Neutral Through Chaos

Chapter 11: A False Accusation

The sunlight stung my eyes as I sat up in an unfamiliar room. Confusion filled my foggy brain. My blurry vision focused to see white sheets covering me, I looked down and saw I was in a hospital gown. Something was off about the room I was in, it felt clinical and cold. Everything was white and spotless, the translucent curtains drawn. Undeniably, I was in a hospital wing of sorts. Last night's memories came flooding back to me at a rapid pace. I wondered if that girl that I had rescued was okay, and also what further damage Jinx had caused to this place.

"You're awake, trencher," came a terribly familiar voice.

"Marcus," I muttered, looking to the corner of my room.

He sat on a side sofa, hands clenched together and glaring. He had certainly aged and was a lot different from the young enforcer I had encountered nearly a decade ago. It was such a distant memory.

"Long time no see, nice moustache," I mused, "Congrats on the promotion too."

It had been so long since that fateful night. This man had had mercy on me, but not on Vi. I needed to know what happened to her, even if it was painful to hear. Marcus glowered at me, not taking my mockery well.

"This is serious stuff y/n, so you'd better wipe that smug look off your face," he spat, "I shouldn't have left you that night, I knew you were a danger to society from the get go. Grayson trusted you, and you pulled this."

So he thought the criminal was me. This was bad, this man was the sheriff, I could be locked away at the simple wave of a hand.

"It wasn't me, I was trying to salvage the mess that the real culprit caused," I finally said.

"Oh yeah? So what were you doing creeping about topside during the Progress Day speech?" he questioned, hands now digging into the sides of the sofa.

Quickly, I had to formulate a story in my brain that would be convincing while simultaneously not incriminating Jinx. I would have to be fast on my feet.

"I was sitting across the river, I just got my jobs done for the day you see and wanted to catch a glimpse of the Progress Day fireworks," I lied smoothly, "Then I saw smoke. I ran over to the scene to see what was happening, that's when there was an explosion. I found an enforcer girl on the ground and dragged her away. You found me with her right? Ask her about it."

Marcus looked surprised, my story had been quite the convincing one. However, there was a flaw in it; my clear lack of motives.

"And why exactly would you want to help anyone up here?" he sneered, "For a trencher like you that's out of character."

"I don't know, I was bored I guess and wanted to see the source of commotion. Didn't think I'd get caught up in it," I replied quickly.

He seemed at a loss for words, then he finally broke the deafening silence.

"You're our only suspect, no one else will believe you. You being at the scene of crime is evidence enough, I don't care if you're innocent," he snarled.

My heartbeat quickened at the corrupt man's words, I couldn't be going to prison, this was complete madness. He was a disgusting person, who only cared about how he appeared to the council. I couldn't help but imagine how many others had been falsely imprisoned at Marcus's command.

Then, it struck me. Something that I could weaponise was on my side, unbeknownst to him. I had heard that a certain crime lord had the enforcers wrapped around his fingers, of course he would have connections with the new sheriff. Marcus would undoubtedly jump at a chance of further control.

"Silco," I declared, "I work for him, you don't want to bring him into this do you? Who knows what could happen."

Marcus's eyes widened in horror, this was clearly a piece of information which he hadn't heard of. Again, I had outsmarted this man. It was too easy to find his weaknesses.