Dark Faïz (Book 2) [Completed]

Chapters 9-4

When I arrived in the conference room, I was relieved to see Faïz and William already installed in the room in the presence of Inspector Barthey, as well as other members of the FBI. Julio, Kayla, and David were on videoconference with us. I allowed myself a small loving gesture towards the screen, which reflected David's face to me. He gave me a knowing wink in return. Dewei crossed the threshold and promptly invited us to sit down. I immediately took my place between Lexy and Ray and the lights in the room gradually dimmed. The overhead projector sent several three-dimensional maps on the board in front of us. Dewei then spoke.

"We have grouped all your notes, photos, videos, and aerial images taken from drones to crisscross each area of this island in more detail. Thermal imagery may have established suspicious movements behind the Li-Na cemetery. This is a sacred place, and often visited by the citizens of Eros. The constant comings and goings didn't allow us to express, until now, suspicions of these movements before your arrival."

The Minister of the Armed Forces changed pictures and an aerial view of small lakes appeared on the board.

"These are the Lakes of the Sun," Dewei continued. "Everything suggests that the brotherhood meets regularly there to celebrate sacrifices and rituals. How many are they? Who is their guru? We can't answer these questions at this time."

"The ruby?" asked Ray.

"If the red stone is on Eros, it can only be there. The place is surrounded by a bamboo forest, difficult to access."

"We tried to cross it with Karl," intervened Lexy, "but the paths were too winding. So we opted for the drone solution."

"What's the plan now?" Ray hastened to ask.

Dewei glanced at Faïz with uneasiness in his eyes and preferred to let the young man speak. He rose to come and stand before us. I couldn't help but watch him carefully from head to toe to make sure he was well. Despite the lack of light, my eyes noticed a small spot on his light T-shirt, just above his hip, in the very place where the blade had passed through. His wound must have reopened after arriving at Idaina Temple. I turned my head towards William, the latter listening attentively to Faïz's speech. Maybe he would agree to tell me what happened there after we left, if I asked him? A doubt settled deep inside me. Indeed, even if William was ready to move mountains for me, he remained very faithful to Faïz's decisions for a reason that completely exceeded me.

"...so this is the best way to recover the ruby," Faïz declared.

"But how do you want us to infiltrate the Twilight Brotherhood?" Ray exclaimed in a tone of protest.

Min stood up to speak too.

"We know that during their gatherings, the brotherhood is dressed in large, ivory-colored tunics, identical. This outfit has a hood hiding a large part of the face. It's their parade outfit. They only meet, dressed like this, once a month. So we have no choice but to act tomorrow."

"Tomorrow!" cried Ray, stunned.

A hubbub arose in the room. I felt like the sky was falling on me. We weren't ready! In addition, our centerpiece, which was none other than Faïz, wasn't able to fight with us.

"And now they throw us in like vulgar pieces of meat," growled Lexy, mad with rage.

When calm returned to the room, I decided to intervene in my turn.

"The rest of our mission would constitute of what, exactly? And how many of us would be going to the Lakes of the Sun?"

The Prime Minister cleared his throat and then looked down at his notes. Now a deep silence had settled in the room.

"Tomorrow is just a mission of location and observation. We ask you to remain as discreet as possible and not to put yourself in more danger than you already will be in. The group stays the same, that is to say: Zoe, Lexy, Asarys, Ray, and William."

"There's no way I'm letting them go without me!" Faïz burst out with a threatening glance towards Dewei, Ayame, and Barthey. "It's way too dangerous."

"I'll take care of it," Karl said in a low voice to the two ministers who were standing next to him.

An icy atmosphere invaded the room. A standoff between Faïz and the inspector had just started. I knew in advance who would win this war and that scared me, because Faïz's injuries were serious, far too serious for him to come with us. The images of the attack in the cave caught me violently. Feeling dizzy, I put my face in my hands to try to catch the breath that I was starting to miss. The bursts of virulent voices between Karl and Faïz seemed to come from afar, like an echo in an endless tunnel.

"Zoe? Hey, are you okay?" whispered Lexy worried.

"No," I admitted, on the brink of passing out. "I have to get out of here."

Lexy and Ray got up at the same time as me to accompany me, but I stopped them immediately.

"I have to go to the clinic. The doctors want to see me. You will let me know."

The truth was that I could neither hear nor endure more. When I left the conference room, I felt the gaze of my friends hanging over me, as well as Faïz's. Especially his.