Half closed, tattered blinds slashed the beams of light as they streamed through the large, paneled windows. The rays were clear in the smokey atmosphere, the ventilation clearly poor. Bathing in the gray radiance of the distorted sun, a large tri-paneled wooden desk sat empty. Light refracted through a half empty bottle of alcohol and onto a small ashtray filled with the butts of cigarettes. On the adjacent wall were rows of filing cabinets with a gap in the middle featuring a large hatch. To the right and wrapping around the corner were multiple corkboards covered in pictures, newspaper, official reports and notes, all intertwined with what I assumed would be a crimson thread.
With a groan and the creak of old furniture, a man sat up on the couch, moving his hat from his face to the arm of the sofa. His hair was short and scruffy, and his eyes had bags under them so dark it looked as if he had been punched. He scratched his stubbled chin and yawned before rising to his feet. "Johnny. Good to see you." His voice was gruff and dry, yet still somehow placated my pounding heart.
"Thank you, boss." Johnny gave him a nod.
The Detective of Whencewas buttoned the top button of his white collared shirt and pulled the left suspender back into place. "What brings you in this late?"
"Found this boy," he gestured to me, "Id dissonance taking hold."
My brow furrowed, still confused on what in the world he meant.
"I see." The Detective stepped up to me, avoiding a cardboard box in his path. "Something big happen tonight?"
"My mom." My voice caught in my throat, cracking under the weight of the emotions I'd been repressing. "She was working her shift, didn't come home for while. I waited, but…" Tears bubbled out of me. "The Collectors knocked, told me she had disappeared... that her debts would transfer," The whispers stirred like a cacophonous ethereal wind, resonating unintelligible words into my ears. "I—"
"Hey." The Detective interrupted me. "You'll be okay, we're here. It might take some time, but we'll find her."
My tears stopped flowing, and my despair felt as if it was somehow quelled with just those two simple sentences. "Right," I murmured, clearing my throat. "I went to a bar, to drown my sorrows, that's where I found Johnny."
"Why'd you do that?"
"The whispers… they told me to hide— to go home. I just couldn't go back."
"Good work Johnny." The Detective glanced at him before continuing. "I'm guessing you want to know what the Id is?"
I nodded. "But more than that, I…" I trailed off for a moment, clenching my fist slightly, a silent rage started to burn inside. "Please help me."
"Don't worry, we will." He gestured to Johnny with his chin. "He'll be helping you."
I let out a sigh of relief, as if some of the pressure had been lifted from my shoulders. "Thank you…" Tears welled up, but I quickly wiped them away, making an effort to compose myself. "What is the Id?"
He rummaged in his pockets and retrieved a cigarette and lighter, taking a long drag. "You know the Resonance Collective?"
I nodded, "They were in my religious studies."
"Good. Well, the psychological wholeness and understanding they preach isn't exactly hogwash." He leaned against his desk, tapping out some ashes. "The Id is your desire, and your unconscious instinct. Luckily, you already resisted the initial push. Hallucinations like the whispers will try to convince you to give in." He gave me a serious look. "Don't do that."
"What if I do?"
"You'll become a different person, and your Icons will warp."
"Icons?"
My mind struggled to wrap around the information given to me as The Detective chuckled. A wry smile played on his lips as he examined me. "Think of it like a manifestation of your psyche. There are three common Icon forms: the Incarnation, the Externalization, and the Image. These three forms have three levels of stability and power: the Super-Ego, the Ego and the Id. Have you studied much history?"
"Some. Never my favorite subject."
"A shame." He shook his head softly. "Well, if you remember the tale of the ancient emperor Legonicus, he transformed into a monster, decimating the final battlefield of the Ten-Minute War. This was his Incarnation in its Id state."
Confusion churned my mind. "B-but I don't have any Icons."
He nodded. "Not yet. That's why we're trying to help you. Icons are rare, and dangerous."
A calm settled over me, reassured knowing that there was a price for what was bestowed. I frowned as the gears in my head began to turn. "Then… why does everyone here seem to be similar? All gray, I mean."
"You don't need to worry about that right now, but I'll humor you. It's a method that allows them to get weaker versions of my own Icons from my cerebrospinal fluid— my Cerberus; it's called Incorporation."
"Alright…" Frankly, it was all very overwhelming.
"Don't worry. Johnny will guide you through the relevant things." The Detective turned to Johnny. "I'd check with the Luminous Legion first. I heard from Freddy they were getting reports of missing pregnant women."
My ears perked up, a hint of desperation in my voice. "Really?"
He nodded, shooting me a glance. "Don't know specifics, that's why you two will check up on it."
"Sorry." I muttered.
Johnny patted me on the shoulder, looking to the Detective. "And if they make us meet with Vivianne?"
The Detective went silent for a moment, contemplating. "Just hear her out. If I need to owe her another favor…" he glanced up at me, the embers on the tip of his cigarette blazing white, "so be it."
"Vivianne… Venerated of Brilliance?" My eyes widened slightly, shocked at the prospect of meeting the head of a religion and member of the ruling council— the Lucidious.
The Detective nodded. "We're…" he trailed off, thinking, "friends."
A wellspring of emotions erupted in my heart, but one placating glance from the detective, and I felt myself calming down. "Thank you."
"It's nothing." He waved at me dismissively. "I… just hope you can get her back." His smile was weak, a deep sorrow radiating through his eyes.
I thought back to what Johnny said in the elevator, and in that moment, felt as if I understood this unfathomable man just a little bit more.
"Alright. Thank you, boss." He tipped his hat slightly. "We'll report back when we have information."
"Make sure to grab him something to defend himself on the way out. I've got a bad feeling about this one." The Detective meandered away, placing a hand under his chin as he examined the boards full of paper.
Johnny turned away, placing a gloved hand on my shoulder and guiding me toward the elevator. As the door shut, he gave me a nod. "Good work."
"I didn't do anything."
"Exactly." He smiled. "We'll stop by the weapons locker, make you presentable, then head toward Offering to talk with the Luminous Legion."