Cirque du Tromperie -- Bunny & Tokkii

A

Annyeong Bunny

Guest
Original poster
"You know, Bynes, I feel like you aren't being truthful to us." a laugh tore throughout the group of men that were crowded around a table as an older man made the joke. Elias Bynes gave a small smile and shook his head, swirling his drink in his hand. Everyone was drunk, he knew that. Being the designated driver, and not a big fan of alcohol, he had assured his co-workers that he would be their ride home.

"What's that supposed to mean, Chief?" Elias countered with a sly grin to the older man. More laughter filled the dining hall as the investigator took a small sip of his water. Pointing a finger at him, the chief chuckled and blinked a few times, as if to clear his head before speaking.

"I mean, I think you might be taking some weird drugs or something. How can you be so good at this stuff?" as the older man slurred his words, Elias gave a light laugh before setting his drink down. His division had decided to go out drinking to celebrate the 18th case that Elias had solved so far. Most of them were small things that probably didn't deserve recognition, as he was a rather humble person, but the chief had insisted, so there they were. The most recent case was a big one though, and he had to hunt down a prostitution ring. Like in the movies, it was just as dark and depressing in real life.

"Ah, come on, Chief. I think you've had a bit much to drink. Did you forget that we take regular drug tests?" with that response, Elias stood up and gathered his jacket, slipping it over his shoulders. The others followed suit and grabbed their things, heading to the van outside. Stopping on his way out, the investigator handed the money for the bill as well as the tip to the bartender. Once outside, he waited for everyone to stumble into the van before hopping into the driver's seat himself. Then, one by one, he began to drop each officer off.

Elias was in deep thought as he drove to each house. Before the celebration, Chief had told him about some tips that were being called in. They were vague and didn't seem to spill enough to put together a picture, but it was enough to raise some concern. As per usual, Elias wasn't given much info about the tips, just direction to scout out the place, which happened to be a famous circus in town. That fact in itself made the investigator cautious about the case, but he knew better than to ask questions.

Soon enough, he was home at his apartment, kicking off his shoes and making a bee-line straight to his bed. It didn't take long for Elias to fall asleep, and he was glad he did because of his trip the next day...

~

In the morning, around noon, Elias dressed up in jeans, a t-shirt, and a black leather jacket. His aesthetic for approaching the circus was as a customer, but possibly as someone interested in a job. Deep down, he had a feeling this would be an undercover case, due to the extremity of the tips. Thankfully, the circus wasn't very far from where his apartment was, and within about fifteen minutes, he was in the parking lot of the circus. It was crowded. People crowded like ants around the circus, visiting different tents. Elias stepped from his car and meandered to the entrance, where he had to pay 20 dollars to get in. Handing over the bill, he watched as the crowd ushered him in, pulling him with the flow of people.

"This is going to be more difficult than I thought..."
 
"Are we all set?!"

The ring leader, as he title himself but was expected to be referred to as Sir, announced to his crew after getting the signal the attendees were all crowding in to enter the show. The smell of popcorn, greasy foods from food trucks, and the sweet smell of cotton candy were the signs that is was a new day. Another show. New faces. Ambrose was use to routine life as a circus performer. For six years, he has been practices his skills, going to rehearsals, putting on his makeup, and doing his best to bring joy to these families with their children. Sir welcomed him with open arms and gave him a place to call home. He was kind. All respected him and looked up to him, but on one knew his real name or really the real him. This circus was his home and he was able to open up and show his personality.

"Are you nervous about our performance?" Ambrose usual partner, Emily asked. Before every performance she would ask the same question - her anxiety getting the best of her. Ambrose was one to prepare himself in silence before mingling with everyone. It was hard at first to break out of his shell when he started back when he was 18. With his childhood, it was best to keep quiet and keep things to himself - trust was another issue as well.

"I tell you this every time; all will be okay. We always do our best for every performance."

With a smile, Ambrose reassured her with a light pat to her shoulder. Although, for once he was just a tad anxious as of late.

