The chess is ,indeed, one of the interesting game. But it becomes more twisted when both holders can easily predict next move. Just like the blocks that are black and white; same relics- pieces- but of two colours, the showdown was also becoming black or white with no grey areas. It was either killing or be killed; no choice, no escape. Queen was left open and King was ready to make his move. Alexial and Regina were the same piece of paper. The only difference was that, one side was bloated with black ink while its other side had hand imprint of blood. It's palindrome.
Lee condition had been stabilized but he didn't wake up yet. It'd been told by doctors that he might have been in comatose. There wasn't any trail to Edmond and series of murder didn't stop either. But it wasn't the only thing that had Regina at the stake of being a fallen queen. Anne had gone missing.
It all started in 5 Days...
545 minutes that changed the face of the game...
Regina sat at her desk that was scattered with papers and opened files. She grabbed another file going through the pages quickly. She tossed the file in the corner and hurried up to the rack throwing folders on the floor. She bent down hands rummaging through the files searching for thing that could have given clue to Anne's abduction. Though she was assured that Alexial had had her and now he could be using her as a bait. Derward entered the room followed by Xiang that snapped Regina's attention towards them.
"Scotland yard has been on its move but they couldn't trace hideout of Alexial". Derward told her rolling up his cuffs .
"Scotland yard does only what it's fed". Regina snickered opening and slamming close the drawers.
"Forces have deep roots of corruption...", Xiang added rubbing stubble on his jaw. "...It's only a dog of great hunters."
"Surprise me".Regina scowled throwing the drawer down dumping it contents on the floor.
"Yard already has cases against you". Xiang sat on the edge of the desk with palms pressed flatly behind him.
"As if I..."
"Besides, you're suspected of Duke Hermit's right hand murder". Xiang told her rolling the marble stone on the desk.
"What"? Regina yelled kicking the folders on the floor sending them away.
"What's that Alexial game? He is the master mind behind these series of murder...". She scowled clutching her head between her hands.
"You need to calm down". Derward told her leading her towards the chair.
"We can't afford to lose it".Derward poured her water from jug and handed her the glass.
"Thank you". Regina took the glass from his hand gulping water down her throat.
"What are you looking for"? Derward asked her picking up a folder.
"Isn't it obvious"? Regina scoffed slamming glass on the table in frustration.
"I have no secret record of Alexial, his hideout other than we checked, that can give away Edmond's and Anne's place".
"That's a news to me". Xiang smirked tossing roller towards Regina's direction who caught it with her right hand without looking.
"There is no past life record. What could be his connection with Edmond"? Regina spoke playing with the marble stone.
"If Alexial doesn't have a past record...." Xiang grinned eyeing Derward. Derward stopped in his midway of skimming through folder and snapped it shut.
"Edmond's record can be traced". Derward spoke looking at Regina.
"You are coming with me"! Derward thrusted folder on to Xiang as he rushed out of the room. Xiang stood up knocking down the ink bottle, spilling black ink over the papers. Regina grimaced picking up the blotched papers. As she was going to put stained papers aside, she stopped when her eyes caught a folded page peeking out of a file. She dropped the pages pulling out the paper as she unfolded that page opening it. Her eyes scanned the indented letters widening in realization. She crunched the paper in her fist running out of the room. It might have been be her clue to Alexial hideout.
-
Edmond dragged himself out of the room searching for Alan. The name, Alan, rose a bile in his throat making him frown. He had first planned a perfect massacre at the masquerade, got away with the Lee who, he learned, happened to be his slave. What happened to Alan he didn't have any idea nor that brunette answered to him except the question itself, " Who had poisoned you against me"? He had been drugged last night and handled roughly by Alan, the thing he hadn't expected from him even in his nightmare. Edmond walked around the house looking for Alan but he appeared to be out of the house. Edmond twisted the doorknob trying to open the main door but it was jammed stuck as Alan had locked him inside before leaving. Edmond slammed his hand on the wooden door sneering as he stepped away from it turning around. He inspected and viewed the entire house strolling through the rooms and it turned out that Alan hadn't left any open corner to the outside. The windows had been barred, doors were locked and ventilators' holes were too short for him to escape. He supported himself against the shelf leaning against the beer and wine bottles. He grinded his teeth, fingers enclosing around the neck of bottle and smashed it against the hanging glasses from the holders shouting in anger. The shards of glasses shattered down like shower of rain and he tossed aside the broken neck of bottle. If Alan was playing a nasty game of blood shed, the least he could do was to put a facade for him to get along. Edmond left from there and made his way up to the stairway. The second floor had three rooms with an open living hall. Edmond eyes caught sight of a piano placed at one side of the hall corner and walked towards it. His hand felt a smooth metallic texture of the piano, fingers gliding through the keys. He hit one key playing a note and snickered at the tinkling sound. He hit keys randomly creating a irregular heavy discordance. Edmond laughed at the ridiculous broken sound sitting on a stool.
