Assassinated: The Lost City

Girl Detective

There came a soft knock on the door. "Come in," I mumbled. Cam entered and sat beside me with a hand on my shoulder.

"Hey," She said. "Is everything alright?"

"Oh yeah, everything is just fine." I said lightly throwing my hands in the air to block out the sound of my heart hammering. Cam bit her lip.

"I will help. You know that right?"

"I know." I rested my head on her shoulders and brought up my knees. "It's just, why would my parents hide anything from me?"

"They just want to protect you."

"Protect me? Oh please. They just put me in a damn situation that I don't know how to get out of." I rubbed my eyes.

Cam glanced toward my phone. "Any luck?"

I lifted my head from her shoulder and sat up straight. I was still processing what just happened. I wanted to tell Cameron but it was all so complicated and my mind was still unravelling each thread of theories it unknowingly formed. "My mom picked up." I went silent after that. I could feel Cameron's shock, so visceral and her eyes growing wide.

"What did she say?" Cam carefully placed her words, her voice tinged with apprehension.

"She said that they had to go to work. It was urgent. That I should stay safe and never stay alone." I said it all monotonously without a pause. Like I just had to get the words out before I forget to tell Cam the important parts.

"So-so they're good?" When she didn't get a reply from me, she nodded and patted my thigh. "They're good. Alright, you have nothing to worry about. You can stay over here for a couple of days while you wait for things to settle down." She sounded sceptical.

I stared at the floor. Ironically, my mind was blank when just a few minutes ago it was piecing together all the clues. But what clues did I have anyway?

"What did they mean by never stay alone?" Cam asked suddenly. I looked at her. She had that face where she was very curious and had put her thinking cap on.

"I need to go back to my house." I whispered. I packed my stuff in the canvas bag and grabbed my jacket off the coat rack. "I have to go find my parents."

"Hold on." Cameron stood up abruptly and paced. "Didn't you say your neighbours were missing?"

I stared at her. "Yeah," Then realization dawned upon me. "Should I go check out their house?"

Cameron turned to me, a dark look passing over her features. "I was going to suggest it but that would be dangerous and illegal. You'd be trespassing. I mean, it is a crime scene under investigation, right? Wouldn't you be contaminating the crime scene?"

I thought for a moment. Then I gave her a tight smile.

Two hours later....

I was running with Heather towards the woods. "What are you doing?" I screamed, my voice like metal being scraped. "We have to go back in case they come for us!" I yelled after her, the veins in my neck popping out but she ignored me. I vaguely saw her chasing two people wearing black robes. Suddenly, one of them jumped onto a log and pounced off it like a trampoline. He landed a few feet further from us. His insane ability had earned him a couple of good forward strides making it harder for her to catch them; if that was what she planned to do. My eyes widened and I pumped more energy into my legs. Refusing to leave Heather in this mad chase, knowing that every second was precious, I ran as fast as my legs could carry me.

One hour earlier.....

I told Cameron to stay home and be ready to pick us up if we ever got into trouble. Then I texted Heather to meet me in front of my house. I had my canvas bag filled with surgical gloves, torchlights and shower caps to hide traces from the soles of our shoes. I know this all seems a little too well planned. But as I said, I had a knack for solving cases so you can count on me to be prepared for a hunt. When Heather arrived, I apprehensively unlocked the door of my house and entered. I went to their room first and was astounded. The bed was neatly made but a few magazines on their bedside table were shuffled. Their personal belongings remained on the dressing table which was strange. I knew my parents. Wherever they went, they would never leave without their....car keys? How'd they go to work without their car? And in the wee hours of the morning? I grabbed the keys from the dressing table and raced to our garage. I fiddled with the car keys in my fingers, fearful to open the garage door and discover that the car was still parked inside. I breathed in and flicked the switch to open the garage door. The high-pitched squeaking of the garage door opening added to my nerves. Believe me when I say it could not have opened more slowly at this moment.