Somewhere else, ships rested quietly along the docks, their lights reflecting across the dark water. Cargo cranes stood motionless in the distance.
Inside the office, the same man from the other day, stood beside the window, calmly reviewing a thin report placed on his desk.
Most of the documents contained ordinary information. Transport routes. Delivery schedules. Warehouse registrations.
But one page had been marked with black marker: The report mentioned something unusual. "A police officer had been seen near the warehouse corridor the previous night."
The man tapped the page lightly with his finger.
"Officer Aren Valric," he read quietly. "Assigned to investigate secretly?"
The name was unfamiliar. Which meant the investigation was new. But the report continued.
The officer had checked the road. Observed the trucks. Waited long enough to understand the pattern. That was more than casual curiosity. The man closed the report slowly. "Interesting"
Most people never noticed the hidden stops.
Someone knocked on the office door.
"Enter." The Assistent stepped inside.
"You asked for me."
The man near the window turned calmly. "Yes."
He picked up the report and handed it across the desk. "Someone is paying attention to our routes."
The Assistent scanned the page quickly.
"A police officer.", "For now," the Assistent replied.
"Should we change the route?", "No.", The man replied
The answer came immediately.
"That would only confirm suspicion."
He walked back toward the window, looking down at the quiet harbor. "Instead, I want to know how much he understands."
The Assistent nodded slowly.
"But Sir, you told to let them watch....you want him watched a little?"
"Yes."
A brief pause followed.
"Nothing obvious," the man added calmly.
"Just follow him. Observe where he goes. Who he speaks to."
"And if he finds something?"
The man's expression remained completely composed.
"Then we will decide what to do next."
The next day, Aren walked down the street to the police station, flipping through his notebook as he reviewed the observations from the previous night. Hidden stop point. Six-minute delay. Helios truck confirmed.
The system was becoming clearer. But he still didn't know what the trucks were actually transferring.
He stopped at a crosswalk, waiting for the signal to change. For a brief moment, he felt something strange. Like someone nearby was watching him. Aren glanced casually across the street. A man stood near a small café, pretending to read something on his phone. Nothing unusual.
The traffic light changed. Aren crossed the street and continued walking. Still, the uneasy feeling stayed with him. He looked at the side, a black sedan car. A dangerous looking man.
At the Police Station, Mirelle leaned against Aren's desk while reading his notes.
'So the trucks stop for exactly six minutes?"
"Roughly." [Aren]
"That's not long enough for large cargo."
"Which means it's something small."
Mirelle closed the notebook.
"Or something efficient." Aren nodded.
"Either way, we're looking at a transfer system." [Aren]
Mirelle studied him carefully. "You alright?"
Aren looked up. "Why?"
"You seem distracted."
Aren shrugged. "Just tired." Mirelle looked confused, and said calmly before leaving the desk, "Try not to spend every night in the dock district,"
Later that evening, Aren went to courthouse, for some work, and while returning, he saw Veydrick's office. For a brief moment Aren thought and decided to talk with Veydrick to feel distracted.
Aren knocked at Veydrick's office door, and a calm voice answered: "come in". Veydrick looked up with a serious face, but looking at Aren, His face relaxed..."Valric". Aren replied slowly: "Veydrick sir"
"Sir?...as far as I remember, you called me by my name last time" Veydrick said with a tone of surprise. But on seeing Aren's face a little pale, his smiled dropped a little. "Come here and sit...let's talk", Veydrick said. Aren smiled faintly.
But before going forward, Aren glanced a little at the big window on left side, and Veydrick noticed that. Aren sat on the chair present in front of Veydrick's desk, and opposite to Veydrick. But the sound of a car made Aren look at the window again. And Veydrick, who has been staring at Aren, stood up, went to the window and closed it.
"Is something bothering you, Aren?" Veydrick asked as he sat on his chair. Aren replied: "nothing much...just the case is not moving forward." "The case is getting impossible to solve?" Veydrick asked.
"Kind off...", Aren replied. Suddenly a knock on the door, startled Aren. A man came in: "There is some extra information found...thought you should know about before tomorrow's trial." But Veydrick looked like he would tell him to come later, but before saying anything, Aren suddenly said: "You are busy..also I think I should head to home...." and with a faint smile and little longing mixed, Aren added: "don't stay up late".
Veydrick paused a moment, realising the look, and then looked at the clock just present behind Veydrick, above on the wall. With a little concern, Veydrick said: "okay..." Aren stood up and left. "Should I have come a little later..." The man said. Veydrick glared for a moment and relaxed: "You have come anyway...sit" and stands up and walks to the window. He looks at Aren for a moment from the window, watching him leave and comes back. Veydrick understood the feeling.
That night, Aren walked home along the quiet street near his apartment. The city lights reflected across the wet pavement from earlier rain. He stopped at the corner and glanced behind him. The same dark sedan had passed him twice already.
Aren pretended not to notice and continued walking.
But this time he slowed slightly. The car slowed too. That was enough confirmation. Someone was following him. Aren didn't look back again. Instead he turned the corner calmly and kept walking. Aren felt a sting of fear, he knew he was been watched, but the thing is he still didn't find out about the man from the investigation and already somebody is following his moves.