As if afraid the police wouldn’t believe her, Maisie Lynch ignored Ivan Warren’s attempts to stop her and pointed at Melody Summers, shouting, "Last night, we argued with her in the stairwell. She didn’t just hit my boyfriend—she pulled a gun on us! I saw it perfectly clearly. That was absolutely a real gun! Not a replica!"

"Officers, Melody Summers is illegally in possession of a firearm! She’s a menace! Arrest her, disarm her, and expel her from the community! Don’t let her hurt innocent people!"

After she finished speaking, Maisie Lynch turned her head and stared angrily at Melody Summers, as if Melody were her mortal enemy.

On the way to the Emergency Office, Maisie Lynch had already thought everything through. ’Things have come to this; there’s no turning back. If I’m going down, I’m not letting Melody Summers have it easy!’

That’s why she’d chosen to report Melody Summers for illegally possessing a gun. ’Even if it kills me, I’m taking her down with me!’

From the moment Maisie Lynch shouted that she wanted to cut a deal by exposing a crime, Ivan Warren had been pretending to try and stop her from talking.

While gesturing as if to cover Maisie Lynch’s mouth, he shouted, "Maisie, stop spouting nonsense! Do you have any idea what kind of world this is? Can we really afford to mess with someone who has a gun? Aren’t you afraid they’ll retaliate? Don’t bring that kind of trouble on us!"

He said all that, but his hand never actually covered Maisie Lynch’s mouth, allowing her to finish everything she had to say.

Last night in the stairwell, the gun in Melody Summers’s hand had terrified Ivan Warren. After he’d fled home, scared out of his wits, he discovered... he’d actually pissed himself.

There was a dark, wet stain on his suit pants, and they reeked of piss.

Ivan Warren felt utterly humiliated. After changing his pants, seething with shame and anger, he sat on his bed and began to agonize. ’Should I call the police and report Melody Summers for illegally possessing a gun?’

He’d heard from a colleague that you could buy guns and ammunition on the black market, but the prices were steep and it was hard to get access. You needed an introduction from a connected acquaintance to even make a purchase.

After all, dealing in firearms was a capital offense; sellers had to be extremely careful about screening their customers.

That being the case, Ivan Warren just couldn’t figure out how Melody Summers, a woman who had only graduated two years ago, could have the connections to buy a gun.

He had asked Maisie Lynch, who, as Melody Summers’s former roommate, knew her background fairly well. Maisie had told him Melody was just an ordinary girl who grew up in the countryside, from a single-parent home no less. Her mother was a simple rural woman who made a living from local resources, in fishing and forestry.

’Someone from a background like that couldn’t possibly have the connections or the funds to buy a gun on the black market!’

Ivan Warren racked his brain. The only explanation he could come up with was that Melody Summers must be trading sexual favors with some underworld kingpin.

This thought sent Ivan Warren into another spiral of indecision.

’If I report Melody Summers, will I just be bringing trouble on myself? Will that underworld boss behind her retaliate?’

While he was caught in this loop of indecision, Mr. and Mrs. Sutton came to his door.

Mr. and Mrs. Sutton said they had witnessed the argument between him and Melody Summers in the stairwell. They claimed they had a way to get Melody driven out, as long as Ivan Warren and Maisie Lynch cooperated with them in putting on an act.

Ivan Warren was ecstatic after hearing Mr. and Mrs. Sutton’s plan. He would use them to do his dirty work.

’If this works, I can get my revenge on Melody Summers without getting my own hands dirty. Mr. and Mrs. Sutton are the masterminds, after all.’

’And if it fails, it has nothing to do with me. I’m not directly involved, so no one can pin it on me!’

Now that Maisie Lynch was reporting Melody Summers for illegally possessing a gun, Ivan Warren was happy to see it happen. ’After all, I *did* try to stop her! If some gangster boss really does come looking for trouble, I’ll just hand Maisie over!’

