Marshawew beckoned for Mateo to step forward. The moment he appeared, Mateo knelt before the altar, his head bowed in deep reverence.
"Your sacrifice for this month is already overdue, and I can see your fame dwindling like the setting sun. You have just seven days—seven days—to procure the intestines of a renowned woman. Fail to do so, and you will incur the wrath of Lord Ziba-Ziba," Marshawew's voice resounded, cold and commanding.
Mateo lowered his head even further and responded with submissive deference, "Yes, my Lord, I will fulfill the ritual before the seven days are up. However, I must inquire, am I the sole one who remains yet to make this sacrifice?"
"You stand alone in this matter, and let it serve as a stern warning," Marshawew replied ominously.
"Honour to Lord Ziba-Ziba," Albert Marshawew echoed, raising his rod and pointing it towards the statue of the deity.
In unison, the gathered assembly bowed their heads, offering their homage to Lord Ziba-Ziba.
* * *
Mateo felt the weight of impending events pressing heavily upon him, leaving him with no apparent recourse but to involve Mitchie. Following the successful night's concert, Trelly B was exhausted. He settled into his vehicle, instructing his driver to take him to a nearby hotel where he could rest for the night. The concert had been nothing short of spectacular, and Trelly held optimistic expectations that the upcoming performance with Mitchie would surpass even that high standard.
As the night hours ticked away, Trelly powered on his phone, which had remained switched off for several hours. A barrage of messages flooded in, but he selectively ignored all but Mitchie's. A disquieting feeling gnawed at him, signaling that something was awry. The unsettling sense of foreboding was an unfamiliar sensation, making its impact all the more pronounced.
Meanwhile, Mateo had urgently summoned Mitchie, instructing her to prepare herself as he was en route to her residence. The abrupt call caught her off guard, leaving her bewildered and anxious. "What could be happening?" Mitchie pondered aloud, hastening up the stairs to her dressing room. Angelina emerged from her room, still half-asleep, and inquired about Mitchie's unexpected departure.
"Where are you headed at this hour?" Angelina asked, curiosity evident in her voice.
"I'll return shortly, Angelina. Mateo and I have an urgent matter to attend to," Mitchie explained, while hastily dressing.
"Alright, take care," Angelina replied, yawning and stretching as she retreated back to her room.
With an aura of mystery enveloping her departure, Mitchie exited the building and securely locked the door. On her way, she encountered Lily and Rose, who were headed to their respective rooms. They inquired about her plans, and Mitchie's vague explanation left them intrigued but ultimately uninformed about the specifics.
Outside, Mateo's car was stationed, waiting for her. Mitchie entered the vehicle and took a seat beside Mateo, who had already assumed the driver's position. The car navigated through dimly lit roads flanked by thick vegetation, prompting Mitchie to voice her curiosity regarding the nature of their late-night journey.
"Why the abrupt call, and where are we headed at this hour?" Mitchie inquired, her voice tinged with curiosity and concern.
"You will be informed when we reach our destination," Mateo replied tersely, his tone carrying an unfamiliar edge of harshness. Mitchie sensed an underlying element of danger she had not encountered before, triggering a surge of fear. Could someone like Mateo truly pose a threat to her safety? Anxious thoughts began to cloud her mind.
In an effort to assuage her escalating concerns, Mitchie decided to message her friends, Angelina, Lily, and Rose, sharing her unease. Unfortunately, none of them responded. "They must be asleep by now," she reasoned. Growing increasingly uneasy, she reached out to Trelly B, apprising him of her current state of mind.
Trelly's reassuring response arrived promptly: "I believe in intuition. If you sense something is amiss, it likely is. Stay composed, and I promise to provide assistance."
As she absorbed Trelly's words, Mateo's voice sliced through the tense silence within the car. "Switch off that phone!" he ordered sharply.
"Why should I?" Mitchie retorted, her curiosity momentarily overpowering her fear.
"Switch it off, or else…" Mateo's voice trailed off ominously.
"Or else what? Mateo, please tell me. What's happening?" Mitchie pressed urgently for answers.
Evading her inquiries, Mateo seized her phone and flung it out of the car's window, where it plummeted into the water below. Then, he produced a white handkerchief soaked in a pungent substance, positioning it over Mitchie's nose. Before she could react, darkness enveloped her as she succumbed to unconsciousness.
