Venturing: Deceptional
Flour

The door parted as I
entered in. I looked about upon the surrounding taking everything that I could
find within in hopes of solving this hard case. I was in the main room
apparently; Connected with two other rooms on either side of the room. It was
empty; save for a couple of vases and tables. An unworking elevator right in
front of me. But that was just about it however. As I turned around, motioning
the other officers to come in, I turned towards the parting automatic doors.
One by one, my unit came forth from the outside ending with the dolphin
afterwards. I had not mentioned that the dolphin was dressed different. She was
wearing a white tunic; green feathers upon her breaths and high legs. A golden
small circle imprinted between that feathers. I shook my head to rid the
following thoughts I had upon my mind as eyes settled upon me and silence fell
afterwards.

For with a nod, we went
as planned. Half headed straight for the room behind us while the other half
heads onto the opposing room behind me. I walked with the second group,
thoughts already polluted my mind in wonderance about the murder and the rigged
election that had happened days before. But as I entered through the doorway
last, I stared upon the luxury of the place. A huge queen size bed was in front
of me. Two tall cabins were on either side of the bed. Four windows were
opposite of the left cabin where curtains covered the windows, preventing
anyone from outside to see whatever was inside. Kyro and Ozkun were the first
to comment about the bed. But I ignored what they were saying and kept my eye
upon the foot of the bed.

For there, I spotted a
box of bloodied needles. Full to its brim, yet some were already spilling out
for some strange reason. It had did led to some questions, some were related to
the haste of our culprit into leaving the place or trying to hide what it was
covering. Unknowingly, I stepped close towards the bed. Leaned forth and turned
my eye towards the box. For I unconsciously shoved my claw inside. Despite the
pain received, I digged through the contents of the box. Finally pulling out
what seems to be a piece of strip paper. “Guys." I responded to the sudden
silence while the two said officers turned their heads towards me. Narrowed
eyes were upon their faces as they approached. I turned to face them, holding
out the piece of paper. “What is this doing here?" “Beats me." Said Kyro while
he peer closer towards the paper. Then something caused his eyes to widen as he
snatched the paper from my claws then lowered his head, glancing at whatever
was interested to him.

Meanwhile, me and Ozkun
tilted our heads and pondered. For we had wondered what had caused the red
dragon to become interested in such a piece of strip paper. We waited within
the silence, then Ozkun decided to turn towards the room. Looking about in
hopes of finding something rather interesting. As he does so, I stepped close
towards Kyro and whispered to him. He turned to him and responded; holding the
paper up towards me and said “This paper contradicts what the news article had
said about the past recent election." “So?" I questioned, tilting my head to
one side and he shook his head. “Someone had change the results. One of the
candidates had a huge lead over the other. Not a close race however." I blinked
at him then shook my head, pulled the strip of paper away from his claws as I
muttered something underneath my breath. Thus pulling away from him and headed
about, glancing around the room for anymore signs.

However, the room was
emptied out and we had spent our longest time inside of it. Seeing nothing else
here, Ozkun and Kyro questioned me about leaving. I acknowledged it for them,
but hesitated because I had wanted to look around for another time. As they
waited patiently, they noticed about my hesitation and faintly smiled, saying
nothing while they turned heel and left me alone. Upon the room we were ordered
to look about for clues. When I am by myself, I breathed a sigh and closed my
eyes. Opening them again to shift my attention towards the strip of paper that
I gave to Kyro. I turned it over, reading the results of the election before. I
had pondered over it and what the red dragon had said before. For as my head
was tilted, I turned my attention towards the box of needles. Soon afterwards
approached it with no hesitation.

I lowered my head
glancing down onto the box in silence. Suddenly threw my claw again into it;
but never deep. Rather, I had grabbed one of the needles instead and held it
high towards my snout. Inspecting it however while I pondered why such a
culprit needed a bunch of needles for just a rigged election. The needles in
question was smaller and thinner than I had expected. It was just a small
bottle with a sharp tip at its end. On the other was a circle flat surface. A
square piece of paper was attached to it too however. Turning the needle in
question over and glance at the flat surface; reveals a number planted upon it.
I grabbed another needle from the box below me, hoisting it high towards my
snout as I read the flat surface's number. I repeated it with a sample amount
before throwing it all back inside the box afterwards.

