Chapter 7

CYNTHIA CORVILLE

When Cynthia next checked her reflection in the mirror, she was sure she'd see about a hundred new grey hairs littering her mousy hair. She was certain of it.

But she also couldn't really bring herself to care.

She knew being the President of Waverwell wasn't going to be a walk in the park. It would bring immense joy, but it would also bring immense stress.

Like the murder of Ashley Baok.

xxxx

Ferris Dipper had reached out first. He'd sent a letter from Moonfall that went to Corville, going across the desks of several government employees, before eventually landing on Cynthia's mahogany desk in the President's Room, a space Cynthia had always found a little too big for practicality. Who really needed all that space?

The letter had been direct and to-the-point, which Cynthia appreciated. Most letters she received were from other officials and perhaps some businesses, so she still wasn't quite sure how a letter from then someone she —and everyone else in the government— didn't know wound up in front of her. But she was thankful it did.

Ferris explained how he'd seen that Silverlight Forest was in danger and how many poachers were walking around unchecked in the forest, killing as they pleased. There had been laws at the time, but they were weak and ill enforced. There might as well have not been any laws at all. Cynthia shuddered at the thought.

After many letters back and forth and some long, tense conversations with other members of the Waverwell government, including Harold, Gabriella, Linda, and Delta, the skeleton of what would eventually become the Silverlight Forest Protection Unit was born.

The group grew from one to six as Ferris brought in others. No one really knew if it would work, and many felt it was a long-shot. A very, very long long-shot. But Ferris believed in it. Cynthia believed in it. Charlie believed in it. Ren believed in it. Zip believed in it. Kristin believed in it. Ashley believed in it. And that, for a while, had to be enough.

But then it started to succeed, and it felt like Cynthia could fly. The Silverlight Forest Protection Unit had a breakthrough and they'd caught their first offender, then another, then another, and then the numbers of reported offenders began to drop while the numbers of caught offenders rose.

The tense conversations about if the Silverlight Forest Protection Unit would work began to get ease, and the conversations about what would happen to her reputation if the Silverlight Forest Protection Unit failed became fewer and further between.

Cynthia had visited the camp a few times. She'd gotten a chance to look around, meet with the group, and say hello to the dogs. Ren had asked that she be brief with her greeting, and she'd complied with their request, not wanting to disrupt any of the training that had been put into the dogs.

It felt surreal, getting to meet the people who were doing the work that had at first seemed like a far-off dream and getting to see the camp that had, for the longest time, been nothing more than scratches on a sheet of paper. But it became reality.

In her first visit to the camp, Ashley had been the first to walk up to her. He'd greeted her with a big smile and a firm handshake, saying hello as if they'd been friends for the longest of time, despite never having met before. He'd talked with her like he would anyone else, as if she was just someone else walking down the street, not the President of Waverwell, and she'd found comfort in that. It often felt like people were walking on eggshells with her, but it didn't feel like that with Ashley.

Cynthia only saw Ashley one more time after that, in her second visit to the camp. It was a mere two months ago, but it felt like forever.

But now Cynthia wouldn't be able to see Ashley ever again. There was something that was just so final about death. People could move away, go to separate sides of Waverwell and never see each other again, never speak another word to each other. Yet there was still the opportunity, the option, if chosen, to seek each other out. But nothing was as final as death. No matter how much you wanted to, you could never see or say a word again.

Given the chance to see Ashley once more, Cynthia wondered what she'd say to him.

xxxx

About a half-hour ago, someone had dropped off an update about the murder in Silverlight Forest. An intern was Cynthia's best guess, though she didn't bother to ask, instead far more focused on the envelope. She sliced it open with a letter opener and pulled out the sheet paper, neatly folded in even creases.

It was only one page, printed double-sided.

The body had been identified as Ashley Baok by his brother, Kristin Baok.

While an autopsy into the full extent of Ashley Baok's injures hadn't been completed yet, the surface-level wounds showed that his death had likely been excruciating. Cynthia shuddered as she tried to imagine even a fraction of what he had been through before death claimed him forever.

She laced her fingers together and rested her chin on her hands, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.

Cynthia would find whoever was responsible. She knew she would. You'll have other people find whoever's responsible, you mean, right? Her subconscious reminded her that it wasn't really her who would find Ashley Baok's murderer, but rather a team of detectives. She felt helpless.

