Chapter 8: Rosie's Emporium
The situation had just turned from dire to panic attack inducing. Now, with Zack's parents being potentially involved, or worse hurt, everyone was on edge; especially Zack. Not in a million years would he have thought that someone would use his own family as a means to intimidate him, and by an Exorcist no less! At this point, everyone in the hotel was feeling the tension skyrocket to levels once thought impossible.
"This... isn't good..." Zack muttered, as water cascaded and traveled down his body. After the revelation was made, he needed to find some way to clear his thoughts and calm himself down. Thus, a shower was chosen as his method of relaxing. In truth, it would prove fruitless. The gnawing feeling of anxiety was consistent. Strange, though, considering that he wasn't one to care for his father, after what he did to his mother. However, he still felt bad for him, if he was even alive that was. Now his mother was a different story. He couldn't bring himself to just abandon her, even if she could very well be dead.
"...What do I do now..?" He huffed, as his fingers combed through his wet hair.
"You relax and keep a cool head, dumbass."
His eyes widened and his heart stopped. That voice, it couldn't be. Before he could turn to face the intruder, a pair of furred arms wrapped around his torso, pulling his body flush against a pair of soft breasts. He blushed a deep crimson. He knew who that was; the sultry voice and the gentle touch gave it away easily.
"You scared me, you know..." He mumbled, his hand reaching back to hold the hellhound woman's hip. Loona chuckled, as she brought a hand up to touch and caress his cheek.
"What guy isn't? Your just lucky that I'm here to calm you down, and not to kill you."
Zack chuckled, his eyes closing. Her touch always had a way of bringing him down to a calmer disposition. Sure, he was used to taking on cases, but when it came down to his family, he was easily frazzled.
"Thanks Loona...I guess I'm just a bit in my head, what with...you know..."
She nodded her head, "Don't worry. I'm sure that they're alive. I mean, one's an angel, and the other is probably grovelling for his life. There's still time; you'll find them. You just gotta keep a level head and don't pussy out on us, alright?"
He nodded his head, as he turned his head to look at her. Within moments of being in their gaze, their lips instantly locked and their bodies collided with one another. He knew she was right. They had been through a whole lot together, and one asshole isn't going to stop them now. All it would take is a little bit of skill, detective work, and quick thinking. However, he still knew that this wouldn't be easy. Not in the slightest.
--
After a few minutes of fooling around and passionate boning, Zack found himself once again staring at the completed puzzle box, whilst sitting at the bar located in the lounge of the hotel. Pairing this with the contents within it, he could only infer that this was either a threat, or a warning. His parents were in danger, and even with his father not exactly being his most favorite person, his mother was a different story. She helped raise him the most and was always doing her best to give him a childhood that anyone could call a happy one. The last thing he wanted was to just abandon her. Though, on the other hand, this could be a ruse to frazzle him. If it was, then they were definitely knowing the best way to do so. Still, he couldn't let them get to him. He had to find them, if they were still alive, that is.
"One caramel macchiato, kid." Husker called out, pulling him from his thoughts. Zack smiled and nodded in thanks, as he took a sip from his newly made beverage.
"Mmn, perfect as always."
Husker only scoffed, his tail wrapping around one of the bottles of unmarked alcohol. He placed it onto the counter and grasped at its length, before taking a small swig.
"You look much better than before," Zack jolted in his seat slightly, his ears filled with the calm voice of Stolas. He sat on the stool next to him, his face holding a small smile, "I'm guessing Loona gave you a hit of a pick-me-up, hmm?"
Zack's face grew a dark red, "Sh-Shush, you. Anyway, yes, I do feel a bit better. I was just a bit shocked, is all."
The owl prince nodded. He could understand where he was coming from, especially due to the fact that he never made an attempt to find any of his parents. Perhaps he was fine with the way things were, or maybe he was afraid of seeing them again. Regardless, there was nothing be could do about it now.
"So, what is the plan now? You do know you can't just look around aimlessly, right?"
Zack huffed, "Yeah, yeah, I know. For now, I think I have an idea of where I should continue my search. Which reminds me," he turned to Husker, an eyebrow raised, "Do you by any chance know of a woman named Rosie?"
The feline demon nodded, a growl rumbling within his throat.
"Yeah, I do, actually. She's an Overlord that runs a shop not too far from here. It's called Rosie's Emporium. They say that she's an info broker; always telling people about other people's shit."
