Let us continue.
...
Anyone still out there?
Riddles within riddles
When his eyes darted back to where Jack had been, Tatsumi almost felt his heart stop. The boy was no longer there. It took Tatsumi some adrenaline-filled seconds before he spotted him again. The boy was moving through the crowd, across the room. Towards the doors that led to the kitchen.
Tatsumi struggled internally with what to do. Aware that Jack probably was reading his every thought. He started to walk after the boy. But he quickly realized that he would not be able to win a cat and mouse game against Spectator if he didn't have some help.
He decided that subtlety was a lost cause. Turning around towards the dancefloor.
"Esdese!" he shouted over the crowd. With as much volume as he could muster. Starting to accelerate his speed as he did. He had her eyes on him before he had finished shouting her name. Her head rising up a bit. Still standing in a dancing pose with the emperor.
"That waiter!" he shouted and pointed in Jack's direction. "He's a spy!"
If every eye in the room had not been on him already they all moved to him now. Even the music halted as the orchestra all froze. Calling someone a spy or a traitor in the midst of the imperial power usually didn't end well for one of the involved parts.
Esdese didn't hesitate. She pushed Kotaro to the side as Tatsumi began to run towards Jack. But the small kid was already at the doors to the kitchen. Jack not looking around or increasing his speed at all. Trying to seem natural. Which in itself was revealing. Since every other waiter in the room had frozen in place or was looking at Tatsumi.
Jack passed through the doors leading to the kitchen three seconds before Tatsumi reached them.
"Generals!" Esdese shouted. Her voice booming over the crowd. "Seal off all the stairs and exits. No one enters or leaves this floor without my permission!"
Both Faye and Gallus sprung into action quickly. Both moving towards two different exits in the hall. The guards rallying to them as Tatsumi ran into the kitchen.
Though the moment he did, he immediately collided with a chef who had been trying to get out to the hall. The other man falling back into another waiter. The second man dropping the tray of plates that he had been carrying.
The collision caused Tatsumi to stumble a little bit. Looking around the new room as the room was filled with the crashing of breaking plates. The room's walls were white. Its floor filled with long cooking counters and dish benches. People standing around the entire room. Crowding it. All heads turned towards him.
But he couldn't locate Jack. Though the room had several waiters in it. Tatsumi's eyes darting back and forth between them as the two men on the floor in front of him scuffled to get back on their feet. Moving away from him as they did.
The few moments Tatsumi spent at the entrance of the room was enough to let Esdese catch up with him. Appearing behind him in the doorframe. Putting a hand on his shoulder as she leaned past him.
"Which one?"
"He isn't here." Tatsumi said. "It is a small kid. Around ten years, I would guess."
"I think I know who you are talking about. A small and pale creature. I had my eyes on him earlier tonight. Since he was wearing a wig."
Tatsumi nodded. Esdese looked up from him. Her superior instincts perceiving something that he couldn't. "Someone is running two rooms away. In the back of the kitchen."
As soon as she had said that, she blasted off towards the other side of the room. People jumping to the side in order to not get in her way. Tatsumi followed her the best he could.
She was a far better hunter than him and a good bit faster as well. Yet Tatsumi followed her nonetheless. He didn't want her to kill the boy. They just needed to take Spectator from him and lock him up somewhere.
They crossed the room in an instant. Smashing open the door. Entering a similar room and then crossing that just as quickly. Tatsumi following behind Esdese.
The third room they entered was something akin to a dressing room. Filled with lockers standing along the walls. The person Esdese had targeted was halfway through, running across this room when they entered it.
It was an adult woman. Though small in size. She hadn't even noticed them entering behind her. Running out of the exit on the opposite side of them.
"Tchh." Esdese clicked with her tongue in irritation. "A false lead. She turned around towards the room they had just entered from. Standing still. Trying to detect anything out of the ordinary.
"Could he be in one of the lockers?"
