The Saros Cycle

VII - Nemesis

VII – Nemesis

Fate watched the suspect through the glass as he spoke with Teana. He was an older man with slicked-back, gray hair, whose gaze exuded an air of superiority. According to other suspects, about 24 in total, he ran the Eclipse virus research facility. Yet, despite days of interrogation, he maintained a stubborn silence.

The suspects had been in custody since the incident in the mountains, but interrogations only started the previous day. During Signum's stay, the Special Duty Six hadn't been activated yet, delaying this crucial phase of the investigation.

Restless, Fate couldn't stop thinking about the Belkan Warrior. She struggled not to ask for updates on her condition every hour. 'If Signum were here, she would scold me for getting distracted,' she thought, a sad smile appearing on her face. According to Shamal, who was also very worried, Signum was still in intensive care. She wasn't out of danger, but she was strong and would pull through.

Fate decided to focus on her mission. Crossing her arms, she turned her attention back to the interrogation. Teana was making progress; the suspect was showing signs of fatigue. Soon she would relieve her, intensifying the pressure. She was so focused that the sound of her transmitter startled her.

"Enforcer Testarossa," she responded instantly, without seeing who was calling.

"Fate, I need you to gather your team and leave the prison," ordered Hayate, her face serious on the screen. "We've detected a signal, something big. It could be the Hückebein."

Fate nodded, quickly adapting to the new situation. 'The cat-and-mouse game is over,' she thought. Though she didn't like the idea of leaving her work half-done.

"Do I need to take all members of Lightning? The interrogation is quite advanced."

"I'm afraid so," said Hayate. "Nanoha left on a mission an hour ago. She reported discovering something and we lost contact shortly after; I can't communicate with her. I need everyone with me."

Fate wanted to ask where her wife was, but it was neither the time nor the place. If the enemy was in action, they had to move fast. Nanoha could take care of herself. The Enforcer couldn't help but think the same was believed about Signum, and she didn't end up well. She clenched her fists. Hayate would also be worried about both of them, Fate needed to support her.

"Understood, shall we meet at the Wolfram?" she asked.

"Exactly. We'll be there in 10 minutes, ready to intercept the signal in 15," confirmed Hayate. "They won't catch us off guard."

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"Wide Area Search," Nanoha recited, floating among the clouds. Four spheres of energy, tinted a delicate cherry blossom pink, manifested and quickly dispersed in different directions.

The Instructor closed her eyes to better concentrate on the spell. She didn't need to pinpoint her destination but wanted to avoid surprises. The house stood in the middle of a meadow, seemingly abandoned, though appearances could be deceptive. The spheres of light positioned themselves around the dwelling and emitted a pulse. Nanoha detected four life forms inside the house, all with a strong magical signal. One of them was significantly more powerful. She didn't perceive any other defenses, barrier spells, or blockades.

She was surprised that someone as prepared as Punisher didn't have better countermeasures, though perhaps it was because this was an improvised refuge. She activated a screen to monitor the house. She barely got a clear image when a shot rang out from the property, destroying the WAS sphere. Nanoha frowned and switched to another, but this too was destroyed, and so on, until none were left. It wasn't the best start to her mission, but at least she could confirm she had found the person they were looking for.