Zack rubbed his chin. That would make sense why she gave Velvet and her formerly living friends information about him. That also meant that she was one of the last people who had an contact with the three VVV's. If anyone had anything that could be of some use to him, it'd have to be her. With a shrug of his shoulders and a crack of his neck, he stood to his feet and placed a crisp 5 dollar bill on the counter.
"Know where I can find this place?"
"About a mile or two from here, in downtown Pentagram City. Be careful though, I hear her tastes are...fairly close to Al's."
--
"My my my! That was an exquisite meal! Once again, you create another delight that no one should refuse, Ms. Rosie!" Alastor cheered, his stomach filled with the hellish dish. Ms. Rosie, owner of Rosie's Emporium, once known as Franklin and Rosie's Emporium. It was renamed after the one known as Franklin met an untimely end during one of the Execution days. Her skin was pale, the only thing to rival it being her silver hair. Her eyes were a dark ebony; soulless was a term that was used to describe it once. Her dark red dress was perfectly pressed and fitted to her body, whilst a red hat laid on her head, with feathers acting as decoration within the strip going around it. Said strip was coated with flowers, whilst a decorative skull laid on it. She, to many, was seen as fairly beautiful and intriguing. However, as they say, get too close to the sun, and you'll eventually get burned. She giggled at Alastor's compliment. They always enjoyed their regular visits, each of them telling stories about their days over tea. To many, they were seen as a possible power couple, but in reality, that couldn't be farther from the truth. However, people make rumors, and will always do so.
"You flatter me, Alastor. I could say the same about your tea. Always hits the spot and quinces my thirst." She replied, her hand delicately holding the ceramic teacup. Alastor, being his usual self, bowed with a large grin.
"It was the least I could do," he leaned back into his chair, his hand grasping his trademark cane, "So, down to business, shall we? I wanted to ask you something, if you don't mind."
Rosie raised an eyebrow, her smile growing into a smirk at the point, "Oh? That's rather unusual. Are you requiring my services, Mr. Alastor?"
"Oh, no no no, just had a bit of a conundrum. Your answer will definitely help solve it, however."
She silently gestured for him to continue. Truth be told, she was fairly intrigued. Alastor was usually not the type to ask for advice or for someone's opinion. Perhaps he needed some help choosing a new suit? He nodded his head and leaned forward, his elbows resting against the table and his head leaning against his hands.
"I wanted to ask you, how was business been? Getting some good clients? Well paying ones, perhaps?"
"From time to time. The last one I had was quite intriguing. I never thought that an Overlord would ask for my assistance. " She answered. Alastor smirked.
"And who would that individual be? I know I haven't asked for anything. Perhaps you can fill me in?"
She shook her head, "Now now, you know that I must keep that confidential. Either that, or you'll have to pay for the key to my personal box of hearsay."
She giggled lowly, her hand covering her mouth daintily. He shrugged his shoulders, his hand twirling his cane about.
"Well, in the end, it doesn't matter. Though, knowing that much at least, it does remind me of something," he glared at her, a slight static buzz filling her ears, "I wanted to warn you. Your choice of information may have put a large target on your head."
Her smirk dropped for a split second. She couldn't even fathom what he was saying. No, she got the picture quite well. What she didn't understand was why he was warning her. After all, why should he care who she lets into the loop of info? Anyone who messed with her would easily be dealt with, that must would be assured.
"You speak as if you're worried about me. I've been in enough scraps to know how to handle myself, Mr. Alastor. Your worry is better elsewhere."
He shook his head, "The one who is after you is much stronger than you think. For you see, he was strong enough to kill both Valentino and Vox, effortlessly."
She stayed silent for a second, her mind replaying what was told to her. Even she knew that those two were much stronger than her by miles! For someone to have that much power, they had to be at least Are Goetia status. She scoffed, doing her best to keep her poker face.
"As if they know it's me who tipped them off. And just who is after me, hm? A lowly imp who had been used by the great Valentino himself?"
"That, my dear, is confidential," he chuckled lowly and stood to his feet, his hands folded behind his back, "Either way, I must be off. I late for my regularly scheduled book keeping."
He began to head out towards the door, his cane spinning within his dominate hand. She glared at him, her hand squeezing at the him of her dress. She knew for a fact that he was well aware of who was after her, yet he refused to let the secret out. Well, what else did she expect? After all, Alastor was the definition of chaotic. Before he left, however, he looked back at her, his grin growing larger than ever before.
