After lunch, Aayla brought Ramona back to the hotel. Deputy Heston insisted on checking the living arrangements of the delegation. She had to be sure that their funds were spent primarily on research rather than luxuries. More importantly, Ramona claimed to be checking for bribes.
Aayla just nodded and followed along. There should be another deputy headmaster in charge of finances. Her godmother was acting weird. Whatever. As soon as Ramona was happy, she would ask about submitting a claim to get the money that she spent on the brooch back.
What, Aayla was poor okay? The brooch purchase was for evidence and to keep the vendor from getting suspicious. It was a to-good-to-be-true deal, but it still wasn't free. Honestly, Aayla suspected that the merchant would have given it away for free if he could.
Ramona dragged Aayla back up to her room. The familiar anti-eavesdropping magic was deployed the instant the door was locked. Ramona cleared off a side table and pulled out some tools from her bag. A tan mat with a bright red magic formation was placed on top of the table.
"Alright, what happened with that weird vendor today? Something about the artifact triggered the headmaster."
"Wait, then why did he tell me to investigate it?!"
"Because he was lying. The headmaster gave a few of us different orders telepathically. Now hand over the brooch. Stay quiet and write down what I tell you to write."
Aayla gave the artifact to Ramona, who promptly placed it on the center of the magic formation. Next, Ramona tossed a pen and pad of paper to Aayla then began her work.
Hours later, Aayla was nearly falling asleep on the couch. She had long missed dinner and was starving. Several detailed pages of paper were spread out on the ground. Ramona carefully looked over them.
"These materials are very rare for this area. Who got them and how…? The secondary spell should be a subtle tracking and listening spell but how is it charged…? I've never seen this type of carving before. So, we have a new artificer to find… Aayla, wake up."
She poked Aayla with her pen. Aayla fell off the couch in a daze.
"Oof! Huh? What was that?" She sleepily rubbed her eyes. "What's up Ramona?"
"What happened when you talked with the vendor earlier today? Why did you even decide to approach him in the first place?"
Aayla recounted what happened in detail. About her initial suspicions, short stakeout, the approach, their conversation and some strange details. A pen lightly flitted across the pad of paper as if held by an invisible hand. It faithfully recorded Aayla's statements and Ramona's questions.
When she was done, Ramona put all of the loose papers together. Another copy of the stack suddenly appeared on the table. Ramona then stuffed the copy in Aayla's hands.
"Here's everything that you need for your, well technically OUR, report to the headmaster."
"Wait, I thought that you said he lied about the report?"
"No. He lied about the research part of the report. You will still do report part. Anyways, the brooch that you bought is something way above a student's capabilities to research. It has some secret spells embedded in it along with the basic cleaning spell."
Ramona cleaned up her gear and grabbed her coat. Aayla quickly got up to follow her.
"Oh, is it dinner time? Shouldn't we deal with this brooch first?"
"Nope and already disabled. I'm heading out to meet up with the headmaster and the police so we can deal with these so-called merchants. You are staying here to work on that report. Those papers DO NOT leave this room and DO NOT leave your side."
"What?! But I haven't had dinner yet! Isn't the report due on the 28th?"
"I'll grab you something for breakfast. This is too important to wait, Aayla. Again, DO NOT leave this room and DO NOT let those papers leave your sight. Just compile them like I've taught you. Seal the report and brooch in that envelop that I've left on the desk and burn the rest of the papers when your done. Oh, and about the due date…
Yeah, the headmaster lied about that too. We need it done by 8 am tomorrow."
With that, Ramona was out the door. No, no! Why does it need to be dealt with now?! Aayla tried desperately to turn the knob. No matter what she did it wouldn't budge. Ramona had sealed her in.
Aayla checked the clock on the wall. She had less than 10 hours. No sleep for her tonight. T^T
**********
In the cold night air, Ramona quickly walked towards the police headquarters. She bit her lips. The students have long since returned to campus. Who knows how many of those artifacts were brought with them.
Void take the soul whoever did this. Those who went shopping today were among Nafriton's best students. Many of them came from prominent families. Of those, several came from prominent foreign families. NOTHING was allowed to happen to them.