"I didn't know that you would develop taste of playing". Edmond caught sideway glimpse of Alan carrying a mug of bubbly champagne.
'When did he return'?
"We didn't have piano back then". Edmond shrugged his shoulders pressing keys with his index fingers. Alan leaned against the piano bumping Edmond's nose with his mug.
"You have it now. We have a plenty of time to play". He winked at Edmond having taste of his drink.
"Edmond you know...The phantom of opera"? Edmond stared at him quizzically then spoke.
"What about him"?
"He is a phantom; a genius, a magician, a disfigured figure behind the mask that lives in the catacombs beneath Paris opera populaire". Alan told him throwing a smirk over his shoulder.
" A young soprano, Christine, who is always hidden in the shadows catches his eyes and heart ,eventually he becomes her mysterious tutor till she becomes the lady of limelight".
"What kind of story is this"? Edmond scoffed mocking Alan who put his mug down and walked to stand behind Edmond.
"Fool young lady falls in love with charms of noble Viscount Raoul and Phantom, being jealous and unable to be object of her affection becomes furious in his obsession and vows to have her raising stakes for his dear Christine". Alan placed his hands on Edmond's shoulders resting his chin over his right one.
"And I am willing to remove anyone who will come between you and me, Edmond". Alan grinned sliding his hand down the arm of Edmond grabbing his bent fingers over the keys of piano.
"I can kill anyone who takes you away from me...", Alan spoke intertwining his fingers with Edmond's squeezing his hand roughly.
"Even I can take your life for myself". Alan whispered in Edmond's ear that put him at the liability of escaping from Alan.
-
"How long will it take"? Xiang asked Derward who was trying to focus while driving.
"I already told you that we are almost here". Derward answered steering the wheel making a turn to the left.
"You said that before too". Xiang peeked at him grinning as he rubbed Derward's thigh. Derward choked out, foot pressing on the break as he stopped the car with a screeching sound.
"Xiang..."!
"Derward where is your attention"? Xiang feigned an act of scolding him as traffic constable approached them.
"You could have killed us". Xiang pursed his lips gesturing towards the road.
"Sir, is there any problem"? Constable asked them leaving over the ledge of door.
"We are sorry to cause you trouble".Xiang apologized sparing a gaze towards Derward who was grinding his teeth with hands clutching the steering wheel.
"There is problem with gas paddle and we are to have it repaired on our way".
"Very well then, sir". Constable stepped back motioning them to start a car.
Derward twisted the key to initiate the gas ,pulling the gear and pressed the accelerator leaving a cloud of dust in its wake as he drove past the constable.
"You had better behave"! Derward warned him in threatening tone.
"And care to tell me what did I do"? Xiang teased him pulling his cheek that earned a slap from Derward on his hand.
"We are on a mission".
Xiang murmured something under his breath and turned his head away from the Derward who chuckled taking a right turn. Derward stopped in a front of the café and stepped out of the car slamming the door shut behind him.
Xiang also got out and followed Derward inside the restaurant.
"What are we doing here"? Xiang asked as Derward marched up to the counter talking to a younger male.
"Sapphire in a wine". Derward spoke to which younger receptionist nodded leading them to the back of the culinary room. Xiang kept his mouth shut and fell behind in Derward's steps. The receptionist showed them a culinary room and made his departure from there.
"What are we doing here"? Xiang asked in confusion inspecting the entire room.
"You will know". Derward replied over his shoulder and opened a small door stepping inside to the world of sins and torment.
"Prostitute house"? Xiang asked as he looked around the place to find the customers entertaining their visitors. Derward rapped his knuckles against the door giving a knock twice in a rhythmic pattern. The door was opened by an old man who eyed Derward skeptically.
"What can I do for you"? The man asked coughing over his cigar in his mouth.
