She tried to look into it, but it wasn't really something she could just look into.
(…Well, I suppose that should be obvious.)
Misaka Mikoto looked away from the PDA and sighed.
She had been trying to take classified information from the Bank, but the situation was different from usual. The security had been tightened quite a bit. The fact that they were at war was cropping up in places she hadn't expected at all.
That was just how valuable the information she was trying to get at was.
If the details of a mission were leaked out, a lot of people's lives would be at risk.
But she had managed to get some information.
She had been able to get a few things that weren't related to the war.
During the large-scale sports festival known as the Daihaseisai, Misaka Mikoto had watched Kamijou Touma's school compete. In other words, she knew the name of his school. She had checked the attendance records for the school and he hadn't been there since the day he had called her "from London".
When she checked the records further, she found out he had missed quite a few days even before that. He was definitely going to have to take supplementary lessons. It seemed very odd to her. Normally, there would have been some signs of him struggling in an attempt to prevent that from happening. It was just too weird that he hadn't been there a single time since that day.
That boy might really not be in Academy City.
If what he had said on the phone was true, he might not even be in Japan.
England was a good distance from Russia where the heart of the war was, but that was no proof that he wouldn't get caught up in the war. After all, the war was on a worldwide scale. Safe places were the exception. Academy City may have seemed peaceful, but that was because the ballistic missiles were being intercepted. Trying to find a "safe place" may have been hopeless.
(…What do I do? Do I try to go deeper for information because I know he's in a certain level of danger?)
Mikoto seriously started thinking about that, but then she gave a deep breath. She could tell her blood was rushing to her head. Even if she was going to attempt to hack in, she would certainly fail in that mental state. She decided to take a break and rest her head before trying again.
Mikoto switched the PDA over to the 1seg television.
Most of what was airing was news about the war. A lot of normal programming had been interrupted. Some variety programs were airing, but there was something awkward about them. They were avoiding the use of words that were related to war or would remind people of war.
Nothing showing would help her rest.
Mikoto started thinking it would be better to switch over to the browser and watch an internet show, but then her index finger operating the touchscreen froze.
The announcer on the news program was explaining the situation in the snowy Russia. There was no text saying it was a live broadcast, so the footage must have been taken a bit ago.
Someone could just barely be seen at the edge of the screen.
Who was that spiky haired boy who had a Gekota strap hanging out of his pants pocket?