Chương 48: Never Let Them See You Sweat

"Are there any further questions regarding line items one or two?" Jasper asked, looking around the room.

"Very well, we shall move on to items three and four. Agent Featherstone's return to Fairy Central with the child, and the decision made by her and Agent Sterling to hide the infant until the proper officials could be notified. Gentle murmurs filled the room as the panel members whispered to one another. Jasper turned his gaze to Seraphina. He cleared his throat to signal he was about to start.

"Agent Sterling, after Agent Featherstone returned to Fairy Central, please tell me in your own words what happened?" Jasper asked. Seraphina looked at all the faces staring accusatorily at her. She took in a controlled breath, gave Jasper a gentle nod, and began her testimony.

"I was notified that Agent Featherstone was teleporting back to Fairy Central midway through her shift. I met her in the vestibule of the receiving area. I believed that this would require disciplinary action because Agent Featherstone had left her patrol early without proper notification or authorization." Seraphina paused briefly, shifting position in her chair.

Of all times for my leg to fall asleep, it had to happen now when all eyes were on me, she thought, rolling her foot around hoping to stimulate the feeling to return to her leg.

"It was upon her return that I discovered she had the infant with her," Seraphina continued. She glanced quickly over at Celestia, then turned her gaze back to Jasper.

"I initially rebuked Agent Featherstone for bringing the infant from the human realm. It was when I discovered that it was not an ordinary infant that I made the decision, not Agent Featherstone, to conceal the infant until the proper authorities could be notified."

"Why was that, Agent Sterling?" Jasper asked.

"Until I had the opportunity to consult with higher-ups, I felt it was best to conceal the child's birth to keep her safe." Seraphina paused, looking at the panel member, expressionless.

"Traipsing a screaming infant through Fairy Central, in my opinion, was not the best choice in keeping her concealed," Seraphina said, a small smile on her lips.

"Why was the infant screaming?" Jasper asked flatly.

"Well, she was freshly born, had no clothing, was wrapped in a towel, which she had wet through. She did not appear to have been fed, she was cold and generally uncomfortable, I'm guessing," Seraphina replied.

"So, why your home, Agent Sterling?" Jasper asked.

"I have baby supplies at my house that are there for my grandchildren," she paused, watching the faces of the higher-ups.

"I also knew that, at least temporarily, it was a secure location," she replied with cool detachment. Jasper looked around the room, then looked down at the paper on the podium.

"What did you do next, Agent Sterling?"

"I addressed the infant's immediate needs, a bath, fresh diaper, clothes and formula, in that order," she said, matter-of-factly.

"What did you do after the child's immediate needs were addressed, Agent Sterling?" Jasper asked, coming out from behind the podium and leaning against the table.

"I left the child in Agent Featherstone's care and returned to Fairy Central to notify my supervisor, Simon Bud," she replied.

"And did you immediately notify Mr. Bud upon your return, Agent Sterling?" he asked, pushing himself up from the table.

"No, sir, I did not," she replied. Murmurs began whirling around the room at Seraphina's response. Jasper gave the room a moment to settle down before continuing.

"Why was that, Agent Sterling?" Jasper asked, making his way around the table and back to the podium.

"Well sir, before I made it to Mr. Bud, I felt we had a security breach and was unsure if Mr. Bud, had in fact, been compromised." A collective gasp of outrage filled the room as all eyes turned to Simon. He flushed and shifted position in his chair, seemingly trying to blend in with the furniture.

"Agent Sterling, what would make you suspect that someone, your supervisor of all people, had been compromised?" Jasper asked, seemingly surprised by this development.

"Upon my arrival at Fairy Central, a subordinate stopped me in the hall. She informed me that Mr. Bud had been searching for me. The subordinate then pointed out that I had something on my shoulder. I went into the ladies' room to clean it off. While in there I was cornered by a woman who claimed to be from OPD. A Regina Tutworthy, I believe she said her name was," she said, casting her gaze to Simon. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

Simon sank lower in his chair.

"It was when she demanded that I give her the baby that I suspected something was amiss," Seraphina said, casting her eyes down to the remains in her lap.

"Why was that, Agent Sterling?" Jasper asked.

"Let me clarify, why did her demand sound internal alarms for you?" he immediately added.

"Well, considering that only Agent Featherstone and I knew of the child's existence, it led me to believe that our organization had been compromised somehow," she said, her gaze returning to Simon.

"Isn't it possible that Agent Featherstone may have been the security breach? Considering it was just the two of you who allegedly knew of the child's existence and potential relevance?" Jasper asked.

"I find that improbable, sir. If Agent Featherstone and this woman were working together why would Agent Featherstone bring the child to me in the first place?" Seraphina asked, confused at the logic.

"You had said that you met Agent Featherstone in the vestibule of the portal, isn't it possible that she was not intending for you to become involved?" Jasper asked, folding his arms.

