Aurora's pov
It was already 7pm when I woke up and started getting ready for the day. Mirabel was still in her room sleeping, poor woman I'm sure she hasn't slept in days. I just sighed
The shower water ran through my hair and gently caressed my body, the water healed me in ways I couldn't understand. It made me calm, I've always loved soaking myself in the shower to relieve stress and it always worked. Last night memories flashed in my mind and i just smiled, Aron was really a good listener.
"Focus" i scolded myself and looked at the ring David got for me "i miss you so much love"
I just sighed and then wrapped a towel around my body. I quickly dressed up and then went over to the kitchen to have breakfast. Aron as usual was already making breakfast when I walked in
"Morning" i smiled as I went beside him
"Morning Aurora, hope you slept well" he smiled back
"I did. You?"
"Me too. Breakfast will be ready soon" he said as he tossed two breads into the toaster
"Thanks. I'll be heading somewhere today, i was wondering if you would want to come with me" i said nervously hoping he would say yes
He cocked his eyebrows and just smirked
"Where are we going?" He asked
Great he said "we" which means he is coming
"Um just a place where I can get some clue for the case I'm working on"
I don't know why I was trusting Aron with this information but after last night, i just felt like telling him everything. After all it wasn't like he was some criminal, he was just a cleaner who lost his memory.
Right??
"Are you sure you want me to come?" He asked as he buttered the toast
"Yeah I'm sure. Besides i need someone to look out for me in case the purple Lagoon or anything happens" i leaned on the counter eyeing the toast he was buttering
Men I'm hungry 🤤Â
"Like a muscle man?" He smirked
I chuckled and playfully smacked his muscular arm
"Yeah. So will you come?" I gave him my best baby eyes
"Cute" he smiled "yeah I'll come. But won't your two friends be there? They're in on this too right?"
"They're. But Anna isn't exactly the brave type and Michael is basically a nerd with computer knowledge, he's not the strong type too" i said
If Anna and Michael were here, they would probably kill me for insulting them
"Lol" Aron muttered "I'm definitely coming then"
"Great" i smiled and yanked the toast from him
"Hey that was mine" he whinned
I just giggled and dashed out of the kitchen. I knew he was probably watching me from behind
*******
"Stop right here, we've reached" i told the uber driver
He looked at me like i was crazy or something "here?"
I nodded
We had ordered an Uber to take us to Planet news complex or what used to be it. I couldn't risk bringing my car here since I'm sure dad must have put a tracking device on it, he was really out to protect his secret.
"Ma'm this place is really dangerous and unsafe, are you..." The uber driver said still looking at me in shock
"Oga are you the passenger or us??" Anna snapped at him
I even forgot i brought her and Michael with us. The uber driver quickly got the memo and just stopped the car. I paid him and then we got out of the car while he sped off
"Okay guys here goes nothing. Let's go in quick and get what we came for" i instructed
They all nodded
"This is so illegal, if the police catches us we'd be arrested" Anna said
"We're journalists, if they come here and find us, we'll just make up an excuse that we came to cover the bomb story, got it?" I said as i raised the police tape around the building
They nodded again
"Good"
Aron walked over beside me and I couldn't help but steal quick glances at him. Focus girl
The building was tapped around with police tape, though the left wing of the building had completely collapsed, the building still stood firm. We walked in gently through the broken door, the news room was still in ruin and the steps to Gabi's office had completely fallen off.
"There's no way to get up there now" i said looking up at the destroyed stairs
"There's an old elevator that goes all the way up, we can use it" Anna suddenly beamed
"Wow you're really getting into this detective stuff" Michael smirked
"I can be smart when I want to" she glared at him
I just rolled my eyes and we all headed towards the old elevator. The doors of the elevator were a bit rusty and dusty
"Are you sure this is safe?" Michael asked
"No time for caution. Let's be quick before the police shows up, we don't want the government to know what we're doing" i reminded them
We all walked into the elevator, Michael Pushed the button and the door shut. As the elevator moved up it made a screeching sound indicating it hadn't been used for a while, the space was really tight so we were all packed like dried fishes. Aron's hand brushed against mine and I couldn't help but flinch from the warmth, heat rushed up to my fair cheeks and I blushed before I could stop myself
"Focus miss pinked face Juliet, we're on a mission"
Anna and her annoying big mouth, she even noticed.
Aron just glanced at me and then folded his hands to avoid touching me again. I felt both relieved and disappointedÂ
Focus girl
Ding
The elevator finally stopped at the top floor and we all got out gasping for fresh air. Gabi's office was in view and we all walked towards it
"I still can't believe Gabi was actually part of this whole mess" Anna said for the fifth time todayÂ
"I know, it's a weird connection" i said as I brought out the key and slotted it into the key hole
"Your dad, the government, purple Lagoon and our boss...omo Aurora your life is really a web of lies and political connections" Anna said
"It's weird but that's the fact" Michael said in his usual dry voice
I just sighed
"What was the secret government group called again?" Aron asked
"The oracle, Mirabel told me" i said as I pushed the door open
Anna and Michael just stared at Aron then at me
"He knows everything, don't worry he's on our side" i answered the question on their mind
They just nodded, still feeling unsure but didn't say anything.
