Sitting here with the wennies, I was once again reminded why we hated them. Why I hated them.
The usual arrogance towards us, the inefficient and slow system, the smell of cheap cologne. Gosh do they all fucking bathe with this, it doesn’t make any sense. Deciding to not hide my contempt anymore, I covered my nose with a handkerchief and scowled at the guy sitting next to me.
Fucking bastards think they are better than us just cause they were instated by the previous emperor.
“Who are you glaring at sonny? Thinking yourself better than us just cause you can’t die? Well, that didn’t work with your captain now, did it? Make enough enemies and even your ‘lord’ won’t be able to save you.” He commented with a sneer plastered on his face.
‘Oh this fat fuck is asking for it - ‘
‘Hahhh calm down, calm down…. my emotions don’t control me…. my emotions don’t control me….’
Chanting the Inquisition mantra, I closed my eyes ( I couldn’t do it while looking at my company, it’s just not possible) and focused on my emotions, trying to get them under control.
It’s not that I wasn’t good at it, but today…… the day was not giving me a pause and I was hardly able to keep myself working.
Starting with a not-so-easy raid, as much as we like to show the world it was an easy job, it was not. An official raid doesn’t just include fighting villains and being done with it. No! It was just as much paperwork as well. Submitting a detailed list of evidence we have regarding the raid site to both the church and the governor with signs of all the participants in case of any falsehood in our evidence and the raiding site turned out to be innocent. Then the worst part of the day, calling the wennies to be on guard and ready to be called for reinforcement as soon as things went south.
Then hours of scouting in the midday to ensure nothing deviates from the original information given by the spies. And only then does the supposed raid start. Not that it was any much of an easier job. Then sweeping through the whole site looking for anything we could find of help in the future. Even that proves to be useless sometimes as it turns out to be just a dead end.
And today when I finally thought I can retire, Morgan committed suicide, not that it was his fault, but damn is it testing my limits. But I still suppressed it knowing it was not the time to whine and continued with the investigation and further interviews. And now I get to know even Captain is missing!
Even fucking captain is missing!! What does this mean? This can only mean one thing!
Someone is targeting us. Someone who doesn’t care about our supposed immortality and is sadistic enough to be satisfied with inflicting as much pain as he can. Or….. someone has finally found a way to bypass our immortality and kill us for real!
The thought was alarming as much as it was shocking, but I didn’t believe in it too much myself. Not to mention going around the methods of Aurinko, if such a method really existed, then Ozart didn’t have the high enough reputation or level, nor was our team high enough in the hierarchy to reveal such a groundbreaking method on and alert the whole empire and beyond.
You’d imagine something like this to be used on the pope if they had to deal a blow.
And judging by how the telegram didn’t mention anything about Morgan’s inability to regenerate, it was very likely he was already healing.
But even after everything the day threw at me, now it wants me to stay a night with the wennies. A full night….with….wennies.
‘NOOOOOOOOO! This is too much for a day!! I wanna get out of here!!!’
‘No you can’t, don’t let your emotions run unchecked, you know clearly that it’s dangerous out there so stop with this miscreant behavior.’
I sat near the desk with my hand covering my eyes and half of my face, I struggled within myself, indecisive on my decision to run away out of sheer frustration, which honestly sounded pretty stupid. Or act logically and spend the night as quietly as I can, lest I paint a target on my back in the police office.
While I fought against myself, I caught the presence of two officers walking towards us with a paper in their hand and a not-so-good smile on their faces.
‘I swear to god if this is another bad news I’ll start crying’
‘No you won’t, just shut up and listen first.’
They walked over to the lieutenant sitting in front of me, and one of them handed him the paper and whispered something in his ears. All I caught were words like ’Secure’….’ Room’…..
Oh no….
Dreading what I knew was coming, I looked at the captain with just a tiny shimmer of hope. Maybe I had heard wrong. Maybe the lieutenant was not such a bad person and would decide not to be so excessive. Maybe….