"Maybe. But I doubt it." she said. Staying absolutely still. Trying to sense where her target had gone.
"Did we pass him then?"
"We might have." Esdese said. She looked at him. "Scour this room and then come back to me." she said and turned around. Hastily walking back towards the ballroom.
Tatsumi looked through all the lookers and all the other hiding places that he could find in the room in less than a minute. Tearing the doors away from those that were locked. As soon as he was absolutely convinced that he hadn't missed anything, he locked the door that led away from the ball. He ruined the lock on the door with a hit to ensure that no one could escape that way and then went after Esdese.
He found her in the main party hall. Though it was hard to call the atmosphere festive any longer.
All the music had seized and the room was now well lit up. No longer slightly dimmed. The big hall now swarming with soldiers and guards. All the kitchen workers, attendants, and guest were all lined up in different rows. All going through inspection. Faye and Gallus were nowhere to be seen. Assumedly now guarding the stairs.
Esdese was standing in the center of the hall. Overlooking the scene. Her arms crossed over her chest. Two officers standing on either side of her. Her eyes turned to Tatsumi as he approached her from the side. "No luck, I assume."
"No luck." Tatsumi confirmed.
Esdese nodded. "Didn't really expect the spy to be in that room. But better safe than sorry."
Tatsumi looked around. "What is all this?"
"All the paths that lead away from this level of the palace are now blocked by the military." Esdese said. "The spy is likely here somewhere."
"You think one of the guest was involved?"
Esdese shrugged. "I want to thoroughly investigate this incident. If someone managed to infiltrate so high up into the palace, some line of security has failed. Or he had help from the inside. Which brings me to my first question, Tatsumi." She said and fully turned towards him. Her expression not entirely kind. "Who was this spy and how did you recognize him for what he was?"
Tatsumi just looked at her for some moments. Unsure of if he should answer her truthfully in this setting. With so many onlookers. "It was the mole that we have been talking about."
Esdese just stared at him for some moments."Are you certain?"
Tatsumi wondered if she had a suspicion that it might have been one of his old friends. But the fact that he himself had blown Jack's cover should be enough assurance that it wasn't so. "Yeah. I saw him with my own eyes."
Esdese simply nodded slowly. Turning her eyes to the rest of the room. Overlooking the situation. Tatsumi couldn't tell if she was doubting him or if she was thinking about the situation. He looked around the room himself for some moments. He felt like he was missing something. He couldn´t see the blonde woman who had been flirting with him. What was her name? Lillie? He hadn't been listening to her properly.
"Did emperor Kotaro leave the party?" he asked after some moments of not detecting the boy amongst the guests.
Without diverting her gaze back at him, Esdese raised her arm and pointed towards their left. When Tatsumi followed her pointing, he saw a couple of soldiers gathered in a circle in a corner of the room.
Someone had fallen over on his back and the soldiers were gathered around him. It took Tatsumi some moments to realize that it was Kotaro. Two soldiers kneeling down on each side of him.
"Is he okay?" Tatsumi immediately asked. Trepidation building up in him.
"Yeah. He is fine." Esdese said without looking at Kotaro.
Tatsumi looked up at her but Esdese didn't meet his gaze. "Did he have too much to drink?"
"Clearly. He was being very noisy."
There was something about how she said it that made Tatsumi stare at her. "Wait.. Did he pass out or what happened?"
"He did. With some help."
"What kind of help?"
"The kind involving a quick hit to the neck." she said nonchalantly.
She isn't even trying to hide it. Tatsumi thought. "You hit him?! The emperor? Your superior?" he said. Sounding as shocked as he dared without risking to draw more attention to them.
"He was clearly not in his right mind." she said and nonchalantly waved her hand in the air. "He was trying to supersede my orders to the guards. Wanting the party to go on while we searched. So I put him out of action for a little while. He will be fine tomorrow. Just a bit sore and hungover."