"Do try to keep me entertained, would you? Even the death of a friend can be a delightful show."
And with that, he stepped out of the building, the light bell at the top of the door ringing as usual. As soon as he left, she stood to her feet and fixed her hat, letting out a soft breath.
"That man. Who does he think he is? The nerve of him, thinking I need any warning," she shook her head, "however, that was rather strange. Even throughout all the years that we knew one another, he'd never warn me about anything. Yes, I never needed warning, but this is just puzzling."
She sighed silently. Even through all of the years, she still couldn't truly understand him. That didn't matter at this point. She needed to get the store closed. It was a long day of work and her wrists were killing her. As she began her nightly cleaning, her mind continued to replay what Alastor had said.
"Your choice of information may have put a large target on your head."
"Even the death of a friend can be a delightful show."
Those words and more rung throughout her psyche. What did he know? Was it just a joke, or perhaps it really was a warning. Truth be told, even with her experience, she was still on edge. Someone had the power to kill Vox and Valentino. Velvet was lucky enough to survive by the skin of her teeth, but who could have that sort of power? The only other person who she could think of was...
"...Could the human be after me...?" She mumbled, her dark eyes holding a grim look. It was the only one. Who else could be wanting to kill her? At least, who could it be at this moment? Before she could ponder on it further, the door slowly opened, the little bell ringing in warning. She jolted slightly from the shock, but quickly composed herself. A customer was just what she needed to take her mind off things. She cleared her throat and fixed her hat, a smile huff blowing past her sharp teeth.
"Sorry, sir or madam, but we're closed," she turned to look at them, "if you want to make an appointment for tomorrow, I'd gladly-"
Her voice trailed into silence and her body stiffened. Nothing was spoken, nor was there any hint of welcome. Instead, there was only fear, shock, and disbelief. Before her was not a potential patron but was rather a potential murderer. No, for them to be a potential killer, that'd mean there was a chance it wouldn't kill her. There was no denying that it was meant for her demise.
"Th-That's not right... What are you doing here...? Wh-What's an Exorcist doing here?" she muttered, her knees trembling from behind her dress. She couldn't believe her eyes. Why would an Exorcist break the rules?! Were they even capable of doing that?! It didn't answer her. For what felt like hours, it started at her, its hand tightly gripping a spear. What could she do at this point? Speak to it?
"Perhaps...I should ask what it's doing here..." She thought, her heart pounding against her ribcage. She slowly opened her mouth, but was ultimately silenced. The angelic monster's hand whipped through the air and gripped at her throat, its clawed fingers digging into her skin.
"Ah, I see. That's why you're here. Noted." She gasped. She clawed at its arm and wrist, hoping to pry its hand from her. It would prove fruitless, in the end. It was too strong, too fixated on its mission to even react to the pain. With brutish strength and swift movements, the exorcist swung its arm, tossing her from across the building. She slammed against the wall and slid down to the floor, her hat falling to the ground. She couldn't believe this was happening. Was she that dangerous and hated that an Exorcist would break the agreement to kill her? Why would it go after someone small like her? Her thoughts were immediately interrupted, as the sounds of slow, heavy footsteps grew louder within her ears. Whatever the reason, it was ready and waiting to strike her down. She quickly scrambled to her feet and bolted into the back of the building, her chest rising and lowering with each labored breath she took.
"I need to get away! If I can get out the backdoor, then-"
She screeched to a holt, her eyes filled with fear and hopelessness. The backdoor, her only source of freedom, was completely blocked off. She could see it from the window. The dumpster that once was further down the back alley, was now leaning against the door, acting as a makeshift barricade. It must have done it at some point, as a means to trap her. To her horror, it worked, and now, there was nowhere else for her to go. With the backdoor completely out of commission, she was trapped between a rock and a hard place, or rather, a blocked door and an Exorcist.
"No no no! No no!" She screamed, her hands gripping at the doorknob. She shook and pushed at the door as best as she could. The desperation within her body and movements would make even the most cold-blooded of demons shake their heads in pity. Too bad that she wasn't dealing with a demon, but an angel. The sounds of the dragging spear grew closer, her heart beat pounded harder, and her determination to get out was deteriorating. There was nothing she could do, all except accept her fate. Her back pressed against the door, as she stared deep into the LED-like eyes of her killer. She closely watched its every move, as it raised the spear off the ground, training it for her chest. She began to sweat. This was her end, she wasn't going to survive. Death was staring straight into her dark eyes; was this her end?
