," Jonathan said before adding, "it's the only obstacle standing in your way, its purpose is to read the energy density of Contractors thereby determining their threat levels, the only problem is-"
"I don't have hell energy," Aiden finished Jonathan's sentence while rubbing his temples.
Noticing the serious atmosphere, Mai asked, "So what is your plan? How do we help Aiden?"
Hearing Mai's question, Jonathan suddenly smiled oddly, revealing his healthy teeth, turning to Aiden he said, "Well, thanks to my genius, I created a makeshift EDAC, although expensive, the technology used to make the EDAC is pretty common, as a mini version of it can be found in a number of sensory equipment in the market, but taking the enigmatic nature of Aiden's energy, I also bought a number of sensory devices used to detect radiation, chemical energy, holy energy, electrical energy and all kinds of energy."
"I just realized that you're a nerd," Mai's voice sounded out from the side, a mocking tone concealed in its depths.
Aiden on the other hand seemed to be in deep thought, and after a second he said, "I know of hell energy, electrical energy and all that, but I've never heard of holy energy, also the field you're speaking of, isn't it supposed to be the job of a mechanical scholar?"
"Ohh so you're already in the know, I assume you read the handbook at the initiate lounge," Jonathan said before darting in, "I'm currently a 1 Star Detritus inscriber, but before I picked up Detritus inscribing I grew up around tech, I'm a 33-star Mechanical Scholar I ranked up quite quickly so you don't have to worry about that."
With a small chuckle, Aiden quipped, "How convenient."
Feeling his eyes twitch at Aiden's comment, Jonathan continued, "Now about holy energy. Do you know of the organization called Holy Gate?"
"No!"
Aiden replied blandly before asking, "What is the Holy Gate?"
"It's some kind of occult organization," Jonathan said as he went on to explain, "Unlike the Hunters they don't agree with us on anything, we're enemies down to the way our energies work, Contractors are weaker in an environment filled with holy energy, while they are weaker when they are amid hell energy."
"This organization, what is their goal?" Mai's voice sounded out, her tone bland as she leaned on a table.
Squinting his eyes, Jonathan said, "You know, I'm breaking the rules by telling you all so much, but what the hell, I think they are after something called the page, but that's all I know, that's all the information my status as a 33-star mechanical scholar could get me, mind you that's equivalent to the a Threat level 33 Contractor of the Veteran rank."
"You have the same authority as a veteran?" Aiden muttered, his eyes widened in shock.
Mai also looked surprised, thanks to Aiden she understood that being a Veteran in the Silence wasn't easy.
Seeing, the looks on the duo's faces, Jonathan smiled as he said, "A reminder you guys are newbies, let me just give you a quick rundown on the relationship between Contractors and Scholars. It's utter trash, Contractors are a prideful bunch, power power-drunken humans, if you're not a match for them when it comes to strength you're nothing at all. I might have the same level of authority as a Veteran, but I'm not respected as one, I'm not regarded and I certainly don't have as many duties as a Veteran would have."
As Jonathan finished speaking, Aiden nodded his head and thought to himself, "The page huh."
Meanwhile, Jonathan was busy typing something on his computer, "Aiden can you take off your clothes now and lay on that bed over there? Also you can stop hiding your tail now," he said.
Hearing Jonathan's words, Aiden nodded his head as he took off his watch, and then his coat.
Soon after, Aiden was shirtless, exposing his muscular chest, and heavily defined muscles.
As Aiden settled onto the examination bed, Jonathan bustled around the room, gathering various sensors and instruments with an air of excitement mixed with nervousness.
His movements were a tad clumsy as if he was unfamiliar with the equipment despite his claims of expertise.
Noticing Jonathan's behavior, Aiden tilted his head and asked, "Jonathan, what's the hold-up?"
"Aiden, just relax," Jonathan responded immediately, his voice tinged with forced confidence as he positioned the sensors around Aiden's body. "I've done this plenty of times before," he added.
As Jonathan spoke, Aiden raised an eyebrow, observing Jonathan's fumbling fingers as he attached the sensors. "So you've come across someone like me before?" He asked before darting in, "Fascinating."
Mai, leaning against the wall with crossed arms, couldn't resist chiming in. "Looks like you're playing a game of Operation there, Jonathan. Don't let your nerves get the best of you."
