It was just a handful of words.

Not even directed specifically at him, even though it was just him and the Chancellor in the latter's office. But the way that they had been spoken, made idle and almost careless ㅡ it hadn't settled well in Fox's gut.

No, it'd brought forth the mess of what if that had followed, concern and paranoia clashing. The Chancellor, even for all his apparent omnipotence, couldn't have known. Could he?

Why else would he have said something like that? Why not in front of anyone else ㅡ why just him? He was being paranoid about nothing, Fox tried to tell himself. He prided himself on keeping anything and everything that had nothing to do with his duty or job away from it ㅡ so why did he feel so unsettled?

In the end, fear won out. At least to the degree that he found himself making the familiar trek to find them ㅡ just to be sure. He'd confirm that all was well, and then that would be that.

He hoped.