New Gods of North America.

Chapter 281 Investigation
"Wayne, I don't understand what you are talking about..."

Faced with Wayne's question, Macon Reeve quickly shrank his neck, avoiding Wayne's sight as if he did not dare to conflict with other students.

For such a situation,
Wayne, who has been following Uncle Benjamin, the sheriff, since he was a child, has a set of practical and effective methods of dealing with traffic -

"This is a copy of the charter granted to our detective agency by the church. It has my name and the signature of Bishop Corleone of Virginia. Believe me, no one in Virginia would easily copy such a thing."

Wayne unfolded the charter in front of Macon Reeve.
For a sheriff, there are usually only a few things that can help him gain the trust and cooperation of the public: police badges, wanted warrants, weapons and ammunition.

To persuade different types of people, you can choose to show different things.

"This……"

McCann Reeve's eyes immediately fell on the charter.

The text on the charter is not particularly long, but the unique format and complex patterns of church documents, as well as Wayne's name and signature at the end, may contain a lot of information.

In the light of the street lamp, Wayne saw Macon Reeve's expression change rapidly several times, and finally his temperament was fixed at a relatively calm and capable level.

"what do you want to do?"

Mackenzie Reeve asked, with no trace of alarm or panic on his face.

"I told you, this is a routine investigation."

Wayne still maintained a businesslike attitude:

"Virginia's management of the 'fallen' is entirely based on maintaining the stability of the parish.

"But on this basis, the church will still proceed from the perspective of 'salvation' and respect the basic rights and personal wishes of the 'fallen'. This is also what the bishop meant."

This "McChan Reeve" obviously looked at the contents of the charter more carefully.
After a while, he asked the question again:

"What do you want to know?"

……

Wayne had no idea how he became such a popular figure in the dormitory.
Responding to everyone's greetings along the way, Wayne brought McCann Reeve to his dormitory.

"As a student of the academy and a private investigator with the church's authorization, I have the obligation to assist the church in understanding whether students with the status of 'fallen persons' have been excessively influenced and interfered with in their lives.

"McCann, what do you think of the college chapel and Reverend Pycelle?"

Mackenzie Reeve sat on the chair that Wayne had pulled over and answered appropriately:
"Reverend Pycelle is a respectable elder. He told me a lot about the details of the church's management of the fallen, and reminded me that I must abide by them. Objectively speaking, although Virginia's requirements in this regard are very detailed and cumbersome, the clergy of the church are very kind."

Wayne pretended to take notes seriously at his desk. "Will the church in the college ask you to help supervise other 'fallen' students?"

"No. Reverend Pycelle has promised that our identities will be kept strictly confidential. As long as we do not violate the management regulations, the church will provide us with shelter and keep it confidential." Macon Reeve replied.

Wayne did not comment on this. "Besides the clergy of the college church and me, has anyone ever indicated that he knows your identity as a 'fallen person'?"

Mackenzie Reeve shook his head. "No."

"What are your abilities?"

Wayne asked as he threw a kernel of corn over, which immediately exploded into "corn crumbs" in mid-air. "As you can see, this is my ability. I am also a 'fallen one.'"

Macken Reeve thought for a moment, then shook his head again:

"Reverend Pycelle once asked me a similar question, but I don't have any abilities. He thought I was just an ordinary 'contaminated' and not yet at the level of being able to use abilities."

It seems that the degree to which you have been polluted is indeed quite serious... My "little friends" are almost as polluted as America.

Wayne complained in his mind, and then felt that the situation was not what he expected:
"Will the college's chapel assign you some extra tasks? What do you usually do when you report to the chapel?"

Macken Reeve thought for a moment and said, "Reverend Pycelle only asks me to abide by the church's regulations and doesn't ask me to do anything else.

"As for reporting to the church... In addition to attending church services, I only need to go to the church once a week to report my schedule for the previous week and the next week. I am not allowed to leave George Berg without permission, and then take the medicine to stabilize my condition. That's basically it."

Well……

Wayne bit the tip of his pen and thought for a while:
“Our investigation needs to be kept confidential during the process. The local church will not be informed until the investigation report is completed. We hope you will not tell anyone else about our routine investigation.

"At the same time, I hope you can help us complete one thing. Can you keep some of the potion that Reverend Pycelle asked you to take regularly for me in secret? This is also a routine part of the routine investigation."

Macken Reeve was slightly stunned. "But Reverend Pycelle always asks me to finish the drink and emphasizes that I must take enough..."

"Of course," Wayne smiled, "Reverend Pycelle should be thinking about you. But in order to ensure safety, the church usually reserves a safety margin. Leaving a little for inspection will not have any adverse effects."

"Okay, I'll try my best."

Watching Mackenzie Reeve leave,

Wayne was a little confused.

Judging from the preliminary investigation tonight, some of the information Seth Grayson said was confirmed, but some of it was not consistent.

The college's church does privately control the "fallen", but judging from the statements of Luke Matthew and Mackenzie Reeve, Reverend Pycelle's behavior does not seem to be too "over the line".

If the "oppression" is not strong enough, the "resistance" will naturally not be strong enough.

Could it be that Seth Grayson is the "bait" released by someone?
In line with the principle of "trust your people when you employ them", the only breakthrough Wayne could think of at the moment was to focus on Pastor Pycelle:
If the church does not take the initiative to investigate the students and professors in the college,

Then there should be at least one person in the academy's church who can detect extraordinary people, or some extraordinary items and strange methods.

And if Reverend Pycelle is indeed connected to the Hidden Order,

Then the medicine mentioned by Luke Matthews and Mackenzie Reeve may be worthy of attention - especially since it involves Cohen Pharmaceuticals, which is related to the School of Life.

As Wayne thought this, he walked to the window and opened it for ventilation.

It was already completely dark, and the lighting outside depended entirely on street lamps and the light from buildings.
An owl flew silently past the dormitory.

Wayne felt that the owl looked a little familiar, so he tried to wave to the passing owl.

Is this Doug's return?
The owl noticed the movement from Wayne's side and turned its head in mid-air to look over. Its big round eyes seemed to be untainted by any wisdom.
Then it opened its eyes wide and looked at Wayne, as if it recognized him, and at the same time it stretched out its wings as if it wanted to "brake".
Then he ran headfirst into the canopy of the big shade tree next to the dormitory...

(End of this chapter)