Chapter 60: Williams the investigator

In the world of death and despair, where hope seems to be a distant memory in a bleak desolate place of no sun, neither warmth nor life. The only sound that could be heard was the wind, whispering through the branches like a mournful sigh, the air was thick with fog, the ground was covered in a layer of ash, and the skeletal trees stood like sentinels with their bare branches reaching towards the sky.

From a distance in the fog, Riya could see her department leader getting scolded and she knew immediately that it was because of her, she hurriedly walked away from the gate and approached them even though the leader signaled for her to run away when he sighted her but she ignored him and walked up to them, bowing and greeting them both.

" those the atmosphere looks like we are interested in your greetings?", a grim reaper dressed in dark and severe robes said. His face would be scrawny and pale, with dark circles under his eyes. He glared at Riya with a Stern and unforgiving expression.

He carries himself with an air of authority and power that makes Riya feel intimidated. They call him Dito.

" My apologies my lord!",

" And with the challenges going on, what gives you the right to open the front gate",

" I told you the reason", the leader said,

" shut your mouth before I do it", Dito said and turned back to Riya, " Any explanation for why you did something that stupid?",

" A tangible reason at that, my lord",

" All ears", he said as he placed his arms behind him,

" I simply volunteered to go to the Angel World and instruct them not to send anyone for now to deliver any report as we are facing some challenges recently which I didn't mention...",

" Just that?", Dito interrupted,

" No, my lord".

Both the leader and Dito raised their eyes at her.

" I was also able to get some information that could help us with the investigation, according to the king, they have sent Princess Lora and with the time she seems to have left, she probably arrived at the same time we were attacked",

" what?!",

" Are you saying the princess instigated the attack?",

" I'm not sure, it's of three possibilities, it's either she was also attacked and that's why she hasn't been seen yet, or, she is an accomplice, or... she's a hostage".

The other two men took a deep breath,

" It's one of the three, at least we have a lead now, that a princess is surely among, we have what to track down now", the leader said.

Dito cleared his throat and said before walking away, "At least your visiting isn't so bad".

Riya bowed as she tried not to smile, she was left alone with her boss who pulled her closer by the shoulder,

" what you did could have attracted a severe punishment",

" but it didn't",

" you're lucky",

" I'm not, I just bring a reason not to get punished in any way", she said and moved back, bowed, and left.

" she's so cold and reckless".

************

(THE HUMAN WORLD)

Liam sat on the lab stool in his lab coat with a notebook and pen in his hand, ready to jot down any important findings. His eyes were focused and alert as they scanned through the screen for any potential discoveries. His eyes were steady as they worked in precision and care, exuding a sense of intelligence and curiosity. He was so engrossed in what he was doing, busying his mind and paying total attention to his project to divert his mind from lots of things even though keeping Amelia out of his mind was the toughest part of it. Finally, a call broke his immense attention and he groaned at the wrong time the caller was calling. He looked at the screen of the cellphone and saw the name displayed on it, he knew it was a call he shouldn't ignore.

" Any progress?", he asked,

" hi, how are you doing, in the lab or the office?", Williams said over the phone,

" in the lab so keep it short",

" c'mon...you need to be more friendly, your coldness is what keeps chasing Amelia away",

" Williams!",

" Keep it cool bro, I don't know what you did to hurt her again but she's cool now, she's with Ryan so make sure you apologize when...",

"Is that why you called?", he asked nonchalantly and heard him groan in frustration and lose hope over the phone,

" Not exactly",

" so get straight to the point",

" Still investigating about the corpse but something else diverted my attention for some time",

" Something relating to me?",

" of course. I first of all wanted to know how David got the take over license...",

" Why did you like wasting time doing unnecessary things?", Liam shook his head,

" It's not unnecessary and I'm trying to get you back your project",

"Like I said it's not necessary, it's of no use now and it was Dad that issued it for him",

"Hm hm..you see... that's why I said you should listen to me, you can surely get your project back cause nobody issued him a take-over license",

" What are you talking about?",

" I sent one of my boys over to his place to get those licenses and when I checked the authenticity, it was fake",

" you can't be serious",

" oh yes, I am!".

Liam snorted and groaned as he removed the safety goggles perched on his head. His facial expression remains still as no one can guess what's going on in his head but his fist gives it all away. It was clenched so tight with fury and he pierced his middle finger into his palm as a punishment for getting deceived by that liar. ' How could he even lie against their father! ', he said in his mind.

" That's not all Liam", Williams continues,

" I'm with you",

" There's a strange man following you",

" I know",

" you know?",

" yes, I've noticed him for some time now",

" why then didn't you do something",

" I know I've seen him somewhere before, I'm just waiting till I remember where",

"Well, well, okay then, one last report. Jane and Catherine did not have the same killer",

" What did you mean?",

" meaning they were killed by different people with a different purpose, the cops have captured a person with the likely intention to kill Jane who is her ex-boyfriend who is said to be toxic. I'm still digging though".

" Okay, thanks, make sure you keep me updated",

" yes boss", he said playfully and hung up.

Liam sat still, whatever was going around him, he was sure they all leaked to one person and his instincts are rarely wrong, but at the moment he has something else at hand to deal with.