Season of Sunlight

Fifth Month

The Trylla Detective Bureau

The City of Trylla, The Cronia Region

2325

The Celeste shuddered as Miss Parks drove off and merged into traffic. Henri sat in silence, arms crossed and head leaned back against a soft headrest, the gentle humming of the engine soothing his mind.

Elza briefly took her eyes off the road and tossed him a compassionate glance.

"Was that your wife, back at the bureau?" she asked.

Henri shook his head and leaned forward. "My sister."

"Not handling the investigation well?"

"No," Henri said. "Not at all."

The Celeste stopped behind a red Renegade, one of many motorcarriages piled up and waiting for a chance to cross the upcoming four-way junction, the road blocked by endless rows of pedestrians.

It was officially the afternoon rush hour.

Elza sighed and drummed her fingers on the steering wheel. "Detective, if I brought her any trouble-"

"You didn't," Henri said sharply. His tone softened, and he took a breath, smiling. "Lilith just tends to get worried when an investigation gets complicated."

"You are fearless, Inspector," Elza said. "Your strength and courage are enviable. I must convince myself to see the light in this sea of darkness every day. Otherwise, I'll suffocate."

The red Renegade finally got a chance to depart, and the Celeste found itself at the front of the pack, rolling up to the four-way junction with ease. Another crowd ran in front of it, blocking the view of the other motorcarriages waiting to cross.

Henri put a hand on her shoulder. "We will get Abaddon. I promise."

"We are with you until the end, Miss Parks," Abbott said, piping up from the back seat.

Elza grinned.

As the crowd started the clear across the road, Henri looked at the motorcarriage parked at the entrance of the junction to his right. His heart skipped a beat.

Click clack. Click Clack.

The green Viper beckoned to him, its sinister headlights staring into his soul. The window was rolled down, and sitting behind the wheel, a mysterious figure wearing a crude golden mask.

"Drive," Henri said.

Elza chuckled. "There are people in the way-"

"Drive!"

Henri leaned over her and pressed his hand on the horn. With a collective shriek, the obstructing pedestrians jumped clear.

"What are you doing!"

Bang! Bang!

Two bullets fractured the Celeste's windshield.

"Go, now!"

With a thud, Abbott flew against the back seat as Elza pressed her foot down on the accelerator and raced through the junction.

The Celeste swerved, its rear end sliding outwards to avoid crashing into a couple walking across the street. A cloud of white smoke formed in its wake as it fled the scene, tires squealing.

The green Viper lunged forward in pursuit, hitting a disorientated man trying to get to safety, his scream muffled as his body stretched over the front bonnet before being pulled under.

Elza gripped her hands on the wheel, looking up as the Viper framed itself perfectly in the rearview mirror, a hungry predator hunting its prey.

"Look out!" Henri said, pointing forward at a slow-moving black motorcarriage.

In a quick maneuver, Elza drifted around it, flowing briefly into oncoming traffic before accelerating and sliding back into her lane.

The Viper mirrored her driving and lunged around the black motorcarriage from the other side.

The right flank of the vehicle bounced onto the sidewalk, carving through a well-manicured bush before steadying itself on the road with a sudden jerk.

It continued the chase.

Elza watched the Viper grow in the review mirror.

"Why is the KSB hunting me?"

"It's not KSB," said Henri, checking over his shoulder. "It's Abaddon."

Abbott groaned and gripped the headrests of both front seats, pushing his feet out to stabilize himself.

The Viper increased speed and merged into the next lane, flanking the Celeste from the driver's side.

Elza saw this and squinted her eyes. She exhaled sharply, then glanced at Henri.

"Take the wheel."

"What?"

Elza reached over and popped open a compartment in the center of the dashboard. A flintlock pistol appeared and slid into her hand.

Henri was shocked.

"Take the wheel!"

Without another word, Henri reached out and did as instructed.

Elza gripped the flintlock pistol and rolled down the window, the wind surging through her red hair as she pushed her upper body out of the Celeste.

"What is she doing!" Abbott asked.

Henri pulled the wheel a little to the right. "What she does best."

The Viper growled and positioned itself parallel with the Celeste.

Elza looked at the driver, their golden mask wearing a sinister smile. She clenched her jaw and aimed the flintlock at their head.

The two motorcarriages drifted back into oncoming traffic.

Henri flinched as a loud horn howled toward him.

"Hang on!"

He jerked the steering wheel harder to the right, pulling the Celeste away from the Viper.

Elza pulled the trigger.

Bang!

The stray bullet cracked through the window glass of the Viper and hit the driver in the chest.

Elza screamed, her body thrown against the Celeste as a golden motorcarriage cut through the firefight, nicking the Viper as it lost control and drifted into a horizontal position.

A speeding white motorcarriage blared its horn, a final warning rather than a precaution, as it struck the Viper and launched it into the air.

In a moment of shock and terror, Elza watched the Viper hit the ground and barrel roll to a stop, headlights shattered and flickering twice before depleting. She slid back into her seat and slammed the brakes.

Abbott gagged, his seatbelt going stiff as it pressed into his throat.

Henri put his hands on the dash, eyes closed until the Celeste screeched to a halt.

Elza kicked open the door, pistol in hand, and ran towards the wreck of the Viper, breathing heavily.

"Elza, wait!" Henri said, jumping out after her.

A crowd had gathered around the wreck, audible gasps filling the air. The Viper's crooked door pushed open, and the driver crawled out with their golden mask fractured and split down the middle to expose the bruised face of Irene Forester.

Her blue tailcoat was covered with rubble and soot, one hand sliding across uneven ground blanketed in glass shards while the other clutched her neck, covered in blood. Irene's breath was like a broken record, staggered and fractured.

