The DPO, Mr. David pulled out his phone and placed a call. "Report to the Hospital immediately," he said, his voice tight with urgency. As he hung up, he turned to the group behind him, brows furrowed. "Whatever happened to Leora… it's spreading. We need to contain it before more lives are lost."
Amare nodded "you'll be taking her body to the station morgue correct ?"
"Yes" He replied "The two policemen bodies are also there, in the meantime I advise you call Eniola."
Jared pulled out his phone and dialed her number, his fingers tight around the device. The device rang thrice before a familiar voice answered, calm yet laced with amusement.
"Yes ?"
"Eniola... We need you right now, let's meet at the station"
"Why ? what happened" her voice stayed calm but carried a hint of worry
Jared rubbed his temple "I can't explain now, we'll tell you everything once we meet"
"Understood" She said without hesitation, the urgency clear in her voice. He ended the call, pocketing his phone. He glanced at the others "She's coming."
Just then, two uniform officers walked in with a stretcher, they stopped in front of the bed. They nodded at Mr David, then gently lifted Leora onto the stretcher, covering her with a white cloth before wheeling her out. Mr David turned to the rest and bowed slightly before going after them.
"Where are they taking her ?" Veronica asked.
Amare glanced at her " The station morgue"
"Stations have a morgue ?"
"Yeah. you didn't know ?"
She didn't answer, only looked away
"We better get going" Jared said, glancing at his phone with a faint smile "Eniola says she's on her way." The others exchanged quick looks, tension lingering in the air before they followed him out of the ward.
They left the hospital, seeing there was no police van meant the DPO and his men had left so they headed for the station. By the time they got to the main gate, they spotted Eniola already there– conversing with Mr David, a cigarette balanced between her fingers as she spoke. His gaze drifted from her to the main gate, spotting them instantly.
He gestured at them "Ah, you're here. Come in".
Eniola turned her head as the four filed in, her eyes narrowed slightly, a faint smile tugging at her lips, her shoulders dropped slightly.
"Ah, there you are." She said, placing the cigarette between her lips, then drawing it out to release a slow puff of smoke "I knew y'all won't keep me waiting–not when the situation is like this".
Jared tipped his hat at her "I guess I can say the same for you".
Eniola smiled.
"So what do you want me do ?" She asked.
"We need you to examine these corpses: Leora and two of my officers." Mr David said.
Zuri clasped her hands "Leora's death doesn't look normal at all and I guess the same goes for the two officers, we have noticed somethings about Leora's death but we need you to confirm it and see if it is the same as the other two".
"What will that be ?" Eniola said, slipping the cigarette between her lips once more.
Amare twirled a lock of his hair "something felt off, The air around her felt wrong like a part of her is missing."
Jared raised a hand "I can vouch for that, I remember seeing the window pane wavered unnaturally like heat waves almost imperceptible to the normal eye."
Eniola drew out the cigarette to release a thin stream of smoke "Ah, the classic side effects of paranormal events." She brought out an ashtray from her pocket and crushed the cigarette against it "Okay Mr David, lead me to the station morgue".
Mr David nodded "Yes ma'am, please follow me". He turned to walk away.
"The rest of you stay here" Eniola said and with that, she followed him.
"Well, that's nice" Veronica said, a smile tugging at her lips.
Zuri tilted her head at her "What is ?"
Veronica.grinned "everything about her screams confidence. not gonna lie... I like it."
Zuri smiled softly "Yes, its very... Admirable."
"Addictive is more like it."
"Yes, yes it is."
Eniola and Mr David walked along the corridor, They reached a small, dimly lit wing of the station. A heavy door led to the morgue, the faint hum of refrigeration greeting them as they stepped inside. The inside was colder than the rest of the station, the air sharp and sterile. Fluorescent lights reflected off tiled walls and metal surfaces, and the steady hum of refrigeration filled the silence.
Eniola looked around "so where are the bodies ?"
"right this way" He said, gesturing at three stretchers side by side, the bodies laid on each one was covered with a white cloth. Eniola walked over, she brought out gloves from her pocket and wore it. She
removed the first white cloth to reveal the first officer body. She checked his eyes, they looked hollow–She took out a small device from her bag which she made herself for sensing different magical residues. She placed it near him, for a while it picked up on nothing.
She moved the device slowly along his body, it finally made a beeping sound when she brought it close to his head. She looked at the reading, it showed a faint residue usually gotten from spells that deals with essence removal, seeing there is nothing more to examine she removed the second white cloth to reveal the second officer. she repeated the same test on him and it showed the same results, she removed the third white cloth to reveal Leora, she repeated the same test and it showed the same results a little bit stronger this time. She took out a book and pen and wrote down her observations.
Mr David bit the tip of his finger "so... did you discover anything ?"
Eniola looked at him "before I say anything, can you summarize everything that has happened so far, especially before things got to this level."
He went on to explain how at the beginning of the investigation they visited the hospital where the other victims were, how they met Leora who apparently had some fragments of her memories and how she mentioned something about receiving a black card from someone and about her therapy sessions. How she fainted just as she was about to look for the card, how they took her to the hospital and he ordered two of his men to look for the card in her house.
"By the time I went to check on my men the next day, they were dead and the card was nowhere to be found. I went to the hospital next only to find out that Leora is dead as well" Mr David said, his voice laced with fright and worry.
Eniola looked at her writings "Well, from what I can say... according to the readings it looks like their essence was cut off or basically emptied out.''
His head whipped up "their essence...was emptied out ?"
