Arriving at Briar Hollow was, to Kenji's mild disappointment, utterly uneventful. There was no dramatic send-off, no sleek black jet waiting for them on a private runway. The Choir had simply handed them a stack of economy-class tickets to a nearby city, followed by instructions to rent a van for the rest of the trip.
'Seriously? No first-class?'
He supposed it made sense, economy-class was more cost-effective, after all, but still. For an organization that paid nearly a hundred grand a month, they could've at least pretended to be extravagant.
Now he sat in the back of a worn white van, shoulder to shoulder with Aiden. Octavia and Yeon occupied the middle seats, and Shō drove up front, a duffel bag of clothes and supplies riding shotgun.
Kenji leaned against the window, watching the blur of pine trees roll past. He'd half-expected something more cinematic: black suits, mirrored shades, maybe a fake FBI badge or two.
Instead, it was all painfully mundane.
Almost absurdly so.
The deeper they drove, the quieter it became. The highway narrowed into a cracked road framed by walls of trees that seemed to lean closer with each passing mile. The sunlight filtered through the branches in fractured shards, pale and cold.
Even Aiden's usual chatter had started to die down. Yeon hummed softly to herself, some tune that didn't seem to have a beginning or end. Octavia kept glancing at her phone, though there hadn't been a signal for the past hour.
Kenji caught his reflection in the window, his face faint and ghostlike against the forest's green, and forced a laugh just to break the silence.
"Man," he said, "you'd think for a town called Briar Hollow, there'd be at least a gas station around."
No one answered.
A few minutes later, they passed a weathered wooden sign by the roadside. The paint had long faded, but the name was still barely legible:
WELCOME TO BRIAR HOLLOW
Population: —
The number had been scratched out.
It was a stark reminder that people were dying here; nearly a hundred had died in just a few weeks.
Kenji looked at the scratched-out number, clicking his tongue. His brows furrowed, and he felt sweat form at the back of his head. There was a sense of dread that crept up his spine, a sensation he couldn't properly name. It was akin to how he felt fighting anomalies before.
'What's happening in this town?'
As they drove in, Shō began to speak.
"I've already gone through the hassle of syncing all your phones into a private network. This should work even without a signal, letting us communicate wherever in the town."
The van rode past a dilapidated gas station, the faded signs and overgrown canopy turned what would've been a normal sight into a ruin fit for a horror story.
Kenji couldn't help but stare at it for a moment, but for the life of him, he couldn't tell why it held his gaze so deeply. He tightened his grip around a bag just beside him, cool fingers stretching the cloth taut. Within, he felt his breath steadying when clutching the bag.
"Before we get to town, I'll allocate tasks." Shō began. "Yeon, Octavia."
The two perked their heads up.
"Considering both of your abilities to manipulate the world around you, I'm giving you the primary objective of getting a sample of that bell. Don't linger, just go in and out. I'd recommend having Octavia as a lookout while Yeon teleports in to get a sample, but how you do it is up to you. Am I understood?"
Both Yeon and Octavia nodded his way.
"Say the words."
"Yes, sir." Both repeated.
"Good." Shō nodded robotically. He lifted his hands to adjust the mirror. Through it, he looked at Aiden. "As for you, Aiden."
The blonde boy perked up next. His bright blue eyes shimmered, his form straight. Like a knight ready for battle, the boy looked to Shō as if he were his would-be lord. Shō could at least commend his enthusiasm, if nothing else.
"You and I are going to investigate Chief Storlyn. I've prepared with me FBI badges that we'll use, we'll act as investigators sent by the Government."
Shō reached into the bag beside him and produced two life-like badges, along with identification authenticating their fake statuses as FBI agents.
"As far as anyone's concerned, this should give us the authority to look into their files. This would also allow us access to the profiles of our other persons of interest. We should have a file for Julia H. Nuren, given that she's practically a local, but since Remus Hague is a new arrival, I doubt we'd find anything useful on his end. But we'd at least have the tools to properly monitor him."
Aiden gave a small salute, smiling Shō's way.
"Won't disappoint you, Lord Hakurou." Aiden playfully said.
"Please don't call me that," Shō said, an exasperated sigh escaping his lungs after. These recruits would be the death of him.
Shō's red eyes then shifted to Kenji's own. The boy perked up at the stare, standing up straight. His feet planted flatly on the van's floor, he gave a long, determined stare into Shō's irises. Never looking away, ready for whatever was to come.
"Yes, sir?" Kenji asked before Shō could even say anything.
Shō's forehead wrinkles, and a sharp sigh escaped him. He tapped at the wheel, almost as if contemplating what to say.
"Kenji..." He began, "I'm giving you an important task."
He adjusted the mirror so he wouldn't have to look his brother in the eye. Shō stared into the road, focusing on the drive to Briar Hollow.
Kenji didn't notice, too swept up by the mission.
Stars could be seen in his eyes. He would not fail Shō, not here. For once, he wouldn't be a burden, and the two could work side-by-side.
That sentiment was run through a sword the moment Shō's next words left his mouth.
"You're booking us three rooms at the local inn."
Kenji's excited look shifted into a frown. The tension in his shoulders loosened, not out of relief but of bitter disappointment.
'Booking us a room?'
That was the big task allocated to him? Booking all five of them in a few rooms? Kenji slumped into his seat; whatever energy he had disappeared in that instance. He lowered his head, staring down at the floor as if it were more interesting than he was.
"That's it?" Kenji asked, his voice desperate for anything more than just... this.
