From this day on, it felt as if the three of them had become different persons. Well that could be described as an exaggeration: Skyler still threw occasional taunts, Ash would still remain silent most of the time and Rhett threatened them one or two more times, but the tense and cold atmosphere had disappeared. There wasn't a half-concealed edgeness in their interactions. And like that, days passed. It had been a month since the three of them met.

"Я не говорю по-русски."

"Я-не-e... гово...рю...по-рус...ски."

"Могу я взять ваш телефон?"

"Мо-o-гу...я вз...ять ва...ш те-eлеф...он?"

Ash's shoulders shook as she muffled a loud laugh. Skyler glared at her in despair as he enunciated more slowly the sentence. He still managed to make it sound worse.

"How about we stop with this one," proposed the hunter, pinching the bridge of his nose. "We've been on it for thirty minutes."

Ash went back on a second wave of shaky growl and crying eyes.

"Well at least I am good at shooting, that's more important!" pouted the blond teenager.

"Yeah right, shooting the person you need the help will definitely benefit you," responded Rhett emphasizing his sarcastic tone.

The boy said nothing and let himself slide on his chair, "We've been studying languages for three straight hours. Can we do something else? Can we use the V-training?"

The V-training was a series of rooms where the hunters and the Jaegers could train to fight Infected. The confirmed hunters even wore suits that could simulate up to 75% the pain received in real life. Both of his charges had used the easiest room, and died multiple times. It didn't stop them from trying again and again until they managed to kill the ghoul. They had been so proud about it that it seemed they had climbed mount Everest. Rhett had quickly brought them back to reality.

"Your body needs some rest to properly build its muscles," responded the mentor. "You are only going to hurt yourselves if you push too far. Besides you are in the middle of your growing spur Skyler. I could go and train Ash on her own since she finished hers."

"That is not how a team works," she signed, shaking her head. "Besides, I still feel sore."

She looked tired and slightly pale since this morning.

Her friend threw her a dramatic betrayed look before sighing, "Fine! But can we do something else?"

Ash nodded in approval, closing her manual. Rhett thought for a second. They already had covered a variety of subjects. He had planned to teach them how to make an emergency landing, but the flight simulator was already booked.

"How about we go and visit the Division X?" he offered. "I know a technician working there."

"Can we see how they build weapons?" asked Ash with shining eyes.

"I swear you kids only have violence in your mind! Your generation is doomed." he replied, taking his transmitter.

'We are going to visit you.'

The response didn't take long to arrive.

'Wait what? Context? We?'

'Skyler, Ash and I. We are going to visit the Division X quarters.'

'Okay when? Tomorrow? I'll have to prepare.'

'Ten minutes.'

'You're joking?'

He put back his transmitter ignoring the string of messages the technician was sending.

"Well let's go, he is waiting for us."

°°°

"You are lucky I don't hate you."

"I believe the term you used was 'friend'."

"You have friends?" interrupted Skyler.

His two charges were observing the exchange with wide eyes. Aleksei had met them with his usual unbrushed hair. Purplish circles had appeared under his eyes and had immediately greeted them with those words.

"Don't talk if you are just going to spout nonsense," warned Rhett, throwing him an annoyed glare.

"You can't blame us for being surprised," mumbled back the teenager as his friend snorted.

A smile appeared on the technician's face, "Well I am finally meeting the famous charges."

"What did he say about us?" asked Ash with eyes shining with curiosity.

"Why don't we start the visit," abruptly cut the mentor, shoving his student through the open door.

He already had visited numerous times the quarters of the division X but it was always when he had to make his termly visit to his titled technician. Most of the time the place was almost desert, he had little doubt it was a coincidence. But today his visit was improvised and the long, wide room was swarmed with men, women and teenagers all wearing the spotless white uniform and intelligent glasses. In contrast to the hunters they didn't possess the sight. With their red eyes and black clothes his charges and him couldn't stand out more.

Aleksei led them through the room, although there were many they didn't bump into someone, the crowd forming a hole as they cut through it. Rhett's eye passed through the numerous glass desks and flat computers occupying every inch of the walls. And even sometimes, on the floor projecting various holograms all around them. The images were strikingly realistic making it harder to distinguish the reality and the illusion. It didn't please the hunter.

"Jaeger R1_1-E29-SS," greeted a white haired-man sitting in the center of the room. He lifted his eyes from his screens and took off his glasses.

His cutting silver pupils fired at him with an overwhelming intensity. Unknowingly Ash had scouted behind her mentor. Skyler wasn't doing so well either and was looking at his feet.

"Originator D2_1-T71-SS," he responded, bowing slightly his head to the man.

No one would ever guess the real age of the supervisor of division X. He was-trusting no one in the confidential list beated him-the doyen of the organization.

'Even I feel intimidated.'

Although the old man apparently didn't. He clicked his tongue in disapproval as he observed the hunter.

"A proper Jaeger shouldn't look like a starved puppy," scolded the man pinching the arm of the hunter. "You look thinner than last time."

Which was ten years ago, Daniel had been his titled technician until Aleksei took over his position.

"The doctor says I am in good health," he replied curtly, stepping away from him.

