CHAPTER 27: CONTACT

Rin stared at the message for a full minute before screenshotting it, forwarding it to Joy, then deleting the original thread.

Not that deleting it mattered, whoever sent it could probably track his phone six ways from Sunday, but it made him feel slightly less exposed.

His phone rang immediately, Joy calling.

"Please tell me that’s a prank," she said the moment he answered.

"I don’t think it is."

"Rin, they just admitted to watching you, that’s a direct threat, we need to report this to the Association."

"And tell them what, that the mysterious organization Fiona warned us about made contact, that’ll go over great, they’ll either think we’re making it up or they’ll increase monitoring on both of us."

"Better than dealing with this alone."

"I’m not alone, I’ve got you, Tayo, even Fiona apparently." He sat down on his couch, rubbed his face. "Look, I’ll be careful, keep my guard up, but running to the Association every time something happens isn’t sustainable."

Joy was quiet for a moment. "You’re really not going to report it."

"Not yet, I want to see what they actually want first, might be a recruiting pitch, might be a threat, either way I need more information."

"This is a terrible idea."

"Probably, but it’s my terrible idea."

She sighed. "Fine, but you’re not meeting anyone alone, if they contact you again, I’m coming with you, non-negotiable."

"Deal."

They talked for another few minutes before hanging up, Rin sat in his empty mansion thinking about the message, about whoever was watching him right now through cameras or sensors or whatever surveillance tech existed post-fracture.

His home probably wasn’t secure, Association had given him this place which meant they probably had access to everything, listening devices, monitoring systems, the works.

He needed somewhere actually private, somewhere he could think without being observed.

[Recommendation: Establish secure location]

[Current residence is compromised]

[Association monitoring is standard protocol for anomalous entities]

’You’re just figuring this out now?’

[Negative]

[I have known since the tracker was installed]

[You have not asked until now]

’Great, so every conversation I’ve had here has been recorded.’

[Likely]

[However bedroom and bathroom are typically excluded from surveillance for legal reasons]

[Unless you are classified as extreme threat]

Rin checked his threat classification on his Hunter profile, it listed him as "Anomalous - Moderate Risk" which presumably meant they weren’t watching him shower but probably monitored everything else.

He needed to find a place, somewhere off the grid, maybe one of the abandoned buildings in the industrial sector, somewhere he could actually plan without an audience.

Tomorrow, tonight he was too tired to deal with it.

He went to bed, sleep came eventually despite his mind racing with paranoia about cameras and watchers and mysterious organizations.

Morning brought another mission notification.

ASSIGNMENT AVAILABLE Mission: Dungeon Reconnaissance Location: Klein Windhoek, Underground parking structure Rank: E (Potential upgrade to D) Team: Matsuda (Lead), Castellanos, Okonkwo Objective: Scout dungeon interior, assess threat level, report findings Supervisor: Hunter Reva (Deputy Director) Departure: 1000 hours

Reva was supervising personally, that was unusual, Deputy Directors didn’t typically waste time on E-rank reconnaissance.

Either this dungeon was important or she wanted to observe Rin specifically, probably both.

He met Joy and Tayo at the staging area, Reva was already there reviewing digital maps on her tablet, she looked up when they approached.

"This dungeon manifested three days ago," she said without preamble. "Standard underground formation, preliminary scans show goblin signatures but the energy readings are inconsistent with typical E-rank spawns."

She pulled up thermal imaging. "We’re sending your team to scout, map the interior, identify threats, if it’s standard E-rank you’ll receive clearance to attempt a full clear, if it’s higher you retreat and we send appropriate personnel."

"Why us specifically?" Rin asked.

"Because you’ve encountered anomalous entities twice this week, your threat assessment capabilities are being evaluated, this is partially a mission, partially a test." She closed her tablet. "Questions?"

"What’s the inconsistency in the energy readings?" Tayo asked.

"Fluctuations that don’t match known patterns, could be equipment malfunction, could be something inside distorting scans, that’s what you’re determining."

They geared up, loaded into a van with Reva, drove to Klein Windhoek.

The parking structure was a concrete monstrosity from the early 2000s, five levels underground, the dungeon gate had manifested on level three, purple energy crackling in what used to be a parking space.

"Standard protocol," Reva said as they approached. "You enter, scout for thirty minutes maximum, document everything, if you encounter hostiles you’re not equipped to handle, retreat immediately, I’ll be monitoring your helmet cameras from here."

They’d been issued new helmets with integrated recording systems, apparently all reconnaissance missions required visual documentation now.

