Chapter 437 - Days MDCCCLXIX - MDCCCLXX, Part I

It took Will two days to finally return, but he did. I personally went to the gate to welcome him. He passed through the portal alongside Wolf.

- Good to see you - I said to them, but mostly to Will.

- Hi, Peter - said Wolf.

- I heard from this guy here - he pointed at the agent by his side, with his thumb - that you adopted a kid.

- Not exactly. I adopted a teenage monster. She is annoying, childish, has no manners, and has a very big mouth.

- So you failed as a parent?

- Shut up. I didn't raise her.

He smiled in response.

- As your mom, I'm proud of you.

This statement made Wolf very confused, but we both ignored him.

- Since you mentioned moms, mine is visiting soon. I want you two to meet. Not you - I turned to Wolf - I don't want you anywhere near here. I'm serious. Very serious.

He rose his hands in a gesture of surrender and took two steps back.

- Peter, stop threatening the CIA agent. You are making my country's intelligence agency look bad.

- Sorry. Let's go. We have a vote... to vote.

- Yes, we do - he smiled.

This smile reassured me that everything is on the right path to fixing my little mistake.

We went straight to Hatta's office, and he sent his messengers to assemble everybody. Since people stayed in the city because of multiple affairs going on with India, there was no problem with assembling the council fast.

They all gathered in Wuxia's headquarters, and from their expressions, I got a good feeling about the whole thing.

- Ok, everybody we will now be voting on opening a second portal, leading to America. I'll start with myself. I'm against - Said Hatta. - Peter?

- Against.

- Will?

- Against - he said and winked at me.

- Blue?

- Obviously against. This idea is stupid and risky.

- Nobuo?

- No.

- Boris?

- Everybody says no, and I say no too.

- Jayadeva?

- We have one portal, and I believe that's enough - He nodded knowingly, looking at me.

- Amit?

- No.

- Aisha?

She didn't answer immediately but glanced at Wolf first. His expression didn't change at all, but my heart still almost burst out. I was about to stop her from talking, as all the memories of her previous pretrial stormed my mind.

- No - she said, still observing the agent.

His face didn't change. Mine on the other hand definitely did, as a grand feeling of calmness washed over me. I genuinely thought she is going to say yes.

- Peter, we need to talk - she said and grabbed my arm, to pull me out.

I followed without a single word, knowing that something there was wrong.

- Can you take us somewhere? - she asked as soon as we left the office.

I just shadow walked with her to my house.

- I talked yesterday with my parents about the money, and they told me something really bad. The guy who was framing my uncle got killed, alongside a bunch of other investors. My uncle became the main suspect, and he might even get the death penalty. Somebody talked to my parents and told them that it's all gonna go away if I do what I'm supposed to.

- They wanted you to vote yes today.

- Yes.

- Why the hell you didn't tell me this sooner?

- Because I was gonna agree! - she shouted, then touched her head, and turned her back to me. - I've learned from my mistakes, but we need to somehow stop this.

I could tell how scared she was, as she took few steps, turned back to face me, and leaned over the wall, just to slide down, and sat on the floor. Her legs couldn't support her anymore.

- Aisha... It's not your fault, ok? I'm gonna fix this.

- I trust you - she said. - Go...

I nodded and shadow walked to the city center, just to rush back to Hatta's office. Everybody was still there, and they all had questions. I ignored the storm of words, and just went straight to grab Wolf by the collar, and shadow walked to the overgrown forest.

There was a giant walking three nests to us, but I blew it up with one strong fireball, then quickly made a barrier around us, to protect him, and my clothes from flames that enveloped us. He reacted in panic by trying to cover his face with his arms, but it was useless anyway.

- What do you want?! - she screamed.

- What the hell did you guys try to pull out with Aisha?!

- I don't know what you are talking about! She voted no!

He slowly picked himself up, with his hands up.

- I don't know anything - he continued.

- Then who the fuck knows?

- I-I don't know! I'm a CIA agent. If you think I'm gonna sell my country to you, then you are wrong!

- You know what? Fine. I'll let you go for now - I said, grabbed his leg, and shadow walked him to my home.

Aisha was still there, surprised by our appearance.

- I'm working on it - I said to her. - Keep an eye on him.

With those words, I just shadow walked back to the forest.

I had an idea how to resolve this, but the problem was, I just couldn't get to the right place, because I didn't have any anchors left in the US. I picked them all up in my stupidity. But there was a way to resolve this problem and storm the CIA headquarters.

Yes, that was my plan. I know it wasn't the most sophisticated plan in history, but I was on the clock, and I had to work with the informations I had so I felt that I had two options. Either the president himself or the top dog in the agency.

Since the president would cause a ruckus for sure, the choice was quite obvious for me, since I preferred to avoid a total disaster. Was it stupid to risk so much for a random guy I didn't know, and care about? Yes! Because I cared about Aisha, who had an opportunity to betray us and do what she felt was the best for her, but she didn't.

There was only one thing left to do.

- HEY! THE GREAT ONE! CAN YOU HEAR ME?! - I shouted on top of my lungs.