Ghostbane

Max finished his examination of the room and sighed. "Nothing here."

Richard leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "Nothing? Seriously? No cursed symbols? No hidden ghosts? Just—"

Max cut him off, grinning. "The only thing cursed in this room is her vagina."

Richard's eye twitched. "Why are you like this?"

George ignored them and focused on Max. "Alright, then what do you think we should do?"

Max stretched his arms and cracked his knuckles. "I'll go question some of her friends. Maybe they know something."

George nodded. "Take Richard with you."

Max immediately turned toward George. "What? Why?!"

Richard also jumped in. "Exactly! Why?!"

George crossed his arms, not in the mood for their complaints. "Just take him."

Richard scoffed. "Aren't you coming, Grandpa?"

George shook his head. "No. I have to stay here and look after the girl. Plus, you need field experience."

Richard groaned. "No way I'm going with him."

Max pointed at Richard. "Same! This guy's a liability!"

George had enough of their whining. "Just go. We don't have time to waste."

Max let out an exaggerated sigh. "Fine, but if I die because of him, I'm haunting you."

George tossed his car keys to Max without responding. Max caught them mid-air, still muttering curses under his breath as he walked toward the door.

Richard hesitated but followed. "This is going to suck.

---

Richard and Max got into George's old Maruti Suzuki, the doors creaking slightly as they shut. Max took the driver's seat, adjusting the rearview mirror while Richard slumped into the passenger seat, already regretting this.

Max started the engine, and the car rumbled to life. The radio flickered on, playing some old classic rock song.

"Buckle up, rookie. It's gonna be a long ride."

Richard clicked his seatbelt lazily. "Rookie? Who the hell are you calling rookie?!"

Max smirked. "Oh, my bad. Would you prefer 'Flame Boy'?"

Richard shot him a glare. "I will set this car on fire."

Max laughed. "See? That's exactly why I call you that."

Richard rolled his eyes. "Just drive."

The road was quiet, with the occasional streetlight casting flickering shadows on the windshield.

After a few minutes of silence, Richard spoke up. "So, where exactly are we going?"

Max kept his eyes on the road. "Amelia's tuition center. According to Nat, she has a few friends there. We'll ask around, see if they noticed anything strange."

Richard frowned. "That's the whole plan? Just… ask around?"

Max gave him a side glance. "What, you were expecting a dramatic exorcist raid?"

Richard huffed. "No, but I thought there'd be something more… y'know, exorcist-y."

Max chuckled. "Relax. Information is just as important as fighting. We figure out what's going on first. Then we make a plan."

---

Richard groaned. "I swear, this car smells like old people."

Max smirked. "That's because an old man owns it, dumbass."

Richard rolled down the window. "I feel like I'll catch some kind of ancient disease just by breathing in here."

Max laughed. "Relax, princess. You'll survive."

As they pulled out of Nat's driveway, Richard crossed his arms. "I still don't get why Grandpa made me come with you. You're the 'genius strategist,' right? Shouldn't you be handling this on your own?"

Max scoffed. "Oh, yeah, I totally love doing all the work alone. But apparently, you need 'experience.'"

Richard leaned back. "Experience in what? Watching you bullshit your way through an investigation?"

Max grinned. "Exactly."

The car slowed at a red light. Max tapped the steering wheel rhythmically.

"So, Richard," Max said, eyes still on the road. "How's it feel? Your first real job?"

Richard exhaled. "I don't know. I guess I'm… anxious?"

Max smirked. "You? Anxious? Didn't you just unlock some god-tier flame power? Shouldn't you be feeling unstoppable?"

Richard ran a hand through his messy hair. "That's the problem. I don't feel unstoppable. I barely know what I'm doing. The last time I used my flames, I nearly burned myself to death."

Max nodded. "Yeah, that was hilarious."

Richard shot him a glare. "Screw you."

Max chuckled. "Look, man, it's normal to be nervous. But trust me, the job ain't just about flexing power. It's about thinking."

