Evan, despite Mell's orders, took his time returning home. He had come back with a few snacks and that was it.
He tossed the bag onto Mell's lap and scrolled through the website Mell had pointed out.
"How is this a bad thing?" Evan huffed after studying "Beginner's Pack".
"What do you mean how?! Did you not see the name Administrator Rose?!" Mell demanded, incredulous.
Evan gave her a blank stare. "So? I don't understand what you're trying to point out. The only Administrators you've discussed with me were Administrator Ko De Oako and Administrator Philas. What, is Administrator Rose even worse than the two of them?"
"I don't know--they're new and that's the problem! Something must've happened to one of the Administrators for this to happen!"
"I don't see the problem here. All I'm hearing you say is: we've started in shit and ended up in sewer water through no fault of our own." Evan shrugged seemingly carelessly. "Not much of a difference in my opinion."
He glanced back at the website. "Honestly, I'll take this--whatever it is."
Mell glared. "Seriously?"
"Think about it--if they're kind enough to provide the Shop, then we should do our due diligence as Customers and buy it out and spread the goods for free. It'll probably help delay our destruction by, like, thirty seconds." He gave her a sarcastic look. "Besides, didn't you want to somehow funnel more people through the Floors to act as 'our cushion' as you so kindly put it?"
Mell sighed. "That plan might not even work if Administrator Ko De Oako was the one replaced."
"Well, it's better than no plan at all." Evan clicked on a sword, eyeing the price displayed. "We're gonna need a crap ton of money for this though..."
He turned to look at Mell.
Mell scoffed. "Of course you want me to get it."
"You're better at it." With a bright digital flash, an iron sword appeared in Evan's hands. He studied it carefully, weighing it in his hands. "It seems decent."
"Give me that." Mell demanded. He obeyed and handed over the sword.
Mell clicked her tongue. "You're not wrong this time. It's actually decent quality. Not something that'll bust a Floor but strong enough to stall." Mell chewed on her lip in thought.
Was this new Administrator really going for Entertainment?
If so, then maybe she could work with this...
Although the Constellations watching will probably take this opportunity to mock her for "needing help"...
She grit her teeth in frustration. This whole entire situation damaged her Pride, no matter the perspective it was viewed. And she hated that. Despised it, really. How dare this foreign Administrator fuck up her challenge? Question her capabilities? She might not have hit a home run but she sure as hell was going to bring her team home.
"Does that sword come with a sheath?"
"Nope." Evan shook his head.
"Figures." She threw the sword and snack bag onto the bed, grabbed her jacket, and headed to the door. "Keep an eye on the forums for me. Let me know if you see anything new."
"Aye aye, Captain." Evan sarcastically saluted.
Without further ado, Mell left the apartment, slamming the door behind her.
Upon her departure, Evan crumpled into his gaming chair and stared at the computer screen--his eyes focused on the name "Administrator Rose".
Judging by the comment left on the website, this one seemed polite enough.
At least, from his perspective. However, what did he know? He only saw two of them--Administrator Ko De Oako and Administrator Philas during the time they introduced their Floors. The other two, Administrator Win and Administrator Snow he had only heard about in passing--by an NPC no less. And it's not like he knew any of them in intimate detail. Just some of the Floors they managed and glimpses of their "personalities". Like there were any differences. They were all murderous psychopaths--that he knew for sure.
He clicked on the Artifacts tab and settled his gaze on a particular ring. He lazily rested his chin on his hand, eyes coldly vacant.
[(Broken) Ring of the Swift
Description: For 30 Minutes you can Fast Cast any Item or Spell. To activate, inject 30 Mana into the ring. 1 Second Cool Down between each cast. Cannot attack, use any additional Items, or Spells via Physical, Magical, or Mental means when Fast Cast is active. After 30 Minutes, ring will be shattered.
A simple bronze ring that used to be worn by a particularly fast individual. They believed opportune moments were fleeting and that grasping them was imperative. Their subsequent demise was as swift as this ring, leaving one to wonder whether patience is key.
(Broken) - This ring is broken, restricting its prime potential. A glimpse of what once was can still be seen but just like opportunities, its strength is fleeting. Use wisely.]
Below the Ring's description was another description box.
[Special Deal!
Using a very powerful copying machine this Artifact and its functions were successfully duplicated, allowing one to buy more than one of this Artifact! Buy now while stock lasts!
In Stock: 3]
Evan slowly drummed his fingers on the desk, a small snicker escaping his lips. A great ring came with an even greater price. That price being: $500,000.
It wasn't something they could get before the Trials--no matter how many people or stores they robbed nearby.
Acquiring this ring was impossible.
So this glimmer of Hope--it was there on purpose. To remind whoever saw it that it was useless.
All of it.