The door to the President's Room opened, and her wife, Charlotte Waver, walked through. Cynthia smiled when she saw that Charlotte was wearing the green blouse she'd bought as a gift a few days prior.

Charlotte had a few inches on Cynthia. Her features were soft and her hair curled down against her jaw in smooth locks. Streaks of grey shown bright against her blond hair, and a dusting of wrinkles adorned her face. Charlotte was as beautiful as the day Cynthia first met her. Her steps were even and confident as she crossed the room. The door closed softly behind her.

"Hello, Sin," Charlotte said. A nickname Charlotte had once written to Cynthia in a letter that had since stuck.

"Char," Cynthia replied. She pushed her chair back and turned to face Charlotte, who walked around and leaned against the edge of her desk.

"I heard about the murder on the news. That's absolutely terrible." Charlotte closed her eyes.

"I know, I know. I think I'm going to put a team together or something. This... this shouldn't be happening in Waverwell. We've never had anything like this happen before, and it can't happen again. But I won't reduce Ashley Baok to just a 'look what happened, this shouldn't happen again' type of event. Of course it shouldn't happen again, but it shouldn't have happened in the first place. And he was a person. A living, breathing human being who had a right to live a long, happy life and who had friends and family who loved him." Cynthia ran a hand through her hair.

"We'll find who did it. We'll help the Moonfall Precinct and will do everything in our power to assist. No stone will remain unturned. Ashley Baok will get the justice he deserves. This will never happen again."

"I can't imagine what the Silverlight Forest Protection Unit is going through right now. Especially Kristin Baok. To lose a sibling? I can't imagine it."

"I cannot either."

Both Cynthia and Charlotte were only children, each born to parents and families that were heavily involved in Waverwell's government. Several generations ago, their families —the Corvilles and the Wavers— were amongst those that built Waverwell and its government. Now, both families continued their involvement in helping run the country.

They had met when they were teenagers and became close friends, staying in touch even when they went to college. Yet when they saw each other again after each being elected to the Waverwell government, their friendship morphed into something more, and a few years later they got married.

xxxx

Charlotte dragged a chair from one of the tables along the wall and sat down next to Cynthia. "Sin," she said. "Do you think we should hold some kind of meeting or something? Any murder is terrible, but something like this is going to get people talking."

"Yes, yes it will. It's imperative that we ensure the public is getting the right information. Nothing would be worse than people hearing false facts and reacting to those, as opposed to the truth."

"Meeting and then a press conference?"

"Yes."

"Do you want me here?"

"I think it would be a good idea. You know more about how the law enforcement agencies work." It was true. While Cynthia knew plenty —she needed to so she could successfully do her job — Charlotte did know more about the inner workings. As wife of the President of Waverwell, she used her position to try to find ways for law enforcement to run more smoothly and make sure law enforcement was transparent and open about everything they were doing.

"Alright, I'll stay."

About ten minutes later, just as the clock was striking six, Gabriella walked into the room. Soon after, Linda and Harold followed suit. It took another five minutes for Delta to arrive. He strolled into the room, a coffee in hand. "Hey, everyone." Delta pulled up a chair, plopping down at the end of the semicircle formed by Gabriella, Linda, and Harold.

Cynthia clasped her fingers together, placed her elbows on her desk, and rested her chin on her hands. "Whenever you are ready, Delta." Her voice was flat, cold.

"Oh, of course, Cynthia. Just give me like one minute." Delta ruffled through his bag, producing a pad of paper and a pen.

"You're five minutes late."

"It was five minutes."

"That's five minutes we were all waiting on you. Don't be late in the future. You might've been voted in by the Waverwell public, but they can always vote you out. And I have the power to remove you."

"You don't have to be so rude about it. Jeez. It was just five minutes."

"It was five minutes we were waiting on you for, and it was five minutes that you deemed more worth it to get coffee as opposed to show up on time. And it is not your first time showing up to a meeting late."

"Ok, ok, I'm sorry. All good here?" Delta held up his hands, and Cynthia thought she saw the beginning of an eye roll. At least he was smart enough to not do it.

"No. I want to make it very clear that I value my time, as does everyone else in the room. When I say we're meeting at six, we're meeting at six. Show up at whatever time you need to be ready for the meeting at six. Not six oh five, not six oh one, six. Do not be late again. I don't care what you have to do to make it on time, but do not be late again."

