"That's true," Jenius said, "but it's not clear that she's the fire starter for the whole thing" - he glanced briefly at the ruined marketplace- "no pun intended."

"Fishing through a tub of rumors usually never results in exact answers," Tescadji said. "But she was mentioned the most, even if they said that she claimed to have heard it from others. She's the one we're looking for, no doubt. Call it intuition, if you like."

"Let's hope your intuition is right," Jenius said. "So we should report this to Skori and Sedriil."

"I tried to warn them, but no one was home," Tescadji said.

"We'll need to have someone do a little wraith work, then," Jenius said. I'll get one of our Kespars to do it."

"I wish Sedriil could've done it," Tescadji said. "He was always the best."

"If Sedriil were here, then we wouldn't need to do it," Jenius said. He reached his hand out for Tescadji to take. "Come with me. I'll take us back to HQ."

Tescadji, unfamiliar with the kind of magic that Jenius used to teleport was at first hesitant, but then grasped the hand offered, as Jenius held out his other hand towards nothing. The scene of ruin before them once again rippled like water.

"Before we go, chief," Tescadji said, "Tell me, why do you care so much?"

"Beg your pardon?"

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"You've been on this case as diligently as I have, perhaps even more so," Tescadji said. "Divine knows that this is a seriously sensitive time. Aren't you scared you'll be ostracized for betraying your own? Or something like that?"

"First of all, for the things I do in the Task Force," Jenius explained, "I'd probably have been ostracized long ago, had any of them been made public knowledge; not that I fear it. But as to why I care so much about this assignment, it should be obvious. First, this concerns the welfare of all beings: human, elf, android, and probably even dragon. That's our business, isn't it? It's what the Equality Force began and the Task Force upholds. But the second reason is a personal one."

"What is it, then," Tescadji said, "if you don't mind my asking?"

Jenius gave a long pause afterwards, and for a moment, Tescadji believed that the elf would choose not to answer … not that he blamed him; it was none of his business anyway.




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