Green Desert - Chapter 7.2.3 - Bhanar

“What agency do you work for?”

Under the trees, I could only see movement ahead of me, no detail discernable. Their white shirts barely stood out as dark gray against the blackness.

“‘Agency,’ Your Majesty?”

Did I have the wrong Sarıman word? “Department? Bureau? . . . Office?”

They kept moving forwards, taking a long time to answer. Finally, Umo coughed and replied, “The National Bureau of Investigation.”
“That’s what I thought.” But why didn’t he want to tell me, his emperor? Umo wouldn’t hide anything from me, would he? “What are you investigating Zhíno for? The murder of the policeman is investigated by the State Patrol.”

It had to be top secret. National security. Nothing else would warrant shooting at a police helicopter. Unless they knew that the sheriff’s department was in on it, whatever Zhíno was doing. Whatever it was, they weren’t answering. Just walking.

“Well?”

“Sorry, Your Royal Majesty. Smuggling.”

“Smuggling what?”

In front of me, Lango changed his motion and then rustling and grunts and his white shirt dropped to the ground, landing hard. I didn’t see Umo anywhere, but the scuffling and breathing and all that at my feet must have been both of them wrestling.

A gun fired.