I was sitting in a random chair, relaxed and feeling as if nothing could harm me, despite the fact that my mind was counting down the minutes until the opening of the Carnival.
Being categorized as a 'helpless civilian' was a true privilege, since I have to do nothing but as what the Professionals say. And those from the Disaster Management Authority were true professionals.
Nothing was more satisfying than watching them do their job as they must do it. They didn't leave anything for luck, they didn't have any gaps in their actions or their thought process… they were just too good at their job and too fast at it.
I wonder how it feels to belong in a place that fully embraces your abilities.
"Three mothers with their children." An agent called out. "Don't worry, fifteen minutes and new ones will get out."
They put some kind of a rope between all the three mothers and the five children then one of the agents tied it to his hand.
"Don't ever untie the rope." He gave the instructions I've heard a couple of times already. "And never look at anything, just look at the back of the one in front of you. And never let go of each other's hands."
They all agreed on that, then one of the agents put some kind of a spell on them before they went out of the gate.
They just disappeared after entering the gate. After half an hour, the agent who went with the group came from somewhere in the Carnival Vessel.
At that time, a new group had already gone… There were plenty of people remaining but the fact that there was a way made every one do his best.
No way that they could rescue everyone…
What a tragedy.
"You're turn."
"Now?"
"Yes. You're the one who gave us the idea so you have to get out early. All the women and children already got out."
"Okay."
They didn't give me any opportunity to reject it at all.
"Next time, we will have a serious conversation."
I looked at the familiar agent and remembered that he was the one who tried to erase my memories last time.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Memory erasure works only two times on the same person. Next time if you got into something like this, we will be honored to take you by our side."
"Two?!" I had to be shocked and I did it well, I guess, before calming myself up and continue. "So I was in a place other that this before?"
"Yes, not very long ago."
"And what was that?"
"The same festival you are about to enter."
"... Oh."
"You are handling things really well, though." I took the rope he gave me in order to tie it around my body while listening to him continue. "I hope that you don't get involve in these things again."
"Yeah…"
I smiled to him and he just wave to me as he went. The moment no one was giving me any attention I simply pent down, looking like someone who just stumbled by something and touched my simi-visible image.
It turned visible that second and acted as if it had its own will, even tied the rope around itself while frowning.
Did I usually look like this all the time?
Seeing myself from this perspective was weird and chilling.
That was a relief of course, and I needed to know what kind of things it could do too but I only got two minutes to hide myself, so I ran.
"This day is crazy." When I was far enough, I noticed that the minutes has passed and that I was visible again. "Perhaps I just had to go out that way… why giving myself tasks no one asked me to do?"
My instincts asked me to do it this time and I couldn't resist it.
"Dean." I called out, touching that small blue sticker on my jacket. "Where are you?"
"You seem out of breath."
"That's because I'm out of breath."
"Oh… It took you too much to get out of there."
"...yes." I was actually relaxing without any reason but I kept that for myself. "Where are you?"
"Inside."
"So you did enter already."
"Yes. Fortunately, the tickets you gave us was the one."
"That's a relief." I took the sticker and put it on the inner pocket of my jaket. "I'll be with you in minutes."
"No, No.nonono."
"...?"
"Don't come near us."
Ha?
"The containment team is here." Drew spoke, seeming more serious than ever. "Just don't get near them, or us. Those people are monsters."
"And what those monsters do?"
"They eat talented people."
"...?" Excuse me?
"He is right." Adeline explained. "If they are here then the company knew that this place will produce at least gems with ninety percent containment rate."
"And what that has to do with me?"
"If they saw someone good. They'll either make him a member in the team, or they'll do their best to drain him out of the only thing they saw good about him"
How cruel—
"And they are far more experienced than the teams you know."
Oh…
"Okay, I'll keep that in mind. See you after everything finished then."
I took a deep breath before deciding to see what the system says about this Vessel, since it could be honest sometimes.
[The Happy Carnival Vessel mission.