---

Three years back, he stumbled upon something that shouldn't have been discovered. He was only going to see if he could ask Sir a quick question. He had seen the ring leader act so out of character that it was hard to believe. A disgusting display of abuse had taken in place his office late at night. It was the day two animal tamers had made a mistake during their performance. All deemed normal to Ambrose, but those two were very strange that whole day. From what he could see through the cracked tent were huge welts on both the male's backs. They held in their cries and agony as the ring leader continued to yell and beat them. Apparently, this was very normal behavior and Ambrose was the only one out of the loop.

The next day, those two men went about their day normally and they even casually communicated with Ambrose.

Since that night, Ambrose began to notice more abnormalities within this circus. The mysterious strange drugs coming in and out. Hidden news papers of missing attendees.

One odd rule is that in crew's trailers, TV or radios weren't allowed, which now felt like the crew needed to be kept in the dark.

It also almost felt like the ring leader was aware of Ambrose accidentally witnessing the scene. He only gave Ambrose his usual carefree smile and simply stated, "Loyalty is key in a big family." Which is one of his usually quotes he would often tell the whole crew whenever a meeting is in place. However, this felt like a threat to Ambrose. It was then that he saw the man in a completely different light. This circus had dark secrets and Ambrose has only seen just the surface.

He tried to ignore, but the more he did, the more it ate at him and he became eerie of his coworkers and boss. The circus has never felt so cold and suffocating. Out of impulse, he found a way to send a letter to a local Police Department. He kept in touch as much as he could and when he heard the news of a detective being sent, a tiny bit of safety rushed through him, but he was also afraid for his life and potentially ending another person's life. This circus was the first to give him that sense of being in a family. This would be ultimate betrayal right?

"It's okay.." he mumbled to himself. The detective had to be out their behind these curtains. Ambrose knew he was doing the right thing - so, he was trying to tell himself that.
 
"Jesus. How do people do this?" It felt like the world was spinning. The sudden infiltration of smells and loud noises hit Elias all at once and he had to pull himself from the crowd to clear his head. He had expected the circus to be a favorite among the people, but the crowd seemed more rambunctious than he could have imagined. However, he knew that if he stood to the side for too long, he would start to gather suspicion.

Elias put on his well-practiced grin and wiped at his brow like a man who just needed a breather. Pulling a hand through his butterscotch colored hair that fell halfway down his neck, the investigator put more pep in his step and jumped back into the crowd, turning his sky blue gaze over the different tents, all promoting different events and all swarming with people. Deep down, Elias was thinking of his plan to figure out what deep dark secrets the huge circus might be hiding behind the tent flaps.

The investigator had thought it through, plenty of times. The night before, and even the moment he stepped onto the circus' property. First, he would inspect the grounds with the appearance of a customer, which meant he could only see what was provided by the circus. That much didn't bother him, as it was a first step. If he tried to go through barriers, he was sure that if the tips were true about the place, Elias wouldn't be able to go back home. With that in mind, he also thought of the possibility of trying to join the circus. When he was a young boy, his mother had put him in gymnastics and contemporary dance classes. As much as he hated to admit it, Elias's mother was one for the old arts, such as ballet and nimble dancing of the sort, which was why Elias was pulled into it at a young age. Since his parents moved to the U.S. from Europe, it was even more ingrained into Elias to study and practice such arts.

His plan before graduating high school was to do some kind of air or sky performance in theaters or shows, as he had grown to appreciate the training he was doing. However, upon graduating, a strong passion for investigative work took over, and since he was 18, he had dropped his flexibility training. But in that moment, as Elias was standing in line to go into a large tent, he felt it. If he had to be part of the circus, he would try to convince the ring leader to accept him for aerial silks. Having done research in the past, and having a strong respect for silk aerialists, it was a known fact that males in the act were always in demand. Not all men wanted to be a part of such a feminine display, but to Elias, he found it an endearing act. One he had wanted to be a part of since he was a child.

