Coming out of her conversation with Mashaku, Desire was in a state of total unrest.
Heading home, she was a bit disoriented. 'I don't know what to make of this mess, honestly it is too exhausting to think about.. so it doesn't matter if I close the shop early once in a while, right?'
Her internal monologue was cut short when she ran into a certain green-haired boy.
"Barto, you brat! What are you up to now?" she sighed, crossing her arms. "You know everyone calls you the neighborhood menace, right?"
The boy Bartolomeo; being 6 years younger than her, was like a little brother to Desire, but the boy clearly held the dynamic differently.
He scoffed..
"You aren't the one to talk. Don't be acting all high and mighty just cause you run a shop now, what happened to us becoming pirates?"
Desire wasn't angered by his outburst, "Look how the boy, who used to follow me around, calling me 'senior sister' all the time has changed."
She teased, recounting the past and took out a bar of chocolate from her coat pocket.
"Here eat this! And I haven't forgotten the promise that I made, but if we don't want to be pirates who steal and plunder all the time then we have to prepare properly, got it?"
"I guess!!" Bartolomeo sulked, he was unhappy but what else could he possibly do.
Thereafter, Desire waved him off and continued on her way. However, the road to her house felt unusually eerie, it was strangely empty. She narrowed her eyes, a chill running down her spine. 'Something is off.'
***
News quickly reached the revolutionary hideout. [Somebody in connection to their army had been arrested.]
A seed of doubt was raised in Sear's mind 'in connection.. not a revolutionary directly.' He pondered; "who could it be?"
Deciding to dig deeper, he directly contacted Saga.
In the call:
"Are you sure it was someone called Desire?" The news he received from the other end was beyond shocking.
{Yes!! Apparently a marine named Mashaku is also involved somehow}
"What?"
{If I remember correctly, aren't you related to that marine?}
Sear didn't immediately reply, having a hard time comprehending the situation. He grabbed his throbbing head..
"This.. Can you investigate this matter further?!"
Making the request, he ended the call and immediately got into thinking..
'What the hell is happening? What connection could they possibly have, other than the fact that they both know me. But I am not such a big target to warrant this kind of action.'
'Besides, it's not a government policy to target anyone just for the fact that, at some point they might have been close to a pirate.. or a revolutionary; in my case. Is something like that even enforceable, when piracy is everywhere?'
'Every town would be turned upside down and even their own people, like Garp would be in trouble.'
After contemplating these things, Sear was back to the question.
***
In the prison of the Marine base, an interrogation was underway.
Desire; with her back against the wall, had her hands raised, bound in chains and handcuffs.
While incessantly insisting on her innocence—"I said I am not who you think I am, I do sell illegal machinery but I am not part of any criminal network."—She made persistent but unsuccessful struggles against her restraints.
The base commander: Commodore Dick; snapped, "Just admit it already. We have proof of your involvement with the revs.." he then gave an order to his subordinate "Oi! bring them here!"
The soldier saluted before returning with three people beside him.
Desire couldn't believe her eyes.
"You guys!!"
Shoulder to shoulder, these three were those same men who worked at her shop, whom she trusted.
Yet still despite what was obvious, she held some hope.
"You all came to save me right?, tell them the truth!!"
"Truth? What truth?" Bill asked, sarcastically.
"We already told them everything.. you are a sympathizer of RA. We saw with our own eyes, how you supplied the engine to that guy called Sear. Oh and don't worry, we will take good care of the business, unfortunately selling engines won't be possible anymore."
After Bill was done speaking, the base commander couldn't hold back his laughter..
"Wa ha ha ha ha!! Nicely said... you three will be handsomely rewarded for your contribution in catching this tram."
Bill was quick to accept the praise.
"Thank you, Commander... As good citizens, it's only natural for us to step forward. A reward is but a small encouragement compared to the honor!"
The three of them stood there; smiling, ear to ear.
"Heard that?" Dick sharply turned to the girl.
"Witness testimonies from the port have also backed their claims. People have seen that rev; known as Sear traveling in a boat with your engine. Your accomplice; officer Mashaku is also under investigation."
"Brother Mashaku has nothing to do with it!" She shouted..
"Haaa So you admit you have something to do with it.. Spit it out!!"
"I said, I really don't know anything.."
"tsk! tsk!" Dick clicked his tongue, and spat!
Which, narrowly missed the girl.
"Tch! Fine then! Rot here.. you will soon be transferred to Enies Lobby anyway. Cypher pole is on it's way.."
The big man strode away.
After which the prison door was closed shut.
. . .
Amidst the quiet darkness outside, a shadow scaled the building's wall and sneaked in through an open window.
"Who's there!"
"Intruder!!"
"Dammit!!"
Having dropped right into a room packed full of marines, Sear accidentally alerted the entire base.
Fleeing through the hallway with soldiers chasing after him, he saw a sharp turn ahead.
Jumping at the opportunity, he dashed straight, then dove around the corner and before the marines could catch up, slipped into an empty room and scrambled out the window.
Standing on the slanted roof, he thought to himself 'just my luck.. Wasn't that supposed to be a store room?'