Codename: DEMON || ONC2022 Longlister

Chapter 6: White Carnations

One of the things that the DUO loved to drill in everyone's heads was the importance of deadlines. Greyson wasn't sure if he learned it the normal way or the hard way, but he sure as heck learned it. He remembered back then, when everyone in the Investigation Squad was so pressured with an important case that his mother didn't allow him to come to work for days. He himself had his own experiences with deadlines, so he knew how important they were.

So he wasn't sure if he should be thanking the Underworld for not giving them a deadline.

Five days. It had been five torturous days of him entering and leaving every computer and laptop, traveling back and forth between different offices in the HQ, and even opening dusty physical files to find anything about Demon. The Intelligence Database hypothesized that Demon was an artifact that had been possessed by actual spirits and demons. But whenever he thought he was close to solving the case, the only thing that would greet him was a dead end.

He usually trusted Viktor's judgment, and he trusted it now. But Greyson didn't always understand them. Was it really the Investigation Squad's job to look into this?

There was also Lucinda's whatever-her-status-with-him was, who may or may not be... related to Greyson. Every time he thought about Deimos, it would give him another layer of headache. He didn't want to ask her about it, either. After the incident, she never brought Deimos up ever again. And besides, she was also stressed with the extra workload. He didn't want to give her more problems.

Everything was just so... confusing. And annoying. He never felt this kind of anger before, and it made him want to tear something to shreds. If something else was going to pile itself on him—

"Greyson James Saffirus!"

Greyson jumped up at the mention of his name, and his ears flopped down when a loud bang echoed in the meeting room. He looked around, though he immediately regretted his decision. All eyes from the Intelligence Database were staring at him. And it didn't help that their director, Director Simeon, was shooting him one of his signature cold glares. The moment Greyson met his gaze, he lowered his head and suppressed a whine.

"Are you even listening to me, child?!"

Greyson flinched back from his voice again. He flicked his eyes to the left, where Lucinda sat. Her head rested on her palm, and her other hand tapped the table. However, Greyson could see her shooting Director Simeon her own glare, and her fingers subtly removed the glove on her hand.

He wanted to reach his hand out and stop her, but he didn't want to be yelled at again. It was unprofessional to treat his mother as his mother at work. Right now, she was a coworker, not family.

"I- I'm sorry," he said as he stood up from his seat. "I didn't hear what you sa—"

"Clearly you didn't." Director Simeon groaned as he placed a hand on his forehead. "Do you know how many times I called your name?"

"N- No—"

"Once should have been enough!"

On his right, Viktor stood up and placed his arm in front of him. "Greyson, sit down. Director Simeon, if I may. The Investigation Squad is here to have a meeting with the Intelligence Database. I do not recall you yelling at my subordinates to be a part of the meeting."

"I don't recall your child not listening to be a part of the agreement, either."

"Director, he's twelve. Just turned twelve, even."

"And you don't think that's an age where he should be more responsible? Look around. He's not the only child. We have children in the Intelligence Database younger than him, and yet they're doing better."