Cullen - Origins [English Version - FINISHED]

Chapter Seventy

As the sheriff walked toward the room where the building's personnel were being held, one of the police officers standing guard approached him.

- We have informed the Secret Service, sir, as you requested.

- Good. I can't wait until they have some answers for us.

After taking a few minutes to recover from his little interview with the two vampires, Charlie had indeed asked that they hire several agents, so perhaps they could discover who the woman in the white coat was. Since they couldn't find any information about her, they had to find a solution to this problem. The other problem gave the sheriff a lot more trouble : what to do with the death chamber ? All the police officers were waiting for an answer from him, and sooner or later he would have to make a decision. He had taken advantage of being alone to think about it ; and the more he continued to think about it, the more he had a ready-made solution. Obviously, only one would be suitable for him, the only one that would not endanger his daughter. Now he had to find a way to put his plan into action. Going back to the basement alone would have been too suspicious and everyone could have accused him of burning the burial chamber. No, he needed witnesses, so that he would remain only a victim or himself a witness of the accident.

- ... Chief ?

Charlie gasped. The policeman was still facing him, still waiting for an answer.

- Sorry, I was in the dark, what did you just say to me ? Apologized the sheriff.

- No problem. I was asking what you were planning to do with the staff. Most of them are getting a little tired of being locked up in the room. The policeman repeated with a grimace.

Charlie's brain spun at full speed for sixty seconds, and finally decided :

- Write down their details, and let them go. We'll contact them again if necessary.

- Yes, sir.

The policeman left in the direction of the room, repeating the order to the others. Charlie did not follow him. He wanted to be left alone for a while longer to think about the plan that was slowly beginning to emerge in his brain. But it was clear that Charlie Swan could not be left alone for more than a minute, and the crackling of the walkie-talkie attached to his belt reminded him of that.

- Sheriff ?

Charlie held back a sigh of exasperation, and answered.

- I'm still here. What's going on ? More vamp... Intruders who want to take a walk in the building ? Grumbled the sheriff, barely making up for his last question.

- Not really, no. It's more like the ones who got out. Smith and his crew went to catch a plane, they must have paid for their ticket in advance and unfortunately we couldn't find them. They all got separated once they arrived at the airport, just before our troop arrived, and they were able to slip through the crowd to leave.

Charlie winced as he held back an expletive.

- Where were they going ? He asked.

- To England, sir.

- Then we have little chance of finding them... The sheriff muttered.

- What do we do, sir ?

- Ask the troop to continue their search for them. Charlie ordered. Have them report back to me within a week.

- Yes, sir.

- Over and out.

Charlie hung up as the staff began to stream down the hallway, heading for the exit. The sheriff recognized one of his men, Rogers, who was also exiting the room. When he noticed the sheriff staring at him, he approached him.