Chapter 7. Aftermath

"And when you regained consciousness, Officer Charm was already in that state?" Inspector Flake said while scribbling into his diary. Despite making him look older, his stature, side partition hairstyle and disposition had only done him good. He was a chubby man with an extraordinarily kind smile and he used that to put the taxi driver at ease (or that's what he thought).

"I am sure everyone at the restaurant saw me and felt the same." Lyle said. He looked to be in deep thought. "I don't feel well and must go now…"

"Oh, yes, yes. Please." Flake smiled and got up from his chair. They were in a 24/7 diner right now with quite a few customers.

Lyle had received a call from Inspector Flake at 11:30 p.m. and suggested this place. He also got up from his seat and shook Inspector Flake's hand before leaving. When he got inside the taxi, his eyes turned towards the diner. Inspector Flake was looking in his direction through the clear glass front.

The Inspector's face was serious. He had too many doubts about this taxi driver, but the testimony was true. Many people reported sudden unconsciousness and blamed it on the food. Some reported seeing a suspicious man arguing with a girl and her boyfriend. Heck, he even knew the identity of that suspicious man by now, but the case was far from solved.

As he saw the taxi driver leave, his expression changed once more. It was that of frustration, anger, and resentment. Why wasn't I in her place? I would have definitely caught the thieves, he thought. He made his way into the restroom and soon after, a loud thud echoed inside.

The next night, after a long impatient day, he called Lyle once more but wasn't successful in setting up a meeting. By the third day, the case was crystal clear and the taxi driver was clean as the manager and a waitress at Dreamlight (a restaurant) had testified.

A few days went by, and Inspector Flake was regaining his gleeful state of mind. His colleagues and praises from juniors helped him for the same. He walked while greeting everyone in his cabin. After locking the glass door, he put down a bunch of documents on the table.

A fresh newspaper was kept on the side. He looked at the front page while spreading the documents. The news had printed photos of Sayeno and Cash. He ignored the two pictures and skimmed through the article to find his name.

A warm shudder washed over his body. He read the part about himself a few more times. While his hands were busy fiddling with the documents, a few sketches had emerged. It was that of a man identified as Blaine by the waitress.

***

Two men climbed up the stairs of an ordinary looking apartment complex. They were dressed in fine suits of black, not too shiny, not too soft. The one walking ahead was an old man. He was wearing a hat and round wine colored sunglasses hid his eyes.

The other man was the bulky type. He was wearing a suit, but it looked off as his torn sleeves were torn from the base, exposing his thick muscles. After reaching a certain door, he stopped after the old man.

"I mean he would surely wake up for us," the old man said and pressed the doorbell with his gloved hands. He waited while looking at the camera of the doorbell. After a while, he rang the bell.

No one spoke through the doorbell intercom system, nor did the door open. The old man looked around the hallway, stretching on either side. This area was pretty much silent except one could hear low vehicle noises from afar.

"I mean we could collect him before the police arrive," the old man said and stepped away from.

The bulky man nodded and suddenly rushed towards the door. He hit the piece of steel with his bare shoulders. The old man only shook his head in response.

"You should never do this, try to force a door this way I mean, kick it." The bulky man nodded and kicked heavily in the middle of the door. "I mean kick near the lock, towards the right." The old man instructed again, but even after a fearsome kick, the steel door didn't budge.

He looked at the big man and showed his teeth in an annoying fashion. It felt like no one had noticed them kicking the door, but the truth was unsure. He reached out into his coat and gripped the metal piece.

"I mean there are some wild animals in the police. Unloaded an entire clip on Roddy. Tsk." The old man looked around. He let go of the weapon and left the scene. "Should have listened to the man, let's come back later I mean."

***

The sky slowly turned darker. It was 6:43 p.m. when two middle-aged men arrived at the hospital. They looked the opposite of each other. One of them had a shaved head with a mustache. He wore civil clothes and had a strict face. His name was Roude. While the other man was named Clement, he was the Chief of City's Police Headquarters.

They walked quickly through the busy hallway. The doctor behind them tried to keep up. Soon they stopped in front of a private hospital room. Two nurses were waiting for their arrival with a clipboard in their hands.

After entering the room, Clement looked at the reports which the doctor handed him. Charm was lying on a bed with her eyes closed. Beside her was a stool and Roude sat down on it. Soon the doctor, along with the nurses, was dismissed by the bald man.

"She is fine," Clement said. He walked beside Roude and looked at Charm.

The room was silent, and no noises could be heard from outside. Roude rubbed his right eyebrow, then extended it towards Charm's forehead. But just as he closed his eyes, Clement grabbed his hand.

"How can you do this!" Clement's face showed a rare splash of anger.

"She is my daughter and I ought to know what happened," Roude said in his usual tone that was uncaring.

"Then you should have visited her earlier." Clement was furious. "Rou! She is your daughter, and she is not a kid anymore! How can you even try to read her memories? What kind of father does that! Why do you treat her like someone else's child."

"Don't tell me how to-"

"She is your own daughter, and she never lied to you!" Clement let go of Roude's hand when the latter looked away. "Talk to her when Cherish arrives. She will be here to visit little Charm before 7."

***

The sky faded in black, splatted by the shining dots. A Mercy Maybatch GLS600 entered an ordinary parking lot. The black and silver SUV was overwhelming when compared to the taxi at the side.

An old man stepped out from the back seat. He had a frown on his face and a gun in his hand. Yes, he was still wearing his wine colored sunglasses. He rushed up the stairs even before the bulky man stepped out of the vehicle.