Early morning Same day

Arthur had left for town in the early in the morning hoping to catch the first train and reaching the town as soon as possible, first thing he decided was to talk with the police to get a crash course on events. The previous day when he had gotten the news, he, wanted to leave right then but eventually decided against it. Instead, he sent a few men from his management office to do a sort of audit of the events and prepare some numbers for him like casualty figures, damages, eyewitness accounts etcetera. Any piece of information that was relevant by tomorrow morning so he could evaluate it himself.

By the time he arrived at the station a man was already waiting for him.

“How does it look?” Arthur asked gesturing him to walk as he speak

“The losses in merchandise were relatively minimal as the shipments had already been made the day earlier” the man spoke with haste

“I mean in human resource and capital overlay” by that he meant loss of life and infrastructure because merchandise can be replaced but reliable men and women cannot especially in these regions far away from the capital where hawk did not have as much influence.

“The warehouse is burned to nothing same with the whole neighbourhood, the workers are unharmed since they had been led outside”

“I heard there was a kidnaping attempt, What about that?”

“I can’t recall everything from memory but apparently a group of ‘armed men’ some locals from what I recall had driven them away”

“How many are we talking?” hawk asked

“Less than ten”

“What?” he came to an abrupt stop “from what I recall the telegraph mentioned around fifty raiders.”

“I am not sure about that but the report will have much more detail in it. That’s where we are going”

“No, take me to the police station first”

“As you wish sir”

while sitting in the horse drawn vehicle, he made a mental note of things that were important “motive, previous incidents, political? could be isolated”- (Arthur had a habit of thinking out too loud)

the police station was actually bigger than what he was thinking although after going inside it looked shorthanded. The two men entered the two-story establishment.

“You didn’t introduce yourself?”

“Uh sir, my name is Hermann I work in the resource and capital management”

“You can stay outside if you are feeling uneasy, its fine to get uncomfortable in a police station for first time” Arthur was considerate with the people working for him especially those who were good

“Thank you, sir, but I will remain” his voice showed he was determined. After all he too worked for Hawk and the attack felt personal to him too.

“Very well”

After waiting outside for a bit, the door of the chief’s office opened only to reveal a man dressed in the classic police blue uniform, the two stars on his shoulder told that he was a sub inspector.

“Please come in” he said as he left the room

“You, stay here and wait” he told Hermann who complied diligently

The chief was man around 40 he was a bit skinny but had a look of experience in his eyes, a look that told Arthur to avoid beating around the bush, that and the three stars on his shoulder

“Please take a seat” the chief stood up and offered a handshake “the name’s chief police inspector Henri bright” it was sign of respect

Arthur sat down; it had been a while since the last time he had to talk with police for official business. He started speaking with a sincere voice

“Thank you, Mr. Bright, as you may be to tell I am representing the hawk group in this regrettable incidence my condolences to all those affected by this terrible tragedy”

“I as the chief of police respect you showing up in person” he did not hide his emotions, the heir to one of the biggest conglomerates in the union could have easily sent a lawyer to handle this incident and possibly even cover it. That also made him suspicious of Arthur’s intentions

“I wanted to know what does the police currently thinks about this chain of incidents involving attacks on hawk establishment and property” the question was a loaded one almost like a statement and chief understood it

“We are also working with that in mind and personally I believe these incidents to be connected as well but all we really have is circumstantial evidence” chief played his card which was to appear as if he agreed with Arthur but his real goal however, was to settle the matter inside his jurisdiction which was limited to this town only

“What about the raiders? I heard you caught quite number of them including one of the ‘leaders’, they must have said something”

“tchk” the problem of dealing with the elites of society Henri thought was that they either have no information on things they talk about or they just have too damn much and Arthur fell into the latter.

“We have interrogated most of them but they seem to know nothing, currently we are trying to run a background check and I assure you I am dedicating every resource under my disposal, you can count on that, the incident is just as serious for me and this town as for you” he took a pause before speaking again “as for their leader he is unconscious due to shock from a bullet through his shoulder we have kept him at the local infirmary along with many other wounded, I have personally made sure the security is up to the task” it was part of the reason why the police station felt empty

“Any information on this Kimberly figure?”

