''Hey, Uncle Damien is in the neighborhood,'' Lucy announced to the inhabitants of the house after Greg told her that Mr. Ban had stopped at a house close by and entered it after staring at his car for a long time. ''What?'' Charles barked and turned around to look at Lucy. Margaret Ban's eyes shone as well. Margaret and Charles Ban started at themselves knowingly. Suddenly, as if Charles remembered something, he sprung up on his feet. ''Is your friend still there?'' Charles asked Lucy. ''Yes. Why? He is about to leave anyway,'' Lucy said as she glanced at Greg shortly. She had a confused look on her face as she looked at her young uncle, wondering what he wanted to do with her friend. Greg turned on the car, and Charles heard it and hurried outside, but not without poking his head out to confirm that Mr. Ban, his elder brother was not around and showing up to catch him. The next thing that happened shocked Lucy. Charles Ban ran out of the house and entered Greg's car a
''Who was that friend of yours?'' Margaret Ban asked Lucy after Greg had left. Lucy looked at her mother and flashed a ridiculous smirk at her. ''I don't understand, mom. Since when did my having friends become such a concern to you? Why are you asking who my friend is? He is a friend,'' Lucy replied defensively and wished Charles was around to help her into her room so that she could shut the door and stay away from her mother's disturbance. Margaret Ban laughed with sarcasm. ''Lu...you now hang around gangsta's?'' Margaret Ban asked. Lucy shook her head. ''My friend is not a gangsta, mom. Please...'' she replied, trying to prevent herself from getting angry. ''Are you alright? Do you think you are talking to a toddler? Look at the way he is dressed, just like your uncle, Damien,'' Margaret Ban queried. Just then, there was a familiar knock on the door. Lucy was about to answer her mother's accusation, and also ask why Charles Ban ran away when he confirmed that Mr. Ban was
After Mr. Ban was done inspecting his niece' wound, there was an awkward silence between them as he looked at her carefully. He had paid heavily for the video that he leaked into the internet by himself, to suddenly disappear, and he was glad he did so. ''That ugly video of you is no longer online!'' Mr. Ban said to Lucy proudly. When he said these words, knowing her uncle, Lucy raised her head up slowly, to look at him. For him to ignore the fact that talking about that video might trigger her to be mad at him again, and go ahead to talk about it, she knew that it had to be because he was the one that saw to it that the video was taken down. ''Yes. It's disappeared. Did you do it?'' Lucy asked interestedly. Mr. Ban scoffed. ''What did you expect?'' He asked Lucy. ''You thought that I would leave such a nasty video of my lovely niece online for perverts to be happy to watch?'' He asked Lucy again. Lucy's eyes shone. ''Uncle Damien!'' She exclaimed. Mr. Ban turned to loo
''Ma'am, we are making his special dish today. How coincidental it is for you to show up and consider him as special as we woke up considering him,'' the chef said to Laura politely.Laura smiled and nodded.She pretended to thoroughly inspect the kitchen and the food that was being prepared, but at the same time, her eyes were darting around, looking for anything that could pose a threat to her ploy, and then she started to leave when she confirmed everything was fine. ''Now that I am here already, I'll just take my meal now,'' she said to the chef on her way out.''Oh, yes ma'am,'' the chef replied and hurried to serve Laura.Within the next hour, Laura was having Lunch.She smiled with satisfaction after she finished eating because her plans were working. Everything that Laura had planned out in a bid to escape, was working, apart from one part.She needed help from outside, and she had not gotten any yet. As far as that city was concerned, she had to rely on people for a while
Laura swallowed hard. This was a defining moment for her, and she knew it. Whatever she told Alina now, would make her or mar her in regards to her effort to run away from Mr. Ban's house. ''Hello? Have you suddenly become mute?'' Alina asked Laura when she had waited for a while for Laura to say something, but Laura was silent. ''No...no. I...I want to...'' Laura started to say to Alina. Alina was all ears, and the fact that Laura was scared, made her impatient and irritated. ''What?'' Alina yelled at Laura. She was getting very upset.After Laura had interrupted the quiet time she was having with herself, she could not say anything. It seemed ridiculous. ''Can I see you? Please. I need to see you, and it's urgent,'' Laura hastily replied when she saw how upset Alina had become. At this point, Alina tossed the cigarette away again and leaned back up from her seat. She looked very interested in what Laura had to say. ''And how do you intend to do that?'' She asked Laura. '
At the junction that led to the Bueno's hotel, Laura diverted and headed for the outskirts of town. Her legs were nearly bleeding at this point. She had some money with her, quite alright, but the position that she was in at the moment, was not one that would allow her to spend impulsively. She had to save whatever she had for the right time.Under the scorching sun, Laura walked briskly without looking back. It was a dreaded thing for her to look back towards where she was running from because she suffered from some paranoia. Laura's eyes remained ahead of her, fixed on the horizon. Soon enough, she arrived at Alina's house. The house was familiar, and Laura was sure that she was in the right place, but for some reason, her heart thundered nervously against her chest. She was afraid. She slowed down her steps as she got to the small inn-looking house, and abruptly stopped when she was in front of it. Laura had waited there for a while, and just when she was about to summon