"Yeah, yeah, you got it, Cynthia."

Cynthia didn't know how much Delta was really listening, but she had made her point. Now it was up to him to actually change his behavior and show up on time to meetings. He had never come more than a few minutes late, but it was nearly every time and he had yet to listen to requests to be on time.

"Now that that has been settled, let the meeting commence. Linda, you are taking notes, correct?" When Linda said yes, Cynthia nodded her head and continued. "It is six oh eight in the afternoon. If everyone could go around and state their name. I am Cynthia Corville."

"Charlotte Waver."

"Linda Machowski."

"Harold Morris."

"Gabriella Torres."

"Delta Bass."

"Ok, great. We are gong to be discussing the murder of Ashley Baok, a member of the Silverlight Forest Protection unit, during this meeting. The investigation into what exactly happened that caused his murder and who did it is still ongoing. However, due to the nature of his murder, it is one of the most —if not the most— brutal in Waverwell history. Because of that, and that he was a member of the Silverlight Forest Protection Unit which is a product of the government, I have called this meeting to discuss how it should be handled.

"As for what we know so far, this is it: Ashley Baok was murdered last night, likely some time around midnight, though the exact time isn't known. His body was found about halfway through Silverlight Forest a little ways from Myway Highway. While an autopsy into the full extent of the damage has yet to be done, it is clear he was tortured before he died.

"The Moonfall Precinct will be keeping most of the information that they know to themselves as they conduct their investigation, but they will be communicating with us and, especially, Kristin Baok and the rest of the Silverlight Forest Protection Unit. The Moonfall Precinct has already told the Silverlight Forest Protection Unit that Ashley Baok's body was found."

"It was probably just one of those poachers they were hunting." Delta leaned back, stretching his arms up behind his head and rocking back onto the hind legs of his chair.

"It could have been, but it also could have not been. I don't know, and the purpose of this meeting is not to discuss what we thought happened since none of us are investigators and we do not have all of the information. Now, if we can get back to our meeting, please."

"I think Cynthia's in a bad mood. What do you think, Gabby?" Delta placed his hand on Gabriella's wrist as he leaned over and whispered in her ear, though his voice was loud enough for everyone to hear. Linda and Harold sighed, shifting in their seats. The look Gabriella gave him was icy enough to put an army six feet under.

"I think you should remove your hand from my arm, stop calling me Gabby since my name is Gabriella, and give some respect to Ashley Baok. The way you are acting right now is showing that you do not care in the slightest that a person was just murdered."

"Ok, ok, whatever. Quit being in such a bad mood." This time, Delta did roll his eyes. He took his hand off of Gabriella's arm.

"You're acting like a child, Delta. Someone was just murdered, so show some respect." Cynthia felt her eye twitch.

"Sure, it sucks, but I didn't know him. You want me to sit here? Fine, I'll sit here." Delta crossed his arms across his chest. Anger flared in Cynthia's chest, but Charlotte beat her to speaking.

"I never got to meet Ashley Baok, so I didn't know him either," Charlotte started, standing up and moving to stand in the middle of the semicircle. "Not personally, at least, but I know both you and I have heard about Ashley Baok. But it doesn't matter whether or not either of us met him. What matters is that someone was cruel enough to strip away Ashley Baok's life from his body and take him from this world before his time. Now, no one can bring him back to life and no one can even begin to heal the pain and grief Kristin Baok and the other members of the Silverlight Forest Protection Unit are going through right now. But what we can do is do our part to ensure justice is brought for Ashley Baok and that this never happens again.

"So, no, I do not want you to just sit there. I want you to do your part. We're having a discussion about Ashley Baok's murder, and you're sitting here and acting like a child. But with a child it would be understandable that they would be moving around and wouldn't quite fully be able to understand what murder really means. You're not a child. You're an adult, so show some respect. You never got to meet Ashley Baok, so you cannot even begin to comprehend what was lost when he was murdered. Got it?"

"Ok," Delta murmured.

"Great." Charlotte sat down. Hopefully she had gotten through to him.

"Would you like me to keep all of that in the notes?" Linda chewed on the end of her pen.

"Please."

"So... we're going to hold a press conference?" Harold crossed his ankles.

"It would allow us to say what we're doing as far as assisting how we can with the investigation the Moonfall Precinct is conducting. And we could ensure the right information is out to the public," Gabriella said.

