Lupine Echoes

Chapter 7: Gale of the Rebellion

Jaden perched stiffly on the edge of a metal chair, his posture tense as he fixed a glare on the high-tech surveillance panels embedded in the walls of the Iron Phalanx's Lightcrest Division office. His hands were cuffed behind him, the metal biting into his wrists with each small movement, amplifying his frustration. A few feet away, Adam and Dawn observed him, the latter's stance resolute and defensive. Dawn's arms were crossed, her features showing a blend of irritation and disbelief.

"I cannot believe you let them arrest me," Jaden grumbled.

Adam shot him a bemused look. "You're not under arrest," he said, his tone carrying a note of casual dismissal.

"Oh, yes, he is!" Dawn snapped back.

Adam looked over at Dawn before instructing, "Uncuff him, Dawn."

"Not a chance," Dawn retorted, her stance firm and her expression daring as she faced Adam's command.

Adam moved with deliberate calm, retrieving a key from Dawn's belt. The office's soft lighting caught the metal as he unlocked Jaden's handcuffs. Jaden promptly began massaging his sore wrists, wincing in response to the lingering discomfort.

"Adam, what on earth?" Dawn demanded.

Adam disregarded Dawn's outburst and focused intently on Jaden. "What's up with you being in the city?"

"I am not talking to you without a lawyer, Mr. Howl," Jaden replied tersely.

"You promised me you'd get in touch if you were in town."

"No, I said I'd let you know if I ended up at Lightcrest. But I'm not there yet. Not right now, anyway," Jaden countered, his body language relaxed yet assertive, as if he were laying out a simple truth.

Adam raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. "Are you really trying to weasel out of your broken promise just on a technicality?"

Dawn, her patience fraying, attempted to interject. "I don't understand why we're not reaching out to the Spectral Defenders to have him formally taken into custody."

Jaden, ignoring Dawn's interruption, crossed his arms and looked pointedly at Adam. "My parents are lawyers and D.C. power brokers. They thrive on the precision of technicalities."

"So, are you set to come to Lightcrest this fall?" Adam wondered.

"I—"

Dawn cut Jaden off, her agitation boiling over. "This isn't exactly how I pictured my Friday night. I've got a party to hit—Chief's post-game bash is already kicking off. Let's just get the Spectral Defenders on the line and get him booked."

"Hey, redhead lady, would you mind? We're having a bit of a convo here," Jaden quipped, his annoyance evident as he threw a sidelong glance at Dawn.

Dawn's face reddened, and she gritted her teeth in response to Jaden's comment. Adam, however, seemed unfazed by the escalating hostility. He continued to focus on Jaden, his gaze piercing and thoughtful. Dawn noticed the way Adam was looking at Jaden—there was an unusual softness in his eyes, a mix of curiosity and care that she had rarely seen in him. This was not the steely coldness or detached professionalism that Adam typically wore like armor. What happened to the unflinching, distant enforcer of rules she was used to from her time working with him?

The situation was spiraling out of control, and Adam's abnormal demeanor only added to Dawn's unease. She opened her mouth to voice her concerns, but before she could speak, another firm voice cut through the tension.

"Jaden Troublefield, resident exorcist of D.C., thaumaturge, and a mana wielder specializing in heavenly body magic. A student set to join us at Lightcrest this fall," Chase read, flipping through a file in his hand before glancing at Jaden. "So, you're the kid who helped Adam with the Inugamis two months ago—the one who ended up in the hospital. And now, here you are in Veridian City, three weeks before the semester starts, caught up in a data vault belonging to the biggest tech company around." Chase closed the file with a decisive snap and fixed Jaden with a level stare. "Troubled kid, aren't you?"