The Preying City

Ben woke up with a horrible headache. Memories of last night flashed through his mind as he slowly gained some clarity. Suppressing his nausea, he got up and fetched a cup of cold water for himself.

The drink was refreshing and he felt a lot better after just half a glass. He looked at the clock and realized he was running late. Washing up in a hurry, he put on a fresh set of clothes and headed for college.

"Hey Ben. Didn't think you would actually come to college today. You were pretty washed up last night." A young man walked up to him and began speaking.

His memories were still a bit blurry but it was slowly coming back to him. All he could recall for now was barrels of alcohol and a crazy rave.

"By the way, is your cheek alright? It looks painful."

'Cheek? What's wrong with my cheek?'

Ben touched his cheek gently. A stinging pain forced him to remove his hand. He winced uncontrollably and tried his best to recall what had happened to his cheek. "I am alright. How did this happen to me?"

"You don't remember? Well, I am not surprised given how much you drank. You got into a..." The bell tolled loudly drowning out the rest of the young man's words. It signified the start for classes and the duo were still well outside the classrooms.

"Shit! We are late. I need to run now. I will see you at the echoing gorge."

"Wait up. What's that?" Ben called out but his friend was long gone. Sighing, he decided to ask later on and headed for his class.

*****

Elias walked into his new office. It wasn't spacious or pretty. But it didn't matter to him. It was his and it made him happy. Just sitting on his chair behind the desk filled him with immense happiness. Officer Mayven had instructed him to set up an office as a private detective. The cost had been borne by the officer as well.

Mayven wanted a pair of ears working for him secretly and Elias seemed to fit the bill for what he needed. Elias was hesitant about it. On one hand, he was scared about getting involved with more cases regarding supernaturals. On the other, he worked for the doctor who was also his benefactor. Unsure of what to do, he had gone back to the hospital and consulted the young man who had saved his life.

"Why not? It's a good opportunity for you. If you do well, you might be more useful for me as well." Elias still vividly remembered the doctor's words. The uncertainty hadn't left his heart but he couldn't help but beam with happiness whenever he stepped into his office.

It had been two days already and no client had come. He had no work except to sit around and look at the ceiling but even such a mundane routine was strangely enjoyable.

Elias finished reading the newspaper for the third time. The contents were nothing important. Majority of the space was occupied by news written just to sell and lacked any real substance. He began contemplating if he should subscribe to Kindlewich Times instead of this cheap newspaper when the doorbell rang.

He was surprised at first and started wondering if someone had come to the wrong place. The guest being a client never crossed his mind. After all, the office was in a bad place and he had zero reputation as a private detective.

The bell rang once again and Elias hurried to the door. Opening it, what came into his sight was a woman who had covered the majority of her face. He had worked for a private investigator before and wasn't surprised. Some clients liked to keep their identity a secret because of the nature of their request.

Before a person acquired a private investigator's license, they had to pass a strict examination and sign a doc.u.ment that obligated them to report any case that could harm others or disrupt peace. Such being the case, clients could freely commission a private investigator while hiding their identity.

"Is this Sound Private Investigations?" The guest asked, a little fidgety.

Elias suppressed his surprise at the appearance of a client and snapped out of his thoughts. "Yes, it is. Please come in."

He led her to the office and sat on his chair. Pointing at the chair meant for client to seat on, he spoke in his best professional voice. "Please take a seat. Would you like some tea?"

"No thanks." The woman sat down and looked around curiously.

He observed her for a while and felt awkward. The client seemed to be lost in thought and didn't speak. He coughed to catch her attention and asked. "Can I ask how you found out about this place?"

"Hmmm...." She thought for a while but didn't answer. Instead, she leaned in a bit closer and whispered. "Is it true that you keep all of your client's details a secret?"

"Of course. Everything about the client will be kept confidential. We will also do everything in our power to fulfill your request."

Nodding in satisfaction, the client adjusted the shawl covering her face. "I want to entrust you the task of finding a person."

"Do you have the person's details? Name, age, appearance.... anything that could help me find the person."

"The person goes by the name of Dr. Burns. He works inside Kindlewich. As for his appearance.... he is a young man in his twenties. Black hair and black eyes. A little taller than average."

Elias's pupils dilated in surprise and he froze for a moment. Collecting himself, he acted normal and smiled. "What business do you have with Dr. Burns? Forgive me for asking but we are required to ensure that you do not possess any ill will towards the person you are searching for."

"He is a benefactor of mine. He saved my grandfather from drowning some time back. My grandfather wants to pay him back."

'A lie. I don't know what business she was with the doctor. I cannot ascertain whether she means good or harm but I must to something about this. Letting her go might lead to some harm befalling him.'

Elias could easily tell that the girl was lying. Her voice was a little stiffer when compared to earlier. In addition, he could pick up more subtle signs indicating that she wasn't being truthful. He had picked up the basics for such things when he worked for the investigator previously. In fact, he was quite skilled at it. He hadn't worked in this line of work for half a decade for nothing.

"How do I contact you? I will need a way to inform you once I find any clues or the person himself." He tried to pry out more information from the woman. If she told him a method to contact her, that itself would be a clue he could use to find out more.

"I will check up on you every few days. Here is two pounds in advance. I will pay you five pounds more when you do find him. I wish you good luck."

"Please allow me to see you out." Elias stood up and walked right behind her. He was still hesitant about what to do next. He didn't know if he wanted to tail her to find more or immobilize her. He was extra cautious in everything he did after learning of the existence of supernaturals and he couldn't help but think about what fate would await him if the woman was one as well.

The doctor was a supernatural and there was a high chance of the client not being a human. He started sweating a bit. He really didn't know what he should do. He was scared to make a move on her but he also couldn't not do anything when he thought that his inaction could put his savior in danger.