Mr. Ban chatted with Margaret and Lucy for a while before he left. In a while, he had not been this happy at all. The fact that Lucy was no longer mad at him made him think he was the happiest man in the world currently. Hopefully, she won't get triggered in the wrong direction again and change her mind. He left, grinning from ear to ear as he entered the back of his Bentley and asked the driver to take him back home. ''Boss, back home? It's three in the afternoon sir,'' Barter reminded Mr. Ban, but Mr. Ban was in a very different mood than usual and he was feeling different. ''I know. I want to go home to Laura. All of a sudden, I feel like being around her,'' Mr. Ban replied to Barter. Barter was dumbfounded. Since when did this sort of thing ever happen? But what could Barter do? He had to keep quiet and watch Mr. Ban grin from ear to ear like a toddler that had just been gifted chocolate. The ride back to the house was short. Before they got home, Mr. Ban asked the dri
Alina and Laura's eyes landed on the phone screen at the same time. ''Barter''That was the name of the contact that was displayed on the screen.Laura's heart stopped, and she held her chest because of the sudden pang of pain that she felt. ''They have found out, you are being looked for,'' Alina said to Laura with a straight face as both of them watched the phone vibrating aggressively on the table.Alina raised her hand and was about to pick up the phone when Laura snatched the phone from the table.''What are you going to tell him?'' Laura asked Alina with tears gathering in her eyes.Alina looked at Laura in disbelief. ''What gave you the audacity to take my phone from me?'' She asked Laura.Laura's eyes flashed desperately. ''I apologize,'' she said as she put down the phone that had now stopped ringing, back on the table. Alina was still staring at her in confusion. Barter grunted helplessly when Alina didn't pick up, and then he called her back. While he was doing this,
Greg Chase didn't know if he should laugh or cry. He stared at The Man until he was sure that The Man was serious about what he said, then he heaved a tired sigh. ''You cannot afford to do this to me. I mean...you sparingly ruined my life,'' Greg Chase complained, his eyes on The Man the entire time. ''You are the watcher, Mr. Chase. You shame me. The watcher ought to be more powerful than you are, but you are too full of yourself, so you cannot reach your full potential,'' The Man told Greg Chase. ''How powerful can I get?'' Greg Chase asked. ''Did you hear about the natural disaster that happened in the city Aklans weeks ago?'' The Man asked Greg Chase. Greg Chase nodded.''Yes, that was caused by a watcher like you. He was upset about something, and his intense anger caused a stir and an earthquake occurred. Though the government officials claim it to be solely a natural occurrence, it is a lie, and they know it...'' The Man told Greg Chase. Greg Chase was not sure he heard
Greg Chase almost dropped dead when he heard everything. ''If you have anything to tell me, or there is an emergency, I bet you now know how to summon me. It took you two years to learn how to summon me, Greg Chase. Now, you know what pride can do to you. It can ruin you,'' The Man said as he gradually disappeared into space. Greg Chase stared in arrant shock.All this...it had to be a joke.''Boss...at least...you aware that you returned my colleagues back to our company, right?'' Scissors asked Greg Chase after The Man left. Greg Chase looked at Scissors casually and nodded. ''I have told you not to call me boss anymore,'' Greg Chase said.Scissors smiled. ''The boss is really back to himself. Boss, you have not told me that in the past two years, and I have only called you boss throughout,'' Scissors said, smiling. Greg Chase wished it could stop.Someone needed to come and tell him that all this was a dream.Ge desperately needed to hear that he had been pranked heavily. So
''Master!'' Greg Chase muttered. Then he blinked. The next time that Greg Chase opened his eyes, he was in his living room on earth.He was leisurely watching TV and Scissors walked by casually. Greg Chase looked at Scissors, expecting him to freak out and ask how and where he had been but Scissors acted like every other day. As if nothing happened. Or?Had he been in a trance?''Scissors, what day is it today?''Wednesday,'' Scissors said. ''Where have you been in the last twenty-four hours?'' Greg Chase asked, looking at Scissors, squinting in confusion. It was as if his brain had been formatted. Scissors turned to look at him funny.''Keeping tabs on me now, huh, boss!'' he said, taking orange juice from the fridge and heading back inside the house, to his room. Greg Chase's eyes sparkled in confusion. ''I'm not keeping tabs on you. Fuck you,'' he said under his breath.''I heard you!'' Scissors yelled from afar. Greg Chase nodded with satisfaction. The first thing that