"You do realize what a huge problem this might be." Tatsumi said and looked over at Kotaro again. Sounding much calmer than he actually was. "Using violence on someone is usually a good way to make them your enemy. And the emperor of the royal bloodline? In a room filled with people?"
Esdese just looked at him for some moments. "I don't see your point."
"Yes you do. You just don't care about it." Tatsumi said. Irritation and exhaustion in his voice. He looked around the room. "Where is general Faye?"
"She and her soldiers are guarding some of the stairs."
"She is not gonna like this." he said. Casting a worried glance around the room.
"Her take on the situation is not my concern. Finding the spy is."
"I hope that we can get Kotaro to his chambers before Faye arrives."
"No one leaves until I am more certain of the situation." Esdese said in a calm voice.
Tatsumi turned towards her again. "What use is it to have him lying on the floor here? He clearly won't be adding anything to our search."
"If I send him away, he will have to be accompanied by guards. And I am literally not letting anyone leave right now. He will have to remain here until more soldiers arrive."
Tatsumi sighed but decided to not argue with her anymore for the moment. "Fine." he just said bitterly.
Almost two hours passed as the military searched the entire level of the palace. Looking through every single room. Every possible hiding place was investigated. But every officer that came to Esdese shook his head. And when the last one bowed and apologize to her, the message was clear. Jack had disappeared once again.
Esdese waved away the last officer with her hand as he was apologizing. "He isn't here anymore." she stated. A focused look on her face as she thought about the situation.
"Could he have been able to escape this floor before we blockaded the entries?" Tatsumi asked.
"I doubt it. I gave the order before he had even left this room."
"Then how?" Tatsumi said and looked at her.
Esdese was silent for some moments. As she was thinking about the situation, the main doors to the hall opened up and general Faye and Gallus returned to the room.
Both of them walking directly up to Esdese. "None has passed our checkpoints." Gallus said as he walked up to them. Indicating that he and Faye had been talking before they arrived. "Have you found the target?"
"Negative." Esdese said. Looking at her generals. "We have searched through this entire floor a couple of times now. I think he has escaped us."
"But how?" Gallus said. "We blocked all exits. Are you sure that there aren't any hidden rooms or areas where he might be hiding."
"Possible." Esdese said. "The blockades will remain. But there is one other possibility that can't be ignored."
"What would that be, great general?" Gallus asked but Esdese didn't immediately answer him. Looking out over the room.
"Has the emperor been escorted to safety?" Faye asked. "He should be moved to his chambers until we are sure that there aren't any more foreign agents nearby."
Esdese looked at the general for a second before answering. "I am here, general Faye. There is no safer place for the emperor to be."
Faye looked at Esdese for some moments. Her expression hard to read. Then she looked around. "Where is the emperor, right now?"
"That would be him in the corner over there." Tatsumi said and pointed over his shoulder with his thumb.
Faye took a couple of steps to the side and looked at the knocked out emperor. Her eyes widening slightly. "What happened to him. Was he attacked?"
"The emperor had a lot to drink tonight." Tatsumi said. Trying to brush off the situation. Making Esdese smile a little. "A little bit too much, it would seem."
"Did he pass out?" she asked. Sounding as if she didn't believe them. Slightly accusing.
"That he certainly did." Esdese said. Looking Faye straight in the eyes. Challenging her to ask the question that hung in the air.
Faye gave them both a dark look. Tatsumi feigning ignorance and Esdese smiling at her challengingly. But Faye didn't do anything more than scowl at them. Turning around and walking over towards the group of soldiers surrounding the emperor.
Tatsumi sighed slightly in relief at that. But he knew that he had yet another problem at his hands now. Cause the room was filled with people. Pretty soon, everyone in the palace would know that Esdese had knocked out the emperor. For nothing more than contradicting her orders. Which was his right as her emperor. If you assumed that Esdese accepted his rule.
