Risk // Sebastian Sallow

Chapter 63: The Task

The walk to the MACUSA building was tense, our steps echoing in the quiet streets of the early morning as the two boys walked at a faster pace than I'd have liked.

As soon as we were through the doors, Sebastian left us to run off somewhere. He didn't say where.

So we stayed put for a moment.

"Are you alright, Ominis?" I asked him softly.

Ominis nodded, "Yes. I'm fine. Are you?"

"I'm alright. I more meant... with Lawson. He seems to mean a lot to you. Lawson told me you spend a lot of time together." I said, pressing Ominis gently to open up.

Ominis sighed, as if he needed a moment to gather his thoughts. "It's extremely complicated, Olive. I don't want Sebastian to think wrongly of me. Because I am absolutely committed to Anne and I always will be... but having Lawson around has made me the happiest I have been in years. Things feel natural with him and he is such a wonderful person. I really don't know what to do."

My eyes dragged down to his hand where he was spinning his wedding ring over and over on his left hand. He looked utterly exhausted.

"I can testify for Lawson. He is an incredible person and I don't blame you for feeling a pull towards him because we all do. I think if you talk to Sebastian, he'll be more understanding than you think."

Ominis' head lifted and a small smile drew across his face. "Thank you, Olive. You're right. I should and I will talk to Sebastian about this eventually. Complicated doesn't even begin to describe it."

Before our conversation could get any deeper, Sebastian returned. He didn't say anything, but the look on his face told us that something was wrong.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

Sebastian took a deep breath, "Dodds' boss wants to talk to you."

"Me?" I asked, my eyes widening.

"Yes. Now."

I felt a wave of anxiety wash over me as Sebastian led us towards a section of the building I hadn't been to before.

"Just in there, love." He said, pointing at a large, and quite frankly terrifying, door.

I inhaled sharply as I knocked on the door. A voice that I did not expect came from withing.

"Come in, Sallow."

I nudged the door open and stepped inside, feeling extremely overwhelmed but curious. The room was dimly lit and at the end of a long, imposing desk sat a woman, her features giving authority and power. Her hair was thick, curly, fiery red and untamed and her green eyes flickered in contrast with the tired lines adorning her freckly face. The plaque across her desk told me her name was Amelia Walters, the highest-ranking official in MACUSA.

"Please, sit." She gestured to a chair directly across from her and I sat and crossed my legs, tapping my fingers along the length of my skirt.

"Olive, firstly let me introduce myself. I'm Amelia Walters and I had the pleasure of being Samuel Dodds boss. I also wanted to apologise deeply for what happened."

"Th—thank you." I stuttered, feeling utterly overwhelmed.

"Dodds spoke very highly of you and I must say, I've been impressed with your dedication and performance in the field so far," Walters continued. "But we find ourselves in a difficult situation, and I need your cooperation to resolve it."

I nodded, my anxiety momentarily overridden by a sense of responsibility. "Of course. I'll do whatever I can to help."

She leaned forward, her piercing eyes locked onto mine. "The disappearance of Mr. Carr is deeply troubling. I believe it's connected to a larger issue within MACUSA, one that threatens the integrity of our organisation. I understand you were assigned to a case with Mr. Carr and Barnaby Harris?"