Navy's Kraffen/Chapter 2 (Old)

3 months later Marley walked into the drug lab hidden deep down in the SIREN fortress’ living quarters. He opened the door without knocking, ready to grab some Oramania to sell.

“Hey, brother!” greeted Jared. “How you doin’?”

“I’m fine, Jared,” Marley replied. “Is the Ora batch ready to be sold? I got a few customers waiting on me, Ja-”

“Uh, yeah, about that,”Jared began. “W-we’re kind of lying low for a while. Grant came to me yesterday to say that-erm, that Ora production needed to cease until he said otherwise.”

“That’s...weird. Do you know why?” Marley asked.

“No, he never told me. He just said that the business was in danger, and then he left. I, uh, haven’t been outside of SIREN in 2 days.”

Marley stood there, thinking.

“You hear from him at all?” Marley asked.

“No, man, I dunno anything at the moment,” Jared said. “I think the Ora is starting to go bad, too, it smells like...I dunno, a vitamin container or something.”

“What do we do?” Marley asked.

“I dunno, man, but I recommend just staying out of the business for a while. I, uh, really wouldn’t recommend dealing any more Ora until Grant gives the say-so,” Jared said. “But, hey, if you do hear from Grant, come and let me know, yeah?”

“You got it,” Marley said. He turned away to step out the room.

“Oh, and uh, Grant wanted me to tell you to stay away from Rainco. Whatever happens, just keep away from them,” Jared said from the other end of the room.

“...Alright,” Marley said. He walked out the room.

On his way out, he saw a few files lying on Grant’s desk. He picked one up and opened it. Inside were a few pictures of a man - in one of them, the man was standing in front of the Kraffen castle, observing it.

Marley slid the photos back into the file and put it back on the desk. He didn’t want to know what the photos were about, or what Grant would do if he knew that Marley saw them.

Marley cautiously left the fortress and looked around himself. He felt as though he was being watched. After a few minutes, Marley still hadn’t heard anything unusual, so he decided to continue on his way to the castle.

On his way there, he passed by a man on a picnic cloth, who seemed to be creating a gas mask.

“Hey there, are you with Rainco?” Marley asked.

The man was startled, and took a moment to breathe. “No,” he said finally.

“Well, might I ask why you’re working on that gas mask?” Marley asked curiously.

“...If I told you, you would laugh at me, wouldn’t you?” the man said, rather annoyed.

Marley didn’t respond. After a few minutes, the man sighed and began, “I think something bad will happen. Soon. I just feel it. This whole deal with the Oramania, it’s all got to be part of something bigger. It’s just...all too suspicious. Nothing adds up, you know?” the man said.

Marley stood there, thinking about his job. The man was right, it was part of something bigger. But not even he knew what it was, as his dad had never told him anything. King Kassper was a quiet man. “You expect bombs to drop, then?” Marley asked, looking at the mask.

“I don’t know what to expect. I just wish someone had the answers. I just...I don’t know. I have a bad feeling about all this,” the man said.

Marley didn’t know what to say. “...Whatever happens, good luck, sir,” he said, turning away.

Claus Armstrong stood behind a tree, watching SIREN through binoculars. There had been no activity for 2 days until that man had walked out of there. The man seemed to be suspicious of his surroundings. Maybe he was a soldier.

Frustrated, Claus slumped down behind the tree and began brainstorming. If he was going to get any dirt on the military, he would have to go inside and look himself. He didn’t have a warrant though, and would probably be unable to get one.

He jumped at the sudden sound of his phone ringing. He looked at the number and sighed.

“Uh, hey, Bailey,” Claus said quietly.

“Claus? You haven’t been here in 3 days. Surely they can’t be keeping you at work?” said Bailey over the phone.

“Well, uh, yeah. Um, not really. I-I’m watching the military base, SIREN,” Claus stuttered.

“You’re watching the military? Why?” asked Bailey.

“I think they might be involved in the Oramania drug trade, honey,” Claus said.

“Why would you think that?” she asked.

“Bail, remember when I told you about Rainco’s Traceback Tester?” Claus asked.

“...Yes?” Bailey answered, confused.

“Well, I put the Oramania drug sample that th-erm, they gave us, into the Tester, and it seems to think it was actually manufactured at SIREN,” Claus said.

“I thought SIREN gave you the sample,” said Bailey.

“Yes, honey, but that was so that we wouldn’t suspect them!” Claus said excitedly. “I think.”

“When was the last time you slept?” Bailey asked.

“I-uh, that’s an unrelated matter entirely,” Claus said.

“Claus.”

“4 days ago. But come on! I’m on the VERGE of discovery, Bailey! Come on, we’ll make bank when I give the royal family proof of this,” Claus said. “Don’t you want to go to Palekaiko? We’ll go to Palekaiko for a vacation!”

There was silence on the other end for a moment. “Okay, just stay safe, Claus, alright?” She said.

“You got it. Uh, if nothing happens, I might come home tonight, maybe,” Claus said.

