“Your brother would have to take the day off,” Phil said to Ann, handing her the piece of paper for sick leave.

“You can’t keep doing this. Dylan must go to school and learn somehow,” Ann frowned, chastising Phil, “Mom would have agreed.”

“Why would I need to learn literature and math formulas when I have a prodigy sister to do that,” Dylan flashed his sibling a wide grin, which Ann responded by scoffing.

His flattery seemed to work as Ann kicked him and Phil out of the house without another word.

Walking side-by-side with Phil, Dylan felt oddly comforting. He glanced at Phil, suddenly noticing how they were almost the same height now. Few years ago, he would look up at his father and only see the beard springing out of Phil’s chin. Right now, Phil’s gray eyes focused on the road, but they still radiated warmth.  

Dylan loved those eyes. So much so that young Dylan pouted, whined and cried until Phil picked up and carried him, just so he could play with Phil’s face and poke at the eyes. Dylan didn’t remember that, but Phil teased him about it endless times to the point it wouldn’t make sense if Phil made it up.

They approached the office. Newspaper snippets of the missing personals and unsolved thefts piled into dangerous heaps on the tables, swaying with each gust of wind.

“Dylan, we would need a word with you about yesterday,” Marina stated as soon as he stepped inside.

Phil and Dylan followed Marina into Meeting Room #5. Nobody uses those rooms because its small size meant they were more suitable for interrogations rather than actual meetings, but Dylan figured there wouldn’t be a crowd of more than 5, making the other rooms unnecessary.

No windows were present. Three minimal, wooden chairs were set up in the room. Two lined up at one side of the table. At the opposite end, there was only one another chair.

Marina gestured Dylan to sit. Carlos, already seated in one of the two chairs, flashed them a small grin. Marina exchanged a few words with Phil before both of exited the room.

“Wait here for a moment,” Marina addressed tiredly before closing the door, leaving the pair in darkness except the pale, flickering lamp.

“They should really fix this room, maybe punch a hole into the wall,” Carlos mused, “wouldn’t look pretty, but at least there would be some light.” Dylan hummed in agreement.

“Do you think we are here because of you-know-who?” Carlos dropped his voice down.

“What else could it be?” Dylan whispered back. Carlos just shrugged as the door open and closed.

Marina walked in, an unnatural shadow casted onto her bony features as she took the seat opposite of Dylan and Carlos.

“As witnesses of yesterday’s tragic event, we would like the two of you to recount what had happened,” Marina gestured, “starting with Dylan.”

“Where’s Phil?” he questioned, eyeing Marina for an explanation.

She answered, drumming her fingers as a sign of impatience, “We already talked with him, but we are still welcome for a new perspective.”

“Well, me and Carlos were at the front of the meeting room before the officer …” Dylan started detailing all he could remember, the words rolling out of him automatically.

Marina stared at Dylan, her eyes piercing through as if to detect any sort of lies. Dylan felt himself sweat, the skin around his collar growing hotter by the second.

“When we found him, he was puking and practically drowned in black blood. Me and Carlos stayed there. About five minutes later Phil arrived and sent Carlos to inform what has been happening. That is my part of the story.”

Marina nodded and eyed Carlos, hinting his cue to talk. Carlos frowned confusingly before finally noting what he should do. Dylan allowed himself to relax, huffing small breaths as Carlos started his story, which was mainly identical as Dylan’s.

When Carlos finished, Marina exclaimed, her voice laced with authority, “Whatever you just said about the black blood, I’d like you to forget everything about it.”

She ignored the confused glances from Dylan and Carlos and continued, “This is the version you will start using.” She leaned forward and slid an envelope to the teens.  The envelope was purple, golden craving shimmered in the dim-lit room. Capital orders. Carlos took a piece of paper out of the envelope.

Dylan shivered as he read the title, “Senior Officer **** Nemore Shoots Escaping Convict”. He grabbed the piece of paper, skimming and skipping the lines. Officer blah-blah-blah in forest blah-blah-blah murder blah-blah-blah. He must have been quiet for too long. Carlos kicked Dylan’s ankle underneath the table, his eyes glued to Dylan, not hiding his concern.

“Does Phil know the whatever sort of conspiracy this is?” Dylan spoke with rage, coming out less threatening as he expected to be as every word he spoke became quieter than the previous.

“They are direct, nonnegotiable orders from the capital. We already told Phil about this arrangement. However, there’s still room to maneuver. Just sign the paper.”

“How ‘bout no,” Dylan crossed his arms as the last hope of defiance, his eyes frantically searching for sanction, one that even he knew wasn’t there.

“Then Phil will be a murderer, arrested like a murderer. How does retirement in the Erukas Central Prison sound?” Marina sneered, her expression unreadable in the darkness. Dylan shivered at the tone, one he never heard Marina use.

“We’ll sign it,” a quivering voice echoed beside Dylan. He turned to see Carlos already signing the paper. His friend’s hands trembling as he handed the pen to Dylan.

“Dyl, there’s nothing we can do,” Carlos pleaded.

“You’re a smart boy Dylan, listen to your friend,” Marina cooed. Dylan’s hands tightened, his knuckles whitening.

Surely, without any other evidence, if he, Carlos and Phil kept denying the charges, nothing could be done. There was no actual evidence supporting the false claims. In fact, there would be plenty of evidence to deny the claims.

As he laid his eyes on the paper, his heart stilled. Above Carlos’s signature, the signature “Phil Nemore” was present. The room swayed with him. If Phil signed already, no way they will manage to win this.

He huffed as he grabbed the pen, viciously scribbling down his own name below Carlos.

“Thank you for your cooperations,” Marina slid on an amiable smile, far more daunting in Dylan’s opinion, “Please, see yourselves out.” She stood up, looming over the teens.

After Dylan stormed out, Marina picked up the sheet of paper. Her gaze fell to the Erukas stamp. She scoffed and stuffed the paper back into the envelope. What was she doing? Threatening teens for the sake of the government reputation? Part of this job meant it anyway.

 When she registered, she never thought the ugly sides to an office job, making false convictions of fathers and interrogating their sons, they’re just a part of the routine. If there was anything taught throughout the years of working office, what is hidden will not even exist, what can be used will be exploited, and what is false but good will be advertised until it is the truth.

This morning, when she received this envelope from capital, she almost puked. She believed she could get used to this type of situations over the years, but, both fortunately and unfortunately, she never did. Maybe that’s why her mentors thought she never suited the job. They’d saw right through the acts she played.

The creak of the door and a crack of light into the room disrupted her thoughts. A shiver of light sliced across Marina’s face.

“Get out,” she said without looking up. Phil’s ragged breath echoed in the room. Her orders were not met as Phil stepped into the room, closing the door with them. Marina finally glanced up in annoyance. Her glasses obscuring her eyes.

“You promised not to threaten them,” Phil said, his voice low. His bloodshot eyes glared at Marina; his arms crossed as he trembled slightly out of rage.

“I didn’t, your signature did half the work,” Marina mustered her most monotone voice. This was a game of bluff. One that she always won, one that she must win.

“The signature’s forged,” the muscles in Phil’s jaw twitched.

“Sorry that you noticed today, the capital needs a villain in the story. Be grateful the capital only chose you,” Marina said as she exited the room. Her whole-body shook, she prayed Phil didn’t notice.