Gallus looked at Faye's back for some moments. "So what now then?" he said. "Come to think of it, have we even been able to verify that there actually was a spy here?"
Esdese gave Tatsumi a slightly skeptical look. Causing him to speak up.
"Absolutely." he said a bit louder than necessary. "Without any doubt."
Gallus looked at him for some moments. Then his eyes moved back to Esdese.
"Then what is our next move, great general?"
Esdese looked over towards the main doors of the hall. One of her officers stood there, waiting for her. She nodded towards him.
At that signal, he crossed the room and walked up to her. He whispered something in her ear, then took a step back from her after that. She nodded at him again. "You can begin."
The officer saluted her and then turned around. Starting to leave the room.
"Great general?" Gallus asked. Looking back at her after following the officer with his eyes for some moments. "What are your orders?"
"You don't have to concern yourself, general Gallus. Enough of my own forces have arrived now. They will take over the situation from here."
Tatsumi felt a pang of worry at those words. Looking at her from the side. But she was just calmly looking at Gallus. A serious expression on her face.
"So we are dismissed then?" Gallus asked.
"You are. My men have already taken control of the blockades. You and Faye are free to leave. Everyone else will be taken into custody."
Tatsumi drew a sharp breath. He had suspected that things were heading this way but had hoped to be in the wrong.
Gallus looked dumbfounded. "Sorry but did I hear that right, great general. Will everyone be-"
"Taken into custody? Yes, general." Esdese said with irritation. Moving some of her hair to the side. "Your theory about a hidden room is, of course, something that will be investigated. But there is a far more likely theory here."
Tatsumi held his breath.
"The fact that the spy even managed to get to this level of the palace means that our security completely failed or, far more likely, that he had help from the inside." Esdese said with a determination that scared Tatsumi. "I will overwatch the questioning of all the guest, guards ,attendants and chefs. My own soldiers have already started apprehending the soldiers that held the blockades with you. I will not let this mole slip through my fingers again."
Tatsumi was unsure of what she meant by "questioning". It could just be a normal interrogation but in some scenarios that implied different levels of torture when Esdese was involved. Either way, this was a catastrophy.
Gallus seemed to have reached the same conclusion. "Even my own men, great general? What about the emperor?"
"The emperor, Faye and you are free to leave. Along with a few others. Because I feel confident that I will be able to find you if I need to ask you some questions. There is no need to throw you into captivity."
Gallus seemed to be at a loss for words. Uncertain of what to do. But Tatsumi was not.
"Will you just excuse us for a short moment, general Gallus." he said and grabbed Esdese's arm. "I need some words with the great general."
He started to pull at her arm but to his dismay, Esdese didn't give way. But he felt like he couldn't back down at this moment. So he pulled harder. Until the point where he could barely hide how strongly he was pulling.
Though after some extreme long moments, Esdese pulled her arm out of his grip with a quick yank. Almost causing him to fall over. But before he had fully regained his balance, she walked past him.
"We will be back in a moment, general. Don't go anywhere." she said calmly without looking back at them.
"Of course, great general." Gallus said.
Tatsumi looked at her back and then walked after her. Having no choice but accept how she seized control of his own actions. They walked into the now evacuated and deserted kitchen. Esdese walking a step in front of him. Someone had knocked out some of the lights in the room so it was kind of dim.
As soon as they had entered through the swing door, she turned around. Hands on her hips.
"Make this quick." she said. Her tone was not unfriendly but it was sharp and official. And very authoritative.
Tatsumi had actually lost his balance a bit when she took control of the situation he wanted to start before he had even managed to create it. But he reminded himself of what was going on and managed to build up some of that energy again.
"Tell me that you aren't going to do this?" he said in silent yet intense voice. Looking up at her expressionless face.
But her eyes were sharp and cold. "What makes you think that I won't?"
"Have you gone insane?"
Esdese was just silent at that. Her eyes meeting his own. Causing Tatsumi to react a bit more aggressively. In hope of getting his message across.