There were numbers
written upon the flat surface of the bottle. Numbered from zero to whatever
number was at its end. It had seemed endless however for I had not seen the
end. Quietly I hanged my head and met the eyes of the box itself. I glance at
it before grabbing the entire box and hoisted it high above my head despite
some needles falling onto the grounds or bed. While I raised my head towards
the underside of the box; another strip of paper was there. No number; but
rather a four letter word somehow. “Code" I read it as and my head tilts again
while I lowered my head again in ponderance, 'What does code mean?' I wondered.
But before I could ponder anymore. My ears perk upon hearing the voices from
the halls. And soon afterwards came some shouting for my name. As I yelled back
through the door despite the sudden knocking that had interrupted my thoughts
afterwards, I dropped the box down upon the bed. Turned around and head out the
door where I met the eyes of Natty whom was already waiting for me on the other
side.

Her claw was hang high
adjacent to her head apparently as we met briefly. Her eyes grew from shock to
narrow and annoyance before turning around and headed back towards the others,
jabbed her thumb back towards me with an announcement as I soon followed her
afterwards. Rejoining the group, I had saw empty claws and I growled at them,
demanding such an explanation. Yet with no one answering despite the pointers
towards the closed door in front of me. I stomped my way towards the door;
grabbed onto its knob and forcefully threw it opened. It had revealed the room
on the other side; yet to my surprise, the entire place was clean. No blood,
weapons anything. My mouth hanged before closing again for I turned back
towards the others and spoke, “Who cleaned up the mess?" No one said anything
except for the dolphin who raised its flipper at me and responded to the
silence following behind.

“Me." “Why?" “Cause I thought
that the place looked messy." “Sir," Natty interrupted calm as she may be
despite the detest of tone hiding in her voice, “We needed that place to be
messy for clues. Now where did you place it all?" “Laundry." The dolphin
responded immediately, his eyes looked everywhere except for her. His entire
body look pale and fear as if he had done something wrong. Despite his entire
body looking shaken by the sudden events, he led Natty out of the main room and
towards a door at the end leading to both disappearing from our sights as Kyro
exhaled a breath before turning towards me.

“There is not much we can
do here besides asking around and seeing what we can find." He suggested with
the following short silence. Zander and Ozkun nodded their heads. I exhaled
following Kyro before nodding also. “But who else could we ask? There is no one
about except for the dolphin whom is taking your mate towards another room as
we speak." “What about the reception?" Started Zander, turned his head to me as
I met his eyes again, shaking my head in answer towards him. “She does not
know. All she does is let aquatic animals inside and out." “There is a store
nearby. We could ask that." Kyro said, “Alright." I answered immediately with
Zander fistpumping the air as he and Kyro walked ahead of us. I followed after
them, but Ozkun grabbed me by the arm and pulled me back. Startling me while I
turned towards her.

“You seem preoccupied
with something." She started, “I just cannot shake the feelings about the
numbers." I answered her which prompted her “What?" “The numbers inside that
room." I answered, raising a claw towards the door behind me as her head tilted
to the side before finishing, “You need to stop playing video games." “Are you
guys coming?" Screamed a voice which interrupted our conversation. I saw Ozkun
growled and clenched her claw with her eyes narrowed upon the black dragon
behind me. He seemed scared upon seeing her face that he backed off,
disappearing a second time however and left us alone to ourselves while she turned
back towards me. “Lets see them." “I had wondered what these numbers are for
however." I started as I led her into the room where I saw the box of needles
and numbers upon them. For when I held one up and showed it to her; her eyes
went wide and she nodded in response. Humming as if she knew something that I
do not. Without hesitation, I questioned her. She spoke immediately to me.

