Signed in Blood: The Price of Secrets

Pt~17 A Stone

Lilith's POV

"This could be worse honestly" I heard him say.This man had been on my ass for last 2 hours."Do you see this?" He said pointing at my whole house being in shambles,with all officials still throwing around books from the shelves,cutting open the bed mattresses and what not.

"What is the reason behind this?It's our right to kno-" No ma'am.He cut Maria off,who came around half hour ago,when i called her through the chief's phone.My phone,all the land lines in the house were all cut off.All i had was me and my hope.

"Ma'am we have an official warrant,do not make this toug-" 

"who helped you get it brother?" I was losing it,Maria placed her hand on my shoulder,I had to remain calm. "feisty" the chief chuckled along his 2 more subordinates.It made me sick to my stomach.Not a single thing happening here was legal,but not like we expected it to be.

"What did you get?" I asked him while he was checking some stupid paper of his."What do you mean ma'am?"sly much.His actions were the very proof that he was ordered not to take this case in public.Mr. Cross didnt want to affect his stocks ofcourse."Mr. Cross" I said in a low tone,trying to read his face. He said without looking at me,in the most casual voice."A promotion and Half of it"

Bingo.

"He played you.You know that." Hit where it hurts."You know there is nothing here,you are getting half of nothing,brother." I could see his non chalant face but,god was he dying inside.Neither could he go back without completing the raid for sake of his higher ups.Nor was he finding anything worth taking half of,as promised by cross.

"You sound desperate,ma'am." I almost laughed.Talk about guts."I want to make this easy for us.What do you think?"

"Maria,Axel is still in the complex."I whispered in her ear,when I was being taken through the lift.As dumb as it was,I could do nothing about it.They were checking my car parking,the apartment,and also the CCTV recordings before they came.

Maria was out of words,"It's alright,they dont know him,Cross would'nt have gone through trouble of finding your childhood friends for this." I wanted to not tell her,because it was extremely embarassing,and almost funny.

"He has all previous payments" I told her and waited to get a scolding or atleast a stare.But surprisingly I got nothing.I looked at her face,and she looked in some thought.I almost hoped she would not run away after knowing this,leaving me alone.

POV end

The officers were taking Lilith out of the complex,when They saw a whole crowd of interviewrs and cameramen,reporting and rushing towards her.The police force was trying to escort her out of the building,when she realized Maria was not beside her anymore.

A reporter asked with her arm pushing aside all the officials with a mic,"Ma'am what are you being taken for,how do you feel ma'am?" I was being interrogated like a criminal and it felt humiliating.There were dozens of camera flashes in a cramped place,it almost blinding me while i tried to muster an answer.

"I am being framed for reasons I am not made aware of,an illegal raid was conducted in my house an-" I stopped mid sentence when i saw Axel's figure walking through the crowd of officials with the bags in his hand.He went and sat in Maria's car.With Maria.

I could laugh right then and there,but something hit me from within,this is the time.To change the whole scene,becuase I can.

"I was emotionally abused and pressurized to agree to terms i am not involved in.I am willing to help authorities in whatever way i can,and request support from the people" I joined my hands in front of my face and made eye contacts right towards the cameras, "-and hope for assistance from the Illumination corp." I could feel the atmosphere shift around the reporters,and knew this worked,a single tear dropped,which i wiped off and then was taken by the chief into the police van.

Him and I were alone in the van,while the officials were putting all they had found in the 

"Ma'am you have made this very tough for me,we only talked about a comment on gaining public sympathy" he said smiling,thats what these money scoundrels do.People like them? Once the money's on the table, they wouldn't bat an eye before turning on their own father. Loyalty's just a word they use until the payout shows up.

I took off my ring," our deal's done,now go off the radar of your seniors." He smiled,but put his gun on my forehead."What if i put this on record,half of this along with a promotion sounds good to me."dumb decision.

I could feel the cold metal on my head,a gun.Funny,how it would have made me shudder under its weight,but not right now,here i was the one moving the pawns.The adrenaline rush was way too high for this to affect.

"This was given by Mr.Cross,now try to use it." He sighed, his look changing and as he smiled and took the gun off my head reluctantly."Good work,ma'am."That's all he could say,and left the van,with the ring.

I sighed."This could be worse" and the van started towards police station.