Cynthia took a sip of water. "I think we should hold a press conference. I wouldn't normally do one, but with something like this... with something like this I think it's necessary. Let's call one for, say, a couple of hours from now and work out what we'll tell the reporters and the public. Let's also get in contact with the Moonfall Precinct and see if they need anything. We could put together a team of some sort dedicated to solving Ashley Baok's murder."

"I will send out the notice now to Waverwell News, the Moonfall Precinct, and your advisors." Linda pulled out her laptop. Her fingers flew across the keys as she drafted an email, reread it several times, and then sent it out.

"Wait, aren't there some detectives or something who have solved a bunch of murders?" Harold scratched his chin.

If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

"Asa and Azrael?" Delta looked up from where he'd been picking at his nails.

"Yeah, them. Asa and Azrael... Smith, is it?"

"Yes," Cynthia said.

"Maybe they could be on it?"

"I don't know too much about them, but I do believe they're very skilled in solving crimes. They might be good candidates. Let me call Larson Hotch."

Cynthia typed in Larson Hotch's number into the keypad of the phone in the President's Room. It rang for several long moments.

"Hello?"

"Hello. This is Cynthia Corville. Is this Larson Hotch?"

"Oh, uh. Yeah, this is Larson Hotch. Hello, Mrs. President. How are you doing?"

"Please, call me Cynthia. I'm doing well, thank you for asking. How about yourself?"

"I'm doing great, thanks. May I ask what the, uh, reason is for you calling?"

"I am thinking about putting together a team to investigate the murder of Ashley Baok. They'd work alongside you and the rest of the Moonfall Precinct and would be dedicated solely to Ashley Baok's case. I was hoping to be able to talk with you about that."

"Yeah, ok. I've got some time."

"Great, thank you. Let me put the phone on speaker. I have my wife, Charlotte Waver, with me, as well as Linda Machowski, Harold Morris, Gabriella Torres, and Delta Bass."

"Hello, Mr. Hotch. This is Charlotte," Charlotte said.

"Hello, Charlotte. Please, call me Larson."

"You absolutely have far more experience with solving crimes and know more about Ashley Baok's case than we do. I also know we have a lot of resources we can use. With something like the murder of Ashley Baok, I think coming together to work together would be very valuable," Charlotte said.

"Y-yes, yes, of course, Cynthia. I think a team working with our detectives would be invaluable."

"Hello, Larson. This is Gabriella Torres. We have only begun the very preliminary discussions over the team, but the names of Asa and Azrael Smith have come up. What are your opinions on them?"

"I haven't had the opportunity to meet them in person, but they are some of the best detectives I know of. The cases they have solved together are some of the toughest there have been. They're people with skills one can only hope to achieve."

"Wonderful. We'll have to get them on the team." Cynthia jotted down a sticky note to get in touch with Asa and Azrael as soon as possible. They were likely extremely busy but one could hope they'd be willing to investigate with the Moonfall Precinct.

"How far into your investigation are you?" Harold asked.

"Ashley Baok's body was found earlier today, so we're still in the very beginning stages. We'll be conducting interviews in the coming days and likely weeks and continuing our search for evidence. It'll take some time. We won't stop until whoever was responsible for Ashley Baok's murder is found, arrested, and charged though."

"Let us know if there's anything we can do to help, but we will get the team together. I'll reach out to Asa and Azrael Smith. I'm guessing they'll agree, but I won't make any promises. President or not, they're still their own people.

"I'll be doing a press conference later this evening. You should've gotten an email about it, but I wanted to let you know over the phone as well. You'll be there, right?"

"Yes, I will be there. I'm actually going to leave in about half an hour or so."

"Great. That's great. We will see you soon. Please, if there is anything we can do to help, don't hesitate to ask."

"Thank you. I will see you soon as well. It was wonderful getting to talk with you all, though I wish it was under better circumstances."

Larson hung up, and Cynthia returned the phone to its receiver.

Cynthia glanced at the clock on the corner of her desk. Charlotte had bought it as a gift a few months ago, and it looked like it was melting onto the surface of her desk. The numbers oozed toward the bottom and the metal on the lower part of the clock seeped out to the sides. While the majority of the decorations in Waverwell's capitol building were very formal and minimalist, Cynthia had decided to spruce up her desk with the melting clock.

It was nearing 7.

