Unreadable [Ritsu x Reader]

Chapter 16: The Master Plan

My body aches for movement. My neck feels like cracking concrete, my legs feel like bent metal pipes, and my back feels like a knot begging to be untied. I breathe in the stuffy air that fills the remaining space in my hiding spot. The only source of light breaks through a small gap in the drawer, too small to see through but enough to give me something to hold on to. I'm not sure how long I've been here, perhaps it feels longer than it actually has been because I'm so cramped. I just hope my target shows up soon.

I suck in air as I hear the sliding of a door, it sounds like it's across the other side of the room. I focus my mind and try to feel a mental presence. The figure walks around the room, stopping at certain computers to observe the progress made in his project. He walks by a little closer and I'm able to open his mental book. I hurriedly scan for everything important, like last minute studying before a test. What I'm finding doesn't make much sense to myself but I keep studying it.

Nearly as quickly as he came, the presence leaves. The same sliding of a side door announces his exit. I wait a few minutes and then focus a mental signal to send to Ritsu and Michio. I'm not sure if they'll receive it, it's like throwing a ball as hard as you can into the dark. Soon after, to my relief, I hear the main doors shift open and footsteps come towards me. The drawer is pulled open and I stretch into the light at last.

"How did it go?" Michio asks as Ritsu helps me out of the drawer.

"I was able to search him," I respond. I twist my aching back before continuing. "Here's what I got. It's about spirits, I know that for sure, and about finding their names."

"Correct," Michio states. "Those are the research assignments he's been sending us agents to look into."

"He's satisfied with where the research is at, he thinks he has enough to move on to the last step of his plan."

"As I suspected, agents were beginning to work together on fewer leads."

"This is where it got kinda fuzzy," I recall what I was able to grasp. "He's gonna head out into these woods tonight, just outside of town and off this trail by the side of the highway. He's taking the names and... wants to 'unbind' them... like some sort of ritual. I came across the word 'wiccan', a type of spell with a more european origin? The last thing I was able to grab, and this was the clearest, is the phrase 'the Old One's power will be mine.' I think he intends to use these bound spirits to do his bidding."

Michio sits down into a nearby desk chair. His expression is covered by his bandages, but I can tell he's feeling anxious about what I've told him.

"Is all this what it sounds like?" Ritsu asks Michio, unsettled as well.

"Yes," the agent replies. "It's worse than I thought. These 'Old Ones' are the urban spirits we've been researching. Wiccan psyche, sometimes called witchcraft, must have been the original method of exorcising these spirits who were causing trouble for people. These spirits are strong, dangerous. It would seem the Instructor thinks he can free them and control them. Freeing them is one thing, controlling spirits is a whole other matter that usually doesn't succeed. I fear what damage might happen to the people of Spice City should the spirits end up prowling freely once again."

"This doesn't sound good at all," I shudder. "We can't let this happen!"

"And the Instructor is going to the woods tonight?"

"Yes, he doesn't trust any agents to come with him, not even for protection."

"Then the Instructor must be an skilled esper himself," Ritsu deducts. "He'll be tricky to take down."

"You kids intend on dealing with this yourselves?" Michio stares at us. "This is beyond your responsibility."

"Spice city is our home," I put bluntly. "If we don't do anything, who will."

"We're stronger than we look," Ritsu adds. "And we have friends who can help us as well."

"You're really set on this, aren't you." Michio sighs, stands up, and fixes his tie. "Very well then. To be honest, I was planning on heading there myself as well. I'm glad to have your continued support. If things go south I have a fallback plan, a resource from a previous job we hopefully won't have to use. In any case, we must do our best to prevent the Instructor from succeeding."

Ritsu pulls out his phone, "Let's prepare then."

[Drafted by Anna]