“You look really good in a - well, suit.” standing in front of the door to a booked auditorium inside the common building, Laura Jensen helped Jason straighten his tie a bit and said: “Doesn’t look like it fits too well, but - it’s good enough. I don’t think the hearing committee would care anyway - you are innocent and have nothing to hide, just remember that. Be confident in your answers and don’t doubt yourself or your story.”

 

“Thanks, Laura, you’re awesome.” Jason smiled like a nervous little kid: “Well, I certainly grew in height since my parents bought this suit for me prior to me going off to Engineering School.”

 

“Well, I meant mostly the shoulder width and the much tighter arm fit, but sure, the height as well.” Laura Jensen nodded and smiled, then she turned around and looked at Caroline, who was talking with Aimee and Thomas: “Not to bring you down, but I think Caroline’s suit looks much nicer than yours. I could seriously develop a girl crush on her.”

 

“Laura, I - I have a question.” Jason struggled for a while and said.

 

“Really? No comment on that girl crush statement at all?” Laura Jensen chuckled: “Sure, what’s up?”

 

“I - I wanna know a little bit about Camile, the - the librarian?”

 

“What? Why?” Laura Jensen narrowed her eyes: “Where is this going?”

 

“No, please don’t misunderstand - I am so not meaning what you might think I am meaning - ” Jason immediately stepped back, which brought the attention of Caroline, Aimee and Thomas onto him: “The truth is - I am trying to be a good wingman, for Thomas there. He had a major crush on Camile, you know, the red beret, and red robe?”

 

“Really, right now?!”

 

“Well - I may just get expelled or locked up after this hearing, so I’d figure - ”

 

“Okay, okay.” Laura Jensen sighed: “I guess you are right, and you are a good guy and a good friend. And, ugh, we still have some time, so why not? Hrmm - what do you wanna know?”

 

“Well, aside from the usual ‘did Camile mention my friend Thomas’ question, I am interested - I mean Thomas is interested in her relationship status, personal interests, some common routines, and - uh, maybe secret love for something weird, dangerous or even unsavory?”

 

“Umm - okay?” Laura Jensen played with her hair a little: “First of all, bad news for your friend Thomas, she has been pretty close to Andrew Brooke, the third son of Tamil Brooke, one of the most powerful members in the academy board. So, tough competition there. And she likes excitement, adventures and research. Kind of a ballsy - kickass and badass type.”

 

“Adventurous and ballsy type, then why does she work as a librarian at all?” Jason frowned.

 

“Hmm - maybe she gets her excitement elsewhere.” Laura Jensen narrowed her eyes once again at Jason: “But she IS into research. She’s one the most well-read people I know.. I guess that’s the gist of it all? Free access to books and knowledge?”

 

“Hmm - okay. I guess Thomas would need to up his reading game.” Jason turned back at Thomas and said: “What else though? Any games she likes? Any favorite hangout spots? Any place she likes to go to when she’s bored?”

 

“We’re actually not that close - ” Laura shook her head: “We talk sometimes, but it’s not like we’re best friends. She . She mentioned to me once or twice that she likes to go hunting from time to time. And I think she used to go in alone or with a few friends of hers before the lockdown. She’s never taken me though - I asked her a few times and she always refused.”

 

“Hmm, sure, I think Thomas would definitely like that. He used to be a gun slinging macho guy.” Jason nodded and smiled: “Thank you, Laura, you’ve been a great help.”

 

“Okay, anything I should know?” Laura asked and looked at Jason in the eyes: “This is not only about helping out Thomas right? ”

 

“I - I - ” Jason stammered: “I don’t - ”

 

“Jason?” just this minute, Caroline came over and patted Jason on his shoulder: “The committee is almost in place. We need to go in there now.”

 

“Sorry, I will tell you everything when this is over, okay?” Jason sighed: “And please, just promise me, go back to your place and stay safe until I call you. Can you do that?”

 

“What’s going on -”

 

Jason was not able to answer her, as he followed Caroline into the auditorium along with Aimee, and Thomas, who will be serving as their witness.

 

Right in front of the two of them was a tall desk behind which sat the people who were going to question them - Principal Hawke, Tamil Brooke as the Board representative, Professor Barnes, Professor Dorothea Clarkson and Professor Randal Collins. There were two additional seats on the side, still empty, and each of them had a name tag placed before it. On the side, there were auditing seats reserved for others attending the hearing, and currently there were not many people sitting there, probably due to the fact that this hearing was rescheduled at the very last minute.

 

“Agent Bozeman”, “Agent Mien” so said the two name tags.

 

“Thank you for coming, Mr. Lin and Ms. Baker.” Principal Hawke said: “We will start in a moment, looks like the two special investigative agents who will also serve as your inquisitors are having a little bit of a… scheduling issue.”

 

“Okay, I thought we’re already ten minutes past the scheduled time.” Caroline frowned and whispered to Jason: “This is a bad sign right? This is definitely a bad sign.”

 

“Yeah, fatal flaw of the plan - what if they never came?” Jason shook his head.

 

Just this moment, a man came in, wearing a pair of glasses with a blue shine, and sat down by the tag “Agent Bozeman”.

 

“Agent Bozeman, where’s Agent Mien?” Professor Dorothea Clarkson asked with a frown.

 

“She’s got a few things to check out, she’ll be here, we can proceed for now.” Agent Bozeman nodded and said.

 

“So let’s get started with the hearing.” Principal Hawke nodded.