The next day in the afternoon after lunch break.
"James, what are you doing?"
"Can't you see, I am trying to open the locker" answered James.
"Yeah I can see that but it's Drake's locker and we can't do such things. It's wrong." Said Aidan.
"Wow, you want to know the truth and don't want to do such things. If that would be your approach then it's never going to happen" said James.
"But James…"
"Aidan! If you want to know the truth then please don't speak a word"
"Fine"
"Yes! Finally." Exclaimed James.
"You opened it?" asked Aidan.
"It's James of course. There is nothing that I can't do" said James proudly.
"Are you done with your self-praising?" said Aidan.
"You ungrateful brat," said James.
"Hehehe...…." Aidan laughed.
James tried to make an angry face, which he couldn't.
"Fine fine, I won't laugh. But please stop making those faces. It doesn't suit you." Said Aidan.
"you are mean" said James.
"No, I am not. Ok, now will you tell me why you opened the locker" asked Aidan.
"Oh, that. Just watch" said James.
James fished out a small black colored gadget. He took it and hid it in Drake's bag. Yeah, Drake never carries his bag to the class, he only takes the necessary books with him.
"What's that?" asked Aidan.
"I'll tell you just give me a moment," said James.
He shoved that gadget into Drake's bag and closed it.
"Now let's go" said James.
"But will you tell me what did you do?" asked Aidan being confused.
"Have some patience buddy. Let's walk we skipped the class anyway. I will tell you on the way home" said James.
"Fine," said Aidan.
The two friends took their bags and walked their way home.
"Now, it's the time," said James.
"James you made me sit in this park for more than 2 hours. What are you up to?"
"What's the time now Aidan?"
"It's almost time we leave school and go home"
"Exactly"
"So?"
"Wait," said James.
He fishes something from his bag and takes out a black colored box.
"Take this and put it in your ear," said James.
"Sorry?" Aidan was confused.
"Oh, Aidan! It's an earpiece. Now put it"
"Ok"
After some minutes, they heard noises coming from the earpiece.
--'Boss is there a meeting today? As every week we have our meeting right. So we asked'
--'No! We don't have and stop bothering me for some days
"Oh god. Isn't it Drake"
"Yes"
"James? What did you do?"
"I placed a microphone in Drake's bag. Thought we would get to know something which would help us further"
"But where did you find these?"
"Aidan, my dad's a police officer. We have a lot of these at home in case, you know"
"You are a genius"
"I know right "
After some good 20 minutes, Drake reached home and these two could hear everything.
The moment Drake reached home, he started to talk.
--"Mom, please. I have been asking the same thing for 2 days. Why won't you people agree?"
--"Drake, why all of a sudden such a wish?"
--"Mom, please. I don't feel like staying there"
--"Son. Changing the school is not a small and easy thing. And your dad will never agree"
"What!! He wants to leave the school." James was shocked.
"See. I told you. Something is wrong" said Aidan.
--"But I am the one who is studying. I don't feel like going there."
--"I can't do anything, Drake. Convince your dad"
--"I will make him agree"
--"Good luck my son"
"Why does he want to leave?" James said.
"What is it that he chose to leave? Let us find out." Said Aidan.
"I am with you, Aidan. Let's do this"
Next day in school. James and Aidan were having lunch.
"Don't you think she is cute?"
James asked Aidan looking at Clara. He fell for her at first sight.
"Do you like her too?" said Aidan.
"What! What do you mean by you too?" He followed Aidan's gaze and found him looking at Sofia.
"I am not talking about Sofia Aidan."
Aidan was shocked and felt he was caught.
"I never said it's Sofia," said Aidan.
"Come on man. I know you like her. Since day one" said James.
Aidan was shocked. He was shocked that his friend was so smart and his brilliance in observing was appreciable.
"And I was talking about Clara," said James.
"Oh. So you like Clara" asked Aidan.
"Yes. I do. And I am planning to ask her out" said James.