“He is dead, the special division came across his group and open fired apparently he tried to flee with his tail between the legs” it didn’t stick good with Arthur who wanted him captured and interrogated in his mind he was a key to know what was the real motive

“About the casualties…. Can you give me a specific number and details about the events? If you don’t mind that is”

Inspecter had all the data at the back of his head “most fatalities have been from the fire especially the area around the storehouse where the casualties amount to 54 it was around 20 initially but many severely wounded have only added to the toll unfortunately, moreover the mayor’s residence is burned completely including the surrounding area and the nearby market place fortunately due to it being night time casualties were minimal although looting had been done at a significant scale” he soon noticed the small diary in Arthur’s hand as he was scribbling down the data with a pencil. He didn’t mind it, after all this information was going to be on the front page of the local newspaper by morrow.

Finally, after getting his queries sorted out and getting a crash course on events Arthur stood up “thank you mister bright your help is greatly appreciated. I should have asked you this before but since when have you been working here. To be honest I myself haven’t visited this town in almost two years even though it’s not that far from Lefora, most of my days now consist of management work especially now when our group is expanding into infrastructure development in remote areas”

“Your welcome mister Arthur but I also have some questions of my own”

“Yes, please go ahead”

“To acquire this information, you could have easily sent someone else in your stead coming all the way from the city doesn’t make much sense”

It was time for Arthur to play his card now “well mister bright you might have heard of a term called public relations, you see as big as the hawk group is we still have to maintain a good reputation among the people especially around these parts away from the capital region. I mean what would my workers think if they felt their lives were under threat working for us it would be a disaster especially when our heavy industries division is doing major investments. Our board of directors and higher ups those who run the show and my father takes it very seriously so I need every shard of data I can gather in order to convince them that the situation is under control” he paused for two seconds waiting for the chief to absorb his malarkey “if for some reason they are not convinced then for all I know they can even get the deputy commissioner involved in this”

His words found their mark dead centre the deputy commissioner of Lefora was famous for being the most insufferable person in the police and dealing with him was the last thing any chief wanted.

“Very well, I think it goes without saying but if you need my assistance with anything I will be at my office, chief concluded

“Thank you for your time, sir” “you just indirectly threatened an acting police chief with escalation” he thought as he exited the office

“We are done here, let’s go”

This caught the half-asleep Hermann by surprise “oh... ok sir lets go the others are waiting for us. The local inn was full at the moment so we are using the saloon near the town centre since yesterday”

As they headed out of the police station instead of going from the way they had come in they went around the other side that led to a hall which was infamously referred to as the ‘bounty office’ these were common especially in frontier towns and cities where the number of police personals cannot be increased on a whim.

The ‘bounty board’ was covered with notices containing information about small gangs of thieves to fugitives who had escaped to far off regions of the union to even murderers and outlaws. The frontier regions always had that problem mainly because it was easy to simply slip away and lay low in foreign territory. In the north particularly where the frontier stretched to the coast it was easier to slip on a boat and escape to Gumrak.

This profession of bounty hunting attracted a very unique breed of men, some did this for fame and money, some were hired by others in personal capacity and some were even ex police. Arthur wasn’t interested in that but he did recognize someone among them very well. The man was wearing an all-green outfit with a hat

“Hermann, you can go ahead. Inform the men to keep the report ready for when I arrive it wouldn’t take long”

“Sir I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to roam alone”

“don’t worry it will be a stroll. I know the way this town isn’t that big”

Hermann had to concede reluctantly so although he did tell him the way to the saloon before leaving

Arthur approached the man from behind who as it turns out already heard him coming

"Arthur Hawk? Outside Lefora? The sun must have rose from the west today" the man stood beside him now

"I too have my moments" Hawk said while looking at Alan

both shook hands and went outside catching up with each other. Alan told him about his recent adventures from tracking an imperial tiger to wolves that could use telepathy the villagers apparently insisted him to first let the carcass be displayed publicly so that the women would be convinced.

“Can you guess how many people did that tiger killed?”

“I don’t know, perhaps ten?”

“Seventy-four, as he was likely driven out of the west he had already killed around thirty and it also didn’t help that it avoided staying too long around a single area”

As they chatted on and on Arthur explained to him the purpose of his visit which was to get information as much as he could. He also led him to the burned warehouse discussing the chain of events he heard and the information given to him by the chief”

"What do you think could be the motive?"

