“Why was it again you wanted me to come here?” said Ori as they stepped into the lobby of Miralan Corp Headquarters. Their footsteps echoed on the marble just the same as of all the other working people around them.
“Look around,” Myra said. “Do you think these people are afraid of my badge or any warrant I can possibly muster? I am past such delusions.”
“And you think they’ll be afraid of the Bureau? Doubtful. Know why? Because those that could really wield magic have all died fighting the people who had money, because in the end, a common soul can dream to get rich one day, but the gift of magic is only given once.”
“We’ll see about that,” she said, as the elevator door closed mere seconds before she could reach it. Like a swarm of flies others began to gather around her, the same way old people fight to be the first to enter a bus.
“The CEO, you think he’s involved?” Ori said, avoiding the curious looks of people in suits. He kept himself fixated on the red numbers above the elevator, which still had a long way to go.
“I have my doubts, but remember what they say, the fish stinks from the head.”
“This fish may be too big for that analogy. And I think your phone’s ringing,” Ori said, pointing to Myra’s pocket.
Only when she took it in her hand did she feel it vibrating, and wondered how could he have possibly known that.
“Kalin?” she said, getting ready to fight for her place in the small metal box. “What’s up?”
“I think I have something,” Kalin said over the phone. “I don’t know if it’s of any use, but I stumbled on an article about a recent death at the firm.”
“Can you send it over? I’m… in the middle of something right-”
Just as the gentle beep sounded the elevator’s arrival, it was overshadowed by something slamming into the ground. It came down fast, only slightly missing the glass wall behind the elevator. There was no time for anyone to guess it was in fact a person.
“Myra?” she heard Kalin say, as she pushed her way back through the crowd, only a few steps behind Ori.
“I’m still here. Is it important? Listen, something bad may have just happened here.”
“The short version is that two Miralan employees got run over in the underground garage. One died on the spot and the other recovered. They never found who did it. I’ll send you the rest.”
As more people gathered outside the lobby, it became clear that someone had fallen. Screams and gasps circled the concrete platform watching a river of blood spread through the cracks.
“Kalin, send a squad to the Miralan Tower. I think we have another.” She hung up and scanned the glass tower, ultimately spotting a broken window some thirty floors up. It was at the very top of the building.
Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.
Ori however, made sure the people were kept at bay. He never enjoyed the exposure, but always kept in mind the effect such an event was going to have on them. If he could, he would have made them forget it ever happened, but the laws did not care for such common courtesy. “Stay back,” he said loudly, “This is an active crime scene.”
“Is that Mr.Falen?” he heard someone say, and like contagious laughter, the screams only grew.
“Is it?” said Myra, even though she knew she shouldn’t have involved the crowd. “Is this your boss?”
They nodded and covered their mouths in utter horror. The blood kept spreading towards them, and they moved back with it.
“Still think he is not involved?” Myra asked with a hint of misplaced sarcasm. She observed the body, somewhat sickened by the smell that began to spread from it. It was nothing but a ragged doll dropped from up high.
“I think we are running out of time,” Ori returned taking a deep breath and looking at the hole up high.
**
As several police cars and an ambulance took over the platform, it became clear that the glass tower above had become a hunting ground.
Myra watched as the director’s office was carefully examined by a dozen investigators and wondered if it was all a big waste of time. The scattered papers covered the floor and the furniture lay riddled with shards of glass from numerous bottles of expensive alcohol. Every bit of the office was either wet from whiskey or molten ice, with a thin coat of fire-suppressing foam to make it complete. The picture had already been painted.
Having already tired from watching the inevitable happen, she found a bench in the hallway and made sure to straighten her back against the wall. As an old habit, she checked her phone, and only then remembered what Kalin had told her.
Luckily, he'd had already sent her the file and she opened it with little expectation.
Tragedy at Miralan the title said. The article contained a short description of the firm’s history and the course of a prematurely closed case. She read slowly, trying to focus on the words even though her thoughts drifted elsewhere.
“One killed, the other survived in an unfortunate hit and run,” she said quietly and scrolled down to photographs of two men, side by side, both of which she’d seen before.
“Liser?” she whispered, pulling the phone closer to her eyes like it would make it any clearer. “And, oh... oh, can't be.”
Her stomach cramped up like she hadn’t eaten in days, and the whole building started spinning around. She tried to sit still, closing her eyes, but she could not shake it off as a trick any more.
“Tamon,” said Ori snapping his fingers before her eyes and plunging her out of the abyss. “Did you not hear me calling?”
“What?” she exclaimed, trying to not let the dizziness dim her attitude. “No. What is it? Did you find something?”
“There’s nothing here. He went crazy from the pain and broke the window. Just another form of suicide on the outside."
“You may be wrong for once. Read this,” she held the phone up to his face and with the other hand she pressed a cold can of soda against her forehead. “The young one I already spoke to. He is Alfeen’s childhood friend, who got sidelined when she got promoted. But then the old one… I can swear I saw him in the elevator yesterday.”
“Funny, it says here he’s dead.” Ori’s face lit up like a neon sign that points to a shady place. “Are you seeing ghosts Tamon?”
“Aargh, forget it,” she hissed and pushed herself off the bench. Though uncertain she was able to walk straight, she forced herself to move on. “It’s the young one, Liser, we need to talk to. If I survived a hit and run, only to see my best friend suddenly move up the ranks and leave me to rot next to a copy machine, I’d be pretty pissed at life.” She slammed the elevator button again, somewhat happy she did not have to fight for it anymore. “All I’m saying is, something is off in that narrative.”