So. That was his plan, and as he finally entered the large tent, he glanced up at the top of it and knew exactly what show he was about to see. Some kind of acrobats, for sure. While keeping his task in mind, Elias made his way to a middle row and, by the luck of god, found an empty seat. He had managed to grab a small popcorn on the way in, and tossed a puff into his mouth as he more or less inspected the tent with a calculating gaze, being sure to keep a smile on his face as he did so.

"Well, I'll be damned. It's like trying to look for ghosts." Elias muttered to himself, so quiet compared to the noisy crowd sitting around him. He couldn't see anything suspicious, but it was only the first tent. He was just getting started.
 
Once the curtains were lifted, everyone plastered on their "smiles" and all the anxiety amongst them just disappeared. Back then, Ambrose would have felt that pride he once had when had performed, but it just didn't feel right.

The cheering and clapping would have made him nauseous if they only knew the brutality and abuse placed upon a few of these performers. Although, Sir stood proudly and thanked everyone for coming with his usual cheerful grin. With a bow, all took their place on stage to perform their roles for the show.

Aerial silk performing wasn't something he would have thought to do in life. His mother was into painting during her free time, but it was unknown if she was into the arts. His father was a businessman whom owned his own business. It was only expected for his two sons to honor the family name. His older brother was the most interested whereas Ambrose felt nonchalant about it. When he stumbled upon here, it was hours and hours of training to perfect this art. Now, it felt like this was possibly what he was meant for.

He helped Alice up as she made herself comfortable within the silk and Ambrose soon joined her. As they performed above the other performers below them. The only thing flowing through his mind however, was possibly getting his answers and expose the dark secrets. Hopefully his tips were all believable as he had to remain anonymous in this situation.
 
To say that he was excited was something Elias didn't want to admit, but he saw the silk drapes at the top of the tent and couldn't help a grin. He still held onto the task at hand, however, as he pulled his gaze to the rest of the members of the circus. The ringleader looked to be a proud man, which in the investigator's case, could prove to be difficult. With pride came arrogance and entitlement, and Elias had a feeling the man was both.

Making a mental note to himself, Elias slowly ate a few more pieces of popcorn and kept his careful gaze on the performances. His smile slowly faded as the initial atmosphere began to settle, the new experience wearing down the more he watched. However, he knew better than to reveal himself, so he imitated a look of awe, as in one that a person may have while trying to figure out the skill set for each performance. Within the first few performances, Elias didn't see anything in particular that stood out to him, save for the silk aerialists, but that was for different reasons altogether. He figured it would have been difficult to find anything during the actual show; if the ringleader was smart, of course he would refuse to show any shady happenings to the audience.

However, while watching, the investigator did catch glimpse of a few performers who seemed to be favoring a certain leg, or some dark discoloring on parts of bodies that would have been hidden to the naked eye if the person watching were just an audience member. Could it be coincidence that these performers had bruises and were limping? Possibly. Especially with how it may look to everyone else, it could be seen as performers who had hurt themselves while practicing for the show. Elias knew better, though.

"There's no such thing as coincidences." Elias whispered to himself as the tone of his gaze turned from searching to piercing. His sky blue eyes watched the dancers and animal tamers carefully, but it seemed the majority of them were okay. Just a few of them seemed to have been hurt. The investigator pressed another piece of popcorn against his closed lips, holding it there as he began to process his surroundings. After a few moments, however, he lifted his gaze back to the silk aerialists, feeling his chest give slightly at the sight. If it weren't for the tips about dark things happening at the circus, Elias would have been more than okay with joining the circus for a few months just to indulge himself in aerial silks. But, now was not the time. He gave himself a few more moments to follow the pair through the air, his eyes falling on the male performer in particular, before turning his gaze back to the rest of the show. "What are you hiding..." Elias whispered once more as his eyes landed on the ringleader, pushing the piece of popcorn into his mouth at last.
 
The ring master stood in the corner by the backstage but he was still very visible. Despite his grin, he was watching everyone very carefully. Am rose was trying to be certain that Emily would still perform at her very best, disregarding her anxiety. It would (somewhat) be acceptable if he were to make a mistake than for her to take the punishment. Typically he would enjoy being the air performing graceful moves. It was the moment to clear his mind.

