PuzzleMaster: The series #1

19-Missing kids

Warning: This chapter involves dark topics such as death. Please take caution or move to the next chapter if you have a faint heart.

After lunch, the day became unbearably hot, with ferocious and hot sunlight giving absolutely no mercy to students. Thankfully, the University had powerful air conditioning, but the most powerful ones were only in the clubrooms. Which, in that case, was where the crew had settled in after the long and strict lecture from the council.

They stayed quiet for a while, enjoying the satisfaction of the cold AC, feeling refreshed and absolutely laid back.

"Hey guys? The University focuses on business, right?" Lea spoke.

"Obviously. Why do you think every student that graduates from here becomes an entrepreneur?" Leo growled at her. 

"Uhm, I have no idea if you're being either sarcastic or shitty, but I don't like the way you just said that to me," Lea retorted.

"That aside, Oscar, has Odessa heard of your first success? I'm sure she was very proud of you," said Nadine, inspecting her nails.

"I haven't heard from her ever since Sunday. But from what I heard, the R.E.A.L.M company has been quite busy," Oscar replied.

"Realm??" asked Meghann.

"They're five different businesses. My sister's business is ReDo, so she's the R. in the R.E.A.L.M. All the other four are her colleagues from school and they're very close friends," said Oscar. But now that he thought of it, Odessa hadn't even tried to reach out to him. Was being an entrepreneur that stressful and busy?

"Oh I've heard of them! They're the top richest people of this modern Era. That basically sums up why the Jones family is super famous," said Lea.

"Thank you, miss obvious," Leo grumbled, yawning. "But now, I want a new jo-"

A telephone was suddenly heard in the room at the exact moment Leo had spoken.

"We have a telephone?" Gasped Meghann.

Oscar rushed from his seat to pick it up, hoping it'd be from Odessa. He was wrong, as a deep voice began speaking.

"Hello, is this the Detective club that just helped those nine kids from drowning?"

Oscar itched his forehead. "Yes,"

"Well, we got a job for you too. We're short staffed right now, and its a pretty private reason, but we have some parents here that won't calm down unless we find their kids, can you come?"

Oscar blinked his eyes and rubbed his ears. He couldn't believe it! This was another great opportunity for the club!

"Sure, sure. Uhm, address, please,"

---

"Why'd we have to leave Lea and Meghann again?" Asked Nadine as she parked in front of a two story police station.

"Mainly cause' they need to do some research on the missing kids and keep track of our information," said Leo, getting out of the car.

They entered the police station and saw two adults, crying hysterically. Well, mostly the woman, since the man was frantically comforting her. As Leo and Nadine went to the police and adults, Oscar put on his earphone and cleared his throat.

"What's the case this time?"

"Apparently around this area of town, kids around five to ten years old get kidnapped. Its been around for three months now, and most of the kids do get rescued, but the authorities were never able to find the culprit," Lea spoke, as her typing came in through the background.