"The press conference is at 8:30. I think we could all use a quick bite to eat while we gather information and work out what we're going to say, how we're going to answer questions, and decide what we can tell the public and what we can't."

"Oh, I already ate before get-."

"Delta," Gabriella said, cutting him off. "Please do not talk. I do not want to hear about how you already ate when you wasted our time by arriving five minutes late." She laced her fingers together and rested them on her lap.

"Isn't it a thing that when someone likes you they're mean to you?"

"It is not. I do not like you, romantically or as a friend. You are rude and sexist. I do not desire you in any way, shape, or form, nor will I ever. I suggest that you understand that fact as quickly as possible because it will not ever change."

"See? You're rude to me. I mean, kindergarten way of showing it, but I had a feeling you were into me. Not hard to see why," Delta said, running a hand through his hair as he leaned onto the arm of his chair to get closer to Gabriella. "I knew it. So, date? Dinner, then we can go back to my place... and see where the night takes us?"

"What part of I'm not interested and do not like you did you not understand?"

"You're hot, I'm hot. We could be, like, the Waverwell government power couple. Well, Cynthia and Charlotte, of course. We could be the other power couple. We could dominate Muse. I've got one of the highest follower counts. In the top 5. I haven't checked yet today. If I tagged you and told people to follow you, your follower count would skyrocket." Cynthia was very much tempted to facepalm, and the desire to stalk over to Delta, grab him by the front of his shirt, and throttle him was steadily growing within her.

"So you're still not listening. Ok, let's try this again. Are you listening to me, Delta?"

"Yeah, 'course I'm listening." Delta snorted. Harold pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing, and Linda's knuckles were tight around her pen. Cynthia took a deep breath as rage sizzled in her gut. She had been tempted time and time again to remove Delta from Waverwell government, but she couldn't do it without a very good reason.

"Great," Gabriella said through her teeth. "Delta, I am not interested in you in the slightest. I do not desire you in any romantic way. Any advances you make are unwelcome. We will never be a couple. I do not care for Muse follower counts. I will never date you. I do not desire you. Have I made myself clear?"

"I love a challenge." Delta smiled.

Something in Cynthia snapped and the rage bubbled over. Instincts told her to lash out, but after a tense exhale she just held onto her desk in a death grip.

"Delta Bass, listen very closely. It is a mystery to me how you managed to get elected to Waverwell's government. Everyone in this building —except for you— have spent years studying the laws and the very structure of Waverwell that allows it to run and have honed their beliefs to fight for what they believe the perfect Waverwell looks like. You, on the other hand, have not. I truly do not know what you think Waverwell should look like. You show up late to every meeting. You do not listen. You do not know how to take no for an answer. You do not leave women alone, even after they say they're not interested.

"We have told you what we expect and have given you more than enough time to make changes in your behavior. But you continue to act like a spoiled child throwing a tantrum.

"This is your final chance. Be thankful I'm even giving you one. If you so much as look at Gabriella —or anyone, for that matter— wrong, show up even a second late to a meeting, or cause any disrespect toward anyone or anything, I will have you removed from Waverwell government and ensure you will never hold any job —government or otherwise— again. Understood?" Cynthia could almost feel the fury burning through her skin but she didn't care. She hoped it made her look all the more deadly serious. She hoped it instilled a bit of fear into Delta. Maybe that fear would create some change, though a part of her thought that perhaps he was past saving. Perhaps there was just no coming back for him; he was too far gone. But another part of her thought that anyone could change if they put their mind to it.

Delta stared at her for several long moments. His neutral expression was faintly flickering with so many emotions that Cynthia couldn't quite tell how he was feeling and what he was thinking.

"Ok," he eventually said.

"If you don't believe me, that's on you. But if you have even one mistake, you will be removed from Waverwell government. And now, moving on from that, the press conference is at 8:30. Be at the back lawn by 8 to get ready and make sure everything is good to go. Charlotte, you're with me. Linda, I will need you to send me your notes. Go and make sure you'll be ready and get a quick bite to eat. It is now 7:13. I am Cynthia Corville, and this meeting is over. Everyone, you are dismissed."

xxxx

As soon as the door closed and it was just Cynthia and Charlotte, Cynthia rested her forearms on her desk and buried her face in her arms with a groan. Charlotte rubbed her back.

"Delta makes me want to scream."

"You should. He probably wouldn't know what to do."

