LYRIC
“Thank you” I whimpered, and he pulled me into a hug.
After a while, we disengaged as he stated an important point. “First things first, you have to stay was super glad when you told me about the job at TCH, but you can’t keep drawing attention to you by doing things others as hidden as possible, Ly. I can’t
My heart sank. I’d seen this coming. I just didn’t think I’d really hear of it.
“Only Siphons can do things others can’t. And if you keep doing this, you’ll draw attention to you until someone who knows what you are, figures you out. It won’t also be long when the Executioners find you. You have to avoid trouble as much as you can. Alright?”
I sniffled as I nodded. It was going to be so hard. And here I was, happy that I’d gotten a job and I was going to save lives. How unfortunate that my gift turned out to be a curse,
**********
JARIS
I should have been here yesterday. But due to unforeseen circumstances, my trip was delayed.
I walked into the Central Palace and met with Luca at the entrance. He was happy to have me there and led me in with some other men that had been waiting.
We talked about a little on our way until we reached the prison gates where the men from the delivery agency were locked up.
The men looked pale and exhausted, and they shifted on their asses when they saw me.
“Which of them is the Manager?” I asked Luca while I kept my gaze on the men.
“The one at the far end.” Luca pointed at him.
“Bring him to the interrogation room.”
I did not miss the fear that crossed the man’s face. He must feel like the most unluckiest man in the world.
I walked away to the interrogation room, and seconds later, the large man was brought in to me.
He was placed on the chair opposite mine, although I was standing. I intended to make this quick.
“Now, listen,” I rolled up my sleeves. “I intend to make this as quick as possible. You’re human, which means it’d be more than easy to break you. I don’t even have to do much, and there’s a high tendency you might not survive it.”
The large man shuddered uncomfortably in his seat. He looked like someone that was bossy on a normal day, yet here he was, chained and trembling in the presence of another.
Quite pathetic.
“Please, we’ve told them everything we know. Honestly, if I could turn back the hands of time, I never would’ve given that cocksucker a job.” He was angry as much as he was scared.
“Which brings us to the question,” now, I took my seat. “When you were leaving, didn’t you notice you were short of one member? I don’t know about you, but I find it too convenient for that young man that none of you noticed he was missing.”
“We–We did. But not at the moment. We didn’t notice he was missing from the truck before we left, we only did when we had hit the road.”
I waited for him to continue. “And?”
“I’m–I’m sorry, it may sound unprofessional, but I decided not to care. We thought, maybe, he must’ve been in a restroo when we left and was stuck behind. But we figured he’d find his way out.”
I nodded, despite the rage seething in my blood. If only they’d made sure. We wouldn’t be here.
“Like I said,” I tsked. “Too convenient for him.”
I started with the torture, dragging some ugly cries out of him. But he didn’t release any more information.
It took him passing out to get me to stop, then I realized he was telling the truth. It also made sense because they were a big agency. They wouldn’t intentionally help someone kill the King and not toy to run, at least. They must have been used.
Successfully unlocked! Besides, an assassin with a mission as powertas that would be smart enough to deceive people like that.
“So, what do we do next?” Luca asked as we both walked out of the interrogation room. “If we can’t get the answers out of these guys, the murderer will go scoff free.”
I was still bothered about something else. How did the assassin leave the palace?
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I stopped walking and turned to him. “Can I watch the footage again? I need to check something.”
A few minutes later, I was seated in the security office, going through all the footage surrounding the time of the King’s death.
The assassin never came to the Palace until he did with those men.
So, how did he leave?
I had a hint.
I went to the footage of the day of the King’s funeral. I checked the surroundings. It took me a long time, but in the end, I got my answer.
“There he is!” Luca exclaimed beside me. “The asshole left during the funeral! When everyone was distracted and away from the Palace.”
I glanced at him in surprise, Luca was a sixty year old man who had always been modest. Hearing him use words like ‘ asshole‘ was new to me.
In the footage, the assassin knew he stood a higher chance being caught if he tried to leave right after he murdered the king. So, he hid around somewhere in the Palace while nobody suspected there was even in an assassin in the house.
Then, he waited for the day of the funeral when everyone’s attention was at the funeral hall. It was easier sneaking out then. The son of a bitch knew what he was doing.
“He must have been feeding and drinking during his stay here,” I murmured as I watched more footage.
Unfortunately, there were no cameras inside the main palace. King Thaddeus always felt like it was an invasion of privacy. So, only the surroundings had cameras to see who goes in and out.
“Do you think someone might have been feeding him? Helping him?” Luca asked.
“Possibly. Or late at night, he’d crawl to the kitchen to steal food.”
I clenched my jaw as I studied him climb out the fence on the funeral night. He was still very careful to protect his face
from the camera.
“I have a feeling this guy must have had some sort of experience about the Palace,” Luca said the exact words I had in mind. “The way he knew where the cameras were supposed to be, where to hide without being seen, and how to get food and drinks. A novice within these walls would’ve been caught. This guy must be something else.”
I nodded in agreement. Luca had never been more accurate.
Our assassin was no stranger within these walls. So, there was a good chance King Thaddeus had been staring into the familiar face of his assassin when he got killed.
Luca and I spoke some more on the topic, deciding to carry out more investigations and sweep the city for our guy.
When I left and was in the backseat of my car, headed home, I made a call I hadn’t made in years. A call that was always unnerved me whenever I had to make it.
The issue of the assassin and how familiar he looked was making me uneasy. I just needed to be very sure.
The woman picked up when the call was about to end. “Alpha Jaris. Greetings.”
As always, her tone was clipped.
“Margaret. You know why I’m calling. Is he still there?” I demanded.
“Yes, of course. He’s still locked up and asleep.” After a heartbeat, she added; “you know you have nothing to worry about Your brother is not getting out of here.”
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