Jeremiah drives, taking a few turns as he goes up a hill. He takes a left and runs a red light, speeding down the street. They are currently 40 km away from the final destination.
Jeremiah glances at Annie through the rearview mirror."Okay, so what happened? Why was there blood under the light post?"
Annie takes a slow whiff of her vape. Dreyfus immediately fans his face and cracks the window open. She leans back in her seat, white hair falling over her shoulder. "A prostitute got beaten up and lost her eye."
Jeremiah's grip tightens on the wheel. "Did you call an ambulance?"
"No," Annie says quietly.
Jeremiah's head snaps toward her."Why not?"
Annie exhales, completely unfazed. "Because I only care about myself."
Jeremiah stares at her, disbelief creeping into his voice. "It's literally our job to keep the peace and keep people safe, isn't it?"
Annie shrugs."I mean… I guess."
Silence hangs in the car.
Then Annie smiles faintly. She flicks her lighter and playfully burns Jeremiah's arm for a split second."If you want to, you can; there's nothing wrong with keeping the peace. I think it's cute."
Jeremiah flinches, the car slowing slightly as his focus breaks."Bro, what are you talking about? That's literally what I went to school for. That's what they taught us."
He exhales sharply, shaking his head."Yeah… you guys are a bad influence."
Annie tilts her head, amused."Well, you're a good influence. Maybe you can fix me."
Jeremiah lets out a dry laugh."Maybe one day."
Dreyfus, sitting behind Annie, raises an eyebrow slowly."Did I hear that right? Are you trying to flirt with Anne Von Cleve of all people, Jeremiah? Why are you trying to ruin your mental health?"
Jeremiah scoffs."Pfft. She's way too pretty. I'm not interested." He shrugs."Honestly, she's more your type."
Dreyfus yawns."She's too strong. I can't eat her. Not peacefully, at least."
Annie smirks slightly. "You could, it's just…"
She pauses, then shakes her head."Actually, never mind. You're a looker but you're not my type. Too rough. I like the gentle ones. The kind that take care of me and give me attention."
Jeremiah wipes a fake tear from his eye."After how you were moving in Hero School, I pray to god, a kind, gentle soul, sees you and walks in the opposite direction. He does not deserve that trauma."
"!!! What did you say?" She asked
"…Nothing," he replies.
A moment passes before Annie speaks again, scrolling on her phone. "Speaking of gentle, why is this barely legal child trying to flirt with me?"
She squints at her screen. "Why is V following me? He just liked all my posts and hearted my story lol, what a loser. And why does he have 30 million followers?" Did he always have that much?
Jeremiah glances over, nearly drifting out of his lane."You mean Reverse?"
Annie looks up."Why do you still call him that?"
Jeremiah smirks slightly."That's what he called himself back when we were in school. Isn't it still his handle?"
"Let me see," Dreyfus says, leaning over.
He takes the phone and scrolls. The name reads "V-R" (Vercingerot's handle).
He clicks off and checks her followers and scrolls to the most popular.
Dreyfus's expression shifts slightly.
His dead, nonchalant face cringed awkwardly.
Among the names, one stood out.
Konopleva Anastasia
"You know the President's Elite Guard rank 1? Anne?" Dreyfus asked
"Yeah, we talk from time to time. Not often, though, he's really cute and sweet," she calmly said.