Jordan had been waiting in Colby Jones’s office for over 30 minutes before he walked in the door. He looked surprised to see Jordan sitting on the chair in his office in the middle of the night. The police station is open 24 hours, but the past few nights, only secretaries and phone operators were standing by because most officers were out on a watch and others were off duty to get some rest.
There are only 250 people working in law enforcement, and that number is almost 10% of the Mofocity population. With what’s coming ahead of them, Colby was highly concerned that the number is way too low. Even with the missing people cases, they’re already overwhelmed with work.
“Jordan? What are you doing here?”
“Chief … I need to know where Adrian is.”
Colby was taken aback by his statement, there was no way Jordan could’ve known what had happened to his friend.
“Why would you think I know where he is?”
“I know my dad told you to arrest him for Dorian’s case,” he was straightforward about it.
Colby lifted his eyebrows, “Yeah … but I’ve released him yesterday … insufficient evidence, although it’s not impossible that we may find incriminating evidence against him, I can’t arrest him until then.” Jordan looked worried.
“When did you last see him?” Colby asked.
“This afternoon, he looked upset … not himself, and when I got back to The Dungeon a few hours ago, he was gone … nobody seemed to know where he was.”
Colby sat on his chair and leaned on the table, “It’s been a rough week I’d say, people are dealing with it in different ways, maybe he’s just gone for a stroll,” he’s got a point.
Jordan was in the hype with what’s going on in Mofocity, he would assume the worst if something was not so assuring for him.
“Maybe he left feeling … guilty.”
Jordan’s eyes widened after hearing that.
“I mean, we still haven’t got any other suspect for Dorian’s murder, that’s why I’m gonna look further into it, I have my men going back to the asylum to get more evidence and we’ll be taking more stuff from his flat too.”
Jordan was fidgeting on his chair, he knew Adrian was feeling guilty, but it was not about Dorian.
“Well … if he’s not back tomorrow afternoon, you should file a missing person report.”
He knew there were 24 hours mandatory before he could file a report on Adrian, but he was sure that something was not right with everything that needed immediate attention. He wasn’t totally satisfied with Colby’s suggestion, on the other hand, he would go look for Adrian himself, just to punch his face with a good uppercut. He pinched his nose, he lingered on Colby’s desk.
Chief Colby exhaled deeply, “I’ll tell my men to keep an eye out on him tonight, but you can’t file the report until tomorrow afternoon, that’s the procedure,” he was willing to do him the favor.
Jordan nodded as he listened to Colby speaking on his radio to his officers and send out the order. “I guess we’ll just have to wait, then,” he commented.
“I guess so,” Colby agreed.
“You know Jordan, there’s something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about,” Colby said. He asked Jordan to close the door and withdrew the curtains. “I don’t know if your dad had told you about our food supplies crisis.”
“Yes, he did.” Colby sat back on his chair, the trouble is getting more real now that more people have found out the truth.
“I’m gonna need as much help as I could when the time comes, and it’s coming really fast,” he finally admitted his concern.
“Of course, I’ve been thinking about it myself … what do you need, Chief?” That question gave Colby the jitters.
He let out a long sigh of frustration, “I wish it were that simple, they will be discussing it on your brother’s birthday … the gods of Mofocity,” he cringed to the notion that the fate of the people is at the hands of the demons that have been feeding off of them all these times.
“I’ve always been on the side of the people, it’s my duty to protect them, but I also have the obligation to keep things in order … soon, the two responsibilities will collide in the most terrifying way imaginable, I need to know who will have the best interest of the people,” his voice trembled.
It was the first time Jordan had seen Colby’s soft side, he always thought that Colby Jones was just one of his father’s employees who happened to be head of the law enforcement. But that moment, he saw that Colby’s concern was genuine.
“You don’t think my father is siding with the people?” Colby stared at Jordan, not answering his question. “Of course he doesn’t,” Jordan murmured to himself.
They’re going to make some decisions at the dinner party, I hope you’ll come and we’ll see where it goes from there.”
“There’s really nothing much we can do right now, except to be aware of the upcoming danger and find ways to protect ourselves, I wish I could tell you that we’re prepared for this, … but … nobody can be prepared for something like this, especially not here in Mofocity … whoever you are, and whatever you do, soon it won’t mean anything anymore … I just hope your father knows that.”
Jordan stood up and looked out the window from between the blinds, the sky was grey, the dawn was breaking. The thick mist was flowing across Mofocity. It looked peaceful yet haunting like it was getting ready for something to happen.
“It’s almost morning, I have to get back,” and just like that, he was reminded of Adrian again.
“Let me know when you get back,” said Colby, sending Jordan out the door.
He covered his face with the palms of his hands and threw himself back on his chair. His joints were all screaming at him for being too old for not having slept for too long. He couldn’t even hear the voices in his head that constantly chattering overlapping thoughts. He had to force his eyes to stay open because he desperately needed to go back to work. Reading researches, studying cases, making reports, and most importantly, creating false evidence to finally nail Adrian to the crime he didn’t commit.