Dullahan [ COMPLETED ]

Hiding The Suspect

CHAPTER 14: Hiding the Suspect

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It was a bright morning once again and I couldn't bring myself to wake up. I mean, the covers were so warm and cozy and-

"Get up. It's like 9 in the morning," Followed by a rough pull on the blankets, leaving me only in my pajamas and the unfamiliar air to mix with.

"Z-Zeige...! Gimme back!" I whined, waving my right arm frantically to feel the blankets nearby.

But instead, a rather cold hand wrapped around my wrist and pulled me upright. I shut my eyes close, using my free hand to cover the sun from my face, while I tried to free my slightly burning wrist from the vice grip.

"Zeige, huh?" The voice suddenly became clearer and I finally found the strenght to open my eyes.

I met the dark nothingness of eyes that belongs to a non-human being and I swallowed hard, "Duan,"

"Yeah. Definitely not Zeige," He growled, swiping my wrist away roughly and then facing the window.

"Sorry, sorry," I said between yawns, turning stiff and then relaxing, "Did you wait long?"

"Just hurry up so we can go," He sounded mad.

I decided not to press anymore into the subject and rushed to the bathroom to change. I took a short- really short- shower, brushed my teeth and changed into a grey sweatshirt and dark blue jeans, before heading down.

"I'm heading out," I said as I passed by the kitchen and grabbed a pancake from the plate.

Luckily, it wasn't hot, and with permission from my parents, I went off. Duan met me by the gate, crossed arms, and still not looking at me. I was about to ask him something when I heard my brother call me.

"Where are you going, Sis?" Asked Jelenger as he came to a stop infront of me.

"Ah, to the local jail," Whoops, seems like I slipped. I wasn't supposed to tell anyone where we are heading, but I can't keep things hidden from Jel for too long. I need his help as well.

"Bailing a friend out?" He raised a brow, tilting his head slightly to motion for Duan.

"No. Just information," I shrugged and then lightly tapped Duan's elbow, "Can he come?"

"It doesn't matter," He pushed himself off the wall and walked off.

Jel and I walked behind him while I filled him in with the details. At first, he was still as skeptical as Maam Julie the first time she came face to face with Duan, but being my brother and all, he got over it immediately and I continued the explanation. My phone rang and the message was from Framcis.

"Where are they now?" Duan asked, back still turned from us.

I cleared my throat, "Francis said that John, Patricia, Penny and him are there at the waiting shed already,"

Duan increased his steps and so did we. Soon, we found ourselves waving at my friends just across the road.

"Yo, Jel!" Francis patted my brother and looped his arm around his neck, "Heard the news?"

"Yeah, so I've heard..." He rolled his eyes, "Shouldn't we go inside already?"

"Yeah, we should. It's getting too warm out here in the sun," Penny fanned herself to emphasize her point and I couldn't agree more.

We did. The moment we stepped in, the smell of sweat from thin to extra-large guys filled the room, and the officers in-charge didn't even look up from their newspaper reading to greet us. Duan walked by them so we followed. Soon, we were already in the hall where jails adjacent to each other were situated at.

"The guy had 6 piercings and a bleached mohawk, right?" He asked whilst looking around.

"Yeah, with a tall but buffy build as well,"

We started our search, covering different cells at a time and observing each man within them. The place was assorted, and I wouldn't be surprised if they had all the stereotypes in here. After 30 minutes of going through around 20 cells, we stepped out the hall and into the waiting room.

"He's not here," John said with a long groan, "Francis, I thought you said we'd find him here!"

"We-well, that's what I got yesterday! They might've moved him, you know!" Francis immediately retorted, hands up in defense.

"Who?" Came a voice behind our group, and turning back, it was the two guards who were in duty a while back. Oh, so they only notice us now?

"Ask him," Patricia whispered as she elbowed my side, "Maybe he knows who we're looking for,"

The cops looked at us with questioning and suspicious looks for a while until I took all my courage and stood up.

"We just wanted to ask a couple of questions to somebody, but it seems that he isn't here," I said.

"Ah, right. We released some guys yesterday." Stated the other one while he tapped the tabletop with his fingers.

The other one smiled and swept his hair back, "Just tell us. Maybe we know him,"

I looked back to get opinions from everyone else but only received blank looks as well. Duan, on the other hand, gave a quick nod so I faced the cops again.

"Alfred McGranz," The moment I said the name, I saw the two cops flinch and freeze, eyes slightly widening before they looked at each other then back to me.

"Sorry, we didn't have someone like him before," The one said shakilly.

It was obvious to find the lie there, but I didn't have to press more into it. It seems that we'll ge into trouble if we go further about it.

"I see, too bad," Duan stood up, dusting himself, before motioning for everyone to followed him.

I followed as well, but I still stopped to look at the two cops' dark faces as they watched us leave. I knew something was wrong and they didn't want us to find out. Unfortunately for them, we're already past them.

"That was totally a lie," John muttered, kicking the asphalt as we ducked in the shade of a large building.

"Yeah," I huffed and fanned myself, "But we can't go against them. They're authorities,"

"And if I do?" Duan asked, a light but sinister smile creeping up his face and I punched his arm jokingly.

"Don't. It's not gonna get us anywhere,"

He nodded, "I know, I know,"

"But we need information," Said Jel.

Francis rubbed his temples, "We need someone who can get close to those cops. Someone near their profession. Someone we know who cannot be suspected for snooping around their files."

"Someone who can relay us the information too..."

I looked around to distract myself from the growing tension and I found myself looking at a familiar face standing a couple of meters from us.

"Jeffy?" Said the guy.

"Cousin Damus?"

True enough, my cousin, Nustradamus (or Damus for short) was there in the shade with us, wearing his police uniform and ready to enter work.

We can't help but smile at the newcomer's presence and perfect timing, "Just what we need,"

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TBC