The gate was a standard dungeon portal, shimmering membrane of energy that showed glimpses of what lay beyond, darkness, stone walls, the smell of decay.

Rin stepped through first, the transition was disorienting like always, reality shifting, then he was standing in a corridor carved from rough stone, torches on the walls providing flickering light.

Joy and Tayo came through behind him, they formed up, weapons ready.

"Comms check," Rin said.

"Reading you clearly," Reva’s voice came through their earpieces. "Proceed with caution."

The corridor extended ahead about fifty meters before splitting into three directions, classic dungeon layout, designed to confuse and separate parties.

[Dungeon analysis initiated]

[Architecture suggests goblin fortress variation]

[However energy signature is abnormal]

[Detecting trace amounts of fracture contamination]

’Another contaminated dungeon.’

[Probability: 67%]

They moved forward, Rin took point with Joy covering left, Tayo covering right, the corridor was empty, no immediate threats.

Reaching the split, they marked the center path with spray paint, standard procedure for not getting lost.

"We’ll clear center first," Rin decided. "Map the layout, then branch out."

The center corridor led to a larger chamber, stone pillars supporting a vaulted ceiling, more torches providing light, the room was empty except for old bones scattered across the floor.

"Remains look humanoid," Joy observed, examining them carefully. "But the size is wrong, too small."

"Goblin remains probably," Tayo said. "They do eat their own dead sometimes."

Something skittered in the shadows, too quick to identify, disappeared behind a pillar.

"Contact possible," Rin warned, channeling fracture energy into his hands.

More movement, multiple sources, things were circling them using the pillars for cover.

A goblin emerged, but it looked wrong, its skin had a purple tint, veins glowing with energy similar to Rin’s fracture manipulation, its eyes were completely black.

"That’s contaminated," Joy said. "Like the slime."

The goblin opened its mouth, instead of the usual screech it made a sound like static, like reality itself was breaking down.

More goblins appeared, all showing the same purple contamination, at least fifteen of them.

"This is not E-rank," Rin said into his comm. "We’ve got contaminated hostiles, multiple targets."

"How many?" Reva asked.

"Fifteen visible, probably more."

"Can you handle it?"

The goblins charged before he could answer.

Rin met the first one, his fracture energy collided with its contaminated form, the two energies reacted violently, exploded in a burst of purple light.

The goblin disintegrated, just ceased to exist.

’My fracture energy neutralizes their contamination.’

[Correct assessment]

[Your energy is pure fracture manipulation]

[Their contamination is corrupted fracture energy]

[Like matter and antimatter, they annihilate each other]

That was useful but also concerning, someone was deliberately corrupting entities with fracture energy, creating monsters that normal Hunters couldn’t effectively fight.

But Rin could, which meant he was either the solution or the target, possibly both.

He pushed through the chamber, each goblin he touched disintegrated, Joy and Tayo provided support, kept them from swarming him.

The fight lasted maybe five minutes, contaminated goblins exploding into nothing when contacted by pure fracture energy, eventually the chamber was clear, no bodies remained, just scorch marks where entities had been.

"Clear," Rin reported. "All hostiles eliminated."

"What was your method of elimination?" Reva asked.

"Fracture energy neutralized their contamination, they disintegrated on contact."

Silence on the comm, then Reva spoke again. "Continue reconnaissance, document the extent of contamination, if the entire dungeon is affected we’ll need to quarantine it."

They moved deeper, found more chambers, each one containing contaminated goblins, the pattern was consistent, normal goblin fortress layout but every entity was corrupted with fracture energy.

This wasn’t natural contamination, this was deliberate, someone had seeded this dungeon with corrupted energy, created a testing ground.

Testing for what though, seeing how contaminated entities fought, seeing how Hunters responded, seeing if anyone could actually clear it.

Or testing Rin specifically, seeing if his fracture energy could neutralize the contamination.

"This is a trap," he said suddenly.

"What?" Joy looked at him.

"This whole dungeon, it’s designed for me, contaminated entities that only I can effectively fight, reconnaissance mission specifically assigned to my team, Reva supervising personally." He looked at the helmet camera. "Someone wanted me in here, wanted to see what I’d do."

"Matsuda, elaborate," Reva’s voice came through.

"The contamination pattern is too consistent, too widespread, this isn’t residual energy from a fracture site, someone deliberately corrupted this dungeon, created entities that require fracture manipulation to clear, then assigned me to scout it."

"You think this is connected to your previous encounters."

