Ezra sat in his office, the hum of the peacekeeper HQ barely registering in the back of his mind.
His fingers drumd against the edge of his desk as he stared absentmindedly at the only lamp shining on his desk. The daylight to night system had kicked in hours ago, turning off the light and he hadn't even noticed.
It had been days since Green's escape and Hyde's body had gone missing, and yet, despite all their efforts, he and the peacekeepers were no closer to finding either of them.
The HQ had been locked down imdiately after the incident, security checkpoints reinforced, protocols tightened, but nothing.
It was as though Green and Hyde had simply vanished into thin air, pulled from the city by so unseen hand.
The silence surrounding the situation was almost as troubling as the disappearances themselves.
Ezra's eyes narrowed as he thought about the City Lord, Jas Harlow. Faewall was Jas's domain, and it was impossible to believe that he hadn't heard sothing about Green or Hyde's body.
He had expected pressure from Jas, a summons, or at least an inquiry. But there had been nothing.
Jas had remained uncharacteristically quiet, and that silence was louder than any words could have been.
Ezra's instincts told him that Jas knew more than he was letting on. If Jas were truly in the dark, he would've been demanding answers, pushing Ezra for results. Instead, there was nothing. No pressure, no orders, not even a whisper of concern.
Why the silence? Ezra wondered, frowning as he thought about it. If Jas had really taken Green and Hyde, why do it so covertly? Why not simply command Ezra to hand them over?
He couldn't figure out the motive. Jas had enough power and influence to take what he wanted without playing these gas. And yet, Ezra couldn't shake the feeling that the City Lord was involved, sohow.
With a deep sigh, Ezra stood, pushing back his chair and stretching his stiff muscles.
He couldn't afford to dwell on this uncertainty anymore. If Jas was hiding sothing, that was none of his business.
For now, he'd continue with his investigation. Fortunately, he had another lead to chase.
The Forge Trust.
Ezra's investigation into this so-called charitable trust had been halted by the current search and it was ti to get back to it.
He grabbed his coat and left the office, passing through the HQ's layers of security checkpoints.
The peacekeepers stationed at each post nodded respectfully as he passed, after verifying his identity, their eyes sharp with alertness.
The recent breach had everyone on edge, and Ezra had made sure to keep his officers vigilant. But even with all the added precautions, he still didn't know how whoever had taken Green and Hyde had done it.
As he stepped outside and into the cold night air, Ezra walked briskly to his car. He slid into the driver's seat, the hum of the engine coming to life beneath his hands.
It was ti to pay the Forge Trust a visit.
**********
The drive to the Forge Trust was quick, the city blurring by as Ezra focused on his plan of getting the information he wanted.
Just as Olivia had once told him, if his Aura can't do the job, sothing has already gone wrong.
He chuckled to himself as he approached his destination then twitched as he slled burning in the air.
He focused as the building ca into view, a thick plu of smoke rising into the night sky.
The forge Trust was on fire.
Ezra pulled up to the curb, throwing the car into park as he stepped out, the heat from the fire hitting him like a wave.
People were rushing around, so with buckets of water, others yelling for help. The fire had already consud a large portion of the building, and despite the efforts of those nearby, it was clear that the blaze was out of control.
His instincts scread at him that this was no accident.
Without hesitation, Ezra ran toward the building, pushing through the crowds. He could hear people shouting warnings, but he ignored them.
The fire was growing, but there might still be sothing, soone, left inside. He couldn't let his trail go cold like this.
He kicked down the smoldering door and rushed into the burning building. Flas licked at the walls, the acrid sll of smoke filling the air.
He could barely see through the thick haze, but his heightened senses kept him focused. His ears strained for any sound, his eyes scanning through the smoke as he moved through the hallways.
Bodies littered the floor, their throats slashed, already killed before the fire even had a chance to reach them. Whoever had done this hadn't co for the fire. They had co to kill.
Ezra felt a surge of anger rise in his chest, but he tamped it down, forcing himself to focus. That was when his ears caught the sound.
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A heartbeat, faint but present. Ezra honed in on it, pushing through the heat and debris until he found him.
A man lay crumpled against the wall, his chest slashed open, his breathing shallow. His heart was barely beating, blood pooling beneath him.
Ezra knelt beside the man, his hands moving quickly to check the wound. The man was almost gone, but there was a chance, just a slim one, that Ezra could save him.
Gritting his teeth, Ezra lifted the man and began carrying him toward the exit. The heat from the flas grew almost unbearable, and Ezra could feel the searing pain of his skin starting to burn.
But he didn't stop. He couldn't. He could have teleported out but people had seen him rush in.
As he found his way back out, he forced his body, resisting the instinct to heal, knowing there would be questions if he ca out of the fire unhard when even the victim had been burned and his own white uniform had caught afla.
The fire departnt arrived just as he burst out of the building, the man still cradled in his arms.
He laid him gently on the ground, wincing as his own burned skin chafed against the cloth rubbing on it. His hands were blistered and his arms singed but he didn't care.
The firen rushed forward, imdiately assessing the situation. Ezra stepped back, letting them take over as they tried to revive the man. He wiped the sweat and soot from his face, watching them with a sharp eye.
That man was his only source of information on Forge Trust.
Whoever had been behind this attack had done so to destroy evidence, to eliminate any witnesses.
But they hadn't been fast enough. This man was still alive, barely, and he might have the answers Ezra needed.
He had to get this man to speak. Whatever had happened at the Forge Trust, it was connected to Green, Hyde, and whatever conspiracy was happening in Faewall now.
But right now, all Ezra could do was wait and hope that the man survived long enough to give him the truth.
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