"It’s a political move some radicals want to threaten my father and they figured the best way to do it by attacking me his son in the north" hawk lit up his pipe again

"I am not scared though I have a few ways of dealing with this but first I need all the information I can get"

“Who is or was this Kimberly fella anyway, his name seems to appear a lot in your story”

“He was who police thinks ran the gang responsible for the raids we actually got his name by one of the wagon drivers he looted after the incidents increased, we changed routs and increased security but that name kept popping up eventually people living here started associating events that he had no relation with to him from robberies to killing a group of tourists, that is to say he isn’t any less ruthless than what is known. I personally think that he is working on someone’s payroll someone who benefits politically by hurting us and the name is also likely an alias used to mislead us”

“What does the police say about this”

“They assured me that they would be looking out for that possibility but their words sound as hollow as ever”

Both kept looking in the direction of the now burnt warehouse in silence as if to pay respect to some sort of funeral pyre, ironically it was one of the few buildings where someone hadn’t died.

“To be honest with you, politics of any sort does not fall under my area of expertise, but” Alan paused now looking at Arthur “terrorism in any shape or form is condemnable and also because we are friends so if there is any sort of help you think I can provide, be sure to tell me”

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

“To help me you first have to be available at your home and not be playing hide an seek with a bear in some bush”

“that’s still more game than you will ever have” that gave a good chuckle to both of them as they went their separate ways. Arthur wondered how much time has it been since he had last met him, he knew it had to have been months prior, and that was when they both lived in the same city just a few blocks and one bridge away. Non the less whenever they met, he always enjoyed his company, everyone did if there was one thing Alan had earned in this world it was friendship and trust.

Almost after an hour had passed Arthur was still roaming the town streets still unable to find the damn saloon. After passing by a group of kids playing tag who he remembered passing by just a while ago he realised that he was going around in circles and almost couldn’t believe his own stupidity.

“Are you lost mister” a childlike voice came from behind him

“What! No who told you that?” turning around he said

“Because you have passed this street for the 5th time”

“I was just trying to get a feel for the place why don’t you go play with the other kids”

“donno don’t want to”

What a weird kid “Say, do you happen to know a saloon around here?”

“You mean that one?” the kid pointed across the street “it should be open right now, my uncle runs it”

“Does your uncle go by the name of Edward Spruance”

“How did you know that?”

Arthur went inside the saloon. He drank rarely only on special occasions partly because the headache is too much for him to bare. It looked like any other saloon expect this one had a first floor which meant that it also served as a motel just in case.

There were a few people sitting around the left side and on the right side there were five men, hawk employees all of them

“Excuse me everyone, I hope everyone is in good spirits despite the unfortunate circumstances”

The five of them stood up at once

“Before we get to work, I have a few questions for everyone. Did you all had some sort of breakfast?”

This question surprised everyone as they all had been busy since the previous day nobody had brought up the question of food since last night “uhh No we were planning to cover it up at lunch sir”

“That won’t cut it, everybody first lets go eat something otherwise we will all be miserable for the rest of the day”

All of them were confused but nobody complained about a short break. Just as they were beginning to leave a man from the left corner woke up, drunk to his lever he could barely walk straight so naturally he didn’t care about the six adult men standing in his way and crashed straight into Arthur

“Hey big fella watch it, would you?” Arthur was helped up and so was the other guy who had tears in his eyes

“Excuse me mister, you hurt anywhere?”

“I believe I have seen this fella while taking the survey” one of the hawk’s men claimed

The man had his eyes focused on the door behind them and didn’t spoke for a good fifteen seconds, just as the suspense was setting in, he burst out “AAAAAAAAHhhhh!”

The sheer suddenness of the moment took everyone by surprise as he latched himself to Arthur’s chest like a leech

“Holy shit get off me you crazy! Somebody get him off me quick!” a sort of unpleasant situation developed where everyone was trying to get that fella off Arthur and the commotion caused by it didn’t go unnoticed

“I recognise him now. He used to work at the warehouse we met him yesterday” he finally said

“What is going on?! Bailey you absolute buffoon! Are you planning on driving away every one that comes here with that behaviour of yours” Old Spruance screamed as he walked down the stairs.

