Officer Kewell burst into Jeremiah's room without any prior notice. Jeremiah was sitting alone at his desk.
"How dare you enter like that?!" shouted Jeremiah. "Get the hell out of here!"
"What the heck just happened out there?!" replied Kewell angrily.
"None of your business!" shouted back Jeremiah, deeply distressed.
"Did you just let our prisoner escape?" asked Kewell. "The one that we suspected of having murdered our Prince Clovis?!"
"The heck, I don't even know myself."
"One of our guards killed Villetta!" exclaimed Kewell in frustration. "Do you realize? I checked his record. That guy worked here for seven years; according to the record, he was as clean as spring water. And he just killed his superior and then confessed! And then another two guards showed the prisoner her way out!"
"I don't remember what happened…" mumbled Jeremiah.
"How the heck?!" shouted Kewell.
"They told me afterward... and it seemed very unbelievable…"
"Are you betraying us, Lord Jeremiah?" asked Kewell, his eyes menacingly staring at Jeremiah.
"No! I never did, and I never will!"
Kewell frowned and left the room in a rush. He did not even close the door behind him. Jeremiah closed his eyes and let his head fall on his desk. He did not understand a thing. Nothing made sense. What was actually happening?!
Knock! Knock!
"Go away!" shouted Jeremiah.
"Have you checked the surveillance records?" asked Diethard, slowly making his way inside.
"No."
"You'll probably find interesting things there," replied Diethard mysteriously
"I'll watch them later."
"But your officers will watch them now," added Diethard. "Lord Jeremiah, listen to me: Up until now, we have had three betrayals, or four if we are to count yours. It makes no sense. If anything is to be found out, it is on those records. Let your officers check the records and find the truth; you'll be over. They're planning to throw you out of the game anyway. Soon they might have a real excuse too."
"Hmm... you're right," admitted Jeremiah. "I should check the records before them... Well, you seem rather glad to help me. How come?"
"Maybe one day you'll help me too, who knows," smiled Diethard, "Right now, your only chance is to put your officers in inferiority by letting them think you're acting under some higher authority. Let them think that you know something that Prince Clovis did know as well, but which they aren't allowed to know. There have been so many betrayals, so why not make it seem like a large-scale plot. You'll gain some time until you find out the truth, and then you will pull yourself out of the whole deal by explaining everything best. One explanation will be good enough to put you in a bright light.
"You are no fool, Diethard, I must say," sighed Jeremiah. "Let's go get the video records then. I'm still in charge here; they can't deny my orders for now."