Immortal Stonekeeper

Chapter 21: Lovesick

"Were you waiting for us here all this time?"

"Of course. I never doubted you, Warner."

Jonathan was about to shake Quentin's hand, but Anya quickly stepped in front of him. She folded her arms with a scowl all cops made when they were about to arrest someone. The assassin raised his eyebrow and leaned back against the armchair.

"I've heard lots about you from Jonathan," she began. "And you seem to have access to much information. Too much, as a matter of fact."

The smile remained on the assassin's face, though it had a tinge of regret and sadness to it this time. "Save your breath, detective. No need for any questioning. My work is done, and I'm tired of this life."

Jonathan looked at the both of them in confusion while Anya kept her stern stare on Quentin.

"I wasn't just here for you, Warner." Quentin smiled wryly at Jonathan, before looking at Anya. "I'm also here to turn myself in. Yes, it was me who killed the auctioneer. And it was I who stole the Lily Noir."

"You don't know the auctioneer," Anya said. "Who hired you?"

"A tricky man who betrayed me, but I wish not to invoke his name here." Quentin turned to Jonathan. "My plan to kill O'Connell during the auction night was foiled only because Lucy Carpenter was sent there to protect him."

"No, we were there to protect the auction-" Jonathan gasped in realisation. "No way... it was him all along?"

The assassin nodded grimly. "Right under your noses, yes."

"Wait, who're you two talking about?" Anya looked at the two men in bewilderment.

"Inspector, I believe it best for you and your colleagues to hear my story back at the station." Quentin took a small device with two small but sharp edges at its end. "Here's the murder weapon. You can ask forensics to match the wound to my tool."

Anya put the handcuffs on his wrist as the assassin stood up and turned to Jonathan.

"Michael O'Cornell killed my wife and son in cold blood. Drained them entirely and dumped their bodies in a forest like some takeout food. I suppose it was karma for all the people I murdered in the name of money," he said "But thank you for avenging them. For fulfilling my final wish."

"And thank you, detective." He turned to Anya. "The police ignored my appeals for justice due to my low credit score back then. Thank you for showing me there are still good cops left in London."

An oval portal opened itself silently and the policewoman escorted the assassin through, leaving Jonathan in the empty headquarters once more.

~ ~ ~

Jonathan stood dumbly in the empty headquarters for a moment, wondering what the hell he should be doing. Half of him wanted to ignore the revelation he just received, to simply walk away and disappear into the world. But he wanted to get to the bottom of this, to get answers about the gem which was now part of his body. Furthermore, Lucy was still a member of this mess of an association, and he'll be damned if he let her continue working for Maximus. He thought about contacting her, but he did not exactly give her a chance to leave him a calling card when he abruptly left. The informant sighed.

Looks like I'm alone for this one.

He cracked his neck and walked to the desk sitting conspicuously in the middle of the room, determined to honour his childhood friend's investigative spirit.

"Alright, where to begin...?" Jonathan muttered to himself, sifting through a few boring looking documents. He was not exactly hoping for a map that directly revealed Maximus' location, but these papers were filled with sketches that would put even the nosiest profession in the city to sleep. Bah... What sort of lousy informant was he?