Eniola nodded, her eyes narrowing "essence is the core of one... it's what makes you, you. from the way I see it, it looks like their memories were emptied out. Memories is the backbone of your essence, it's what gives meaning to your very identity. Once the memories are drained out, the essence is gone leaving the body nothing but a hollow shell."
He shivered "that's a dark way to put it."
She closed her eyes ''dark but true. My work here is done, I'm going to tell the others what I've found, it will also be efficient if I hear out what they have discovered as well since it may likely prove or disprove my hypothesis."
Eniola covered the bodies again and with that, they both walked out of the morgue. They emerged from the entrance and moved towards the main gate where the four are. She dipped her hand into her bag and brought out a cigarette and a lighter, lighted the cigarette and slipped it between her lips.
She drew it out to release a puff of smoke "Yo !" She called out, "did you guys miss me ?"
Zuri's face lit up ''Oh, you're back."
Eniola grinned "I sure am."
The rest noticed the DPO looked shaken but said nothing, deciding to ask later.
Eniola clapped "okay people, let's wrap up for today. I still need time to process and I also need you guys leads, by tomorrow we will decide on what to do next."
They all agreed, with that they bid farewell to Mr David and left. The shadows has begun to lengthen.
Veronica was the first to speak "So, discover anything new ?"
Eniola nodded, she told them all about her observations, readings and hypothesis.
"So, you're saying that their memories which anchors their essences got squashed leading to their essences falling apart which also led to their death." Veronica said, playing with the strings of her hoodie.
"Yes, it's a hypothesis though. I will need to hear more from you guys, I'm pretty sure y'all have something in those heads of yours."
Amare tucked his hair behind his ear "Ah, in that case..."
"Ah, ah, ah, I'll be hearing you out tomorrow. "
Jared nearly tripped "to... tomorrow !? why not now ?"
Eniola scratched the back of her head "My brain needs to rest, so do yours. I was doing some work before you guys called for me."
Jared looked like someone who has just been told the sky is pink "Are you for real right now ?"
A sarcastic smile tugged at her lips "You know, for someone who procrastinates a lot at work, you sure are committed to solving cases. The irony is... amusing honestly. "
Before he could say anything, Veronica spoke, scratching her cheek with a finger "I kinda agree with her, let our brains switch to sleep mode for now. There's still things to do at the hotel, Tomorrow is another day. "
He tried to speak but ended up sputtering and gave up, Eniola pulled veronica in for a side hug "Ata girl, that's the spirit, there's no joy in overworking yourself. "
Jared scoffed "That's very ironic coming from a mad scientist like yourself."
Eniola rolled her eyes "Whatever". Just then she beckoned to Amare and Zuri to come closer. Once they did, she whispered something loud enough for the four of them to hear, They all giggled.
Jared's eyes narrowed in suspicion "What are you guys whispering about ?"
Veronica chimed, "Nothing", she said it too quickly. There was silence for a while, the four looked at Jared, then exchanged glances and this time laughed harder. Jared got annoyed and just tugged his hat Lower.
The Hotel was already in view. They stepped through the entrance only to see MJ, standing still, looking unbothered but with that familiar aura that she's about to murder someone calmly. On the opposite side is Raymond who is clinging to Abayomi for dear life, Abayomi looks entertained by the simmering chaos, her twin brother–Amari stood by a corner, observing. A few guests around looked interested in the chaos about to be unleashed.
Eniola sighed "okay people, what's going on here ?"
MJ turned to her slowly like a killer robot which made Eniola flinch slightly "He dared to disrespect my art, my passion" she said while pointing at Raymond.
Raymond squeaked "pa... passion !? all I did was call her a gun obsessed freak, have you seen the way she polishes her pistol–she looks like a Hitman about to commit the greatest kill of his life. "
MJ shook her head "I have no problem with what you called me but you dared snatched my gun from me and threw it on the floor, do you know how long it takes to get the right shine for it ?"
Raymond looked annoyed "Right shine!? MJ please go touch some grass."
MJ shot him a look that made him shrink behind Abayomi. Zuri looked worried "Yomi, why aren't you stopping them ?"
Abayomi wore a mischievous grin "Who am I to stop such chaos ? I want to see who will last, Raymond's mouth or MJ's patience.''
Raymond looked offended "you're supposed to be one my side."
Abayomi shrugged " I'm on the side of Chaos."
Zuri's eyes darted to Amari "A...Amari" she stated, voice small, "aren't you going to stop them."
He shrugged "nah, Raymond kinda deserves it, everyone knows how much MJ values her guns. Only a fool would dare mess with them."
Raymond whipped his head around to face him "HEY !"
Eniola sighed and walked towards MJ alongside Veronica. They tried to calm her down, Veronica succeeded by handing her a dolphin keychain which she silently accepted. Raymond left quickly alongside Abayomi who kept teasing him. Jared, who saw potential for chaos or rather probably didn't learn the lesson from the intense moment.
"you know..." he drawled "I wonder how MJ would react if all her guns were to suddenly disappear. would you finally decided to touch some...."
MJ turned slowly like a killer robot "try that and I swear I'll shove garlic down your throat.
"You wouldn't dare"
"Try me."
"On second thought, no thanks I'm good."
Veronica laughed at their exchange, the night went on as usual and by. 11:30 p.m. the announcement came and everyone got ready to return to their quarters. MJ and veronica returned to their room, Veronica laid down on her back–existing in the moment. She had a lot of thoughts running through her mind and she decided to write everything down in a journal. she brought out her old journal and felt a sense of nostalgia as she flipped through the pages.
"looks like I'm back to my journaling roots."