Bab 79: Mindgames
While agent Weismann was being detained at the gates, Rosa found out that Michael wasn't at school but at home with his parents. She jumped into a car and left Weismann behind without a second thought.
The school's project to build more apartment buildings on the territory was underway, but the students still lived in a separate area outside the gates.
Rosa called Michael beforehand and explained the situation. When she arrived, he was already standing there, waiting.
"Miss Rosa," he greeted, settling inside the vehicle.
The trained woman looked at the teenager sneakily. He didn't show any signs of anxiety. It was the opposite, she rarely met people as composed as he was in this situation.
"Miss Rosa, please keep an eye on the road."
She flinched, grabbing the wheel tighter, but the road ahead was clear.
Michael noticed she was watching him?
"Miss Rosa," he said for the third time. When she turned to look, Michael had opened a hidden compartment and was now fiddling with a pistol with glee.
"Put that down!"
"Hey! Is it real?" the boy asked innocently, aiming at her.
Rosa's hand shot out, grabbing at the gun, but it was useless. Quick as a rabbit, Michael moved the gun out of the way. He didn't aim at her anymore, simply playing around with the weapon and admiring its beauty.
The woman flushed, remembering that this young man was a powerful Alter, as he called himself. "Please, Mr. North, put it away."
"Sure," he agreed, placed the gun back into the compartment and closed it with a clack.
They drove through the gates unimpeded. When the car arrived at Graves's office-cottage, Rosa checked her watch to begin the 10-minute countdown.
"I see."
Michael sat with his eyes closed.
"What's that?" Rosa asked.
"The principal must be an extraordinary man. I've been wondering why a person with no paper trail got this coveted position. Don't tell me. An army veteran?" he flashed the stunned Rosa a piercing look. "No? Fine, I'll keep guessing."
He got out of the car and entered the principal's house. Without a doubt, Rosa was writing Graves a message, so Michael was careful not to hurry.
If someone thought that his plan ended at sending out the video, they would be sorely mistaken. Michael couldn't foresee the future, but he made a few conjectures.
The video would become popular within hours. A government representative would appear the same day. Unless they came to his door, the more likely option was for Graves to send somebody to fetch Michael.
In fact, the cultivator hadn't been planning to put on a play. When he saw Rosa, Graves's personal assistant, he improvised.
Right now, he needed a friend. Someone powerful enough to shield him from the governments' first retaliation. Graves fit the requirements, but how could he interest the old spy in siding with him, a random kid?
By using his intelligence to fake intelligence.
Michael knew that Graves was a spy from Jones, but he made it seem like he came to this conclusion all on his own. Such sharp thinking, when Graves saw it, how could he resist?
"Mr. Principal?" the young man entered the room.
Graves stood up and met Michael in the center of the room. They shook hands like equals and took their seats.
For a minute, the principal kept silent. The older man needed time to make a decision, so Michael gave him some breathing room.
"When did you know I was a spy?"
That single sentence shocked Michael awake. He had underestimated the principal! Still, lying now wasn't a smart move, so he confessed, "Since summer. Jones told me in confidence."
Graves nodded, looking smug, "And you were looking for protection?"
"Just for a few days."
Michael had to show his hand. With his plan to use Graves revealed, he had no bargaining chips. If the old spy gave him up, there was nothing he could do.
But did he have to look so smug?
On the other hand, Graves was proud. Not of himself, but of the young man he had chosen as a successor. His wits, acumen and Altered strength were all first class. There was only the test of resolve left. Who knows, maybe the old man still had it in him to teach another apprentice after Rosa? After all, the girl was a good student but didn't have much talent.
Michael didn't speak, dejected. His trust in Graves was limited from the start. Now that he had no way to influence the man, who knew what games Graves would play? Giving Michael up to Weismann could be in Graves's interests.
They sat in silence for a few more minutes. Michael was planning the conversation, and Graves was intentionally letting him taste despair.
The spy was old school. He believed a man's true character shone in his darkest moments. Adversity would separate honor and integrity from cowardice and sliminess.
Finally, with a knock, Rosa entered and introduced special agent Weismann. The middle-aged man in an expensive suit nodded at Graves and stared at Michael.
"Sorry for the delay. As you can see, we've rounded up young Michael for you. Please, make sure you're comfortable," Graves invited Weismann to sit in the principal's armchair.
"Thank you, sir." The Swiss man didn't show useless courtesy and occupied the seat unscrupulously. "Mr. North. I've heard a lot about you."
"Can't say the same about you, Mr…?"
Weismann smiled and placed a folder on the table. Inside were the witness statements from the night of the robbery a few days ago.
"Michael North. North Gaming owner, game developer, YouTube celebrity. Studies at EIS. Ah!" The agent turned the pages, mimicking dismay, "But so ruthless! Almost killed a robber in self-defense. That's you, right?"
Weismann showed Michael a sketch of a boy that carried a striking resemblance.
"There are several questions we'd like to ask you at the station. Please, come with me."
"Sure," Michael shrugged. "But it's so late, and I have to get up early tomorrow for Monday classes. How about we schedule my visit on Saturday?"
"I'd prefer to do it now."
"Am I a suspect? No. The clerk must have told you it was the other Alter's fault. Why can't this wait for a few days?"
In Michael's eyes, this was a blatant abuse of position. Weismann was covering his true intentions by blowing the robbery case out of proportion.
In a few days, the public sentiment would be on Michael's side, so he had to play the fool and not let Weismann take him away God knows where.
On the side, Graves frowned. A robbery? The old principal didn't like to operate on incomplete information. But the fact that Michael stood up to a robber showed his resolve, which made him happy.
"Mr. North, I'll have to ask you again to accompany me to the police station!"
"Why? You aren't even with the police!"
Weismann choked on his words and coughed in embarrassment.
"Very well. Then, Mr. principal, I'll have to trouble you to bring Miss Anna Novikova here. Let's see if she is more willing to cooperate."
Graves pursed his lips. Who did this little shit think he was? Graves only gave him the principal's seat to increase the pressure on Michael. Be it him or Anna, the old man had no intention to give up his students.
Suddenly, a familiar feeling enveloped the spy. Killing intent?
Unlike in those fantasy books where heroes with powerful auras were common like sand, in the real world, killing intent was an exceedingly rare thing. It created a presence of an apex predator. On a tiny boat in the middle of an ocean, sometimes one didn't have to look down to know a shark was circling around.
Graves looked at Rosa, then at Weismann. It wasn't them! Could it be?
The animal inside Michael, grown into a terrifying demon after ten years of torture, reared its ugly head once more.
But under Control over Emotions, his youthful face didn't show a thing.
"Say, agent Weismann, did you watch my video?" Michael raised his body slightly.
"Yes, why?"
In a lightning-quick movement, the cultivator grabbed his opponent by the shirt's collar and pulled hard enough for Weismann to plop on the table with his stomach. The agent grabbed Michael's hands in a struggle, but the teenager's fingers were like steel.
"Because you think you can threaten my family and leave here in one piece."
When he saw this, Graves gave Michael a thumbs up.
This kid! Such resolve!
Exceptional!
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
BlackInk
BlackInk I heard you like smart MCs. Here's one. So what if he loses to Graves this one time? Compare their experience.
Did I go too far on the mindgames? Or wanna see more of that? Tell me in the comments!
https://discord.gg/xGMb6Q9
https://ko-fi.com/blackink
Status Power Mingguan
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Power 
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