Inquiry Into The Zeros

Filler 1 waited for a while but it seemed that Priscilla wasn't going to say anything else. She rubbed her temple and instinctively ran her index finger along the scar that adorned her face. She looked back at Priscilla again.

"Filler 5," she said with a little bit of melancholy. "You know how we operate. We can't just let an outsider into our ranks."

"Far from it," Priscilla shook her head. "I'm not suggesting that we let Richard join our ranks nor be let in on our plans however, I do understand that the Fillers have one biggest enemy—the Zeros."

"True but we have other means of getting revenge. We aren't desperate."

"No but we can get someone else who's just as pissed off at these goons like we are."

Filler 1 looked at her for a while, her eyes seemed as clear as the ocean but they carried a deeper meaning. Priscilla didn't wait for her to speak but continued. "Besides, I was an outsider when you recruited me."

Filler 1 gave her a tight smile. "Your case was different. You had what we needed and we had yours. This is different."

"How so?"

"This Richard is a soldier."

"Is there a problem with that?"

Filler 1 gave her another deep look before shaking her head. She glanced at the tainted windows and took a deep breath. The diffused sunlight appeared mild and was projected onto the table top. She retracted her gaze. "We have no problems with the military but there is need to remain low profile."

"I understand."

Silence returned to the hall once again before Filler 1 raised her hand and then dropped it again on the table as if trying to knock it silently. She exhaled. "Very well, I have considered."

Priscilla nodded, suppressing her smile and the urge to pump her fist. Filler 1 continued. "Your task then will be to entice Richard and fill him with information regarding the Zeros and let his drive push him towards aligning with us.

"We won't work together but this might help us know more about the Zeros and also find their operation base quicker."

Priscilla nodded solemnly. "You won't regret this decision."

"I won't." Filler 1's voice was gentle but it carried threat that was filled with the venom of a viper. She tapped the table a few times with her finger.

Priscilla noticed this and took it as her cue to leave. She stood up and made to leave but Filler 1's voice sounded again and this time more human. "Filler 5, sit."

She obeyed and sat down again. "What is it, Filler 1?"

The scarred lady sighed and traced her scar with her index finger before looking straight at Priscilla. "We have news regarding the Zeros."

Priscilla's eyebrows tensed. Every time she heard news about this group of people she wanted to find so badly but found elusive, she would cringe inwardly. "What's the news?"

"A group of people in Cruderia have recently shown interest in the Zeros. They have begun to seek them out and ask questions about their identity. While this might be a fool's doing, it is worth paying attention to."

Priscilla fell silent for a few seconds before finding her voice once again. 'If people in Cruderia are looking for the Zeros then it goes deeper than what I already know. From the looks of things these people don't know the gravity of openly seeking these people…'

In the end, Priscilla sighed. "I will tell Richard about this."

The Head nodded slowly but then Priscilla asked, "Why didn't the Fillers take interest in the recent case in Cruderia?"

Filler 1 smiled subtly and tapped the table twice. "We have and that's how we found out that they have a uniform which supposedly belonged to a member of the Zeros. You know what that means."

"But isn't that unlikely?"

"Indeed," Filler 1 nodded. "However, if it proves to be true then we're in for a treat. Aside from these groups, only the military have managed to obtain that uniform—the original. Word has it that the person who initiated this search is a citizen of Crevania."

"From Crevania to Cruderia…this has a particular trend." Priscilla mused. "Does this mean that they found a corresponding clue to the Zeros in Cruderia?"

"It might be but there's another possibility."

Priscilla thought about the Filler 1's hinted meaning and came to a realisation. She nodded slowly. "I get it; the Zeros seem to originate from Cruderia."

Filler 1 nodded. This would make sense since the attack on Richard took place near the borders as well.

After a while, Priscilla left the hall and the door opened for her to leave. Filler 1 sat there like a stone statue, seemingly lost in thought. She lifted her hand and rubbed her face. The scar hurt. It burned like lava running deep beneath her skin.

She exhaled and traced the scar as years of memory came back to her.

….

Priscilla glanced back at the three guards who nodded at her on her way out. She returned with a nod and quickly left the building. She took a taxi and returned to her apartment. It was still early morning.

She decided to drop by the hospital and see some patients. She changed her clothes and then took her car and headed to the hospital. She had it in mind to drop by the military HQ to handle a few things. She wasn't really in the mood to take part in the training.

Richard had been elusive during the past few days of training and without him at the training centre, it was boring for her. She drove along and amidst these thoughts, she came to an idea.

The sudden idea sent a smile to her lips making her grin to herself as she drove towards the medical centre. It was going to be a perfect way to unwind in the evening. She drove faster and soon arrived at the hospital.

She scanned her ID and entered. The first person she met in the hall way was Donald with a gloomy face.