Suddenly the door of the saloon opened revealing Hermann. Who as it turns out was looking for Arthur after he hadn’t showed up and the scene Infront of him with bailey latching on to Arthur was….. something

They soon managed to separate both of them and Arthur wasn’t pleased with the snot and tears over his cloths. After everything calmed down Gunther also arrived in the saloon apparently, he was looking around for Bailey before searching the only plausible location and it goes without saying that he was an Alcoholic.

“Oh…… so that was the case” Hermann couldn’t help but face palm

What had happened was that Bailey had seen a sort of nightmare but what exactly was it wasn’t clear because his ramblings were too incoherent to tell

Bailey you idiot you are not getting off Scott free this time Gunther thought after realizing just who Arthur was “I apologise for my friend’s behaviour sir. He is not a bad person by any means just a little careless”

“Yeah, whatever just take him away and clean him up or something and don’t worry I won’t complain to the manager”

“Thank you, sir” Gunther helped his friend up to his feet and escorted him out

“You were lucky, he didn’t puke all over you” Spruance said

“What? Anyway, Hermann take the others for breakfast I am giving you all a break until noon. I have some questions I want to ask from mister Spruance I will join you all later.” He also took the report they had prepared

Following the order everyone went outside except the two

Arthur after having a good look of the man found him to be much older than he had thought with a moustache that befitted his course of action

“Well mister, what business do you have here?”

“I want to talk about the incident from two days ago. Specifically, about where you were”

Spruance did not give an immediate reply instead he got close and whispered “Why don’t you take a seat”

Arthur realizing that he wanted him to wait until the other customers left decided to sit down and review the report while waiting.

The report itself had nothing new in terms of information other than firsthand account of events directly from primary sources. He took out the notes he made in the police station and cross checked them against the report made by his own team, it was his way of making sure that his sources were accurate and that the police were not trying to mislead him.

Finally, after half an hour the saloon was empty and Spruance who practically managed everything on his own was tired like an overworked mule Arthur noted.

“What do you think?”

“What?” Arthur was spooked

“About this saloon I mean, I figure you don’t drink alcohol but rich folk like you might have an advice or two”

“To be honest with you mister I do not drink while working but the catch with being at a high position is that I am always working, but you are different old man you have hit your limit”

“What do you mean by that?” Spruance took offence with being called old

“When I first entered this place, the lack of employees was surprising and I guessed the reason was probably financial but no it is because you are too proud, you still think you can run this alone but look at you its not even noon and you are already huffing”

“That’s nothing I did more back breaking work in the army, you rich folk won’t get it”

“That’s funny because I was in the army too, and in the cadet school they taught us that you should always be reasonable and trying to act tough will only get you so far or get you 6 feet under” he took a pause “isn’t that right corporal”

“I am getting old; my friends think I am going crazy, my nephew doesn’t even talk to me and now I am being lectured on what a soldier is” he threw his hands up in the air “these truly are the dark ages”

“Your Friends think you are Crazy yet they followed you out there to fight, your nephew followed you in the middle of fire just to know your whereabouts. It’s a shame really” he said with the report still in his hand “you have people in this world that can risk death for you yet you can’t risk living for them”

“Fine, I lose ask me what you want”

“I for one know that police have told you and your friends not speak about your involvement in the incident but don’t worry I have sorted them out they will not bother you. My first question is this that what made you think that the roosters were involved in this”

“I don’t know to be honest I didn’t even think that they were in it but maybe it was little voice in my head that always told me that something was wrong ever since that incident I have been a little paranoid” Spruance admitted

“What incident may I ask”

Spruance told him the story of that time when his platoon had lost its way and was ambushed on patrol by elves in detail which finally made it clear to him that why he reacted the way he did

“Still fighting against forty with only six men is no easy task you must have been one hell of an NCO”

“I wouldn’t really call it a fight; it was more like they ran away once the bullets started flying”

“Though it would be better if you refrained from doing anything like that the next time” looking outside the window Arthur noted the kid from before was playing with the other kids now “after all you have a nephew to take care off”

One hour Later

They sure are taking their sweet time Arthur was a patient man but men got hungry, he had previously sent his team for breakfast without him but now regrated it.

