HYDRA

It was Liz who stepped in.

"What happened?"

"Why is Liz shouting?"

"And who might you be?" Iris asked.

"That doesn't matter," Liz said, "Just answer me this, what actually Allen did to you?" Is she trying to help me?

"I already said that…!" Iris didn't falter. But I noticed that she was breathing heavily. Is she exhausted?

"No, you didn't. You only said some vague sentences and you don't even have concrete evidence. Do you even have proof?" not only she stopped her but Liz is suppressing Iris, only with words.

"T-that's…" hoo, to think that the one who looked so confident a moment ago, now can't even reply properly.

But as Iris stepped back a little she suddenly lost balance and was about to fall.

"Are you alright, Miss Iris?" the ones who were surrounding Iris for so long didn't say a single word this whole time, are now speaking. Are they some kind of bodyguard? Seeing them standing like that feels exactly the same.

"Yeah," Iris replied as she held her head in the exhaust. Did she get exhausted so quickly? That's weird.

"Excuse me but what might be your name?" one of the bodyguards asked Liz. Since I don't know their names I have decided to call each of them 'body guard' for now.

"Liz."

"I don't want to say such things but I think Liz's way of speaking to Miss Iris was not appropriate. Miss Iris has a weak metabolism and gets exhausted quickly when she shouts or speaks loudly. You not only tried to suppress her but even made her shout. What would you do if something happened to her?`` Wow, he turned the tables on Liz so easily.

"…" since Liz doesn't know the full details she can't counterattack.

"I-it's alright Will. I am okay so don't do anything unnecessary."

"Allen apologize to Iris!" Peter shouted as he stepped in front of me.

"Yeah, apologize."

"Apologize."

As soon as Peter said that, many of his followers started shouting after him.

"Peter. Step. Aside." He isn't even involved in this so why interfere?

"Make me."

"Fine by me." I took a step back and was about to swing a circular kick aimed at his head.

"Wait!" I stopped the moment I heard Selene's voice. She stepped in between me and Peter, "A-allen don't f-fight…" I don't know why but I could feel like she and share some kind of bond.

"…" yes, she is right. If I fight now I might get reported to a teacher or the teacher himself might see me since lunch has been over for at least 10 minutes and he might be coming any second now.

"What happened?" Peter said to me as if he was waiting for me to attack him.

"I am not going to admit it no matter what you do till you show some proof till then goodbye. The teacher should be coming soon so get out. I mean you Iris, take your bodyguards with you on your way out," I said as I glared at one of her bodyguards.

"Miss, let's go. We don't want you to miss a class due to something this minor problem. We'll take care of it." He glared back at me.

They left. As soon as Iris left the crown with her, was she that famous?

Who cares about that problem anyway, not me.

"Allen are you okay?" Liz asked me. She looked worried.

"Nothing to worry about." She looked relieved as I said that.

"Umm… A-allen…" Selene is pulling my sleeves, does she want something with me?

"Yes?"

"I t-trust you…" I don't know exactly what she means by that.

"Okay… thank you, Selene," I replied.

"I a-also trust you Allen…!" Liz also said the same thing as she held my hands.

"Thanks, I guess…" what's with these two all of a sudden?

But I didn't notice it earlier but everyone's eyes were on me. I really don't care as long as they are just gazing at me. I noticed that especially only second year students who are always keeping a watch on me. The other year students didn't bother much. I wonder why that is.

…..

Later after school, I was called out at the Principal's office. Maybe it has something to do with Iris I guess since she is the daughter of the chairman.

"Excuse me, I am Allen and I was told to come to the Principal's Office." I knocked at the door waiting for someone to answer back but no response returned. Maybe I didn't say it out loud.

"Excuse me!" this time I raised my voice. But still, no response came.

"Umm… I am coming in, okay?" I said thinking that someone might answer but no word came out. Maybe the principal is not in the office. Since I was told to come I should just wait inside, right?

I opened the door.

"!?" a paper came flying right at my face.

"What?" I took it out of my face and saw something incredible.

