"......hmmmm." Hal muttered.

"Well, what I am is a closely guarded secret, as you know." he said.

"And I generally don't make it a point to tell anyone what I am." he went on. "If they figure it out, then that's good on them." he continued.

"However, the two most prominent wish-granting entities of this world are genies and djinns." he then informed her.

"And I'll say it right now, I am NOT a genie."

"No." Hal replied.

"Go and do what you need to do." he said.

"But one last thing." he then said further.

"Whatever you've learned or inferred from what you've heard here... do not spread it around, if you place." he told her.

"Nothing needs to be spread about."

Jake looked over towards her, narrowing his eyes a little.

"Maybe." he replied.

"Maybe not." he said.

"I'm not at liberty to tell you." he told her.

"And even if I was, I wonder if I should." he continued.

"You look ready to go feral at any point."

Aedan had pounced, but Jake was ready. As soon as he heard the footsteps, he had made swift plans. Using his natural speed, and the closest wall as a launching pad, he essentially tackled Sierra out of the way.

The landed in a bit of a heap in the corner, and Jake immediately whisked Sierra back to the security desk.

"That was close, Sierra." he muttered.

"You were almost toast there." he told her.

Jake was silent for a moment, his tongue darting out a couple of times... before he froze again, briefly.

"Sierra." he said.

"I am under Agent Sharp's orders to keep you safe from Aedan." he told her.

Then, before she had a chance to react, he swiftly brought out a special pair of restrictor cuffs, and cuffed her hands behind her back. They weren't pinned together, but she was unable to bring them around to her front. And they restricted her abilties, making her 'solid' for however long they were on.

"...and I am under orders to not let you leave this building." he added, before making sure the doors to the outside were locked.

"Aedan, CALM DOWN." he then barked to the zombie.

"This isn't what it seems!"

"......." Jake was silent as he heard that.

"I..." he stammered.

He then looked at Sierra, and narrowed his eyes a little.

"Sierra." he said.

"Is that true?" he asked her.

He had a feeling that he knew what the answer would be, and it wouldn't surprise him, but he had to ask her. Not that it would change anything.

He knew he'd be fighting Aedan if nobody intervened soon.

Jake's eyes widened when Sierra said that about Aedan.

"....." he was silent, before growling slightly.

"That is enough." he told her.

He then looked at Aedan, and narrowed his eyes.

"And YOU." he addressed her.

"Tell me... is there ANY way to end this without resorting to violence?" he asked the zombie. "Because I WILL fight you if need be, Aedan." he told her.

'...for however long I can...' he added mentally.

Jake just gritted his teeth and pushed Sierra out of the way, making sure she was well out of the danger zone, but still couldn't try and sneak away.

He then sighed, shook his head, and used the button to remotely unlock the door.

As soon as he did so, Aedan came rushing in, and he prepared for what she was about to do. The first lunge was simple enough to dodge, and he grabbed her arm and threw her against a nearby wall.

"AEDAN! Get ahold of yourself!" he shouted, trying to get her to somehow see reason.

Jake DID get in the way, and tackled Aedan to the wall again, causing them both to land in a heap. He then used his legs to violently push her off of him, and tried to pin her to the floor.

"STOP IT!" he yelled. "Stop this NOW!" he told her.

"What good will doing this be!?" he exclaimed.

"What happens after you kill her!? What then!?"

Jake was too stunned to properly react, but something happened.

An instinct. A capability he'd almost forgotten he had.

He opened his mouth, the colour in his eyes flared up for a second, and he spat at her.

However, it seemed to come from a hidden sac in his throat, and what came out wasn't saliva. It was a sticky substance meant to irritate and temporarily blind the victim.