Julie scrutinized the papers on the desk, contemplating the weight of each word. Questions about the right path and the hope of finding solutions for Trevor echoed in her mind.
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Cerilla's impatience cut through the contemplative silence. "Sign the papers; it's not like you're signing your life away," she declared, arms crossed, exasperated.
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Isabella intervened, her expression carrying the weight of personal experience. "It's not easy," she sighed, a mix of annoyance and empathy in her voice. "Being here, signing these papers, especially when your life has been turned upside down—it's a challenge."
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Caught between conflicting advice, Julie locked eyes with Isabella. The warmth in Isabella's smile softened the tension, offering a reassuring presence.
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"Despite Cerilla's bluntness, she has a point," Isabella admitted, a big sisterly aura surrounding her. She placed a gentle hand on Julie's shoulder.
Isabella met Julie's gaze earnestly. "What I mean is simple," she continued, her tone reassuring. "These documents are designed to ensure you can live as much of a normal life as possible. As long as you stay within the boundaries of Council law, you'll be under the protection of the Luminal Accords."
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Samuel, standing beside Isabella, chimed in with a friendly nod. "You won't have any responsibilities to Vanishing Point, if that's what you're worried about. All we really ask is that you remain loyal to the Eldean Council, and trust me, those old-timers don't ask for much," he added with a warm smile, attempting to ease Julie's concerns.
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"That's not what I want," Julie said with a low voice. "I, I want..."
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"BANG!"
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A sudden loud noise interrupted Julie's words, capturing everyone's attention as they turned toward the source deeper inside the building.
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"Oh no, don't tell me they're at it again?" Isabella remarked with a weary expression.
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"Dammit, Tora!" a loud voice echoed from within.
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"Yep, it would appear so," Samuel sighed, acknowledging the familiar disturbance with a low exhalation.
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Julie raised an eyebrow. "What's going on?" she asked, glancing from Isabella and Samuel to Cerilla, whose arms were still crossed.
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"The idiots are having another fight," Cerilla said with an irritated shake of her head.
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"Fight? Who?"
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Cerilla rolled her eyes, the annoyance on her face apparent. "Who do you think?"
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"Oh, come on, Mr. C..."
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"I know that voice," Julie interjected, stepping forward and gently pushing open the swaying wooden doors that blocked her path.
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"You know that I'm going to get it in the end!" the familiar voice persisted, echoing through the hall with a mix of frustration and defiance.
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"When? After it has killed 50 people!?" the manly voice yelled out.
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"Hopefully not..."
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Julie, drawn to the loud conversation, looked toward the end of the hall to see a familiar boy with white hair, dressed in black from head to toe.
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"Tora!" Julie yelled as she ran past the wooden desk.
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"Wait!" Samuel yelled, his voice transforming from a shout to a near-whisper. "Nonmembers aren't allowed past this point."
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"Way to stop her," Isabella remarked.
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"Not like you did anything," Samuel whispered with a pout.
Julie raced through the halls, her pace quickening with every second.
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"Tora!" Julie called out. "Tora!" she repeated.
Julie, nearing the end of the hall, could see the annoyed look on Tora's face. She watched as Tora's irritation turned toward her.
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"Ah, Julie, good to see ya," Tora said with a forced smile.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQT55uI6SGR
"Tora..." Julie pleaded. "Please tell me you found Trevor." She grabbed Tora's shoulders.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoabkbStIGp
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"Uh, yeah, about that..." Tora replied awkwardly.
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"We haven't found it yet," a voice spoke from behind.
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Julie turned around to see a tall man with a muscular build, dressed in a blue open-button-down shirt with a white undershirt and black shorts adorned with numerous pockets.
"It," Julie repeated as she glanced over at the man.
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"Yes, it," the man stated, his arms crossed. "That boy is no longer a person, Julie May. If you saw him as the creature he was, then he wouldn't have gotten away."
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"What?" Julie exclaimed, her anger growing.
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"Mr. C, come on," Tora interjected, his eyes wide, trying to defuse the situation. "I think you're making it sound worse than it really is."
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"Making it sound worse than it really is? Really, Tora?" the man snapped. "That creature is out there, killing," Mr. C declared. "That's what they do, that's what they love."
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The entire room fell silent.
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"Find it, Tora. Find it and kill it," Mr. C instructed before walking away, weaving past rows of desks and people minding their own business.
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"Fun guy, right?" Tora remarked with a forced smile.
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"He's a dick," Julie stated plainly.
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"Yea, yea, I guess he is," Tora admitted with a laugh. "Come on, let me show you around."
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Julie watched as Tora, hands in his pockets, began to walk away.
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"Come on, don't be shy," Tora said, turning his face slightly towards Julie.
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Julie quickly walked behind Tora, following closely.
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Julie studied her surroundings carefully, seeing a handful of people standing around talking to each other, some wearing grim expressions, others looking completely relaxed.
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In the middle of the room stood ten wide tables separated with five on each side, leaving a middle path in between them. On top of each table were computers, each one operated by a single person.
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"This is pretty much the nerve center of the whole building," Tora said, noticing Julie's wondering eyes. "It's here where we first notice certain disturbances that need to be handled."
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"Disturbances?" Julie asked.
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"Yep, disturbances like your friend."
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Julie clenched her fists as if she were ready to take a swing. "Trevor isn't one of your disturbances," she said with a stern voice. "It isn't his fault," she said a little more loudly, drawing the attention of a few people. "He just needs to be saved. Isn't that your job, your mission?"
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Tora remained quiet, his back facing Julie. "To save as many people as we can," he said before pausing. "Believe it or not, such a thing is only a second priority to some."
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"What?" Julie asked, her tone serious.
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"Doing the job means that people are going to get hurt, that belief is instilled in people like us," Tora said, putting his hands behind his head.
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"People like you?" Julie asked. "You mean half-breeds?" she asked.
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Tora smirked at Julie. "No," he said, his smirk turning into a full-blown smile. "We are VoinGarde."
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