The situation had taken a menacing turn. What fate awaited Mitchie in her compromised state?
Trelly B attempted to reach Mitchie by phone, but his calls went unanswered. A growing sense of suspicion began to take hold as he started to entertain the idea that Mateo might be involved in something nefarious. Next, he dialed Mateo's number, but despite the ringing, there was no response. His concern deepened, and after several attempts, Angelina finally answered his call. However, her voice carried the telltale signs of dizziness due to being abruptly awakened from sleep.
"Hello, who is this?" Angelina inquired.
"It's Trelly B. There's an urgent situation," Trelly explained with urgency. Angelina quickly shook off her grogginess. "I haven't been able to reach Mitchie on her phone. I fear something might have happened."
"Don't worry, nothing bad can happen. She went out with Mateo," Angelina reassured.
"That's exactly why I'm concerned. Mitchie's safety could be in jeopardy. We need to act swiftly."
"Okay, let me assess the situation and decide on the next steps."
"Great. I'll also do my best. For now, I'll end the call," Trelly said, concluding the conversation. He instructed the driver to take him home, where he ruminated on ways to uncover Mateo's intentions and rescue Mitchie from potential danger.
Upon arriving home, Trelly reached out to various inspectors, but most of them were occupied with other matters. Remembering Georgia O'Carloran, who had aided him before, he promptly got in touch with her. Fortunately, she agreed to take on the case without delay.
Georgia promptly met with Gen Dan Philips, presenting the case as an urgent matter. Trelly was fortunate that Georgia was available to take action.
"I have confidence in your skills and judgment. You have my authorization to proceed and secure the necessary resources," Trelly affirmed.
"Understood, sir. I'll do everything within my power to achieve a positive outcome. With your permission, I'll begin," Georgia affirmed, saluting Dan Philips before heading to her office. Retrieving her laptop, she sought more information about Mateo, but disappointingly, there was limited information available. Frustrated, she closed her laptop and headed to the information center.
In the information center, amidst a cluster of people engrossed in their computers, Georgia approached Eliz. She handed her a slip of paper containing the full names of Mitchie and Mateo.
"Eliz, could you assist me by checking these names?" Georgia asked.
"Just give me a few moments. I'm almost finished with my current task," Eliz replied.
"No problem," Georgia responded, though her restlessness was palpable as she considered the situation.
"I'm done. Let me share the results with you," Eliz announced. Georgia handed over the slip of paper, and Eliz promptly retrieved information about Mitchie, except for her current whereabouts. Their attempts to track Mitchie's phone yielded no success.
Turning their attention to Mateo, they inputted his details, including his address, in an attempt to track his phone. While they managed to locate his phone, it indicated he was not at home. Likewise, calls to Mitchie's phone went unanswered.
"I need to leave now. Please continue working on determining his current location and update me when you can," Georgia instructed.
"Of course, best of luck," Eliz replied.
Leaving the information center, Georgia assembled Squad A, the team she led. After briefing them on the mission, they made their way to the weapon room. Descending into the underground facility, they equipped themselves and prepared to depart. Two new officers, Patrick Richardson and Karen Cruse, had joined the squad to fill the vacancies left by Louis Boseman and David Mclintock. With their preparations complete, they exited the weapon room and boarded a waiting police vehicle. The night was cold and damp, with vehicles navigating the darkness with their headlights on, unfazed by an earlier drizzle.
En route to Mateo's house, Georgia and Squad A continued their mission. Eliz persisted in her efforts to track the location, despite apparent challenges. Throughout, Georgia remained in contact with Eliz.
Meanwhile, Mateo drove to a remote and unfamiliar area, closely observing the unconscious Mitchie, who had been incapacitated by a toxic substance. Mateo navigated through the woods until arriving at a cleared space with an old yet grand building. Despite its visual allure, the environment emanated an unsettling aura.
After parking the vehicle, Mateo carried Mitchie into the building. The interior was stark, featuring wooden flooring and a central circular cover. Placing Mitchie beside it, he revealed a passage leading to an underground expanse. Carrying Mitchie, Mateo descended into the darkness, using a light switch to illuminate his way. His journey brought him to a succession of locked doors, ultimately leading to a room resembling an operating theater. After placing Mitchie on a bed and covering her, Mateo surveyed the macabre contents of the room—skulls, bones, and bloodstains. Within an inner room, he retrieved chains to secure Mitchie.