He reached up and grabbed the large, standing collar of her uniform. Taking a hard grip on it and pulling down strongly. Esdese had watched him do it but did not think that he would actually pull at her. So she was caught a bit off guard. Causing her to bend forward. Putting their faces on the same level.
"This is nothing short of a coup d'etat." he hissed at her.
Esdese looked at the hand holding her uniform. As if it fascinated her. Her expression still empty. "You are exaggerating."
"You are taking almost all of the political leadership into captivity with this move. Along with most of the military officials following anyone else than you. And that is after you knocked down the emperor for contradicting your order. If you do this, you will guarantee a civil war."
Finally, her eyes moved back to his again. "I told you before, Tatsumi. I am tired of this stalemate. I have grown bored of all these charades and feeble rules. Pretending that those that I loathe are my allies. Today I had a chance to defeat one of my true enemies. I am not letting that escape in order to keep up this fragile little game that you have chosen to participate in."
Tatsumi already knew where this discussion was heading. Yet he had to move forward. "You are killing any chance I have of creating stability with this. You are destroying what little hope I have left. Without it, there will only be bloodshed."
"Then so be it." Esdese said in the same cold and authoritative voice.
Tatsumi decided to go for a different route. "Is it that you can't handle this situation in any other way or is it that you just don't want to. If it is the latter, then you are just being selfish and abandoning your duty."
Esdese's hand slowly came up and grabbed him by the throat. Grabbing a hold of him. Then she slowly started to lift him up with her grip. Staring him in the eyes as she straightened up again. Lifting Tatsumi with her until his toes were barely touching the ground. His own hand still holding a grip on her collar. Even if it no longer served any purpose.
"I am dealing with the situation in what I deem to be the most efficient way. That judgment is my prerogative."
"Even if you destroy the empire with this move?" Tatsumi said in a labored voice. Having a hard time talking through her grip.
Yet Esdese seemed completely unyielding. "If it has become this fragile then I will not grieve for its passing."
Tatsumi was growing desperate. Partly because it was a bit hard to talk in his situation. But also partly because he realized that this had turned into a battle of wills. Which he knew that he couldn't win. Esdese would never change her position if she perceived the situation as a competition. He needed to change something.
"Please, Esdese, don't do this. Don't take away the little good I have left to fight for. Don't rob me of that dream. I need it. I really do." he wheezed.
Esdese looked into his eyes for some long moments before she spoke. Tatsumi still had a hard time reading her expression. It showed nothing but determination.
"The only thing that you should need.. is me." she said.
Then she let go of his throat without warning. Tatsumi was a bit surprised by it and actually fell down on his knees. Even if he first landed on his feet. Causing him to move forward a little bit. So when he looked up again, his face was less than a decimeter away from the lower part of her stomach.
He looked up at her. Still on his knees. She was staring down at him. They both stared at each other in silence like that for some long seconds. Esdese a bit surprised that he had fallen over at first.
Suddenly the situation had changed and they both felt it.
Tatsumi started to stand up on his feet again. Trying to escape what this was turning into. But when he did, Esdese's hand came down on his head. Pushing him down on his knees again as her hand grabbed a hold of his hair. Keeping his eyes on the same level as her navel.
Tatsumi looked up at her again but her expression was completely empty. Tough her eyes weren't as sharp as they had been before. She was just reacting to how her instincts awakened to the situation.
And they wanted him to be on his knees.
Tatsumi opened his mouth but when he did she yanked at his hair a bit. Making him stop for a moment. He tried to stand up again, only to be firmly pushed down on his knees again. All in silence.
He wanted to stand up again. He couldn't really argue with Esdese like this. But he guessed that was why she wasn't letting him up. The situation had changed from two equals arguing to master and slave. Just by the fact of that sudden difference in positioning and that long silence. But they had both felt how the situation changed. Things had suddenly gotten some rather sexual undertones. Even if none of them had consciously made it so. But now that it had changed, Esdese wouldn't let it change back.