Richard raised an eyebrow. "Thinking?"

Max turned the wheel smoothly as they made a left. "Yeah. Look at George. You think he became an exorcist just by throwing holy water at ghosts?"

Richard shrugged. "I mean… maybe?"

Max sighed. "No, dumbass. He knows how to handle things without going full battle mode. That's what makes him dangerous. Strategy beats raw power every time."

Richard stayed quiet for a moment. "…And you think you're good at that?"

Max grinned. "Oh, I know I am. I'm literally built different."

Richard rolled his eyes. "Sure, Mr. 'The Only Thing Cursed Here is Her Vagina.'"

Max cackled. "Hey, it's true! That girl got cursed in the worst possible way. You saw how pissed Nat got."

Richard sighed. "I swear, sometimes I think you do things just to piss people off."

Max smirked. "And you'd be absolutely right."

The car continued down the road, the tension easing as their banter carried on

---

Max and Richard pulled up near the coaching center. The place was buzzing with students—some were chatting in groups, others were hurrying inside with backpacks slung over their shoulders, and a few guys were trying (and failing) to flirt with the girls near the entrance.

Richard leaned forward in his seat, scanning the area. "Alright, so where's this friend of Amelia's?"

Max tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. "Nat said she has blonde hair and wears too much makeup."

Richard immediately pointed. "That one. Right there. The one with the fake eyelashes so thick they could generate wind if she blinked too fast."

Max followed Richard's gaze and spotted the girl standing near the entrance, laughing with another girl. She had long, styled blonde hair, a tight-fitting top, and her makeup was practically a second skin.

Max whistled. "Damn. She looks like a walking Instagram filter."

Richard snorted. "Yeah. I bet her skincare routine is more complicated than my entire life."

Max adjusted his suit jacket. "Alright, let's go."

The two of them stepped out of the car, fixing their suits. As they approached, the blonde girl noticed them and immediately whispered something to her friend. The friend giggled, and both of them turned toward Max and Richard.

Max cleared his throat, putting on his best "professional" voice. "Excuse me, miss. Do you happen to know Amelia?"

The blonde raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. "Who's asking?"

Max flashed a charming smile. "We just have a few questions regarding her."

The girl glanced at her friend before looking back at them. "Wait… Are we in trouble?"

Richard, deadpan, muttered under his breath, "Oh yeah, you're going to maximum security prison for wearing too much foundation."

Max elbowed him before continuing. "Not at all. We just need some information."

The girl hesitated, then looked the two of them up and down. "Okay, but… Who are you guys?"

Max didn't hesitate. "FBI."

Richard coughed to cover up a laugh.

The blonde's eyes widened. "Wait, what?! The FBI?!"

Her friend gasped. "Are we under investigation? Oh my God—what did Amelia do?!"

Max kept his face completely serious. "Ma'am, I'm going to have to ask you to remain calm."

Richard had to turn away for a second to stop himself from cracking up.

The blonde girl looked nervous. "I—I didn't do anything! I swear! Is this about that time we—"

Max cut in. "We're not here to arrest anyone. We just need to ask about Amelia's recent activities."

The blonde relaxed slightly but still seemed cautious. "Well… I don't know everything about her, but I do know she was dating some guy named Oliver."

Max's eyes flickered with interest. "Oliver, huh? Tell me more about him."

The blonde huffed. "Ugh, Oliver was such a loser. He goes to another school, and he was, like, totally obsessed with Amelia. He kept following her around, buying her stuff, acting all weird. I told her not to date him, but she didn't listen."

Max tilted his head. "And what made him 'weird' exactly?"

The girl leaned in slightly, lowering her voice. "I mean… for one, he was always talking about ghosts and spirits and creepy crap like that. He'd say stuff like, 'There are things beyond this world watching us,' and 'I can feel a presence near you, Amelia.'"

Richard and Max exchanged a glance.

