CHAPTER 50: ONLY CHANCE

Edward sank into the chair, letting the weight of the last two weeks press down on him. Every failed inquiry, every closed door, every forced smile from a townsperson—it all made sense now. They had been watched. Every step they took, every question they asked. Every attempt at uncovering the truth—it all failed by design, crumbling before it could even begin.

His gaze returned to the soldier who shifted uneasily across from him, hands restless against his knees. He glanced at the walls and windows as if paranoid that someone could be watching him at this very moment, shadows in the corners stretching longer than they should.

"I need to know everything you know," Edward said, snapping the soldier away from his paranoia.

The soldier swallowed hard, straightening in his chair. "I... I couldn’t come sooner. It wasn’t my turn to keep watch over you until now. But I’ve observed the new chief carefully."

Edward’s gaze sharpened. "Go on."

"For the past two weeks," the soldier began, his voice steadying as he spoke, "I noticed a pattern. Every night, nearly the same hour, Auren leaves his office. Always alone, always in plain clothes, moving through the back streets. I think he purposefully avoids the main roads, he tries to avoid being seen."

Edward’s mind immediately began cataloguing the implications. His thoughts raced for an answer. A secret meeting? Backhanded dealings? Supplies moved under the cover of the night? His pulse quickened with each possibility.

"Where does he go?" Edward pressed.

The soldier shook his head, frowning.

"I don’t know exactly. The streets are well-guarded. He has people everywhere these days. Soldiers patrol every alley and side path. If I follow too closely, I risk being noticed... those who get on his bad side seem to disappear." The soldier paused for a moment, as if recalling a sour memory before continuing.

"But the route is consistent, and he doesn’t return until dawn is near. Something is happening—something he doesn’t want the town to see, I’m sure of it!"

Edward lingered in silence for a moment, letting the soldier’s words settle. The implications were clear. Following the chief tonight would be dangerous, but it might be their only chance to uncover the truth. The last two weeks were ruthless, no leads, no evidence to follow. Just cold trail after cold trail, suffocating their progress.

If they could tail him unnoticed, everything might finally start to fall into place.

"The surveillance..." Edward began cautiously, "how long is each watch?"

"Twelve hours. Either from noon until midnight, or from midnight until noon," the soldier replied.

Edward’s eyes narrowed. "And what time does the chief leave his office?"

"An hour before midnight." the soldier replied with confidence.

Edward’s jaw tightened. They didn’t have much time to work with. Just enough to follow Auren, but far from being enough to return to the townhouse before the change.

"When is your next watch?" Edward asked after a moment of thought.

The soldier hesitated, frown creasing across his face.

"Weeks... maybe months. They rotate the guards deliberately to avoid raising suspicion. I never seen same person keep watch twice... There’s a chance the answer could be never..."

Edward’s mind calculated the narrow window. "I see... that means tonight is our only chance."

The soldier’s eyes widened.

"Tonight? You can’t make it back in time! I’m only here until midnight. If you’re even a second late, they’ll know something’s wrong!"

"That’s why I’ll need you to create a distraction," Edward said, voice steady and even.

"I follow the chief—see where he’s going, who he’s meeting. When I return, you draw attention away so I can slip back in without being seen."

The soldier hesitated, the weight of Edward’s plan pressing down. "It’s risky... if I draw attention, someone could—"

"You’ll manage," Edward interrupted firmly. "You have to. There’s no other way. This is the only chance we have to see where he goes."

The soldier exhaled slowly, nodding. "I... I’ll do it. It’s the least I can do for Chief Warren."

Edward inclined his head. "Now... tell me everything you know about when the chief leaves. Every step he takes, every corner, every turn. I need to know it all."

The soldier nodded and began recounting every detail he had observed. The hours stretched on as he mapped the chief’s nightly routine, noting patrol patterns, hidden side paths, and precise timings. Edward absorbed everything, scribbling mental notes, weighing risks, and calculating possibilities.

An hour later, they were finally done.

Aeris, who had remained quietly behind the corner, now shared the shadowed space with Seraphine, her eyes wide and alert. Both women had listened to every word, every nuance. The stagnation of the past two weeks had left them weary, but now, with a plan in motion, they felt a renewed spark of purpose.

Edward remained seated in silence, letting the weight of the information settle down. He already knew the strategy. He would leave an hour and a half before midnight, tail the chief through the city, uncover where he went, then return to the townhouse. The soldier would stage the diversion, and Edward would slip inside undetected.

"I—I should get back to my post," the soldier said finally, rising from the chair. "If anyone comes to check, our plan will fail."

Edward nodded and stood to escort him to the door. As they passed the dining room threshold, the soldier froze, eyes widening. Two figures stood partially hidden behind the corner—Aeris and Seraphine. Color drained from his face as he realized Edward wasn’t alone.

Edward raised a hand reassuringly. "They’re with me. You’re safe."

The soldier’s tense shoulders relaxed slightly, and he offered a nervous nod.

Then, without another word, he slipped out the door and disappeared into the quiet street beyond.

The click of the closing door echoed through the townhouse, and when it did, Aeris turned immediately to Edward.

"So..." she began, her voice soft but wary, "do you think we can trust him?"

Edward shrugged, his expression unreadable. "I guess we’ll find out tonight."