The Misadventures of Mystery Investigators, Inc. (Duskwood Short Stories)

Infiltrator Part 2

When MC came around she found herself in a large, cold warehouse space that stank of rot. It was lit by old fluorescent lights, several of which flickered on and off intermittently. It was the furthest thing from the marble empire. Her head pounded worse than a jackhammer and the metallic taste in her mouth was undoubtedly dried blood. She lifted her hand to her head to confirm her worst fear - the earphone had been removed. She was on her own.

"How stupid do you have to be?" an older male voice interrupted her awakening and walked over to MC sitting on the ground. She looked up and recognised him immediately as the CEO, Harold Bowles. Glancing around, there was at least a dozen henchmen watching from the sidelines. "Did you really think you get away with something so harebrained?"

"Why not? You get away with it every day," she muttered.

"Yes, but I have the resources of a multinational corporation. That's not to mention my friends in the capital," Harold grinned.

"Ah, but I have friends in high places!" she said loudly.

"Um, ok, but I have friends in higher places," Harold mocked her.

"One of the things I learned working this job is that I'm never alone!" she announced even louder.

"Are you talking to us or...?" one of the henchman asked.

"Oh, did you think he can hear you? Your little friend in your ear?" Harold gestured. "Yeah, he can't hear you. Not anymore."

"Then... am I..." MC gasped.

"That's right, you're done for," he confirmed. "But either we make this quick and painless, or my friends here drag this out. Who are you working for?"

"Working for? I work for myself!" she snapped.

"You can't be serious," Harold shook his head.

"Maybe you heard of my group. Mystery Investigators. Inc," MC smiled.

"No, I can definitely say I haven't. I would remember a stupid name like that," he laughed.

"Hey! You don't see me making fun of your name, Hairy Balls!" she objected.

"It's Bowles!" he sneered.

"Well, at any rate, you should take care to remember us. We'll be the ones to take you down," she beamed.

"You and your little friend?" he burst out laughing. "Oh, I get it. Lau's mother put you up to this, didn't she? That woman would not give it up."

"You did kill her son," MC glared.

"I did no such thing," he shook his head. "What I do understand is that Lau was snooping in areas he wasn't meant to be, and found himself in trouble because of it. Kind of like you. Admit it. You have nothing on me."

"My team right now is putting together a rock-solid case against you and will destroy you," she said confidently.

"Nice bluff," Harold chuckled. "Get rid of her, then locate her friend and get rid of him too."

"Yes sir," the lead henchman nodded.

"Oh, could you be more specific?" MC spoke up.

"What are you talking about?" Harold asked confused.

"Get rid of me like drop me back to my place or...?" she shrugged.

Harry hesitated for a moment as he thought it was pretty clear, "Kill you and dump your body, of course."

"Won't that be suspicious?" she pointed out.

"We have ways of making it look self-inflicted," the lead henchman answered.