nagpurpolice Chapter 34: Big Plans
Chapter 34: Big Plans
Chapter 34: Big PlansFor a long moment, Bryan was completely silent. His face, usually showing a mocking smile, was blank. Then, his expression twisted into anger. His eyes narrowed into slits, and he glared fiercely at Billy.
"That mission," Bryan growled, his voice low and dangerous, "was not our mission. It belonged to the Roland Kingdom. Remember that." He spat the words out, clearly furious that Billy seemed to be taking responsibility for the failure.
Billy flinched slightly under Bryan’s glare. He nervously ran a hand through his messy black hair, looking stressed. "But, Captain," Billy argued, his voice less confident now, "they gave us the job of setting everything up! We found the assassins, gave them the poison, helped them get into the palace... How is that not our mission too, in a way?"
Before Bryan could explode again, the third man in the room finally spoke. This was Oliver, the middle-aged Syndicate operative who seemed calmer and older than both Bryan and Billy. He had been leaning against the stone wall, quietly observing. Now, he pushed himself off the wall and stepped forward slightly.
"Enough, both of you," Oliver said, his voice calm but firm, cutting through the tension. He looked first at Billy, then at Bryan.
"Billy, calm down. Bryan is correct. Officially, that mission was contracted by Roland Kingdom, using Karlos as the middleman. Our part in it ended the moment we connected Karlos with those specific assassins." He waved a dismissive hand.
"Whether that particular assassination succeeded or failed... it doesn’t directly concern the Spider Syndicate’s primary objectives."
Oliver paused, his gaze sharpening as he looked directly at Billy again. "What does concern us is the real reason you were sent to the capital. Did you gather the intelligence we actually needed? Forget the failed assassination for a moment."
A small smile touched Billy’s lips, chasing away some of his nervousness. He straightened up slightly. "Don’t worry, Oliver," he said, sounding more confident now. "I got everything. All the information we were looking for." He tapped the side of his head. "And that’s why I told you about the failed mission first. Because that failure? It’s actually a crucial piece of intel for us. It directly impacts whether our own mission here succeeds or fails."
Bryan stopped glaring and looked at Billy with confusion mixed with his remaining anger. "What are you talking about?" he demanded impatiently. "Stop talking in riddles. Tell us the whole story. Now."
Billy took a deep breath, organizing his thoughts. "Alright," he began, speaking clearly now.
"Here’s the situation. A few hours ago, I received a coded message from our contacts inside the palace walls in the capital. The attempt on Prince Eric’s life failed completely. Not only did he survive, but the assassin was captured."
He paused for effect. "And the assassin talked. The Royal Family now knows for certain that Sir Karlos orchestrated the attack and betrayed the kingdom."
Bryan frowned, still looking confused. He scratched his bald head. "Okay... so the King knows Karlos is a traitor. Karlos already fled. How does any of that help us? Sounds like the King will just be more careful now."
Billy leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "That’s the key, Bryan! Because the King knows Karlos betrayed him – one of his most trusted nobles – he’s completely lost trust in all the nobles!" Billy’s voice grew more animated. "He’s paranoid now. He thinks there could be more traitors hiding among the noble families. So, guess what he did?"
Billy didn’t wait for an answer. "The King called an emergency meeting late last night. And he announced a kingdom-wide crackdown! He has ordered a full investigation of every single noble family in the entire kingdom!"
As Billy said the last words, both Bryan’s and Oliver’s eyes widened in shock. They stared at Billy, then at each other.
"Investigate everyone?" Oliver breathed out, disbelief clear on his face. "Has the King gone mad? That will cause chaos! The nobles will never stand for it quietly!"
"I don’t know if he’s mad," Billy replied, shrugging slightly. "But my contact said the King seemed deeply shaken by Karlos’s betrayal. He looked furious and suspicious of everyone in that meeting hall. It seems he’s decided to burn the whole forest down just to find the few rotten trees."
A slow smile spread across Oliver’s face as he processed this incredible news. The shock faded, replaced by a look of cunning calculation. "Madness?" he murmured, almost to himself. Then he looked up, his eyes shining. "Perhaps. But for us... this isn’t madness. This is a golden opportunity!"
Bryan and Billy looked at Oliver, confused for a moment, then realization slowly dawned on their faces as well. They watched Oliver intently, waiting for him to explain.
"Think about it!" Oliver said, starting to pace back and forth in the small room, his energy suddenly filling the space. "The King is about to turn his entire attention, and the attention of his Royal Guards and most loyal troops, inwards. He’s going to spend weeks, maybe months, digging through every noble family’s business,
But before Roald could finish his sentence and potentially upset the Prince by reminding him of the trauma, Eric interrupted him. Eric smiled brightly, a genuine, easy smile that seemed to dismiss any lingering fear from the night before.
"Don’t worry about it, Roald," Eric said cheerfully. "I’m perfectly fine! And actually, I was just about to get ready." He stood up fully from the bed, stretching slightly. "I’m heading to the training grounds. I wouldn’t miss my morning practice for anything!"
Roald’s worried expression immediately vanished, replaced by a wide, happy smile. Relief washed over his face. "Oh! That’s wonderful, Your Highness!" he exclaimed, clearly pleased. "I knew you wouldn’t let something like that stop you! I knew you wouldn’t skip your training!"
Eric smiled back, appreciating Roald’s confidence in him, even if he himself still felt confused about everything that had happened. He felt... strangely okay, despite the memories of danger.