Chapter Beta Read by: - Specter06.


Chapter 28

The local nick or the town's police station was nothing more than a small building with a sign on the front with the words, 'Sorami police station,' written on it.

The small group, which was 'asked' to come to the station, waited in a small room with no window.

Tomoki was the last to go and the group was promised they could go home after his interview. But his excessive staring towards every detail would probably have the opposite effect.

"Now, lets see. You were out searching for your missing friend and away from your neibours house?" The beefy officer puffed on a cigarette and then added his smoke to the cloud above them.

Tomoki nodded. He wanted to finish up and leave, because he had school in the morning. But he couldn't understand why the police could drag civilians to the station past midnight, especially students. The police can't do this kind of stuff.

"And what about the rest of your companions? Could they account for your whereabouts?"

"Yes, that's correct. We were looking for our missing friend, Nymph."

"Nymph. Yes, I talked to her and she confirmed your story. She has an interesting name. Where is she from?"

Tomoki hesitated, scratched the back of his sweaty head and responded. "Erm... You're the police, didn't she tell you?"

"Yes she did." The officer leaned on his chair and stumped his cigarette out on the table. "She said she's a foreigner visiting this country. Can you confirm this?" The investigator finally leaned back and stared at him.

The young man fiddled with the buttons on his clothes, looked down at the table and then lied.

"Yes, that is correct. She's an exchange student from... China."

That slight pause was enough to make the agent doubt the young boy. Although he might have been telling the truth about having no involvement with the fire, the investigator was now curious about the two new additions to the town. Ikaros and Nymph, they have no identification papers and his initial search for their identity revealed nothing. The harder he looked the more questions they raised.

"C'mon! As I said, we were out looking for my friend and had nothing to do with our neighbor's fire. I know them, I employ you to find out what's going on."

"Don't worry son. I'm one hundred percent on this case. We'll find the people responsible." the agent took another lazy breath from his cigarette.

"I can't hold you any longer. If you or your friends remember anything, let me know." The beefy man held out his business card and left the room. His dark figure strolled down the Spartan hallways and he vanished out of sight.

Tomoki was escorted out of the room and reunited with Ikaros. He felt confused and angry. Why did that man drag us down to the station to ask useless questions?

Eishiro pushed up his glasses and assessed the situation. During the whole operation he studied the police force and tried to ascertain their motives for the questioning. They could have questioned the group on site, but something had clearly diverted the police forces' attention.

Next, Eishiro assumed that the Angeloid's identifications would be a mystery, which would flag some questions. Yes, everyone had some explaining to do later. But for now, they were free to go.

The exhausted group said goodbye to the police station at three in the morning and hurried through the narrow streets, heading back to their respected places. But the lingering fear that the ambush Angeloids were still out there remained.

Once they were in the middle of the park, Tomoki broke the heavy silence.

"Phew… That was an unfortunate development. If my neighbor's house was burned to the ground maybe Harpy caused it?" Tomoki stopped mid stride. "What if she's trying to kill me?"

"That's highly unlikely. From my observations, I believe she wants to get her companion back first. There is no reason to attack your home." Eishiro responded.

"Tomoki, you're a regular bundle of trouble. No matter where you go, someone's always out to get you." Sohara glanced around; her wide smile clearly indicated that she was teasing him.

"Huh, Erm... No, no, you can't say that. I've done nothing to anyone."

Sohara stopped, placed her hands on her hips and glared at the teenager. Her haunting expression told a different story. "Nothing to anyone? Hmph! You have an extremely short memory."

She shoved both hands deep into her pockets and strolled away from the group. "I have school tomorrow. You can stay up all night with Eishiro, Nymph and Ikaros, but some of us have to get ready for the school's yearly festival."

Tomoki's eyes filled with excitement.

"Ah! That's right, I totally forgot." He rubbed his perverted hands together. "All the schoolgirls dressed up. Different classes doing different activities, this will be magnificent."

Tomoki couldn't wait for the day's festivities to start; the troubled little man had more then one mission up his sleeve.