Discovery

Hidden between a small junction between two rows of hedges was an awkwardly parked car, with windows painted black. They weren't the only car stationed by, but they were the closest. Clovis liked to call it overkill because the stealth spell surrounding the vehicle was disarming enough. There was really no reason to wedge it suspiciously into a tiny crevice of shrubbery.

His phone screen lit blue and Clovis craned his neck from his reposed position to take a look. He whistled, "Boss is telling us to stand by."

"I suppose we'll be seeing some action soon," Kline said lazily as he ran the blade sharpener down his sword. Clovis hated it when Kline would fiddle around with his blade in a cramped vehicle next to him but there was no way that the other would listen to his complaints. Oh well.

"Hey don't jump the gun yet," Clovis hummed, face devoid of any real emotion despite the easy smile upon his features, "We didn't get the confirmation to go in yet."

"You just don't want to work," Kline accused while inspecting the blade of his sword, testing its sharpness against his fingers.

"Exactly!" Clovis laughed and leaned back again the soft cushion in the passenger's seat, "I was honestly hoping I could just spend this shift asleep. Cutting down people isn't really my thing."

Kline looked over, his half-lidded eyes were accusing, "But you're good at it."

Clovis shrugged, "I didn't choose this job! It chose me! Anyways, Big Boss is telling us to get ready to storm."

Kline smiled, all teeth, "Good."

The Javanis family and Gabriel spent a few more moments at the dinner table after Louise cleared the plates from the table.

"Would you like to join me for a glass of wine?" Theoran asked the High Paladin as everyone stood.

Gabriel nodded, "Actually, there is something I'd like to discuss with you. It's work-related."

Lord Theoran raised a brow but was intrigued by the sound of work. "Alright. Lord Gabriel and I will have a chat outside then, Anita would you please bring us something from the cellar?" Anita's visage twisted into a frown, but her father continued, "Louise is busy after all."

"I wouldn't mind if you joined us later," Gabriel looked at her with a knowing gaze. Anita sighed, Gabriel's words put a stop to her complaints. Begrudgingly she went off in search of a bottle to please her father.

The two men walked off in the opposite direction. Luelle, who was just about to follow them like a wayward duckling was called instead by her mother. "Lue," she said sternly, "come and help Louise clean up. We can't have a poor old woman cleaning up after all of us in this place."

Luelle almost rolled her eyes but she didn't want to defy her mother while Lord Gabriel might still be in earshot so she could only follow after obediently.

"What did you want to talk about?" Theoran asked as they made their way outside. There was a pavilion in the front yard garden that was great for viewing the brilliant night sky while drinking a glass or two of wine.

"I'll tell you when we've had a glass," Gabriel smiled again. To Anita, it might have seemed awkward but to Theoran, there was nothing off about the High Paladin's behavior or expressions. To him, he was simply a polite young fellow that acted in part with his station. They were walking down the stone path towards the pavilion before Gabriel stopped in his tracks and said, "Forgive me. But where is the bathroom?"

Theoran directed him towards the nearest bathroom, to the left of the side entrance they had just come out of. Gabriel nodded, his expression a little apologetic, "I won't be too long." Theoran, none the wiser chuckled and said that it wasn't a problem at all.

When Gabriel entered back into the building, he went to the right instead. He knew from intel and blueprints that that was where the study was. He had to make things quick.

While her father did say that he sent her off to the cellar because the maid was busy but Anita liked to think it was because of her anxious, pale complexion. She needed this moment to gather her wits. After watching Gabriel wander off with her father and sister, and her mother disappear into the kitchen with Louise, Anita was finally granted a reprise.

She took in a breath, telling herself that she was overthinking. That she was, seriously, honestly, not being herself at all! This was all Gabriel's fault. She was probably just thrown off because she's not used to seeing him outside of work. Maybe he's always been like this but she just didn't know and somehow she was able to delude herself in thinking that she knew him well when she didn't.

She shook her head vigorously, desperate to shake out the offending thoughts. They weren't going anywhere! At this rate she will never be able to deliver the alcohol to her father and Luelle will mock her for days on end. Steeling her thoughts, Anita finally made her way towards the wine cellar.