’In short, none of this has anything to do with me!’

Just then, Melody Summers spoke, shattering Ivan Warren’s delusion.

Melody Summers looked at Maisie Lynch with a speechless expression. "Who told you my gun was illegal?"

Maisie Lynch glared at Melody Summers and shouted, "Don’t you try to deny it! I have 20/20 vision! I saw it crystal clear!"

Maisie turned to the officers. "Officers, search her! Go search her apartment! I guarantee you’ll find it!"

Maisie thought bitterly, ’Go on, search Melody’s apartment, just like they searched mine for that down jacket! Let her feel that same despair!’

Melody Summers silently watched Maisie Lynch, whose eyes were red with fury. ’I really don’t get it,’ she thought. ’Why does she hate me this much?’

’...What on earth did I do to her?’

Despite Maisie Lynch’s furious glare, Melody Summers’s expression remained perfectly placid. "No need to search," she said coolly.

Then, Melody Summers reached into her pocket and pulled out the handgun.

The move caught the other four people in the room completely by surprise. Mrs. Sutton audibly gasped.

As she watched Melody Summers hold the black handgun, which glinted coldly, Maisie Lynch trembled. A chill crept up her spine, as if Melody might pull the trigger at any moment and send a bullet into her body.

The instant Melody pulled out the gun, Ivan Warren scrambled behind Maisie Lynch. The memory of wetting himself the previous night surged back, and he felt a desperate, familiar pressure in his bladder.

Seeing the fear reflected in Maisie Lynch’s pupils, Melody Summers smiled. "You mean this?" she asked gently.

With that, as if to give Maisie a better look, Melody even took two steps in her direction.

Startled, Maisie Lynch stumbled backward. Her voice trembling, she cried out to Officer Tristan Tanner and Officer Sean Pierce, "Officers, you see that? She really has a gun! Quick! Take her down before she hurts someone!"

Melody Summers watched Maisie’s frantic display and silently rolled her eyes. She handed the gun directly to Officer Tristan Tanner, who was standing to the side, and said, "You already know this, but my possession of this gun has been approved. I’m not carrying it illegally."

Officer Tristan Tanner took the handgun and inspected it. It was indeed the registered, serialized weapon. He understood. He handed the gun back to Melody Summers and turned to Maisie Lynch. "She is not illegally carrying a firearm," he stated. "Your report is invalid."

An astonished look spread across Maisie Lynch’s face. "That’s impossible!" she blurted out.

Ivan Warren looked up at this, his voice trembling as he asked, "Wh-what right does she have to carry a gun?! She’s not a government official!"

Officer Sean Pierce ignored the question. He slammed a hand on the table and snapped, "That’s enough! Stop causing trouble! The accusation has been dismissed. Now, let’s deal with you lot!"

Officer Sean Pierce first pointed to Mr. and Mrs. Sutton, his face grim. "You two hired actors, fabricated evidence, filed a false report, and framed an innocent person. You are the masterminds of this incident! And after being caught, you refused to admit your guilt, trying to squirm your way out of legal punishment with pathetic excuses. That is a desecration of the law!"

Officer Sean Pierce’s voice, laced with anger and authority, instantly tensed the atmosphere in the room. The color drained from Mr. and Mrs. Sutton’s faces.

Then, Officer Sean Pierce pointed at Maisie Lynch. His tone was severe. "And you," he said. "As an accomplice, you are not blameless. You knew full well this was a sham, but you chose to take part in it, colluding with them in their performance, giving false testimony, and obstructing an official investigation. Your conduct is just as egregious!"

At his words, Maisie Lynch bit her lower lip, tears welling in her eyes. She bowed her head, unable to meet Officer Sean Pierce’s gaze.

Officer Sean Pierce continued, "If you are unable to get the victim’s forgiveness, then we will have no choice but to find you guilty. In that case, you will most likely be expelled from the community!"