Chapter 4

Mrs Smith drove into the in-house garage at the base with Joe and Trey. They alighted from the vehicle and immediately, the medical team rushed over to Joe who was clutching his side. A metal had pierced him there but he didn't feel it during the fight due to the adrenaline in his system then.

"I'm fine. There's nothing wrong with me" Mrs Smith told one of the medical attendants that came to meet her at the driver's side. She was just coming down from the vehicle. Trey's sigh of relief caught Mrs Smith's attention and she smiled a little. She knew what he was thinking, it's safe in here. He had been exposed to a lot of dangers as a teenager.

"You're back" Clara said coming out of her personal work shop. She has a thing for bikes, so she's the type that loves to get her hands dirty, repairing and upgrading her bikes herself. She wiped her hands on a greasy rag, smiling mischievously. Mrs Smith immediately got the message.

"Where's he?" She asked walking past her towards the elevator that leads to the main parts of the building which was constructed underground.

" Planning how to separate your bones from your flesh" she replied with a smirk. Mrs Smith scoffed as the three entered the elevator. Mrs Smith pushed a button as the door slowly closed before descending down to level four.

"Seriously, Lucy?" Clara said turning to face her. "You locked everyone down here just because you don't want to be followed?"

Mrs Smith tore her gaze away from her before saying, " Dad won't let me go alone".

It was Clara's turn to scoff.

"See?, Everyone thinks I'm the crazy one here, now what are you?" She shook her head just as the elevators bell beeped, signalling that they've got to the fourth level.

"I'm not as crazy as you are Clara, I run a coffee shop without issues, a feat you can never achieve without ruining things". Mrs Smith said just as the elevator's door opened automatically to a very long hallway.

" Don't you forget I'm a detective!" Clara snapped.

"Suspended for three days just two weeks after being posted. Perfect cop" Mrs Smith said sarcastically. " What was your offence again?" Mrs Smith asked turning to face her. " Oh, you were the reason why your partner got shot. Thank God the poor guy didn't end up dead," she added.

" He swapped my vodka with coffee, who does that?"

" So?"

" I swapped his gun with a water gun" she said as Trey, burst out laughing.

Mrs Smith shook her head, murmuring something as she stepped out of the elevator into the hallway with Clara trying to catch up with her.

***

Detective James was led into the control room by Richard and Emisson. He held his head high in pride while the two security officers stared at him in confusion. The control room is not a place where anyone just enter anyhow, so they were surprised.

"I'm Detective James Clark, and I'll be borrowing your little toys for a while" he said, flashing them his ID.

"You guys can leave now, he's in charge of the murder case," Emisson explained. The two left unwillingly.

Detective James rubbed his palm together in anticipation as he took his seat behind one of the monitors with Richard and Emisson standing behind him.

" You guys can go now" Detective James said. This seems off to Richard.

"I'm sorry, but we were told to stay with you" Richard replied with a frown. He did not understand what's going on with the detective, but he has a feeling that something isn't right.

"Oh, I see" he said turning to face the monitor. He doesn't seem comfortable with the two men in the room with him. He accessed the video of the playground that afternoon. Various students could be seen playing all over the school compound, but a certain figure was different from the students and objects around, it looks like a black slender figure as it watched the students, blending itself with the objects around. Detective James fast forward the footage when it got there to Richard's surprise.

Wait, wait, hold on a sec. " Emisson said, " I think I saw something" he added.

" You think you saw, not see " detective James said " I'm not here for guessing games" he added, dismissing Emisson's claims.

" No, I saw it also" Richard added, " something is definitely there. It's not my first time seeing this particular place, and I think there's something like a branch there" he continued.

" Like I said, there's nothing" Detective James said with his voice sounding like a growl. " You guys are going to forget what you saw, and the fact that I came here" he said as black veins suddenly appeared on his face while concentrating on the duo.

"Omg! What's wrong with your face?" Richard asked, his voice laced with concern. "Are you sick? Let me have a look"

"No, no. I'm... I'm fine. I'm okay" he said tearing his gaze from Richard as he faced the monitor, trying to hide his face from Richard.

"I saw your face, you look sick and... And...I don't know"

"I said I'm fine!" He said turning to face Richard, his face was now back to normal.

Richard was confused. He almost swore he saw his face change, but the sudden... His mind seems messed up.

"That's a nice bracelet you've got there" Detective James said, pointing at the silver bracelet on Richards hand. It was shaped like a dragon with a jade stone in it's eyes.

"Yeah, it's beautiful" Richard said with a smile, caressing it with his fingers.

"Where did you get it from?" He asked, not taking his eyes off the jewelry.