“I have good news sonny, captain’s orders. He has ordered to protect you properly and hence you’ll be residing in the interview rooms with two men stationed outside at all times in regular shifts with the other two. You’ll be provided with a bed, food, and water, and you can use the washroom two times in the whole night but my other two men will follow you in the washroom to ensure your safety.
“That’ll be all from my side, hope you have a pleasant stay at our station.” with a so-gentle smile, the lieutenant patted my back and gestured at his two men before walking away from the station to the carriage that was waiting for him outside.
“Please follow us, sir”
With that, they showed me the way to my new impromptu bedroom as I walked with a solemn gaze, but internally? Internally I was at my wits end and almost going crazy from everything around me. All I ever wanted after this stressful day was a nice hot shower and a good night’s sleep in my bed, just one thing!
‘It’s so unfair!!! Ahhh I’ll so fucking wrangle that fatty the next time I see him’
‘You’re not doing any such thing! Behave yourself, things could’ve been much worse. Be glad they didn’t go overboard.’
‘Shut up shut up shut up!! If this isn’t overboard, then I’ll wrangle myself with my intestine till it heals’
Of course he knew they didn’t go overboard, it was a still good enough arrangement knowing their relationship. But knowing it and admitting it in my current mood was just impossible. I’d prefer to keep the wennies as my fictional villain for now, maybe tomorrow I’ll start thinking logically again.
Eventually, I reached a brightly lit hallway and found myself in front of a metallic door. Sighing one more time as my two guards opened the door for me, they were still below me rank-wise and were obliged to show respect at least in front of me, I peered inside and found myself staring at a small room with a single lantern on the table which was pushed to the side of the room with the two chairs to make way for my magnificent bed at the center.
Oh how beautiful and comfortable the two-inch thick mattress with an even more magnificent deformed pillow and the cream of the crop, the thin blanket with a small hole looked.
Giving my bodyguards one last look, which they tactfully avoided, I stepped into my room and gave it a good look from the inside. It was a very plain room but the walls looked thick and it did look pretty safe. There were no windows for obvious reasons and they were actually nice enough to give me food and water.
Picking the plate from the plate and looking at it carefully under the lantern, I found out it was porridge.
And it was cold.
They might as well drop the pretense at this point, I’m totally in for going to a full-blown war with them right now.
‘Who the fuck serves cold porridge!! That’s so unnecessarily evil!’
‘Are you already forgetting the incident from 3 months ago? Stop being a hypocrite and just go to sleep. You’ve already had food.’
‘Ugh, fine. I could have lived without remembering the first part you know’
Putting the plate back on the table, I picked up the glass of water covered with a coaster. Drinking half of the water in the glass, I finally gained a resemblance of sanity back to me.
Deciding it was better to sleep before I argue with myself again, I hung my coat on the chair, took out my holster and kept it on the table too, and took off my shoes before lying down on the bed. Oh and my bed had no frame, it was just the mattress lying on the floor. Sweet prison life!
----------------------------------------
“Wake up!”
Thud Thud
“Wake up sonny, your partners are here to take you away.”
‘Ugh is it finally over?’
Opening my eyes I slowly came back to reality as I groaned in pain from sleeping on the hard ‘bed’. It was honestly hard to fall asleep after yesterday. The bed was the last thing on my mind, we were trained to be better than that, but the incidents kept playing in my head like a phonograph, dousing me with a heavy dose of insomnia. When I fell asleep was beyond me.
“Coming lieutenant, it’s so lovely to have heard your chipper voice the first thing in the morning. Wait a second, let me make it even better by meeting you first thing in the morning” I remarked, withholding any attempts to hide the sarcasm from my voice.
“Haha, you sound like my wife. Get out quickly now, I don’t have the whole day” the lieutenant laughed with a snort as he replied.
‘Pig’ shaking my head, I got to my feet and instantly felt my back tighten as the pain hit me once more.
Not minding it and the lieutenant waiting outside anymore, I donned my coat and put on my shoes, drank the remaining water in the glass, and leafing a hand through my hair, I was ready to get out.
Opening the door felt cathartic. As if I was finally free.
Looking at the lieutenant not so much.
“Oh my lieutenant, you look even better in the morning. Did you put on some foundation?”
