Secretly Mine

As more and more people filled the hall, my suspicions about the drugged drinks only grew. The laughter around me rose to a point that it was disturbing.

People began dancing with sloppy movements. Others were busy making out in the corners of the hall to people I wasn't sure they even knew.

Even without trying, I began to stick out in the crowd.

Thankfully, I only had to bear with it for a short while. About half an hour later, a masked MC walked in and announced that everyone should begin to make their way over to the auction hall.

Finally.

I took a deep breath and followed the others out of the hall.

Due to the nature of the event, all of the VIP booths were closed, and all of the guests were ushered into the main hall.

As I walked through the long hallway, a sense of familiarity arose. The arched ceilings and opulent chandeliers seemed so familiar to me.

It must be that memories from the Sophia event are trying to surface.

I looked around, trying my best to soak in anything that could help my jog my memory.

"Are you a fan of the arts? I see you looking at every painting."

A deep, manly voice startled me out of my thoughts.

I glanced over at the man, noting that his outfit was even more 'extra' than mine. He reminded me a bit of a peacock, with large blue feathers sticking out of his mask and dangling down his suit.

"Yes, I do enjoy art," I nodded politely.

"I've been trying to get my hand on this piece for years. Unfortunately, the auction house refuses to sell it, even at a ridiculous price." He turned to look at the large historic painting of a general riding a horse into a battlefield. "They just don't make paintings like this anymore."

"They really don't. Modern art seems to be taking over the art world," I replied.

The man nodded before turning to me to extend his hand.

"I'll skip the introductions due to the nature of today's event, but it's a pleasure to meet a like-minded art enthusiast. I also see that you've avoided indulging yourself with the popular drinks."

"Likewise," I said, reaching out for a handshake. "I've never been much of a drinker."

As we shook hands, I noticed something about the man's hands that nearly caused me to blow my cover.

Just above his wrist was a large, jagged scar. It seemed that he was purposely trying to hide it, but as we shook hands, the sleeve of his suit rode up just enough for me to catch a glimpse.

This scar was very peculiar due to its jagged design, and there was one person whom I knew who had this exact scar-- The Chief of Police.

There's no way...right?

I swallowed my thoughts, pretending like I didn't notice anything. This man held almost as much power as the Mayor of this city, so getting on his bad side could end up with life in prison.

"I heard that today's stock is exceptional, look forward to it."

Disgust, amongst other gross feelings, surged inside of me. I couldn't believe that a man who swore to protect our community was actually this involved in something so inhumane as human trafficking.

"Mm," I bowed my head to hide the anger in my eyes before excusing myself.

While I continued to walk into the auction hall, my mind drifted to thoughts of how many others here were government officials.

It's no wonder that the trial with Karl had gone so much in his favor.... officials from the courthouse and justice system must be involved!

Turning them in would be more difficult than I thought. My original plan was to record the happenings of the auction, then call the police to raid this place, but seeing that the chief of police was here, that plan was no longer viable. I needed to contact people higher up the chain to launch an investigation.

I subtly adjusted my tie, making sure that the pin camera that was attached had a proper view of everything happening in front of me.

The seating on the main floor of the auction hall was set up in a free-for-all style to protect privacy. Most of the guests scrambled to the front to secure front-row seats.

As much as I wanted to sit as far back as possible, I knew that sitting a little closer would provide the camera with better footage. I settled for a seat somewhere in the middle, but closer to the edge of the hall.

I decided against sitting in the complete center because I planned to sneak out halfway through the event to see if I could find whatever it was that I found at the Sophia event the night of my accident.

-

After everyone found their seats, the masked MC walked up on stage and swooped his hand down into a deep bow.

"Ladies and gentlemen! I wish to thank you for attending the two hundred fiftieth celebration of our VIP auction night!"

The crowd erupted into cheering and applause.

Over two hundred of these events?!

My chest tightened, and I had to grip my teeth to prevent my anger from lashing out. How many lives were ruined do to these people? How many families destroyed?

"To celebrate our milestone, we have prepared a special surprise for you all today!" he announced. "Not only have we prepared double the inventory! We've painstakingly selected only the best of the best!"

Once again, the crowd erupted. Cheers, shouts, and even screams filled the hall, making me wish I had brought a pair of earplugs.

"Without further ado, let's begin the auction!"

The lights in the hall dimmed while the spotlights on the stage got brighter. The curtain finally rose, revealing the first 'item'.

Huh? What's this?

I was expecting to see a human, but it was clearly a tiger inside an iron cage. It was restlessly pacing around, looking at the crowd with hunger and angst.

"As you all know, by tradition, our first auction is always an exotic animal. Let me present you with a very rare White Tiger! Bidding starts at three million! Please begin!"