At their final move, Ambrose could see the anxiety and feel the fear seeping out of her. He only mouthed "it's okay", as he prepared himself to catch her at the end. As he watched her dive into his arms, relief crossed her face and as everyone else prepared to end their acts to end their opening act. All stood proudly and tall with smiles and a bow. No mistakes today.

The clapping roared within the audience and Sir himself quickly appeared in front of his performance. "Thank you, thank you! Such great performaners! Please stick around-" he informed the audience of what was in stored for them today. A few of the performers, including Ambrose left the stage and all gave sighs of relief and congratulated one another. It was so refreshing being outside. "I told you. You did great." he gave a small grin to Emily.

"I can only do this with you around. I don't know what I'm going to do after this..." she noted.

This was the last time Emily was going to be his permanent partner. Perhaps very often they would pair up, but who knows. She was now apart of the traveling crew. It was relatively new and Sir's 'second in hand' ran that bunch. Ambrose was a bit upset that he would have to get to know some one new. They would need to learn each other too. The two worked so well due to taking his mother's genes of shortness - only standing at about 5'6 or 5'5. He was taller than Emily, but most of the guys were pretty tall. Having to be Emily's role was going to be awkward. She was one of his first friends here.

"You'll be okay, but write me often when you can."

"I will! Make sure no one replaces me. Take care of yourself here." Emily gave a smile of concern before quickly going off to her next act to be with the clowns in the next tent. He wasn't going to have time to see her tonight. Goodbyes were done last night and even now. He was worried for her, but she was pretty tough when she needed to be.

He didn't have much acts today - mainly assisting others. He only made his way to his trailer to remove his exaggerated makeup at least.
 
Once the act was over, Elias stood and clapped with the rest of the audience, smiling a bit at the little enjoyment he did have. Grabbing his empty popcorn bag, he eyes the ringleader before following the crowd from the tent. For now, he would take 5 and find some lunch. Though he had popcorn, his slight anxiety started to rip at his stomach, and one of his remedies was to eat some kind of food to push the feeling away. 9 times out of 10 it tended to work, so he didn't knock the remedy yet.

Finding a kebab stand, he ordered two chicken kebabs and a water before sitting in an isolated area. As he munched on the food, he pulled out his phone and looked through the schedule for the circus. The day was more or less booked into the night, and Elias was already drained from just one performance. After eating, he figured he would try and hunt down the ringleader. The time to put his plan in action was near, and at the thought, Elias quickly ate two chunks of chicken. His stomach would hate him later, but as long as things went well, it would be worth it.

After about 30 minutes, Elias finished his food and stood, stretching his arms above his head. The years and years of dancing and gymnastics had given him slender muscles, and although they were slightly thicker than a dancer's, his professional training could still be seen since he kept himself in shape. Upon joining the police as an investigator, his mother was slightly disappointed because of the fact that she was his biggest fan, to say the least. She loved watching his passion in his performance, but understood that things changed. Plus, she had a daughter to try with, and by what he's been told through phone calls, his little sister had taken interest in ballet.

With that in mind, Elias hoped that his past training could earn him some brownie points when talking to the ringleader. He really hoped. As the investigator walked back toward the main tent, now empty, he cautiously made his way around. His gaze searched for a possible back flap that could lead to where the performers may have been at. He didn't want to intrude, however, so he stuck inside the main tent and held onto one of the outer rails circling the main performance area of the tent.

"Hello...? Is anyone there?" Elias called out, loud enough for anyone on the other side of the tent to hear, but not loud enough to alert the passerby outside of the tent. Clearing his throat, the male scratched at the nape of his neck and questioned if the tent was even the right place to look for the ringleader. It was worth a try, though, or so he told himself.
 
Makeup off and hair placed in a loose ponytail. Ambrose gazed at his face in his mirror - fatigue already evident on his face. His constant after hours investigation was starting to take some effect. His brown eyes were a contrast to his silver hair. He was no stranger to dying his hair. It was a bit of a stress reliever honestly. Looking at himself now, he always felt like a different person behind all the makeup and act. The calm and almost meek Ambrose lied within this plain face of his.

