"So, where's your boss?"
The man sitting across Xaawo was stern. Ageing. Clearly a proud military man, If his medals were any indication. Personally, Xaawo thought they looked garish. Literally wearing your accomplishments always had a tacky air around it. If you're an accomplished person, you should be able to convey that through your own demeanour. Your own attitude. At least, that's how she saw it.
"She's out." Xaawo replied casually. "But she's been informed of your visit, mr…"
She glanced at her phone underneath the table. Junichi was in the bathroom, quickly looking up any information about this man to send her.
"…sergeant Boyle." She finished. The sergeant lowered his large brow, as if we was trying to catch her out on some lie. Her poker face implied he wasn't catching anything. "But surely your little military friends are tracking her down as we speak."
"Do you know where she is?"
"I dunno, exploring the city?" Xaawo shrugged. "It's a big place, let a girl explore. She's her own person. Actually, you know any good stores around here?"
"I wouldn't." Boyle replied, letting out just the tiniest sigh. She was getting to him. "Fashion has never been my forte."
"Figured."
"If you're done messing around, I'd like to ask about what exactly you are, and what your purpose is."
"Okay…why should I do that?" Xaawo asked.
"I come here representing our countries government."
"Wow. You must have come a long way. I think."
"Nine hour flight."
"That is long. Oh gosh. Should I get food? Hey Halford, this guy wants a burger and milkshake!"
"I'm lactose intolerant."
"Oh, my bad. Halford, make sure there isn't cheese on the burger!"
"Can we please discuss your actions?!"
Boyle sprang up, slamming his hands on the table. Xaawo wasn't effected.
"You only had to say, man. Sit back down and we can discuss this. If you need to take a deep breath, get some water, that's totally fine."
"Allow me to get to the point before you start another tangent. We have noticed several students at north lion high school displaying supernatural powers, and have linked this back to both you, and a man in a suit. The latter of which came back here just yesterday."
"Dammit, Junichi." Xaawo sighed.
"And every two days, one student dies. We're guessing these are connected. And perhaps your group is hosting some kind of competition, to see who survives."
"Woah now, that sounds kind of ridiculous. Come on now, people giving high schoolers superpowers and making them kill each other. That sounds like the plot of a weird novel some unemployed guy with no social skills would write."
She started at him for a few seconds.
"And yet that's exactly what happened. This place seems more advanced than I thought."
"Why are you doing this?"
"Let's just say we're interested in human evolution." Xaawo replied casually.
"Evolution?"
"Push humans to their limits! See what happens under these circumstances! Survival of the fittest! You know how it is, right?"
"How would I know how it is?"
"Don't bullshit me, military man. I've read up on this place before I came here, okay? This is the greatest city in the world, the most powerful, at least at one point. And I haven't read up on it, I'll admit. But something tells me the resources to build a place like this weren't obtained by nice cooperation."
"Is this another tangent?"
"I'm just saying you're the fittest around here. But you could be stronger? That's what you're thinking."
"You think we want to cooperate?"
"We have powers and are getting your kids killed. You have every right to just send your boys in and shoot me dead. But you haven't tried that. So if I were to guess, you want these powers for yourself. Make sure nobody comes in on your turf, maybe get some resources from 'negotiations' a couple hundred miles away. That it? Am I guessing right?"
The sergeant looked ahead, dumbfounded. She was right.
"But hey, I have an idea and I think the boss would like to hear it. How would the military of whatever this countries called like to participate in our next game? Basically, you guys grab someone? You can take them. Weaponize them, experiment on em, do whatever you want, actually."
"You want us to take them?"
"It'd be interesting." Xaawo shrugged. "Besides, they know what their powers do at this point. So go ahead, spice it up. I'll let the boss lady know."
"Is there a time for this?"
"We'll say…tomorrow? That good?"
"Some more time would be…"
"Wrong!" Xaawo yelled, followed by an imitation of a buzzer noise. "You get tomorrow. Look, we'll start in the centre of the city. Super run down, you can't miss it. Then spread your boys out to take whatever you want. That a plan?"
"But with a little more preparation…"
"It'd be one sided. What, you surround a teenager with a bunch of tanks and expect them to fight back? Screw that? Raw, on foot combat! That's the true test of human spirit!"
"And if we do prepare?"
Xaawo dropped the smile, snapping her fingers. a portal opened up next to her, and a spear came out just in front of Boyle, grazing his nose.
"Boyle, is it? I don't think you know what me or my associates are capable of. I hate you. I hate you, and I hate everything you stand for. Back where I came from, people like you kept fighting, kept spilling blood, just because your opposition couldn't stop you. But I can. I can stop you any time I want."
Boyle felt something crawl against his leg. A legion of spiders was crawling up his leg. When he made eye contact with Xaawo again, they quickly retreated, all at once.
"Now then. Do we have a deal?" Xaawo asked calmly, extending a hand out. She was slouched over, trying to look unassuming. But there an aura of passion exuding from her. Whatever happened tomorrow, she was looking forward to it.