Prologue (2)

Sisyphean (adj.)

Spang (adv.)

Copestone (n.)

Endemic (adj. & n.)

Canvas (n. & v.)

The secretary saw the smile on the major's face and asked, "What did they mean?"

"Billy, they meant that there are some discrepancies in the file that they have given. Most probably, this Ventor is being framed for this explosion, but he is still not the good guy. There seems to be some cover-up going at even higher levels than being let on. It is good that the investigation is now in our hands. It would be a Sisyphean task for them to investigate. Each time they would arrive at a conclusion and be forced to report, the evidence would change or vanish taking them back to square one."

"I see." Billy nodded his head in understanding as he went back to the task at hand. He was interrupted by a soldier in clean attire.

"Sir," the soldier shouted and saluted, "I am here to give the diary we found while canvassing the entire area."

"Colonel Braker, take a seat and of with the formalities. There is no time for that. Tell me from the beginning. You can make an official detailed report later. Give me all the main points." The major responded.

"Yes sir. As ordered, the 5th Brigade had been deployed to canvas the entire city in search of bodies and clues along with the regional police and firemen. The 2nd Battalion was assigned to the Northern Region, the Engineering Department of the Kronos Institute. There, I sent the 4 Companies under me to different locations as I traveled with the 3rd Company to secure a base of communications. On reaching the Civil Department, the Company was further divided on finding no threats on the initial scan. The 4 Platoons in the 3rd Company each took one direction to enter the Department. I traveled with the 1st Platoon and the Personal guard..."

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"Hey, Decker, get your butt on top of the copestone and tell us what you see!" Braker shouted from below.

"Sir, yes, sir!"

In front of the 1st Platoon was a 12 feet brick wall. Somehow, most of the wall had made it through the explosion and was still standing firmly. It was to be expected of the wall that was made for the Civil Department of the Engineering College of the Kronos Institute. It was made by the students on Engineering Day when the Department was established 40 years back.

Two soldiers went near the wall and joined their hands to form a foothold as Decker made a short dash and leaped. His right feet landed spang on the hands of the soldiers to push him to the top where he clutched the copestone edge to pull himself upwards.

Just as he was about to scramble up, he heard a shout from below that stopped him in his tracks.

"Be careful, that yellowish moss type of thing near your hand is endemic to this region, a cacitara. It has a particularly nasty poison that will feel like thorns are poking at your skin for half an hour if they come in contact with you."

"Haha, thanks. I almost touched it." Saying so, Decker looked sideways before he swung to the other side and got on top of the wall.