＜ Episode 23 ＞
Everyone has their own communication group.
Occupation, gender, social position, friendship, place of residence, academic background, hobbies, etc.
The number of cases is innumerable, so it is not limited to just one, and even within one group, it is differentiated into countless small groups, so if you are interested in sociology, it may be an interesting topic.
However, in the end, a group is a group with obvious intentions, so each person’s thoughts and interests collide and are not pure in most cases.
So people mature or fall as they find a group that suits them and move around and share their opinions.
but.
Nevertheless, there are cases in which they retain their innocence and maintain their group even when they grow old.
children’s meeting.
The bond between children who share memories from childhood is stronger than anything else, and in some cases it leads to the moment when life ends, so perhaps it fits the meaning of communication group best.
In particular, children learn how to create their own world avoiding adult interference.
Unlike adults who think about the impact and profit and loss around them, children are blind.
And if Ekaterina was the child of John’s image, he judged that the influence would surely be alive.
***
“Wow!”
“It’s over!”
John felt himself nervous at the sight of the children pouring in like a raging wave.
Children are difficult to deal with.
At least John thought so.
Since she was not married, she did not have children, and since she had no family to come and go, she had no chance to meet her children.
In that situation, the most impressive children John experienced were mostly child soldiers who were drugged and stained with madness, and after they fell in Luna, only pickpockets and scavengers.
Even children are subject to vigilance.
It was pitiful for him to be wary of the child he was supposed to protect and take care of, but John’s life and environment were like that.
Above all, this is not Luna.
It is natural to be wary of children.
I captured the appearance of the school along with the appearance of the children leaving school.
Third Private School.
In Luna, the lower the number, the higher the score.
I don’t know how many schools there are in District 56, but since it’s a school with number 3, the tuition and facilities won’t be easy, and that’s how it actually looked in John’s eyes.
‘It’s full of sensors. The fence is a high-density material. I won’t go gold with LAW oriental medicine. The armed guards are also faithful.’
The school facilities, which were affected by John’s senses that could sense molecules, were at the level of Gilbert’s store, and guards armed with heavy weapons were monitoring the entrance and all parts of the school with lights on in their eyes.
Judging from the fact that he literally had sparkling eyes, he would have been given artificial eyes specialized for surveillance.
As it is a place where children from families with money gather, it was natural that it was sensitive to crime, and in fact, an armored bus was waiting to bring the children home.
In a way, the security posture was excessive enough to remind him of a fortress rather than a school, but John could only nod his head and understand.
‘Tsk.’
Kids become money.
Especially if it’s a rich kid.
Criminals looking for a bite were full of Luna, and no one would say anything about preventing crime even a little excessively.
‘It must be difficult.’
John’s eyes narrowed as he sat in the cafe across the street and observed the school.
It would be impossible to break in even if it was forced, but it was clear that there would be a problem with a fairly high probability.
And at that moment, there was a high possibility that John would receive the malice of Area 56 all over his body.
either mentally or physically.
But John’s sixth sense was pointing to the school, and he was knocking on the table and thinking about it.
“···found.”
A boy walking down the street caught John’s eye.
***
“…is that really enough?”
“yes.”
A timid tone, a blurry face, drooping shoulders and slightly worn-out clothes.
It didn’t take long to convince a boy who seemed to have just reached puberty.
The other children were walking down the street alone while everyone else got into the armored bus.
It may be because the house is close, but the boy’s behavior seemed very intimidating, and in most cases, it was an economic problem.
Nothing is free in Luna.
Of course, the return service using the armored bus would also cost money, and the boy’s situation was so bad that he couldn’t use it, so it wasn’t too difficult after figuring that out.
Sitting opposite each other in a corner of the park out of sight, John and the boy continued their conversation.
“I want to be clear, not for kidnapping or crime. I received a request to find a missing child.”
The expression on the boy’s anxious face widened a little at John’s voice, which sank a little low.
What John asked the boy for was information about Ekaterina and friendship.
The world of children is bound to be small, and it was the kind of information that could be easily figured out if you set your mind to it, so it was enough to calm the boy’s anxiety.
“But that school seemed difficult for a solver like me to enter. There’s nothing I can’t do if I have a procedure, but it takes too much time.”
“Is that right?”
The boy’s eyes twinkled.
Being a fixer was so attractive to an adolescent boy who would have many thoughts.
“At times like this, I usually use an informant. And that informant is you.”
“…Informant.”
