125 Liar! (1/2)
Delta Police Station - Central District.
A police constable guided Zed, Loren, Suzane, and Olly inside a room which served as an office for a Captain rank officer.
The room was large with multiple sofas and chairs along with a working desk at the end. A middle-aged man with short white hairs was sitting in front of the desk. He has a dusky skin stone with some white patches on his face.
He was Athol - the sole captain rank officer in the police station.
As Zed stepped inside, in addition to Athol, he saw many familiar faces along with some new faces.
The four fools: Edgar, Rees, Percy, and Brian. They were each accompanied by a parent.
Even Jessica was in the room sitting in a corner along with a blonde woman in her forties.
Zed assumed she was her mother given the similarity in facial features.
”Zed!” Jessica rushed towards him while the woman followed from behind.
”I knew you would be here,” Zed then greeted the woman, ”It is our first time meeting, ma'am.”
”Please call me Eloise,” The woman responded with a smile but Zed could see the anxiety she was desperately trying to hide.
He could understand for a lower-middle-class family like Jessica's, the police station was the last thing they ever want to enter. This especially was true for Jessica's family who has suffered under the corruption in police force.
Jessica was forced to work for Irina and her gang but the police never helped. So the reputation of the police wasn't really good in their eyes.
They feared the police so the current situation wasn't really pleasing for them especially when Jessica was a witness to an incident caused by the children of investigators.
Not like Zed looked down on Eloise for her nervousness and anxiety. If he was in her situation then he would be the same.
The attitude of a person to a situation is largely depended on one's own background and standing. The weak don't get the right to interfere in the matters of strong.
”Eloise, please rest assured there is nothing to worry about,” Zed spoke in a calm tone, ”Jessica doesn't have to give a statement in my favor.”
”No! I will not lie!” Jessica refused before her mother could sigh in relief.
Jessica felt she has taken many favors from Zed whether it was the awakening of her new ability or her freedom from Irina's clutches.
”Jessica, do as I ask,” Zed spoke in a light manner, ”They can't do anything to me even if they win.”
”But---”
”There is not but,” Zed shook his head, ”In the worst case, I can take help from Felicity. You, on the other hand, would bring unnecessary trouble for your family by being honest.”
Jessica bit her lower lip as she understood how correct Zed was. She felt helpless by the situation and knew there was no easy way out for her.
Felicity might help her avoid the trouble but she couldn't help her forever.
”If only I was strong,” Jessica clutched her hand in frustration at her inability to help a man who has helped her so much.
”Relax, nothing would happen to me,” Zed put a hand on her shoulder, ”Anyways, let's go for drinks after this is over.”
”Drinks?” Eloise, Suzane, Jessica, Loren, and Olly looked at Zed in disbelief.
How can he be so relaxed in such a situation where odds were against him?
And he is even talking about drinks like like this is some park instead of the police station!
”I assume neither Jessica nor me nor Loren are underage so why the strange looks?” Zed asked confused.
”.....”
”Besides I'm only talking about beer,” Zed added but they continued to give him strange looks.
”...”
”Cough~” Athol gave a small cough to bring their attention. While the conversation wasn't loud, he has heard every word.
Even he felt strange by Zed's attitude much less others. The four fools and their parents were sitting opposite towards Athol with displeasure so he has to remind Zed about their existence.
Zed and others walked to Athol's desk.
”I won't waste any time and start with the topic in hand,” Athol clicked a panel on the desk, ”Zed, you are the perpetrator---”
”Excuse me,” Zed interjected in a polite tone, ”Can these ladies have a seat?”
Zed pointed towards Jessica, Loren, Suzan, and Eloise.
”I'm sure they are not perpetrators of whatever crime you are trying to make me a culprit of,” Zed added in a polite tone, ”So please be a gentleman and a good police officer by giving these ladies a seat.”
Athol was startled by the demand and the polite tone. While the tone was respectable he felt a hidden mockery inside them as if telling him that he was not a gentleman nor a good police officer.
There was a limited number of chairs around the desk so he couldn't give everyone a seat. In fact, space surrounding desk was already overcrowded with four 'victims' and their parents sitting around.
There were already eight chairs so how he accommodate more seats?
”Surely those fours fools are not so mannerless to sit around while ladies are standing,” Zed completed.
Four fools?!
Edgar gritted his teeth in anger at the familiar insulting words. He has used those words before bribing the gang to cripple them.
”How dare you!” Edgar and the other three stood up to teach him a lesson. Their missing limbs were regenerated through cloning technology.
”So nice of you to offer your seats for the ladies,” Zed signaled the ladies to have a seat while ignoring the threatening words of the four fools, ”I'm glad you still have some manners left.”
Loren and others didn't know what to do. The four fools didn't really 'offered' them the seats. They only left the chairs to face Zed!