He only gave a sigh and left his trailer only to hear someone call out in the main tent. It was empty and that usually meant someone lost something. Entering from the back of the tent, he realized that the stranger entered where the performers would exit or enter. He only raised a questioning brow as he continued to proceed.

He only noticed the stranger from behind and despite no stage light, the natural light could make out a blond man. "Are you lost? Or looking for something?" he asked quickly, folding his arms. He would ask how and why this man was back here, but he couldn't sound too 'rude'.

Ambrose only came off as unapproachable or rude just naturally. His older brother, Leon, was the more...dominant or depending out of the two of them. When he started working here he did try to change his personality a bit, but only on stage behind all that makeup could he mold a new personality. To those close to him would he display a softer side of him.
 
Hearing a voice behind him, Elias slowly turned and gave a sheepish grin, his sky blue eyes taking in the appearance of the man who the voice belonged to. For anyone else, they may have been frightened by the sudden appearance, but being an investigator, he was used to such things. The other man in front of him was on the smaller side; actually quite small compared to Elias' 6'0'' height and stature. It took the investigator a moment, but he quickly caught on to why the silver hair looked so familiar. In all honesty, he should have known based on the other's body build.

"Oh, you're the aerialist from earlier." Elias spoke as he mimicked the silver haired aerialist by crossing his arms over his chest. The gesture was more of a habit than a defense mechanism, as he had a small grin that reached his pointed gaze. "Sorry for looking like a creep, but I wanted to find the ringleader. I had a few questions for him about possibly joining the circus. Do you know where I can find him?" Elias finally spilled the reason he was snooping through the large performance tent, but he was sure he still seemed shady. Who else just walks around a tent in the dark?

"I mean, actually, maybe I should introduce myself first. Sorry, I've always been bad at that. Elias. Elias Bynes." the investigator lowered his arms from his chest, slowly offering a warm hand for a handshake. His small smile was still plastered on his face, but his eyes changed; they became more calculating. Cautious and careful. An investigator's eyes were at work, and unfortunately, when he didn't know who was sending the tips in, anybody was fair game.
 
Judging from how he recognized him so quickly, he was amongst the crowd. "The ringleader?" Ambrose questioned to himself. There was a bit of hope in him, but this man was only interested in a job. Maybe the police department had more pressing matter than the circus. He was just going to solve this himself.

This person was pretty tall. He did have the physique to be a performer and it didn't seem like he was lying or trying to be a creep. He accepted the other's hand in greeting. "Ambrose. I can take you to meet the ringleader. Just follow me." he answered quickly and turned for the other to follow him. It was possibly perfect timing to hiring new crew members, but it would take away from his snooping time. However, this guy could possibly be in cahoots with the ringleader? It was a bit odd and out of nowhere, but honestly no one can be trusted here anymore.

"So, you want to work here you say?" he asked casually. Ambrose wasn't so sure if he should give the other man a few warnings. He barely had much evidence himself. Only Sir abusing his crew. It would make him feel guilty if Elias were to get hurt in any kind of way knowing something is off about this place.
 
When the other took his hand, Elias grinned and noted the man's name. Ambrose. He had to admit it was a delicate name that seemed to match the appearance of the man starting to walk ahead of him. "Thank you. Sorry if it's any trouble, but the circus is huge." Elias spoke almost breathlessly at the memory of having to walk through the entire circus later that day.

As he followed Ambrose through the back, the investigator turned his searching gaze over his surroundings without being too obvious. He pressed his thumbs into his pockets and chewed at his bottom lip. The bit of anxiety that still remained was kicking at his stomach; though he enjoyed the skill that circus performers had, circuses had always held a creepy tone to them that Elias always felt. It could be from all of the horror movies and stories that involved circuses recently, but the weird atmosphere was there all the same. Especially with the tips the department had gotten about the place.

