Unfortunately, in the morning, they had awoken to an ugly surprise. Amy wasn't able to wake up Eclipse. When Silver saw it, he ordered, "Scratch the train! I'll carry you all."

Shadow opened his mouth to protest that he can fly on his own.

Silver stopped him with his open hand. "We will switch along the way, to minimize the burden. Let's meet in ten minutes before the inn."

A heavy burden had fallen off Amy's heart. She got scared Silver would lash out at Eclipse, but it seemed he tried to keep his promise of controlling his temper.

In the end, Silver carried them over half of the distance. Despite flying at an increased pace, they arrived as the evening was falling above Albion City. It came in handy as they concealed their presence, getting closer to headquarter undetected.

"Mister Shadow, please, take Eclipse to our room." She gave him a worried glance as the demon had shown no signs of waking up. "Silver, please, take a rest. I'll go to make the report."

She didn't wait for him to reply, and she dashed forward. On the way, she waved to a few agents and employees she knew and regularly saw. It put her mind at ease that they were still alive.

She reached the door, knocking and entering at the same time. Mr. Nigel sat behind his table with his daughter next to him with an open folder.

"... the number of missing agents is increa—" Sally stopped in the middle of the sentence.

"Mister Nigel, I'm sorry for not waiting for your invitation, but I have a report about Finite-u-u-u-vus?" She staggered as her body levitated. In her confusions, she tried to swim.

Under her walked Silver with a bit of smug smirk. He wiggled his fingers. "Out with you." Amy flew out of the room, and he closed the door.

Amy's punch collided with it, shaking it in the foundation. Silver didn't want to imagine how painful that would be.

Mr. Nigel gave Silver a nervous smile. The letter suggested some very unpleasant news.

"Your Holiness, please excuse my lateness, I shall make the full report."

He nodded. Sally closed the folder she held, focusing on the psychic.

"I'm sure you could have guessed this mission had ended in failure." The hedgehog took a big gulp, but his saliva couldn't get rid of the stiffness in his throat. "I've mentioned a certain setback we've encountered, but that wasn't the reason behind the failure."

Silver took a deep breath. "It was because of my absurd incompetence, and if it wasn't for Shadow and Amy, we might have never made it back."

The simple statement sent a shiver down their spines. The psychic hid his hands behind his back, clenching them. He could stomach the failure, but the fact he was behind it in such a grandiose fashion drove him to insanity.

"Care for some tea?" Mr. Nigel asked after a while.

"Yes, please." Silver accepted a seat and a cup of hot beverage.

He proceeded into the detailed description of how everything had gone.

"Dr. Finitevus had full knowledge of my weaknesses. I believe there is a traitor among us."

"Impossible!" Sally shouted, slamming the folder against the table. "Your whole profile is scattered among ten files! We included some fake information too! There is no way they could have got it!"

Her outburst surprised them. Mr. Nigel had to put away his tea so it wouldn't spill. The young woman cleared her throat. "I mean... there was no breach from our archives. We've changed the codes, placement, and patrolling schedule as always. I had tens of people re-establishing the seals."

"Don't worry, Sally, I'm fully convinced that you and your team had done everything to secure our archives." He took a sip of tea. "Still, if they had somehow bypassed all the locks..."

"I'll inform the Code Team to change everything immediately and to apply new seals!" She dashed outside to fill her duty.

Once alone, Nigel gestured for Silver to continue. The closer they got to the end, the more wrinkles rested on the squirrel's forehead.

"What a twisted man!" He huffed. "Still, you have gathered vital proof in the water sample." He looked at the small tube Silver had placed on the table. "Our R&D team may discover something and perhaps detect some variants he may use in the future."

"About the traitor, I don't think that could be Eclipse."

Mr. Nigel's ears perked. He expected this small demon would be his first suspect.

"Even with his eyes, I don't think it would be possible for him to unlock all the seals. There are too many of them. I'm thinking it may be somebody who has or had access to the archive."

"I see what you mean. I'll let all the employees be questioned and checked." The man caught his chin.

"How about those who went missing? I've read reports not only field agents disappeared."

The squirrel man stood up, walking to the window. "So you are saying it may be somebody who had left The Order?"

"Or was proclaimed missing or dead, but that could be only a sham. I may have somebody on my mind." Silver stood up, joining him.

The leader of The Order spun around. They thought about the same person. "But we have found her body, and the autopsy confirmed it was her."

"If, theoretically, she worked for Dr. Finitevus..."

"... making a fake body would be a piece of cake," Mr. Nigel finished, his eyebrows knitting. He let out a sigh. "This case is growing and growing with each report."

"We can be positive Dr. Finitevus is behind Black Arms' creation and upgrades. We need to find a way how to fight and destroy them before he can make them unbeatable!" The psychic bit his lip.

His Psy Bomb could prove effective, but he didn't master it, and other agents couldn't use it.

"Tell me more about Eclipse."

"Yes." Silver nodded, watching out of the window. "He had hit all the upgraded specimens in the same places, which means his eyes can see the weak spots. However, it seems it drained him a lot as he is sleeping since yesterday noon. Or it could be caused by his refusal to eat negative energy and raw meat."

"He is a strange fella," Mr. Nigel noted. "He is refusing to eat what his body needs."

"He claims it's because of Amy, who had shown him kindness. But that may get out of hand soon. Amy agreed to question Eclipse under her direct order. I also have a few answers I'm seeking. I'm asking for your permission to be present and to place them."

The humble tone he used made Mr. Nigel doubt his best agent a bit. It wasn't every day he would ask for permission.

"Granted."

"Thank you."

"How was Amy's injury?"

"I've applied the first aid and checked on her wounds before departing. There wasn't any visible problem, and it seemed she is healing well. It bothers me the bracelet didn't protect her." Silver bit his thumb, being genuinely worried for once.

Mr. Nigel turned away from the window, going to make them another cup of tea. "It's possible Eclipse is becoming so strong, he can push the effect. Yet, Amy could bind him later. It may be a question of her will and focus."

"Shadow also mentioned he is fighting his demonic side. It turns harder if he is exposed to a lot of violence and blood."

The older man huffed. "I don't know what bothers me the most!" He shook his head. "We can safely say both of them are glass canons with a time bomb inside. However, it seems they aren't out of options. I'll add the proper amount of raw fishes to their supplies."

"I suggest adding more types of meat. Let's see if that has any effect on them."

Mr. Nigel poured new tea into the cups. "Now, there is one last thing we need to discuss."

Silver sat beck, knowing full-well what topic it was.

"I'm disappointed by the lack of example and leadership during this mission you have displayed."

The psychic had fought back the urge to flop his ears. He didn't want pity or looking he is asking for some.

"Reflect upon your behavior. I'll also arrange a vacation for you."

"Vacation?" Silver almost spilled the tea as his body jerked.

"Yes. With the recent events, it seems you are losing your focus. Relax your mind and work on your Psy Bomb. R&D will work on developing weapons or seals to fight back Black Arms."

"I'm well aware. I swear it won't happen again." He lowered his head.

"I'll inform you about your punishment later."

Silver sipped the last gulp of the tea, placing the cup at the collecting place. "Yes. I'll head to my room to write the report."

With those words, Silver left the room. He had it behind himself. It wasn't easy to admit his mistake, but he couldn't lie about it. The image of vacation pleased him. In the last years, he had none. Being Amy's partner and showing her the ropes of being an agent gave him little time to himself.