“Hmph, only the one you dropped yesterday. Let’s just get it done with. I don’t want my station to be infected by your presence even more” With that he turned around and walked away with ‘my’ two bodyguards, gesturing me to follow.
‘Ah, now that I think about it, should’ve taken those two washroom breaks. Just to annoy them if nothing.’
Feeling a tinge of regret, I quickly reined it in and followed.
Very quickly I saw my two partners sitting on the bench near the station gate and I never felt happier looking at them than I did today. Even the white morlock hair of Matheo can’t dampen my mood today. But I knew better to keep my emotions in check right now. Things are dire outside and I have no idea what’s the current situation. Getting up to date on captain’s current status is more important.
Seeing me coming, they stood up and nodded at me after seeing I was perfectly fine.
“That will be all lieutenant, you have our thanks for keeping our colleague safe the whole night.” Matheo spoke to the guy with a perfunctory smile while extending his hand for a shake.
“Just doing what I was ordered to, no need to thank me” The lieutenant looked at the outstretched hand for a moment, probably mulling over leaving it hanging but decided to not stoop so low and show basic courtesy and hence shook the hand exaggeratedly.
“Let’s go, Oliver, Matheo” interjected Juliana from the side and nodded at the lieutenant who let go of Matheo’s hand at that moment.
While walking out, I suddenly felt this emptiness within me, like I was missing something very integral to my being. So I turned around, looked the lieutenant dead in the eye, gathered every inch of solemness in my expression, and said “It’s been a pleasure lieutenant, let’s not meet until you start your dieting”
The poor guy stunned for a second took the second to process what was said to him and then with a sneer returned “You’ve been a chipper yourself, now don’t stay in my station for another second lest I miss you too much to book a cell for you.”
“Sure sure” Waving my hand behind me, I walked out of the station and seated myself on the carriage waiting for me.
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
“Church St. Block 2” Matheo instructed the driver and closed the small window behind him. It was time to get serious again.
“How have you been?” Juliana started with a concern.
“I’m fine, just a little shaken maybe. It wasn’t that bad in there. I guess even they understood the gravity of the situation to make things difficult.” I replied seeing no need to fuel the fire when it can be safely doused. Even my back was already fine due to the blessings.
“What’s the situation on your side? Anything happened during the night watch? And what about the captain? How did Aidan handle the situation after captain’s disappearance? And how did he come to know of his disappearance?” I fired a few of my own questions the moment I got the chance since staying ignorant was honestly eating me alive and I needed to know some things.
As for why Aidan? He is the interim captain in the absence of captain.
“Nothing happened at the office during the night watch. Around 11 pm we got Aidan’s telegram that captain had gone missing and to be alert. So we quickly got Old Kai and Benson in the safe room and patrolled the station at regular intervals together. To call it a stressful night is an understatement. But thankfully nothing or no one came for us.
“As for captain, as of right now, we have no clues or evidence about where he might have been kidnapped or who might have done so, all we have are guesses and I’m sure you might have thought some yourself” Juliana detailed me while probing my ideas.
Oh I did have some. What else was I supposed to do in the ‘jail’?
“Honestly there are many options and there’s no way of knowing by certainty. It could be the devil preachers we caught last month, if I remember correctly, we found evidence of a much larger group behind them and they could be taking revenge on us now for the troubles we have given them over the years.
“Or it could even be the Hunters, those psychedelic fools who imagine church to be a den of souls and the devotee to be souls for poaching sounds like someone who will be crazy enough to hunt us for our ’souls’.
“Or maybe even Distant lights who believe in the existence of life outside the world. They’ve always had a distant and cold attitude towards life.
“But honestly, after thinking over it the last night for hours, I have my high suspicion for the Kuumainen Brethren!
“Not only have we been after them for years, but also we’ve raided them just yesterday. And if we look at the sentence on the card, ‘How long can you stay awake?’, it sends a direct reference to the shift of day as Kuu takes over the land and we sleep. It sounds like a direct challenge to Aurinko’s authority if it is one.” I listed out some of my theories as I continued to brainstorm.
