WEDNESDAY MORNING, DARTMOOR
They woke from a sleepless night, exhausted and dirty. They took the opportunity to clean and eat and then they headed out to Dewer’s Hollow Hotel, only to rest once more and gain composition, and then go to the Baskerville complex.
At Dewer’s Hollow, they went to the small landmark of Grimpen Village, and then to the Cross Keys Inn. The place was lightly famous since that crime had been solved there, but the Relevant One and the Young Officer didn’t care. They had the life and sanity of a young girl resting on their shoulders.
They grabbed a quick meal and set off again, driving down the road to the Baskerville Complex. They entered, showing their passes. They were escorted down to an office, where they sat, waiting. The office was darkly colored and their eyes had to adjust to the light change, as before everything had been brightly lit. The walls were a dark brown with an elegant blood-red pattern on them, stopping midway at a black wooden baseboard. The floor was carpeted with a rich, almost shag, and dark red material. The Relevant One, being a woman, immediately thought that it would be a terror to clean.
The desk in which they were sitting in front of was a well-polished cherry oak wood, and it had a nameplate in pure, reflective gold on it, surrounded in the same wood as the desk. The chair was plush and black, with armrests that had spruce on them. The desk itself had only an intercom, empty pencil cup, and lamp on the surface. They both assumed that everything else was hidden in compartments behind the desk. There were cabinets behind them. Two metal, black, and quite average file cabinets with three drawers each, like you would see in any office. Though, in this office, they seemed out of place and simple against the other décor. There was only one wall hanging, and it was behind the desk. It was framed in an elegant silver border that was simple and beautiful. It shone with the metallic luster you would expect to see only from fresh, unhandled jewelry. The painting inside, however, was nothing short of magnificent. It showed a full-body portrait of a Revolutionary-War-era officer. He was dressed handsomely in the brilliant scarlet coat and royal buttons. His face was proud and shameless as he stood on top of a mossy rock, a British flag in one hand and in the other, a blade. Behind him was a battlefield with dead bodies clad in navy blue coats scattered in every direction. Abandoned weapons and clothing were among the bodies as well. The sky was heavily and darkly clouded, but a few rays were breaking through, just to shine on the officer. The image made both of them extremely uneasy and made them felt as if the person who owned it, hated America, and was still bitter about the war. It was of brilliant quality, but they hated it already.
A man came in not too long after they had arrived and went to his chair without a single word. The Relevant One and Young Officer stood out of respect, but he signaled for them to sit again before he had even fully turned around to face them. He turned around, turning on the lamp when he finally did. He leaned forward on his elbows, folding his hands on the desk in front of him. He looked at both of them in turn, assessing them, looking them down. He noted the computer bag at the Relevant One’s side and then looked back up to meet their eyes. He greeted them formally and they did the same, still greatly intimidated. He liked it that way, he was powerful, and he tended to use that against people. He asked them what their business was, and immediately, the Relevant One reached for the laptop and began explaining everything quick fire and not making much sense as she did so. He stopped her, telling her to calm down and begin again, but slower. The Relevant One apologized and set down the laptop again. She started from the beginning.
When she was done, He sat back in his chair, astounded, worried, and most of all desperate to help the girl. With His permission, the Relevant One pulled up the email conversations. He read through them, growing pale when the girl revealed herself and her situation. He immediately asked how he could help. The Relevant One told him that he, as an old official for the Videns Organization, could get into old records and look for a way out for her. He instantly obliged and pulled out a very simple-looking desktop. Before he began, he took one look at the partners’ old, clunky laptop and ordered a new, slim, fast, modern one for both of them, as well as brand-new smart phones to help them in their search for the girl. They were hesitant about the new technology, but then went to complete confusion when He said that they were going to go and get the girl. He confirmed that it was what he had said and began on His computer. The partners looked at each other in doubt. They asked him why they were to find the girl, when the instructions of the Trials clearly said that the subject was to stay in the same place that the Trial was initiated. He replied with a confirmation that he was aware of the situation, and said that the instructions of the Trials never said that people couldn’t help the subject.
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