"Anything is possible I suppose." Seraphina began.

"I just found it highly suspect that when I did connect with Mr. Bud to bring the matter to his attention, he had told me that the same Regina had been there looking for me. He also did not want me to reach out to OPD, but gave me a handwritten card to contact this Regina in person."

"I see, Agent Sterling," Jasper said.

"So, you did not find it coincidental that Mr. Bud had met with the mysterious Regina prior to your meeting her in the bathroom?"

"No sir, there was no way that this Regina person should have even known of the child's existence. Her meeting Mr. Bud prior to her virtually attacking me in the bathroom made me leery about sharing any information I had regarding the child," Seraphina said, her voice calm and confident in her conviction.

"So, you no longer felt reporting the events to your supervisor would be in the best interest of yourself, Agent Featherstone, or the child?" Jasper asked, raising his eyebrows at Simon.

"That is correct, sir. My first priority was returning to my home and getting the child and Agent Featherstone to a safer location." The officials murmured to themselves, some nodding in agreement with Seraphina's assessment of the situation, while others wrote furiously on their notepads.

"Then what happened?" Jasper asked, putting his arms behind his back.

"I left Fairy Central and retrieved Agent Featherstone and the child. Took them to a location I believed to be safe until I could figure out what to do and how to proceed."

"Thank you, Agent Sterling, your testimony has been quite revealing," Jasper said, before turning to Simon.

"Before I open the floor for questions regarding line items three and four, I would like to direct the questioning to Simon Bud," Jasper said, as he stepped out from behind the podium.

"Mr. Bud, were you in fact contacted by a woman claiming to be from OPD?" Jasper asked, his disdain evident in his demeanor. Simon looked at Jasper uncomfortably.

"Yes, but…"

"Did you vet her? Ask for ID? Or verify that in fact OPD had sent an agent to speak with Agent Sterling as protocol clearly states?" Jasper asked.

"OPD does not routinely send out operatives to speak with agents. Didn't you find it odd that one was looking for Agent Sterling?" Simon's face flushed.

"Um, sir, I don't see what relevance this has to Agent Sterling and Agent Featherstone's actions. They were the ones who ignored all protocols and standards resulting in the death of the infant, not me." Several panel members turned to Simon, nodding their heads in quiet disgust, while others began frantically writing in their notepads.

"That did not answer my question, Mr. Bud, did you… or did you not... vet this woman before speaking with her in relation to Agent Sterling?" Jasper asked more forcefully. Simon huffed loudly.

"No, I did not," he replied, softly.

"I did not feel the need to vet a superior, sir."

"Did you by chance, at any time during your discussion with this woman, give her Agent Sterling's address in an attempt to help her locate her?" Jasper asked suspiciously. All the color drained from Simon's face at this.

"I don't recall, sir," Simon replied in a voice barely above a whisper.

"Could you please repeat that, Mr. Bud? I'm afraid your answer was unclear to the panel," Jasper said, returning to the podium. He opened a folder and pulled out two sheets of paper and walked to where Simon sat fidgeting in his seat.

"I said, I don't recall, sir," Simon replied.

"Then please explain to the panel, why you accessed the personnel database and pulled up Agent Sterling's address?" he asked, placing the sheet in front of Simon, "Or perhaps you can explain this?" he asked, placing the second sheet in front of Simon.

"Is this or is this not your handwriting Mr. Bud?"

"It is," Simon said, looking down at the papers in front of him.

"This was found in the ladies' room, Mr. Bud," Jasper began.

"The same ladies' room, Agent Sterling used upon returning to Fairy Central, where the encounter with this mysterious agent occurred."

"Mrs. Beasley, do you currently have, or ever had an agent named Regina Tutworthy working in your division?" Jasper asked, looking at a middle-aged woman.

"No, sir," she answered.

"Are you certain?" Jasper asked.

"Yes, sir, OPD currently has five agents, and I know each of them personally," she said, shaking her head in disgust at Simon.

"I have been with the OPD for twenty-five years and I can confidently say that at no time has there been a Regina Tutworthy in the department."

"Thank you, Mrs. Beasley," Jasper said before returning his attention to Simon.

"Please be advised, Mr. Bud, that effective immediately your employment with the organization is terminated. Fairy Security will be holding you, pending a formal inquest into your activities in relation to national security."

"What?" a surprised Simon replied.

"I was just doing my job, what do you mean terminated? I thought I was helping a superior officer. I'm sorry, Seraphina, tell them I meant nothing by it." Seraphina shot him a sympathetic glance before shaking her head, then looked down at the table. Jasper waved at the armed security officers who were waiting outside the door. The room watched, shocked while Simon was taken into custody and escorted out.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, unless there are objections, I propose taking a fifteen-minute break to stretch our legs before we proceed." Jasper said, watching the panel.

"Any objections?" He paused, looking around the room, giving them time to respond.

"Alright, we will reconvene in fifteen minutes."