A small chuckle escaped his lips. He tried to hold it back, but it slipped out. Like bubbles, more chuckles arose and burst forth until he was straight up laughing.
This mysterious Administrator and Shop? It changed nothing.
Nothing at all.
What the hell did he expect?
***
For a little while more, Doug had stayed to enjoy the view of the setting sun. Once the delicate sight of the sunset was gone from the horizon he threw his paper cup in the trash and made his way to Forensics. After that, he caught up with a few colleagues and made his way home.
It was dark when he got back.
Everything was. The night sky, the porch light, when he turned the key and opened the door to the house and saw nothing but a pitch black hallway.
It wasn't just dark.
It was cold.
And silent.
And lonely...
It had been a while since he had been by himself. Years, even. He couldn't exactly remember the last time he was left to fend for himself. He always had Allison and Emma to keep him company.
He flicked on the lights and rolled his luggage behind him, studying his house like it was his first time here.
The portraits that framed the mantel seemed to give off a haunting air, as if he was staring at a distant past. The neat, put together house gave a sense of stillness that left him anxious. As if no one had been here in a long while.
His presence alone made the entire house seem bigger than it was. And empty.
So, so empty...
After setting his luggage in his room--that felt so foreign for some reason--he returned to the dining room and spread out the results he had gotten from Forensics on the table.
After studying the fingerprint and hair results from Forensics, Doug couldn't help but groan.
His target didn't have a criminal record.
Meaning one day, she just woke up and decided to choose violence unironically.
This left him back at square one. He now had to figure out her base pattern, who she was before all of this, and where she's currently going. Last but not least, her goal for doing all of this.
This means he would have to go back to the apartment complex The View Side.
He pinched the bridge of his nose. If he was lucky maybe he could ask a couple of residents again if they'd seen anything. If he wasn't lucky he'd probably get in trouble for "harassing" innocent people.
It wasn't like the rest of the people assigned to the case with him were doing any better either. Some were trying to scrounge around social media for a profile while others were trying to go through the nearby security footage again, hoping to catch some clue they hadn't seen before.
Honestly, their best bet was to wait. To wait for this nameless, elusive suspect to make their next move. And hope they don't do anything lethal...
Doug cupped his chin in his hand, leaning against the table, softly swaying a pen in between his fingers. He scratched some words onto a piece of paper.
Who, What, Where, When, and Why.
If there was anything Doug's literature teacher had taught him in High School, it was the importance of the 5 W's. It was mostly used to figure out the Author's intent behind their written work, but it could also be used for practical moments. Like this one.
Who: A. Did the Suspect visit at the end of their journey?
B. Did the Suspect commit their crimes for? (Themselves or someone they know?)
C. Is our Suspect? (Their name, who they are as a person)
What: A. Was the intent behind robbing the Gusto Fast Food Place?
B. Was the Suspect doing at the local Mini-Mart before they battered Officer McLane?
Where: A. Did the Suspect start their Journey?
B. Did the Suspect go after robbing the Gusto Fast Food Place? (There's a massive gap in time left unexplained.)
C. Did the Suspect reside?
D. Did the Suspect go after arriving at the apartment complex The View Side? (Which Apartment #)
E. Did the Suspect go after the Police investigated what they could of the apartment complex? (Did they stay or went somewhere else?)
When: A. Did the Suspect come up with the idea to commit their crimes?
B. (This one depends on letter E of Where) Did the Suspect leave the apartment?
C. Did the Suspect commit their crimes? -- Gusto Case: 11 AM in the morning Officer McLane's Battery: 1:15 AM late night
Why: A. Did the Suspect commit their crimes?
B. Did the Suspect rob the Gusto Fast Food Place?
C. Didn't the Suspect rob the local Mini-Mart?
D. Did the Suspect batter Office McLane?
E. Did the Suspect steal Officer McLane's car?
F. Did the Suspect go to The View Side?
After completing his list of questions he tapped his pen nosily against the table. After a brief moment, he gave in and wrote down what he really thought.
G. (A bit unrelated) WHY DO I NEED A WARRANT FOR SOMETHING THAT COULD'VE LITERALLY BEEN SOLVED BY BUSTING INTO AN APARTMENT OR DEMANDING THAT DAMN SECURITY FOOTAGE!!! WHY DID THE APARTMENT COMPLEX REFUSE TO HAND IT OVER IN THE FIRST PLACE!!!
After writing down his frustrations, he stretched. He turned on his phone, glancing at the time.
It was about time he went to bed. He was too tired to answer the questions--already about to pass out from a backlog of travel fatigue that still needed to be resolved. Besides, he didn't have the answers to ninety-nine percent of those questions. It would come in time.
It had to.
He stood up, contemplated whether or not to clean up his mess from the dining room table, and decided against it.
The loneliness was starting to scare him.
Perhaps the illusion of companionship--of life-- would ease some of his anxieties.