"Stop that." he said and place his hand over the one that was holding his hair.
"No." Esdese said plainly. "This is how it should be."
"It isn't and you know it." he said and looked up at her. He could finally see some kind of emotion on her face. Though to his dismay, it was only hunger. "Come on. This is a way too important issue to turn into a game."
"It isn't exactly a game, is it, Tatsumi? This positioning is a lot closer to the truth between us right now."
"How are we supposed to have a serious discussion like this?"
Her hand momentarily let go off his hair and stroked the side of his face. Cupping it. "There is no discussion to be had, Tatsumi. My feelings for you are the only reason I decided to even come here and listen to you. Despite already having decided what was going to happen."
Tatsumi choose to follow her down that road of dialogue. "Maybe you don't care about the people of the empire. But can't you just stay your hand for my sake then? Avoiding complete carnage is the only redeeming purpose that I have left."
Esdese sighed. "I have been staying my hand for a long time now, Tatsumi. I have given you plenty of time. And the only results I have been given is finding you in more and more degrading, insulting and dangerous situations."
Tatsumi started to speak but her thumb came up and placed itself over his mouth. "I have decided, Tatsumi. Don't waste your words."
Tatsumi realized that she was speaking the truth. He would not be able to stop this any longer. Once again, he had failed.
Apparently, his despair showed on his face. Since Esdese's hand move to the side and cupped his face again.
"There, there. You will be fine, Tatsumi. A lot of the people that you hate are going to disappear soon."
"If you do this, then all I have tried to accomplish will be lost." he said silently.
She smiled at him. But he couldn't help but feel that there was a condescending tone to her expression. As if she found him more cute than pitiful. "You told me before that I am the only true ally that you have left. That almost everyone else in the empire regards you as their enemy. I will only be thinning out those numbers more quickly from now on."
Tatsumi lowered his eyes. Seeming completely defeated.
Esdese' hand turned his head a little bit to the side and pressed him against her. Stroking his head for some moments.
Yet the act seemed more domineering than comforting to Tatsumi. Partly because his face was basically resting against her loins. And partly because he had a strong feeling that Esdese drew a lot of satisfaction from this calm subduing.
But after a little while, her hand stopped on top of his head. "I have a lot of work to do now, Tatsumi. You don't have to participate. Frankly, I would prefer if you didn't. Go back to our room and get some rest. The sun will be up in a couple of hours."
With those words, she let go of his head and turned around. Without looking back at him, she walked out of the room. Her hands on her hips. A certain victorious smugness to her presence as she left him alone in the room.
Tatsumi stared at her back as she left. Lost at what to do. Scared of what was to come.
Ok. So here is how we are going to do this.
As you probably have noticed, this chapter is considerably smaller than what my chapters used to be. And that size is part of the reason for this monstrous delay. Cause my writing is driven by feedback. I write a new part of the story, I get some comments and feedback, and that gives me energy enough to keep writing.
This chapter was about twice as long and consisted of two other "scenes" originally. But I split in half just to get the ball rolling again. Cause all that you just read, was finished about a month after the release of the last chapter. 50% was done while people were still commenting on the last chapter before that. And then, during the next 5 months, the speed of everything declined. Mostly because other parts of my life have forced their way into my priority list. Before I decided to split this, I was about 85% done with the entire chapter. But in the last 2 months, I have maybe written 5% of that.
So to get the ball rolling again, I will try and go back to my release schedule back in the old day. About a chapter every 14 days. But I will make them smaller. Probably about the size of this one. I feel confident that I will be able to keep it up for the foreseeable future. I already got a head start on the next one.
Thank you all for all the feedback, as always. I have a drove of PMs that I will try to respond to asap. But it will take some time as well. Though I am of course eternally grateful for them.
I will get back to you pretty soon.
Until then, take care of each other.