Chapter 427: _It Won’t Matter Where You Hide

One Week Later, IHC meeting room, Aurelia

The search for Ramona Richards was beginning to feel like searching for a toenail in a hay stack.

Neither the Pantheon nor the combined forces of the IHC could find her. The latter had set out a global warrant for her... yet nothing.

At one point, the same day when Ambrose left Earth, Kali had picked up something.

A powerful presence, similar to when she’d sensed the Archon entering the timeline originally. Before her projections could find her, however, she was gone.

Like the energy signature had never existed to begin with.

As for Orion, he was still MIA, just like his father.

The pocket dimension still held Javier and the Xaloran parasite captive. And speaking of which—

"We can’t leave that thing in there forever," Josiah stamped his palm against the sturdy meeting table. "Neither can we risk losing an SS-Rank just like that."

Staring at him were a lot of familiar faces.

First was President Santiago of the Argentina Federation. He sat back with one arm resting on the armrest, the other tapping his chin lightly.

The others were Hunter Gabriel, Hunter Ji-Hoon, the Australian SS-Rank—Hunter Matilda—and a screen that showed the silhouette of Loki from the Pantheon.

There were a few empty seats—from the Egyptian and Japanese SS-Ranks who couldn’t make it, Valentine, who said he’d rather gouge out his eyeballs than be in the same room with both Josiah and Santiago... And of course, Ambrose.

Santiago turned to Gabriel. "You and the newly reawakened SS-Rank created that pocket dimension. Correct?"

Gabriel sighed, shoulders slouching a bit.

"Indeed."

"Can you tell what’s happening within it from here?"

"Just the basics. The Rift finally sealed on its own yesterday. No beasts or more survivors from the Yaxari or Yoxa came out. And I can confirm that the entity is still alive."

Hunter Matilda tensed. "So the entity and Hunter Javier are still... merged?"

"Yes."

Santiago rubbed his forehead while Josiah chimed.

"Is there a chance that Javier is still within that thing?"

"If you’re looking for hope on freeing him from it, I can’t offer you that."

"How rich," Santiago snorted, voice devoid of even an ounce of amusement. "You and that arrogant American Hunter were able to make such a risky decision for an entire continent. Yet you’re sitting here telling us you can’t offer hope?"

"President—"

"What do I go tell the Brazilian Federation? That America has its only SS-Rank imprisoned?"

Josiah’s eyes widened. "Now, now. That’s not the case here at all, old friend."

"Don’t ’old friend’ me, Josiah." Santiago glared. "I knew South America shouldn’t have sought help with this Rift. Especially not from your Federation, who screwed up monumentally when handling the Echo Rift. You—"

"Dearie me."

All heads moved as one, attention shifting to the screen mounted to the wall.

Loki groaned, sounding equally bored and frustrated. "Are we here to point fingers or find a way forward? Gods, it just sounds like you’re searching for reasons to throw a tantrum."

Santiago was taken off guard by those words.

He stayed still, blinking at the screen.

Then his frown deepened.

"Hunter Loki. As a member of the Pantheon, you’re supposed to be unbiased in these matters."

"And I am." The Lord of chaos couldn’t have been flatter. "This isn’t the first SS-Rank the world has lost since the Emergence. Neither is it the first painful sacrifice a Federation has had to make to seal a Rift. Hunter Ambrose and Gabriel didn’t do anything reckless. They followed a path that might’ve genuinely been the less costly way of salvaging the situation."

Since the meeting began, the room hadn’t been any quieter.

The Argentinian SS-Rank swallowed whatever he previously had to say, head lowering.

Seeing this, Loki nodded from where they sat.

"Thank you. Anyway, I guess the best thing to do is prepare for our next move. Do we send in Hunters to fight the entity while it’s isolated? Or do we release it?"

Ji-Hoon raised her hand just then.

Josiah lifted his chin. "Yes, Hunter Ji-Hoon?"

"I believe a decision like this would require the presence of Hunter Ambrose," her head surprisingly inclined to Gabriel. "Can you call him? After everything I witnessed at the Amazon, I’m confident in his input."

Matilda nodded. "So am I."

Gabriel’s mouth parted and closed repeatedly.

Before he left, Ambrose did tell Viktor and Devon that any of them could contact him through the links if it was truly important. One part of him considered if this was it.

Another, more vocal part told him point blank that it wasn’t.

"Uhm..." He rubbed his neck. "I’m not sure where he is. He’s gone into isolation."

Every eye remained on him as if trying to dissect his lie.

’God damnit, Rose...’

★★★★★

Blue Diamond Academy

Hunter Augustus adjusted the cuff of his dark coat as he stepped out of the school.

The children behind him waved enthusiastically.

"Bye, Mr Augustus!"

"See you tomorrow!"

He smiled and waved back until the children dispersed, either talking to themselves or heading to their parents’ vehicles.

Only then did the smile slowly disappear.

"How exhausting."

The words no longer carried Augustus’ usual warmth.

His amber eyes flickered.

For the briefest instant, they became a brilliant white.

Asherah breathed in deeply through borrowed lungs.

"A week," she murmured to herself. "Seven mortal days wearing this shell... and not one of them suspects a thing."

Her fingers brushed absentmindedly across her throat.

The scar where Augustus had died had already vanished beneath flawless regenerated skin.

His memories, however... Those had proven far more useful.

She remembered every colleague.

Every safehouse.

Every security protocol.

Every smile he’d ever offered.

How delightfully convenient.

A soft chuckle escaped her lips as she looked toward the evening sky.

"You humans truly do make the finest disguises."

Then her gaze drifted somewhere far beyond Aurelia.

Beyond Earth itself.

Beyond creation.

"...Little child." A ripple spread through reality around her before vanishing just as quickly. "I know you’re out there."

Her smile returned.

"And eventually... It won’t matter where you hide."