Titanis’ car parked right in front of the entrance to the station. It was still the middle of the morning, which made the absence of any company on the streets doubly unpleasant. Titanis’ car was alone on the streets, which made him worry whether someone would come and steal it while he was investigating.

The buildings surrounding the station were just as unkempt and broken as the station itself, which Sincan and Titanis had to force their way into. Okshender helped them with that, carefully maneuvering himself through the stairs that led downwards.

“Do we need to bring the Gear?,” Titanis asked. “It’s a huge beacon of attention.”

Sincan stayed back with Okshender. “We don’t want to be caught paralyzed under the station. If your theory is right, Okshender might not be affected and could help.”

“Young Sincan proves to have a point, officer.”

Sincan could feel how uncomfortable the Gear made Titanis. He just grunted and kept moving downward. Okshender’s footsteps were heavy, but not as heavy as what Titanis would have expected for something of that size. There was something going on there that was doing that, but Titanis didn’t really care so long as his position wasn’t given away.

They ended up near the tracks, an abandoned train car on one end of it. “Okshender, lights,” said Sincan and they came online. They shined on every surface, but never highlighted anything that could be taken as a clue. Sincan and Titanis searched through every door, but didn’t find anything incriminating for Fenis.

Eventually, they hopped onto the tracks, Okshender illuminating their path. Crates of several sizes were strewn about the area, laying on tracks or against the walls. Raw materials as well, rocks and dirt of all kind.

Titanis picked up a fistful, feeling around. “Just… dirt? Was there an unfinished construction project here? But no, that wouldn’t explain the boxes…” He kept muttering to himself, thinking up theories.

Sincan also happened to notice muchrooms growing here and there. It wasn’t the oddest thing in a dark place like this, but begged investigation. He pointed them out to Titanis, who looked them over. “I’m not an expert, but these don’t seem to be a local variety. Seems someone imported them here and just let them spread,” he finished and stood up.

They kept walking forward until they noticed a sectioned off area with lots of different varieties of plants growing. A scalin man was tending to them and looked over with something small in his hand.

“Alfis sends his regards,” he said as Titanis pulled out his gun. He wasn’t fast enough, however, as the man pushed the button on the detonator he was holding, causing explosions all around them. Sincan and Titanis felt Okshender’s hand’s grouping them together as they watched the giant rocks fall on top of them.

Out of the corner of his eye, Titanis saw the scalin man leaving through a small entrance. That was before his vision was blocked by more debris falling on and around them, enclosing them. Sincan and Titanis coughed out the dust they had inhaled and looked at their surroundings. The only thing holding the rocks away from them was Okshender’s frame. His lights shined around them, showing them just how little space they had to work with.

“Thank you,” Titanis said to Okshender, before being released from his grasp and sitting down on the ground. One of the pieces of the ceiling had hit Titanis, causing some small cuts to him.

Sincan patted Okshender on the legs. “Yeah, thanks, Ok.”

“That bastard was working with them all along,” Titanis said. “Why else would he have been down here!” He grunted at his injuries. Sincan looked at the rocks and moved his bewl through his body and into his Wheel. The feeling of the bewl moving through his veins tickled at him as the rocks started gathering into a small spire in between them. They began to glow soft light blue and Titanis felt his injuries being soothed.

With pain no longer distracting him, Titanis picked up his receiver and tried contacting the station. “If you can hear me, I have found evidence of Fenis Showal being involved with the kidnapping of children and theft of property.” He said a few more phrases before giving up on it and settling back down. His wounds had healed a bit thanks to Sincan and his crystals.

He stood up and kneeled on Okshender for support. “They’re trying to stop us, Sincan. They’re much more dangerous than anything you or me could have expected.”

“I… I’m sorry I thought Fenis innocent.”

“Innocent till proven guilty, Sincan. It’s not a bad ideal, just a bit overly optimistic in the face of evidence.”

