Chapter 357: Interrogation

"Is this all of you?"

"..."

The rest of the Baby Crew were now in the shelter, with Bella and Hannah the ones interrogating the supposed members of the House of Super.

Silvie was trying to make sure that none of the civilians were hurt or badly injured. As for Gary, he was tending to Golden Fox with Katrina's help. They were just finishing up in cleaning and dressing Golden Fox's wound, which seemed to not have been that fatal compared to the way it looked.

"You're quite lucky. A little more and it could have pierced the aorta."

"Thank you, Ms. Katrina."

"Don't mention it, we're friends," Katrina then gently patted Golden Fox's leg. She then turned to look at Gary; and seeing the serious look in his eyes, she just decided to leave the two alone and help Silvie.

"Chihiro. I..." Gary closed his eyes as only heavy breaths escaped his mouth, "I'm sorry... If I didn't call for you, you—"

"It's fine," Golden Fox let out a sigh as she straightened her posture; sitting herself up properly before adjusting her mask to make sure it wouldn't fall. She wanted to stand up, but Gary stopped her from doing so.

"You're wounded. You shouldn't move around," Gary muttered; any of his usual tone, completely absent from his voice.

"I heal fast, it's fine," Golden Fox removed Gary's hand from her shoulder,

"I want to thank Paragon for saving my life," she then meekly said as she turned to look at Paragon, who was just watching Bella and Hannah trying to interrogate the members of the House of Super.

"Hey, you can thank him later. It's fine."

"It's not fine, Gary," Golden Fox clicked her tongue, "You just killed someone."

"I... didn't. He—"

"You told him to," Golden Fox shook her head, "I know who he is and what he's capable of doing. He could have just knocked the man out but you asked him to kill—"

"The man almost killed you, Chihiro!"

"...I thought after what happened to us you— No, it doesn't matter," Golden Fox once again shook her head, before completely turning away from Gary, "I want to be alone."

"..." Gary seemed to want to say something, but in the end, he just closed his eyes before walking away — not really joining any of the others as he just sat on the corner of the hall.

"..." Golden Fox glanced at Gary for a moment, before once again letting out a sigh and shaking her head. Whatever happened between the two, it would seem they weren't ready to talk about it — and Golden Fox knew that.

And so, she just tried to completely ignore Gary. She then raised her hand in the air; her fingers, seemingly clicking something that only she could see.

"Hm... It didn't really decrease my health that much," Golden Fox whispered to herself, "But that was close."

If it truly wasn't for Paragon, then she would have probably found herself lying on a pool of her own blood right now, she thought as she once again looked at Paragon. But as soon as her eyes landed on him...

...her eyes started to turn wide, "...What?"

Golden Fox then blinked a couple of times behind her mask, before turning towards Gary — and then the others, almost as if checking something on them.

"..." She returned her focus on Paragon as she squinted her eyes — she even slightly lifted up her mask to rub her eyes; almost as if she was making sure if she was really seeing what she was seeing.

She really only looked away...

...when Paragon noticed she was looking at him.

"..." Paragon really only blinked a couple of times as he saw Golden Fox seemingly staring at him. It was hard to know if she was truly looking at him behind her mask, so Paragon waited a few more seconds to see if she would turn again, but nothing.

And so, Paragon just continued to watch Hannah and Bella attempting to make the House of Super to talk.

"We wasting our time here, girl," Bella's voice already seemed exhausted, "These guys are fanatics."

"..." Hannah could really only sigh as she agreed with Bella's words. They were already completely clasped and tied up in solid steel, and yet not one of them uttered a word.

5 men, 2 women, and all of varying ages, and yet all seemed to have the conviction of keeping their silence. Just what sort of idea are they feeding them for them to be this loyal?

"I'm going to ask again." Still, Hannah continued to make her questions, "Are there still others inside the shelter? Why did you attack this place?"

"..."

But as expected, silence.

"I'm starting to lose my fucking patience."

The floor beneath Hannah started to melt as she took a step closer to the group... and yet none of them budge,

"House of Super, where are you operating and what the fuck is your goal?"