"Yeah. I used to do contemporary dancing and gymnastics when I was younger, but took a break when I turned 18. Figured it couldn't hurt to try it out again, right?" Elias spoke with a small laugh as he sped up his walking a bit so that he was walking beside Ambrose instead of behind him. "Plus, watching your performance gave me that extra boost, so here I am." the investigator added genuinely. Even if he was there to be undercover, the excitement to finally try his dream job was real. He really was encouraged by the other man's aerial silk show, and if anything, it gave him more incentive to stick around and continue investigating.
 
"Mm, its fine." Ambrose assured. He wasn't annoyed one bit. Skeptical, yes.

He listened to the other carefully and nodded to let Elias know he was listening. He did have the height and physique to be a performer. He wondered if Sir was seeking those for employment. Although, that didn't deem to be his style. It was moreso him finding people on the streets. "Are you trying to flatter me?" he chuckled a bit. It was a first to have an outsider compliment his performance. Aerialists weren't the 'stars' of the circus - just tag alongs. "I'm...glad to hear you enjoyed it. Maybe you arrived at a great time?" Ambrose stated.

"You mentioned you took a break at 18? Do you mind me asking why?" The silver haired added, but by the time he questioned the other, they already arrived at the ring leader's trailer. His light was on so hopefully he wouldn't be a bother.

"Well, this is his office.." Ambrose actually couldn't recall the last visit he had at Sir's trailer. He knocked firmly but cautiously.

"What is it?" The cool voice answered with suspicion in his voice.

"Its me. A guy is interested in working here."

"Ah..." he heard the other and a few shuffling sounds. "Come in, come in." The tone in his voice quickly shifted to a calm, greeting tone.

"Good luck. He's pretty down to earth - it'll be fine." Ambrose felt the lie sting his tongue and this was his chance to make Elias turn around. In his gut he knew this was wrong, but he didn't have enough evidence. He finally opened the door with ease for the two of them and they were greeted with a chirper - "Welcome!"
 
Elias laughed a bit as well. He supposed it really was a flattering comment. He continued to walk alongside Ambrose as he listened, his brow furrowing slightly at the statement that he might have arrived just in time. Knowing the reasons why he was at the circus in the first place, the thought probably hit him a lot deeper than it was meant to.

"Well, there's no such thing as coincidences." Elias chimed in, wiping the look from his face and replacing it with a grin. It was his favorite phrase, and found he found himself always saying it when things were sketchy. Or, if he knew something was wrong. It was a strange habit, but the others in the police force had come to the understanding that it was only said during serious times. Even as he walked by a potential ally in his investigation, Elias felt buzzing in his stomach that traveled to his chest. Nerves.

When asked about why he took a break, Elias hesitated and pressed his lips together. He typically didn't enjoy lying, but when he was undercover and didn't know what side the people were on, the investigator learned long ago that telling a few fibs was better than endangering anybody. However, as he opened his mouth to respond, he turned to see that they were at a stall. The ringleader's he assumed, since they had stopped walking.

As Ambrose stepped up to knock on the door, Elias stayed put and watched carefully, one eyebrow slightly notched upward in a cautious look. He heard as exchanges were made between the two, hearing some shuffling sounds as well. During the wait, the investigator chewed a bit on his bottom lip and dropped his eyebrow. Then, they were granted entrance. Ambrose's words, while Elias was sure the other was trying to help, didn't do much for the constant suspicion he had in his mind. He waited for the man in front of him to walk in first before entering as well.

"Hello, sir. My name is Elias Bynes, and I've come to shamelessly ask if you were hiring?" Elias spoke confidently and with a bright smile as his eyes landed on the ringleader. However, deep down, he felt very strange... the atmosphere was thick and the investigator had an inkling of a thought that the tips sent in to the police might not be exaggerated. Of course, he would need evidence first... and this was his first step. "I was interested in aerial silks, and after seeing the performance this morning, I'm even more sure of it."
 
"Hm?" Sir heard the other's request and looked to inspect the other man's physique. He looked strong and could possibly do some labor work. "Well then, you're hired. We're starting a traveling circus business too, so we need performers here."