''Boss?'' Scissors called, wondering why Greg Chase was looking at him like that. ''What is growing on your head?'' Greg Chase asked Scissors. Scissors frowned.Was it because he had indicated that something was funny about Greg Chase, that Greg Chase decided to switch up on him?''Boss, are you kidding?'' Scissors asked, flashing a weak smile.Greg Chase shook his head. ''There's a radio on your head,'' Greg Chase suddenly said.''Radio!'' Scissors muttered and raised his hand to touch his head but he did not feel anything, and to Greg's shock, Greg saw Scissors' hand pass through the radio. ''Ah, boss...you are playing the pranks on me. But there is an antenna on your head anyway,'' Scissors said to Greg Chase. Without wasting time, Greg Chase raised his hand to touch his head, and he was not surprised when he could not feel anything, yet he saw Scissors gasp in shock. ''Your hand passed through it,'' Scissors said. ''Same thing that happened to you. There's a radio on your h
''You...I must give it to you as the watcher with the biggest ego ever...'' The Man said to Greg Chase.Greg Chase frowned. ''Are there more watchers? I thought I was the only one,'' he said to The Man as he walked towards Scissors and started to pull him up again, but just like before, an unknown force repelled Greg Chase. The Man laughed his usual mocking laugh, one that made Greg Chase upset by all means. ''Can you please release my friend? What the hell?'' he asked The Man, anger flashing evidently in his eyes.''I am not holding your friend to anything, he will get up when he wants to,'' The Man replied.''And, about your question as to if there are other watchers, of course, there are billions of watchers around the world,'' The Man said to Greg Chase. ''I thought I was the only one. Are they also up to anything as big as mine? Do they try to take down their enemies or they are solely connected to the source of wherever this watcher thing comes from?'' Greg Chase asked. ''T
Greg Chase was beside himself, wondering why Laura had suddenly cut off from him.Yes, she might have been spotted in his house, but from the way he felt, he knew that word had not gotten to Mr. Ban about the fact that she was in his house, so why was she suddenly unavailable? Why was she no longer interested in their plan to overthrow Mr. Ban completely this time?He had his hopes on her, especially now that Don Black had looked in another direction, having found another ''young blood'' to show the ropes of the business and get acquainted with. No matter how many times Greg Chase called Laura Ban, it either did not go through, or she abruptly hung the call up on him.''Urgh, what the fuck is going on?'' Greg Chase asked himself. He felt as if everyone he knew and looked forward to helping him achieve one thing or the other, was turning their back on him. But, under what basis? What did he do, or what did they suddenly realize for them to have such a decision made overnight?''Boss
''What is it?'' Shadow asked, looking very interested in Barter's thoughts. Barter had been looking at him with so much intensity, he had to know what was on Barter's mind while he was looking at him. Barter looked at Shadow closely.If he told Barter what he knew, everything could take another turn for the worst, but he also wanted Laura Ban to face the repercussion of the trouble that she had doled out on others. Shadow stared at Barter, waiting for an answer. ''I was just wondering when you will ever settle down with one woman. You should be married by now, you know...'' Barter suddenly said. Shadow was surprised. ''Are you kidding me right now?'' he asked Barter.Barter shook his head. ''Nope! After you lost your ex-wife, I could understand you staying away from relationships and not wanting to commit to anyone anymore, but it's been nearly ten years since that happened. Don't you think you need someone by you to make you feel better? You know what I mean. Even gangstas nee
Barter was getting frustrated, and desperate. After spending more than two decades with Mr. Ban, he was easily going to throw him, Barter to a corner just because of a loose whore he called his wife? He stared at the door of the room as if he wished that his eyes would bore a hole through. ''Preposterous,'' he muttered as he suddenly turned to leave. In the living room, when Barter stormed in angrily, he saw Shadow. Barter looked at Shadow as if he was seeing a ghost. ''Dude, where the hell have you been for nearly two weeks?'' Barter asked, shocked. Shadow rolled his eyes. ''Did you really expect me to hang around so that I will get discovered by Chase and the rest of them that I am on Ban's side?'' Shadow asked. Barter suddenly realized. There was no way Greg Chase and his cohorts would not have found out about Shadow playing both sides, the tension and pressure were too much, especially after the war. ''You are right, you would have been spotted,'' Barter said.
''We just had a few drinks and nothing more,'' Laura Ban said. By this time, they had arrived at the home of Mr. Ban.Mr. Ban hurried out of the car as if, if he stayed there for one more second, something will happen to him. ''Boss!'' Barter greeted him as soon as he sighted him. He had been waiting rather impatiently for Mr. Ban to return and give him a rundown of what happened at Laura Ban's house. Barter would have been the one to follow Mr. Ban to Laura Ban's family house, but his hideous face did not allow him. ''How did it go, boss?'' Barter asked. Mr. Ban glanced at Barter and rolled his eyes. Barter knew at once that Mr. Ban must have been ridiculed and insulted. The look on the man's face was so intensely upset. Barter spotted Laura Ban behind, hurrying up to meet Mr. Ban, and he obviously hissed, loudly enough so that Laura Ban would hear him. But of course, at the moment, Laura was bothered about something else, so she paid Barter no mind. She hurried towards Mr