Chapter 323: Unearthing The Mole
Ezra walked into the peacekeeper HQ with a confident stride. His self imposed break was finally over. His official break was still on but time waited for no man.
And now, he was here to continue his investigations.
With all the events that have been happening, Hyde's murder, the missing prisoner and Hyde's body, the leaking of information to that reporter, he knew that there definitely was someone within the peacekeepers who was either feeding information to the enemy or is the enemy.
This wasn't just a gut feeling anymore. The leaks, the preciseness with which the killer and the conspiracy were moving, it all pointed to an insider.
And Ezra was determined to find out who it was.
As he passed through the halls, nodding at familiar faces and exchanging brief pleasantries, his mind was already working.
Over the past few days, he had enlisted Gen, Red, and Olivia to help with a discreet investigation into the peacekeepers.
He couldn't do this alone and he needed people he could trust implicitly, and there was no one he trusted more than them.
They would quietly investigate their colleagues, looking for any signs of betrayal or unusual behavior, and report their findings directly to him.
Gen had been ecstatic at the task, using her hobby of sneaking around the city to move with the officers she was shadowing, observing them from her hidden places.
Red, known for her charm and social skills, had taken a more direct approach, engaging the officers in conversations and subtly probing for inconsistencies.
Olivia, ever the methodical one, had gone through financial records and personal logs, cross-referencing everything with her usual focus. She still hadn't caught her human killer though.
After several days of investigation, it was time to review their findings. Ezra quickly gathered them in his office.
As he sat at his desk, Olivia was the first to speak, her calm voice breaking the silence. "We've looked into all the officers under your command, Ezra. For the most part, everyone seems clean. No suspicious activity, no signs of betrayal."
Ezra frowned. She'd said 'for the most part.'
Gen leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. "Yeah, everyone's been behaving pretty much by the book. No shady dealings, no secret meetings. If anyone's leaking info, they're covering their tracks well."
Ezra nodded, though he felt a twinge of frustration. He had hoped for something more concrete, some sign that would point him in the right direction.
"But," Olivia continued, her sharp gaze settling on Ezra, "there's one exception."
Ezra straightened, his attention fully on her now. "Who?"
"Officer Connell." Olivia said, her voice measured. "The lady who mans the front desk."
"I know who that is." Ezra frowned.
Connell was a new gen vampire. The new generation vampires were vampires turned after the amendment to the population law. She had abandoned the man that turned her and joined the peacekeepers.
The peacekeepers did offer some good benefits.
She had always been a fixture at HQ, a diligent and seemingly unremarkable officer. She rarely left her post, always greeting peacekeepers with a polite nod as they came and went. There had never been anything suspicious about her. At least, not until now.
"What did you find?" Ezra asked, his tone serious.
Olivia glanced at her datapad, where she had taken notes. "She's been exhibiting some unusual behavior. Connell's finances don't match up. She's been withdrawing large sums of money from an account that doesn't seem to be tied to her official salary."
"There's also the matter of her after-hours movements. According to the logs, she should be stationed at the front desk most nights, but she's been disappearing for hours at a time without any record of where she's been."
Ezra leaned back, his fingers drumming lightly on the desk. "Do we know where she's going during those gaps in time?"
Olivia shook her head. "Not yet. I couldn't follow her without raising suspicion, and her logs are vague. It's almost as if someone's been tampering with them."
Red chimed in, her tone thoughtful. "I've spoken to her a few times recently. She's good at keeping her cards close, but I did notice she's been more guarded lately. When I casually asked about her shifts, she deflected. Something feels off."
Ezra began working it out. Connell had always been in the background, almost invisible. It made sense that, if she were involved in something nefarious, she would go unnoticed.
Her position at the front desk gave her access to sensitive information. Comings and goings, internal reports, and communications that passed through HQ. If she was the mole, it would explain how the killer had stayed one step ahead of them.
"Have you noticed anything about her interactions with other officers?" Ezra asked.
Gen shrugged. "Not really. She's pretty solitary, doesn't seem to socialize much. But I haven't seen her with any outsiders either. It's like she's trying not to be noticed."
Ezra frowned, deep in thought. Connell's behavior was suspicious, but he needed more proof before making any accusations. He couldn't afford to tip his hand too soon, not if she was working with the killer. He had to play this carefully.
"Alright." Ezra said, nodding. "Keep an eye on her, but don't let her know we're watching. I want to know where she's going during those missing hours. If she's the mole, we'll catch her in the act."
Olivia nodded. "Understood. I'll dig deeper into her finances, see if I can trace where that money's going."
Gen grinned, always ready for action. "And I'll keep tailing her. If she tries anything shady, I'll know about it."
Red gave Ezra a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, love. We'll get to the bottom of this."
Ezra leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk as he considered their next move. Connell might be the key to finally getting to the bottom of all this, but he had to be careful. If she was working with the killer, they wouldn't hesitate to strike again if they felt cornered.
"Be careful." He warned his wives. "We don't know how deep this goes or who else might be involved. I don't want to tip them off too soon."
The three women nodded, their expressions serious. They understood the stakes, just as Ezra did.
If Connell really was the mole, she had already caused untold damage to the peacekeeper's operations, and she could still be feeding the killer vital information.
If Connell was guilty, it wouldn't be long before they had their proof.
And when they did, Ezra would make sure justice was served.