Kayla Winsley's POV

I wasn't a fast walker. It was difficult for us to keep behind him.

His prompt steps were not giving us a chance to meet his momentum.

"We must have taken our bicycles with us." A tardy voice hampered my thoughts.

I tilted my head in the direction of the owner of the voice. Those words seemed nervous, one that gave an air of anxiousness and disruption.

"And then we must have been caught in merely five....No in three seconds. Don't we?" I sighed while tightening my grip on the black scarf that was covering my face.

"Like people have started recognizing the cloth clans now." My inner voice mocked me.

Just then I noticed that I had solely mentioned the thought of 'being caught' and she stumbled upon her steps.

"Careful Bella," I bent down to offer her my hand.

"I am alright. Don't worry. Don't lose track of him. Otherwise, He will escape." She whispered while pointing her finger at my back.

"Freak!" I turned back to spot him again. But he was nowhere to be seen.

Upon the wet rain-washed road of the old pathway, his actual escape was a puzzle piece.

"This was my last chance. I can't let this go." I cleaned the sweat that was dripping even in that cold weather.

Tears were pouring into my eyes, but I didn't let them drip.

"God please help me. This last time." I said while looking up at the sky.

When I turned around, my gaze subconsciously noticed a mirror that was small and cheap. It was a kind that you strictly see in a dollar store thickly rimmed in red plastic.

I was going to move away but at the same moment, I saw the shadow of a very familiar man wearing blue formals.

Initially, I thought I was hallucinating, but when Bella dragged me and said, "He is there. Let's go before we lose track again." I tend to believe.

While making a fast move, I glanced around us.

"Handicraft market? Are you sure we are following the correct man?" I asked her nervously.

"Hundred cents sure." She said in assurance.

Fifteen minutes later

"Maybe you are right. He is not the correct one." Bella bowed her head down.

"He is still standing there like he wants to buy something." She added further.

It was a situation when the situation was depicting all the odds against my belief.

"He is pretending, I think he is waiting for someone," I replied in a slow tone.

Initially! I was also thinking that he was someone else. But how could I be mistaken in recognizing the man or I would say Mr, Carter to whom I had seen almost every day in my house, with my father? Not a chance.

I didn't know when while thinking about any possibility of doubt.

I ran my hand through a bowl of shell absent-mindedly, letting the trinkets slide through my fingers.

Mostly they weren't cut or polished but still, they were sparkling just like my life asymmetrical, unnatural but beautiful and shiny.

"Do you like it? Are you going to buy them?" A little and hopeful voice washed away my thoughts.

I looked down at the owner of the voice, he looked pale and small, eyes so young, full of an unknown restlessness.

Maybe he was about nine or ten years old but those eyes sustained too much from what they had seen.

"You know these shells will bring you good luck." He said while pointing to the one I was touching earlier.

I smiled at his innocence and said, " So I should welcome all my luck. Pack them."

He gave me a jolted smile and chirped like a bird.

"How are you gonna pay for this?" Bella asked me worriedly.

" I told you to keep an eye on him so keep doing that." I pointed her towards the man we were following.

Next, I took out one of my rings. These ornaments had never made a difference in my life. I didn't want these accessories or money but the freedom I deserved.

I might have all the riches in my life but I was more empty-handed than that little gentleman.

Yes, why should I call him a 'child' if he was doing the duty of a gentleman?

"Thank you. Come back again." He said while handing me the bag of shells.

I wanted to ask him, did he go to school or not? But before Bella almost shouted while showing me that someone was handing over an envelope to Mr. Carter, I knew that.

The way he was holding and hiding the envelope was correctly showing the worth of information it was holding.

"Move fast." Both of us spoke together.

Five minutes later

I stopped suddenly and Mr. Carter got four long strides ahead before he realized that someone was following him.

We paused and hid behind a car. Just then a quick realization hit me, the car seemed so out of place.

Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadsters

This was not the first time I had arrived here, but this was the first time I had seen that car there.

I once again looked at the amazing machinery placed in front of us. I had seen it somewhere but where? I kept asking myself.

"Do you know where we are standing? We are digging our graves." Bella said worriedly.

She was right, we were standing in front of the Industrial License & Registration office.

If anything got out of the way, I didn't know about Bella but I would regret this step for the rest of my life.

"We can't back off now. Not after reaching here. Do we?" I finally spoke.

Now at that point, my heart was only having one thought and there was only one want. Despite all that was going to happen.

I slowly started making my way towards the office room in which I had seen him enter.

"Where are you going?" Bella asked.

"You just wait for me here, I will be back," I said and moved inside.

In the office

When I reached the office, I decided not to show but to gather the information.

Yes, who would ever believe that just to get one step closer to my dream. I would spy on my dad's man.

I would have never done this, only if he was not involved in the charade of humanity.

Just then a sharp and authoritative voice knocked me down.

" I don't know how but I want this factory license." He said.

"I am already telling you, it is not possible for me until he takes back the application." Mr. Johnson replied.

Yes, I knew Mr. Johnson since I was thirteen and came here numerous times. He was the one who knew the actual truth behind my mother's death.

"Who is he to decide whether I will get this or not?" The same man said again.

"He is the one on whose directions these days politics revolve around" Mr. Johnson uttered.

That's why I always looked up to this man. He was sharp, cunning and one thing his every piece of advice had so much smartness but I couldn't know this arrogant man.

Not only wise but he didn't deserve any advice.

A minute later, I heard some shuffling of chairs. I knew they were standing up.

But where had Mr. Carter gone if he was not here? I was about to go back to Bella when I heard the faint sound of their last conversation.

"You can decide the time to make an appointment with him." Mr. Johnson said.

"Sebastian made an appointment with him. But that man isn't worth my time." He chuckled.

I wanted to stop, and see who was this man? But at last, I reached the point that he was not even worth my time.

I was hiding behind the door, waiting for them to walk out. But I stopped again with the same voice.

"And yes, Sebastian, nobody should know that I am back. Keep this a secret unless I decide to show up to everyone." He spoke before moving out.

I was about to see his face but he turned around. The only thing I had seen was his brown blazer and cream pants.

Just for a moment, something inside me wanted to see his face and give him a piece of mind. But NO!

I started making my way out, with disappointment that Mr. Carter slipped from our vision.

I was sighing when I saw him standing in the corridor with the same envelope.

I felt a drop of sweat covering my forehead beneath the scarf. I had almost forgotten about the scarf that was covering my whole face except my eyes.

I saw the same man's back, the one who was inside Mr. Johnson's office, the same man with a brown blazer, I had seen a few minutes back.

"This is what you have asked for." Mr. Carter said to him while handing over the envelope.

"They aren't aware who has knocked their lives. Do they? " He gave a wicked grin.

"I have done this for you. Betrayed them." He shrieked.

They aren't aware who has knocked their lives. Do they?" He gave a wicked grin.

"I have done this for you. Betrayed my five years long bread and butter." Mr. Carter stopped.

How unworthy people are around my dad. But I couldn't blame it, it's the karma that was hitting him back.

" Don't. Don't run behind the bush, come to the point." The man said in an angry tone.

"If you can increase my payment, it would be great." Mr. Carter finally spoke.

"Come to my office later in the evening. Remember don't ever think to backstab me." He replied by taking away the envelope.

But what did it have? I was about to move. The time I turned around.

I saw behind the glare of the glass window, I could see the same man and he wasn't moving.

He was around 5'9' with his shoulders hunched and I blinked to make sure it was real.

I had started walking past it to see whether or not he was moving along or I was just being paranoid.

But only if there was any ground left to walk away.

To Be Continued........