He motioned for Ambrose to come by him, as he sat back down in his desk. Ambrose moved over to where the other man was and it honestly felt odd being near this man now. This whole room gave him chills for some reason. He didn't want to make it so obvious to the other male. "Emily is leaving soon right? Well, here's your new partner." He assigned as he wrote down Elias name on a roster.

Ambrose wasn't interested in a new partner, but he knew it was going to be inevitable. He didn't want to make it so obvious. "This guy here will give you the ropes. Don't mind him. He's kinda acts like a car, y'know?" The ringleader laughed a bit. "I'm just gonna need you sigh these agreements - legal stuff y'know?" He added.
 
Elias didn't expect the whole thing to go so... smoothly. The investigator didn't bother trying to hide the disbelief on his face as the ringleader went on with his explanation, bringing Ambrose to his side. However, his face changed as he started to think. His eyes went to his future partner on the stage, then back to the ringleader.

"I mean, wow. I was expecting some kind of audition or something, but I guess this definitely works." Elias finally spoke with a grin, glancing down at the papers the man had in front of him. Legal stuff. Something in the blonde male's mind thought otherwise. But, he was undercover and knew that he had to play the part... and playing the part meant signing the shady agreement.

"Sounds good, sir. Thank you for the opportunity." Elias spoke respectively as he grabbed the papers, skimming over the small print. For the most part, it really was legal stuff and liability. After his brief skimming, Elias took in a deep breath and bent down to sign the agreement. Before he touched the pen to the paper, however, he glanced back up to Ambrose once more. This time, he dropped his facade and stared at the other with a stoic expression. It was only for a second or two while Elias tried to think about the situation in a calculative manner, but as soon as it happened, it was gone and replaced with his grin. With no hesitancy, he signed his name away and pushed the papers back to the ringleader with a sigh.

"It's a pleasure to be working with you." Elias spoke, and while it seemed like it may have been meant for the ringleader, the investigator's eyes moved back to Ambrose. There was no turning back now.
 
"Nah. I'm usually pretty open. We hire experienced and non-experienced people. We provide training anyhow." the ringleader grinned at the other but also watched him intently as the legal papers were facing the other man. He was in a way seeking replacements. "Someone with your physique seems like you would be just fine.

Ambrose only carefully looked from the legal papers to Elias. He watched him as he picked up the pen as it approached the paper - signing his life away. Oddly the taller man paused and gazed at him as it felt like he was trapped. It felt like his breath was trapped in his chest. Almost like he forgotten how to breath. He wasn't one to believe in the supernatural, but his mother was big on always following signs or instincts that one should come across in life. Maybe it was because of his guilt, but it felt like Elias could tell that he was trying to keep something hidden. Grey eyes only looked back at piercing blue eyes. Although, the other instantly grinned and it took Ambrose out of his odd trance. Those few seconds felt like hours. He almost wanted to confess and snatch the documents away from Elias and have him make a run for it. He only averted his gaze when the other grinned at him and instantly crossed his arms.

The ringleader nodded and glanced at both Ambrose and Elias. "Same to you as well." Ambrose nodded and looked at the other cautiously. Maybe was also on his list to be watched?

"Ah Ambrose, Jonas has a cleared trailer now - he can have that one. You can show him around, give him the run down, y'know? I'll see you tomorrow Elias, don't let me down. You two get along now.~" he chimed and gestered his hand to shoo the two out so he can get back to his business.

"Follow me." Ambrose walked ahead of him as he excited out of the trailer. It was hard to say if he distrusted the other, but by that stare he also felt like he could trust him.
 
Elias had seen the tense look on Ambrose's face, and he had a feeling the silver-haired man knew something. If tips were being sent in to the police, then it would make sense that others working at the circus would be the same way. For the time being, he pushed it from his mind and gave a polite nod to the ringleader.

"Bright and early, sir." Elias spoke with a small laugh, following Ambrose from the trailer. Jonas. If his trailer was cleared, then does that mean the man was gone from the circus? Deciding to take a step into his detective work, Elias gave an audible sigh and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "So, I guess you guys get replacements a lot?" a simple leading question, nothing to make him too suspicious. However, he was feeling a weird change in atmosphere around the other man in front of him. Had he blown his cover too soon?