Overly optimistic? Me? Sincan thought to himself. Titanis brushed past him and started grabbing the rocks by hand, moving them aside one by one. Sincan joined in soon after, being faster than the man, but less committed. Sometimes the structure of the whole cocoon felt as though it would fall apart, but Okshender would shift just enough to support them once more.

“Just a bit more distance, officer. I can see you’ve almost reached beyond the debris,” said Okshender.

“How can he…?” Titanis prodded Sincan.

“Doesn’t see like us. Don’t think about it too hard,” Sincan replied. He kept shoveling the debris out of his way until Okshender’s light stopped shining on more rocks. Sincan and Titanis pulled as hard as they could, gripping the material until it finally gave way to outside the pile they had been trapped in.

They breathed in deeply of the air, still mixed with dirt and dust, until their lungs were full. Pushing and pulling had taken a lot out of them, and their supply of oxygen inside had run low. Sincan laid on the ground and took heavy breaths, while Titanis brushed himself off as fast as he could and got back to contacting the force.

“And now that Fenis is taken care of,” Titanis said, “We need to search his office.” He walked while Sincan tried standing up.

“Why?” he asked.

“Simple. They were making and packaging something here. What it was, I don’t know, but it means they must have been transporting it somewhere.” He paused for a second.

“Since Fenis is the only one we have who we know is involved, he’s bound to have some leads back at his office. Records of shipments and warehouse locations, stuff like that.”

“So,” Titanis said, “We need to go investigate it.”

Sincan popped an inquisitive eye at him. “Guess real investigators have a knack for this stuff.”

****

It didn’t take them long to arrive at the Showal household. They had barely stopped by the station to assure everyone of their safety before blasting off in their vehicle and heading to the next location. Sincan cursed Titanis for that, considering his condition, but couldn’t bring himself to disagree. The more time they spent not hunting Alfis, the more obstacles he’d throw in their way to stop them.

The manor loomed over the rest of the city, created with traditional Kernasian architecture in mind. The man who greeted them at the front gate barely got a word in before Titanis shoved past him to meet with Alumn. The kidnapping included his own children, so he was distraught to see them there.

“Titanis, what’s happening here?” he asked, startled.

“An investigation. Fenis Showal is under suspicion of a number of crimes and frankly I don’t have the time to spare to get a proper warrant to search this place.”

“Fenis has what?”

Titanis didn’t listen. Instead, he just quickly asked for directions to Fenis’ office while Sincan was left to explain the situation to Alumn.

“I didn’t think the boy would go this far… To think he would be involved in this mess…” he said distraughtly.

“He said something else too. Is it true he was supposed to lead the family business?” Sincan asked.

“Yes… But he was a teenager. A teenager! Who in their right mind would let someone like that take over a business that’s as sensitive as this?”

“It was still his birthright that you stole from under him, Alumn.”

“Necessary. I would not tolerate my family going into poverty from the actions of a child. Would you in any situation allow a convicted to be judged by someone so inexperienced, Mr. Tolkin.”

Sincan grunted lowly. “I’d give him an opportunity to prove himself, at least,” Sincan said and walked past Alumn. When he entered into the office, it looked to have been freshly made a mess. Papers were everywhere on tables and on the floor and Titanis’ eyes were gliding past them. Alumn came in soon after, dismayed at how poorly Titanis was treating the room.

“Which one of these are shipping records, Mr. Showal?” he asked, not even taking a moment to look up.

“Up there, by the third shelf,” he replied. Titanis moved over there and got the stack that was inside, splitting it in half for Sincan to search through. In a little while, they found it. “Algas Warehouse, Unit 358. Alumn,” he paused and showed him the paper, “You remember anything about a shipment of marble coming in last week?”

“We do have shipments come in regularly, but not that day, officer.”

Titanis turned to Sincan. “I think we’ve found it, then. Let’s go.” He stood up, pocketed the paper and called the station again as he left the room. Sincan nodded towards Alumn and left as well.