Elemorts

Chapter IX - Florinok II

It was a lovely, sunny morning with no sign of even a wisp of a cloud. The sun peeked from above the forest canopy, and its light flitted through the tree branches and trunks, casting shadows every which way. A slight, cool breeze teased the leaves.

All sorts of animal noises could be heard above the leaves' rustling and the gushing Unzayi River. Florinok could identify chirping crickets, singing warblers, and the chattering of what she assumed were monkeys. There were some other creepy sounds she could not tell what animal could be making.

She stood outside her van at the roadside. The road itself led into the Malorawa Forest, and a checkpoint was set up across the entrance. Several police officers stood around the barricade with red-and-pink firearms in holsters. With their immaculate camo uniforms, they might as well have been the army.

"I think it's them," her security guard, Bolho, said, pointing in the opposite direction of the road.

She turned her head and watched as, in the distance, a van wound its way through the surrounding rolling, green fields, the cityscape looming in the background. The Unzayi River, originating from the Great Unzayi Lake, emerged from the forest and snaked its way through the fields to bisect the city into two.

Soon enough, as the van crested a furrow, Florinok could make out the satellite dish on its roof, its red and white body, and the letters in large, bold font — Scope News.

The officers at the checkpoint shifted around, unnerved. That's right, Florinok thought. You are about to be in the news.

The news van pulled up a few feet from the checkpoint. Simultaneously, Florinok, her team, and a couple of police officers started for it.

Promptly, a woman with long brown curls with a headset affixed to her ear got out of the van.

"Ma'am, you need to clear this area," a police officer with a guttural voice and a mop of black hair peeking out of his cap declared.

"This area too?" Florinok asked innocently. "Isn't she outside the forest?"

"You must be Florinok Lephyte?" the reporter said, turning to Florinok.

"Yes, I am. Thank you for coming. And you are?"

"Loress Wenerly, from Scope News." The reporter pressed a button on a device hanging from her neck, resembling an old-fashioned camera. Its lens parted, and a camera drone took flight from inside and hovered in the air.

"Ma'am, seriously, you need to stop with that—" the police officer said, putting up a hand in front of the camera drone.

"It's not on yet," Loress retorted. "So, Ms. Lephyte, you said you are being denied access?"

Florinok fished out a folded document from a pocket in her jumpsuit. She had dressed for the forest in a short-sleeved and thigh-length, lime safari jumpsuit with multiple green pockets in which she had stuffed an assortment of equipment. She also wore matching boots and a hat.

She unfolded the document and held it out for Loress to see. "This is a lease for a patch in the heart of the Malorawa Forest, awarded to Curavez Pharmaceuticals, signed by the Karomozian Government," Florinok spoke out. "As you can see, there are still five days left in this contract."

The reporter took the document from Florinok's hand and studied it. "However, Quinns Furnishings has seemingly conspired with the Karomozian Government," Florinok continued. "And has already seized control of not only the patch in question but apparently the entire forest with help from local police. According to the contract, they may not commence their operation before the lease is over, but here we are, being unlawfully denied access to the forest."