"I’ve already enrolled Philo in a boarding school," Dolope said with a hint of pride as she addressed Alex and Arwen, both of whom had paid her a visit at her shop.
Then, she added. "As for Hermione, she’s still too young, so I plan on bringing her along with me to the shop. At least that way I wouldn’t have to worry about her being home alone."
"That’s good to hear," Alex remarked with a smile.
"It’s all thanks to you, Sir Smith," Dolope said. "My husband would be able to rest easy knowing that his girls are doing well."
After a bit more back and forth, Alex finally got to the reason he had taken the time to visit her.
"Well, there is one," Dolope replied after he’d asked if there were any problems plaguing the lower districts.
"Pray tell," Alex remarked as he leaned forward in his chair.
Taking a moment to look around, ensuring that they were alone, Dolope began. "There have been rumors of kidnappings."
"It’s been going on for a while now."
"And no one bothered to report it?" Arwen couldn’t help but chip in.
Dolope sighed. "To be honest, we had no idea until last night."
"What do you mean?" Alex asked.
"Before last night, it was random beggars and troublemakers that were being taken. At that time, we thought they moved away to another district."
"Last night, they took Theoron," Dolope muttered with Alex furrowing his brows.
"The old man over at the twenty-seventh?"
"Unfortunately." Dolope nodded with a sad look. "His daughter, Melita, was the one who sounded the alarm. Since then, we discovered that those individuals we thought had moved districts were nowhere to be found. Almost like they were taken, just like Theoron."
Alex glanced at Arwen, with the latter meeting his gaze.
"Where is Melita now?" Alex asked.
"I heard she planned on reporting to the upper districts today to try and see if she can get the task force to look into her father’s kidnapping. Of course, we all know what would come out of that."
"I’ll head over now and see if I can get an audience with her," Alex said as he got to his feet.
"Alright then." Dolope nodded, but then, with a cautious tone, she added. "You should be careful with this one, Sir Smith, it might be dangerous."
Alex furrowed his brows. "Is there something you aren’t telling me?"
"Well..." Dolope trailed off, taking a moment to look around before continuing. "There are rumors that the kidnappings are being carried out by a cult, and this cult might be affiliated with those snobbish fellows from the upper districts. If that truly is the case, then I’d advise you to be careful. I do not wish for you to fall into harm while trying to do good."
Alex managed a smile as he replied. "I understand. I’ll be careful."
With that, Alex took his leave of the shop with Arwen’s followers closely behind.
"What do you think?" Alex asked once they were far enough from the shop.
Taking a moment to gather her thoughts, Arwen replied with an excited look on her face. "We might have just found our hundredth problem."
"Indeed." Alex nodded in agreement.
"Get out of here and don’t you dare to come back!"
A young lady, no older than twenty-five with coppery skin and reddish brown hair, dressed in a dark green gown with sandals, was shoved out of the task force building by two burly members of the task force, with a third one being the person who spoke, his tone exceedingly harsh.
The girl fell to the ground, dirtying her dress and bruising her hands in the process, but even with that, she didn’t stay down and instead jumped right back to her feet, her gaze filled with fury at the injustice she’d just experienced.
"How can you call yourselves protectors of Sklaviunt if you won’t even listen to my pleas?... I told you my father is missing and needs to be found, yet you kicked me out. What wrong have I done that I should be treated ?" She questioned, further earning the ire of the task force members, with the one who earlier spoke not hesitating to pull out his baton.
"It seems if I don’t teach you a lesson, you won’t learn to close that filthy mouth of yours!" The man remarked as he closed the distance between himself and the lady while raising his baton with the intent to beat her with it.
The lady shielded her face from the incoming brutality, but even after several seconds had passed, she felt no pain, prompting her to drop her guard, allowing her to discover a broad back covered by a jacket standing right in front of her.
Then, a familiar voice was heard. "I doubt that’s any way to treat a woman, officer."
"Who the hell do you think you are to stand in my way?... Don’t you know I can arrest you right now!"
"Obstructing justice!" The man loudly replied, confident in his words.
Managing a smile, Alex said nothing more, merely shoving the baton back before turning to regard the lady.
"I doubt your father would be happy that you went around picking fights you can’t win, Melita." Alex calmly said to the lady, or rather, Melita, responding.
"Come, let’s leave this place," Alex said.
Unfortunately, the man with the baton was not agreeable to letting things rest as he remarked. "So you are John Smith!"
Alex glanced back at him. "Happy to make your acquaintance."
"The pleasure is all mine." The man said before addressing his subordinates. "Cuff him!"
"On what grounds?" Alex asked with a raised brow.
"You are under suspicion for disrupting public peace."
"Now you are just reaching."
The man snorted. "If not for you, those scum from the lower districts wouldn’t have the audacity to stage protests against the upper districts."
"This is a whole bunch of nonsense!" Melita chipped in from behind Alex.
The man snorted. "Tell it to the judge. Cuff him!"
The two task force officers who had thrown Melita out immediately moved to do as their superior ordered, with Alex contemplating his best course of action.