"No...stop...Please don't..." She pleaded. Time seemed to have stop; its arm lunged forward, the spear cutting through the air and aiming straight for her heart. This was her end.
"DYNAMIC ENTRY!!!"
Before her mind could even comprehend her situation, the window at her side shattered, the glass falling to the ground at her feet. The Exorcist, at first throwing out his killing blow to her, was now knocked off of its feet from a swift kick to its face, the spear slipping from out of its hand. To her surprise, she was saved, and by the one person she didn't expect. Her savior landed onto the ground and pulled out his dagger, a smirk on his face.
"Zack Trevle, on the scene! Protector of demons with the power of youth!" He bellowed. Rosie couldn't fathom what was going on. He was saving her? But why? For what purpose would he risk his life for her?
"This day keeps getting more puzzling..." She mumbled, her legs giving out on her. Zack, noticing this, held her hand and helped her to the ground, allowing her to lean against the door.
"Whoa there, don't go falling over on me. You okay? No injuries I should worry about?"
She shook her head, "Besides my wounded pride, I'm fine."
He sighed in relief. To his joy, he made it on time. With that information given, he stood to his feet once again and looked back towards the Exorcist, who was picking itself up off of the ground. It silently stared at him, its urge and desire for blood slowly dispersing. Zack, of course, picked up on that; a sign that it was the same angel that he had been running into since the case started. At least that meant he didn't have to worry about being attacked.
"Alright, so here we are again. Now, you can start answering my questions," he trained his blade towards the monster, "Tell me why you're attacking Overlords. Why are you here in hell? What's your plan?"
Its answer was nothing but silence. The LED screen merely flashed, the creepy smile phasing into a neutral look. It was strangely docile now, its will to kill now but a memory. He couldn't help but stare in confusion. Why was it still? This would be the second time this happened, the last being at Club Hell 666. The question now was why. Before he could ask again, the creature stepped closer to him, its movements slow.
"Theeeeeey arrrrre heeeeeeere." it spoke, shocking the detective. Was it trying to speak to him?
"Who's here? Wait, you're not the culprit, are you?" he mumbled, as he took a step towards the angel. It shook its head.
"Judgement. The chaaaaains of judgement. They seeeeek revenge on deeeeemon kiiiiind."
His eyes widened, "Chains? Wait, Velvet said something about chains too. Who are the Chains of Judgement? Please, you have to tell me something."
It stared before it slowly pointed towards the investigator, "They seeeeeek the cause... They seeeeek power... They seek destruction... They seeeeeek yooooou."
"Me? Why me? Who is-?"
Suddenly, the sound of torn flesh invaded the room, a shocking sight exposed to the two. Blood spilled from the angel's chest and fell to the floor, its eyes widened in shock. To their utter shock and disbelief, a large, silver chain tore through its chest, soiling the ground with its heart and lungs. It gasped, its legs wobbling and shaking from beneath it.
"Wait, what the-!"
"The looking glaaaassss," he gasped, his heart stopping for a split second, "the looking glass isssss the keeeeey. D-Do not...falter...no matter...whaaaaat..."
And with its last words, the screen went blank and its body slumped and began to topple over. Zack quickly leaped forward and caught it, a look of worry in his eyes.
"Hey, stay will me! Come on!"
"What a shame," footsteps grew closer, pulling the investigator's eyes from the downed angel, "A tool shouldn't go against their master. Perhaps I should have done this on my own."
Just past the threshold of the door, a mysterious cloaked figure stood in front, a menacing aura surrounding their person. To their surprise, the chain was leading into their sleeve, before quickly retracting back into their cloak, the blood flying on to the wall. Zack growled in anger. Whoever this was, they were brutal. From the looks of it, they didn't care who they needed to murder. A mere showing of just how dangerous an angel could be. He slowly laid the executed Exorcist to the ground and stood to his feet, his dagger tightly gripped into his hand.
"Better a tool than a bastard. Are you the Chains of Judgement?" he questioned, a slight growl rumbling within his throat. The cloaked individual merely sighed, giving him a wave of their hand.
