District - 17: Reunification

Apheresis

MCCALL'S OFFICE WAS HUGE and ornate.

"Yes," he said, "you have."

"I'm not sure I understand."

"Because there isn't anything to understand. Tara, you've been here five years now. Those are five years you've used to cultivate this . . . this . . . bloodtech you call it? Pardon me if I come across a bit skeptical but, where are the results?"

"You will have them. Tomorrow."

" 'Tomorrow,' " he mused. "Cube Nox has been in your care for almost two years now. As administrator and overseer you know the requirements that are expected as a faculty director. Now, Annagrazia tells me –"

"Not to sound unprofessional McCall, but fuck whatever Annagrazia has to say. She should mind her business and refrain from making comments on topics she knows nothing about. She has Cube Beltane and I have mine. That's it."

"Right," he said tapping away on the mahogany desk. "As I was saying, Annagrazia tells me you've been spending extra time with one of your registrants. De La Cruz?"

"Alessia?"

"What's the fascination with her?" He threw his hands up, "Im genuinely curious. I'm not attacking you."

"I get that. There is no fascination, no infatuation, no special treatment of any kind because I know that's the direction this conversation is headed. I care for my registrants. I bleed for them and sometimes, once in a blue moon, you find something special, something so uncanny and unorthodox that it makes you second guess everything. That's Alessia. She's special –"

"They're all special or so they say up until one of them is terminated or we find ourselves writing obituaries for an untimely end. Moral of the story is: Do not get attached."

"No, sir." Her eyes were steel and she focused on her breathing. Satin evening gloves gripped her knees but she remained focused no matter how tight she squeezed.

"Peaches." He grinned, "Now, how confident are you in Cube Nox?"

"Without a doubt they're ready. Alessia will take point with Ryder as her second. I'll provide overwatch while the other three back up their rear. It will be over before it started."

"I see. Even with the inner turmoil surrounding Russo and Colmourn?"

Her eyes widened slightly; she knew he noticed. "I'm confused as to how Ryder and Jaketta's personal relationship correlate?"

"Because if two of your registrants are having sex and arguing how beneficial do you think that will be in the field during a live operation?"

"It would be –"

"It would be detrimental. Caught it a little quicker than you, that's alright."

She grunted and frowned. "Am I to involve myself into every facet of their lives?"

He chuckled and stroked his beard, "You already have, haven't you?"

She grit her teeth and squeezed tighter.

"With that being said I unfortunately need to remove you from her–temporarily. A little separation will do you some good. Besides I have something pressing I need you to attend to." He saw the look on her face, the reality settling in before crashing around her. "You said you were confident. If you are, and I'm hoping you are, then they'll be fine without you for one night — just temporary."