PHY(CON)-H-66676
•State: Ongoing.
It's the time when the great magician decided to play his last show in the Happy Carnival. If you came holding a normal ticket, you're acting disrespectful and you'll be used as a part of the show.
•Condition of success: Watch the last show of the great magician.
•Important Equipment: golden ticket.
•Rewards: 2000 S.P.s, the key.
•Penalty of failure: lose yourself forever in the carnival.]
The only difference from what I've seen last time was that it had a name and category.
Physical anomalies, Control… and an H level of Containment needed.
The last H Vessel I entered was the Old Company, and that was an H because of that thing called 'matrix' in it.
"So this is the same?"
I hope not. Even the company and the government took it as an H Vessel so it couldn't be that bad, right?
No,
I really don't want to go anywhere…
The condition of success was just to watch the show and that couldn't be an easy task even if it seemed like one. This crazy system wouldn't even give me an easy task.
Agh—
I need another full-day of sleep agai– "Nathan?!"
A scream was about to get out of my mouth when Silas's voice came out of nowhere and without a warning.
"What?"
"That's my question! What's going on?! How did you do that?!"
"Wait, wait. Did what?"
"...? You asking?"
"I really didn't do anything special in the last three hours."
Besides witnessing a weird conversation between the twins and the agent, and helping the agent to know about the festival, and then letting my image go there with the rest of the people? I did nothing.
At least not something Silas could know about.
"So what's happening if it wasn't you?"
"Please Silas, could you explain?"
"Alex." He spelled that name and a terrible feeling covered me. "Somehow he managed to drag his dignity through the mud and posed as a civilian to get help from the Disaster Management Authority, since it seemed as if they had a way out."
"And?"
Did he change his face? Because I didn't remember seeing him anywhere.
"He said that you were there, helping the agents with things."
"Me?!"
"Yes." He took his time as if he was searching about something on his phone. "So, in order to drag you down with him… he says it all."
"And now they have gone to the room Vessel I was in to make sure that I'm not there."
It wasn't difficult to figure that much out,
My situation was the difficult thing here…
"Yes."
"So they already knew that I wasn't there? When did all of this happen?"
"Two minutes ago?" He seemed to check the clock. "Three now. The HR team leader must reach that room by now."
Oh.
So it was on-air news?
Was I about to listen to him saying that I'm officially a traitor? Maybe. He seemed to be more focused on what was happening over there more than my own situation.
The silence lasted for five minutes after that before a low disbelief chucke came out of Silas's mouth.
"You are a crazy witch. What did you even do?"
"Nothing? I'm here with my full attention with you?"
"You are there."
EH?
"I- what?"
"She found you there sleeping like a dead. You witch."
"...?"
"And when she asked you whether you were talking to the agents or if you went out of the room you said no, and that's all. The room approved you right."
"...? I? Oh, now they let me stay in that room alone again, right?"
"Yes? Is this the most important thing??"
"Just answer me."
"Yes. They are considering that there's someone who looks like you and works with the Disaster Management Authority."
A relief filled my chest after hearing that.
"That's great."
"Any explanation?"
"Dean's specialization."
"Ha?" I was sure that he knew about it so his confusion was weird.
"What?"
"His specialization was never this strong. It barely lasts for two hours while looking like a shallow body or a doll, especially out of the Vessels."
"I don't know about this. Likely I got out because of it somehow without losing my soul." I checked the time again then stood up, ready to do the hard task. "I'll go now. We will talk after it's all done."
"Okay."
The call ended and I just stayed at my place for a minute or two before taking the white mask out and putting it on.
This time unlike the last one when I was in a hurry… It was too obvious to me, the changes that the mask made.
It felt as if it melted and became my own skin, I had no idea what it looked like, and I didn't feel like seeing it… but the way my clothes too changed made me speechless.
Very luxurious burgundy suit, black shirt, diamond cufflinks gleaming like buttons, and an elegant tie pin for a tie I never wore by myself.
This was crazy…
But never as crazy as what it was followed by.