The Killer Queen

Malvina clutched Ulrich’s hand as they sprinted through the sprawling estate of Larson. Ulrich, with a backward glance to ensure they weren’t being followed, never forgot to express his concern for her, “Did you find what you were looking for?”

“Yeah, just some trinkets. Not worth getting you into this mess with me!” Property belongs to Nôvel(D)r/ama.Org.

“Zip it and run.”

They zigzagged their way towards the curb, finally got rid of the tail of bodyguards, and hopped into a waiting taxi.

Without questioning the convenient placement of the cab, Ulrich buckled up and instructed, “To Serene Haven, please!”

The driver, Alioth, sporting sunglasses and a casual demeanor, flicked away a piece of chewing straw and started the meter with a nod, “Hang tight and here we go.”

As the taxi sped off, a parade of cars sparked a chase, their tires screeching against the pavement.

Only when they entered the safety of the second ring road under the vigilant eyes of the security cameras did Ulrich finally relax, though his brow soon furrowed with suspicion.

“Hey, are you a proper taxi driver?” he asked.

The slick maneuvers they’d just witnessed weren’t something Ulrich was confident he could match.

Alioth adjusted his cap and pulled down his mask slightly, pointing to his ID badge on the dashboard.

“I used to race cars professionally, old habits die hard. Sorry for the show!

Ulrich scanned the QR code on the badge with his phone, only easing up when he saw that the driver’s profile did indeed list a retired professional racer from a well–known team.

“No offense, you’re a great driver, I’ll be sure to leave a good review”

“Thanks, I appreciate that.”

The Pollack family was cautious, but so was the Polaris Star. The real taxi driver was currently dozing in the trunk, and the credentials Alioth had on display were fabricated by Polaris Star.

Once Ulrich had scanned them, any future attempts to revisit the page would lead to a dead end– secure and untraceable.

With the driver confirmed as no threat, Ulrich called Jasper to discuss their findings at the Pollack estate.

Aliath, with an earpiece keeping him updated, relayed everything back Noella.

Jasper suggested, “Larson is bold, but this isn’t something he can manage with his network and skills. Il dig into his company and trouble him alongside this.”

“Alright, I’ll talk to our brother later” Ulrich said.

Beckett was currently dining with Noella and he even didn’t get the call.

Upon arriving at Serene Haven, Ulrich used his face ID to graft the taxi entry, and they pulled up to the front of the Schnabel Manor After settling the fare, they disembarked.

Alioth watched Ulrich and Malvina walk away, then spokes

Noella, reassured, ended the call.

Fihto his comms, “Boss, the package is delivered safely.”

Stepping inside, Sienna caught sight of Ulrich’s dishevelled appearance and Malvina trailing behind him. She let out a piercing scream.

Hands shaking, Sienna pointed at Ulrich’s tattered clothes and Malvina’s flushed face.

“Ulrich, what on earth have you been up to?”

Ulrich watched her with his puzzled eyes, “Huh? Nothing much.”

Sienna was on the verge of panic, fearing the worst thing was happening. “Go change! You look like a mess. People might think you’ve been up to some weird performance art or something… she muttered

Only then did Ulrich notice his state and hurried upstairs to change.

Sienna, now gripping Malvina’s hand, looked both conflicted and anxious, “Malvina, sweetheart, he… he didn’t mistreat you, did he?”

Malvina, confused, shook her head, “No, Dr. Schnabel was very kind.”

“Oh, good, that’s good. So, when are you moving in with us at the Schnabel estate to keep me company?”

“Uh, I don’t think that’s appropriate”

But Sienna settled the matter merily, “Nonsense. It’s perfect. Noella will be off to college soon, and Elara’s hardly home. I could use a daughter–in–law, um, daughter around. It’ll be convenient for you to stay here!”

10:26

[Chapter

But deep down, if her suspicions were correct and her son had indeed done something disgraceful, they owed it to the girl to make things right.

Sienna couldn’t help but feel excited–was she about to gain a daughter–in–law?

Imperial University.

Beckett’s car pulled up to the university entrance, “Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you?”

As Noella stepped out she declined Beckett’s offer, “Master Rainer Invited me: it’s probably nothing major. You go ahead with your work.”

Til come pick you up later. Give me a call when you’re ready.”

“Will do.”

After checking again and again, Beckett drove off with his mind preoccupied with the incident at the Larson estate.

F3 5 21 2

Palmer had already been summoned home by the head of the family, and Beckett had his hands full. Once he’d dropped Noella off, he humed back to the office.

As Noella walked to her designated meeting spot with Master Rainer she tapped the communicator at her ear.

Mizar’s voice came through, “Boss, I’m in the auditorium with Master Rainer. Larson’s been in touch with Lorne.”

“Business dealings?”

“Seems so, but my gut tells me there’s more to it. They seem to call each other too many times compared to the frequency of their cooperation. Neither Larson nor Lome strike me as the type to call a buddy for a midnight chat.” Mizar shrugged and continued. “Besides, their ages didn’t quite add up. They were neither like long–lost brothers, nor did they have the rapport of a father and son duo, nor the quirky chemistry of a couple of love–struck pups. It was clear that beyond the business facade, they probably had other, more personal matters to share.”

Faced with Mizar’s blunt and simplistic way of thinking. Noella was momentarily silent.

“You should experiment more with reality and cut down on the weird stuff. She concluded.

As the school year approached, the campus was already bustling with students.

The sound of wheels trailed behind Noella, and a slightly impatient male voice interrupted her thoughts. An electric wheelchair halted in front of her.

“Excuse me, do you know how to get to the auditorium?”

The man in the wheelchair was clad in a British–style shirt, his cufflinks a perfect match to his outfit. His face was pale and sickly, yet there was an oddly fitting aura of broken elegance about him, and the corners of his mouth held a gentle, scholarly smile.

Just like that, he caught the attention of many passersby.

Noella arched an eyebrow. A patient with an aortic dissection out of the hospital so soon definitely wasn’t a sign of Calvin throwing in the towel on his career to embrace a wild streak

2 2 2 5 = 2

It was more likely Lome had taken it upon himself i

Noella averted her gaze and stepped past Lorne.

I wouldn’t know” She claimed.

out.

Lome maneuvered his wheelchair to keep pace beside Noella, “Are y

you headed to the auditorium

n as well? I might as well join you.”

Im not going to the auditorium, I’m off to the library”

“Perfect, I need to swing by the library too. Let’s go together.”

Noella cast a cool glance at Lome, seated in ‘his wheelchair. The campus light filtered through the leaves, casting a

With a chill in her voice and a mocking twist to her lips, she looked at Lome’s wheelchair

warm glow o

on him.

sun, will you join me for

“What a coincidence. You’re going exactly where I am? So, if I decide to head up to the rooftop to catch some su that, too?”