"Do you think anyone would really care if he just... mysteriously went missing?"

Charlotte laughed. "He's got a bunch of Muse followers. They'd probably gang together and go hunt you down."

True. Very, very true, Cynthia thought.

"What if they didn't know it was me?"

Charlotte hummed. "I guess they'd try to become their own version of police."

"Too much work to commit secretive murder."

"Too much work is the only reason?"

"He makes my skin crawl, but I wouldn't actually." Cynthia turned her head to look at her wife.

"You won't kill a spider so I doubt you'd be able to kill another person."

"Hey! They're just trying to live too. Besides, some are kinda cute."

"I know. It's part of why I love you so much. You're so kind to everyone." Charlotte leaned in and brushed away a lock of hair that had fallen into Cynthia's face.

"Part of why? What else about me?" Cynthia propped her head up on an elbow.

"You want me to go on?" Charlotte copied her movement.

"Please."

"Hmm, let's see. Well, you're extremely kind, hardworking, and courageous. You're reliable and funny and friendly. You're the most beautiful person I've ever met. You're amazing, Cynthia Corville. Absolutely amazing. Strong. So strong. Shall I continue?"

Cynthia didn't reply. She just leaned in for a kiss, placing a hand on Charlotte's cheek. Charlotte didn't move at first, but after a few moments returned the gesture, lacing her fingers through Cynthia's hair.

"I love you, Char," Cynthia said, still close enough to her wife that their faces were a mere inch or two from each other.

"I love you too, Sin." Charlotte kissed her again. Once. Twice. Thrice.

xxxx

8 o'clock rolled around quickly, and Cynthia took a few moments in the restroom just down the hall from the President's Room to straighten her clothing, run her fingers through her hair a few times, and touch up her makeup. Charlotte had left for the third floor, the residential area of Waverwell's government building, to change.

Cynthia took a deep breath and stared at her reflection. "Speak slowly, look out at the crowd, remember to breath. You've got this. You've spoken in front of people countless times. You know what you're talking about. It's a topic that is important to you. You've got this, Cynthia Corville. You've got this. Breath in for four, hold for four, exhale for four, pause for four." She counted out each breath several times, and the prickle of sweat on the back of her neck and the flutter of her heart slowed to nothing.

Once she felt ready, she made her way downstairs to the first floor of Waverwell's government building. The door to the back lawn was opened for her, and she took another deep breath before exiting. Gabriella walked over to her. "Hello, Cynthia. Are you ready for the press conference?"

"Yes, I do believe so."

"Wonderful. Delta has miraculously been here for a few minutes already. I think your threat of getting him removed from Waverwell government may have worked, but I will not press my luck and come to any conclusions just yet. Harold has voiced concerns that your image may suffer if this does not work, and that even if it does you still may lose support."

"That is great about Delta, but I do not particularly care what Harold thinks. He thinks we should tear up Silverlight Forest. I'll listen to what he has to say. I'll be respectful and weigh his opinions. But this is something I believe in," she said before adding on: "I also think he would disagree with just about anything I had to say."

The back lawn of Waverwell's government building was a neatly cropped lawn surrounded by a variety of bushes and plants that had been trimmed into perfect shapes. A crowd of people milled about, and people from Waverwell News set up cameras and made sure microphones were working. Gabriella bid farewell and slipped around a group and vanished.

A stage had been constructed on the far side of the lawn. Waverwell's flag, a rectangular shape that had been split diagonally from the left into blue and orange, with a black stripe running across the other diagonal and a green bear rearing up in the middle, hung on a pole behind a podium that sat in the center of the stage. A circular plaque reading President of Waverwell with the green bear in the middle hung on the front of the podium.

"Hey, Sin." Charlotte made her way over to where Cynthia stood, just off to the side of the stage.

"You look wonderful." Charlotte had changed into a flowing dress that ended a few inches above her knees. The material was soft beneath Cynthia's fingers as she leaned in for a quick kiss.

"Ready for the press conference?"

"Yes, yes I am."

"Breathe, Sin. You've got this. Take a deep breath." Cynthia gave a small smile. She nodded, complying with Charlotte's words and taking a few slow, deep breaths.

"Mrs. President! We're ready. The cameras have all been set up, and the reporters are all here. Everything's ready to go. Are you ready?" Someone approached, adjusting their glasses. Cynthia took another breath.