“Well remember that the
dolphin did take Natty downstairs?" I nodded, “We went there before while
waiting for you." “I guess that was why I saw only Zander here." I said, “But
that is not all. For after the stairs was a huge brick wall. Nine bricks are
labeled from zero to nine. We never knew the order however so we just headed
back up." “So these numbers…?" I said, turning my head back towards the box
again as Ozkun nodded with a grim smile upon her face, “Yeah. They are the key;
quick! Grab all nine of them, we are going to hang them all downstairs." “And
how are you going to do that?" I yelled after her as she sprinted out the room,
leaving me behind with the box of needles. I frowned; but nonetheless complied
with the order and quickly dig my way through the box of needles. Snatching the
remaining eight and emerging from the room once again. For from there was where
Zander and Kyro were a bit surprise into seeing me alone upon the room. At
their question, I nudged my head pointing towards the downstairs door which
they nodded and decided to head down with me following right behind.

The downstairs was what I
had suspected. Dark and scary. No light appeared above us as we descended the
brown stairs; heeding into the pitch darkness below us while we watched and
waited, continuing down. Eventually, we reached ground zero where our feet
became shock upon touching the cold surfaces below us. I saw Kyro shivered and
Zander rubbing his feet against the grounds while I shuffled my wings upon the
initial shock. However, once we were over it; we rose our heads and glance
around the place. The room we were in was much smaller compared to the other
rooms at the surface. Yet like the rooms above, the room we are in was empty
and quiet. For only the ringing echoed through our ears. I walked forth,
stepping out of line from Zander and Kyro as I turned towards the huge brick
wall in front of us.

It had seemed that Ozkun
was here too because she was waving straight upon me with her smile upon her
snout. I waved back and hurried over towards her; Kyro and Zander followed but
were quiet as they listened to Ozkun who began explaining about the nine bricks
hiding along the wall in front of us. I turned to the wall. Looking over the
bricks and lines that separates each one. For at first glance I had noticed
rather quickly that all the bricks were of different shades of color. From
orange, yellow red and perhaps brown and black. I turned to Ozkun who nodded
her head agreeing with me before ordering me to place each of the nine needles
neatly as intended. So working together, we placed nine of them and the wall
shuttered and vibrated violently. Nine bricks that were level with our heads
were pushed back; revealing the way through it. Ozkun ran inside; followed by
me, Kyro and Zander who held his claws high as he ranted for a bit. Yet no one
answered him.

We moved quietly along
the path. Glancing often upon the brown walls that surrounded us. Quietness
hanged over our heads with the lamps lighting the way forward towards the
horizon. The path itself was wide and fit for a large group such as us. But
thoughts blocked more of my surroundings in favor of the needles, numbers,
walls and the rigged election. For only one question stands in my mind.
Unanswered however as we walked along the path towards its end. Another large
room awaits us after we entered in. Awed upon our surroundings while Kyro
spotted Natty at the center, staring down onto the distance in silence before
turning around at the call of her mate. The two approached one another,
grabbing tightly with snuzzles about. But I, Ozkun and Zander stepped forth
from them. Towards the horizon that awaits us. I was blown away by how the room
looked like an opened field. A tree at the distance. Grassy plains hanging
around it before spreading outward like a pest filling the brown ground till
nothing was left. And the horizon itself; it was blue with a huge dot for a sun
that contains fake rays that shine below towards the grass.

For as Natty and Kyro
pulled themselves apart from one another; she held a sorrowful face as she
turned towards me, Ozkun and now Zander. A pause settled surrounding us with
Kyro raising his claw towards her chin, forcing her to look his way. A whisper
interrupted the peace with a voice that came from Natty. We had knew that was
not her normal voice. “Something is wrong." Ozkun muttered adjacent to me with
Zander nodding. I looked her way then glanced back towards Kyro and Natty. Soon
to approached the pair and held my claw high onto their shoulders. The first to
look my way was Natty as she pulled away from Kyro and hugged me tightly. I
flinched that my wings were sudden spread. Kyro held my eye then turned his
back towards me. Towards the horizon in front of us.

