I would tell you something quite strange here and yet in candid manner. No ! Perhaps that may not be right way to be ubiquitous about it . Well! Let's say that ever since you were born , you are placed in a special room . Let's call it Room A . It is quite large but then again that is just based on how you viewed it but at the time like when you were so little as to kowtow to external authority , then it appeared big to you at least . You were raised in it without recieving any contact from outside for more than a certain amount of time per year . In all the time , you spent there, any other person would think that such extreme effort towards contriving of such facilities will be to cultivate high moral values in child but that wasn't the case . They never told you whether something is innocuous or not if you do it in veracious world. But then after spending a really long time let's say until you reach 13 , you realised that your perception was something that was simply an illusion or at least that is what you were made to realise at that point. If a situation akin to you doesn't continue and someone can deftly tricky you into thinking that all of your past supervision has been allayed , would you actually be able to tell whether the reality that you always hoped to strive in , whether the freedom you always wanted to explore after breaking out from such a contrived facility is actually your veracity or simply another illusion by those people that you are led into ?

[Allayed- put to rest , contriving- to create , ubiquitous-present, deft- skilled , veracity- reality, kowtow- kneeling, innocuous-not offensive ,akin- similar character( refered here to child crawling in earliest stage ) Eerie- strange and frightening, languid - disinclination towards physical extertions, languish- to lose vitality, candid - honest and straightforward manner, Ephemeral- temporary, beleaguered- in a difficult situation, boisterously- loud and noisy atmosphere, incessant- unpleasant] - For readers

Thoth's POV

As Max Ryder looked at Isla , he didn't feel that he had ever considered her to be of eerie character ; he hadn't even considered her to be least bit strange.

It was more along the lines that be thought her to be someone that he couldn't exactly see her motive like rest of students . She wasn't particularly languid or lethargic and even after being good at academics insisted on involving herself in conflicts.

He now wondered whether all those acts weren't even candid . Maybe it was possible that she could have already contrived those situations by setting pieces in motion and then tried to make it ubiquitous to all . Well ! it certainly  worked perfectly for her if he couldn't even realise her at all, then Isla had already proved her prowess.

But even so , Max didn't feel in any sort of way that he was akin to her .

Sure ! She was inteligent and cunning far greater than he had thought her to be but there was just something eerie about her personality . It was like she couldn't care less whether her actions or plan prove to be innocuous or not towards anyone or even herself.

Max wasn't sure why he started to accumulate all that right now just by glancing at her in this situation but that was just the kind of vibe she gave off.

Here ,she stood before him and he had no choice but to contemplate his reality that Isla was indeed Z .

"You ask me who I am ? Max Ryder , I don't know who are you and why are you that important to this organization. I couldn't care less . It is not like I will be pereturbed by outcome for certain after all but for now, I have decided to follow these guys.  So excuse my apathetic behavior but would you mind spilling everything because you know I really am impatient unlike what you may have perceived , unlike lot do . "

"It is just that I really don't feel like resorting to uncivilized methods as torture . I hope you understand my disinclination since I am languid . " She smiled coldly. How did he manage to oversee her existence all this time ?

But now it didn't matter ! The veracity of his situation still remained that he was stuck in an troubling ephemeral situation.

Max's Pov

" All I .. really know is that you are responsible for framing Vincent for killing Pearsons because things didn't go as you planned and there is something you are looking for in that hostel . " I stated.

I knew that keeping quiet was definitely not an option. It would have been optimal if that could have been possible but such an ideal didn't exist at least not fleetingly . In order to get them to talk even if just a bit out of the tactics or their desire to contrive a situation where I might talk more revealing what I know, they would undoubtedly present me some of their facts even if done unconsciously.

"Well ! You certainly have a humble opinion of yourself. The fact that no one even knew that Vincent was working for us other than us is something that we cannot possibly comprehend. After all, how would a student of first year would arrive out of nowhere at conjecture like a certain murder wasn't a murder and it was related to some organisation backing an individual like Vincent when we haven't even done anything and connect it to the Wonavilla incident?

It would be quite possible that some federal agents might think of such a possibility at some later point though they are nothing more than a fad of civil servants with brain not big enough to think like this . I am really quite invested in that ?" Isla questionned.

Well! I already knew that it wasn't simply going to end with one clever farce or something like that . I can't possibly say that I knew this because of timeline change. That would be treated like utter nonsensical derisively action taken by me in a stressful situation .

"Well! I was the one who started to investigate my school just out of curiousity since I am particularly bored so I just came upon the facts of school and since I released them , it was really quite obvious to connect Vincent, son of Charles Rodger one of the expérimentées to this.