“OK.” The phone clicked.

Claus put his phone back into his pocket, and started watching SIREN again. After a few moments of that, he lost interest and decided to go back to the castle to go get a warrant. He had been there earlier, but no one had been around strangely enough. Back when King Kassper was around, he would at least get a response, even if not an invitation inside.

Claus arrived at the castle half an hour later and banged on the door. It opened, and he was face to face with the new King of Krobia, King Marley Kraffo.

“Good morning, sir!” the King greeted. “How can I help you?”

“Oh, erm-Hello! So, uh, funny story. SIREN’s involved with the-uh, I mean, I think SIREN’s involved in the Oramania drug trade, and I’d like a warrant to search the place for evidence.”

The King stood there, mouth slightly open. After a moment, he said, “Why do you think that?”

“I...I’m, uh, the owner of Rainco Tech, and we have this machine that traces objects back to their origins, and the drug sample the military handed us, um, seems to have been created at SIREN,” said Claus uncomfortably.

“Th-that’s quite the theory, sir, when was the last time you slept?” said the King.

“That’s an unrelated matter entirely,” replied Claus.

“Sir, I really think you ought to get some rest. Maybe walk on it. If there’s anything else I can help you with, let me know.” The King closed the door.

Frustrated, Claus picked up a rock and threw it at the castle wall. He then ran away.

Jared sat in the room, waiting patiently for news. He wished Marley had stayed longer. He was beginning to run out of food in the mini fridge he had installed in the lab. After dinner, he was going to have to make a run for it.

…

No.

Jared got up and walked down the old SIREN transportation cave that linked the living quarters to the main underground area. He walked up the stairs and then out the fortress. He followed the path that led to his house.

On the way, he heard rustling in the bushes. He turned to face it.

“Jared!” said a familiar voice. “What are you doing out here? I told you to stay down!”

“Hello, Grant,” said Jared calmly.

“You fool! You let me take care of this side of the business!” Grant said angrily.

“And I will. I had been in SIREN for 2 days, waiting for news from you. I would’ve had to get out later anyway,” Jared said. “I was running low on food.”

“Alright, yeah, fine,” Grant said, starting to calm down. “Just...you haven’t been to Rainco, have you?”

“No,” Jared said. “And I would appreciate an explanation for why I need to stay from one of the biggest companies in the entire kingdom.”

“Listen, alright? They’re onto us. Remember the Claus situation?” Grant asked.

“Yeah?” Jared said curiously.

“Well, now we have to kill him. He’s been everywhere except for your house. He was watching the fort earlier. In fact, he probably watched you leave,” Grant said, annoyed.

“Grant, if you were to kill him now, everyone would be suspicious of us. Who knows how much he told the police? They might put two and two together. Armstrong begins investigating us, suddenly he ends up dead...it’s not rocket science,” said Jared.

Grant stood there for a moment, angry. After a few seconds, he began to calm down a little. “Maybe you’re right, Jared. But if it comes to it, then I’ll have to kill him. And I will. Do you understand?” he said.

“Yes,” Jared replied.

“Good. Now, have you heard from Marley?” Grant asked.

“Yeah, he came around earlier today to grab some Ora. He left after I told him everything. Haven’t seen him since,” Jared said.

“Hopefully he’s staying down. Now, hide, alright? Don’t go to your house. Don’t make it easy for them,” said Grant, heading back into the darkness.

Jared stood there, thinking. He knew of a bunker nearby. He could hide there.

Marley sat down in his room, thinking. The man from Rainco seemed to be on to them, but not him specifically. It was horrible to think, but maybe Jared and Grant would get caught, but not him. If he got caught, then the country would lose hope, and be without a king.

What a mess.

Suddenly, he heard knocking on his door for the first time since he became the king. “Sir? We found something from your father, we think you should see it!”

Marley raced to the door and opened it. “What is it?”

“We don’t know, but it looks like blueprints for something. It was in a hidden compartment in one of your dad’s old drawers. We think you should have it!” The man handed it to Marley, and then left.

Curiously, Marley straightened out the blueprints. They appeared to be for various parts of...something. They all had their own codenames and functions.

Finally, the last one Marley looked at had the name “Controbot” at the top of it. Its functions were listed at the bottom of the blueprint. It was supposed to be capable of thinking, responding, and ruling. Below the list of functions, it read:

To the future of this country,
 * Kassper Kraffo


 * The L

Marley had no idea who The L was, but didn’t really care. His father’s orders were starting to make sense.

Claus walked among the fields of Kraffen, deep in thought.

SIREN was definitely involved in the drug trade, no doubt about it. The soldiers and workers were avoiding him, and he watched a man walk in who never walked back out. He was either warned to stay or killed.

But what about the King?

The King wasn’t at his castle at the beginning of the day, or at least hadn’t answered his knocks. Later, when Claus came back to ask for a warrant, the King seemed strangely nervous when SIREN was brought up.

Maybe, just maybe…

King Marley Kraffo was one of the criminals destroying the country.