ROSES HAVE THORNS-Chapter 86 - White Lie

"Morning, Chief Hudson! Shall we begin day two of the interrogation?" Dominik greeted energetically as he entered the chief’s office.

"Dominik. How many times do I have to tell you not to slam open my door like that. You are going to break the hinges off them again. Knock and wait for a response like a normal person for crying out loud."

"But it’s fun watching you get startled. Every time your straight face breaks, it reminds me that you are indeed a human being with personality."

"What are you implying? That I’m a boring puppet?"

"Nah. Just a grumpy old man."

"Why you little..." Feeling the last straw of his sanity slipping away from his grasp, Hudson grunted and got up from behind his desk with his fist clenched, ready to beat the brakes off of him.

"Save me, Kurt–!" Dominik looked away and lifted his arms as he braced for impact...

Knock Knock

"Dominik." The prefect who was stationed at the front desk called to him from behind the door. "Your friend with the eyepatch is here. Says he has an important matter to discuss with you in regard to the zealots."

"Woowhoo! Saved by the bell! Sorry chief, but it looks like we’re gonna have to put a hold on the interrogation for now. Later!"

Click

Shut!

Hudson watched Dominik sprint out of his office with uncanny speed. He then plopped back into his seat and rubbed the temples of his head. "... To have such dumb luck, I swear the Goddess must be watching over him."

...

"Kurt, my man! I heard from Senior Willy that you got detained by the royal guards. I take it that since you’re here, everything is alright now?"

"Hey Dom. And yeah. Everything’s alright. Although if there is one thing I’m worried about, it’s that people might still call me a criminal after seeing me in the streets."

"You don’t have to worry about that." Emelie reassured him. "Right before the principal came to pick me and Kiana up from the park, Amber showed up to check for any people who got lost in the fog. I told her our team won the fight and that she should tell whatever newspaper outlet to redact their statement about calling you a criminal. Princess Kiana’s orders."

"Nice work. Thanks, Emy."

"No problem."

"Uhm Kurt. Mind introducing me to your hooded friend? Emy, was it?" Dominik scratched his cheek as he looked down at the hooded figure who was sitting next to Kurt.

"What are you talking about, you dumbass. It’s me, Emelie." She took off her hood and revealed her face for a second before putting it back on.

"Ohhh! Emy stands for Emelie, duh!" Dominik slapped his own head. "Sorry, I couldn’t see you properly. Why the hood though?"

"Cause I don’t feel like dealing with people geeking out over me today."

"Hm? Why? You seemed to have no problem facing it before."

"She doesn’t like the rain. It’s a personal thing apparently." Kurt answered for her, feeling it’s best to give the simplest reason so as to not have Emelie go back into her panicking state.

"Got’cha, got’cha. So, what brings you two here? Something about the zealots you say?"

Kurt and Emelie gave a knowing look to each other and nodded subtly.

"I have news regarding where the location of the kids we’re looking for is." Kurt dropped the bombshell.

"You do!? Oh shit–!" Dominik covered his mouth and looked around to see if anyone was watching. "Are you serious?" He asked quietly.

"Dead serious."

"... Let’s not talk here. The chief should also hear about this. Let’s talk in his office."

"Right." Both Emelie and Kurt followed behind Dominik as they got up from their seats and headed to Hudson’s office.

- A few minutes earlier -

"So, how are we going to convince the prefects to let us take Mr. Shitpants and go to the island without giving away that I’m a regressor?" Emelie asked Kurt as they stood a few blocks away from the prefect station.

"Ah yes. The million-dollar question. I don’t suppose asking them really nicely would do? I believe I’ve built enough trust between us that it could maybe work?"

"Wha– No! Are you an idiot?! Of course they’re going to want to know where you got this piece of information from!"

"Dammit, you’re right. Hmm..." Kurt thought deeply while holding his chin. "What if we say that we found this out by snooping through Peter’s house and finding secret notes which told us about his findings in regard to the island? The notes, however, burnt themselves to a crisp after being unsealed for ten minutes. We didn’t know that that would happen; hence, no evidence, only our word."

