The Hunt for Jack the Ripper (The Phantomhive Diaries #1)

28. Mey-Rin Dai

Here's the next segment to Chapter 3. I'd like to apologize for the late updates. As I said before, I am busy with other projects and I recently got a new job so scheduling has been pretty tight. 

I do hope you enjoy. 

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"What is this?" Mey-Rin asked as she tried to process what she was seeing before her. Right in front of her, a young boy with jet-black hair and a single blue eye covered by an eyepatch was bound in Vanel's office. His face bore the marks of a brutal beating, with bruises and blood staining his nose and mouth. The sight of Vanel's bloodied knuckles confirmed her worst fears - this innocent child, who couldn't have been over ten or eleven, had been subjected to the merciless wrath of this man. They kidnapped a child. My god, this bastard has gone mad. "What...what is happening here? Who is he?"

Carlos, Vanel's coworker, remained quiet and avoided making eye contact with her.

"This is the source of our problems, boy," Vanel said.

"The...source?" Mey said. "I don't understand. Who is he?"

"Are you daft?" Vanel said. "This is Lord Phantomhive."

Lord Phantomhive? Ciel Phantomhive? This is the man Haku and Vanel want to kill? A child? No. No, it can't be. This has to be a joke.

"That is not Lord Phantomhive," she said, not wanting to believe it to be true.

"It is," Vanel said.

"No, it's not."

"Are you an idiot?" Vanel said. "This is the little monster we need to kill."

"Little monster?" Mey's eyes widened in shock and terror. She finally snapped. "Are you out of your mind!? That is a child! You kidnapped a child!"

Vanel rolled his eyes. "Don't act so surprised. You knew what you were getting into when you started working for us."

Mey strutted towards him and spat out her words right in his face. "You never told me that this involved kidnapping a child."

"Did your boss not tell you about it?" Carlos suddenly asked.

Mey whipped her head to look at Carlos in bewilderment. "You knew as well?"

"I can imagine why your boss didn't inform you of this," Vanel said with an amused chuckle. "Who knew you'd be this sentimental about children? Unfortunately for you, it's too late to turn back now. If you don't do exactly as I tell you, I will tell your boss about your disobedience and, from the look on your face, he might not be as forgiving this time. So, you better try to be nicer to us, boy. Otherwise, it will end up ugly for you."

Considering how Haku might respond to Mey's defiance towards Vanel, she instinctively took a step back. Despite trying to appear strong, the fear of Haku's violent reaction made her gulp nervously. As she locked eyes with the young boy who glared back at her filled with hatred, she silently wished she could apologize. I'm so sorry. If only she could speak freely to him without Vanel or Carlos interfering.

But she couldn't just let it go. It was completely unacceptable. The thought of them causing harm to a young boy was absolutely unbearable to her.

"I want to talk to my boss," she said, giving Vanel a deadpan expression.

"Are you sure you want to risk it, boy?" Vanel asked with a smirk. "He might not be too happy with you questioning his orders."

"...I just...want to make sure if we have the right target," Mey said, trying to find an excuse to leave the study. She wanted to get away from here as quickly as possible. She didn't want to be here by the time Vanel slit this boy's throat out or shot his brains out. The memories of Jan and Hao's tragic deaths were still fresh in her mind, and she couldn't handle witnessing another child meet a similar fate.

Vanel simply scoffed. "Fine. Go and bitch about it to your boss."

With a nod, Mey headed out of the study.

"Just don't come crying to me when Haku cuts your hand off."

Or I might just cut yours, you heartless bastard.

In a hurry to leave the office, she forcefully shut the door and hurried up the stairs to locate the telephone room. She was desperate to speak with Haku about the situation. Perhaps it was all a misunderstanding. He wouldn't...

Mey came to an abrupt halt, her mind racing with possibilities. No, he could and would. Haku was capable of such atrocity. He had proven it in the past. He wouldn't hesitate to do it again. Vanel was right, even though she despised agreeing with him. If she reached out to him now, Haku would see right through her defiance, leading to more trouble. But the thought of Vanel harming an innocent boy was unbearable to her.

Now she had a difficult choice to make. Obey or disobey?

What should I do?