The office was dark and cold. The grim, cheerless room was stark and sparsely furnished with glass and chrome furniture offering little comfort. At that moment, however, that detail was irrelevant as both occupants of the room were standing.

Exterminator Korse, had been summoned even before he had arrived back at the towering building that housed BLI Headquarters. The call had come through on the radio as he approached Battery City’s outer limits. Even though he had expected it and had tried to prepare for it on the journey back, Korse was still on edge. The last time he had been summoned, he had been decommissioned for three weeks and subjected to partial processing. The procedure sounded innocuous, but was something he dreaded happening again. He had suffered a combination of brainwashing techniques accompanied by a variety of punishments that could only seriously be described as torture and he was determined that it would not happen again.

Now as he stood stiffly in front of the desk, staring blankly ahead, his body rigid with his hands clasped behind his back, he wondered, with a dry mouth and racing heart, if partial processing was the least of his worries. Katsumi Miharu, Director of the S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W Unit paced the room behind him. The interview had begun some twenty minutes earlier but as yet, she had not uttered a single word. With every second, Korse’s fear grew but he knew better than to be the first to speak, especially after the debacle ending with all Killjoys escaping virtually unscathed.

To outward appearances, the Chief Exterminator feared nothing and no one. The reality, however, was very different and although it was true to say that he feared only one person, that fear was deep seated and significant. Madam Director Miharu held absolute power in the S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W Unit and even beyond in the wider circles of BLI. She was ruthless, merciless and dedicated to BLI and despite their shared qualities, Korse was deeply fearful of her. He had reason to be.

Now, feeling agitated and nervous, Korse drew in a deep breath as she walked past him once more; wishing, almost willing her to speak, he remained rigid.

“So,” she finally spoke after a further eight minutes of pacing, while she collected her thoughts, making Korse await her wrath. “Let me see if I understand you correctly.”

Pausing while she walked slowly to stand behind her desk, she fixed him with a cold, steely glare.

“I arranged for the Hart woman to capture and contain the Killjoys. She had three of them, but you remove Party Poison from the premises?”

Korse had his own answers prepared and began his defence, almost by attacking.

“Under your orders, Madam Director,” he objected.
“My orders?” She raised an eyebrow. “Are you quite sure?”
“Madam Director, I am under your instruction to destroy the Killjoys, I was following your orders. You told me where to find them!” Korse tried to maintain eye contact but the severity of her glare forced his eyes to look down to the floor.

Leaning forward on the desk, Miharu almost spat her next words.

“I wanted to show you that I had done what you had failed to do. I had neutralised the Killjoys.”
“It wasn’t complete,” he argued. “She didn’t have Jet Star. He rescued them, that was not my doing.”
“Well, that is open to opinion.”

Picking up a grey folder from her desk, she opened it to a marked sheet and read aloud.

“Hart reports: ‘I had three of the Killjoys locked in their individual exhibition cells and was awaiting the arrival of Jet Star. I was, admittedly, unaware that he had arrived at the museum having avoided capture, however, if Exterminator Korse hadn’t removed Party Poison from the exhibition, I would not have been distracted and it is doubtful that an escape would have been possible. I successfully recaptured Fun Ghoul and had placed a governor in Kobra Kid’s neck causing him severe pain at will. It was only a matter of time before I recaptured them all and returned them to their cells. However, I have since discovered that one of Korse’s lackeys was in my employ and helped them to escape the guards I had placed at the exits. Without his assistance all of the Killjoys would still be in my possession’.”

Miharu looked up expectantly, growing ever angrier that initially Korse said nothing. Outwardly, he appeared stern and calm, whilst inside his quick mind was replaying the scenario and seeking ways to twist events to clear himself of blame.

“Well?” She demanded. “What do you have to say?”
“You’re taking her word?” He scoffed. “Of course she’d say that, she’s trying to shift the blame. She’s scared of what you’ll do to her.”

