ALYX tried to move fast, turning around intending to open the door, but was already blocked by the man who immediately closed the way out, then leaned against the door. She backed up several steps, walking sideways like a crab, and stopped in front of the mini bar. The stool spun when she bumped it. "What are you guys doing in my place?"
"Just playing," that voice did not come from the man blocking Alyx's way out, but from a man in front of the TV who sat casually.
Alyx turned to the source of the voice. Trying to see the face of the man who was half covered by a hat.
"Ed, turn on this TV, I feel very bored," he ordered.
"Alright." The man called Ed walked quickly toward the TV, it was very clear that he was an errand boy. Even though his age was older than the man asking him to do something that actually was easier to reach, he with agility executed that order. "Is there anything else you want, Max?" he asked after pressing the button and giving the remote to the man named Max.
Max shook his head. Adjusted the position of the black round hat on top of his head. And crossed his legs on top of the table.
Alyx now could see Max's face clearly.
The man named Max smiled while watching the broadcast on the TV, but suddenly his thick eyebrows furrowed, making them into a single line. It seemed he knew he was being watched. He turned around to look at Alyx, staring at her sharply, and smiled slyly. "Ed, do something," he requested like a child.
Ed who stood beside the glass as tall as Alyx, put his hand inside his jacket pocket.
Alyx observed every movement of Ed and then was shocked when Ed took out a small pistol. She prepared a step backward, but there was no more distance she could stride backward. She turned around. Perhaps she better go behind the mini bar table. But when she walked sideways, Ed pulled the trigger. Alyx stopped and leaned against a pillar that was wider than her body.
"I suggest you don't move," said Ed casually, almost without tone, and shot.
Alyx indeed did not have time to move anymore. She froze as that shot was directed at her. She felt the touch of wind beside her face. That bullet stuck onto the wall. But, whether Ed missed or indeed intentionally did not hit her, Alyx could only be grateful.
Max's expression was completely different from Alyx's. He laughed out loud in front of the TV. Without turning to Alyx, but that girl knew very well that Max was laughing at her who was truly terrified.
Ed looked at Max and walked toward him. He put back the small pistol that did not emit any sound whatsoever. He bent down and whispered something in Max's ear. Ed stood back up. Crossing his hands behind his muscular body.
Max turned around for a moment looking at Alyx who stood frozen. He shook his head. Looking out the window. The sun began to sink. And once again shook his head in disbelief.
Alyx utilized the situation and ran behind the mini bar. Taking out her smartphone and dialing 999. She spoke with a very small voice. Mentioning her name and her residence place. And then reported the incident currently happening in her room at this moment. She stood up after putting her phone back inside her pocket.
Upon standing how shocked Alyx was, when Ed and Max looked in her direction.
"Does she think we are stupid," Max's murmur was heard and followed by Ed's small laugh.
"You guys make me confused," said Alyx making those two men look at each other. "What exactly do you want? For what reason did you come to my place?" she asked slightly tough, even though her heart throbbed fast. At least five more minutes the police would come and capture these criminals, thought Alyx.
Max returned to look out the window. The scenery that afternoon was very beautiful. But unfortunately, it was not the right time at this moment to admire that beauty.
"Are you the ones who all this time followed me? Or don't tell me you are the ones who harmed Michi and Kitty? How heartless of you," Alyx bit her lip, truly furious.
"It seems you have misunderstood. I couldn't possibly kill an animal that has no resistance." Max rolled his eyes, "if only I wouldn't be prosecuted," he murmured annoyed.
"And you must know, I have a lot of business to do rather than having to stalk you who is not too important—like what those lowlifes hired by my father do." Max laughed mockingly. He stood up. He looked thinner than other people's estimation who saw his face first. His cheeks were slightly full, but he did not show the shape of another big muscular man.
Max walked to the side of the window, looking down. Precisely to a restaurant in front of the flat. "How many people did he task to stalk you? Too many for a weak woman like yourself."
"What do you mean?" Alyx's brows met together.
"You ask too many questions and don't understand anything," snorted Max. "As an introduction I have sent you several pages that I consider important to be read by a girl who turns out to be not smart at all."
Once again he condescended Alyx. "Ed," he then turned to Ed who constantly heard what he said, "how much longer?"
"Three minutes," he answered after looking at the watch on his hand. "We better leave…"
"Wait a moment longer," interrupted Max and turned around to look at Alyx. "What are you going to do next? Ah, unfortunately I cannot inform you more."
"You guys were the ones who came yesterday?" asked Alyx intentionally reminding of the incident a few days ago, she clearly tried to delay their departure before the police arrived.
Alyx even had stepped forward. The door was only three meters away from her. After seeing the key dropped by Ed on top of the floor behind the door earlier, she tried to get closer.
"Sure, we hoped to meet you, but she instead called the guards before you arrived," Max frowned. He looked annoyed.