"So it told you. I should have guessed," they stared at Zack, before letting out a genuine chuckle, "All will be revealed in due time. Soon, you'll forever have the happiness you deserve. I swear it."
Zack raised an eyebrow, "What's that supposed to mean? Wait, hold on, one question at a time. Why are you killing Overlords?"
"I'm sure you can figure that out. You're a smart young man; you've always been. At least, your mother and father always thought so."
His eyes widened. Did they just say something about his parents? Did that mean they were in trouble?! He growled, the patches of fur standing on end. He could feel his skin crawl, as more strands of fur began to grow from his skin.
"What did you do to them? If you've hurt them, I'll-"
"Calm down. Your parents are just fine. If you want to see them, however, you'll have to find them. After all, you're the detective. I warn you, though; find them if you want, but whatever you find along the way may not be too easy for you to handle." The figure warned with a wag of if their finger. Zack raised an eyebrow in question. Whoever this was, they were testing him. The question was why.
"Geez, the last thing I need is for your bullshit. Fine, though. I'll find them, and then afterwards, I'll kick your ass and make you tell me everything."
The figure only laughed out in amusement. Did he really think that'd be possible? Well, if he was so confident, then they'd let him. As they say, it's never fun when it's easy. With a wave of their hand, they snapped their fingers, causing their body to slowly begin to disappear.
"Then I will see you again, my little Sherlock. Make me proud, as you always do." They taunted, before completely disappearing before him. He stared at the spot they once stood, a look of anger on his face. This joker was obviously taking this situation as a game, and that fact pissed him off. They could very well destroy everything in hell and they're toying with him. Yet, a part of him was nervous. He couldn't make out why that was, but it was well apparent that he didn't want to fail. Or rather, didn't want to succeed? Again, he was clueless.
"...Might I ask what that was about?"
Zack's eyes widened at the sound of the bystander's question. Truth be told, he completely forgot about her presence, at least after the cloaked assailant showed up. He looked back towards her and sighed, an exhausted smile on his face.
"You'll probably wanna come with me. I'll explain on the way."
--
And explain he did. As they walked, he told her of everything that had happened. The death of Vox and Valentino, them kidnapping Angel Dust, and the now dead Exorcist and its main reason for being there. It was unusual for him to be spilling the tea about a case to a random individual, but the truth of the matter was that she wasn't a random individual. She was a target, one that he had to protect, along with the others. As he finished his long story, she nodded her head in response, the two slowly making their way to the Happy Hotel.
"I see. That is a rather intriguing term of events you have there. If I may ask, though, why were they trying to attack me?" She questioned, her eyebrow raised in curiosity. Zack shrugged.
"I'm not sure. We've definitely ruled out the possibility that they're trying to kill every single one of them, though. If they wanted to do that, me, Alastor, and Sir Pentious would have been attacked as well, yet we're still right as rain."
She scoffed, "Perhaps their targeting real Overlords. After all, you were given the role of one, whereas we earned it."
He rolled his eyes. A part of him knew he was going to hear that same jab towards him again and again. It was only inevitable at this point. Still, she did have a point. If it wasn't for Lucifer giving him that role, he probably would have never became an Overlord. Even so, the title did help him get into Club Hell 666, so it wasn't all bad. Hell, it was even helpful.
"I highly doubt that has anything to do with it. No, there has to be some sort of connection; an underlining reason why you four were targeted in the first place. Got any ideas?"
She thought to herself for a few seconds, before shaking her head.
"None whatsoever. I try my best not to lower myself to their level. The only time I had any dealings with them was when they requested information about you. Nothing more and nothing less."
"Hm, that's a shame. Well, it doesn't matter. We've gotta get you somewhere safe. Fortunately for you, I know of such a place," as soon as he said those words, their destination came into view, "Ta-da! The Happy Hotel! You like it? It's festive-looking, huh?" He cheered, gesturing to the large building. Rosie, being the type of individual that she was, only raised an eyebrow and snickered
"Isn't this the place owned by Lucifer's child. I was interested in it, mostly because if the news and how bad the interview was on Channel 666." She giggled, a hand covering her mouth. Zack smiled awkwardly.
"I-I know it may not seem much, but it's free and safe. Alastor lives here, along with Charlie and many other folks."
She rubbed her chin. She did have to admit, she was slightly intrigued by the events the had transpired, and the hotel would be quite spacious and roomy. Also, with Alastor there, folks would think twice before they start causing a ruckus in his home. She shrugged her shoulders and continued walking, a smirk on her face.