I know it was really weird bringing in a third party into the group but I was starting to trust Aron and he could be our muscle man, should anything or anyone come for us.
We walked into Gabi's office, it was the only room in the building that wasn't affected by the bombs though the windows were a bit cracked. The office was dim and a little dusty, some files were still littered on the desk, a pack of unsmoked cigarette and wine was on the desk too. Gabi was a habitual smoker, now I'm starting to wonder if he was trying to smoke his problems away.
"Uhh fancy, carpet" Anna cooed
I just rolled my eyes "really?"
"What, it's the only room with carpets so it's fancy" she can be gullible most times
"Let's just focus" Aron said looking through the files on the desk
"What are we looking for exactly?" Michael asked scanning the room
"Anything that seems out of place or connected to the oracle" i said as I searched the cupboards
Everyone got to work, we gently searched the room careful not to leave any traces of us. I went through every corner in the office but still found nothing suspicious
"Are you sure this is the right place?" Michael said looking through the files in the left cupboardÂ
"Yeah, Mirabel said so" i said getting frustrated
"Are you sure we can even trust that woman?" Anna said
I just kept quiet
There was nothing in the office that could give us a clue about the weapon the oracle and the purple Lagoon were looking for. We all kept searching although it was obviously hopeless
"Thump thump"
"What was that?"
We all froze as we heard footsteps coming from downstairs
"The commissioner wants us to search here" a deep voice said
"The police!" Anna yelled then quickly covered her mouth
I just glared at her and rushed to lock the door
"What are you doing? We need to bail outta here" Anna said shaking
"Chill, they're not upstairs yet. We have to find whatever Gabi was hiding from them" i said
"You're being obsessed with this case! We don't even know what we're supposed to be looking for" Anna snapped
I just ignored her and kept scanning the room.
"I hate to agree with her but Aurora we need to leave now, if we get caught i doubt we'd be taken to a prison. They could kill us" Aron said trying to convince me
"I know but i just have a hunch that the next clue is here" i said rubbing the ring David gave to me
"Nothing is here bestie, the oracle has probably taken the "thing" and covered their tracks..." Anna said
"Cover! You're a genius Anna" i suddenly beamed
"I am?" She suddenly smiled
"She is?" Michael stared at me like i was crazy
"Yes, covers...carpets...Gabi's office is the only room with a carpet and that's for a reason" i suddenly smiled like a crazy womanÂ
They just stared at me like i was saying gibberish
I bent down and touched the carpets, the texture was rough as usual but there was an area that felt a bit hollow. I looked up at Aron who was standing beside me
"Got any knife?"
"Um no" he shook his head
"Anyone got a knife?" I looked at the rest of the group
"I have one" Michael suddenly said and then fetched a pocket knife from his bag
"Here" he handed it to me
"You always carry that around with you??" Anna stared at him shocked
"Yeah. Don't you?" He said like it was normal to carry a knife around
I quickly scraped the carpet open with the knife while the rest just stared anxiously. I removed the piece of cut carpet and smiled as i saw a closed hole underneath, there was a key hole on it
"Try the office key quickly" Aron said
The footsteps and voices were getting closer and I could hear the old elevator screeching, meaning they were coming upstairs
I quickly slotted the key into the hole, it clicked and opened. There was a rusty old box inside with a snaked symbol, i quickly grabbed it and stood up
"C'mon let's get out of here" i said
"Wait, one more thing" Aron said as he pushed the desk to cover the hole i made on the carpet
"We don't need to leave any traces" he said
Oh gosh this guy was just genius. Focus girl
"The commissioner wants to lock this building up..."
The voices were now closer
Anna looked at me worriedly
"We can't follow from the door, they'll see us" she said
She was right. We stood still thinking of a way out
"Follow me, i have an idea" Aron suddenly said
We all nodded, he moved closer to the wall and started feeling them.
"What are you doing?" I was confused
"This Gabi was a crime lord right?"
I nodded
"Good, then he must have had some escape door in this room" he said feeling the wall
We just watched him as he did whatever he was doing. He continued feeling the wall with his finger and then suddenly stopped
"Bingo" he smiled
"Did you find it?" I asked anxiously
The office door knob suddenly started turning. The people outside were trying to open it, i panicked and we moved closer to Aron
"Please be fast" i whispered
Aron quickly clicked something on the wall and it divided into two. I just stared in awe, there was a hidden exit elevator in the wall?!!
Boom
The people outside started banging on the door
We quickly rushed into the exit elevator and the wall closed again