Alexander and Noah kept talking but I couldn't hear them. I couldn't understand what was going on. Why had they released such a video now? So far no one knew of what the gas could do to the officials. What was their end goal? So to confusion and chaos?
"Get ready to make a statement," Alexander told Noah. "Say we can't jump to conclusions and we're trying to verify the information."
As Noah left, I stood.
"Let's release Lisa," I said.
"No."
"Why not?" I asked, frowning.
"We need to give her time to cool off."
"By locking her up?"
"Rin, this is a sensitive time. We can't be hasty."
I crossed my arms. "Let me talk to her. I can convince her not to talk."
"What? No."
"Why not? Don't you trust me?"
He sighed. "It's not about trust."
"Seem like it is.
"I don't want to fight."
"This isn't a fight," I told him. "Let me talk to her and tell her some of what's going on. Lisa will understand and maybe we can have family members talking to their families. The officials can sign an NDA or something. Please."
He sighed again. "Alright. Go talk to her. I want you to be prepare if she refuses."
I walked up to him and gave him a peck on the lips. "Thanks."
One of the guards led me upstairs to the third floor where we stopped at a door. Two guards were posted inside. One of them unlocked it and ushered me in. The guard from before followed me.
Lisa paced around the room, arms across her chest. She didn't have her purse or phone. When we walked in, she didn't turn. The room itself was a bedroom with basic yet modern furniture. Except there were no window.
"Is it time for the good cop, bad cop routine?"
"There's no routine," I told her. "I know you have some questions and I want to help answer them."
"Really?" she scoffed. "I doubt they actually told you anything."
Ouch.
"Believe it or not, I'm trying to convince Alexander to let families talk to one another." I shrugged. "It hasn't gone anywhere but I'll keep trying."
Lisa sat on the bed. "Are they okay?" she asked quietly.
"They're under observation. Dr. Daniels is figuring out, to the best of my knowledge, if this gas affected them somehow."
"What about Prince Rothchester?"
My stomach clenched. Of course she was going to ask something like that.
"His injuries are treated. I don't think the Royal family will press charges."
Lisa rolled her eyes. "Gee, thanks. I meant about -" She trailed off. Then, "how did it happen?"
"If I tell you . . ." I sighed. "I need you to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement."
"Seriously?"
I nodded. "I promised Alexander I'd try."
She huffed. "Fine."
A few minutes later, Lisa signed her name on a document and a lawyer walked out.
"Happy?"
Smiling, I sat next to Lisa. "Well, it all started when Alexander got shot."
"What?"
"We think these Extremists shot him with some special serum to suppress Prince Rothchester's abilities or something. Dr. Daniels, he's the royal physician, is working on making like a counter agent."
"And because they released the gas, Dr. Daniels thinks my mom and everyone else might get turned into a human too?"
I shrugged. "That's why they're under observation."
"They haven't taken credit for shooting the Prince, either. What are they planning?"
I bit my lip. The Extremists had revealed to everyone vampires could turn into humans. If they took credit for the assassination attempt, it would put more heat on them. Plus, the public would start to speculate that Alexander might have been turned into a human and it would be too late to stop the 'rumors'.
As we sat, in our own thoughts, the door opened again and this time, Alexander walked in, accompanied by guards. Lisa and I quickly stood.
"Sorry," Lisa immediately said. "For causing you harm. For even grabbing you. My friendship with royalty has made me too comfortable and lax in etiquette."
"Rin may be forgiving -"
I gave him a look.
"But I'm not. I can't afford to be. Not now."
"I understand," Lisa said. "It won't happen again."
"We're rounding up the family members of the officials. We're allowing a ten minute meeting but we have to keep them under observation."
Surprised, I looked at him.
"Really?" Lisa asked. "Thank you so much."
"Don't thank me. You can thank Rin for that. Hiding the inevitable might cause further harm."
Lisa quickly pulled me into a hug. "Thank you," she whispered.
She quickly stepped back. "I'll get going as soon as I get my stuff back."
Alexander and I walked her out. Neither of us said anything for a long time. I peeked a glance at him. His face was void of emotion. I slipped under his arms and hugged his waist.
"Thanks," I told him. "It's the right thing."
He sighed and placed his arms around me. "I know."