Chapter 88: Corrupt Cop's Backroom Shop
He's in jail."
Olivia's grip on her teacup tightened, but her expression remained calm. "What charges?" she asked, her voice steady.
"Breaking the Law of Secrecy," Gen replied, almost spitting the words out. "Didn't he leave to see Count Griffin? Something isn't right. This reeks of a setup."
Olivia nodded, setting her teacup down with deliberate care. "We need to investigate. Who's spearheading the investigation? Doesn't matter. There's only one person I can think of. Let's go."
The drive to the police station was tense. Gen drummed her fingers impatiently on the steering wheel, while Olivia stared out the window, her mind working through the possibilities. She knew they had to approach this carefully. They didn't know the details and brash actions would only worsen Ezra's situation.
They arrived at the station and walked in confidently. Gen marched straight up to the desk sergeant, her bluntness on full display. "We're here to see Officer Target," she demanded.
The sergeant, taken aback by her assertiveness, pointed down the hall. "Third door on the left," he said, his voice wary.
Gen strode off, Olivia following more calmly, her eyes scanning the surroundings with careful scrutiny. They reached the office and knocked. Target opened the door, his expression turning from surprise to a sly smile.
"Well, well, if it isn't Olivia and Genesis. Pleasure to see you once again. What brings you here?" he asked, leaning against the doorframe.
"You know why we're here," Gen snapped. "What evidence do you have against Ezra?"
Target's smile widened. "Now, now, information like that doesn't come cheap."
Olivia stepped forward, her demeanor calm and composed. "We should kill you for what you did to us but..." she trailed off, leaving Target to stare uncomfortably at her, his smile faltering. "We're willing to pay for the information." Olivia stated, reaching into her bag and pulling out a thick envelope. "This should cover it."
Target smile returned full force. He took the envelope, his eyes gleaming as he thumbed through the bills. "Money does make the world go round, even for us vamps. Alright, follow me," he said, standing, before leading them to a secure room at the back of the station. "Welcome to the backroom!"
Inside, Target handed them a USB drive. "This contains the evidence we have against Ezra," he said. "But you'll need to be discreet about how you use it. It's a copy, not the original. To get the original, honestly, I don't think you can. My informant probably has more copies than I do.
It won't be vanishing anytime soon."
"We expected as much." Olivia nodded, slipping the USB into her bag. "Thank you," she said. "Now, we need to see Ezra."
Target raised an eyebrow. "That's completely against protocol. All vampires are forbidden from meeting an accused who broke the Law of Secrecy. You know that."
Olivia kept staring flatly at him as Gen scoffed beside her.
"For beautiful ladies such as yourselves, that'll cost you extra." Target grinned, rubbing his thumb and index fingers together in the universal expression for money.
Gen stepped forward, her eyes fierce. "Name your price."
Target's smirk grew wider. "Double what you just paid."
Olivia pulled out another envelope, handing it over without hesitation. "Done. Now take us to him."
"Not so fast." Target chuckled. "Gifts clear things with the boss first. I'll contact you when it's time."
"How long?" Gen asked with gritted teeth.
"Don't worry. Shouldn't be more than twenty four hours." Target sniffed the envelope with money. "And they say being a cop doesn't pay."
"We'll be back." Olivia stated and left, Gen following. As they exited the building, Gen's anger seemed to reach a boiling point.
"We can't let them get away with this," she muttered, her fists clenched.
"We won't," Olivia replied, her voice calm but filled with resolve. "But we need to be calm. Charging in headfirst to see Ezra will only get us killed or captured."
Gen took a deep breath, nodding reluctantly. "Fine. What's the plan?"
"First, we review the evidence," Olivia said as they got into the car. "Then we'll meet Ezra and figure out our next move. This isn't just about freeing Ezra. It's about finding that informat and making sure this doesn't happen again."
Back at their base, they both gathered around a laptop and plugged in the USB. The screen flickered to life, revealing the video that Target had given them. As they watched, their expressions grew grim.
"This is damning," Gen said, her voice low. "But it's also has to be fabricated. Look at the date. We were with Ezra all day on that day, were we not?"
Olivia nodded. "We can use this to our advantage. If we can prove the evidence is fake, we can turn the tables on whoever set this up."
They spent the next few hours analyzing the video, noting inconsistencies and flaws. As the sun began to rise, they had a plan in place.
"We'll need to present this evidence to Count Griffin," Olivia said. "If we can prove that Ezra was framed, he can help us force them to release him. For a price of course." She finished bitterly. There was no such thing as a free meal.
Gen's eyes gleamed with bloodlust. "And then, we'll make sure whoever did this pays."
Olivia placed a hand on her shoulder, a small smile playing on her lips. "We will."
The plan was set. Ezra must be freed.