“We came to the same conclusion, and are still looking for more evidence and any signs of captain before focusing our efforts in a specific manner. Currently we are keeping a general protocol into looking for the perpetrators. But personally, I believe in it being the work of the brethren as well. Not only cause they’ve remained an enigma to us till this day, but also cause they are the only ones with enough resources and connections worldwide to go against the church. Not to mention a need to go against Aurinko.” Matheo voiced his personal opinions enforcing my own.
“Yes, but it still leaves a few holes to fill in, like why now? They’ve remained a really silent organization for nearly a millennia now with the most active being the low-level personnel, so why suddenly get involved now? Not only will it give us more information to work with, but we might also finally be able to lock onto their higher ranks and uproot their methods of concealment.
“Not to mention, the note could have been written that way to confuse us and focus our search on the brethren. There’s no honor or validity to the words of a thief and we’d be fools to blindly believe them” Juliana added, voicing her doubts about our claims and the holes in our assumptions.
“Hmm, nothing’s certain and everything’s hidden behind a haze right now. Hopefully finding captain will shed some light on this case. At the very least give us a direction.
“Please continue from where you left.” I nodded at Juliana to continue on about captain’s disappearance.
“All I have is an account from Vincent, so you might have to ask him personally if you want more details. But after around 30 minutes of your departure, they noticed that captain was still not back. The walk to the telegram office took maybe around 10 minutes at max, but even when accounting for the time it took to draw the telegram, he was still missing for more than 15 minutes so Aidan decided that a team needed to go investigate what has happened.
“So he split the team in two, with Vincent and Martin remaining behind to guard the scene and others, while he and Aline retraced the path to the telegraph office.
“While they were walking they they didn’t encounter any material proof, but they certainly felt the distinct smell of rotten boots.”
“The suicide gas!” I exclaimed
“Yes! We believe in his struggle, knowing he had no chance of victory, decided to use the gas as a last-ditch effort knowing he’d survive.
“But I guess the kidnappers were prepared and came with the antidote administered since you know even poison masks won’t work against deoxin unless they fought wearing lead armor which I assume would’ve alerted quite many streets.” Matheo added from the side, despite his remark I can he’s having trouble believing what he’s saying.
“How could they have antidote to that? It’s been a special recipe and a secret of the order and church for years and never went public.” Saying that I narrowed my eyes at the duo. The possibility of a traitor. Or more than one didn’t look low at this moment and it was hard to grasp who was I talking to. A friend, or a foe?
They didn’t reproach me for my vigilance as I’ve noticed they were pretty vigilant against me from the start as well. It was natural, but we wouldn’t get any work done if we kept doubting everyone. The only thing we could do was to ensure our personal safety and hope for no one among us to be the rat.
“Hahhh, it’s just a giant headache. What happened after that?” I asked Juliana, already deciding to have the story checked by few others in the office.
“After that Aidan and Aline moved to the telegram office as quickly as they could, asked about captain, and on finding a negative answer sent several telegrams themself. First to the church, detailing the incident with Morgan and Captain as briefly as he can and requesting medical help.
“Then he sent one to the Major of the police station at Church St. to send for reinforcements.
“And the last to us before returning to the scene.”
Hmmm
Aidan really handled the situation with a finesse if I have to say. Maintaining firm control over the situation in those circumstances must have been grueling.
After hearing all that, both of them quietened down and gave me the time to process everything and internalize the new situation.
’The Secure room feels like a vacation now. Should’ve taken up lieutenant on his offer’
But I know that’s not possible, not only will my pride not let me sit like that, but if there’s someone with enough connections to get the secret of Inquisition out, then invading the police station to murder me and kidnap me in my sleep doesn’t sound that hard either.
‘Ah ropes, the bane of immortals’
“Hahhh let’s just hope we find captain as soon as possible and get somewhere in this case, in the meantime it might be wise for us to remain at the office. Better if we live in our separate cabins for a few days.” I suggested. The last part being more important. As much as discretion was important in this case, staying together was even more important. Unless we wanna be picked out one by one.