"Very well, you've convinced me. Let us get my room and board situation, yes?"
As she walked towards the building, Zack sighed in relief. At least that meant that she would be safe and in his eyesight, that way no one else had to die. Still, one thing was bothering him. This new figure; what was their purpose? Were they the one who was behind all of this? But why? Why were they doing all of this? And above all else, were they really as evil as they made themselves out to be? He could easily recall how playful their voice was. He could barely feel malice or anger or even annoyance within it. If anything, it had an almost warning and relieving feel to it. Truth be told, that's what scared him. Whoever they were, they weren't normal, and something in his chest could feel that.
"That guy... Who are they? Why do they make my chest hurt...?" He mumbled, his hand resting over his heart. He couldn't get it to relax ever since running into them. He shook his head. There wasn't time to worry about that now. First, he had to find his parents, then he could worry about the cloaked assailant.
--
"What?!" Loona screamed, "The Exorcist bit the big one?! And by its boss no less!?"
Zack smiled awkwardly, his ears ringing from her screaming. Of course, he kinda knew that someone who do that, but he still wasn't fully prepared for that.
"Yes, that is what happened. We can also probably see that the mystery assailant is also the good samaritan that saved Verosika. The chains are a dead giveaway to that."
Millie nodded in agreement, a small bag of popcorn within his grasp, "Yeah, I agree. Velvet was talkin' about Val coming back from Verosika's place with marks that were lookin' like chain links."
"But that still doesn't explain why this bitch is going around and killing all of these Overlords. What do they have to gain from this?" Blitzo questioned, his foot tapping against the hardwood flooring. Moxxie shrugged, as his tail flicked against the air.
"There's gotta be a connection. Something that pins those four as targets, but not the others. Question is, what would that be?" Stolas muttered. Silence filled the room, each one of them mulling over that one question. It didn't make sense. Why attack them? What made them a threat? What connected the four? That was when Octavia piped in.
"Well, what if we look at things from a different perspective? Like, we're thinking they're trying to kill people who are a threat to them, right? Perhaps it's for another reason?"
That got everyone's attention. They didn't think about it like that. Their first thought was that their culprit had a vendetta against Overlords, but if not, then what else could it be? If they weren't targeted for their title then for what reason?
"If that's the case, then the only thing that draws those four together is that they were all together at one point. Like, at the party a while ago." Loona mumbled, her arms crossed over her chest.
"Oh oh, I know!" Millie shouted, her arm waving in the air, "Maybe they were targeted because they were after Zack."
Silence fell before them, their eyes widened in discovery. That wasn't even thought of, even fathomed to be the motive. However, it made sense. All of it made sense! Zack stood to his feet and began to pace around the room, his patented "Detective Mode" going into effect.
"That makes sense. The three VVV's we're all looking to take over my territory and to kill me, and Ms. Rosie was the one who gave the information to them about me. That would also explain why the Exorcist wasn't trying to attack me."
"But that doesn't mean anything about the dude who killed that thing, remember? We don't know if they have the same motives." Octavia interjected. Zack shook his head.
"I would agree with you, but one thing points to that motive being possible. The individual only killed their Exorcist buddy because it was talking too much. If they really wanted me dead, they would have just killed me right then and there."
Stolas nodded in agreement, "Agreed, it does make that motive seem to be the main reason."
"Okay, so this guy is fuckin' around and killing folks who are trying to mess with him. That still doesn't explain why the guy is doing that." Blitzo groaned, his foot tapping against the ground in annoyance. Zack silently stroked his chin. That question all stemmed from one other question. Who was the culprit? Who could be the one that could cause so much trouble? Why would they want to keep Zack alive? Was the Exorcist tasked with protecting him? If so, then why? He broke out in a cold sweat, his hands growing clammy. Something about this was going a direction that he wasn't too happy with. After what Octavia had said, he knew he'd have to think outside of the box. Perhaps even remove the box entirely. He sighed and rubbed his face, as he began to head towards the stairs.
"You guys keep thinking down here. I'm gonna head up and have a chat with Ms. Rosie."
The team of demons all nodded in response. With that, he began to head up the stairs and down the halls, a troubled look on his face.