Closing the file slowly, Miharu placed it neatly back on the desk. The action, even though it was carried out in a calm and precise manner, was only an outward display to hide the seething rage bubbling within.

“If there is anyone who should be scared, Korse, it is you!” She finally erupted. “You allowed, possibly even facilitated, their escape in order to initiate your own plan. Your own, utterly unnecessary and ultimately unworkable plan!”
“No, it would have worked,” Korse unclasped his hands and becoming more animated. “But for Dr Fielding developing a misplaced conscience!”
“Do not try to blame your incompetence on someone else, Korse!” She spat with a critical and aggrieved tone that matched her cold and dispassionate expression.

Waiting a further few seconds for a reply and receiving none, Miharu slammed the palms of her hands down onto the table in fury.

“Did Party Poison escape?”
“Yes,” Korse replied bitterly.
“He made a fool of you.” It was almost a question.
“Yes.”
“Twice!”
“It almost worked,” he protested. “I almost destroyed him!”
“I am concerned about your personal involvement in this, Korse and what I can only describe as a vendetta. Your actions were not in BLI’s interests, they were in your own.”
“It is the same thing,” Korse insisted.
“No!” She snapped. “It is not! You follow my orders, Korse and only my orders. You are obsessed. You conduct a sham interrogation and proceed with barely a hint of what BLI expects of you with political prisoners. You continue with your own and solely your own agenda! Your feelings, such as they are, are causing you to fail BLI, Korse and that is not acceptable.”

Korse stiffened; his only hope was to try to convince her that what he had tried to do was, in fact, in the interests of BLI and that that had been his only concern. Despite his best efforts, he seemed to be heading further from that goal with every response. Exhaling, he opted to deny his obsession.

“My personal feelings are irrelevant,” Korse stated coldly.
“Yes, Korse, you are absolutely correct. Your feelings are irrelevant.” Miharu tipped her head as she glared at him. “But they got in the way, didn’t they? And that is precisely what I am concerned about. Leaving you with anger has, until now, made you a better Exterminator. But I believe your emotional state is blinding you to the bigger picture. I am aware of who and what Party Poison is to you, Korse and now I see that your pride and arrogance are preventing you from remaining objective. I am scheduling a period of adjustment for you. I want to be certain that your personal feelings towards Poison are eradicated.”

Korse shifted uncomfortably as he contemplated her words.

“What are you suggesting?” He asked, his voice hesitant and nervous.
“I believe it’s time to commit you to the third level of existence,” Miharu replied coldly.
“No!” Korse cried out, terrified by the suggestion. “I admit, I failed, but I had only BLI’s interests in mind. I can make amends. I won’t fail again.”
“Words,” she snapped, unimpressed by his confession. “I am simply not convinced, Korse,” she shook her head dismissive of his objections. “We must deal with your obsessional preoccupation with Party Poison.”
“No, no... It’s not necessary,” he argued. “I know more about them now. I know their weaknesses, all of them, even the new female they have with them. I can control them all simply by capturing two of them. Don’t you want to see Poison grovelling and pleading with us for his life? Don’t you want to see him destroyed in the eyes of the Zone Dwellers?”
“This is your obsession, Korse and you are fooling yourself if you believe that Party Poison would ever plead for his life. I just want them neutralised.”

And there it was, in an instant. An idea flashed into Korse’s mind that he hoped would convince Miharu that his intention was for the greater good of BLI only.

“Yes, but if we do this my way, we demoralise the Zones. Your way, they rally to the Killjoy’s aid or even their memory and become increasingly dangerous in the process. The more power the Zone Dwellers believe themselves to have, the more they’ll try to exercise that power. By destroying the Killjoys we take down the Zones too, leaving BLI as the uncontested authority it should be.”

Miharu narrowed her eyes and began to pace once more, tapping the back of her left hand as she considered his words.

