The stillness of the Takahashi estate lingered in the air like a suffocating fog, broken only by the hurried footsteps of Anwar and Anthony as they dragged Gerald back inside. The young guard’s face was pale, his wide eyes darting around like a hunted animal.
“I… I swear I didn’t mean to wander around,” Gerald stammered. “Something… something pulled me into the garden. I just… got lost.”
Takumi’s sharp gaze pierced through him, but he said nothing, gesturing for Anwar and Anthony to continue their investigation.
When they reached the surveillance room, the scene before them deepened the mystery. Two guards, barely conscious and bloodied, were slumped against the consoles. Their wounds weren’t life-threatening but told a tale of a brutal struggle. The air in the room was thick with the metallic tang of blood and the faint hum of the untouched monitors.