Crossing Illusion: Reflection (Book 1) #Wattys2017

Chapter 48: A Little Recreation

Exactly one day since Christmas, the public news lose their mind over what happened on that night.

Usually, the government manage to cover quite of the non-logical phenomena with some fake news, but this time, even the experts gives up. Not only the ice walls of the enemy side, even the SPD themselves contribute to it when Reynold publicly display his flame Phantasm, and it's recorded in the news as well.

The officials simply refuse to give an answer on what it is, claiming they didn't know and not responsible for it. So, the SPD are the one who got questioned by the public. And Fahmir is the one who need to answer to the press.

"As what I told before, we didn't know who's behind this, and I couldn't make a confirmation of it." Fahmir said to the reporters as everyone watched on the TV. He looks fairly distressed, but more like, he find it bothersome on how so many comes to him whenever things like this happened. Like ants swarming on sugars when even a bit of it get exposed.

"Sir, but what about your men that can unleash fire from his hands? Is that a superpower?" One of the reporter asked, and the rest still asking and asking together, creating such cacophony that frustrate the man further.

"Calm down! That's a new technology in development. Or perhaps it is. I'm not the government, I wouldn't know." He dodge the question, probably unsure if he's allowed to speak the truth or not, but he rather not risk it.

More and more questions keeps coming, sounds crashing and tugging everywhere, along with the blitz of cameras.

Meanwhile, the Mirage units are in home, recovering by themselves. Fahmir and Reynold promise to take care of this by themselves, but for the young kids of SPD, they looks so overwhelmed that they wish they could help him. Sadly, it's not possible. Fahmir even make double sure for them not to get involved as the issues been so sensitive and volatile.

Watching the news on a certain apartment room, group of teenage been gathering together; Noir, Almerich, Melisa, Laya, Gourd, and Danny. All of them are using casual outfit, not one that what they would use to work. They either sit on the sofa or on the carpet below. On the table, various of snacks from crunchy chips, cookies, wafer, marshmallow, to various of drinks. Mostly just few types of soda. And most of these treats brought by Melisa, as she's the one with the best economy out of the three.

"Fahmir sure looks stressed. I wish that I could helped him." Noir said as he ate more chocolate Pocky. Melisa was looking at him all along, probably wishing to do the "Pocky Game" thing. Almerich meanwhile glance at her, making sure she didn't do anything funny.

"It can't be helped, Noir. It's not our responsibility. Fahmir already told us to avoid any public exposure to minimize the risk of those paparazzi." Almerich said as he ate more of the nice, sweet buttermilk cookies that Melisa bought.

"Yeah, I know.... Still, sometimes it irk me on how we need to work so hard to protect the civilians, but we're not even allowed to tell them the truth. Even average police get more "thank you" than us." Noir sighed, taking one of Almer's trademark tuna sandwich to his mouth while he watch the TV.

"I know the feeling.... But that's the catch of a confidential job like this. Most of the truth can't leak to the public." Almer sighed as well, while he keep on eating the biscuit that Melisa bought for her crush.

Melisa just.... sighed, too. She brought many, and in the end, she couldn't even sit next to Noir, because Danny decide to sit in his right side, and Almerich refuse to move from the left side. She wouldn't want to involve the innocent boy into this, meanwhile Almerich..... Everyone know on how he's so ironclad on this one. But what upset Melisa further is how Noir still ate Almer's sandwich EVEN when there's so much foods around him. Is his sandwich that good?