"Yes, I am."

xxxx

Cynthia stepped up to the stage, walking across it until she reached the podium, where she set her stack of papers down. The low murmur of voices fell silent, and everyone turned to face her. She looked out over the crowd. Reporters lined the barrier between the stage and everyone else, microphones and cameras in hand. Camera crews filmed her every movement, and she knew everyone who had turned their televisions to Waverwell News were watching her.

"Good evening, everyone," she began, after adjusting the microphone so it was level with her mouth and taking yet another deep breath to slow her heart. "Thank you for gathering here today, whether you are here with me in person or at home, wherever you may be residing.

"As you likely know by now, a body was discovered earlier today in Silverlight Forest. There are still many unknowns at this moment in time and I know many of you are afraid, but I want to assure you that this is being investigated thoroughly and no one working on the case will stop until those responsible have been brought to justice. I have brought Larson Hotch from the Moonfall Precinct to discuss this further. And if you have any information, please reach out to the Moonfall Precinct. Their website is MoonfallPrecinct.com. Nothing is too small, and they will follow up on every lead and tip they receive.

"Now, please welcome Larson Hotch to the stage." Cynthia waved him toward her.

"Thank you, Mrs. President. Like President Cynthia Corville said, my name is Larson Hotch. I am the lead detective at the Moonfall Precinct. Earlier today, the body of Ashley Baok was found in Silverlight Forest. He was a member of the Silverlight Forest Protection Unit, a group connected to Waverwell government. We are still in the very beginning stages of our investigation and there is still much to be found out, but rest assured that we will work tirelessly to figure out who is responsible and get justice for Ashley Baok. We will be transparent about what we are doing, just like we are for any case we work. And with President Cynthia Corville's assistance, a team has been put together to investigate this case, and we will be working together to hold those responsible accountable for their actions in the murder of Ashley Baok.

"And like President Cynthia Corville said, if you believe you have any information, please submit a tip through out website, Moonfall Precinct.com. You can also follow the link through our bio on our Muse page at MoonfallPrecinctOfficial. Thank you."

Larson moved a few steps to the side and let Cynthia stand at the podium again. "Now, who has questions?" She asked. Every one of the reporters' hands went up.

"Yes, you. Red shirt, off to the right side, short hair."

"Hello, Mrs. President. I'm Henry from Did You Hear?! and my question is this: Who is on the team?"

"Thank you for your question, Henry. At this time, we will not be releasing the names of those on this team."

"Mrs. President! I'm Kevin, also from Did You Hear?! Who will be leading the investigation into Ashley Baok's murder?"

"Thank you for your question, Kevin. The team will be working alongside the Moonfall Precinct. They will be working with each other, although Larson Hotch will be leading the investigation."

"Larson Hotch! My name is Laura, and I am from Waverwell News. You were the one who helped put together the Silverlight Forest Protection Unit. Now, Ashley Baok is dead. Do you think someone is targeting the Silverlight Forest Protection Unit?"

Cynthia allowed Larson to stand at the podium. "Thank you for your question, Laura. I cannot say at this time since we are still very early in our investigation."

"Detective Larson Hotch! I'm Yan from Waverwell News. You have spent your career in law enforcement, but you are still new to Moonfall and the Moonfall Precinct. Do you think that will have any effect as you lead the investigation?"

"Thank you for your question. While I am still fairly new to Moonfall and its area, that fact will not have any effect on the investigation. There is a team from the Moonfall Precinct working on this case, not just me, as well as the team President Cynthia Corville has put together that will be assisting us."

"Mrs. President! I am Oliver from Did You Hear?! You have mentioned that the team will be assisting the Moonfall Precinct. Why not just take over the whole case?"

"Thank you for your question, Oliver. The Moonfall Precinct is very skilled at investigating crimes and figuring out who is responsible. The purpose of the team is to have a variety of people with skills that compliment each other all looking at the facts."

"Mrs. President, one last question! This is Henry again, from Did You Hear?! Why create a team for this murder and not others? When you ran for President of Waverwell, you vowed to better Waverwell, to protect the still-wild spaces and keep the wealthy from deepening their pockets and doing nothing to help the underserved communities. Why create a team for this murder but not others? What was different about it? Was it because Ashley Baok was a member of the Silverlight Forest Protection Unit, something you helped create? Do you have a personal interest in the case?

