Ascendency
Chapter One
Rain cascades down the large windows opposite the plush couch, lights across the way casting shadows that fall on the cluster of papers strewn haphazardly across the table just in front of it. Such a state doesn’t make focusing on them any easier, though it hardly matters to the man staring blankly at them. His attention is focused instead on the hologram screen just in front of him.
“In all honesty, with the task force’s continued failure and struggles in it’s current state coupled with the syndicate still running strong, we’re starting to wonder if building such a team was a mistake.”
Shinji Amano sinks back into the couch cushions, hand tensing on the paper slowly being crumpled in his grasp. His gaze is much more alert and now fixed on the screen with an intensity that can only be described as hatred.
“It was a good idea in practice. In theory… Not so much. Given that they can’t even recapture one of their own and let the syndicate continue to exist? The security team is of the firm opinion that the task force is no longer needed. We, Hydra Security, can take care of the problems the people face.”
“Mr. Amano,” an electronic voice chimes as the footage onscreen pauses abruptly. “Perhaps you would like something soothing? My sensors have noticed your blood pressure seems to have increased significantly upon viewing the news footage.”
“No.”
The small orb hovering nearby sinks a little lower in the air, the robotic assistant’s way of showing disappointment, and responds with a sigh like sound. “Is there anything I can do for you, Mr. Amano?”
He sighs, a ‘no’ ready on the tip of his tongue but stops himself. He sits up straighter, eyes scanning the reports with renewed interest, the metaphorical gears of his brain turning.
“If security thinks we aren’t fit in our current state maybe it’s time to change that.” He turns his attention to the orb which bolts up into the air as if startled, lens widening in attention. “Kei, get me all of the dossiers on the potential task force recruits."
“Certainly! Allow me to send them to your data pad and add that I have taken the liberty of narrowing them down to six individuals, for sake of ease.”
Shinji picks up the data pad, tossing the now incredibly wrinkled piece of paper back onto the table, and begins scrolling through the information provided. He stops at one of the names listed, a disgruntled ‘hn’ sounding into the still air. “You picked these?”
“Indeed, Mr. Amano.” Kei responds, pausing for a moment to float over to his owner. “I see you have noticed Ms. Koharu’s dossier. It’s been three years, sir. I believe she is ready to resume work.”
“Have you spoken to her about this?”
“No. Data indicates that she is ready based on repeated submissions to Doctor Koharu, who has consistently rejected her request to be examined so she may end her medical leave. He seems to have denied her requests based on fears that she would be unable to handle the stress after the accident.”
“Yeah, he isn’t the only one.”
“May I make a suggestion?” The tiny bot plows on without waiting for affirmation, an unusual behavior. “Hear what she has to say. Then based on her reasoning for why she wants to officially rejoin and her current state, make your choice. As leader of the task force, you are the only one who has the authority to decide who will or won’t be part of the team.”
Shinji stands, rubbing a tired hand across his forehead and knocking his glasses slightly askew. He walks down the hall and enters his bedroom, changing into a pair of dark jeans and a white shirt topped with a black leather jacket. He grabs his shoes on his way back down the hall, calling for Kei once more.
“What may I do for you?”
“Send a comm invite to Haven. Ask her to meet me at the cafe and tell her it’s about her request to come back to the task force.” A moment as he grabs his key card from the table next to the door. “Contact Ryo while you’re at it and ask him to meet us as well. I want a second opinion on her.”
The bell above the door chimes as Shinji steps into the crowded yet cozy cafe and scans the full tables for a glimpse of pastel blue hair. He finds Haven in the back corner near one of the low tables, legs tucked underneath her on the rounded cushion of the booth. The seat to her left is already occupied and he chuckles at Ryo’s quick response time. How he always manages to beat Shinji to any meeting is beyond comprehension. He ambles his way over to the duo at a leisurely pace, noting bits of their conversation drifting through the air.
“So how’ve you been?”
“Good. Bored out of my mind with nothing to do aside sit at the apartment or go shopping for things I don’t need, but good.”
He can see Ryo wince at the verbal jab, the annoyance and disappointment in her voice as clear as day.
“That’s a nice necklace.” He says, attempting to steer the conversation back to neutral territory as Shinji approaches.
Haven rolls her eyes, unable to fight back a small smile even so. “Thank you. I found it while I was cleaning the other day. It’s funny, I can’t think of where I got it or who would’ve given it to me. It’s pretty, though.”
“It is. Oh, hey Shinji. Glad you could make it.” Ryo greets, quickly busying himself with checking his comm and data pad for any notifications while the man in question slides into the booth.