The other two nodded and kept quiet. The rest of the journey passed in relative silence as we looked outside the windows, stuck in our minds.
Finally, after another 20 minutes of the ride, we reached the office. It was a three-storied building colored in pale yellow and red stripes with one floor being underground for the evidence room and dossier. As soon as I entered, I saw everyone sitting around a table, either on chairs or couches, in the reception area bouncing ideas and arguing over what to do next.
Hearing the opening of the door, they all quietened down and looked at us. Especially me. Scrutinizing me with a judging eye. I don’t know why I was the center of the mistrust - ohhh wait….
‘It’s because I went away at the same time as captain, and I was also the last one to stay with Morgan….. looks like I walked myself into that one.’
But I still didn’t like the judge in their eyes and so I went and calmly sat on the couch beside Martin. Their eyes followed my movements and after a minute more of scrutinizing, they cast a look at Matheo and Juliana who nodded their heads. With that gesture, I can see many of them relaxing a little and their shoulders slumping but still keeping a basic vigilance.
“How was the police station? Did they do anything to you?” Aidan asked after confirming the situation.
“It was fine, they were considerate enough. How is Morgan? Still not up yet?”
“No, but his healing started hours ago and the medic from the church has been down there with him to ensure his body heals in the perfect state and not….. disorganized. He must be close to finish and gain consciousness in another few hours. Most of the damage would be mental trauma so he might take some time to get up.”
“Hmm, well I guess it could’ve been worse. As long he wakes up in due time. All of a sudden we have too much and almost understaffed, not to mention finding why Morgan did what he did might give us a clue too.”
“I just hope…. he wouldn’t do something like that again after waking up.” Aline reminded everyone, that this might not be the last time.
“I think we should strap him to his bed and question him a little to judge if he’s harmless before letting his loose” Vincent suggested from the side.
“I was thinking the same, but something not so…. savage. Remember he has just died and might not be mentally stable, and we should try not to agitate him. Let’s just be there and be ready to take action in case he plans to do something. Seven of us should be able to do something like this” Martin commented from the side, taking a softer approach.
“I concur”
“I concur”
“Me too”
Everyone agreed with the suggestion and even Vincent after some thinking agreed to take a softer approach at first.
“We shall do that then. The current big issue is on how to find captain and where to start from honestly. We have employed the police force to look through the streets while contacting both our and their sources in the various organizations to find any clue about their involvement secretly.
“I have also sent a telegram to the church requesting backup from Inquisition of other cities. Especially members who are better at this detective work. Oliver I’ll leave you to coordinate with them. Aline will help you.” Aidan showing his decisiveness arranged plans for future investigation.
“Well, I think that’s it for right now. Everyone must be tired from last night, so go take a good nap for the next few hours. The reinforcement won’t be arriving until 5 hours from now, so be mindful of how you use that time.
“Oliver, I assume you had a proper sleep back at the station, so you’ll keep guard for now. I’ll write a telegram for two constables to be sent from the nearest station to help you.” Handling me with more work, Aidan finally closed the meeting.
Honestly, I expected more work after ‘slacking’ last night, and I don’t mind it too much. Gives me the peace of mind in a familiar place I yearned for since yesterday.
Knock Knock
Just as we got up and were about to head to our cabins, and me to the reception desk, we were stopped by a knock on the door.
Exchanging glances and finding caution in them, we simultaneously moved to strategic positions to deal with any kind of situation while Aidan went to open the doors.
“Who’s out there?” Aidan shouted from behind the door.
“It’s from the mayor’s office. I’m his assistant.” A voice shouted back.
‘Mayor’s office? Why is he getting involved in it?’
“What does the mayor have to say at this hour and without any prior arrangements? He could’ve telegrammed us if he wanted something.” Aidan shouted back, confirming the authenticity of the claim. In fact the mayor is a very random man. And often likes to send his men with some of his armor-clad bodyguards with his messages instead of telegram.
I believe it’s a show of power and makes him feel important.
So him sending his assistant is not weird, but he also dislikes getting involved in things he was not asked of.