It was down the hall, past the kitchen and her father's study, hidden in an odd corner of the house. Luelle never liked it, believing that old ghosts haunted the little room but when Anita was a child, it was her favorite hiding spot. Tucked away in wooden cabinets were rows and rows of her father's favorites. Anita frowned, which one would be appropriate to bring anyways?

Her eyes scanned the expanse of bottles, all of which seemed identical to a non-drinker like herself. It took a few minutes before she decided to simply chance it, and simply suffer her father's silent criticism if she brought him the wrong one. That was fine, she'd done it plenty a times before. Satisfied with her choice, Anita grabbed a bottle closest to her and prepared to leave the cellar and join her father and Gabriel outdoors.

A distant thump startled her, and suddenly Anita found her head filled with Luelle's idiotic stories about distant relatives that met their unfortunate ends in the belly of the wine cellars. Anita gulped, reminding herself that oftentimes the stars of Luelle's stories were contrarily still alive and that everything was just a conjuring of a vivid imagination. And if there really were evil spirits lingering around, she'd be able to sense earth magic nearby.

Anita crept out of the cellar, but the hallway did help ease her discomfort, despite the blinding light that brightened the entire space. An eerie feeling persisted, informing her that something, somewhere was off.

That's when she noticed how the door to her father's study hung slightly open. He always left it completely closed. Anita held her breathe and counted to ten in her head in a helpless attempt to ease her fears. It couldn't be ghosts right…? She crept, as silently as she could to the edge of the door, leaning her ear in a close as possible without actually touching anything.

There was the quiet rustling of paper along with someone's presence.

She should have run. She shouldn't have looked. It would have been better not to have known. Those were the thoughts that would plague her later on. But at that moment, curiosity overrode her fears and Anita dared to sneak a peak between the small crack between the wall and the door.

She'd recognized that person's back anywhere. Gabriel had clearly been looking through her father's things. He held something shiny between his fingers, inspecting it against the light. It glimmered red and Anita knew, in the bottom of her heart, that everything, everything was wrong. She jolted away from the door as though burned. A fire brewing within her heart threatened to combust.

Fear, hurt, horror, betrayal, anger, disbelief, disappointment, shock. All those things threatened to overwhelm her spinning mind. But she couldn't afford to remain there, frozen. She was a knight after all.

What now? The thought thumped against her skull as tears welled up in her eyes. What now? She had to go, go see her father before it was all too late. Anita understood then, that Gabriel hadn't come to enjoy the evening or meet her parents. Of course, he wouldn't. He cared for no friends. He was a man married only to his work and ideals. And tonight, tonight Anita was a fool not to realize sooner that Gabriel had been working as High Paladin the entire time.

Gabriel heard stumbling in the hall. No matter, he thought as he pocketed the ruby ring into his pocket. While it was another Oracle Brand ARC like many other, there was something about it that was different than the current stock on the black market that he was familiar with. But that would be dealt with later.

Now that his suspicions have been confirmed, there was only one thing left to do.

Gabriel pulled out his phone and typed: Evidence collected. Commence raid.

After the message was sent, he waited inside the study, knowing well that Clovis and Kline were stationed not far from his position.

A knock at the window alerted his attention. Gabriel was quick to open the lock and pull Clovis in past the thick shrubbery, before taking his blade off his subordinate who was busy brushing stray leaves off his body.

"Can you not make a mess?" Kline hissed as he climbed in after his partner, magically devoid of any leaves.

Gabriel ignored their banter, allowing the weight of his sword in hand to calm any emotions brewing inside him, "You two know what to do."

Clovis smiled, easy and disarming in a way a lazy puppy might, "Got it, Big Boss." His salute was relaxed in contrast to Kline intense sharp movement.

With a nod, Gabriel sent them off. The first thing he had to deal with was the patriarch of the house. Lord Theoran was a pleasant chat over dinner but Gabriel suspected that he won't be as pleasant to meet with his sword. He wanted to take care of business as quickly as possible.