The expression that looked anxious disappeared and the light of envy lingered.
Even though they are the children of Luna, who are very rebellious, it is not difficult for John to control the psychology of such children.
“It is a starting fee. I’ll give you more when I get the information.”
“…too many!”
Even from an adult’s point of view, when a fairly large amount of money was handed over, the boy unknowingly made a sound of surprise, but soon covered his mouth in a fit of rage.
“Okay. I chose this place on purpose.”
Seeing John smiling and speaking, a light of longing appeared on the boy’s face.
Having enlisted a rookie informant like that, John was able to obtain satisfactory information.
***
“That’s it.”
John hardened his expression as he looked at the office building, which was a little worn but looked good.
It is not that difficult to manipulate the child’s psychology and make it on one’s side, and it is actually a method often used in the field.
The child, who has been tamed by forming intimacy and building bonds, at some point comes forward with a gun, and charges at the tank with bombs all over his body.
It was bittersweet that John used the same method as the enemies he dealt with, but work was work anyway.
At least John didn’t give the kid a weapon.
Soothing his bitter heart, John took a step towards the building.
There were guards at the entrance to the building, but not enough to detect John’s optical camouflage, and the insignificant detection equipment failed to catch John.
Entering the building like that, John closed his eyes while distributing this ability.
– Ekaterina Danilova? i know! It was quite famous.
He was like an angel, the boy recalled, and the boy who discovered his usefulness began talking enthusiastically.
A child with a doll-like appearance and a unique atmosphere that is difficult to say has quickly become a hot topic among children, and it is said that he has become the center of the children.
– Everyone wanted to do something for Lina. She had a good personality, and there were no kids who hated Lina.
A group centered on Ekaterina was created, and it was said that the group was at the top of the school as a whole.
Children are quick to gain interest, but also quick to lose it.
The fact that such children still remember Ekaterina more than a year and a half after they disappeared means that the impression was very strong.
John focused on the group that Ekaterina was at the center of.
John, who found out the personal information of the group members through a rookie informant, was able to specify what he wanted through a simple investigation, and in that way he was able to reach this building.
“Golden spoons are good.”
Concentrating on this ability, John muttered involuntarily and laughed.
As befits the top group of schools attended by children with quite a bit of wealth, children from rich families became the center, and among them, there were children who had already inherited the building at a young age.
It wouldn’t have been that difficult for such a child to give up a room to his friend.
The value of money is not clear, and a favor that is possible only because it is a child.
There were a few more buildings in the shortlist, but John was in no hurry.
In any case, I felt that I was getting closer to my goal.
“Here you are.”
And John smiled as he confirmed the existence of his abilities.
***
The room is small but large enough for a single person to live in.
It was a high-rise, so the scenery outside was worth seeing, but there was nothing to see.
The windows called windows were covered with blackout curtains.
In such a dark room where the sun does not enter, only the computer monitor emits a light source.
Whoops.
Only the sound of the computer running wildly echoed in the quiet room.
There was a girl in an abandoned corner of a room or a suspicious workplace.
Her small body, fine features, and large eyes arouse admiration just by looking at them.
The long, disheveled blonde hair, which looked so good even on that, was quickly examining the monitor with slightly bloodshot eyes.
Several graphs were moving in real time, and meaningless numbers fluctuated.
Those who know the contents would grab their hearts at the screen that fluctuates momentarily, but the girl’s face did not change.
There was no movement other than the occasional clicking of the mouse and keyboard, and it blended with the overall appearance of the room, giving off an indescribably bizarre atmosphere.
At least John thought so.
John, who opened the door with this ability and quietly penetrated the room, watched Ekaterina’s back for a long time and could see what the girl was doing.
It is a stock.
An amount too large for a mediocre 10-year-old girl to move was increasing or decreasing in real time, and it made even John, who was not surprised by anything, shake his heart.
The girl, who had been staring at the monitor for a long time without moving, raised both arms and stretched them.
The way he carefully came down from the chair with his arms folded was so adorable that he tried to smile without even realizing it, but John held it in.
I knew it the moment I saw it.
That this girl is no ordinary child.
And as John expected, the girl’s reaction after finding him was unusual.
“Nice to meet you. Ekaterina.”
Anyone would be surprised if there were other people besides themselves in a room where they thought no one would be present, and it would be common for children to sit down and cry or be terrified.
“hello.”
The child’s head bowed while smiling brightly was like an angel, but John didn’t smile.
＜ Episode 23 ＞ End