?1465 The Fallen Spectres Organization's Five Heads.
"I will handle it." Nidam gave a slight nod and took off imdiately.
"Hazel, what did you find on the victim's past." Captain Charleson asked.
"Nothing much." Hazel shook her head, "Everyone I asked said the sa thing. Arion was in a deep debt and his gambling den was on the verge of being shut down. No one knows if he has cleared off the debt or not, but the gambling den declared bankruptcy and he has disappeared ever since."
"He must have been turned into this after failing to pay his debt." Felix reasoned.
"My thoughts exactly." Captain Charleson ordered, "Hazel, did your investigations find the identity of the lender?"
Hazel shook her head, "No one knew the lender personally besides Arion. I will try to unravel his identity."
"Good, we need every lead we get." Captain Charleson turned to Felix and Ravager. "I want you boys to dig deeper into those hundred cases and try to find any leads as well. Prioritize the newest ones."
"On it."
Captain Charleson clapped his hands and said one last ti with a serious tone. "This is a whole different battle than what we are used to, so be careful and avoid making even the slightest mistake."
Everyone understood what he implied and exited the office with grim expressions. The notion of having a superior part of the fallen organization and keeping his eyes on them would send the creeps down anyone's spine.
They were certain that if they made a single mistake, he wouldn't hesitate to seek their early departure from the departnt.
It was even harder on Felix and Ravager as they were still trainees and amidst active competition.
'We wanted a big case to win the competition, now I doubt we will make it through.' Ravager sighed.
'As long as we follow the rules, we will always be in the right.' Felix replied calmly.
'I hope so...'
...
On the other side of the coin...
A closed-off eting was held between the Five Heads of The Fallen Specters Organization.
The air in the underground chamber was cold, with only a few mystical orbs illuminating the area.
Sharky, with his characteristic sharp-toothed grin, lounged on one side of a massive, ancient stone table.
On its surface, a map of the spirit realm, glowing with various points of interest, resembling an active warfare map.
Many cities were colored green, but the majority were either colored red or orange with a percentage number above them.
The other three heads, Orellana with her fiery eyes, Gravus who looked solid like a stone, and Marcel who constantly seed to phase in and out of existence, took their positions around the table.
In the midst of them stood Inspector Nolvar, wearing an emblem that showed his rank as the High Inspector, but at this mont, he was one among equals.
Inspector Nolvar cleared his throat, "The situation has beco precarious. Charleson and his squad are creeping up on our operations. I have already commanded for the sellers to lay low and planned to make it difficult for his squad. But, we still need a legit strategy in case this situation lasts more than we anticipate."
"Why not just eliminate the problem at its root? I've never been a fan of subtlety." Sharky said with an icy tone and murderous eyes capable of slicing through solid walls.
He was a whole different character than what he displayed in public, which wasn't shocking considering he was the closest thing to a politician.
Orellana, tapping the table with her crimson nails, retorted, "Because a sudden disappearance would raise even more suspicion. We need to divert their attention."
She was a Green Warden, representing the interest and benefits of the spirits with the green color in the realm.
Gravus, with his deep, subtle voice, suggested, "We could plant misleading evidence, and send them on a wild goose chase."
His thought process was befitting of his status as one of the highest-paid public prosecutors in the heavenly plane.
His job was to defend the interests of the public and governnt like any other normal prosecutor.
He had caused an unfathomable number of spirits to be sent either to jail or kicked out of the plane entirely, making him feared across the entire realm.
Marceladded his own input, "Or introduce another threat in the realm. A decoy. Sothing they can't ignore. That would buy us ti to complete our operations."
Marcel was a high-ranked judge with a great standing in the jurisdictional system, possessing enough authority to affect the entire legal system.
"I agree, we can't halt our operations for even a mont. So, telling our sellers to stay low was a bad move." Sharky stated, "The duke is rushing the operation for a reason. We don't know it yet, but he will hang us alive if he hears that we are slowing down."
"That's true." Inspector Nolvar said with a deep frown, "But, we should at least send away Quillon. He will most definitely be approached due to his relation with the case."
"I have no issue with that."
"Seconded."
Everyone agreed at once.
Quillon was the one selling Arion away and he was the only direct link the squad had at the mont to the fallen organization.
"Charleson will most definitely erect a wide search to find him."
"Don't worry, I won't approve of it." Inspector Nolvar said.
"You need a reason to do it without making it too obvious." Solomun suggested, "We should create disturbances in the outer regions. Nothing lethal, just enough to create new ergency cases."
"Indeed, we can even use the opportunity to force them into deploynt and buy us so ti."
Inspector Nolvar might not force squads to accept cases, but when it ca to ergencies, he had the authority to halt any ongoing investigation and deal with the ergency first.
"I guess we have a plan?"
"This is all for now."
Everyone looked at each other for a few monts before Gravus inford, "If this issue isn't solved by the next two weeks, I will inform the duke personally."
"..."
"..."
"..."
No one disagreed with him or attempted to talk him out of it.
They knew that Gravus was already doing them a huge favor by not informing the duke right away.
That's because he was the duke's right hand and most trusted soldier, abiding by his will like it was a god's decree.
...
A couple of minutes later...
Gravus was seen in Duke Humphery's office.
He was standing upright with his hands folded behind his back, wearing a formal black suit that went well with his gray short hair.
"So, that's what happened." Duke Humphery uttered.
"Yes." Gravus nodded.
He had just sold out his peers without a second of thought, updating the duke about everything that happened.
Fifteen days? What a joke...He wouldn't be referred to as the duke's second arm if he hid information from him.
"Handle it as you fit." Duke Humphrey said.
"I will get it done as fast as possible." Gravus uttered as he bowed down akin to a butler. Then, he excused himself.
While it seed like Duke Humphrey didn't show much of a reaction to the situation, he was a bit concerned.
'That boy is getting too close to our operations while he has a connection to Kraken.'
He wasn't scared of Felix but by the idea of Elder Kraken getting involved in this case.
'Hades won't bother himself to get involved in these matters willingly, but if it was introduced during the elders' council, his presence alone will force all elders to work to the best of their ability to stop our operations.'
'I can't afford to have the strategy fail, not now, not after I spent eons on it.' Duke Humphrey's eyes twinkled with an extraordinary light, 'I was cast away from the heavens and this is the only way to return. And I will return, I will return no matter what it takes.'
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