When the manager answered the phone, he found that no one had called him. He spoke, thinking it could be a connection issue, but there was no one on the other end. He returned the phone to the holder and scratched his head, confused.
"That's strange. Why did it suddenly ring when no one called?"
"Mr. Manager,"
After hearing Keaton's voice, the manager turned around and noticed him standing behind him.
"Julius has to come with me."
"W-why officer? Is there a problem? He told you all he knew."
"I think there is a bigger problem behind it. So I am taking him along."
The manager glanced over Keaton's shoulder and noticed Solus sitting in the chair with a blank expression. Before he could say anything, Solus rose without a word and approached them with calm movements.
"Let's go, officer."
Keaton did not waste any more time and left the office with Solus trailing silently behind him. There was a car parked outside, sleek and matte-black, humming faintly with energy. When they entered and sat down, the car's interface activated. It scanned their faces, confirmed their identities, and then rose from the ground to fly away, its engines barely audible.
Countless other vehicles were flying around on the virtual roads, weaving between glowing lane lines projected in midair. Most traveled in neat formations. Solus' vehicle flew in a different direction, one that was off the grid and designated for high-clearance and law enforcement travel, with no other cars in sight.
The car slowed in front of a large building and came to a stop in the parking area.
Solus stepped outside and started following Keaton inside the building. More officers in the same black and neon red uniform as Keaton were busy with their own task, typing on floating interfaces, or giving brief verbal reports to others. Some of them greeted Keaton with a nod or quick word as he passed by.
He entered an elevator with Solus next to him, and the doors closed with a hiss. As the system scanned the chamber for weapons, a silent pulse passed through it. Keaton pressed the "Lower Sector 9" button and began his descent to the lower floors.
They quickly arrived at a dimly lit, empty space with no one nearby. The space had a faint odor of sterilized metal and recycled air. Their footsteps echoed throughout the area as they approached a thick reinforced alloy door.
Keaton paused in front of it to scan his palm and eyes. The biometric scanner flashed green, and the bulky metal door slowly slid open with a deep mechanical groan, revealing a large empty room with a table in the center, bolted to the floor.
Solus entered before Keaton could speak and sat down in a chair without hesitation. There were small lights on the ceiling that illuminated the room slightly, casting long shadows across the floor. It reminded him of the prison he had been in before his execution. It was a million times more secure and powerful than that room, with thicker walls, increased surveillance, and no exits.
Keaton walked in, his footsteps echoing behind him, and sat in Solus' opposite chair. He folded his arms and leaned back slightly, his gaze narrowing as he examined the expressionless young man in front of him.
"This is the lowest section. Don't even think of escaping after messing around." Keaton spoke in a cold, emotionless tone.
"Alright."
"What did you mean when you said I should have already known about that incident?"
"I was just pointing out that you should have known it was done by someone else. Why would monsters choose to attack us? The team members have previously visited that planet and had no problems."
"Who do you think the perpetrator is?"
"How would I know? I went with them right away after meeting them. I am not sure if they had any conflicts with others."
"Since you're the only one still alive, don't you have to be the one to blame?"
"Oh, how could I do that? I was not the only one who had survived. Gaia was with me as well. It is unfortunate that she committed suicide due to the trauma."
"Why would they die right after you joined them? Doesn't that imply an evil person who calculated everything and devised the plan?
"I understand what you are trying to say, officer. But think about it: it could be someone else's idea. They were waiting for the opportunity and proceeded with the plan immediately after I joined."
"Makes sense, but you could be one of them as well."
"Who knows? Nothing can be proved without evidence."
"You speak too casually as if you have been in places like this before."
"It does not matter where you are. Regardless of the situation, one should always maintain a cool head. Panic and anger impair your reasoning and leave you vulnerable."
"I'm not sure why, but I have a strong suspicion that you are behind everything."
"If it is the officer's guess, I have got nothing to say. None of us has any evidence in our hands."
"I do."
Keaton opened a small compartment beneath the table and searched for a particular item. Solus stared at him in silence for a moment before saying, "How is your mother, officer?"
"Please, don't try to interfere with my personal information."
"My apologies for going too far, but have you found her murderer?"
Keaton stopped, his eyes widening. He slowly returned his gaze to Solus, who was smiling faintly back at him.
"How did you know about my mother's death?"
"Did I accidentally say something else? I believe you are misunderstanding something."
Keaton slammed his fist on the table. "Hey, don't play dumb with me! I clearly heard everything you said!"
"Officer, you are getting angry over nothing."
Keaton clenched his jaw, and several veins appeared on his forehead. "There are multiple cameras inside. Do you think you will be able to get away with what you said?"
"What if someone else is threatening me to say such things? What proof do you have?"
"I got proof!"
Keaton quickly returned to the compartment and pulled out a black helmet and a small device. Solus was aware that they were used for lie detection and that bypassing them was nearly impossible due to its ability to read brain signals.
"Wear it and put your hand on it."
Solus took the helmet from the table and placed it on his head without asking any questions. It was soft inside due to the cushions, and one could easily forget about it if they focused on something else. Solus then placed his right hand on top of the flat circle-shaped device and gave Keaton a calm expression.
"I will ask you some questions. If you lie, you will meet your end here."
"Understood."
"Are you the one responsible for yesterday's incident?"
Solus remained silent for a moment before responding, "No."
Kearon examined the flat device on the table, but there were no signs, indicating that Solus was telling the truth. His heart rate and other vital statistics were also displayed, and everything appeared to be normal. Keaton clenched his fist before asking the next question.
"Do you have any idea who was responsible for that incident?"
"No."
Again, the device displayed no signs. All biological information was highlighted in green, with no hint of panic or hesitation.
Keaton gritted his teeth but maintained his cool. He knew Solus was the true criminal, but he could not do anything without evidence.
"Where exactly were you when the incident happened? What direction did you approach the team from?"
"I was on top of a cargo drone with someone named Mila. She fell while attempting to defend it from the monsters. I got down after the others killed the monsters."
"You didn't hesitate to put on the lie detector. Why? Most people panic even when they're innocent."
"Like I said before, one should always remain calm in any situation."
"Why did you bring up my mother?"
"When? I just asked if you knew who murdered Gaia."
"Julius...I know you are the one behind it all. I have bad feelings about you. Did you kill my family?"
"No."
He was telling the truth.