bChapter /bb25 /b

Valencia

I blinked.

I had not really thought of it amidst all the usations andn’s cold demeanor.

Director Marshall looked atn as if he had grown another head.

He thought about the linen had said, looked at me, then at the papers in front of him and back atr

“I was not informed about the Bureau’s decision to invite a High Inquisitor from the council.”

My gaze danced fromn to Director Marshall.

“I am sure it got lost in all the other correspondence you received after your appointment. The letter definitely reached your office but I believe you came straight to this conference room the moment you set foot in the city.”

Director Marshall grabbed a tissue and dabbed at his forehead nervously.

“Y–yes, that is what happened.”

Suddenly, my heart leapt up with hope.

He called this a deposition, not a full blown trial while both Director Marshall and Mrs Briggs had made me feel that it was very much a departmental enquiry that would lead ito /isome punishment.

However, I had never imagined her hate for me to be so deep to seeing me die.

What had ever done to her?

I could ponder over those questionster. Right now, it seemed liken was standing between me and death.

And I was not sure how to feel about that.

Director Marshall seemed visibly confused and took his sses off and looked around for help as if somebody else should answern instead of him.

I stood rooted to my spot, heart still hammering.

“Oh, alright. That isn’t an issue.i” /iDirector Marshall let out a shortugh that was anything but positive and looked through the file again.

“Well, do you have a different verdict for the used?” he asked,ying out his open palm in my direction.

“As I said, I find it hard to believe a trivial and junior associate like hers, someone easily forgettable and having no credibility in the eyes of the Bureau could hold so much power to oversee so many cases and file the papers correctly.”

Director Marshall nodded slowly as if the wordsn had said took some time to register with him.

“Very well. I think we must call the Head of this Office then.”

They were going to call Mrs. Briggs? She wasn’t going to say ba /bdamn word in my defence.

Instead, she would ensure I not only got hanged but whipped as well if that would save her own skin

I shot a murderous re atn, recalling the words he said about me easily forgettable and no credibility.

It felt like someone had taken à de to slice under my skin and relished seeing the blood trickle down my hand.

When this was over, I was going to w his face out.

Director Marshall shouted out Mrs. Briggs‘ name in a loud voice and she popped into the conference room in the blink of an eye.

It was as if she had been hovering just outside the door and eavesdropping.

“Yes, Director Marshall, you called for me!” She gave him a very bright smile as she walked forward but when her eyesnded onn, her mouth literally fell half open.

I only stared at her in disbelief.

She then bounced on her heels and literally ran towardsn, bowing a little and then stood directly in front of him, blocking my view of himb. /b

She gave him a sly smile and adopted a shy voice.

“Allow me to introduce myself, High Inquisitor. I am Mrs Briggsb, /bthe new head of office of this branch.”

I was surprised that he didnt try to yank his hand away in an instant.

My gaze flicked to Director Marshall who was too busy poking his head in the file to notice what was going on.

I couldnt get a good look atn’s expression from here because that idiotic woman was blocking it but I felt a strange emotion course through me.

I wanted to rip her sleazy hands off his body.

But a secondter, another thought popped up in my head.

Why did I feel that way?

I had no business feeling that.

Not with the way he was ignoring me like a random stranger.

Maybe I just hated that woman in general and my anger was directed at her, not him.

I didn’t want to stand watch her run his hands all over him so instead I looked at Director Marshall and said in a loud voice.

“I believe the office head was called in ifor /isome testimony.”

Director Marshall looked up at me and then noticed Mrs Briggs almost leaning overn and cleared his throat.

“Mrs Briggs, can you tell us when you joined your office?”

She adjusted her hair and answered, “Just two weeks ago“.

b12:58 /bSat, 23 Aug 11 O U

“Then tell me, Mrs Briggs, why do these papers have only the signature of the used?”

Hooked up at him so fast, I might have snapped my neck.

Mrs Briggs was taken aback by the question and took the papers from him, smiling awkwardly.

She shuffled through the papers and then looked at both him and Director (MArshall.

“…am not sure how this happened.”

Fucking liar!!

“You see, I took office barely weeks ago. I have no idea what the

previous supervisor did before I was appointed.”

“Surely you wouldn’t forget something as important as submitting proper paperwork to the Director so as to not waste his time?”

Director Marshall kept staring stupidly

“…I apologize for the error. But as you see, I was not the one in charge when it happened so it hardly makes sense to hold me guilty for the mishaps.”

Her tone grew earnest and my mouth fell open.

“So does sentencing a mere junior associate who has no authority over half the cases she has been charged with various crimes against make sense to iyou/i?b” /b

I could feel my heart race faster.

Was he really trying to save me from being killed? But then why the cold shoulder?

Mrs Briggs fumbled again.

“I mean, somebody has to pay for the mistakes or how will the Bureau improve?”

The audacity of this womani!! /i

“Do you

think killing an iinnocent /ifor some discrepancies in the files will make the Bureau look just and fair, Mr Marshall?”

I noticed the wayn called him Mr *Marshall not director.

Director Marshall iopened /ihis mouth to say something but then looked around warily as if he expected somebody else to answer that for him.

“Uh, I mean we might have to at least doll out some punishment for negligence”

He trailed off and I curled my fingers into fists to stop myself from shouting at the circus that was going on in front of me.

“I agree. How about we put the new head of Office under a review while also doing the same for all the people involved in bthose /bbcases/bb?/bb” /b

“All?” Director Marshall asked in disbelief.

b“/bYesb./bb” /b

“But but I am newly inducted, I had no say in anything.” She began bbering restlessly and pointed her fingers at me

“All the files went to her. She did all the paperwork. If anybody has to be punished that’s her. Not me!!”

Mrs Briggs wailed like a toddler andn seemed to nod at that.

“In that case, I take it upon myself to have the junior associate thoroughly evaluated and at

the

end of my review, award a punishment I deem fit

What?

Mrs Briggs nodded all too eagerly.

“Yes, yes, I have heard severalints of her negligence, insubordination and the likes about her. She does need to be put on a reviewi” /i

He looked at Director Marshall and asked. “Does that suit you?”

Director Marshall seemed relieved to be not the one to make the decision and nodded.

“Of course. I hereby dere that both the High Inquisitor and the Director have reached a consensus and therefore, Miss Valencia Graham will be put on

a review directly under the High inquisitor and she willply with his demands.”

Mrs Briggs took a sigh of relief and gently pursed her lips.

And then she said something I didn’t understand.

“I think we should send her to a correctional facility for her deeds.”

Before I could raise my voice to defend myself,n said in a smooth voice.

“I am personally overseeing her transfer to the ck shore.”

Huh.

What was the ck Shore?

iAnd /iwhy did everybody feel stunned upon hearing that?