"That’s also a no go." Emelie shook her head.

"Was it the whole ’notes burning themselves to a crisp’ thing that makes this plan no good?"

"No. Believe it or not, but we actually have magic papers that do function that way. But it’s most used among the upper societal members in order to pass secret messages and whatnot.

The reason I said that it’s a no go is because the prefects have already thoroughly searched through his house and belongings after he died. They would’ve already found something if what you’re saying is true, which is not."

"Well then, I’m all outta suggestions. Do you have any ideas?"

"Ha. Ha. Ha. I thought you’d never ask."

"Urgh! You could’ve said something instead of watching me struggle as I rack through my brain." Kurt exhaled as slid his hand down his face. "And? What is it?"

"Listen to me, Kurt, and listen well. So what I was thinking is..."

- Back to the present -

"Just to be clear, you’re saying that after you proved that Tobias and his priest accomplice were members of the cult and the king sentenced that same accomplice to death, he confessed, as he was being dragged away, that the children that they kidnapped were on another island?" Hudson reiterated what Kurt told him.

"Yes." Kurt confirmed.

"And you want to use one of the zealots you’ve apprehended as a ’golden ticket’ of entry to sneak into the island while posing as one of their own in order to avoid raising any red flags?"

"Bingo." Emelie nodded.

"I see... Kurt, I hope you don’t mind me asking you just two questions that I have. These will determine whether I approve of this or not."

"Go ahead, chief."

"Alrigh then, first question. Why are you only bringing this news to me now?"

"I was going to tell you this yesterday but as you might’ve heard I got caught in a pickle at Evergreen Park which involved the prince and princess."

"Mmhm. A duel. Or so I’ve heard. Dominik and I were interrogating the zealots you all captured at the time so we couldn’t be there."

"You heard right. Unfortunately, the outcome of that duel left me out of commission thanks to another cult member getting a sneak attack on me. If you need further confirmation of that, you can ask the Saintess. She’s the one who healed me."

"No need. I believe you. Hearing you received help from the Saintess is something I never thought I’d hear though. Not just anyone gets to be in her presence, let alone receive her blessings.

Last question. Why hasn’t the king dispatched his royal guardsmen to the children’s location to save them if what you’re saying is true in that the zealot posing as a priest had revealed their whereabouts?"

"That I... I don’t know. I don’t know what’s going through that king’s head. The impression I got from him is that he’s very stoic. Almost like he’s dead inside. However, he has sent his royal guards to scour around the church to look for any remains of the zealots. Surely you’ve seen them around?

I believe that the king is, firstly, playing cleanup. He wants to make sure that his own backyard is safe from any threats before sending his best men out to save the children."

Kurt tried his best to tell most of the truth while trying to misdirect Hudson into believing that the king does have plans to move out his men. But just not yet.

’C’mon chief. Please believe my bullshit. The king doesn’t actually know the location of the kids since he just sent that random priest to the chopping block, no questions asked.’

"Hmm. You say he looks like he’s dead inside, huh? I guess what the zealots did to his wife is still affecting him..." Hudson mumbled.

"... Tobias did mention something about his late wife. What did they do? Don’t tell they–"

"No. They didn’t assault her if that’s what you’re thinking." Hudson cut Kurt off. "I’m sorry but it’s not my place to speak on it. What I can say is that it’s related to why he is so ’dead inside’, as you so eloquently put it, and why he’s so protective of his children...

Anyway, that’s all I wanted to ask. I have read the reports on the king sending out his men and the Saintess to various churches in order to flush out the remaining zealots. Your reasoning checks out. You may take one of the zealots with you, and Dominik, go with them in case anything goes south. You also know how to sail a ship which will make things much easier."

"Sir yes sir!" Dominik saluted with a wide grin.

"Thank you, Chief Hudson." Kurt sighed with relief.

"I should be the one thanking you. Over and over you just keep bringing back good news that gets us one step closer into destroying these zealots. Good luck to you all on your mission and I hope you come back safely with those children."

Once Kurt and Emelie were out of the office and in the clear, they secretly fist-bumped each other on a lie well told.