"Why are 'you' here?" Rudy asked Cassandra.
"I was invited here!"
"Yeah, right. And the UnderBlades were trying to welcome you just now."
"Well…" Cassandra turned her face to the side and muttered, "I wasn't invited by them."
"So you invited yourself to an event you weren't invited to?"
"No!" She whispered violently. "Today morning, I received an envelope in my office with this pass and a letter in it."
Cassandra showed Rudy the pass and said, "This one."
Rudy checked the pass and muttered, "Yeah, it's a legit one. But I don't see your name written on it. What was in the letter? Do you have it with you?"
"No, I sent that on inspection."
"Huh?"
"The letter said that the culprit behind the kidnappings and killings of 1989 to 1990 would be in this event."
"There is no way that's possible. No matter how you look at it, it's clearly a trap."
"I know it, but even if there was a slight chance this was true…"
"And what if it was true?" Rudy asked with an annoyed look on his face. "Would you have arrested him… or her— on an island full of wealthy and dangerous people?"
"No. I was just here to gather more intel and make a file on the culprit. No one has ever seen the culprit, so we don't know what he or she looks like."
"So how were you supposed to catch him… or her?"
"I was going to collect the data of everyone present here and narrow down the suspects."
"...is that why you were being chased by the UnderBlades…?" Rudy asked with a dumbfounded expression on his face.
"Yes… I was caught sneaking into their headquarters…"
"...." Rudy let out a weary sigh and face palmed himself. He shook his head in disbelief and asked, "How could you do something like that?"
"Desperate times require desperate measures."
"Which can get one killed," Rudy added. "That's just stupidity."
"What about you?! Why did you kiss me?! You do know that assaulting a police officer in any way is a serious crime, right?"
"Excuse me! Here is the girl you were looking for!"
"What are you doing?!" Cassandra shut Rudy up with a kiss on the lips.
"I am pretty sure a police officer assaulting a law-abiding citizen is also a crime."
"I did that to shut you up! And you and I, we both know you aren't exactly a law-abiding citizen."
"Same same. I saved you, and that is how you thank me?"
"What are you doing here?"
"Why are we starting that conversation again? I am a member of the Underworld, so it's natural for me to be here."
"No, why are you 'here'?" She pointed her finger at the ground and said, "At the beach."
"Oh, I was just… strolling around. It has always been my dream to walk on the beach alone at night under the starry sky and the heavenly breeze coming from the sea. It's a phenomenal experience."
Cassandra raised her brow and stared at Rudy without speaking a word.
"Do you want me to call the guards?"
"I can't believe you are threatening me after everything I have done for you."
"Hey, hey. I am not threatening you. I am saving you, but it's not my fault if you don't want to be saved. And as for the letter and that culprit, it's false news."
"How can you be so sure? And I am sure you weren't even born when that happened," she asked with a judging look on her face.
"I have been an avid reader of reading old crimes and case studies on killers."
"And what does that have to do with 'that culprit is false news'?"
'Because I dealt with that culprit already!'
"How about we first try to find out who sent you the envelope, and we can ask that person directly? Did you track the sender?"
"My team is working on that. We will get everything I need to solve this case… I don't know if I should even call it a case, but this matter is my priority right now. I was a victim of one of those kidnappings, which is also a personal matter for me. I can't rest easy until I solve this," she asserted in a solemn voice.
"You should have started your investigation from that rather than coming here first. If a fox enters the lion's den, you can't blame the lion if it eats the fox. Had something happened to you here, you would have been at fault."
"About that…" Cassandra gulped down nervously and muttered, "One fox has already been captured."
"Hmm?" Rudy raised his brow.
"I came here with Jonny."
"Oh, great! He is not a fox, he is a sheep!"
"He got caught because he tried to save me from getting caught!"
"That changes nothing. Whose idea was it to come here?"
"Mine."
"And he followed you. And surprise, surprise, that's what sheep do!"
"There is no point in yelling at me. I have to go save him!"
"No, you don't. I will bring John here. You wait by the harbor point."
"How will you do that? And what if the guards come back?"
"They won't. There is a helipad not far away from the harbor. It's my personal ride. I will send my driver to drop you two off at your desired location."
"Nothing will happen to John, right?" Cassandra asked with teary eyes.
'She always acts strong and keeps up that act, but right now, she seems so vulnerable.'
"Yeah, he will be alright. I have a friend among the guards. If I tell him, he will help me out. Now go."
"Thank you!" Cassandra ran towards the harbor point.
Rudy walked towards the street and saw a dozen guards standing there.
"Leave her alone. If anything happens to her, it won't be good for you," he said in an emotionless voice.
The guards turned around and left.
SIGH!
Then, he looked at the street lamp and said, "I know you are watching me. Tell me where they have taken John. Or I will be late for the party."
RING~!
Rudy received a message with John's location.
Thanks, @Dayle_Gilchriest and @DoubleFacedManX_69, for the gift!