"Little Sherlock... That's way too close to home. My parents used to call me that when I was a kid. Was it just a coincidence?" He thought, his arms crossing over his chest. His heart began to pound again. Still, he couldn't understand why. He shook his head. It had have been a coincidence. If the culprit did capture his parents, then of course they'd hear something. Yeah, had to have been. For now, he had to pay attention to the issue at hand. Ms. Rosie had information, and he was going to get it. He huffed and reached for the doorknob, opening it slowly.
"Hello, Ms. Rosie? Are you okay in here?" He called, his head poking into the room. She, of course, was relaxing in her seat, clad in a white nightgown. Her silver hair was still slightly wet, a sign that she had just gotten out of the shower. Truth be told, she was still very beautiful, albeit a bit frightening, thanks to her sharp teeth and ebony eyes. As soon as she noticed him, she smiled, waving him inside.
"Ah, Mr. Zack. Yes, I'm doing well. Please, come in. I suppose you are looking for some information?" She inquired, taking a sip from the tea glass she held. Zack nodded his head and walked into the room, closing the door behind him. He sat down in the seat across from her, his hands resting in his lap.
"You'd be right about that. I wanted to ask you some questions. Do you mind?"
She shook her head, "Not at all. It's the least I can do for my rescuer. What do you need to know?"
He sighed, his back leaning against the chair. There were a number of things that he wanted to know, but for now, only the main topics needed to be brought up. With any luck, they'd have more answer than questions.
"First off, with you being an info-broker, you'd have heard something about that Exorcist, what with it being strange for one to be roaming around. So, tell me, did you hear anything about it?"
"Truth be told, I hadn't had any information dealing with it. Not many who sees an Exorcist survive to tell the tale, after all."
"Fair point, I'll give her that..." He thought, an awkward smile on his face. That's when he thought about what Octavia said. If the connection was that the assailant was trying to keep him safe, then maybe she'd know if anyone was trying to a hurt him. He sighed and looked towards her, his voice preparing to ask his question.
"Okay, then you should probably know this question. Does anybody else want to attack me?"
She raised an eyebrow, "Oh? Interesting question. What does that have to do with the case, hm?"
"W-Well, it's just a theory, but we have reason to believe that I'm a main part of the culprit's motive. That's why I ask."
"Hm, I see," she nodded her head, "Well, I haven't had anyone ask me for your information... However, maybe there's one person."
Zack instantly leaned forward in his chair, "What's up? Who was it?"
"That's the odd part. They were keeping themselves hidden. I had ran into them at the celebration a few days prior. I can tell you that they were female." She answered, her finger tapping at the table. He glared in thought. There had to be another clue. Something that could help him pinpoint their mystery informant.
"Anything else you can remember? Even something small can help me."
She went quiet, her mind searching the deepest of her memories. There had to have been something, anything at all. Perhaps a way of speaking, or a presence that she gave? Wait, maybe... She snapped her fingers, a look of realization on her face.
"You know, there is something!" She pointed to her neck, "I saw a glimpse of her eyes. They glowed a white, gave off an almost dominate aura. Truth be told, it had my heart pounding. She was also wearing pearls around her neck."
Zack's interest was piqued. Someone had that kind of affect on her? But only someone with power could even do that. Perhaps it was another Overlord? Or maybe it wasn't one at all. Perhaps something bigger. Maybe another angel? He shook his head, there'd be no way another one would give her information. It had to have been another demon. Then who was the demon? Who could have been there, with white eyes, pearls, and a dominant aura?
"Hm...wait... could it have been...?" He mumbled, his left eyebrow twitching in thought. He was starting to remember something. Someone had a similar feeling to them, but the only other person was- "Oh shit... And what you're saying is true?!"
She nodded silently, "Yes, that's right. Why? Do you know who it is?"
He jumped out of chair and bolted out the door, his eyes widened and his heart racing. This wasn't good. If what she said was true, then things just took a very dark turn for everyone! He jumped down the stairs and skidded to a halt, his eyes quickly scanning the room.
"Charlie?! Charlie, are you here?!" He called. She would quickly step out of the back room, confused as hell.
"Huh? Yeah, I'm here. What's wrong?"
"Charlie, we have a situation! I'm gonna need you to lock this place up and hold down the fort! Me and my friends are heading out!" He order, before speeding towards the lounge.
"Wait, hold on! What's wrong?! What happened?!"
He looked back at her, glaring, "It's a hunch, but it's possible that your mother is in danger."
To Be Continued...