"I think the Architect Collective is testing me, this is research, data collection, they’re watching right now seeing how my abilities interact with their creations."

More silence, then Reva spoke with edge in her voice. "Extract immediately, all three of you, return to the gate."

They didn’t argue, moved back through the cleared chambers toward the entrance.

Behind them, Rin heard something, a sound like glass breaking mixed with static.

He turned, saw the walls rippling, reality distorting, something was manifesting.

A figure stepped through the stone like it wasn’t solid, humanoid shape but wrong, its body flickered between states, solid then transparent then something else entirely.

It wore what looked like a lab coat, underneath was a suit, its face was a smooth mask with no features, where eyes should be was just darkness.

"Subject Matsuda," it said, its voice synthesized, artificial. "Your performance has been remarkable, the Architect extends his appreciation for your cooperation."

"I didn’t cooperate with anything," Rin said, fracture energy already forming around his hands.

"Incorrect, by entering this space, by engaging our test subjects, by demonstrating your capabilities on our monitoring systems, you have provided invaluable data." The figure tilted its head. "We now understand what you are, a fracture anchor, a living conduit for pure dimensional energy, extraordinarily rare, extraordinarily valuable."

"Matsuda, get out of there now," Reva’s voice was urgent in his ear.

The figure moved, not walking, just shifting position like teleporting but wrong, appeared directly in front of Rin.

"The Architect requests a meeting, in person, to discuss potential collaboration, you possess something we need, we possess knowledge you desire, mutually beneficial arrangement."

"Not interested."

"You haven’t heard our offer yet, we know what killed your friend, we know why Kazriketh targeted him specifically, we know what the Association is hiding from you." The figure leaned closer. "Don’t you want answers?"

That made Rin hesitate, his grip on his fracture energy wavered.

The figure noticed. "Curious, as expected, the Architect predicted you would prioritize knowledge over caution, he sends this message, the Jin Hanazawa raid was not an accident, it was an execution, your friend was a variable that needed elimination."

"What?"

"Leo Penzerio had begun investigating anomalous patterns in dungeon manifestations, had discovered inconsistencies in Association reports, he was becoming problematic, the Association arranged his removal, Kazriketh was merely the method."

Rin’s fracture energy flared, purple light flooding the corridor. "You’re lying."

"Am I? File request RE-2847-A, the one you submitted yesterday, why was it denied, what could possibly be sensitive enough to suppress for six to twelve months, the answer is Leo’s investigation had exposed something they couldn’t allow to become public." The figure stepped back. "The Architect has evidence, documented proof, communications, reports, everything you need to know what really happened."

"And what does he want in exchange?"

"A sample, small amount of your fracture energy for analysis, five minutes of your time in a controlled environment, harmless procedure, you leave with knowledge, we leave with data, everyone benefits."

[Warning: This entity is manipulating emotional response]

[Information may be false or distorted]

[However probability of partial truth: 54%]

[Recommend extreme caution]

"Think about it," the figure said. "We’ll contact you again with meeting details, come alone or bring your pink-haired friend, we don’t care, but come, or remain ignorant while your friend’s death goes unanswered."

It stepped backward through the wall, reality sealed behind it, left them standing in an empty corridor.

"Matsuda, report status," Reva demanded.

"We’re fine, entity is gone, extracting now."

They ran for the gate, emerged back into the parking structure, Reva was waiting with a full tactical team, weapons trained on the portal.

"What the hell was that thing?" she asked.

"Representative from the Architect Collective, they want to meet, offered information about Leo’s death in exchange for fracture energy samples."

Reva’s expression darkened. "You’re not meeting with them."

"They said the Association had Leo killed."

"That’s manipulation, psychological warfare, they’re trying to isolate you from support structures."

"But what if they’re telling the truth, what if my records request was denied because there’s actually something to hide?"

"Even if there was, and I’m not saying there is, going to them is exactly what they want, they’ll capture you, study you, extract what they need then dispose of you."

She was probably right but Rin couldn’t shake what the figure had said, about Leo investigating anomalies, about the raid being an execution.

It fit too well with what Fiona had told him, with the denied records request, with how carefully the Association controlled information.

"What happens to the dungeon?" Joy asked, breaking the tension.

"Quarantine protocols, we seal it, post guards, eventually send a specialized team to clear it or collapse it entirely." Reva looked at Rin. "You three did well, identified the threat, reported appropriately, extracted safely, exactly what reconnaissance is supposed to accomplish."

