Chapter 5: So Maybe I'm NOT Okay

•National Science Academy, 1st Ward•

Ambrose

"Another dead body was found in the 4th Ward" A student whispered in the dormitory common room.

Ambrose's ears perked as he looked up from the floating hologram flashing in front of him, reading the words "Sanctuary Daily News."

'Eavesdropping is a critical skill for a detective to have. A little wouldn't hurt' he thought to himself as he listened intently to what they said.

He stretched in his chair and pretended to read the holographic newspaper he was holding as he continued listening.

"Where did you hear that?" Another student replied.

"It's all over the Sanctuary Stream!"

"More and more people have been reported missing or dead these days," One of them said.

"And you know what makes it weirder? The victims all have their organs gouged out as if they were eaten by some monster!!" The other boy said, mimicking a roar.

"You know most of the information there isn't reliable. Unless it's approved by RACQI you really shouldn't believe everything you see online" a student said in a reprimanding voice.

Ambrose turned his head and recognized the owner of the voice as the student council president with the special rose pin on his uniform. He quickly turned his head avoiding eye contact and shrinking back to his chair with a sigh.

Ambrose sighed. Looks like the government still continues to cover up most of the missing cases.

"At this rate, I won't be able to find any leads. '' He said disappointed.

"It's upside down." Ambrose looked up and saw Nick with two cups of coffee in his hands. Nick turned the newspaper hologram right side up and settled on the chair next to him.

Ambrose had known Nick since they were children, he was from a long line of politicians. His mother was currently the minister of sanctuary defense while his father is a senior researcher in the Sanctuary.

"Is that cup for me?" Ambrose asked, grabbing the cup.

Nick swatted his hand away with a glare "No, they're both mine"

Ambrose made a face of disgust. "Selfish"

"So how's the case?" Nick asked, sipping his coffee.

Ambrose sighed and stretched both of his arms in exasperation. "absolutely terrible"

"I have no leads, no clues and I only have 6 months left before my family disowns me" Ambrose announced with a capitalistic smile.

"Why did you even bet on solving a case in 3 months when the sanctuary's wardens haven't solved it after a year?"

"Because! If I don't prove my worth by my first year here in the academy my family will officially disown me and remove me from the family's register!!! I had to do something!"

"So you decided to tell them you could solve the mystery behind the serial killings in half the time? That was an idiot move, Ambrose."

Ambrose ruffled his hair in frustration. "ARGHHHH as my friend you should at least support me"

"self-proclaimed friend"

"So you're saying we aren't friends?!" Ambrose didn't bother to argue anymore, Nick was always like this.

"I have to find a lead soon," Ambrose said to himself.

"There's been a student reported missing in the academy a few days ago. Mum thinks it's related to the serial case. " Nick said nonchalantly.

"What?! I never heard about that!"

"Yes, there was a news blackout only the higher-ups know about it."

"Then how did YOU know about it, Nick? I thought you cut your ties with your mother?"

"I have my ways," Nick said with a smirk, finally looking at him this time.

Suddenly, a message notification beeped on Ambrose's tablet. He opened it to see the missing student's case file Nick sent. A photo of a girl with brown hair and grass-green eyes smiled happily at him from the files. "Emily Stuart. 2nd Year. Daughter of Stuart Pharmaceuticals?" Ambrose read. Something was weird. Most of the killings happened in the outer wards, occasionally reaching the 2nd ward but there weren't any cases of murder or disappearances in the 1st ward.

"Security is especially tight in the first ward. Not just anyone can get in. They must have gone through a lot of trouble just to enter the 1st Ward. If these really are serial killings as we thought they must have a reason. From the killing patterns, most victims were men and women in their early 40s to late 50s. And yet, why would their first target in our ward be a mere student from the academy?" Ambrose questioned out loud. "I don't understand...." he muttered.

"Ah, a sign of a great detective," Nick teased mockingly.

"Hey! Detectives don't always find the answers right away!"

"And why would the government cover up her death?" Nick added finishing his first cup, and reaching for the second one. "If my mother is involved in this, there's more to this than just a serial murder case, Ambrose" A serious tone was placed in his words, leaving a bitter aftertaste in Ambrose's mouth -- despite the clear lack of caffeine.

"We should try to visit her dorm room. Find some clues and maybe finally find a lead" Ambrose announced.

"We? You mean you." Nick deadpanned.

"No, I mean WE. Because YOU are helping ME so WE'RE going to solve the case"

"I don't think so" And with that, he left, leaving his half-filled coffee on the table.

Ambrose sighed in annoyance. Another problem was HOW he was going to enter Emily's room. Boys obviously aren't allowed in on the 3rd and 4th floors where the girl's dormitory was and there were thermal detectors, CCTV cameras, and not to mention the robot dorm masters patrolling the floors. But this was his first and possibly last chance for a lead and he would do anything to get into her room.

"Time check: 6:45" The robotic sound of a hologram reminded them. Classes were held every day from 7 in the morning to 4 in the afternoon. "Please proceed to your respective classrooms. I repeat Time check....."Ambrose didn't bother letting the hologram finish, he grabbed his tablet, stuffed it into his bag, and left for class.

•••

As Ambrose was walking towards the annex building for class, he noticed a crowd of students forming by the fountain next to the annex.

"One of the Imperial 7 is here!"

"Really?! I can't wait to see them up close!"

"Hurry up we can't miss them"

The Imperial 7. They were the top 7 smartest and most talented students in the academy. And among them, the queen, also known as the academy's top 2 was Amelia Riese, Ambrose's older sister.

Ambrose saw his sister's cold face from the center of the crowd. Her blonde hair - a signature trait from the Riese family- appeared to shine a lustrous shade of gold as the sun caught it. Her icy blue eyes calculatingly observed her surroundings and the people around her. Whenever Ambrose looked at those blue eyes he always felt as though his sister knew everything. There wasn't anything he could hide from her because she could notice even the smallest details.

"Younger brother..." His sister called when they locked gazes. "I heard you caused quite the commotion the other day" She added.

"Sister I-"

"Ambrose. You are already a disgrace to our family as you are. Don't cause our family any more trouble and live quietly as if you're dead." Amelia's sharp tone somehow pierced through Ambrose's heart. He has been known as the useless son of the Riese family, the black sheep, the unlucky bastard who didn't manage to inherit even an ounce of their excellence.

Why did he expect praise from such a cold family who values talent and intellect above all else? It frustrated him that he kept longing for the affection he knew he would never receive. And yet, he still can't fully give up on the idea of being accepted.

Ambrose clenched his fists as his sister walked past him, not even bothering to look back and see how he was feeling. The affection of a family that excels in everything BUT affection. It was laughable, he knew.

"I'm not solving this case to be part of them. I'm solving this case to prove I'm better than those bastards" He said to himself. He couldn't settle for any other case. It had to be this one. He had to solve the hardest case to prove he was the best.

"I have to get into that room!"