White Sand: 8 Hours Past
There was no drinking tonight: the booze was on hold. Time was ticking and not just to save Maud now, but to save themselves.
“Well, everyone made a mess of things.” Shiyan walked through the door in his human form. His red eyes were narrowed with a livid glare.
He cast hundreds of mini darts at everyone in the room: many were stabbing people’s backsides and making them sting. But the darts and stings were quick to fade into soothing relief. Shiyan was just making his point of disappointment at seeing his company, and the personnel who worked under him, were about to cross a fine line over the Majestic Will parameters. He panted for breath has he felt his irate energies ease; dumped himself down on the sofa to properly address his people.
“669. What the hell were you thinking by having Constable Rice let you in to see Maud, after you were told to stay out of the case?!” He scolded the henchmen with a bellow and volume that had 669 instantly dropping to his knees and sit in an attentive and upright posture like a child.
“Well?”
“I don’t believe Maud killed Marcus Poirot. Nor do I feel he had any motive too.” He swallowed a lot of nervous knots that were stuck in his throat.
Shiyan heaved a weary sigh. “Constable Rice has been placed on room lockdown and temporarily suspended because of that stunt you guys pulled in getting into the dungeon to see that pimp!”
A heavy weight descended upon everyone’s conscience and the realization of causing Emelia problems because of their actions.
But 669 wasn’t about to give up: many lives were on the line if Maud was declared guilty. If he was, there would be no complaints, but only those involved should suffer for his crime. However, Maud’s execution would mean his entire house would suffer the same fate. As was the way of the demon domination. His gut instinct said that Maud was innocent, and he wasn’t going to distrust it.
“Maud is innocent.”
“Damn it, 669!” Shiyan snapped as he stood up. His voice carried a trace of his magic and virya, so it made the barroom quake and some of the glasses on the shelves fall and smash to the floor. But Fat Monk was too scared to make a move and clean up the mess next to him.
Shiyan paced the floor with a mixture of his anger and genuine concern for his company. His people could die because they broke their order of not to continue with their investigation of the case.
“Did you ever question why I asked you stay off this case? Why 007 pulled our company off this fucking case?!”
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
“He did?” 777 whispered, looking surprised to hear. His stress levels became more agitated upon hearing this, for should their top leader request they be removed from the case only meant they had been headed for something beyond terrible.
“I don’t understand. Shiyan, why can’t I try to prove my friend’s innocence?!” 669 begged.
“BECAUSE YOU’LL FUCKING DIE! We were trying to protect you. The Administration wants Maud’s head to answer for the murders of these three noble lords. These deaths have impacted critical business arrangements in key areas of the Desert Barren Plains. So they want the cases solved to make these families happy and keep those High Magistrates’ attention away from our businesses. Asta had no choice, but force you to prove Maud’s innocence or suffer the man’s fate to appease them and the Peace Order. ” Shiyan quivered.
He slumped down on the sofa again, and he took a moment to calm down. Then he explained the situation more levelly.
“You know the rules of house. If the House Leader is found guilty of crimes against the Demon Domination, all in the House are guilty.”
“I know.” 669 soberly noted.
“Then you should also know that you’ve implicated our company, house, as an accessory to murder with Maud. Maud being guilty means we’re guilty and you, me, everyone here will be executed, and the company dissolved.” Shiyan didn’t hide his sadness and fears as he said this.
“That’s absurd.” 789 blurted pitifully, but she knew the risks.
“789, what’s absurd is that you all are risking your life to go down with a pimp.”
“Because he didn’t murder Marcus Poirot nor any of the other two lords.” 669 boldly stated.
Shiyan rose, shaking his head. “Fine. You have about 64 hours left to prove Maud’s innocence. For the sake of all our lives, I pray you’re right.”
Shiyan slammed the entrance door on his way out.
“He didn’t do it 777. I’m right.” 669 stubbornly persisted.
But 777 cordially patted his shoulder. “I believe you. So for all our sakes, let’s get to work and prove he’s right.”
“I believe you 669 too. I’m in. It doesn’t matter if my life is over, I wouldn’t want an innocent man to die and the killer is still out there.” Reddy calmly added his support.
“Me too, Stinky.” Violet said, hoping to lift the mood a bit.
Everyone chimed in their support to prove if Maud was innocent and pray to Zallayl that he was. Either way, 669 made a point of ensuring justice was given to the one who deserved it.
“So it’s all hands on deck. Everyone has a task to do, and we only have,” 777 checked his log glass, “64 hours.”
Everyone accepted their task with no question and went off to do it. Peacock, Fat Monk and Reddy were left behind to keep the headquarters in order and attend to visiting guests. Indigo and Peacock were delegated as the acting leaders.
789 and the pixies were to gather and make pills that would grant them speed and increase their scoping capabilities. Then team up with 669 and 779 who would be retracing steps in search for more clues.
“Here, take these mirror shards where we can make a call to each other.” 789 pulled out a bunch of mirror shards from her belt pouch and handed them out to everyone. She gave a quick rundown on how to use, which was easy to grasp.
Never before had everyone come together with a single focus and thought, but this was an exceptional time.