Cybee Cogsworth's Arc

Chapter 5 of 5

Cybee's notebook now held thirty-two names and sixteen locations. He spread the pages across his workbench and organized them by district. Three witnesses had confirmed seeing a tall figure in a dark coat near the eastern portals two weeks before his arrival. Another had mentioned an argument near the clock tower on the day he fell through. His brass fingers traced connections between the accounts, drawing lines that formed a pattern. The tall figure had been seen in four different districts over the past month. Cybee copied the information onto a fresh map, marking each sighting with a red X. His enemy had a routine, a path they traveled regularly. Tomorrow he would stake out the location where three sightings overlapped. For the first time since arriving in the Rabbit Hole, he had more than hope—he had a real lead. He needed a better way to see the connections. Scattered papers and loose notes weren't enough anymore. Cybee spent the morning building a bulletin board from salvaged wood and brass fittings. He mounted it on his workbench, then pinned up his map at the center. Around it, he attached witness statements and timeline notes. Red string connected each piece of evidence, running from the map to the testimonies and back again. The board showed everything at once—locations, dates, descriptions. The pattern became clearer. His enemy moved through the eastern districts on a weekly schedule. Three witnesses had seen them near the same portal entrance on different days. Cybee stepped back and studied the web of string. The board proved his progress was real. By afternoon, he had organized his suspects into a filing cabinet he'd modified with brass gears on the drawers. Each drawer held papers about different people who might have pushed him. The top drawer contained his strongest leads—three names with matching descriptions. The middle drawers held witnesses who had seen suspicious activity but couldn't identify anyone. The bottom drawer was for dead ends he'd already ruled out. Cybee pulled open the top drawer and reviewed the three names again. One had been seen arguing near portals twice. Another had left town the day after Cybee arrived. The third matched the description from four different witnesses. He placed those papers in a decorative box on his workbench, its surface covered with gears and small compartments. This box held his confirmed clues, the pieces that fit together perfectly. Cybee sat down and opened his notebook to a fresh page. He wrote down the strongest suspect's name at the top, then listed every confirmed detail beneath it. Tall figure. Dark coat. Seen near eastern portals. Argued with someone at the clock tower. Left town briefly, then returned. The pieces locked together like the gears on his mechanical arms. Tomorrow he would stake out the overlapping location and wait. His enemy thought they were safe in the Rabbit Hole, hidden among the steam and rust. But Cybee had built his case piece by piece, and now it pointed directly at them. He closed the notebook and looked at his investigation board one more time. The red strings formed a web that led to the truth.