"I am afraid that you have some information of our interest".
-
"Can you look into this Miss Jacqueline"? Regina lifted her hat up peeking through the net veil. Regina slided the elder woman a paper and photo of Alexial whose gaze fixated upon the photo of the man and pursed her lips as she tried to recall.
"The paper is an old report, almost three years ago of Viscount Alexial..."
"He is a Duke of Shadows now". Lady interrupted sipping her black tea.
"What do you know about this man"? Regina asked crossing her fingers over her perched knee.
"What type of information do you require of him"? The lady placed the cup on the table picking up a photo.
"Personalization". Regina told her.
"Pardon me lady Regina, there isn't much to tell about him..."
"You will be paid more than your normal charges". Regina drew out an envelope out of her coat and threw it on the table. The lady checked the amount in the envelope sniffing the crisps of money notes. She stuffed the packet inside her big cleavage adjusting her shawl and grinned.
"Duke Alexial, for you Viscount Alexial had been a servant of Earl Randolph for over a long time."
"Earl Randolph's servant"? Regina asked in surprise.
"His sex slave must I put in simply". The lady corrected herself before continuing.
"How did he end up as Viscount Alexial"?
Regina questioned again.
"Aharon had been traded...".
"Aharon"? Regina furrowed her brows in confusion.
"... from Romania into the prostitution here. He had been in prostitution for years till Earl Randolph set his eyes on him and bought him". The lady eyed Regina laughing at her.
"Earl Randolph's wife had a thing over Aharon and Aharon, himself was looking for an opportunity to have his own way". Regina fidgeted in her seat gripping the armrests of settee as she listened to the lady.
"Lady Sherling devised to murder her husband to have hold of his property".
"So she was the one who murdered Earl Randolph"? Regina concluded putting pieces together.
"She made Aharon her right man and elevated him in the eyes of society while having sexual relation with him".
"How it is related..."?
"You ask too much of me". Jacqueline huffed rubbing her head in annoyance.
"If you know Sherling died after being ill. In her will, property was passed on to him".
"That's strange..." Regina interrupted
"They were secretly courting each other". Lady cracked the information to her smirking.
"Courting"? Regina spat sarcastically in amusement. " A servant"?
"If I'm not wrong ,you, lady Regina is also courting your lady in waiting". The lady smiled earning a glare from Regina.
"You are being sardonic, I don't appreciate your humor". Regina grimaced under the scrutiny of the Jacqueline.
" I must make my leave". Regina spoke adjusting her veil of bonnet and cloak brushing past the lady.
"And about the place mentioned here, it's in outskirts of here". She spoke that halted Regina in her track.
"And what is it he was building"? Regina questioned her.
"Must be a building or house".
Regina eyed the lady and departed from there.
-
"How much do you know about Edmond"? Derward inquired the drunken man.
"Edmond who"? He slurred sipping his whisky.
"Raven". Derward used pseudonym to clarify what he had been asking.
"Oh that crow...I bought him from Romania...". The man hiccupped snapping his fingers in mocking style that made Xiang sneer at him.
"How did you get him"? Derward pressed on trying to get much information about the Edmond.
"I got that dog and many others from their master ...and trafficked them here..." The man placed his bottle on his abdomen licking his lips.
"This Chinese man seems deliciously .How much ya charge per nixcht"?
Xiang grabbed the man by his shirt shaking him strongly. "I kill deliciously too" He threatened the man showing him his raised fist.
"Aye ...why bite"? The man swiped drool off his mouth with the back of hand. Xiang pushed the man back with a jerk standing next to Derward who was snickering behind his fist over his mouth.
"Can you tell the name of the that seller"? Xiang questioned him who was chugging down his liquor.
"I am an oldie with weak memory...why he would have told me his name otherwise, Dragon"?
"We should leave". Derward suggested to Xiang and they walked out of café towards their car.
" It was just a wild goose chase". Derward complained starting the engine.
"Don't whine it's not like you were harassed unlike me".
-
2 hours earlier
Anne came around with a throbing pain in her head. She took in her surrounding, blinking up her eyes that had black spots dotting her vision. But it wasn't her hazy vision or giddiness, the room where she had been kept was pitch black void of any stray ray of light. She was tied on a iron chair with something that held her in a place depriving her of any movement.Her mouth was bone dry because of the gag shoved inside her mouth. She tried to swallow her saliva that cut her throat like millions of needles pricking her. She couldn't move an inch of her body, being dehydrated , arms tied at her sides and legs numb being tied backward denied of the normal rush of blood.
