An unnerving revelation is made

After my brain stopped dribbling out of my ears, my first real act as director was to pencil a reminder to call Dean after I finished for the day. After I settled that, I was able to set aside the pounding in my heart and focus on actual work.

As promised, Vanessa had left me a folder that was essentially a more in depth explanation of the tour she had given me. Protocols, PRT hierarchy, the diplomatic channels between the police and PRT, etc. Not exciting, but it was simple and I was able to work on it in peace and serenity in my own private office. I took a moment to lean back in my chair, ignoring the furious itching racing up my skin, and let out a content sigh.

My office wasn't the largest or most well furnished. A TV was built into my right hand side, the left was organized with cabinets and a personal printer. My desk was solid wood and hid me from the waist down. It had bare furnishings and a brand new computer that left my old one at home in the dust. And to top it off, my office had a window view of the ocean. This had certainly been the right call to make.

After sorting through the basics, I picked up the folder containing the identities of the Wards. There were a total of six Wards, though a large number were going to graduate to full blown Protectorate status in the coming months. Aegis, Clockblocker, Vista, G♥ll♥nt, Kid Win, and Shadow Stalker. There were new candidates preparing to transfer, but that wasn't an issue to worry about for a few weeks. So I spent time familiarizing myself with their profiles, understanding the men and women behind the mask. I lost myself in the reading, stopping only for a quick lunch before diving right back into it.

Aegis seemed set to retire from the Cape life once he graduated, having grown tired with the constant fighting. Clockblocker had a crude sense of humor and a wit on him which could be trouble in the future. Vista was the youngest member and wasn't set to graduate for another four years, yet she was the most experienced of all of the Wards, poor girl. Gallant was mmmmmm. Kid Win had trouble focusing on his inventions and still hadn't found his specialization; I made a note to request a therapist to evaluate his mental state, as the description in his file suggested he might have a form of ADHD or the like.

All of them seemed like people who genuinely sought to use their abilities for good. My opinion on the Protectorate, or Wards anyway, had swung into the positive as I read up on them. It nearly dropped like a stone when I hit Shadow Stalkers file.

Ignoring her multiple counts of ****, ignoring the fact that before joining the Wards she had been caught crucifying criminals, and ignoring the fact that she was notoriously difficult. What made me stop and nearly scream in impotent rage, was her true identity. Behind that mask was Sophia Hess, one of three girls from Winslow responsible for nearly destroying my life. Every insult, every physical attack, every failed project, it was guaranteed Sophia was behind it. And now the staffs slow response made so much more sense. It wasn't just incompetence, the Protectorate had been protecting her!

No, that couldn't be it. Could it? I had to know the truth, I had to know if the Protectorate was aware of Sophia's vicious reputation.