"My wife gave it to me during our honeymoon" he said, smiling dreamingly.

"Wow! Your wife must love you a lot to give you such a piece of jewelry" said the detective.

"Yup, she's a nice person" Richard said, "I really don't like it though it looks old, but I have to respect her decision" he added caressing the bracelet on his wrist. By now, his mind was no longer attached to what happened earlier as thoughts of his wife now filled his head.

" You could take it to a pawnshop, make a few bucks out of it" the detective pressed further.

" Nah, I'm afraid I can't do that. She'll be mad at me"

" Why?"

" She told me never to take it off, even while in the shower" he said.

" Wow! That's great. I would love to meet your wife someday" he said nodding his head simultaneously.

" She's a nice person," he said.

" I have to go now" said the detective rising from his seat.

" The footages? "

" Nah, there's nothing there, I'm done with it" he said moving towards the door.

" But I... "

" It's my job, you can check it yourself if you still doubt me" he said leaving the control room. " Extend my greetings to your pretty wife" he said popping his head through the door before finally taking his leave.

All this while, Emisson was right there just looking at the duo as they conversed. Richard moved over to the computer, he remembered the time when he saw the strange figure, so he fast forward it to that time. There's nothing there. His countenance changed.

"But I saw it" he said to himself in confusion. "You also saw it, right?" He asked turning to face Emisson.

"Uhmm... I'm sorry, what's going on here?" Emisson asked, he looked lost and Richard was more surprised by the question.

"Were you not the first person to notice the detective skipped some parts in the cctv footage?" Richard asked with an intensive stare.

"Footage? What detective?" Emisson asked to Ricard's surprise. If that was a surprise, then his next statement is definitely a bombshell.

"I came in moments ago, and I was surprised seeing you here. The security officers reported you to the principal and I was surprised myself" Richard frowned, 'what the hell's going on?'

"Emmy, we were both here together with the detective when he told the security officers to go outside, what does that has to do with me? Why will they report me?" He was more confused.

" Well, they said you were tampering with the computers and I was surprised to confirm it myself" Emisson said, his voice laced with worry.

" What are you talking about man? " asked Richard, he chuckled nervously as sweat broke out of his forehead.

" What are you doing with a screwdriver? " Emisson asked, pointing at his hand. Richard followed his pointing finger to his right hand that was resting on the desk, lo and behold, there was a red handled screw driver in his right hand with loosened screws on the desk. The monitors were no longer displaying images, they now had a stagnant 'No Signal' on.

"What the hell?!" Richard cursed with wild eyes.

***

"Masked woman saves the day, huh?" Mr Gary said sarcastically immediately Mrs Smith, Clara and Trey stepped into the main hall which has everyone almost busy. Mr Ben shook his head behind the computer he was operating.

"I had to save him" She said referring to Trey.

"Why did you give him the phone in the first place?" Mr Gary asked, his voice slightly raised.

"He's a Guardian too dad, and he's my responsibility. I give him whatever I wish to give him" she said stubbornly.

"Including giving him an encrypted phone to school so he can show his friends he's from a weird family that hunts demons. What a genius" Mr Gary huffed. He's visibly angry.

"Are you mad at the fact that I gave him the phone, or the fact that I locked you here so you can't babysit me like you always do?" Mrs Smith asked also raising her voice.

"What?!" Mr Gary swallowed hard, he's becoming too pissed at the moment.

"You heard me dad. I'm done with all this babysitting and monitoring shit ever since mom died. I'm not an eight year old kid" she continued stubbornly. Their voices had drawn the attention of everyone in the hall as they now focused on father and daughter.

"You know what, this conversation is leading nowhere" Mr Gary said calmly.

" Like always" Mrs Smith said, she's now angry and doesn't give a damn about anything anymore.

" Uhmm... Guys! " Mr Ben called staring at his iPad.

" Screw you Ben, stay out of this! " Mr Gary warned.

" It's not that, something else" he said moving away from the glass table to a glass room in the hall. A round and smooth crystal clear stone could be seen on a device rotating as some strange writing in blue ink appeared on it as it kept rotating.

"The sacred stone of prophecy, it's revealing a new prophecy" he said as everyone stopped what they were doing and moved anxiously towards the crystal-like globe.

"I'm translating the language now" Mr Ben said, operating his iPad before moving to a nearby computer where he attached a wireless device.

"The new Guardian leader..." Mr Ben started, "... Has been finally chosen" he finally said, his eyes locking with that of Mrs Smith.

Drop your thoughts in the comment section. What happened in Starlake High School, did detective James has something to do with the murder? I would love to hear from you guys