Puppets aren't the one to pull the strings

A month later, A lot has happened to us like fighting over cameras and making house rules due to Arthur, Victor and Francis who is the dude who came from a far place. I think they have fun doing crazy stuff while being locked in this building but one evening, the alarm goes on and we were called in the meeting room to inform us that we will be going to a mission in the country of Marcel.

We the 10 young detectives were sent to the country of Marcel to help deal with the events of kidnappings in the place.

Upon arriving we were escorted by 20 bodyguards to the meeting location where we will discuss things with the president which is an old man who loves to watch porn.

We arrived at the destination and I must admit this place is astonishing; I mean this one cause if you don't know anything about math you'll probably think that the spiral staircase and the ceiling defies the laws physics. At last we arrived at the meeting room where we are greeted by the president and his butler.

"It is pleasure meeting the young heroes in our palace." the butler said

I looked around to see if there is anything that might lead to the topic but my eyes just stopped on Jonathan who's smile just vanished and base on his eyes, he looks so bored. Mr. Ryuji and Mr. Collins stepped forward and did a handshake with the president and also greeted the butler.

"Hey Nash, look at that lady there... she looks cute doesn't she?" Arthur said pointing at the girl sitting on a wheelchair.

"I think so...."

I stared at the girl for a while but a guy probably the same age as I am interrupts me and stepped on my foot and ignored my reaction.

"Hey that's rude." Arthur said

"Just don't mind him, he probably doesn't like you guys staring at his sister." Belle said from behind us

His sister?

"Wait who is he anyway??" Arthur asked

"From what I heard, he is also a P.D. like us and his forte is puzzles and if I remember it correctly he is also the first son of the president." Belle said

Tall, somewhat pale skin, slender, has a few pimples and a dark spot below his right eye.

We sat on the chairs that the bodyguards carry from the outside due to the room having less seats.

I gazed a painting wherein a big shadow is pulling the strings of a puppet that looks like a human. It somehow resembles the story dad used to tell me when I was a child. 'Humans are so foolish that they just let the persons above them to control them without questioning anything.'

"What do you think is that painting all about?" Jonathan asked

"The shadow figure is controlling humans, I think." I replied

"Doesn't look like it, you see the elbow seems to be pulling the strings." Jonathan said

I don't intend this conversation to be any longer but the phrase this guy just said is actually intriguing so I asked him more about it.

The last words I heard from him is "Puppets shouldn't be pulling the strings." due to Beatrice pulling him just to get his attention.

So the president and Mr. Ryuji and Mr. Collins has finish talking about the kidnappings they now explained to us our job.

"As you guys know, a certain syndicate has been kidnapping kids recently and we thought that its just a small group but we didn't think that they are a huge syndicate that they even have control over a few police districts." the president said

Seriously? Sending kids on such mission...

"We need you guys to expose the identities of the perpetrators with evidence."

"Are we allowed to kill?" Jonathan asked which the room went silent

"No." the president said

"Then I'm out of this mission." Jonathan said which somehow annoyed the butler

The president kept talking on details like what they already knew which is not exactly helpful but a few details gave me hints on where to start.

"Healthy kids who doesn't have health issues are the victims."

The perpetrators probably sells the organs of those kids in the black market.

"The kidnapping are mostly done in the woods; this one is hypothetical due to the fact that victims were seen going to the forest then not coming back."

The perpetrators uses the landscape of the place to make sure they will have a good exit and an easy entrance. Forest paths are easy to memorize if you look at the ground not on the trees like how most people usually do so that's probably why its easy for them to capture kids without those kids even reaching an open area or a road.

The meeting is over and the butler showed us our rooms and they even allowed us to explore the place.

I searched on google the features of this place and one of the results is that it has a beautiful botanical area wherein rare plants and new types of plants are being placed.

I went to this botanical garden and saw how many flowers and plants are growing in it. Caged in a large dome where sunlight enters from the sides, this is really a cool place to grow plants.

I roamed around and there I saw the girl on wheelchair touching the tips of every flower that comes in her way.

I suddenly felt the urge to talk to her but it would sure feel weird for her to talk to a social recluse.

I was thinking of what to do then suddenly I accidentally leaned on a flower pot and it almost fell down till I catch it on the last second.

The girl noticed me on a awkward position but still decided to approach me.

What is this? My heart starts pumping quickly.

"Hi." the girl said

"Hello, I didn't mean to interrupt what you're doing but-"

"I'm Melissa."