"I don't know about you guys," Bella then also stepped forward before pointing at the man that Paragon killed, who was now covered in newspaper, "If you don't wanna end up like that guy, you better answer quick."

"Traitors."

And finally, one of the men started to talk — not to Bella or Hannah, however, but he was looking at Paragon.

"You're a traitor to your own kind," the man spoke with conviction; his saliva, even spurting from his mouth as he did so, "Instead of joining us, you killed one of your own. You killed Thousandblade, you killed Mark, and now him."

"...Who's Mark?"

"It doesn't matter!" The man screamed as he violently waved his head; throwing the saliva from his mouth everywhere, "Do you think these mud people appreciate what you've done to them!? No! We are higher beings, and our actions should not be for the gratitude of these... these humans! We are higher than them!"

"No," Paragon shook his head as he answered, "You're all equally below me."

"Pft," Bella could not help but smirk from Paragon's words.

"What!? You think you're better than u— Kh!"

"Are you hearing yourself, you hypocritical fuck?"

And before the man could finish his words, two of his teeth flew off from his mouth as Hannah suddenly kicked him in the face,

"Seriously, your fathers should have just wiped you on a towel. Now answer my god damn questions!"

"You... you guys don't understand," the man then started chuckling, "The House of Super... the The House of Super will make supers great again — that's all you need to know."

"Well fuck, then maybe you guys should be the ones trying to fend off the aliens instead?"

"Tch, another one of your propagandas," the man spit out the blood in his mouth, "There are no more aliens. Aren't you ashamed of yourself, Hannah Ross?"

"...What?"

"Your brother sacrificed his life to show the sins of the humans... and yet here you are smearing his good work. Your brother would—"

"You don't know anything about my brother!" Both of Hannah's arms erupted in flames. But before she could rush towards the man, Bella stopped her.

"We done here, H," Bella sighed, "These people would rather die than talk. One of them blew himself up in the agency, remember?"

"No, they're cowards. That fucker only died because Paragon trapped the blast," Hannah scoffed, "These guys are just bullies with superiority complex!"

Hannah was about to kick the guy again, but before she could do so...

"Can I give it a try?" Paragon stepped forward.

"..." Hannah quickly retracted her leg; clearing her throat as she looked to the side, "G... go ahead."

"...Girl," Bella could not help but blink a couple of times as she saw Hannah just walking away, "You really do have a crush."

"S—shut the fuck up," Hannah clicked her tongue before pointing at Paragon, "Don't even think about killing one of them. If you do, we'll fucking arrest your ass ourselves."

"Hm," Paragon really only nodded as he looked at the man that seemed to speak for the members of the House of Super that were here. Of course, once again, the man's resolve seemed unshakeable as he returned Paragon's stare.

"...Paige."

[Yes?]

"You are seeing what I am seeing, right?"

[Yes. You are uh... live,] Paige, who was left alone in the sky, quickly responded to Paragon's words.

"Okay, can you..."

[...Okay?]

"And..."

[A... are you sure?]

"Yes."

And as soon as Paragon seemed to be done talking, a chainsaw suddenly appeared in his hands.

"Pft, nice try." The man, however, just let out a snort as he saw the chainsaw, "We know of your partner's abilities. Nothing but party tricks and illusio—"

And before he could finish his words, Paragon suddenly waved the chainsaw — not even turning it on... and tearing off one of the women's heads.

"What... I thought you weren't going to kill any of us!?" The man quickly turned to look at Hannah as he screamed.

"She can't hear you right now," Paragon quickly blocked his view as he stood in front of him, "They also can't see you."

"W... what? What do you mean!?"

"Right now, they are seeing completely different things," Paragon then crouched so his eyes could be at the same level as the man, "Paige is probably projecting me just calmly talking to you."

"...What? That's different from the-- You... you can't kill us! They would know in the end!"

"Well," Paragon slightly tilted his head, causing his jet-black hair to slightly slide from his shoulders,

"It's easier to apologize...

...now talk."

"I... I will never talk!"

***

"There... there are hundreds of thousands of us just in this country alone...

...maybe even a million."