"Anyone in my place would have done the same. Many incidents lead to him being a prime suspect and Lucian's attitude is no better." Araki calmly explains to Ivis. The alpha just walked into his room wanting answers for Lucian's arrest.
Ivis wanted to bail out his brother as soon as he heard about the arrest. He was knowing Azrail is planning something against his family but didn't expect Lucian to give in so easily and not say a word to him. He was furious and ready to ruin the place to bring back his brother.
Only the three working heads of the pillars are allowed to enter the base. It is situated in a mountain cave and spread to a large area around the valley, with a dome-shaped highly advanced roof protecting it.
The roof remains open mostly and is closed in an emergency or at the time of training. This place can withstand high and low temperatures as well as several other disasters.
It is made with the efforts of the three. Solace provides the funding, West Corporations provides them with highly advanced technology, and Yu with manpower and training facilities. YSFAT gets trained here.
This is the place where most secret investigations take place. Araki holds the most power now. After he was appointed head, he took control over this place cutting the share of Solace to only 30% and leaving the rest to his own. Not only this, he invested in the infrastructure of the base and build it again in the strong building that it is now.
Azrail being the leader and marshal still can interfere and check on investigations but the final decisions are to be made by Araki in this regard. There is always a loophole in these big working models and a chance to make things run according to one's greed, thus, laws are to be passed year after year to mend those flaws.
No one in Wolford except the head of Pillars and the members of the base are allowed inside not even in a 5 km radius. The phones get tapped and the activities of an unauthorized person are watched. Outsiders are stopped by security if they try to step within the boundaries.
Once a photo of the dome was leaked but was quickly taken away, if people know about this base they know nothing about the activities inside of it.
The people here are vowed to secrecy and not a word is leaked outside. Araki was not sure if Lucian should be brought here but Azrail insisted. He agreed to it but still was skeptical and asked his men to cover Lucian's face and sedate him before entering the area.
Ivis walks into the office of Araki, wanting answers regarding his brother's arrest without any notice, and putting charges on him that are just based on assumptions.
Ivis spats angrily hearing Araki's reasoning, "Then what do you expect him to do, say yes or decline? Would you believe if he says no?"
Araki grits his teeth "I warned you about all this in the meetings. If not we three have information about almost everyone in Wolford. Do you think wearing inhibitors or fake pheromones could hide the identity that is been written on paper?"
Ivis glares at Araki "My brother has the highest awareness than all your trained personnel here. If he does something he has a reason to."
"That makes him more of a suspect, he has a reason. What? Helping that organization collect the data? Doesn't he know pheromones are important for our species? And hiding them intentionally is not a personal choice. It is a crime." Araki's red iris burns Ivis with his gaze.
"We are not torturing him, he is just kept there to be interrogated and until we get the full proof he will not be in any danger," Araki adds confidently.
Ivis chuckles hearing it, "With Marshal Azrail here, I am not going to believe in your words. I have told you before. It is because of Lucian we are tolerating you all and this goddamned place. My family is ready to leave. We don't want the title, the prestige all we want is freedom from the place that is doomed."
He had been aware of the motives of Azrail. His parents and he had already planned things and were secretly laying out the plan to leave the place and settle somewhere else. It is because Lucian loved this place that they keep delaying and waiting for the right moment.
"You are one of the important authorities here still couldn't keep a look on him, running away will put him in more danger than ever. He is a prime suspect now, there is no freedom for him." Araki feels irritated hearing Ivis's plan of escape.
He looks at the legal papers and knows all this is crap now. If Azrail is wanting to interrogate Lucian, they can't say no without a proper political reason. These papers won't work anymore.
"You don't need to worry about my brother. My parents and I have earned experience enough to make way for us. They are prepared. We want to live peacefully. Even if that means I have to give up on everything my family built till now. We are ready.
Give me my brother back, you are just targeting him to hide your incompetence in finding Umbra. I want to see him and make sure he is not tortured and injured."
Araki wanted to retort but suddenly his chest starts to hurt as if someone is squeezing it mercilessly. He tries to ignore it but the ache becomes unbearable making him breathless and feel hot all over. He holds his chest tightly with one hand and takes the support of the desk with the other, fingers squeezing on the glass.
Ivis watches him in shock, he wanted to look closely but was not able to. The pheromones of Araki were suppressing his own and his alpha side was not wanting to submit to this true alpha dominating him.
Ivis quickly calls Mr. Han to check on what is happening. Mr. Han runs inside with a guard and looks at Araki in worry. His pheromones were acting abnormally. Making the three in the room suffocate, they were not able to go near him.
The pheromones felt threatening and ready to cut their air off. Araki's eyes water and groans slip his mouth. Mr. Han quickly calls a doctor while staring at Ivis. There were only these two in the room.
"Do you think Araki is a baby and I would not be harmed if there is a fight between us?" Ivis scolds and puts a halt on Mr. Han's doubts leaving no space for speculations. He knew what was going on in this assistant's head.