On the outside, the artifacts looked like fairly basic artifacts that students can use. However, Ramona found secret, highly advanced components inside Aayla's that supported secret advanced tracking and espionage related spells. The materials were difficult to find and process. The magic formations were expertly inscribed on tiny surfaces.
Whoever made them clearly had extensive power and resources. She couldn't confirm the spread or types of secret spells on any artifacts the students purchased today. If any of them had offensive or abduction related spells like explosion spells or teleportation spells, then students could be in serious danger.
This situation was something that Aayla needed to stay far away from. Especially if that vendor recognized her and belonged to the group that she suspected he did. Darn it. Darn IT. DARN IT! Who on Tellus said that Forest Waypoint was clean? If only more in the Senate had supported Headmaster Marin's isolation policy…
Ramona sighed and sped up her pace. There's no use worrying over a burned potion. What's done is done. Aayla's safe, and she had a report to make.
The police headquarters was buzzing with activity, even so late at night. Soldiers patrolled the premises with them. Ramona's brows furrowed even more. Normally, the soldiers only patrolled the inner city during the day when citizens were active. If the military was called, then the police must have found something bad.
She was stopped before she even walked through the gate.
"Can we see some identification, madam?"
One soldier grabbed the badge that Ramona took out of her coat. The other continued to glare and ask questions.
"Who are you and what is your business here?"
"Ramona Heston, deputy headmaster of Nafriton University. I'm here to see Headmaster Marin and Chief Berton. I have some urgent, confidential information to deliver strictly in person only."
The soldiers glanced at each other.
"The badge looks good to me, but we'll need to contact the higher ups to confirm."
"Fine. Just make it fast."
After several minutes, Deputy Chief Locke hurried out of the building.
"Thank you, gentlemen, we've been expecting her. I'll escort Deputy Heston from here."
The soldiers saluted then continued on their patrol. They carefully watched as Ramona was led into the building.
"Sorry about that, but the situation has gotten a bit out of control right now. The headmaster has gone back to Nafriton already."
Ramona nearly stumbled over her feat. "Did something happen on campus?!"
"No, no. I didn't mean that… but something might. We've found a lead on the merchants. They indeed have issues. I can only talk about the rest in the chief's office."
Police headquarters was swarming with officers. Normally, it's fairly quiet with most officers on patrol, but now it seemed like half of them are standing guard. All of the entrances, exits and important rooms had at least two guards. Soldiers also patrolled the outside perimeter.
When Deputy Chief Locke and Ramona arrived at the Chief's office, several police, military and civil officials were already there. A furious Chief Berton was berating a quivering civil official.
"HOW DID THOSE ******* MOTHER ******* GET THEIR ****** ARTIFACTS THROUGH YOUR ****** INSPECTIONS?! ******* *******! LOOK AT WHAT YOUR SPECIAL UNIT HAS ALLOWED INTO OUR CITY! WE HAVE NO ******** IDEA ABOUT THE NUMBER AND EFFECTS OF THESE ARTIFACTS!
"DO YOU STILL FEEL PLEASED ABOUT THAT ******* YOU PULLED TO SIEZE CONTROL OVER CUSTOMS AND IMMIGRATION?! DO YOU STILL ENJOY THOSE EXTRA 'BONUSES' THAT YOUR UNIT SEIZES?! DO YOU STILL FEEL PROUD ABOUT ANSWERING ONLY TO THE MAYOR?!
"WELL GUESS WHAT?! YOU ARE THE ONE WHO GETS TO PERSONALLY EXPLAIN WHY ALL THIS ******* IS HAPPENING TO THE MAYOR! YOU *******!
"I CAN'T WAIT TO THROW YOU IN PRISON FOR CORRUPTION, BRIBERY AND WHATEVER ELSE THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY CAN ADD! YOU DISGUSTING PIECE OF ******* TRASH!"
The cowering man shrieked and cried as the chief raged at him. No one helped the shivering man. In fact, they glared at him and sneered. Many inwardly gloated.