To his luck the men came soon after although Hermann was not with them

“Where is he?”

“He ran away between his meal said if he didn’t show up come to the local infirmary”

“That’s where I am are going then. You all get to work completing that report and remember this one will go above”

The town’s hospital was not big and make shift camps had to be set up around it in order to accommodate the sudden influx of wounded. One camp right at the back of the hospital filled with wounded raiders also contained Connery who was bedridden from his wounds had finally regained consciousness the staff had immediately informed the police soon after and were told to be quite about it. The chief didn’t want half the town up their hoping for a chance to lynch him especially when Mr Hawk and his men were still in the town.

His luck however ran out when the mayor of the town whose residence had been burned down had returned with his family and was heading for the hospital. His carriage just so happens to pass Infront of a restaurant where Hawk’s team was enjoying breakfast except Hermann saw the mayor and realized that meeting him was on the schedule. Wasting no time, he followed him to the Hospital and by extension Arthur too showed up after being informed.

“Mr Simpson it is a pleasure to meet you, I know we are meeting under unfortunate circumstances but I hope your stay in the city wasn’t terrible”

Simpson was taller than Arthur who wasn’t short himself but his broad shoulders made him look much bigger than he actually was, his beard added to effect of making him look tough and a hardened personality.

“It was good, Lefora is truly a beautiful city and the mister Chairman was very hospitable to us. However, you must excuse me I need to head inside for some important business”

Simpson was in a hurry and his tone had a force of sort that made his words unnatural Arthur noted but he could talk with him later all he wanted for now he had something else to do

They must have interrogated him by now

Sean the Assistant sub inspector was getting tired of playing good cop. He wanted to rough that man up the moment he entered the camp and Chamberlin agreed with him but the chief wanted to do it this way.

“I am asking you again, look we could maybe cooperate you and me and maybe the magistrate might go easy on you. You get what I am saying?” but Connery wouldn’t budge, he refused to even look at anyone let alone talk. He might as well have been talking to a wall up to this point. “your ‘friend’ Kimberly has told us everything from how you planned all this to how wanted to run away leaving him for the ‘dogs’” he lied about Kimberly being alive and ratting him out hoping to get him but it didn’t work and he needed a break.

He stood up and walked out of the camp

“How did it go?” Bright asked

“Chief I don’t understand what are you thinking but he is hopeless I don’t think….”

“Excuse me, Mister Bright we meet again” Arthur spooked the two of them by his sudden appearance

“I was talking with the mayor and he looked in quite a hurry, angry too did something happen?”

“Mr Simpson is here?!”

“of course he is, right in the building”

Chief Bright had forgotten that the mayor was arriving today due the sudden increase in his work load and didn’t send anyone for escort even when the matter had been so serious. Arthur had sensed it and used it as a distraction

“Excuse me everyone, I remembered something important I must attend to, Sean, please keep an eye on our friend will you” chief left the ASI confused who just couldn’t grasp what had happened right Infront of him

“Well, Mr Sean nice to pleasure to meet you I am Arthur Hawk I run the northern division of transportation and logistics for Hawk as its overseer Chief told me about you when we met this morning he told me how well you people have been managing things in this hour of need” he lied

“I suppose you are beating out the information from these pieces of filth”

“I wish dearly mister Hawk, but the chief wants to play good cop first”

“that’s too bad we shouldn’t go easy on scum like these I assure you I have already talked with my lawyers and none of these men are getting out easy moreover I will make sure that the efforts of Benzfield Police department are acknowledged this case is not only significant for this town but the union” after buttering up the officer and feeding his ego for a while Arthur played his next card, it was really telling case study for Arthur that just by commending someone for their efforts they completely forget the purpose of said efforts and start thinking like careerists. It also helped that Sean was a simpleton type.

“Perhaps if you let me see the wretched face of that man who orchestrated this….” Sean was sort of uncomfortable at first but soon obliged at the condition that he will allow no more than fifteen minutes and two of his men will accompany him

The tent where Connery was held at was guarded by a dozen men all from special division Arthur admittingly felt nervous even though he had been at many places with high security but this time it was different or it felt that way.

Entering the tent Arthur found Connery bedridden with his shoulder patched up and a chair beside him with a jug of water. He didn’t even acknowledge Arthur’s existence by staying still as if nothing had changed.

