Sus AF

The duo entered the room. The office was the smallest in the building. The wall was not as white as it once was, with layers peeling off.

The small room contained a big cupboard with its broken door exposing some files, a small showcase to display some honorary awards and certificates- which barely had any value. And a desk- behind which sat a thin bald man wearing a suit.

"Greetings!" The man stood up and slightly bowed, reaching out his hand. "I am Carl Anderson, the director of this humble concern. I apologise for keeping you waiting. I had to take an urgent leave."

The pair subconsciously craned their neck up. The man was over seven foot tall- a few inches shorter than Fred the Giant. And unlike the latter, he was thin with slender limbs and fingers.

Eulene remembered the gigantic hoodlum and asked Xavier, [Everyone's so tall in your world. Why are you so short?]

[Is your world on the verge of destruction?] Xavier asked back.

[No. Why?] His question baffled Eulene.

[Good. That means not everyone in your world has the same brain as yours.]

Eulene frowned. She did not catch what he meant but she knew for sure it was anything but good.

Xavier stepped forward and shook his hand with the director. "Xavier Godwin."

The man raised a brow- a gesture which expressed 'and?'.

Xavier took out a gold medallion from his coat and handed it to the tall man.

The moment director Anderson caught the sight of a hat and a cane engraved artistically on the medallion, his eyes and mouth opened agape. But he curbed his surprise in an instant and returned the medallion with two hands.

"I apologise for my rudeness," he said. "I didn't recognise you to be a member of the 'society'."

"It's okay." Xavier sat opposite the man. "It's customary for a donor to let know that he is worthy."

The man laughed. "Indeed." He sat down as well.

Eulene followed and sat beside Xavier.

"I have met the kids," Xavier said, "and it looks like the organisation is not going through the best of times."

The director sighed. "Indeed. All the donors look towards the orphanages. After all, a hegemon like Myers-Lushnikov Foundation is behind them. And donations is the easiest way to forge connections with them." He shook his head released another sigh. "What has charity come to?"

"Well, everyone expects something whenever they decide to 'invest'," Xavier said, "and I am expecting something as well…"

The bald man knitted his brows.

"I just hope that all 26 children out there can live a healthy and fulfilling life," Xavier stated. "I am willing to donate 5 golds."

The man eyes widened. "Thank you so much!" the man cheered. "5 gold coins can take us through a couple of months."

"Coins?" Xavier raised a brow. "I was taking about bars."

Silence ensued. But both Xavier and Eulene's sensitive ears could sense the bald director's heart trying to break out of the rib cage.

"Ba- ba- ba- bars?" the man bleated as cold sweat drenched his skin. "That's 5000 gold coins.. Half a million silver coins… and as for copper- I doubt even the government has that much copper in stock."

"I assure you," Xavier affirmed, "the Avarynth government has more than that."

"I can never thank you enough…" the director stood up and bowed. "With that much funds, I can provide all of the children here a much better life."

"But-" Xavier interrupted.

The duo heard the skinny man's heart stopping for a second there.

"I am still in doubt whether I should donate. After all, I have heard a lot of rumours about this place- bad ones…"

"What are you saying?" the man asked, still standing.

The duo could hear the unstable heartbeats as clear as day.

"I heard that a resident here- a child- disappeared a few years ago."

Director Anderson sat back down. "It's definitely our blunder," he admitted. "But you can ask anyone at the Detectivete- how hard I went onto them as they failed to find her." He bit his lips. "She was my daughter- my own flesh and blood. I created this whole place with the last of my wealth just to give her some playmates- a place where she could belong to. What have I not done to get her back?" His eyes glistened from the accumulating tears.

"I am so sorry," Xavier said sincerely. He was well-versed in the theatrical arts to know if one was acting or not.

"It's fine." The man took out his handkerchief and wiped his tears off. "I should be the one to apologise for the poor show."

"I will admit something as well," Xavier said, "I am a superstitious man. And this site is located too close to a cursed place- the abandoned Art Gallery."

They sensed an irregularity in the man's heartbeat the moment Xavier spoke about the Gallery.

"What are you saying?" The director laughed nervously as he wiped the sweat off his face. "Nobody ever reported anything weird in the last five years."

"But this establishment's track record took a hit, right?" Xavier eyed the showcase behind the director. "The last honour you got was six years ago. Apparently, you also got quite the funding because of it. But it is now depleted."

"There's nothing supernatural." The bald Carl Anderson vehemently shook his head. "It's just luck."

"Is that so?" Xavier raised a brow. "By the way, have you heard of this rumour?"

"What?" The man composed himself and asked- curious.

"Apparently, since the closure of the Gallery, children are going missing on the night of the full moon."

Once again, the duo felt the director's heart stopping. And this time- it was more than just one second.

[Sus! He's Sus!] Eulene transmitted.

But Xavier ignored her.

"It's just a baseless rumour." The man shook his head. "It's the first time I am hearing of it. And I don't believe there's anything paranormal going on." His words belied his bumpy heartbeats. "If it was indeed the case, an angel like you wouldn't have been here."

"Makes sense." Xavier nodded with a tinge of pride on his face. He took out a gold bar from beneath his coat and passed it to the director- who accepted it with trembling hands. "I'll send in the rest later."

"Thank you so much! You'll be a benefactor for those children all their life."

Xavier sighed. "It's better if they forget about me."

After a few more pleasantries, Xavier and Eulene left the room. They revisited the children and played with them for hours- tiring the kids out with pure happiness. In the evening, the duo left.

Eulene sat opposite Xavier in the carriage. "I don't know who's the culprit now. Both of them are sus AF."

"What does AF mean?" Xavier raised a brow.

"Use that 'brain' of yours." Eulene snorted and looked away. She had remembered the insult earlier today, and refused to give a direct answer.

Xavier shrugged it off.

Eulene turned back to Xavier, remembering something else.

"You really love children, don't you?"