"And sorry that you have to deal with me all of a sudden. It was a shock for me too." the investigator spoke sincerely as he glanced at the other male. Even if he was on an undercover mission, he didn't want to shift around everybody's schedules while doing so. After all, his plan was just to stick around until he found enough evidence to hand over to the police. Elias looked at Ambrose once more, his grin falling slightly. The one thing he never liked about police work was butting into other people's business.
 
"You can say that. Since the new traveling crew is a thing now, we've been seeking new members. Or they just....disappear." Ambrose informed. He was actually trying to figure out the abundance of replacements. This was new. He had hoped this traveling thing was real or just a secret way to get rid of members. Especially those badly injured. Just the thought made him shudder and worry for Emily. She was so fragile and naive.

"Don't apologize for something you didn't cause," he stated calmly. He would be lying if he didn't feel tense around the other so suddenly. It only added due to Elias towering over him with his height. He turned to give his attention to Elias. The other's grin faded slightly. "Are you okay? You don't have to take it personal." he added. Elias was odd, but when he looked like that it felt like he was trying to read him.

This was going to be his new partner, but unlike Emily he doesn't know much of the dark secrets behind the ring leader's grin.

"Either way - I'll give you a few pointers. Keep them to heart." Ambrose gave the other his full attention. He stood in front of the now empty trailer, but it didn't feel right to give the other advice outside. There were many ears around them. "Hm, I can tell you inside. I'll give a chance to look around your new home."
 
"Sorry! I must be making a face." Elias spoke with a laugh as he rubbed his face. He really needed to calm down. It was only day one of however many he had left and this case seemed a bit more stressful than he had expected. "I've had a long few days, so it might be hitting me now."

The circus was a lot larger than he expected, so he took the time as they were walking to scope the place. He was also very aware of Ambrose's gaze on him. Not knowing who was on his side was making him more antsy. At least, that's what he decided to link his constant feeling of anxiety to. It was like he was walking into the beast's mouth willingly and asking not to be swallowed. Borderline mental.

When they were in front of the empty trailer, Elias felt a cold chill run down his back. Something felt wrong about him taking a trailer that was recently inhabited. Like moving into a house right after someone was murdered in it. It just didn't sit well. The investigator pushed it far from his mind however as he listened to Ambrose. Noting the full attention he was given, Elias eyed the other, listening to him carefully. What he was saying sounded a bit cryptic so Elias turned his gaze to look around them. He didn't see anybody, but took heed at Ambrose's suggestion to talk inside.

"Yeah, sounds good." Elias spoke with a grin, though on the inside, he didn't feel like smiling. Holding the door open for the other, the investigator stepped inside to view the trailer. It was big enough for him, but it smelled vaguely like stale cigarettes and Febreze. "Well, sure feels like home." Elias spoke sarcastically in order to hopefully brighten the mood. However, he was pulled back to the dull atmosphere and sighed before turning back to Ambrose.

"So. What should I keep to heart?"
 
When he closed the door behind him, light on, it clenched at his stomach that he really needed to let someone know what he's been going through. Everyone else were too anxious or mentally broken - no reason to give them added stress. Maybe he would trust his instincts this one time. "Yeah...Jonas was a smoker." he looked around the now empty trailer. It was nicely cleaned and organized. He was a bit surprised.

Ambrose sighed as he stood by the door, subconsciously drumming the door carefully. The silver haired glanced up at the other. "You have to keep this to yourself. I'm trusting you with my life," he started, before clenching his hands a bit behind his back.

"I...feel like I should have told yu this earlier or at least stopped you the moment we left. Lately, I've noticed weird things going on here. I just want you to be alert. I don't know much yet so you can't repeat anything, ok?" Ambrose warned sternly.

He walked up closer to the other as he looked up to the taller with a look of both concern and serious. "Be wary of the ringleader." he whispered a bit.
 
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