As Private Investigator Hais pulled up to the grand entrance of the Red Palace, he looked at the ornate structure that loomed before him once again. Still, the effect the place had on him wasn't so big anymore, and despite the beauty of the place, the investigator could only feel disgust and rage toward the institution.
The Red Palace was a renowned place where individuals trained to enhance their physical and mental abilities.
It was also the place where Hais was going to meet Erik Romano, a young man he had previously met during an investigation and who he strongly believed had something to do with the disappearance of three boys.
But this time, Hais wasn't here to investigate Conal, Orson, and Logan's disappearance; instead, the investigator had the inkling that Erik was also involved in Nathaniel McConnel's death, and he came here again to inquire and to see if the young man showed signs of guilt or nervousness.
The imposing sight of the palace's crimson walls, which appeared to exude an air of power, greeted Hais as he got out of his car. He quickly passed through the gate and arrived at the entrance, where two bulky security officers were now watching him warily.
"I'm Private Investigator Hais," he announced, showing them his identification. "I have an appointment."
The guards exchanged a glance before one of them nodded and led Hais inside. The interior of the Red Palace was just as awe-inspiring as its exterior, but again, the man only became angrier once he saw it. The walls were adorned with intricate murals depicting warriors in action, and the halls were lined with statues of martial artists frozen in dynamic poses.
Amanda Smith, the receptionist, sat behind the front desk. Her dark skin contrasted beautifully with her bright smile, making her a striking figure.
As the receptionist, she was used to dealing with all sorts of people, but when the tall, lanky private investigator in a worn-out trench coat he wore despite being summer entered the building, she greeted him with a cold and assessing stare.
"Welcome again, Mr. Hais," the woman said.
"There is no need for you to force yourself to be polite to me. I don't like you as much as you don't like me," the man said.
"Oh, but I do like you, sir," Amanda replied.
"Yeah, yeah, just bring me to the room," Hais replied.
"All right. Then, if you are gentle enough to follow me, we will go to the same one we used last time." She was used to keeping a professional stance in front of everyone who entered the institution, especially outsiders like Hais.
"Mr. Hais, please follow me," Amanda said, her voice relaxed and professional. She started walking toward a door leading to a corridor, her pencil skirt hugging her curves, and led the way down the hallway.
Hais followed, taking in the grandeur of the Red Palace once again with its opulent decor and solemn and luxurious atmosphere but remaining wary of everything and everyone.
Amanda led Hais to a small, windowless room. The walls were painted in a muted shade of gray, and the only furnishings in the room were a plain wooden table and two chairs. She gestured for Hais to have a seat, and he complied, settling into one of the chairs with a sense of urgency.
"I will inform Erik that you're here," Amanda said curtly before turning on her heel and leaving the room. As Hais waited, he took the opportunity to scan the room for anything suspicious.
He noticed the faint smell of cleaning chemicals, suggesting that the room had been recently sanitized, and saw multiple cameras pointing at him from every corner of the room.
***
Erik's heart pounded in his chest as he stepped out of his apartment and into the hallway of his high-rise building. He had just received a call from Amanda, the receptionist at the Red Palace, informing him that the private investigator, Hais, had returned to ask him more questions.
<I need to stay calm...> the young man thought.
However, Erik couldn't shake off the nagging feeling of unease that had settled in his gut ever since Hais first showed up at the Red Palace. He likely knew he had killed Conal, Logan, and Orson.
As Erik made his way to the elevator, and couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding. He knew that Hais was determined and persistent, and the thought of facing him again filled him with anxiety.
<System, if you see I'm not calm enough, do your job.>
[UNDERSTOOD.]
As the elevator doors closed and the lift started its descent, Erik's palms grew sweaty, and he tapped his foot nervously. He couldn't shake off the feeling that things were going to take an ugly turn. He couldn't afford to slip up and reveal something he shouldn't know, and the pressure was mounting with each passing moment.
<This is not good.> The young man took some deep breaths to calm himself down, and slowly he managed to gain composure.