“So,” Shinji begins, gaze swinging between Ryo and Haven. “does anyone want anything before we start? Or should we just get down to the discussion?” When Ryo only shrugs and Haven stares, he continues. “Okay then, on to business. Ryo?”
“Right. So, Shinji and I are here to discuss your possible reinstatement to the task force. Currently, you’re on indefinite medical leave though we can see you’ve been trying to change that. We-“
“It’s been three years.”
“Well, yes, we know that. Your records show-“
“I’ve been on indefinite medical leave for three years. Trust me when I say I’m ready to be reinstated.”
Ryo sits back as Shinji sighs and lays his data pad out on the table.
“Now Haven-“
“Oh don’t ‘Now Haven’ me!” She snaps, green eyes glittering with fury. “You of all people do not get to use your placating voice on me. I held my own with the team for years. When we tracked the billionaire charged with trafficking for the slave trade? When we stopped the corrupt doctor who was stealing tissue from infants?” Her voice lowers to an even tone, eerily calm. “When the team splintered three years ago and four of our own left, with him at the helm. I held my own even then and you know it.” She takes a moment to catch her breath, fingers brushing the pendant around her neck as she collects herself.
“All in all, the person who ultimately decides what I can and can’t handle? Is not either of you or my adoptive brother. I decide what I can and can’t handle. No one else. So if you’re going to deny my request again, fine. Just look me in the eye and give me a valid reason. Not your bullshit ‘We don’t think you can handle it’ excuse. You owe me that much.”
Shinji and Ryo exchange a glance where something unspoken passes between them. Both nod, Ryo reaching into his jacket as Shinji picks up his data pad and quickly types up a message. Upon finishing he gives the go ahead signal.
“I believe this is yours.” Ryo holds out Haven’s task force ID, depositing it into her tentatively outstretched hands. “Boss?”
“I, Shinji Amano, acknowledge and hereby accept your request to be reinstated and taken off indefinite medical leave. You’ll need to see Doctor Ogata and get a copy of the form for our records. He should be expecting you, but if you have any problems tell him I sent you. I ask that you take today off,” he holds up a hand as she fixes him with a glare and starts to protest. “However, you can look over the dossiers for potential recruits today and help track them down either with Ryo or on your own tomorrow.”
Haven’s gaze drifts down to the ID cupped in her palms, tears starting to well in the corners of her eyes and she hugs it to her chest.
“Welcome back, Haven. It’s good to have you on the team again.”
“In all honesty, with the task force’s continued failure and struggles in it’s current state coupled with the syndicate still running strong, we’re starting to wonder if building such a team was a mistake.”
Shinji Amano sinks back into the couch cushions, hand tensing on the paper slowly being crumpled in his grasp. His gaze is much more alert and now fixed on the screen with an intensity that can only be described as hatred.
“It was a good idea in practice. In theory… Not so much. Given that they can’t even recapture one of their own and let the syndicate continue to exist? The security team is of the firm opinion that the task force is no longer needed. We, Hydra Security, can take care of the problems the people face.”
“Mr. Amano,” an electronic voice chimes as the footage onscreen pauses abruptly. “Perhaps you would like something soothing? My sensors have noticed your blood pressure seems to have increased significantly upon viewing the news footage.”
“No.”
The small orb hovering nearby sinks a little lower in the air, the robotic assistant’s way of showing disappointment, and responds with a sigh like sound. “Is there anything I can do for you, Mr. Amano?”
He sighs, a ‘no’ ready on the tip of his tongue but stops himself. He sits up straighter, eyes scanning the reports with renewed interest, the metaphorical gears of his brain turning.
“If security thinks we aren’t fit in our current state maybe it’s time to change that.” He turns his attention to the orb which bolts up into the air as if startled, lens widening in attention. “Kei, get me all of the dossiers on the potential task force recruits."
“Certainly! Allow me to send them to your data pad and add that I have taken the liberty of narrowing them down to six individuals, for sake of ease.”
Shinji picks up the data pad, tossing the now incredibly wrinkled piece of paper back onto the table, and begins scrolling through the information provided. He stops at one of the names listed, a disgruntled ‘hn’ sounding into the still air. “You picked these?”
“Indeed, Mr. Amano.” Kei responds, pausing for a moment to float over to his owner. “I see you have noticed Ms. Koharu’s dossier. It’s been three years, sir. I believe she is ready to resume work.”
“Have you spoken to her about this?”
“No. Data indicates that she is ready based on repeated submissions to Doctor Koharu, who has consistently rejected her request to be examined so she may end her medical leave. He seems to have denied her requests based on fears that she would be unable to handle the stress after the accident.”
