“So we have one assistant Professor Robert Harvey, who, according to the footage of the surveillance camera in this room, was the leader of the pact.” inside of a secretive room in the academy hospital, Professor Barnes said to Caroline, Jason, Aimee and Thomas: “One assistant Professor Karl Branston, researcher; one dedicated and tenure track researcher Taylor Kim, whom you’ve shot in the shoulder and whose one arm needs a lot of repair. Interesting combination, all from different departments with different accesses.”

“So, who do they work for? Who does that Camile Jensen work for?” Jason asked: “And - I believe that they as school faculty members would know that there’s surveillance equipments here right? So they’re going to bail after they’ve murdered us.”

“And from what I can tell, Camile Jensen should be already on her way to leave the academy. ” Caroline said: “If I am correct about the vibes about her, she didn’t really intend to bring the three with him did she?”

“From what I can tell, no. And I would even venture to say that the leader, assistant Professor Robert Harvey knew that as well. But he still came here.” Glenda Grimes shook her head and said: “Something tells me that’s not love, we need to see what Dorothea could find out.”

“Aww, I was hoping that there’d be something more romantic going on there.” Thomas flipped through some of the documents and records Professor Barnes and Glenda Grimes gave him and Aimee: “But this looks quite innocent - I can’t find a pattern here. I’m afraid our civilian detective knowledge and experience would require more intel, Professor, Ms. Grimes.”

“It’s okay, I’m not sure getting you more involved would be a good idea. You’re barely magic wielders yet.” Glenda Grimes shook her head and said.

“Ouch, Ms. Grimes, that stung a little.” Thomas chuckled: “I did just shoot a friggin wind mage, okay? That’s pretty impressive. I could’ve killed him!”

“Ugh, does Jensen family operate some kind of gang slash underground crime business?” Aimee closed the notes and records and asked.

“Well… not exactly, why?” Glenda Grimes asked.

“That’s my suspicion.” Aimee scratched her jaw and said: “On the surface they seem to have very little connection with each other. But Camile Jensen - she’s a Jensen, right? I’ve heard something about the Jensen family other than the time we had to face them in student duel. What if Camile Jensen is some kind of handler to these three guys here? And she faked some kind of orders from the higher ups to trick the three of them into taking care of us while she bailed because we somehow spooked her?”

“Kind of a cowardly and shitty move for a handler.” Thomas scoffed and said: “But that at least tells us that she’s not experienced?”

“The Jensen family is a family with a really complicated history - they’ve got their fair share of wonderful law enforcement agents, investigators and criminology experts, and their fair share of psychopathic criminals, terrorists and even a few necromancers.” Glenda Grimes explained: “And because of that they have tried really hard to stay away from anything that could be construed as impropriety or criminality.”

“Which means as a general practice one shouldn’t put a Jensen pass on being a potential criminal.” Professor Barnes scoffed, but his words only earned him a smack on the shoulder from Glenda Grimes: “What?”

“You knights are just incredible.” Glenda Grimes shook her head then turned to Caroline, Jason, Aimee and Thomas: “Yeah, sorry about that. Hope you understand that we don’t hold individuals accountable for the sins of their family.”

“Well, Branston talked, they are not trained operatives.” just this moment, Professor Dorothea Clarkson walked into the room and threw a pair of gloves into the garbage bin in the corner of the room: “They are just recruits on payroll, constantly stealing precious material and important intel and sending them outside. In the form of returned books.”

“So Camile Jensen is indeed their handler.” Professor Barnes said: “A really shitty one as well.”

“No, she’s not. Technically she’s the one who handles the delivery of goods and some level of field support, but she was not the one who hands out the orders.” Professor Dorothea Clarkson said: “Still need time to break the other two, maybe we can learn more then.”

“What is with the name Branston?” Jason frowned and whispered to Caroline.

“And what is Professor bitchy mc-witchy doing with Professor Barnes and Ms. Grimes?” Caroline asked in a low voice.

“She and us used to be a team.” Glenda Grimes’s voice resounded in Caroline and Jason’s ears: “Also, better use a voice concealing spell next time. I bet she could hear you even if you whispered.”

Caroline and Jason turned to look at Professor Dorothea Clarkson, just in time to see her narrowing her eyes at them.

“Anyways.” Professor Dorothea Clarkson sat down on a chair and asked: “I could let them stew for a while before meeting them again, or transport them to an actual interrogation room - I know there is technically none in the academy, but I have one in my office and I will be happy to lend it out.”

“Wait, are we keeping this hush hush?” Thomas picked up something from the conversation: “Why are we keeping this down? Shouldn’t we alert the academy? I mean, we already have two headmasters here!”

“The situation here is delicate. And the less people know the better.” Professor Dorothea Clarkson said: “We don’t know how many people are also involved. So we need to keep a low profile for now, until we find out what their agenda is and who they work for, and how they are related to the circulation of the toxic materials - this is assuming that it is indeed your questions that spooked Camile Jensen.”

“But we’ve gotta hurry right? They still have their day jobs to attend to, people might get suspicious if they’re missing for too long.” Aimee asked.

“Well, a little side intel could go a long way.” Dorothea Clarkson lit up a cigarette and said with a coy smile: “Tony, you have your little side investigation with Randall, why not share a little with the class?”

Hi dear readers, this is an extra chapter for today.

But there won't be updates this coming weekend - I am taking a short break and trying to get some rest.

All normal uploads will resume next week.

Thank you for your readership! Much appreciated!

Egao