But the elevator ride felt like an eternity, and Erik's mind raced with thoughts and scenarios of what Hais might ask him. He tried to prepare himself by mentally rehearsing his answers, but there was much Hais could ask, and he needed to be consistent with his answers.
When the elevator doors finally opened, Erik stepped out into the lobby, his steps quick and purposeful. He tried to appear composed, but he was nervous as he approached the front desk, where Amanda was waiting.
The woman looked up from her desk as Erik approached; her expression was unreadable. She was as stunning as ever, with her flawless skin and commanding presence.
He cleared his throat nervously, his words coming out in a slightly shaky voice.
"I'm here to see Hais," Erik said, trying to sound confident despite the jittery feeling in his stomach.
Amanda nodded, her calm demeanor unchanged. She gestured to go to the usual room, which he got told about through the message she sent him, indicating that Hais was waiting there.
Erik took a deep breath, steeling himself for the upcoming encounter, and walked toward the room. After a short while, especially as the thought he didn't have to mess up sank in, Erik calmed down enough to have a decent conversation with Hais.
<System, I want you to connect to the Red Palace's system. Find out if they are recording my and Hais's meeting, and if this is true, erase all evidence without leaving a trace. Find out if someone is also listening to the conversation.>
[UNDERSTOOD. CONNECTING TO THE RED PALACE'S NETWORK. CONNECTION COMPLETE. A RECORDING IS CURRENTLY GOING ON. DO YOU WANT ME TO PROCEED WITH STOPPING THE RECORDING AND ERASING THE FOOTAGE?]
<Yes, Erik replied. But make it so that whoever is listening doesn't notice.>
[UNDERSTOOD. STARTING PROCEDURE. 3…2…1… PROCEDURE COMPLETE. RECORDING STOPPED, FOOTAGE ERASED.]
After a short while, he entered; Hais was already there, sitting at the wooden table, his keen eyes locking onto Erik's as soon as he walked in. Erik couldn't help but feel a surge of anxiety as he met Hais' gaze, but he didn't show it.
<I can do this...>
The investigator gave him the feeling of having a sharp intuition, and the relentless questions he asked the last time, gave the young man enough reason to understand what kind of character he was. Erik knew he had to be careful with his words.
"Good morning, Mister Romano. I hope you had a nice time since we last saw each other," Hais said.
"Good morning, Mr. Hais. Everything has been good; thank you for your concern," the words came out much more calmly than Erik expected.
"Good morning, investigator Hais. How can I help you?" Erik said with a huge smile.
"I came here to ask you about something different from Logan's, Conal's, and Orson's disappearance. I would like to know something more about what you did at the Red Palace during the attack. Is there a problem with it?"
"There is no problem; what exactly do you need to know?"
"I would like for you to recap exactly what happened during that day," Hais said.
As they exchanged some pleasantries, Erik visibly calmed down. "Well, I was training with Master Nieminen, and then she had to leave the Red Palace to join the city's defenses. From there, I went to the Yellow Palace's shelter, and there I waited for the attack to end," Erik said.
"Is there someone who can testify about this?" Hais asked.
"Of course, besides Master Nieminen, there were multiple people there," Erik replied.
"Ok, then? What happened?"
"Then I waited until the Blirdoth attacked the Red Palace, we were all forced to leave the shelter, and we fought against some thaids," Erik said.
Hais already knew all this; he just wanted to see what Erik said. However, there was something else that he wanted to know; Nathaniel McConnel died somewhere around the shelter, where Erik was told to have been found later. So, what Hais wanted to know was what happened to the awakener after he left the Red Palace.
"Then?"
"Then the Principal came and helped us fend off the Blirdoth, we students had to escape, and from there, I went to the shelter."
"Just this? You didn't find any thaid along the way?" Hais asked.
"I did find some thaid, but I killed them." That was what Hais wanted to know, but unfortunately, Erik didn't lie. Hais knew already that there were many dead thaid bodies in those areas, and it was likely that it had been him who killed them.
If Erik had; lied, trying to make it seem like the amount of time he had been outside and that he would have had available to kill Nathaniel was less, then Hais' suspicions would have been higher.
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