**Experimenting with title and Tone of book ***
In the year 2054, humanity faced a cataclysmic collapse as a deadly virus swept through the population, claiming the lives of 7 billion souls and obliterating vast swathes of knowledge.
In the aftermat...
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Fitz's voice shook as he began confessing to Harrison, revealing the dark schemes behind the disappearance of the girls.
"The prince...he's been selling them, sir."
"Which prince? Be specific!" Harrison instructed.
"Prince Sebastian. It's Prince Sebastian. He is selling them into slavery and trafficking them beyond the borders—to fund his rebellion. Some are taken to foreign lands, like Squagimar, traded for weapons or military supplies," Fitz stammered, eyes lowered. "But that's not the worst of it. He's offering some of the girls to influential warlords and officials as bribes. By feeding into their corrupt appetites, he's securing alliances with men who crave power as much as he does."
Fitz swallowed hard before continuing, his face pale. "Others he ransoms back to their families. Wealthy families, desperate to recover their daughters, pay him whatever he demands. Each ransom helps build his resources, and goes straight into preparing for war. And he's cunning about it, too. He targets the daughters of the emperor's least loyal and very corrupt ministers and generals. They're silenced, sir, forced into cooperation just to keep their children safe."
"So you're telling me girls from wealthy families were taken too, and their families kept quiet?" Harrison asked, bewildered. Until now, he'd believed only orphans and girls from poor families—those without the means to fight back—were targeted. This was a far bolder and more widespread operation than he'd imagined.
"Yes, but only wealthy families who are far removed from the capital. Like other towns and villages but not the ministers from the capital."
A shiver ran through Fitz, but he continued. "There's more, sir. He's also using the girls to entrap ministers and nobles. He has set up a... sort of erhh... an exclusive lair in the capital where his supporters can go and give in to their debased urges further dragging them into compromise. He can later use this information to blackmail them, using their indiscretions as leverage not to talk when they are discovered."
Harrison was momentarily stunned, unable to process the enormity of Fitz's confession.
"Can we get these girls back? Do you know where they were sent?" he demanded.
"Yes...but not all of them," Fitz stammered. "The ones outside the kingdom are beyond our reach, but I have records for those within."
"Good. You'll retrieve those records. And you'll mark this lair's location on a map. Understood?" Harrison's voice was ice. "You have a sister, Fitz. How could you be part of something like this?"
Fitz's eyes grew haunted. "I didn't have a choice. I...I had no choice," he choked, tears streaming down his face.
Harrison's expression hardened. "Spare me the tears. You could have approached the bureau or even me in secrecy to stop all this without letting the prince know you were involved in exposing them." Harrison chided. He shook his head. "You'll all get what you deserve. Now, give me names and dates. If you're lucky, maybe you'll live to see your sister grow old."
"Rook, have the men put some ice on that," Harrison instructed, gesturing toward Fitz's swollen eyes. "He'll need to be able to see if he's going to show us on the map."
"Sorry boss. Might've gone a bit overboard with the torture," Rook admitted.
Harrison entered his office to find a young boy lounging in his chair, feet kicked up on the desk. With a raised eyebrow, Harrison shot him a look, and the boy quickly scrambled to his feet, grinning as he approached with hands clasped behind his back. Harrison couldn't help but smile, ruffling the boy's hair fondly.
"Your acting's improving, I see," Harrison remarked, settling into his chair. He opened a drawer, pulled out some coins, and handed them to the boy. "How's the orphanage treating you these days?"
"They're good to me now, thanks to your help, sir," the boy replied with a grateful nod.
"Glad to hear it, Kenneth. Now, stay out of trouble, alright? I'll let you know when I need your help again."
"Always a pleasure, sir," the boy, Kenneth, said, bowing with a bright smile before dashing out of the office, whistling a tune as he went.
Harrison had recruited Kenneth, a resident of an orphanage Harrison supported, to play the role of a tortured Dora. Kenneth identified himself as an aspiring actor and Harrison used his talents occasionally on cases.
After Dora had a brief conversation with her brother, in the Interrogation chamber, she was quietly led out, and a blindfolded, ear-covered and gagged Kenneth took her place before the staged torture began. No whipping actually occurred; the boy merely screamed convincingly, creating the illusion that he was Dora and being whipped by Rook.
"Boss," Rook said as he led a half lidded Fitz into Harrison's office. He handed the map to Harrison and he studied it.
"There is nothing in this area. I know it well. Are you lying to me?"
"No. It is only well hidden." Fitz paused and gave Harrison a dramatic look. "It's underground. It's an old banker from the common era."
"Let's go, Fitz. You are coming with us." Harrison brushed pass them out of their office. "Tad!" Harrison yelled.
"Yes boss," a man with dark brown hair responded.
"Head to the palace and tell the crown prince to meet us there. Here." Harrison handed Tad his token. A badge granted to Harrison by the emperor so he could get into the palace at any time of day, with no questions asked. "And here." He handed him the map. "Go now!:
"Yes boss." With that Tadbolt, fondly called Tad, quickly rode towards the palace.
Now, dear readers, surely you did not believe, even for a moment, that Harrison would stoop so low as to harm the girl? Though his methods may lean toward the ruthless and his resolve can be as unyielding as stone, even Harrison draws a line when innocence is involved. A man of his distinction may employ clever ruses and a touch of theatricality, yet his honor prevents him from inflicting cruelty on those undeserving of it. This is the Harrison we know and have come to love, no?
