The night had descended in its inky embrace, with only the distant stars casting their faint, blinking lights upon the city's dark canvas of a sky. Adrian and Artemia found themselves at the modest Satki Bridge, a place where, in the daylight, the denizens of the Eastern slums traversed the Valerion river, heading toward Rigs Forest. Now, shrouded in shadows beneath the bridge, they awaited the scarred informant, who materialized like a ghost, silently puffing on a cigarette that exhaled a shroud of blue smoke. At the sight of two figures instead of one, a scowl crept across his face.
"We always agreed you'd come alone, Belinsky!" he snapped, irritation tainting his voice as he began to retreat.
Adrian closed the distance in quick strides, seizing the informant by the shoulder. "Stay right where you are. This person is trustworthy."
The man's gaze darted back to Artemia, who lingered in the shadows, her presence enigmatic. "Trustworthy for you, maybe," he muttered, wrenching his shoulder from Adrian's grip.
"It's a pleasure to see you again, Xavier," Artemia remarked cryptically.
Adrian spun around in surprise, his curiosity piqued. "You two know each other?"
Xavier, a sly grin etching its way up his scarred cheek, responded, "Well, well, well, Belinsky. You do know how to surprise, I'll give you that. Never thought I'd see you consorting with an Alderian wench." He spat on the ground for emphasis.
Artemia's hand inched toward the holstered gun at her waist, her gaze unwavering. "I should put a bullet in your sorry carcass right here. It seems dignity left you a long time ago."
"Enough, both of you," Adrian interjected, stepping between them. "I don't know what grudges you may hold, but now is not the time to settle old scores." He approached Artemia and beseeched her, "Please. We need him."
Artemia, her contempt still smoldering, spat on the wall and crossed her arms. "One day, I'll have my reckoning with him."
"Don't harbor so much anger, Artemia," Xavier chimed in, his hands on his hips, a sardonic smile gracing his lips. "I only did what I had to do for myself. You might not believe in the concept of 'self' and individuality, but in the end, you'd go to great lengths for your cause, your people. It's a different shade of selfishness, but the core is the same, isn't it?"
Artemia leveled a devilish glare at him. "You murdered my comrades."
"I've never taken a life," Xavier waved her accusation away with a nonchalant gesture. "Unlike you, I suppose."
Adrian glanced at Artemia, catching her eye for a brief moment before she turned away from him. "Do what you must, but make it swift. I'll be right here," she declared as she strode toward the river, leaving the past to linger like a haunting specter in the night.
Adrian halted for a moment, his gaze shifting between Artemia and Xavier. With a deliberate, slow nod directed at Artemia, he then turned his attention back to Xavier. "I need information."
Xavier grinned, a smirk laden with intrigue. "You've come to the right place. I'm a veritable treasure trove of information. Although, I must say, it's not the most opportune time for our Alderian comrades. They're being swept away like pests, left and right." He sidled closer to Adrian, his voice dropping to a hushed tone, as if sharing a dark secret. "And I'd watch my step if I were you. When the beast is cornered, it tends to lash out at those nearest. It's a very desolate place down in hell." His words sent a shiver down Adrian's spine.
Adrian pushed Xavier away, his right arm twinging with a reminder of his injury. "You've been shot before, I see. How intriguing," Xavier remarked, scratching his chin.
"I'm not here to discuss that," Adrian retorted, closing the distance between them. "I need to know what happened at the Zorkin Orphanage Home for girls."
Xavier regarded him for a moment before bursting into laughter. "Why don't you go see for yourself? Why involve me?"
"Answer the question!" Adrian's patience wore thin, and he wondered if he should just let Artemia have her way with Xavier.
"I genuinely don't know, nothing out of the ordinary," Xavier replied, perplexed. "Is something supposed to have occurred there?"
Adrian scrutinized him and realized that Xavier truly had no knowledge of the situation. He ran a hand across his forehead, wiping away the accumulated sweat from nerves and stress. "That doesn't make sense. Has anything, and I mean anything, unusual occurred in the Eastern slums?"
Xavier smiled slyly. "There's always something unusual happening lately. But I'm not entirely sure what you're looking for," he shrugged.
"Tell me everything."
"Well, it's not that surprising, but the police, the Royal Department, and other forces have been swarming the slums since their 'Scarlet Uprising.' They've been apprehending A.L.L. members left and right. The Vipers, who initially were cautious due to the heightened government presence, now view it as a boon for their business."
"What about the Cliffnail Syndicate?"
Xavier seemed puzzled. "What about them?"
"Have they been up to anything?"