The mood in the van shifted to something awkward. Octavia bit her lips and said nothing. Yeon stuffed her ears with her STCT and pumped up the volume to try to ignore the noise. Aiden looked to Kenji, his own brows furrowed. He reached out and gave Kenji a few encouraging taps on his shoulder.
"Don't look so down, Kenji. It's an important task; we'd spend at least a few days here, after all." Shō said, tone light in an attempt to lift his spirit.
It only made Kenji feel even worse.
"I'll tell you what, I'll give you a few grand for the room, and you can keep the change to spend on whatever you want."
Blind to his brother's desires, Shō spoke the words in a light tone.
Kenji's brow furrowed. He was patronizing him, babying him even now. Shō still didn't understand. He came here of his own volition. Why was he being treated like this even here?
'Is that how you see me?'
"Alright..." Kenji intoned, there was no mirth in his voice.
Shō, still oblivious, smiled Kenji's way. The rest of the drive moved quietly; no one dared speak in light of this sour mood.
**********
Briar Hollow.
If Kenji had to be asked, the quaint little town had a homey feel to it. There were no towering glass towers, nor were there neon signs above every storefront, but the town carried with it a sense of pride and history that dwarfed anything from Union Bridge. Every single building in this town felt old, but an age that carried with it history, not rot.
Well, most of them, anyway.
He currently stood in front of a hotel, fairly large but nothing too big. At the front of the hotel was a large statue of a medieval knight. He was crowned with a black iron halo over his head, and he held up an ornate longsword. The figure stood proudly even when covered by moss. There was a plaque below, with an inscription bearing a name and a small bit of history.
Kenji guessed this was the mystery man behind the statue. Curious, he took a photo of the plaque and had an application recite the name.
Saint Hathaway Harrow: The Rat King.
'Rat King?' Kenji tilted his head.
"Not really the title I'd go for," Kenji dryly muttered.
Regardless, the hotel seemed nice enough.
Bags in both hands, Kenji walked up inside. Within, he was met with the warmth of a nearby fireplace and the nice scent of pine.
He took a deep breath, letting out a heavy, controlled sigh after. His shoulders relaxed, his breathing steadied. This place eased his soul, and it felt good on his spirit.
At the very least, this place seemed nice and cozy. If he had to live here for the next few days, he wouldn't complain.
He walked up to the reception desk.
There, an old lady sat behind the mahogany desk reading a book. Her wrinkled face stared deeply into her book, as if it were the only thing in the world. She had circular rimmed glasses and her white hair was neatly tied into something more elegant. For someone so aged, she looked quite dignified.
Kenji cleared his throat, and she didn't answer at first.
The boy blinked, then tried again.
Only then did the lady realize.
"Hmm?" The old woman began, tilting her head upwards. She looked up at Kenji for a moment, then softly gasped. "Oh my, apologies, it appears I didn't notice you coming in."
The boy scratched the back of his neck. He gave her a small smile in response. His lips curled unnaturally, as if forcing himself to look friendly.
"Oh, it's fine..." Kenji said with a smile. "I just got here."
The old lady regarded him for a moment, then let out a deep, tired sigh. She fixed her spectacles and turned his way. With a gentle voice, she asked:
"How may I help you today, sir?"
"I'm booking a few rooms, three... I think..."
Shō did say three rooms. He supposed one for the girls, one for the boys, one for Shō?
Wouldn't it be more efficient to buy just two? That way, the boys can share one room, and Octavia and Yeon can share the other. They could've saved money doing that instead.
"Oh?" The old lady sounded out, "I see, welcome to Saint Hathaway's then, Mister..."
"Hakurou," Kenji replied curtly. "Kenji Hakurou."
With a nod and a smile, the old woman reached down below the desk. She pulled out a small pamphlet for Kenji to read.
Looking into it, he was met with the price tags for some of the rooms. They had different suites, services, and rooms within the Hotel. From luxury suites, each with its own private bathrooms, televisions, all the way to basic rooms that only had a bed, desk, and a nice view of the outside.
He gleaned all of this information from the image alone.
Kenji bit his tongue for a moment. Shō never told him which rooms to order. The luxury suites were tempting, especially with their own televisions and bathrooms. He thought about it for a moment. The price tag for all of it was within range; nothing surpassed a grand.
'But I'm guessing we'd have to pay every day to stay here.'
Which meant the lower-tier rooms would be the more efficient option. It wasn't as if they'd stay here, anyway. But Shō also had a few grand to spare, meaning he could buy the luxury suites. He didn't at all care where he slept, but he supposed the gang would prefer good lodgings.
"Three rooms from right here." He pointed to the luxury suite.
"Very well, then." The old woman smiled. "How long would you be staying for?"
"Undecided, but we'll be sure to pay," Kenji said, reaching into his pockets to grab a wad of cash Shō left him with. Nearly twenty grand in his pockets, perhaps it wasn't wise to show it off. The old woman blinked, then chuckled.
"I see, very well. I'll have your rooms prepared soon, Mr. Hakurou." She reached for a nearby shelf to grab a small leather ledger. Opening it, she placed a pen down and slid it over to Kenji. "Sign here with your name, please."
Kenji looked down for a moment, ready to write his name. For all his lack of education, he could at least do that. However, before he did, he froze.
Before coming here, the boy did everything he could to memorize every single detail about the mission. He looked at the map over and over again, he had his phone recite every detail of the briefing in great detail, and though he could not read, he at least memorized the patterns of letters that made up their persons of interest.
So when he saw the name just above his, for room 213, he froze.
Remus Hague.
It was one of their Persons of Interest.