Lemuria: The City of Mysts

Chapter 31: Spy

Louis paused in the hall lined with white panelled doors. Everyone stopped in their tracks. His brow rose when he heard the sound, but didn't comment on it. He took Cheska from Gerry while Allan opened the door closest to them. Louis issued orders to the security personnel and didn't wait for an answer. He pushed Cheska into the room while Allan relayed the instructions in his earpiece.

After Cheska was laid on the bed, one of Allan's subordinates stood guard outside the room. The rest moved further into the mansion.

Fred felt unnerved when they reached the gallery. The holograms of Louis' ancestors were lifelike that the hairs in his arms and neck stood on end. Their dead eyes trailed after them as they crossed the cavernous room.

He let out a breath when they exited the gallery. If that was intended to intimidate anyone who wishes to speak with Mr. Roucan face-to-face, it might actually succeed", Fred mused.

"Almost there", Louis drawled. He nodded his head to the door at the end of the corridor.

The door creaked when it opened. An enticing smell escaped, weaving its way towards Fred. His mouth instantly watered. Before he could search for food, a blonde woman threw her arms at him.

"Fred! I'm so glad you're safe", she said. The tremor in her voice spoke volumes of how scared she had been for him.

"Mom." Fred patted her back awkwardly and tried to breathe through the stranglehold she considered an embrace. "Can't breathe."

"Oh, sorry." She uncoiled her arms from his neck. Her eyes searched for a specific person over his shoulder. "Where's Brent?"

Guilt sank to the pit of his stomach. Fred hadn't known the bodyguard for long, but the man had been a constant shadow of his mom for a decade. Her face fell at his expression. Her blue eyes glazed with tears.

"I'm sorry", Fred said.

She took a fortifying breath as she composed herself. The next question she asked was, "Where's Cheska?"

"She's resting", Fred glanced at Louis. "The accident took a toll on her."

"She's all right?"

"Y—"

"What are you doing here?" Louis' father sliced through their conversation.

Fred turned to the man behind the desk. Mr. Roucan's icy gaze regarded Gerry.

Unfazed, the man in question strolled to the centre of the room.

"Why are you here?" Mr. Roucan demanded.

"The nature of my work takes me everywhere, sir. As luck would have it, it landed me right to your doorstep. Orders were to take the doctor fellow here."

"Why didn't you?"

"Alfred!" Fred's mom exclaimed.

"Orders didn't include his girlfriend Francesca Barbarossa. My men would have used her as leverage against him or worse."

When Mr Roucan didn't say anything, Louis interrupted, saying: "How do you know her name?"

"It's my job to know", Gerry smirked.

Mr. Roucan stood from his chair and stared out of the window. Everyone waited for him to speak. "Everyone, leave," he turned slowly and looked at Gerry, "except you."

Voices erupted in the study:

"I'm not leaving. This concerns national security and I'm the Mysts' guardian", Louis said.

"He's connected to the person who wants to take my son. I'm staying", Fred's mom reasoned.

"I'm involved. I want to hear what he has to say", Fred said.