The Plan (2)

Alex couldn't know who was inside the apartment. Still, he could hear more than one person gagging at the terrible stench of the place, probably destroying their nostrils. Alex suspected that black elves weren't too intimate with sites or scents like this one.

The young man kept there, hanging with his hands on the edge of the window, trying disparately not to fall but afraid that if he moved to the second window, he would make too much noise. Hence, he mustered all his strength and kept there, hoping that his natural force and the Devil's Hand would be enough to make him able to survive the predicament.

Soon, he heard more steps entering the apartment and moving things around. There were more than three people inside, counting the Captain.

"Anything, soldiers?" she asked in her typical icy tone.

"No, ma'am," one of the militaries replied. Alex heard turning and crumpling papers on the table and ground. New steps walked into the apartment, strong and fast, as if the owner of the march was losing money for each step he made in the wrong direction.

"Are you sure this is the place, captain?" a new masculine, grave, and annoyed voice asked, "I'll not stand wasting the empress' time," Alex knew he was referring to his time, not the empress' or anyone else. He could bet La'har knew the same.

"Yes, sir. This is Grapr's house."

"Oh, it's stereotypical, isn't it, captain?" the man asked with disgust in his voice while walking further into the room, "an orc living like a filthy animal,"

"Yes, Major. It is… disgusting."

"Don't you think this whole protocol of thoroughly investigating cross-racial crimes too much?" He asked with a tone of genuine curiosity, but Captain La'har didn't answer for several seconds,

"I wouldn't say that, sir! We are just following the Empresse's orders," she replied in a shaking tone, as if afraid of saying the wrong words.

"Good, captain. As always, you are a true example of what a soldier must be for our City Guard and the whole army. I truly appreciate your fast ascend. You're showing to the next generations what a good officer is," he stated like a proud father, but his tone rapidly changed to the annoyed, angry Major of before, "but that doesn't explain why I needed to be here following this particular investigation of a filthy orc that looks to be a dead weight on our realm,"

The sound of La'har gulping reached Alex as if he were standing at her side,

"You can say it's a hunch, sir. The witness described a suspect with strange abilities—"

"'A' what captain?"

"A suspect with—"

"No, please. The other part…"

"a… hunch—"

"You brought me to this shithole based on a hunch?!" The elf's voice was so loud that it startled Alex and threatened to make him lose his grip on the window, but he grabbed it with more strength as he heard steps approaching his position. La'Har flinched just like she had made the orc do in the alley hours before. Alex smirked at that exchange, feeling reinvigorated by hearing the bully being bullied.

"Sir, we found something." A voice interrupted the elf's rage, and Alex could almost see Captain La'har's features with her back to the window. She stepped to the front, and Alex sighed with relief.

After a couple seconds, the voice of the Major sounded joyful while he read the letter for everyone to hear:

Grapr,

This letter is a reminder of your debt. The due date passed five days ago. We expect three hundred coins to be paid in the chimera's headquarters.

After the delivery of this message, you have three days to conclude the payment,

Or pay the blood price.

Kael'Talar.

Alex didn't know if his plan would work. He had a good hunch that it would. But listening to the tone of the Major made the young man feel instantly better. He bought it! Alex thought, holding firmly the edge of the window, feeling the sweat dropping from his forehead.

"That's… perfect, sir," Captain Lahar proclaimed, but she hadn't any trace of happiness in her voice. It had almost a consternation tone to it.

"Yes, it is, my dear La'har!" The captain exclaimed and tapped the letter with force, "How many times did we hear about these damn letters but never found one with the bodies?" He was now laughing to the air, happiness engulfing him, but La'har didn't join the Major's enthusiasm. Doesn't matter… he is her superior. He's the one who needs to be convinced. 

"But that's strange, don't you think, sir?" He heard her getting close to her superior and her voice becoming anxious, "We never found one of these, and now we do? After such a strange death with an unrelated suspect who fits the witness' description?"

"Are you talking again about the dungeon boy? Yes, it could be him, but you said the boy had no scars and is joining the adventurer's guild."

"Yes, sir. But I saw him being hurled inside one of the chimeras' carriages," She replied promptly. Oh, so she knew and hid the information! He was relieved for not revealing too much to the women; he had opted for being subtle, and it would pay off if the Captain was someone less naturally suspicious.

"Half the city owes coins to Kael'Talar, and now we'll have him. The empress will be extremely pleased, Captain. Just picture the headlines tomorrow: "Kael'Talar, heroe turned Criminal, finally arrested— thanks to the efforts of Major Fahr and Captain La'har!"

That's a huge headline, Major… Alex thought and started to move to the next window, taking advantage of their distraction.

"But, Major!" La'har started to protest, but the other elf was resolute,

"No buts, Captain. Be glad that your hunch was so fruitful. We are going to get him now. We'll search for the goon with a wounded face who killed poor Grapr— such a pillar to society. Am I right?" He asked, and Alex heard the elf's hand clasping against La'Har's shoulder.

After a couple of seconds, she replied, almost inaudible.

"Yes, sir."

"Good! That's why I like you, kid. You're a true example for the next generation. In no time, you'll be sitting in my chair, and I'll be enjoying life in front of the sea," He patted her again and left the building. Soon, Alex heard the noises of soldiers following the Major behind.

La'har was more cunning than he had expected. Still, cops seemed the same anywhere. Give them a bigger fish— unless it's their boss, and you'll be forgotten in a second.

La'har was damn right in her hunches, she was damn right about being suspicious of Alex and Tina, and that was her mistake. There aren't countries for 'perfect cops' or 'perfect' anything. You have to walk in the line, but be prepared to cross it occasionally; that was no problem for Alex, not anymore. The days of forcing himself to walk on the line were over.

He slowly moved towards the other apartment when he heard La'Har's steps approaching his position.

"Goddess… why… shit… shit…" She was angry, but even so, she tried to keep her posture. But not for long. Soon she was screaming, "Fucking Dozen Hells!" and she threw something out of the window with force, "shit! If that hit Major Fahr… May the Goddess help me," she said, fastening her steps. 

Fearing she would catch a glimpse of him, Alex accelerated and jumped on the other window, getting inside the apartment as fast as he could.

He dropped to the ground as silently as possible and kept listening. After a few seconds, he heard La'Har moving towards the door of Grapr's apartment and rushed to his own door.

Alex had nowhere to hide in the apartment; he was doomed if she attempted to enter and check the window. The young man strategically positioned himself beside the door, allowing him to put all his weight against it without revealing he was there by the door's gap close to the ground.

He held his breath and waited. He watched La'Har slowly approaching the door by the shadows in the door's cracks. She lowered her head to the gap and got up next in a fast motion.

Sweat downed Alex's forehead as he waited.

Then, the handle turned. Alex put more force against the door, awaiting her to try to force it, but she never pushed.

Alex waited one minute before releasing his breath, joy washing over him. And then, the message appeared before his eyes:

…

Processing information.

…

Analyzing

…

Results:

Strength: Lacking

Endurance: Lacking

Speed: Enhanced

Intelligence: Enhanced

Magic Power: Lacking

Physical Power: Lacking

Faction Power: Maximized

…

Checking Changes

…

Requirements achieved.

Initializing changes to: 

Strength

Endurance

Intelligence

…

Changes complete.

Strength upgraded from F1 to F2

Endurance upgraded from F2 to F3

Intelligence upgraded from F3 to F4