"Thank you for your question, Henry. Yes, Ashley Baok was a member of the Silverlight Forest Protection Unit, which was something I helped create. That does give me a personal connection to the case, but the reason I decided to put together the team to assist the Moonfall Precinct was because I wanted to assist in the investigation. Ashley Baok's murder was one of the worst in the history of Waverwell. I want to ensure something like this never happens again. When I was elected as the President of Waverwell, I vowed that I would better our country. And part of how I will better our country is by ensuring that crimes like this do not happen. This team will assist the Moonfall Precinct in their investigation, and they will not stop until Ashley Baok gets justice. And once what happened is figured out, I will make sure it never happens again. One time is too many times, but I will make sure it doesn't happen again."

"Thank you all for coming, whether here in-person or from your homes, wherever you may be residing. Good night, Waverwell."

xxxx

By the time that Cynthia reached her room, exhaustion weighed on her like a hundred-pound blanket that threatened to smother her.

A massive bed stood in the middle of the room, while a closet took up a good portion of the opposite wall. A painted cityscape of Corville hung in an elaborate frame over the bed. Light from Corville and the moon filtered through the closed blinds covering the window and peeked through the cracked door to the bathroom.

Cynthia and Charlotte barely spoke as they changed into pajamas and began winding down for the night. The clock inched closer to midnight by the time they climbed into bed. Charlotte sat down on the right side and set a glass of water on her bedside table, while Cynthia opened the drawer on her bedside table and took out a stack of letters and a pen.

"Lights out?" Charlotte asked.

"No, I'm going to write a letter to the Silverlight Forest Protection Unit. I want to say what we're doing."

"Ok. I'm going to sleep though."

"Goodnight, Char. Sleep well."

"You too, Sin." They exchanged a kiss, and Charlotte shut off her bedside light before she curled up.

The blank sheet of paper she held loomed, a space so big she wasn't sure how she'd fill it. Besides, what could she possibly say? Nothing could make the death of a brother or friend any better. She knew who each of them were —she'd helped create the Silverlight Forest Protection Unit— but she didn't know any of them personally. Apart from Ferris Dipper, she'd only met them a handful of times. That hardly counted as knowing someone, much less being close with someone, knowing who they really were.

Cynthia leaned back bed with a sigh, resting on the pillows she stacked against the headboard. She clicked the back of her pen several times before settling down and starting to write:

Hello, Ferris Dipper, Charlie Springs, Kristin Baok, Zip Furr, and Ren

I wanted to offer my deepest condolences after hearing of Ashley Baok's murder. I cannot imagine what you are all going through right now. If there is anything I can offer to help you through this time, please do not hesitate to reach out, either through mail or an email. You can also reach out through my Muse account, PresidentofWaverwell, though it may take longer to reach me, as I do not run that account and the messages are looked through very infrequently.

As was mentioned in the Waverwell News press conference, a team has been put together to figure out exactly what happened in Ashley Baok's murder and what caused it. They will assist the Moonfall Precinct, and will communicate with you directly as well. What I did not mention and what the general public does not yet know is that the leaders are the sisters Asa and Azrael Smith. They are some of the best detectives in Waverwell and have helped solve some of the toughest crimes. While I have not worked with them personally, I am confident they will be able to bring those responsible for Ashley Baok's murder to justice.

I ask that you please keep Asa and Azrael Smith's names to yourselves until the members of the team are released to the public.

If, at any time, you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please reach out, either to me, the team, or the Moonfall Precinct. I promise we will be transparent about what is going on at any time. You knew Ashley Baok better than anyone else. Especially you, Kristin Baok. As I'm sure you have heard from the Moonfall Precinct, no one will rest until Ashley Baok's murderer is found. Ashley Baok will get the justice he deserves.

Sincerely,

Cynthia Corville

President of Waverwell

Cynthia signed beneath her printed name and title, a neat, loopy script of letters that were easily recognizable as her name: C. Corville.

She folded the letter into neat thirds, placed it in an envelope that she sealed, and then wrote out the address and slipped it beneath her door. By the time she woke up, the letter would be gone and on its way to the Silverlight Forest Protection Unit.

Cynthia returned to bed and cuddled up next to Charlotte, who groggily rolled over and slung an arm over her side, only waking up enough to move and utter a low goodnight.

"Goodnight as well, Char." Dreamland claimed Cynthia shortly after.