The room was filled with papers and not to mention, it was scattered everywhere. I had to think where I should step next. I carefully took one step at a time until I reached the Principal's desk.

"Whoa… is she sleeping?" I saw a lady sleeping on the desk. By her looks, she hardly looked like 25. Is she really the principal? If my memory serves me right, the last time I saw it was a man who looked over 45 at least. But since no one else is here, maybe the previous principal retired.

"Umm… excuse me," I said out loud but she didn't budge.

"Excuse me!" this time not only I raised my voice I tried shaking her. I know it is inappropriate for me to touch someone without their consent but if I let her be like this who knows how long I will have to wait here.

"… what?!" She woke up at last.

"Umm, I was told to come to the Principal's Office, so?"

"Huh? What?``It looks like she is still feeling sleepy.

"Here, drink some water first." A cup of glass was placed on the table so I gave her the glass filled with water.

"Thank you. But who are you?" as she drank the full glass of water in a single gulp she moved her hand around the table searching for something.

"Allen?"

"Oh, right. I did call you… wait a minute." She is certainly searching for something.

"…" I stayed silent while she was searching.

"Ah, here they are." It was a pair of glasses. She must have weak eyesight.

"So why was I called here?" I asked.

"So, you tell me. Do you have any clue why you were called here?`` What's with all these riddles? Can't she just get to the point?

"… I don't know."

"Is that so? I'll tell you then," she said.

"Should have said that from the beginning," I mumbled to myself.

"What? Did you say something?"

"No, I didn't say anything."

"I got a complaint from Iris that you harassed her. Is that true?" I thought that this would be the reason.

"That's not true," I said.

"Alright, I believe you." Huh?

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Yeah, why? Did you do it?"

"No."

"I have known that girl for a long time. She has always been like this. If the other person doesn't obey her she thinks her father's position can help her. Also her father is somewhat too 'attached' to his daughter so he doesn't stop her."

"Oh, then may I leave now?" It's great if I don't have to resolve it any longer.

"What's the hurry? Sit on the couch. Have called you for some other topic to talk to you about." She looked serious all of a sudden. I sat on the couch.

"?" I don't have a single clue what she wants to talk about.

"How's your shoulder?"

"!?"

"Oh, didn't you hear me? Maybe because of the sound from outside." She closed the windows.

"No, I did hear you but what did you mean by my shoulder?" How does she know about my shoulder injury? If the news had gotten out there was no way that the whole police department would be okay right now. Shooting underage in interrogation is a crime.

"Oh, so he didn't tell you about me? That old man…!" is she talking about the one who shot me.

"?"

"Let me tell you in detail," she said, "The day you all students disappeared, it was the same day we were planning to execute the whole HYDRA organization but we were fooled. Someone from inside leaked the information and before we could even react, 50 students were kidnapped in a single day." She looked frustrated.

"…" I just sat there silently. But one thing that bothered me was that she wasn't using 'me' anywhere and only using the word 'we', does she mean that there is an organization hidden from public eyes?

"We had to compromise the operation," she banged the table, anyone could make out that she was frustrated, "Now, after such a long time you 7 came back. But all your memories were erased. The only lead we could get was lost."

"I get the gist of this but why was I shot then?"

"Even I, myself don't know how you are connected to this all but higher-ups were dead set on making you take all the blame. Also one of the survivors said that he saw you holding a gun and that made the whole police department suspect you. Also, the higher-ups even permitted us to use force to make you admit false accusations."

"…" I still don't get it. If so then why did that man say that he was on my side then?

"You must be wondering why I am telling all this."

"Yeah," I prodded.

"Including me and that old man, there are only a handful of people who we can trust. To fool the higher-ups and gain their trust and to get the inside information, the old man had to show them that he is on their side. That's the reason why he shot you so that the higher-ups know that he will use extreme force. Even at this moment, I believe that the old man is at headquarters. Most likely, we will find a lead on those HYDRA bastards soon…!"

"I understand…"

"Now, the main problem is I need your help to find the culprits, of course, I'll also help as much as I can. The information we have acquired is stating that all this is somewhat connected to this school."

TO BE CONTINUED…