Araki was not able to understand what is happening to him. All he could feel at the moment was pain and suffering. He felt a gust of sorrow, overwhelming him and drowning him in the ocean of darkness so deep that he would not be able to see the light again.
He for once was scared as if something important to him was slipping from his hand. He tries hard to keep his eyes open but it was becoming difficult. Many jumbled noises were reaching his ear, it felt like he was trying to stand in stormy weather.
Ivis asks Mr. Han in concern. "What is going on? Is this a sudden rut?" He sees the power of the true alpha pheromones. None of them could put a step near. They had to stand outside the room and almost want to submit to him getting on their knees.
Mr. Han shakes his head. "This never happened before in my time working with him". Araki fists his hand and smashes the glass table making the two flinch in fright. They could do nothing and just watch him. It seemed like he has given control to his inner beast.
He was groaning loudly almost roaring in pain. His eyes give a dangerous glint, he looks up at Ivis. Staring at him like finding someone similar in him. Ivis quickly shuts the door to the room, cutting the view and locking the true alpha inside.
The doctor comes in a hurry wanting to look inside. He sees scared Ivis and Mr. Han and the deathly pheromones spiked in the air and scrunches his nose. Ivis stops him to not open the door but the doctor shifts them aside peeking inside the room.
The three watch quietly as Araki opens a small knife and makes a cut on his wrist, the wound starts to bleed. Then as he gains a bit of consciousness, he searches for an injection in the drawer, taking in the medicine he injects it into his shoulder. His hand was still bleeding and his eyes shut in pain.
He falls back on the chair, tired and heaving. Mr. Han ventilates the room and then the doctor rushes near. Araki opens his eyes there was an orange glint in his eyes that quickly subsides.
He stares at the doctor as if ready to shred him to pieces. The doctor hesitates and then says "You should not delay this anymore and get your checkup done."
Araki doesn't respond and lets the doctor bandage his hand. He has still not overcome by the feeling, his heart was still beating fast, and his brain telling him there is danger somewhere. He was not able to understand the threat he is feeling and for whom.
He sits up, this is not the first time he has felt this pain. It happened once when he had gone for training. He had the same kind of attack at that time. This one came with more intensity but had the same effects. He felt he is in great sorrow and then had to inject a tranquilizer to calm himself down.
He thought it was a rut at first but it never occurred after that not until today. He wipes his sweat and looks up at Ivis.
His phone rings. Araki sees the ID. It was a call from the interrogation room. Seeing the important call, he receives it immediately, dismissing the doctor.
"Sir, there is an emergency, Mr. West has stopped responding, he has been like that for some time. We sent a doctor inside. He has stopped breathing." Araki narrows his eyes.
"What do you mean by stopped breathing? Isn't he still under the effect of sedatives?" Ivis hears Araki say and gets the hint that it is about his brother. He becomes pale upon hearing the news. He holds the chair tightly and looks at Araki in nervousness.
"What happened to my brother?" He asks, his voice trembling.
The comrade hesitates "Sir, he was injected with an antidote to curb the effect of the potion." He answers Araki.
Araki ignores Ivis and asks. "Who injected it?"
Ivis couldn't take it anymore. Each second was heavy on him, he snatches the phone putting it on speaker.
"Sir...this." The man hesitates.
"SPEAK." roars Ivis.
"Respected Leader Azrail Li."
Araki grits his teeth. "How did this happen?"
Ivis couldn't believe it. The last time he saw his brother, they argued. He scolded Lucian and told his butler to not let him out of the room. His chest starts to heave, face pale. If something happened to his brother? The thought of it makes his eyes show a murderous glint. His gaze was fixed on Araki. Ready to tear him apart.
"Mr. Azrail interrogated and punished the omega and injected him with the antidote."
Ivis sees red upon hearing this. He lunges at Araki, grabbing his collar. Mr. Han and the guard pulls him away. Ivis shouts angrily wanting to tear Araki apart. "You lied to me. What does he mean by not breathing? What happened to my brother? Tell me or I will kill you all."
Araki wanted to answer but no words comes to his mouth. He was not believing to what he has heard. He was not going to say it until he sees it by himself. Lucian's face flashes in front of his eyes making his eyes water and a shiver runs down his spine.
Ivis pushes the guard and Mr. Han away. "I want to see my brother...right now." He cries.
Their phone starts to ring at the same time. Ivis heaves angrily but seeing the shocked face of Araki and his assistant he quickly takes out his phone.
The shock becomes tenfold as the screen shows the Umbra logo playing animatedly. The AI-generated voice speaks up...
"I heard I am being caught. Oops. It seems our leader didn't do his assignment correctly. You forgot I am the shadow. I can be everywhere, in your houses, offices, memories, thoughts, and your darkest secrets. Hahaha...Leader Azrail you are my favorite. I reside in you. Let's unveil more truths in the future. Lucian West will be remembered by me." The voice laughs and the message gets over.