Chapter Text
**Belle's POV:**
“Hello, Belle. I'm at the crime scene. So far, the police have found no tracks left by the two escapees, and the scene inside is... well, very gory. They’ve essentially hit a dead end.”
“I see. It really makes you question the quality of the work the police are doing. Clearly, they aren’t doing enough. So tell me, Ashley, has anything been stolen aside from the vehicles?”
“Well, they didn’t just take a military vehicle—they also stole numerous weapons: guns, gunpowder, bombs, and other extremely dangerous items that could cause massive damage to the city. They even took back their old weapons that were confiscated by the government, along with a computer. The police are focusing on tracking down the computer instead.”
“Wow, that’s a lot. Thank you so much for joining us, Ashley. To all the citizens out there, I recommend staying indoors as much as possible. Who knows what these two might have planned for our city? Please report any suspicious activities to the police. It really makes you question the competence of our mayor and the police force. Are they even aware of what’s going on? And if they are, why can’t they do anything about it? Anyway, that’s all for today’s crime report. Now, moving on to the most recent scandal involving our beloved mayor... Wait… this isn’t… my script. Please call in the next reporter! Let me just get my laptop really quick...”
Just as I was about to turn on my laptop, the power went out. Not just my laptop—*all* the power in the building. The room was plunged into darkness, not a single light or computer was on.
*Oh no. The power’s out. How am I supposed to do my job now?* What if that guy from earlier is here?! I can’t die yet!
“Don’t worry, everyone. I’ve called an electrician. The problem is being solved as we speak.”
I turned around, heading slowly to a more secluded, quiet area, trying to collect my thoughts about this strange blackout. I loosened my grip on the computer, rubbing my temples, and sat down on the nearest elevated surface—*I mean, it’s so dark and I’m so tired. Of course, I’m going to sit wherever I can, right?*—and let go of my worries for a moment.
Oddly enough, the smell of freshly printed paper hit me. I relaxed, appreciating the sudden calm that settled over me. I drifted into a daydream about eating cheese, passing out in my attic from eating bad cheese, then finding a music box that transported me to a kingdom full of blue fairies. I ended up in front of a super hot fairy queen, who sent me on a quest.
The lights flickered back on, and I squinted at the sudden brightness that brought the room back to life. I reached for my computer to continue working—*Wait… WHERE'S MY COMPUTER?*
“Guys! My computer is missing. My script is gone! Has anyone seen it?!”
“Is it this one?” asked a guy I barely remembered worked here, flailing his hands to get my attention. I heaved a sigh of relief as I walked off-camera to retrieve it.
As I resumed my work, I realized slowly that someone had tampered with my script. But with all the delays that had happened today, I decided not to mention it and just keep going. Otherwise, I might actually get fired this year.
Muttering to myself, I decided that after work, I would have to investigate these “coincidences.” The sushi shop that’s been trending in the office seemed like a good place to start. I could investigate the situation while enjoying a good meal—a perfect way to kill two birds with one stone.
As I thought about the changes in the script, I realized most of the edits were related to the police and the mayor. I was certain the tampering happened during the short nap I’d taken. But how?
As I walked into the sushi shop, the annoying bell above the door chimed, “RING RING.” I noticed a familiar figure sitting in the corner, deep in discussion with someone. I decided not to disturb them and took a seat nearby.
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