Chapter 20 - BREAKING LOOSE.

Senator Theodore was really shocked about the escape of The Red Viper. The Red Viper is a cold blooded serial killer; an assassin and a notorious drug dealer. He was involved in helping Senator Theodore smuggle diamonds, but most times he smuggled guns. He was caught when he was on one of his trafficking rampage. The senator was the one who double-crossed him, because The Red Viper threatened to stop trafficking his goods, and to reveal Senator Theodore's evil secret to the world, if he didn't pay him more. So, The senator set him up, and he was caught.

The senator was on the balcony, outside. He glared at the open darkness, as he thought about The Red Viper.

What if I can assassinate him, He thought. It will be perfect. Just perfect, if I could get him off my way. But who would have the guts to assassinate The Red Viper?' He inhales deeply.

The next day, Senator Theodore rushes to the commissioner's office. He was really troubled about The Red Viper. He enters the office with a big scowl on his face.

'Good morning, Senator,' The commissioner greets. 'You may have your sit.'

Senator Theodore sits .

'How did it happen? I thought he was in the most secured prison, in Russia; how did he escape?' The senator asks with a surprised look.

The commissioner was dumbfounded; he couldn't explain it.

'It's really surprising on how this criminal escaped. He is the only one that can really tell how he escaped the cutting-edge security system that surrounded the prison.' The commissioner mutters some words, and then turns to The senator. 'I don't know how we would get this criminal. He's a threat to both of us,' The commissioner says.

'He's not a major threat to you, but he's to me; so stop talking,' The senator says angrily. 'You should get this criminal at all cost, because if he reveals my secret, you know I'm not going down alone.' He frowns and stands up to leave.

'Senator, I promise, I'll make sure I get this man; he's not above the police.' The commissioner says.

'You better fulfill your promise.' The senator says and leave.

A man was walking on the street, in the night. He was bleeding as he walked, and staggering a bit.

'Are you okay?' Charles asks as he walked past.

'I'm okay.' He inhales deeply, and continues walking, and then falls to the ground. Charles was alerted, so he checks on the guy, who was injured with bullet wounds.

'Sir, you're not in a good condition.'

The man was bleeding badly. His arm had deep bullet wounds. Charles holds the man up with all his might.

'Sir, where do you live? I'll take you there,' Charles asks but no response. The man had lost a lot of blood, so he was unconscious. Charles takes him to the old bridge; were he treated his wounds. He bandaged the man's arm and around his stomach, and his head, as well. The man lay unconscious as Charles exhales a puff of smoke, he inhales the cigar. He holds a bottle of beer up. 🚭🚭

'Cheers to long life,' he says faintly, and pours it's content into his mouth in one gulp. 'That was good…!' He exclaims.

In the morning, Charles wakes up to see the stranger up and standing.

'Good morning, Sir,' he greets the Southeast Asian guy.

'Thank you for helping me, yesterday; I would've bled to death,' The stranger says.

'It's nothing. I just did what anyone could have done.' Charles says meekly.

The Stranger smiles. 'No; not everyone will do this for a stranger. You're one of the few good Samaritans left. Thank you.' The stranger speaks with much gratitude. 'So this is where you live – under a bridge?'

'Yeah, this is my home. Sir, who are you? You remain a stranger till I know something about you,' Charles says.

'Of course. I'm Li Chang,' the stranger says.

'Wow! I could've guessed that you're Asian just by looking at your face.'

'Well, I'm from China, so you would've guessed right,' the stranger states.

'If I may ask, why did you end up in a critical condition, and wounded badly?' Charles asks.

'It was a gang war, and I was shot severally. I would have bled to death, but thanks to you I'm alive.' The stranger says.

On his way to school, Oliver saw the same strange lady he saw at Vanya's birthday party. She was following him from a distance, he felt so tensed. The school bus didn't pick me, today of all days. Now this woman is stalking me, Oliver thought. He increased his walking pace. The lady cognizes this, and increases hers, too.

Suddenly, two men comes from the front to Oliver. 'Hello, kiddo. Your school bus forgot to pick you. Too bad, you've to come with us.' One of them says.