She heard metal door groaned as someone opened it with footsteps slapping echo through the walls of empty room. Her heart raced a bit, breath shortening in a fear of unknown what had yet to come.
"Look at you, you are awake". Her captor laughed turning on switch of a bulb hanging down low from the ceiling. She closed her eyes in reflex reaction as the light burnt her eyes blinding her vision. She blinked and fluttered her eyes adjusting to the brightness in the room. Her eyes fell upon on him who was standing in front of her smirking. She strained her neck, craning her head down to look at the strap jacket tied around her torso with chains coiling around her legs.
"Good evening"! He patted her head removing the gag.
"Who are you"? Anne panted gasping for the oxygen.
"Do you want water"? He asked her trekking towards a corner retrieving a glass of water from a jug. He knelt down raising a glass to her lips asking her to drink. She gulped down the water that soothed her burning throat dropping some of the liquid down her neck in a haste. She coughed choking on lump of water and he rubbed her back.
"You're such a doll". He smiled combing her dark blonde hair tresses feeling their texture.
"What do you want from me"? She asked in a hoarse voice.
"It grieves me to have you here in such a position". He wrapped his finger in her tendril coiling it around his finger and pulled it harshly tearing her lock off. She shouted as he laughed at her caressing her cheek.
"What do you want from me"? She repeated turning her face away from him.
"I don't have anything personal against you". He stood up drawing a razor out of his pocket snapping it open.
"I'm just using you as a pawn. Can I"? Anne's eyes widened in horror as he stood behind her playing with her hair.
"Wha- what are you doing"? She asked between her sobs with tears threatening to spill in fear.
"Such a pretty doll of Regina". He grinned as he put razor on her hairline sliding it down.
"No...please...stop...No....." She shouted tears running down her cheeks in horror. Her long tresses of hair fell down over her shoulders in her lap and at the feet of the chair.
"STOP!...please don't...." She cried trying to get his hand off her head. He grabbed his neck tilting her head to the left side as he digged razor in her skin leaving a cut in its wake. She shouted and begged him to stop but he chuckled and continued working on her hair. The last tress fell over her face as he tipped her chin up smiling up at her.
"Want to see yourself, pretty"? He pulled out a small mirror raising it to her face and she screamed after seeing her reflection.
"NO......................."!
-
2 hours later
"What did you find"? Regina asked them removing her cloak.
"Nothing much except his origin from Romania". Derward told her.
"Romania, I see". Regina pursed her lips thinking over the fact the Aharon was also trafficked from Romania.
"What is it"? Xiang demanded eyeing her suspiciously.
"Viscount Alexial, now Duke Alexial had been sex slave of Earl Randolph and back then he went by the name of Aharon". She told them.
"He had been traded from Romania and it could be the possibility that Edmond and Alexial shared the same past or could have known ea..."
"Wait! Did you say Earl Randolph's slave"? Xiang interrupted her in confusion. "Aharon, if my memory serves me right was Lady's Sherling pet". Xiang corrected her.
"Wait...what"? Regina scoffed in astonishment.
"Had Randolph not been murdered at his wife hands"? Regina added looking at them.
"No! He died of illness". Xiang answered. "He might have hand in her murder".
"Weren't Aharon, I mean Alexial and Sherling courting each other in secrecy..."? She gaped at Xiang being stunned at the revelation.
"Who told you that"? Derward asked of her who was lost in deep thought.
" "They were secretly courting each other".
.
.
.
"If I'm not wrong ,you, lady Regina is also courting your lady in waiting" ".
'How did she know that she and Anne....it's been only two days'.
"Mistress Regina" Derward broke her out of her thoughts by placing a hand over her shoulder.
" I need to go back Derward". She told him putting on her cloak.
"What happened..."
"It's Miss Jacqueline". Xiang eyes zeroed upon hearing that lady's name. Something wasn't right.
Just when Regina and Derward stepped out of the villa, Scotland yard police had been waiting for them at the gate entrance. Derward looked at them quizzically and turned to face confused Regina who was looking back at him.
"What's going on"? Regina asked them.
"Lady Regina...you are arrested for the murder of Jacqueline Edric".