Jonathan's cheeks flushed slightly, but he brushed off their comments with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Just a small hiccup, nothing to worry about. Now, let's proceed."
Despite Jonathan's assurances, Aiden couldn't shake the feeling of apprehension as the tests began.
The readings on the monitors flickered and fluctuated, indicating inconsistencies in the data collection process. Jonathan attempted to adjust the sensors, his movements growing more erratic with each attempt.
"I swear, this usually works perfectly," Jonathan muttered under his breath, his frustration increasing.
Aiden couldn't help but smirk at the sight of Jonathan's struggling. "Are you sure you know what you're doing, Jonathan? This doesn't exactly inspire confidence."
Jonathan shot Aiden a sheepish grin. "Hey, it's all part of the process, right? Trial and error, plus, it's all your fault, how can your muscles be so dense? Especially the ones at your back, I expected this since you have a tail, but it defies logic."
At the sound of Jonathan's voice, Mai let out a soft chuckle from her perch by the wall. "You sound, so fucking gay."
Despite the hiccups and missteps along the way, Jonathan persisted with the tests, determined to gather the necessary data.
Each time a sensor malfunctioned or a reading came back inconclusive, he would adjust and recalibrate, his determination unwavering, and soon they were rounding up.
"So what did you find," Aiden asked as he put on his clothing, his eyes wide with expectations.
Seeing Aiden's expression, Jonathan sat on the bed, his expression one of pride as he said, "Nothing."
"Nothing?"
Aiden and Mai echoed as they glanced at each other.
Hearing this, Jonathan chuckled a bit as he quipped, "You know, you guys do that a lot, stop looking at each other like that if you're not dating."
"What do you mean you found nothing," Mai asked, her tone one of impatience as she added, "Does this mean you don't know if he'll pass the EDAC test?"
"Ohh he'll pass," Jonathan interrupted Mai before adding. "You see, by nothing I was referring to Aiden's energy, nothing can trace it, it's like it doesn't exist. the only evidence I have that this energy even exists is based on the fact that this energy seems to sustain itself with the surrounding hell energy, at first I thought that Aiden's body was the one absorbing the energy, but my makeshift EDAC would have picked it if that was the case."
With his hands on his chin, Aiden muttered, "So you're saying my energy can't be traced."
"Exactly!"
Jonathan responded with a nod.
Mai on the other hand frowned, her eyes narrowed in thought as she said. "You're confusing us, Jonathan, if Aiden's energy can't be traced, doesn't that mean he'll seem like a normal human?"
"Yeah, if he goes in without the plan I have in mind then that's exactly what would happen," Jonathan agreed.
"No, absolutely not," Aiden shook his head before saying, "A situation like that would put me in the limelight."
"Isn't that what you want?" Jonathan chuckled, his eyes narrowed as he said, "Aiden Frostfall, 27 years old born in the year 209 of the rupture era calendar, your mother is sick with hell shock, while your father is said to have died in the demonic attack that caused your mother's situation, of course no body was found, your sister went missing a long time ago, lost to one of the shelters many mysteries, and you, up until your disappearance two years ago, you were just a nobody earning minimum wage."
After saying this, Jonathan didn't stop, instead, he continued, "Based on your record, I'd say you want information, and if you want information, you have to rank up, and if you want to rank up, you need to be in the limelight."
"Not that way," Aiden said, his voice revealing a trace of annoyance as he darted in, "The silence would have me dissected if they discovered that I'm different."
At the sound of Aiden's words, Jonathan turned quiet, until a smile appeared on his face, "I'm so glad you feel like the Silence would take such measures because they will, we're betting everything on you Aiden, grow stronger so that when the Silence finds out about you, because they will, you'll be strong enough to handle it, and protect us."
Hearing Jonathan's words, Mai who was growing irritated by Jonathan's bickering calmed down.
Aiden on the other hand nodded his head as he said, "I understand."
"I'm glad you do," Jonathan interrupted before adding, "We have a lot of work to do, cheating the Silence when it comes to this kind of stuff is easy since no one has ever done it before, but it wouldn't be a walk in the park either."
"Ohh incognito style," Mai quipped before adding, "What do you have in mind?"
Smiling at Mai's comment, Jonathan walked towards the spinning chair and sat down, a smirk on his face as he said to the duo. "You have to tell me everything Aiden, but besides that, I heard you had a small encounter with a Veteran named Medusa."