“And you want me to believe that this was your intention all along?”
“Of course,” he lied. “My actions are documented and the purpose is clear. I do not see what else could it have been.”
“You do not see that your obsession with Party Poison is damaging...”
“I do not have an obsession with Party Poison. I have an obsession, on your orders, of crushing the Killjoys. He is their leader, it makes perfect sense to target him.”
“He is also your nephew.”
“He was,” Korse adopted a disapproving scowl, “but for that matter, so was Kobra Kid and I don’t have any, so called, obsession with him.”

Miharu stopped pacing and search Korse’s expression for signs of deceit. There were none. Either she had misread him or he was truly better at lying than she had given him credit for. Uncertain, she nodded; his words were plausible, his actions could conceivably be seen in that light.

“Very well,” she conceded. “Find a way to discredit the Killjoys. You will have whatever resources you need.”
“Thank you, Madam Director,” Korse breathed a silent sigh of relief.
“Don’t thank me, Korse,” she growled, displaying her continued mistrust of his actions. “Just don’t fail me again. I will not take two failures lightly.”

*

The small group headed towards the elevator up to Kami’s residence, Party taking the handles of Ghoul’s wheelchair and leaning on it more than he cared to admit. Perhaps it was the sudden lack of adrenaline in his body, or perhaps it was just that everything had come to a head, but he noticed that it started with his ears.

The echoing in the parking garage as they walked and at least two people talked, swirled in his head, the sounds ebbing and flowing like waves. It felt as though the sounds had movement and direction of their own and as they moved, they pulled him off balance. The noises grew louder, ricocheting off the inside of his skull like laser fire. His mouth filled with moisture and his eyes first glazed then rolled back. He heard, or at least he thought he heard someone call his name, but he didn’t feel the pain as he crashed almost soundlessly to the floor.

The first Ghoul knew about what had happened was the wheelchair grinding to a sudden halt, almost immediately followed by wide-eyed concern from Kobra, Jet and Kami. Kobra especially was agitated; alarmed by Party’s fall but unable to respond as he carried the still sleeping form of Red in his arms.

“What’s happened?” Ghoul tried to get a better view, first just looking over his shoulder, then by turning the wheels on the chair, but both actions brought nothing but pain. “Someone tell me what’s happened!” He yelled, anxious by their lack of response.
“It’s okay, Ghoul,” Kami looked up from her position at Party’s side. “Jet, my love, turn Ghoul around so he can see. I’m worried he’ll hurt himself.”
“It’s not okay!” Ghoul cried, still frustrated that he was still unable to see Party for himself. “What’s happened?” He repeated.

Jet quickly rose to his feet from where he knelt opposite Kami and turned the wheelchair before Ghoul succumbed to his panic and pushed himself out of it.

“He’s okay, Ghoul,” Kami continued soothingly. “He’s passed out, that’s all. He’s been through a lot, I’m sure. I doubt they treated him well at BLI.”
“No,” Ghoul shook his head, remembering some of the things Party had told him in the car during the short drive. “No,” he repeated, his voice finally calming.
“In fact,” she rose to her feet once more, as Jet bent to scoop Party into his arms. “You and Party can take my bed. I’ll be fine on the little couch.”
“No,” Ghoul shook his head, “that’s not fair, I can’t...”
“You agree Party needs the bed?” Kami interrupted.
“Well... yeah, but...”
“And it’s a big bed, why waste it? Who else is going to share with him? Besides, it’s arranged now.”

Ghoul allowed a smile to cross his lips and settle.

“What would we do without you, Kami?” He asked, his eyelids half closed from his own exhaustion.

“Oh, it hardly bears considering!” She laughed, taking hold of the wheelchair’s handles. “Come on, you’re safe now and you all need food, water, and a lot of rest.”

Notes

Hello, my lovelies!

Hope you enjoyed Korse getting a strip torn off him, even though he talked himself out of it in the end.
Still got 1 or 2 chapters left. Tempted to do 3 so it ends on 50, but I’ll only do that if it needs it. I won’t drag it out for the sake of it. Still, I shall be sorry to see it go, I’ve had fun with this. I hope you have too.

Hugs
Sas xx