"Aren't you taking things too fast?" asked Aidan.
"I have to. What do you expect from me? To sit like you till I die and not tell my feelings to the girl I like" said James.
Aidan: ...
"Come on Aidan. Tell her that you like her before someone else takes the opportunity."
"But what if she rejects?" asked Aidan.
"That should not be your primary concern. First let out your feelings, so that you won't regret in the future. Her accepting you or not is the other thing but at least let her know that you like her "
"Yeah. I will try" said Aidean.
"Oh, man! I thought our Aidan was no longer a scared cat after that incident. But I think I was wrong" said James.
"It's different James," said Aidan.
"Fine do what your heart says. But I suggest you do not hide your feelings" suggested James.
"I will try," said Aidan.
That day after school Aidan and James were listening to what was Drake doing and saw him going somewhere. They followed him and saw him climbing the hill. Both started to follow his every move. He reached a particular place where there was a fallen tree trunk so that one could sit on it. They hid behind a tree and waited
"I can't stay somewhere people kill others. All of it is a lie. They framed a false story of there being 2 robbers. I heard everything, he was killed very badly. I can't stay there anymore"
These were the words that came out of Drake's mouth which shocked both Aidan and James.
"So it is not what it was shown. There is something more to it. Very deep and hidden" said James.
"I feel sorry for Drake. Don't you think we should talk to him", said Aidan as he started to move towards Drake.
James pulled him back and hid behind the tree.
Drake felt that there was someone and got scared.
"Who is it?" asked Drake.
He hurried and left from there immediately without turning back.
"Leeaabe mmmmy mmouhhh."
James who was covering Aidan's mouth left him.
"Why did you pull me back and cover my mouth" asked Aidan.
"Why do you have to hurry Aidan? Use your brain rather than your heart and don't rush things. Let's take each step very carefully. What do you think? You will go to Drake, ask him what happened and he will tell you everything. I know he is scared but he is not someone who will show his weakness. He is Drake" said James.
"Sorry"
"No need to be. I know you are very kind but in matters like this, you should use your brain" said James.
"Let's make a solid plan and do things" said Aidan.
"Yeah. For now, let us leave from here and go home" said James.
"But we have to do something," he protested, his voice tinged with frustration. "We can't just let him suffer in silence." Said Aidan.
James nodded, his expression grave. "I know, Aidan. But we have to be smart about this. If we push too hard, we could end up making things worse."
Reluctantly, Aidan nodded, his mind swirling with conflicting emotions. He knew that James was right, that rushing in blindly could do more harm than good. But the thought of leaving Drake to face his demons alone gnawed at him, filling him with a sense of unease.
As they watched Drake disappear into the night, Aidan couldn't shake the feeling that they were missing a crucial piece of the puzzle, that there was more to Drake's story than met the eye. But for now, they had no choice but to bide their time and wait for the right moment to act.
Back at home, Aidan tossed and turned in bed, his mind consumed by thoughts of Drake and the secrets he carried. Despite James's warning, he couldn't shake the feeling that they were on the brink of a breakthrough, that Drake held the key to unlocking the mysteries that had plagued them for so long.
But as he drifted off into a fitful sleep, Aidan knew that their journey was far from over. There were still truths to be uncovered, mysteries to be solved, and dangers to be faced. And with each passing day, the stakes would only continue to rise.
Somewhere unknown:
"How can you be this dumb? Is this what you have learned these many years? You could not even handle such a small situation. What was the need to kill him there? Couldn't you hide and bring him here?"
"But what would you do with him Guide?" asked the man.
"He might have been helpful for us to find what we have been trying for ages you dumb. At least this time we should succeed or else forget what we are dreaming of achieving" said the guide.
"I am confident this time. We will find him" said the man.
"Hope we do. And what did you do with that dead body?" asked the guide.
"I did what you wanted me to do," said the man.
"That's good. Now start finding the person whom we are searching for."