Page 187 of Cerulean Truth
By the time I reached the building, it was night and I started worrying if anyone would even be inside.
The building was a mash-up of old-school and modern. The lower part of the building, which was formerly a fire station, had retained its original red-brick. Rising above was a striking, diamond-shaped structure made of glass and steel. The upper part of the building seemed to emerge from the original structure like a ship’s bow. Nothing about it screamed “magical,” aside from the sheer beauty of its architecture.
Quickly translating some light, I moved toward the entrance, only to find it closed. I muttered a string of curses under my breath, contemplating breaking and entering. Opting against “death-by-entrance,” I relocated to my favorite hotel in the city, cursing my Nexus for still failing me.
Frustration gnawed at me as I trudged through the dark streets, the weight of responsibility pressing heavily on my shoulders. If the United Chiefs weren’t in possession of the Amplifier, the ramifications would be disastrous. I needed to find the damn thing.
Trying to sleep in my hotel room, I tossed and turned the entire night. Worries about the Amplifier kept me up, and thoughts about Emma swallowed me whole. I hadn’t been able to contact her, nor Nino, nor anyone else, and after forty-eight hours without an update, my mind went to some pretty dark places.
The fact that, without another magi, I’d be stuck in Antwerp for gods-know-how-long didn’t exactly help my anxiety. By the time the sun came up, I had managed a little over two hours of sleep. Jumping out of bed, I tried nexing one more time, still without any result. I nearly smashed the thing against the wall in frustration.
Skipping breakfast, I bolted out of the hotel and raced back to the New Port House, desperately hoping to find the United Chiefs and get some answers.
As I rushed through the dimly lit corridors of the United Chiefs' headquarters, my heart pounded with urgency. The weight of the situation bore down on me, urging me to find someone who could help. But as I stepped into the main reception area, my hopes of finding a bustling hub of activity were dashed. There was only one magus present, a tired-looking man buried in paperwork behind the reception desk.
"Excuse me," I said, approaching him. "I need to speak with the United Chiefs."
The magus looked up, weariness etched on his face. "I'm sorry, sir, but the United Chiefs left for Asia a few days ago. They're assisting Specialist Stephen Stone with negotiations regarding the Great Exposure."
Relief washed over me at the mentioning of my mentor’s name, though it was quickly replaced by frustration for not being able to talk to anyone. "Do you know when they'll be back?"
He shook his head. "I'm afraid I don't have that information. They left suddenly."
Fuck!"I need to borrow your Nexus. It's urgent."
After a moment's hesitation, the magus nodded and handed me a spare one from a nearby drawer.
"Thank you," I said hurriedly, quickly translating the communication drops.
His voice crackled through the Nexus after a few tense moments. "Hello?"
"Stephen, it's me," I replied, relief flooding my voice. "I need your help."
"What's going on?" His tone was immediately serious.
I explained my situation quickly, recounting my failed attempts at nexing.
"I'll be there in a second," Stephen assured me. "Stay put."
As promised, Stephen appeared in a shimmer of light not even a second later.
"What happened?" he asked, his tone sharp with concern.
"Hawke sent me to Antwerp but I found only one magus here," I explained, pointing to the man sitting at his desk a few feet away. "He said the United Chiefs left for Asia a few days ago to help you with the negotiations on the Great Exposure."
Stephen's brow furrowed in confusion. "That's not why they went to Asia. They're tracking the Radicals who used the Amplifier, near Singapore."
“But they have the Amplifier?” I hissed.
“I don’t know, I askedyouto locate it,” Stephen replied dryly.
Cursing inwardly, I asked through my teeth, "Well, I’m kind of doing all I can without any means of communication or transportation. Can you fix my Nexus?"
Frowning, Stephen took the device from me, his gaze intent as he examined it. "It seems someone blocked all forms of translation on your device. Any idea who might've done that?"
My eyes widened. "No. What the hell? I didn’t even—” My voice trailed off and my heart started pounding as I realized the implications of sabotage.
“Someone tried to cut me off from Cyclos,” I breathed.