They loaded into the van, headed back to headquarters, Rin’s mind was elsewhere though, thinking about the offer, about what evidence the Architect might actually have.

His phone buzzed, new message from unknown number.

"Meeting location will be provided within 48 hours. Bring questions. Bring doubts. Leave with truth. - The Architect"

He showed the message to Joy who was sitting next to him.

She read it, her expression troubled. "You’re going to meet them, aren’t you."

"I have to know."

"Even if it’s a trap."

"Especially if it’s a trap, because then at least I’ll have confirmation they’re the enemy, right now I don’t know who to trust, the Association that put a leash on me or the organization that claims to have answers."

Joy was quiet for a long moment. "If you go, I’m going with you."

"Joy, this is dangerous."

"Everything’s dangerous, we hunt monsters for a living, meeting with shady organizations is barely in the top five risky things I’ve done this month." She squeezed his hand. "Besides, you need someone to stop you from doing something stupid."

"Pretty sure meeting them is already stupid."

"Then I’ll stop you from doing something extra stupid."

Despite everything, Rin smiled slightly.

They arrived at headquarters, filed reports, collected payment for the reconnaissance, fifteen hundred each plus hazard bonus.

Reva pulled Rin aside before he could leave.

"Whatever they offered, whatever they claimed to know, don’t pursue it," she said quietly. "The Architect Collective is dangerous, they’ve abducted multiple Hunters over the past year, none have returned."

"Why didn’t you mention this before?"

"Because it’s classified, I’m only telling you now because you’re a specific target, they want you badly enough to set up elaborate tests, that means you have value they’re willing to risk exposure for." She handed him a business card with just a phone number on it. "If they contact you again, call this immediately, we have protocols for dealing with them."

"What kind of protocols?"

"The kind that keeps you alive." She walked away before he could ask more questions.

Rin looked at the card, memorized the number, kept the card anyway.

That night he couldn’t sleep, his mind kept replaying the figure’s words, about Leo investigating anomalies, about the raid being an execution.

If it was true, if the Association really had Leo killed, then everything changed, his cooperation, his leash, his compliance, all of it became meaningless.

But if it was a lie, if this was just manipulation to turn him against his only source of structure and support, then walking into their trap would be suicide.

He needed more information, needed to verify something, anything, before making a decision.

His computer chimed, new email, from an address that was just random characters.

Subject: Preview

The email contained a single attachment, an audio file, labeled "Leo_Final_Report.mp3"

Rin’s hand hovered over the download button.

This could be fake, edited, designed to manipulate him.

Or it could be real.

He clicked download.

The file opened, played through his speakers.

Leo’s voice filled the room, unmistakably his.

"This is Hunter Penzerio, B-rank, filing supplemental investigation report RE-anomalous dungeon patterns in Windhoek region, over the past three months I’ve documented seventeen instances of dungeons manifesting with energy signatures that don’t match any known classifications..."

Rin listened to the entire ten-minute recording, Leo detailing his investigation, his findings, his concerns that something was deliberately creating anomalous dungeons.

The recording ended with Leo saying he was filing a formal report with Director Ashford, requesting further investigation.

The timestamp was three days before the Jin raid.

Three days before Leo died.

Rin sat back, his hands shaking.

This was real, Leo had actually been investigating something, had filed reports that Rin had never seen mentioned anywhere.

Which meant the Association had suppressed them.

His phone buzzed.

"That was authentic. We have seventeen more hours of Leo’s recordings. We have the responses from Association leadership. We have everything. Will you meet now? - The Architect"

Rin stared at the message.

Every instinct said this was a trap.

But Leo’s voice had been real, his words had been real, the investigation had been real.

And the Association had hidden it all.

He typed a response: "Where and when?"

The reply came immediately: "Tomorrow night. 2200 hours. Abandoned factory district, Sector 15. Come alone or with one companion. Armed guards will be denied entry."

Rin forwarded the message to Joy, then to Fiona.

Two replies came back almost instantly.

Joy: "I’m coming with you. Don’t even think about going alone."

Fiona: "Finally getting interesting. I’ll be nearby, if things go bad, signal and I’ll intervene. Try not to get captured."

He had twenty-four hours to prepare.

Twenty-four hours to decide if he was making the smartest or stupidest decision of his life.

The leash around his neck felt tighter than ever.

But maybe tomorrow he’d find the key to breaking it.

Or maybe tomorrow he’d find out why some leashes shouldn’t be broken.

Either way, he was going.

The answers were too close to ignore now.