Chapter #24 If it looks like a kidnapping, and sounds like a kidnapping...

          Seth slowly came to a stop in front of the Vailstone police department before taking a deep breath. He closed his eyes and recalled dark moments of the past, being ripped of his badge, the embarrassment of being cuffed and booked by his fellow officers, and the condescending look of judgment. He gasped as he returned to the present. Seth regained his nerves and placed his sword in the backseat. After turning off the car engine the black haired detective locked his car door and proceeded up the police department entrance stairs.

The entire department was all a frenzy. Officers rushing to the aid of the kingdom's castle while others maintained peace in the panicked streets. Detective Notch walked through the glass doors calmy and passed the front counter. Seth began walking to a metal detector, which was mandatory for entering deeper into the police station. While all officers were being issued out for aid at the castle and to deter rioting on the streets, Seth quickly took advantage of the situation and rushed around the metal detector. He noticed a few staff members taking destress calls while he scanned the room, recalling a few familiar faces. The pale man hurried before being noticed and down a narrow hall before reaching a room full of old case files. Seth stood before the door and looked both directions to see if anybody was watching him before he swiftly entered the cold dusty room.

He hesitated from turning on a light as not to bring attention to his presence, so he pulled a small flashlight from his pocket and searched for a particular filing cabinet. He proceeded twelve steps in, through a labyrinth of documents, filing cabinets, and boxes of cold case files, until eventually it was before him, Seth's old case files. He opened the filing cabinet and fiddled his fingers through the documents while holding his flashlight by his teeth. Seth finally stopped searching and withdrew a small stack of folders. He looked around before stuffing the folders inside his coat, shutting the cabinet door, and leaving the room quickly.

His heart began to race as he tried exiting the police station, but as fate would have it an old friend of Seth's started running his direction and he had little time to avoid the meeting. Seth darted into the nearest room narrowly dodging the old friend. Seth exhaled heavily, a chance meeting like that would certainly ruin what he had planned. An old friend would know for certain that Seth didn't belong in the police department. Seth lifted his head slightly and smiled with a tiny bit of relief.

A woman officer was washing her hands staring at Seth with curiosity, "You lost?"

Seth smirked embarrassingly, "I could have sworn this was tha men's room." he explained shrugging his shoulders and exiting the women's restroom. The black haired man walked faster and passed the metal detector once more.

The female officer began drying off her hands before recalling, "Notch?" She hurried out of the restroom looking both ways for any sign of him, then decided to try the front entrance. She ran through the metal detector setting it off and approaching the front desk. "Nancy, did you see a white man with long black hair and a brown coat pass through here?!"

The older woman at the front desk, who was being overwhelmed with phone calls herself, sat up, "Yeah, he just walked out tha door a moment ago. Wasn't he rushing to help?"

The female officer watched Seth's car speed away, uncertain of his purpose for being there.........as did a spying yet patient masked swordsman.

On the other side of the kingdom Wade and Amanda finally arrived to Smith manor. The two entered Wade's mansion, nervous and uncertain. The butler approached the two as they stood inside behind the closed door breathing heavily.

"Is everything alright, sir?" the butler asked with concern.

"You don't watch a lot of T.V. do you?" Wade exhaled.