There were questions.
Questions that had needed to be answered. And as tightly as I had gripped Natty
upon her shoulders, I pulled her back and growled rather rudely and immediately.
With my wings folded back again, Natty whispered again to me and Kyro. “Ling…
Kyro… Everyone…" She addressed everyone else. For she turned around; glanced
her eyes towards something nearby before the tears stream down her face.
“Natty!" Screamed Kyro as he hugged her again. “Why is she crying?" Commented
Zander, “Spread out and find out." I growled a bit demanding as Ozkun and
Zander nodded their heads, walked and spread themselves out a bit while me,
Kyro took care of the pink dragoness. She continued sobbing. Tears pooling
underneath her as her visions blurred. Kyro patted her back as I reached
towards her shoulder. Me and Kyro held our gazes towards one another; a bit
empathic for wonderance yet we never had to wait long for that answer however.

For Zander screamed which
snapped our attention towards him. He waved at us immediately in the air; his
eyes widened as if something had scared him. I acknowledged the dragon before
turning to Kyro who nudged his head forward, but said nothing in turn. Growling
lowly, I pulled myself away from the pair and left them be as I started forth
towards Zander as he held his claw down. Soon to his side, I lowered my eyes
and was shocked to see what was in front of me. A pile of small decomposed
bodies in front of us. All bones, no skin. Nothing was left. Dried blood pooled
upon its surroundings as I gagged, nearly vomiting the lunch I had beforehand
and turned around; gazing somewhere else. I now see it. Everywhere we go;
everywhere we see upon this forsaken room, was the small piles of bodies
already decomposed to its bones. Nothing. “So I guess this is why Natty was
crying." Zander responded softly, nothing snark or smart about his comment to
which I nodded in the same speed as his voice. We held our eyes before pulling
away towards Kyro and Natty.

“Why would all the bodies
be here? Should they not get a proper burial at the riverbed?" I growled with
narrowed eyes, “I wonder why the bodies are here." Zander started with a mutter
as we regroup with Kyro and Natty whom turned back towards us, “Yeah that is
what I saw. A sea of piled bodies stretching to the infinite horizon and
surroundings. Nothing was left." Natty answered through the haze of silence as
I questioned her, “But why would the dolphin bring you here?" “She thinks that
we are his best help into finding justice for the culprit which he had believed
is the shark from the election earlier." “The shark huh?" Zander said, crossing
his arms “Such said as a predictable character." “One who is feared amongst the
seabed, I would believe." I added glancing at Zander who nodded slowly.
Releasing his crossed arms, Zander turned towards me asking “If such a secret
is held here. Then what about the numbers and needles found aboveground?" “I
guess they were used as experiments for something." Kyro commented,
“Experiments?" Zander asked, tilting his head to one side while Kyro nodded his
head quietly. “Yeah. I wonder who is the distributor right now." “Base on the
needles…" I trailed, continuing the conversation as both heads of Kyro and
Zander were turned towards me, “I had to guess a scientist or a surgery. But
more on the first choice however."

A couple of nods came
with the silence afterwards as Ozkun came back to regroup with the rest of us.
She was panting rather heavy and seem to string her words together somehow.
With her wings folded calmly behind her and her claws spinning wildly, she
explained to us about the monster that had been released from the depths of the
basement. Set by the dolphin whom perhaps had disappeared from the story
altogether after having been found out. A surprise waved through us as fear
came back once again. For upon my order, I urged everyone to fall back and head
out. Seeing that our case here was already completed and nothing else more we should
do. Seeing that, we complied with the order and headed straight home.

For upon the arrival into
our mansion, we had already realized that it was the afternoon. The streets
behind us were busy. Filled with angry pedestrians and such that I exhaled a breath
before nodding calmly towards Ozkun and Zander. Both of which acknowledged me
before heeding to the streets to bring order towards the chaotic afternoon that
was brought to our attention. In the meanwhile, I heed up the stairs. To the
second floor where Yang was awaiting for me. She smiled upon my approached, I
waved towards her. When I stopped upon the second floor, she hugged me tightly
and I blinked at the sudden gesture. Shortly afterwards did she spoke towards
me, “How was it?" I smiled in response, “Good so far." “Great. We are going to
throw a party." I blinked at her. A bit surprise by her announcement as she
drifted passed me, heading down onto the floor below us. I watched her go with
thoughts still filling my mind as I wondered about the party and its purpose in
the next assignment.

However, lowering my
head. I just chuckled and left it all behind as I rejoin the unit downstairs.
Enjoying the short moment of peace, long before the actual plans started.