"Sounds like our guy," Richard muttered.

Max nodded. "Did Amelia ever say anything about feeling… different? Like, strange experiences after she met him?"

The blonde thought for a moment. "I mean… yeah. She'd get super tired all the time, like, out of nowhere. And sometimes, she'd space out during our convos, like she wasn't even there. I thought it was just stress, but now that I think about it…"

Max nodded, taking mental notes. "Do you know where Oliver is now?"

The blonde shook her head. "No clue. But I think Amelia mentioned he was always hanging out in some abandoned building near his school. Like, his 'special spot' or whatever."

Max grinned. "Perfect. That's all we needed."

The blonde hesitated. "Wait… What happened to Amelia? Is she okay?"

Max gave her a reassuring smile. "She'll be fine. We're making sure of it."

Richard and Max turned to leave, but the blonde suddenly grabbed Max's sleeve.

"Wait! Please don't hurt Amelia. She… She didn't do anything wrong."

Max turned back and gave her a wink. "Don't worry. We're the good guys."

The girl watched them walk away, still looking uneasy.

As soon as they were out of earshot, Richard finally let out a laugh. "Dude. FBI? Really?"

Max grinned. "Hey, it worked, didn't it?"

Richard shook his head. "You're actually insane."

Max smirked. "And you love it."

Richard rolled his eyes. "So, what now? Are we going straight to Oliver's place?"

Max shook his head. "Nah. We should ask around a little more first. Better to be prepared."

Richard sighed. "Fine. But if I have to talk to one more influencer-wannabe, I swear I'm throwing hands."

Max laughed as they walked toward the car.

Max and Richard walked back to the Maruti Suzuki, the sound of the bustling street filling the air. Richard sighed as he adjusted his suit, still looking a little drained from the conversation.

Max twirled the car keys in his hand before unlocking the door. "Well, that was fun."

Richard groaned as he got into the passenger seat. "Fun? That girl was one 'Hey bestie' away from giving me a migraine."

Max smirked. "C'mon, she was helpful. Plus, she gave us our lead. Oliver—some creepy dude obsessed with spirits. Definitely our guy."

Richard leaned back against the headrest. "Yeah, yeah. But let's be real, this guy doesn't sound normal. He hangs around abandoned places, talks about ghosts, and somehow Amelia started acting weird after dating him? That's a red flag parade."

Max started the car, the engine humming as he pulled onto the road. "Exactly. Which is why we need to be sure. We can't just go knocking on Oliver's door without knowing what we're dealing with."

Richard raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what's your genius plan, Sherlock?"

Max grinned. "Simple. We talk to more people. The more info we get, the better we can handle this."

Richard groaned. "You mean we have to interrogate more teenage girls?"

Max shot him a smug look. "Oh, I'm so sorry you have to talk to hot girls, Richard. Must be a real nightmare for you."

Richard scoffed. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Just drive."

Max chuckled and shifted gears, weaving through traffic. As they drove, a comfortable silence settled between them. Richard stared out the window, watching as the city blurred past, the neon lights of shops flickering in the early evening.

After a while, Richard finally spoke. "You know… this whole thing is kind of weird."

Max glanced at him. "What part?"

Richard tapped his fingers on the dashboard. "I mean, why Amelia? There are a lot of girls out there. Why her?"

Max thought for a moment. "Maybe she had something he wanted. Or maybe…" His eyes darkened slightly. "She was just an easy target."

Richard frowned. "That's messed up."

Max shrugged. "That's the world, buddy. Some people don't care who they hurt."

Richard leaned back in his seat, deep in thought. "Yeah… but I still feel like there's something missing."

Max smirked. "That's why we keep digging, monkey."

Richard sighed. "I hate it when you call me that."

Max laughed. "That's why I do it."

The conversation faded as they drove on, the city lights stretching before them. Their next stop was another lead, another piece of the puzzle. But something told Richard that whatever they were dealing with… it wasn't going to be simple.