“The mayor believes he has a clue to your recent case and would like to help the Inquisition and hence the church for a favor.” The man responded. Now that…. that's something he can do. But how does he have the evidence already? Before us? Before everyone? Isn’t it too coincidental?
Looking at the perplexed frowning faces of others, I believe I’m not the only one to have thought of that.
“I’m not doubting the sincerity of the mayor, but I’d like proof of the authenticity of your origins. Please pass the ‘Authority Token’ through the gap of the door to ease our worries”
“You mean the ‘Dispatch token’. Just a second.” With a chuckle, the man sent a purple token with golden rims and a black crow engraved on it.
Looking at the token, Aidan considered it for a moment but decided to pick it up eventually and examine it thoroughly before passing it to us for another round of examination.
Actually what Aidan asked earlier was a double test. It was known that the mayor always uses a ‘Dispatch token’ in these cases and an ‘Authority token’ only in cases when he has to take urgent control over a region or place. Which is impossible to do to us.
So if the assistant had actually produced an ‘Authority Token’, his claims would instantly be under suspicion.
After making a full circle among the group and no one finding a fault in it, we had to believe it was as genuine as they came. Thus Aidan finally opened the doors and we met a thin man with a bony face wearing a grey suit and coat, a bowler hat, and a cane in his hand while holding a scroll in his other.
“Greetings gentlemen and ladies” He gave us a small bow and entered the office under Adian’s lead.
“I won’t take much of your time as I know how stressful the current situation must have been for all of you. Let me give you the evidence first,” the man put his cane to the side and put his hand in the inner pockets of his coat looking for the item, and finally took something out. It was a pen.
It was a red pen!
……what? That’s it?
“This should be the pen with which the threat card must’ve been written on your teammate’s corpse. We found this near one of the trash cans after employing some of our best men” the assistant said with the most professional smile.
For a second no one said anything, digesting the….. crucial evidence. Did the mayor really give us a pen? Did he really? Really??
“What the fuck is this!!!! Does the mayor think we have free time to play with his antics? He must gotten too comfortable on his position if he thinks such pranks are hilarious!!” It was finally Vincent who snapped.
We didn’t say much, but we also looked at him with a glare. But even under our combined hostility, he still kept his smile and said with a giggle “Of course not, let me read this scroll before you get any angrier”
Opening the scroll he read, but why does he look a little…. extra glow-y?
“Dear Inquisition and the Hoita Elysium, greetings from an old friend.
“I know you must be confused and possibly furious about the evidence, which is very understandable. But…. I’m as helpless as you are.
“It’s been so many years, and yet we are so distant. Please take this as a gift of my generosity and my newfound understanding. I’ve finally understood what made you, you. But…. I’m still helpless.”
Wait…. something doesn’t feel right. His smile also…. why does it look exaggerated?
“My commitment to my people. To educate them, to organize them properly, to show them the truth and the way forward. But…. I’m helpless.
“How am I supposed to do that when there are so many obstacles in the way? So many officers, so many protocols, so many…. Inquisitors. But….. I was helpless before.”
Bang Bang
Without waiting for him to finish his speech, we fired at him without a moment’s notice. The guy…. He was mad if he thought we’d let him finish whatever it was. There was clearly something wrong, and if the mayor was compromised then….
“I was helpless, oh I to- cough took so long. So much research, so many resources. But finally..... I’m not helpless.”
Even after being blasted by at least 10 bullets, the man was still not dead and talking with an exaggerated smile and crimson blood adorning his lips while glowing as a small bright light.
We didn’t stop, we kept emptying our bullets into him.
“I’ll meet you soon…. very soon. Let’s make this a fun ga-“ only after a bullet hit his jaw did he stop talking and lay there still with his eyes wide open in amusement.
“Everyone run!” Someone shouted, but I had no care for who did, cause I ran as soon as I saw the increasing glow from his body. It signaled every siren in my head and all I knew was to get out of here as soon as I could.
……but it was too late.
Before I even took 5 steps, an extremely ferocious heatwave struck me and the only thing I remember passing out was the pain I felt before I felt nothing.
BOOOOOOOOOM
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