He disliked talking with the old technician. Each time he saw him, he felt a strange unpleasant sensation thumping in his head.

"You could have at least notified us of your presence. You plunged the whole department into chaos."

"Woaw and then you accuse me of causing trouble," commented the blond teenager with a sly smile.

"Shut up."

"Daniel is exaggerating," cut Aleksei. "We were just working on a classified item. We had to pack up everything in eight minutes. When I saw you didn't read the rest of my texts."

Rhett suddenly felt the urge to contemplate the hundreds of screens attentively as he felt the accusing eyes of his students on him.

"We leave three in the hands of Originator A9_13-T27-S," continued the chief, turning back his glasses. "Good visit," he stopped a moment before adding, " and good continuation, in case I don't get to see you before another decade."

"Thank you," signed Ash shyly.

His eyes soften for a split of second before turning back steel gaze back on his screens. As they followed Aleksei, Rhett could've sworn the old man was observing him.

"We are going to start the visit by going to the research lab," Aleksei started scanning his wrist in front of a captor.

The door slid open and immediately closed as soon as Skyler finished to enter.

"The security is a bit tight since we possess a copy of every prototype and existing model in addition to our future plan in this room," he explained, grabbing a knife lying on the nearest table. "As you can see this isn't our cleanest room."

That was an understatement, the room was junked with scrap of metals, random objects and flying paper. It was almost impossible to distinguish the desks under the piles of projects and wires, but strangely the disorder felt organized. Among it was a couple dozen of workers studying, manipulating and drawing in a frantic energy. They raised their heads and took a pause as soon as they saw the Jaeger.

"Here we simply sketch and take inspiration for future objects," said the technician. "This is our newest invention, it is an intelligent dagger that can only harm Infected."

He turned toward Rhett toying with the handle, with bright eyes. The hunter guessed his attention and with a sigh gave his arm. The blond technician plunged the sharp blade in the Jaeger forearm. Skyler let out a gasp as the steel glitched and desintagrated before appearing back under his member. Aleksei pulled away the weapon and the blade reappeared.

"Fun right? We can safely stab now," he smiled proudly of the gadget.

In the corner of his eye, the hunter saw Ash paling even more.

"Are you alright?" he asked. "You haven't looked good since this morning."

"I am fine, I am just indisposed," she replied quickly.

"Sit down if you don't feel good," he said absently tapping roughly the top of her head.

Around him the workers widened their eyes like owls.

'Wait, did they think I hit her? Do they think I am an abusive mentor?' he slightly thought uncomfortably.

But as they continued their visit he felt the starres becoming softer. It continued even after he scolded Skyler for almost making a mug full of coffee fall.

"Dammit be careful!" he cursed, grabbing the flying cup without letting any drop spill.

A woman had eyed him while letting out an amused smile.

'What the hell is going on, I don't understand them,' he thought ashe observed his charges discussing with Aleksei.

"Rh-I mean Instructor, is it true that you requested the creation of twelve different weapons?" asked the boy.

"Yes," he responded to an over-excited student.

"You can request your own custom weapon? That's so cool!"

"Only the best can make a request, and it is only validated if you prove that the weapons you are given don't fit you," explained Rhett. "And there is nothing 'cool' about weapons. They are made to kill. I'de rather not have to use them in the first place."

"Still," continued Skyler.

"But you will see the guns that the division will provide you will be flawless. You are already comfortable with their basic model, but soon you will be able to access more sophisticated ones."

The boy grinned as he looked around the room. Ash started to sign.

"Why aren't there more guns by the way? Isn't it the best way to kill the Infected?"

"That depends," replied the mentor, grabbing a lying crossbow. "Some of us are more comfortable with other weapons. Each of them represent their own qualities and defaults, what matters is what you are the most comfortable with. But you won't find many close range weapons."

"Is it also here that they built our vehicles?"

"I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?" asked Skyler. "You are our mentor."

"Dammit, do I look like a technician? Why are you even asking me those questions in the first place? Ask Aleksei he is here for that!"

The three of them started to talk at the same time until no one could hear what each there was saying-or signing. Aleksei let out a laugh as he observed the scene.

"Okay, the rush you put me in might be worth it," he said.

"What the hell are you talking about?" frowned the Jaeger.

"Just you. Acting around with kids, it's funny," explained the technician. "And you are doing pretty good." He paused before adding, "I am glad you took the job."

"Well after all, even after my recent record, I am still the best hunter of the Elite division. They are lucky to be my students."

"I meant for you," scoffed the blond man. "You look...you look good."

"What do you mean? Those two still cause trouble every two days. I feel exhausted."

"Yeah, but this time you aren't killing yourself at work and you aren't living isolated. Even a monk had a better social life than you."

"How nice," sarcastically thanked the hunter, slightly vexed.

"You know what I mean. And I don't think I am the only one who noticed the change."

Rhett charged the crossbow and lifted it. He suddenly felt the urge to shoot something. To jump in a plane and kill a couple of Infected.

"Aleksei, I am their mentor and I want them to become the best. But don't be mistaken," he replied with a dry voice, "if I had to choose between my hunting and them. I would choose hunting."