“ummm, excuse me how is the treatment going on? Found the facilities to your liking? If not I am sure something can surely be arranged” he observed no reaction to his pathetic attempt at humour

“In the best of circumstances, they will likely send you to a prison down south somewhere in the middle of the desert for the rest of your life practically” he sat down while speaking acting like picking his nails

“Are you even listening? Hello! Yes, I am talking too you. Oh! Wait a second how rude of me, I didn’t even give my introduction cough cough” acting like clearing his throat he spoke again

“I am Arthur Goldric Hawk, I am the owner of that warehouse you and your men burned to the ground remember? The big one. The one whose employees you tried to kidnap for god knows what purpose. You don’t have any funny business with me, do you?” he snaped his fingers over Connery’s eyes but he still didn’t react

“I gave my introduction now I demand yours, isn’t that how it works?” still nothing to show for

“Fine, your name is not Conery is it? That’s just an Alias. What about James Moore?”

That drew a reaction albeit only a visual one

“When I was trying find any piece of information regarding the Roosters and Kimberly in general, I was largely unsuccessful but one case in particular stood out. There is a small farm not too far south from next town but far enough that travellers get lost time to time. Some months ago, before the roosters were a thing a family of a male female and infant travelling for a few days had requested to stay the night over at that farm the couple who owned it welcomed them as they had countless others and it was all good until for the next few days nobody heard from them until a burglar had tried to break in and found five charred corpses two men two women and one infant”

“The police believes that they were likely killed together by multiple men and the bodies matched the profile, but I think differently” he paused in the thinking position

“What if farm owner killed everyone including the killer and faked his own death and ran away moreover.......”

“hahahahaha!” Connery burst out laughing interrupting Arthur but he didn’t mind

“You done with that story of yours? I can tell playing detective is not really your thing”

“Not, if you still intend on refusing to talk”

“hah! You are one hell of a businessman I give you. Well, its more or less over for me so I might as well help you” he said putting his hand over his beard “I believe you already know that Kim isn’t the guy running things”

“If he was, he wouldn’t have agreed to this suicide mission unless of course he has a death wish” Arthur was correct although his reasoning was incorrect. He also made sure to refer to Kim in present tense

“That bastard is in fact suicidal believe it or not or at least he doesn’t care if he dies so as long as he could be ruthless just for the sake of it.”

“Tell me who were you working for”

“You haven’t figured it out yet? Why do think we hired this pathetic excuse for raiders?”

“Because you didn’t actually plan on encountering any resistance?”

“That too but mainly because you don’t have to tell them anything. I mean they don’t even know who I am! And they were following me isn’t it crazy what money can do?”

“But the money must have come from somewhere? The orders too I believe”

“It doesn’t work that way boy; your corporate thinking will not work here. The only thing worth remembering is Apostle”

“Who is that?”

“I don’t know, could be a man, a woman, a dog or a fucking pig for all I know hah! it could all of them or none you should ask Kim because he might actually have a clue about this after all he worked for them for far longer than I did”

“Then I believe we have nothing more to talk about” Arthur stood up from the chair and began to leave”

“You will get killed at this rate you know? It will not be the first time for them for sure”

“I will be fine. You should worry about yourself, if you ask me, you better tell everything you told me to the police”

“Its settled for me one way or another. Tell me Kim isn’t actually alive, is he?”

That stopped Arthur

“How did you...”

“He just wasn’t the kind who would get caught alive, he was what you call a ‘walking dead’”

Arthur left the tent still confused but now he had confirmed two things for certain about this ‘enemy’. The first being that there was indeed some chain of command at work here but the motive still wasn’t confirmed although it was very likely political, the second being that there organization had a very compartmentalized structure meaning that a single person never knew everything or in Connery’s case anything.

Hermann had been waiting outside the hospital premises for Arthur too return who told him tell everyone to get ready and that there was no point in being here any longer.

On the train back to Lefora everyone had been exhausted and went on a long Nap except Arthur who was wondering what and how much to tell the higher ups. He needed to be careful not to keep his father in the dark but also to not put pressure on him.

Screw it I will figure it out next morning

The next morning Connery was found Dead due to cyanide poisoning it would later be attributed to suicide.