“Yeah, he isn’t the only one.”
“May I make a suggestion?” The tiny bot plows on without waiting for affirmation, an unusual behavior. “Hear what she has to say. Then based on her reasoning for why she wants to officially rejoin and her current state, make your choice. As leader of the task force, you are the only one who has the authority to decide who will or won’t be part of the team.”
Shinji stands, rubbing a tired hand across his forehead and knocking his glasses slightly askew. He walks down the hall and enters his bedroom, changing into a pair of dark jeans and a white shirt topped with a black leather jacket. He grabs his shoes on his way back down the hall, calling for Kei once more.
“What may I do for you?”
“Send a comm invite to Haven. Ask her to meet me at the cafe and tell her it’s about her request to come back to the task force.” A moment as he grabs his key card from the table next to the door. “Contact Ryo while you’re at it and ask him to meet us as well. I want a second opinion on her.”
The bell above the door chimes as Shinji steps into the crowded yet cozy cafe and scans the full tables for a glimpse of pastel blue hair. He finds Haven in the back corner near one of the low tables, legs tucked underneath her on the rounded cushion of the booth. The seat to her left is already occupied and he chuckles at Ryo’s quick response time. How he always manages to beat Shinji to any meeting is beyond comprehension. He ambles his way over to the duo at a leisurely pace, noting bits of their conversation drifting through the air.
“So how’ve you been?”
“Good. Bored out of my mind with nothing to do aside sit at the apartment or go shopping for things I don’t need, but good.”
He can see Ryo wince at the verbal jab, the annoyance and disappointment in her voice as clear as day.
“That’s a nice necklace.” He says, attempting to steer the conversation back to neutral territory as Shinji approaches.
Haven rolls her eyes, unable to fight back a small smile even so. “Thank you. I found it while I was cleaning the other day. It’s funny, I can’t think of where I got it or who would’ve given it to me. It’s pretty, though.”
“It is. Oh, hey Shinji. Glad you could make it.” Ryo greets, quickly busying himself with checking his comm and data pad for any notifications while the man in question slides into the booth.
“So,” Shinji begins, gaze swinging between Ryo and Haven. “does anyone want anything before we start? Or should we just get down to the discussion?” When Ryo only shrugs and Haven stares, he continues. “Okay then, on to business. Ryo?”
“Right. So, Shinji and I are here to discuss your possible reinstatement to the task force. Currently, you’re on indefinite medical leave though we can see you’ve been trying to change that. We-“
“It’s been three years.”
“Well, yes, we know that. Your records show-“
“I’ve been on indefinite medical leave for three years. Trust me when I say I’m ready to be reinstated.”
Ryo sits back as Shinji sighs and lays his data pad out on the table.
“Now Haven-“
“Oh don’t ‘Now Haven’ me!” She snaps, green eyes glittering with fury. “You of all people do not get to use your placating voice on me. I held my own with the team for years. When we tracked the billionaire charged with trafficking for the slave trade? When we stopped the corrupt doctor who was stealing tissue from infants?” Her voice lowers to an even tone, eerily calm. “When the team splintered three years ago and four of our own left, with him at the helm. I held my own even then and you know it.” She takes a moment to catch her breath, fingers brushing the pendant around her neck as she collects herself.
“All in all, the person who ultimately decides what I can and can’t handle? Is not either of you or my adoptive brother. I decide what I can and can’t handle. No one else. So if you’re going to deny my request again, fine. Just look me in the eye and give me a valid reason. Not your bullshit ‘We don’t think you can handle it’ excuse. You owe me that much.”
Shinji and Ryo exchange a glance where something unspoken passes between them. Both nod, Ryo reaching into his jacket as Shinji picks up his data pad and quickly types up a message. Upon finishing he gives the go ahead signal.
“I believe this is yours.” Ryo holds out Haven’s task force ID, depositing it into her tentatively outstretched hands. “Boss?”
“I, Shinji Amano, acknowledge and hereby accept your request to be reinstated and taken off indefinite medical leave. You’ll need to see Doctor Ogata and get a copy of the form for our records. He should be expecting you, but if you have any problems tell him I sent you. I ask that you take today off,” he holds up a hand as she fixes him with a glare and starts to protest. “However, you can look over the dossiers for potential recruits today and help track them down either with Ryo or on your own tomorrow.”
Haven’s gaze drifts down to the ID cupped in her palms, tears starting to well in the corners of her eyes and she hugs it to her chest.
“Welcome back, Haven. It’s good to have you on the team again.”