Alyx understood the meaning of the woman he spoke of, definitely Indah. "Who do you think you are? You guys have no right to enter into my house again," she barked.
"You don't scare me with your bluff," Max's lips drew downward, clearly condescending and how shocked Alyx was, when Max was already beside her.
Alyx's breath chased each other. She did not even see Max approach, perhaps because of focusing too much on that key. His movement was as fast as lightning.
"Is it true you don't know what I am talking about?" Max's brown eyes looked deep into Alyx. "It is truly very unfortunate. They must be trying hard to cover you up from our world. But, after the highest-ranking ones find out, they will soon replace that woman. With all the secrets she tries to cover up."
Alyx furrowed her brow, wonder what other woman this man meant.
"Max," Ed's heavy voice called him.
Max looked at the door. "Stay here, tomorrow, or the day after, or the following week. If you still want to meet me." He then walked to the side of the window. Ed followed him. Max and Ed spoke and did not turn around again.
Feeling it was the right time for Alyx, she approached the door. Took the key and immediately opened it. At that moment, several groups came out of the lift, followed by several people in uniform.
"They are inside," exclaimed Alyx pointing at her room door. Sweat on her forehead poured down.
The officers immediately pushed the door, entering with weapons in each of their hands. Circulated their gaze to every corner of the room. And how played they felt, when finding not a single person inside. One of them went out, calling the owner of that apartment.
Alyx approached, beside her there was Tom. "What do you mean? They were inside just now, when I went out they were also still… I can show you guys, he shot toward here," she half-jumped, trying to move fast, then came up to the wall that was just made into the shooting target.
But unfortunately the officer did not find the bullet that Alyx saw stuck there earlier. There was only a mark like an impact of a sharp object that had hit the wall right in front of Alyx's face.
"It seems you just stuck a pen into the wall," murmured one of those stout-bodied officers and laughed.
"You are crazy," murmured Alyx. "I am serious. You guys think I dreamed and called 999 because of that."
"Well, some even call 999 just because he cannot fall asleep. Or a child who cannot do his homework, or even someone who is lonely, and perhaps…" that officer shrugged his shoulders. "We don't know clearly what your reason is, but we clearly will bring you to the office," he said rolling his eyes.
Tom instantly opened his mouth, as if since earlier wanting to involve himself, visible from his hand movements, although a bit hesitant too until he decided to speak. "I think she doesn't need to go to the police station because of this matter and indeed yesterday two men also came to her."
"You saw it, Sir?" The officer brought up a smirk on his face.
"The neighbor next door immediately reported it to me," Tom intentionally presented another witness.
The officer let out a short sigh. Although lazy, he still had to execute the duty. "In that case we will check the CCTV to see who they actually are."
"No, I have done it, but didn't find anything," murmured Tom, looking down.
"In that case it is clear this miss and her neighbor are rambling," the officer began to have an accusing tone. "We better bring her to the office. You and the neighbor next door we will also call to give testimony."
Alyx complied with everything said by the police. She just went along when the police asked her to enter into the police car that was at the apartment. She did not speak much, or preferred to be silent because her mind was currently directed at Max.
Meanwhile, in front of a library, Max and Ed's steps stopped. In front of them there were three people in full suit clothes.
"Master Adney, we recorded the use of a Neural Thermal Stylus with code Nx5," said one of them.
"Tch, not mine," Max snorted annoyed, walking toward the library entrance gate which was still open even though the city of London was already dark. "Ed was playing around."
The inspector standing in front of Ed looked at the series of records that came out from the watch he had just pressed. "Edward Connor Maknus? This device is not registered under the weapon ownership status section."
Ed then spoke with his hoarse voice, "pardon Inspector Gerald, we were only playing around earlier, and I was the one who did it, not Master Max. There was an insect that also came out, because of that I had to stop it." He then took out a revolver-shaped weapon. "And the one I used was an Nx11 bullet, it won't be dangerous even if I use it on someone. And this is the newest part of my family's production."
"Give that to them," Max voiced.
Ed then took out a five-centimeter sized box from his inner jacket pocket.
Max smiled, viewed from the side he clearly smirked. "This is compensation for Ed's mistake."
Ed added, "as our apology." He opened the box lid, there were five objects separated between partitions. He quickly took out one of them, the lid looked sharp with luxurious geometry. Now it was clearly visible that object was shaped like a glass cylinder bottle the size of a little finger. Inside it there was a blue liquid, glowing hit by the lamp light, and made the three pairs of eyes of the inspector body drawn to it.
Ed then distributed one each. "Pure essential oil, only for the upper class. After this, I am sure you guys will become very fresh and of course increasingly stronger." With a cue asking the three inspectors, opened the lid, and directed the blue liquid into the mouth.
That blue liquid moved slowly falling into the mouth. The three of them looked at each other, nodded, and smiled.
"Follow me," said Max and followed by those people, passing the old woman who sat in front of the registration desk.
*