She looked up and watched Elza approach her.

"Elza!" Henri said.

Miss Parks ignored him and pointed the flintlock at Irene's skull.

Henri knocked her arm off balance as she pulled the trigger.

Bang!

"Stop!"

Irene flinched as the bullet hit the ground in front of her nose.

"What are you doing?" Elza spat.

She tried to free her arm, but Henri held onto it with force.

"You are making a scene," Henri said, glancing around at the crowd. "Let me talk to her."

"I can do it," Elza said.

"No, you're too emotional."

"I can do it, Henri!"

"Let me do my job before she bleeds out!" Henri yelled. He bent down towards Irene.

Elza lowered the pistol and stood behind him, clearing the hair out of her eyes.

Irene laughed, her white smile smeared with crimson blood.

Henri examined her injury. "You'll be dead in a minute, give or take."

"I am not afraid to die," she said. "I welcome it."

"The Red Lady, where is she?"

"You have no right to speak that name."

"Is it you?"

Irene chuckled.

"Well?"

"You have no idea what you are involved in, Fraser. Abaddon is a cure, ridding a disease that has plagued our world for too long. Step aside and let us finish what we started."

Henri furrowed his brows, keeping calm. "Again, I ask, where can I find the Red Lady?"

Irene blinked her weak eyes, closing them as she dropped her forehead to the ground. "Don't worry. She will find you."

Irene coughed and released her last breath. She died surrounded by destruction, just a name and face in an extremist organization that would be forgotten tomorrow.

Henri shook his head. What a waste.

***

The Celeste pulled up to 630 Bulberry Lane, the white house, a refreshing sight.

Henri got out of the motorcarriage and brushed a hand over his trench coat to eliminate the wrinkles. He tucked a rebellious strand of brown hair under his red fedora and inhaled a large amount of the rejuvenating garden air.

Miss Parks led the way to the front door, keeping a steady eye on him. She unlocked the house with a copper key on a silver bracelet around her wrist.

"Please come inside."

Henri and Abbott stepped into an open foyer.

On Fraser's left was an open closet with the most beautiful rain and fur coats arranged in an enticing rainbow of colours from warm to cold.

Behind him, framing the door on both sides were two tall rectangular glass windows gazing out onto the front lawn. The floor was spotless, black tile, glistening under the natural light.

"Don't worry about making a mess. My aunt isn't home," Elza said in a noncommittal tone. She took off her shoes and put them gently on the floor. "Feel free to look around. I'll start brewing some tea."

"Elza, we need to pause and talk about what happened," Henri said.

Elza ignored him.

Henri opened his mouth to continue, but Miss Parks vanished from sight.

He sighed and placed his boots next to her high heels and ventured forward, coming face to face with a curved wooden grand staircase matted in a rose gold carpet with silver railings.

The foyer expanded into a lounge area decorated with burgundy and mahogany leather settees. Further down through a rounded arch, where Elza had gone, was an indigo kitchen with copper fixtures.

The black tile spread across the entire first floor, and the corridors and entrances to other rooms were complimented with tall emerald ferns sprouting from pink pots, adding a feminine flourish.

"I feel like I've walked into a royal estate," Abbott said. "Not that I've been in one, but they must look as ravishing as this," he muttered in awe.

Henri smiled. "It sure is something."

He looked into the kitchen.

Miss Parks boiled some water in a silver kettle and hunched over the sink until steam rose from its spout. With the water crackling, she placed the kettle on the white marble countertop. She lifted herself onto her toes, opening a top cabinet before carefully removing a teapot from the bottom shelf.

Lowering back onto her heels, Elza turned around and noticed Henri standing under the rounded arch staring at her.

"Almost done," she said. "I have two flavours of tea. Bulberry and taramin. Any preference?"

Henri approached, hands in his pockets.

"I don't think now is the best time for tea."

"Nonsense, it's always a good time for tea," she argued.

Henri leaned on the counter. If a tea party were Elza's way of coping with what happened, he would oblige. Besides, he needed her to be cleared-headed for what came next. "Alright, bulberry would make a fine choice."

"Perfect," she said, grabbing three copper cups from a bottom cabinet. "And for you, Constable?"

Abbott skipped into the kitchen. "The same," he said timidly.

Elza grabbed a glass jar next to the sink. She unscrewed the brass lid and took out a large packet of diced blue and purple tea leaves. "Are you familiar with bulberries?" she asked them, dropping a packet into the teapot. She added the boiled water and started to mix the remedy.

Henri shrugged. "I have never tried them."

"Neither have I," Abbott said.

"Well," Elza smiled. "Then you are in for a treat."

After a few minutes, the brew accumulated, and the fresh scent of citrus floated through the kitchen.

Elza spaced the cups evenly on the counter and poured the tea, filling each one about three-quarters of the way before serving her guests.

"Enjoy."

"Thank you," Henri said, taking a cup. He pushed one to Abbott.

"I'm going to change into something more comfortable," said Elza. "I'll be back shortly with my findings on the Red Lady."

She spoke the name bitterly.

Henri took a mouthful of the beverage. It was delicious!

He cleared his throat. "We'll be anxiously awaiting your return."

Elza hurried out of the kitchen and led herself gracefully up the stairs to the second floor.

Henri set the teacup down and tapped it while deep in thought.

Abbott drank his serving with one gulp.

"Do you still think she's playing us, sir?" he asked.

"Miss Parks is a fascinating character, Abbott," Henri said while scratching his chin, "and continues to intrigue me. While reserved and careful, she appears to be on our side." He sighed. "One thing is for certain."

Abbott relaxed his tense shoulders. "What's that, sir?"

"She's a threat to the cause, and Abaddon will not stop until Elza Parks is dead."