Oliver shoves them and starts running, but he didn't run very far, and they shot him with a poison dart, which starts to disrupt the flow of energy in his body, and he falls unconscious.

They put him inside an SUV and drive off.

Oliver's eyes blinked twice, his eyes were heavy. He felt a splitting headache. The place smelt funny, or better still funky. His vision was blurry. He sees indistinct images of people. He blinks his eye again.

'He's awake,' He hears. They pour water on his face.

'Wake up, sleeping handsome,' the smack him on his cheeks. He wakes up and looks at them feebly. A moment later, that strange lady comes in front of Oliver.

'You could have told me easily. I wouldn't have done it the hard way,' The lady says.

Oliver was shocked to see this woman again. What connection do she have with Asantel Dion?

'Ma, I told you all I know – nothing.' Oliver says.

'I don't believe you. I know my so-called best friend, Asantel. She's a very busy person, and if she cuts her schedule just for you, that means you're very important. And she seems to talk to you in private, which means you're very important, yet a secret. I don't understand; make me understand,' She says awkwardly.

'Please, what problem do you have with Asantel?' Oliver inquires innocently.

'If you know how perfect her husband, Caramel Dion, is, you'll know the answer. Asantel is standing in my way. If only I can find something that can put her down in the eyes of Caramel, I'll be glad.' She laughs.

Oliver was finding all this strange. Who knew finding my mom would come with a lot of drama? He asks himself. He gazed at the lady as she displayed her insanity.

'Caramel, the handsome, rich, and a caring gentle man. He's perfect. His blue eyes radiate a spark in one's soul. Caramel would snuggle me with so much love. We would travel through out the world.' She let's her imagination go wild. 'That low life, Asantel, thinks I'm her friend, she's holding what belongs to me,' She says. 'Tell me, are you her secret lover?' She asks foolishly, not regarding the age difference. Oliver was truly disgusted by this woman's nature.

'I don't think I can help you, ma'am. Let me go.' Oliver begs.

'No. You would be tortured till you spill out the truth,' she says cruelly.

The first man hits Oliver's feet with a club.

'Oh no…!' Oliver cries. 'I will tell you the truth, oh dang it. Asantel Dion is my mom!' Oliver screams.

'You want to obfuscate the truth, but I'm not dumb.' The lady frowns.

'I'm speaking the truth. Asantel is my mom. She left me when I was just a baby.' Oliver reveals.

'Now, I see it. That's why she had been meeting you secretly. But I need evidence.' The lady says.

Oliver had to think of a way to escape. He had to say something that will justify his release.

'I can get you strong evidence against Asantel Dion. I don't have any proof here with me, but if you let me go, I'll get you the proof you need.' Oliver says.

The woman thinks for a moment, then she speaks, 'I'll let you go, but don't dare double-cross me.'

Oliver nods in affirmation.

In school, this was the second time the group was missing their leader, Oliver.

'Why is Oliver not in school?' Angel asks Vanya.

'I don't know. I wish I knew where he lives; I would've visited.' Vanya says sadly.

'It would do us some good, if I become the group leader.' Angel says, and Vanya didn't object, so she became the group leader.

'I would suggest we make a super invention. I always imagined a phone timer for cooking. Anytime your food is ready, the alarm will ring on your phone. You can put your food on the stove and leave for work, if your food is ready, you'll get the notification, and you can put off the stove using Bluetooth,' Angela says.

'It's a nice idea, but you should consider our time; it's so short. Let's accept a more simpler idea.' Vanya suggests.

'I am the group leader, remember,' Angel says.

'I know you're the group leader, but consider our time.'

Angel thinks for a moment, and then she looks at Vanya with scrutiny. 'Do you have a better idea?' She asks.

'Let's make a little android tracker, It's more time economical. This tracker would be able to stick on metal. You can use it in tracking any one.' Vanya explains.

'No. This will also be time wasting, too.' Angel says.

'It's more manageable than your Bluetooth stove, so we can make it if we're determined.' Leonard, the last group member, explains.