"No, not that I've heard of. I suppose they feel the same as the Vipers, especially since they were already at odds with the Labor League."
Adrian scratched his cheek, perplexed. "So you don't know anything?"
"Know about what, exactly?" Xavier's demeanor shifted; his hands trembled slightly as he became visibly uncomfortable, sensing the tide of the conversation turning against him.
"Perhaps you should consider paying me now for the information," Adrian suggested with a faint smile, then continued, "Cliffnail has been making significant moves, establishing a presence in the Northern District's Orphanage Home." Adrian hesitated for a moment but pressed on, lowering his voice as if speaking the words aloud might summon the shadowy operatives of the Royal Department. "I have reason to believe that Niko has been collaborating with the government, particularly the Royal Department."
Xavier, his eyes widening in disbelief, responded, "That's inconceivable. The RD wouldn't be foolish enough to trust Cliffnail."
"That's what I initially thought," Adrian replied thoughtfully, "but the Royal Department, and only they, had the evidence to seize the Orphanage Home following Lady Juliana's death. So why are Cliffnail's men now claiming that Niko is the owner?"
"That's indeed peculiar," Xavier conceded, "I'll need to delve into that. Now I understand why you wanted information about the girls' orphanage home." He then peered deeply into Adrian's eyes, realization dawning. "Don't tell me you believe she's still there. Have you checked with Mitrin, as I suggested?"
Adrian shook his head. "I've been occupied these past weeks."
Xavier crossed his arms, a sardonic smirk on his lips. "Considering your expulsion from the Police Department, you must have truly ruffled some important feathers, Adrian."
Adrian grasped Xavier's arm firmly. "This goes beyond me now. The A.L.L has been supporting me, and I need to make amends with them. Do you have any information that could assist?"
Xavier withdrew his arm from Adrian's grasp. "Are you out of your mind? I'm not here to aid the Labor League or their deluded would-be emperor, Alder."
"This is for me," Adrian insisted. "Come on, you haven't provided much today, and I've given you a wealth of information to work with."
Xavier glanced at Adrian, then at Artemia, who was idly tossing stones into the Valerion River. "Fine," Xavier grumbled, "But ensure she stays away from me." He pointed at Artemia. "This should suffice to cover my debt with the Labor League."
A spark of life kindled in Adrian's eyes. "I'll make sure the League won't harm you."
Xavier smirked. "As if you could prevent them." He spat on the ground and added, "Many train wagons are being transported from all corners of the city to the Rigs Train Station. Now, I can't say for certain," he gestured with his palms, "but I suspect they intend to use those wagons to transport surviving Alderians from the Scarlet Uprising to the far-eastern mines. But, once more," he cautioned, shaking a finger at Adrian, "this is mere speculation. Don't hold me responsible if it proves untrue."
Adrian pondered for a moment before deciding, "Perhaps I'll go and investigate personally."
Xavier shrugged. "Be my guest." He retrieved a cigarette from his pocket and lit it. "I'll be on my way. If you need information, you know who to contact." He smiled and began to saunter off.
Adrian watched Xavier's slender figure recede into the distance. Then, he turned toward Artemia, who still stood by the river, her gaze fixed on her reflection. He approached her and rested his arm on her shoulder, but she didn't react.
"I might have some information that could aid your comrades," Adrian said in a soft tone.
"Information from a snake who murdered my comrades, Adrian," she retorted without looking at him. "I wouldn't trust a single word from his mouth."
Adrian gazed at the flowing river, contemplating. "He has helped me on many occasions with my investigations," he said, finally looking into Artemia's eyes. "But this time, I'll confirm the information myself to ensure its accuracy."
"What information?" Artemia inquired, her gaze still averted.
"They've been transporting train wagons from all over the city to the Rigs Train Station. Xavier believes these trains are intended for the people they apprehended during and after the Scarlet Uprising, to transport them to the far-eastern mines." Adrian met her eyes. "We don't know when they'll depart, or if it's true, but I intend to investigate. I'll go there now," he adjusted his hat, "and you should return to Johan. Inform him of this development and see what he thinks and what actions can be taken if it's confirmed."
"But I can't leave you without the car, Adrian."
"That's not a concern. The station isn't far from here, and I'll find my way back."
Artemia retrieved her gun and holster from her hip and placed it in Adrian's hand. "Take it. You may need it." She slowly walked away but turned back to face him. "Take care, Adrian. Don't get shot, because this time, we won't be there to rescue you."173Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlkEXJTntpC
173Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡliOwfHZsL6
and then Add to home screen.