9. Challenge

Elise returned to the two men who were deep in discussion. "I apologize for that. I was seeking help from a trusted aid."

"No problem, Officer. We were discussing what to do next." Daniel replied with a smile.

"This is going to be a long night," Kai mumbled, running a hand through his messy hair.

"It sure will be, considering the number of people who died here." Daniel agreed and closed the file in his hands.

"Sir," One of the policemen jogged towards them and interrupted their conversation. "I'm sorry for interrupting. But Officer Derek is looking for you. You are to handle the reporters."

"Shit!" Daniel cursed under his breath and gnashed his teeth in annoyance. "Aren't we in a mess already? Why do we have to handle the reporters when we are yet to crack the case?" He grumbled, and Elise pitied the man for his state.

It was one thing to handle the reporters when they had evidence with them and more or less knew who the culprit was. But it was a different thing altogether to face the reporters when they had no clue about the perpetrator and the dead people were more than three hundred. Their stupid questions and their ability to twist the truth to any extent to keep the public hooked to their channels were quite commendable and infuriating at the same time.

"If you'll excuse me, please. I need to deal with the reporters." Daniel gave them a weary smile and walked away with the other policeman.

"We should go with them," Elise commented, giving Kai a knowing look.

"Elise, how much will we be involved in this matter?" Kai questioned carefully and observed her expression.

"We will assist them for now while they lead the investigation. But my instincts say that the roles will be reversed soon." Elise answered and tapped her fingers on her elbow thoughtfully.

Kai's shoulders sagged in defeat while Elise patted him sympathetically. "Let's go."

Elise and Kai searched for Daniel and Derek, who were preparing to face the reporters.

"Officers, is something the matter?" Derek noticed the two first and tilted his head in confusion.

"We will accompany you when you meet the reporters," Elise stated calmly, and Derek raised his brow immediately. He observed her expression for a moment silently before he nodded at her lightly, understanding dawning upon him slowly. "Sure, Officers. But please be careful. The reporters can be unruly if they want to. They sometimes become inhuman."

"We understand, Officers. Also, we will not interrupt until it is absolutely necessary. You have all the reins." Elise looked at them calmly, too calm for their liking. It was as if she knew something they didn't, which perturbed the two men.

"Follow us." Derek frowned but masked his expressions, and the four people approached the reporters, who were going crazy, trying their best to push past the police barricades.

Some of them were utterly uncontrollable and rowdy, and the police officers had to hold them down to stop them from moving closer to the zone of destruction.

Elise was annoyed with the disruptive crowd. But she remained calm and stood behind Daniel and Derek while the reporters rushed to them to throw their questions at them.

"Police officers, will you tell us who the person behind the blast is?" One of the reporters asked, jumping to the main question directly instead of beating around the bush. The other reporters thrust their mikes forward, hoping to get a clear recording of their answers.

"We are yet to finish investigating the situation. Until we are absolutely certain, we will refrain from answering such questions. I'm sorry." Derek tried to brush off the question by giving a vague reply. But the reporters were having none of it.

"Do you believe someone among Mr. Craig's enemies to have taken action against him?" One of the daring reporters questioned immediately, and Elise narrowed her eyes as she scrutinized the man. She noted his name while waiting for the two policemen to handle the situation.

"Again, as I said, please refrain from pointing fingers without evidence. We will not be replying to any questions for which we do not have no substantial proof." Derek answered while Daniel threw a cold look at the reporter who had asked them the question.

"In that case, should we say that the police have been incapable of finding evidence till now when the crime the perpetrator has committed is inarguably brutal and barbarous?" The reporter continued and smirked faintly, irking Elise all the more. Even Kai, who usually remained composed, was displeased with his attempts to rile them up while they were trying to remain civilized with them.

"Sir, now you are taking it too far." Derek did not hide his fury, and his voice turned low in warning. "We are doing our duty, and once we find the culprit, we will not hesitate to put them behind bars."

However, instead of acknowledging and appreciating Derek's reply, the reporter laughed wryly, deriding all the people trying their best to investigate the case.

"That's it. You've taken it too far now." Elise was done entertaining the audacious reporter. While Derek and Daniel were bound by the rules and they didn't dare say anything that could possibly put them in a fix, Elise was never the one the care about matters like these. She stepped forward, forcing Derek and Daniel to allow her to face the reporters.

Elise ran her eyes around, making sure to meet every reporter in the eye before fixing her gaze on the rude one. Her aura was so strong that it forced everyone to step back in alarm. Even the man who had forced the two police officers to a corner was compelled to avert his gaze and lose his smirk.

"Didn't you say that we are incapable? In that case, we'll hand over the work to you, and you'll have less than two hours to find the perpetrator. Two hours later, I'll stand in your place and ask you the questions you've asked us." Elise spat, and the man widened his eyes in disbelief. "Are you up for the challenge? Do you want to try reversing our roles?"

"How can you do this? Isn't it your duty to find the truth and catch the culprit?" The man argued, and the other reporters moved away from him when they realized how unreasonable he was being.

"Since you feel we are not doing our duty, you do our duty and try to find the truth. I promise you that no one here will object or complain. Who knows, you might be more capable and find the truth before us?" Elise's expression did not give away anything, baffling everyone but Kai. He was the only one smiling while stifling his laugh. It would be utterly impudent of him to laugh in such a critical and complicated situation. Also, Elise would kill him for it.

Elise ignored everyone's gazes on her and kept staring at the reporter who dared to mess with her. "What do you say? Are you up for the challenge, Sir?"