I mean him taking such an irrational action could possibly be only a consequence of this matter and then I started to follow up on it and by process of collection and analysis, I ..well you can guess" I sighed . Well! It was the truth to certain extent. At least I was speaking candidly as I could without sounding like cynical . Either way , their expressions certainly took a turn .

"Well! Well! Isn't this something else? I wonder, are you like me ?" I could feel Isla exhaling, that sound coming near my ear . As she leaned near me testing my resolve , I stiffened up inside. I couldn't possibly move or I would just collide with her and neither could back away cause that would mean I get flinched easily .

Neither of those outcomes were really desirable. She withdrew after few seconds. I do wonder how the system of partnership or subordination works here . Ever since Isla entered , the man has definitely gone quiet . His expressions remain focused on me without giving anything away .

Isla on other hand clearly seemed to be enjoying this situation . Did she consider it as filmsy part of her daily excitement that she desired? I couldn't figure her out. But then again , I was still only able to derive facts limitedly from just looking at her . She was certainly deft . As a point to prove me right, she quickly dodged when the man suddenly got up and tried to attack her.

Why was he attacking his own ally? Well ! I was still not sure if they were allies.

Thoth's Pov

As Claude embarked on her mission to find Max , even though she endeavoured to it , she knew that it was certainly not going to be easy .

No ! It was more along the lines of next to impossible but she had to do it anyway . Even an ephemeral feeling of such things could be enough to drive her forward for now.

Either way the situation that had been contrived due to Max's actions was still far from arbitrary. Claude was incredulous towards approach of Max had taken. No! As far as she knew , he must have been planning something else.

As she was wondering what to do , what she was going to take , there was a ring on her phone. Strange! She was sure that no one except her parents and Max had it .

"Hello! Who is speaking?" She put the phone near her ear .

"Claude ! It is Max . Please pick me up at 4560, Brixton if you can ." A voice answered. Claude was now in state of angst if she wasn't before. What ... could it possibly mean? The voice was definitely not Max . So what was the meaning of the message.

Was it just sent by the people who have Max ? But wouldn't that mean that they also know about her as Max has suggested in his notes. But how would all this play out ? She was really sure that if they already have Max , then it would only expose them to unnecessary danger if she is asked to come . Granted!

That she wouldn't take help of authorities to avoid harm to Max but such a plan . No! It is more like a wild gamble. These guys have been careful for so long hiding in shadows and committing crime in a way that she didn't even see which somehow only Max was able to see through . So it means that no matter what ,  guys who have Max can't be the one behind this call . It definitely wasn't Max which meant only one thing . Max has surreptitiously found himself an ally .

Before Claude could ask something else, the call ended . Well ! No matter. She knew where to go . But just what was he planning ? Even if she goes with some backup , how could he hope to get out of the midst of danger surrounding him ?

Max's Pov.

"Well! You are deft as always." The man grinned as Isla jumped aside to dodge his attack .

"What is the big idea?" She asked . So she was also confused . I didn't know that . I thought that they were just practising together.

"Well! Now you have made him spill all he knows , I don't particularly see any reason for you to stay in this room. I wanted to see if you are still useful in some other way ." The man chuckled without batting an eye.

"You could have just asked me to leave , meathead . " She sighed closing the door after her as she went away muttering Seriously! These guys are wacko in head a bit.

I bit my lip. Look who is talking!

"What do you think is going to happen to you? You are certainly very beleaguered, aren't you ?" The man looked at me .

"I know, right." I broke into a thin smile as there was seething expression on his face .

"What are you enjoying about it ?"

"Well! I am just saying that you guys aren't very careful, are you ? I mean you planned all this stuff so much and all so as to avoid your crimes being exposed brazenly but did you really think that just checking me and my mobile was enough of insurance." I averted his gaze towards my finger .

"It appears that you are quite astute. I did underestimate you ."

"Indeed"

"But what are you hoping to accomplish? I can just shoot you right now . I have means. It would hardly take more than one shot and few seconds. "

"Well ! That is certainly incessant , isn't it ?"

"You appear to be quite calm for someone who is about to die ?"

"Who said I was going to die?" I stood up from my seat tapping my feet three times. The man looked confused at me as shot was fired boisterously. The smell of gunpowder filled the air as the man fell down with an impassive expression. The door opened creakily as a women in her early thirties came rushing in . She had stoic expression on her face .

"I trust everything went along as you intended to contrive."

"Indeed! Detective Jones or should I call you Caroline Bakers."  I smirked.

Au revoir readers! Keep posted for the next chapter.