Mr. Smith pulled over and dropped off Mike and Rachael at the alleyway entrance leading to their school. As he drove away with his wife, Mike and Rachael walked side by side toward the school gate, enveloped in an uncomfortable silence. The stillness between them was palpable, speaking volumes about the unspoken tension.
Rachael finally broke the silence, her piercing gaze fixed intently on Mike. "Are you genuinely planning to keep what transpired between you and Christina yesterday locked away forever?" she inquired, her voice laced with curiosity.
Mike nodded vigorously, his eyes darting around cautiously. "Absolutely, I'm taking this secret to my grave. I'm certain Stefan would be even more inquisitive than you are," he replied with a hint of amusement.
Just then, the sound of an approaching vehicle caught Mike's attention. He turned around and flashed a knowing smile. "Speak of the devil, here he comes," he said, nodding toward the car.
Rachael followed Mike's gaze and spotted Stefan stepping out of his parents' car a short distance away. As Stefan caught sight of Mike and Rachael, a mischievous grin spread across his face, and he hastily closed the gap between them.
"Hey, buddy! What's up?" Stefan asked, his enthusiasm evident.
"Cool as a cucumber, thanks for lending me your sweater," Mike replied, handing Stefan his garment.
Stefan accepted the sweater, his voice tinged with a hint of sarcasm. "You're welcome, just make sure you don't ruin that new uniform with those mysterious wings of yours."
Stefan's curiosity got the better of him. "So, what really went down between you and Christina yesterday?" he asked.
Mike shrugged nonchalantly. "Just a conversation, a disagreement, and we parted ways. That's all." He continued down the alleyway, attempting to deflect further inquiry.
Stefan's interest was piqued. "What kind of conversation and disagreement?" he pressed.
"The one that's none of your concern, Stefan. Let's just say it's a secret." Mike replied, his answer was cryptic as he quickened his pace.
Rachael intervened, sensing the tension. "Come on, guys, let's hurry or we'll be late for class."
"No matter how hard you try to keep your secret hidden, you know I'll always find out," Stefan called out, his voice resonating down the alleyway.
"I promise you won't uncover this one, trust me," Mike replied over his shoulder, continuing down the alleyway.
As Mike walked, he passed beside a suspicious-looking man sitting in a car. The man quickly averted his face, attempting to conceal his identity. Mike didn't seem to notice.
"Target is heading to school with his sister and friend, over," the man muttered into his receiver, his eyes scanning the area.
Suddenly, he lost sight of Mike. The man's head whipped around, frantically searching through all the windows. His eyes darted back and forth, but Mike had vanished.
Just as the man turned right, his face met Mike's, separated only by the car window. His eyes widened in terror. "Jesus Christ!" he exclaimed, gasping for breath.
Mike was staring at his reflection, a sly smile spreading across his face. He winked, pretending not to notice the spy.
Mike pivoted and jogged off toward Stefan and Rachael, who were already several meters ahead.
The spy let out a deep sigh of relief as he watched Mike disappear into the distance. "That was a close call," he whispered, his hand lightly thumping his chest. "He scared the hell out of me."
"What were you doing lingering near that car?" Rachael asked, her brow furrowed in concern, as Mike approached. "Are you intentionally trying to draw attention to yourself?"
Mike's expression transformed into one of astonishment. "You were aware someone was inside the car?" he asked, his tone laced with incredulity.
Rachael nodded affirmatively. "Of course, that's precisely why I ignored you. I didn't want to arouse any suspicion."
"Wow, that's so intelligent of you," Mike complimented, a smile escaped his lips.
"Can't you simply pretend you didn't see him?" Rachael suggested.
Mike shook his head. "But I did pretend I didn't see him, so you should rest assured I didn't do anything to arouse suspicion," he replied.
Stefan, curious about the hushed conversation, intervened. "What's going on? What are you guys talking about?" he inquired.
"There was a spy in the car Mike approached earlier. I suspect it's one of the NPS agents we encountered at the hospital yesterday. They must have deployed their agents to monitor Mike and verify whether he poses a threat. Moreover, one of them is stationed outside our house," Rachael filled him in.
Stefan's eyes widened in alarm. "Are your parents aware of this?" he asked.
Rachael hesitated. "I don't think so, but Mike advised us to keep this under wraps. However, it's only a matter of time before my mom discovers the truth. She might already be aware and simply choosing not to disclose it," she replied.
Stefan pondered this. "If she's aware, she would have taken drastic measures to safeguard her family. Mike mentioned she's exceptionally intelligent and perceptive," he said.
Rachael's gaze locked onto Stefan. "He shared that with you?"
Stefan nodded affirmatively. "Yes, though it's been a while," he replied.
Rachael turned to Mike, who was walking toward the road, oblivious to the danger ahead. She raised her head, and her eyes widened as she saw a scooter speeding toward him.
"Mike, watch out!" she shouted, but Mike didn't respond.
"Mike, can't you hear? Get off the road now!" Stefan added, his voice laced with urgency, but Mike seemed impervious to their warnings.
"What's wrong with him?" Stefan exclaimed, confusion and concern etched on his face.
Just as the scooter was about to collide with Mike, Stefan sprinted toward him and pushed him off the road in the nick of time. The scooter whizzed by, its rider hurling curses.
"Watch it, son of a bitch!" the man yelled, his voice echoing through the alleyway.
Passersby couldn't help but stare. "What's wrong with him, is he blind?" one student muttered.
"Can't he see the scooter approaching? Can't he at least listen to his friends warning him?" another student asked, shaking her head.
Stefan's scolding trailed off as he gazed into Mike's eyes, which were glowing with an eerie green light. Mike's stare was vacant, his expression catatonic. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, and his heart began racing.
Stefan's eyes widened in alarm as he noticed Mike's temperature rising. He staggered back in fright, his own heartbeat accelerating. "Wh...what's wrong with you, Mike?" he stuttered.
Rachael rushed to Mike's side, witnessing his glowing eyes. Without hesitation, she covered them and tapped Mike repeatedly.
"Mike! Mike!! What's wrong with you? Mike!?" she called out, her voice laced with concern.
Mike's blank eyes suddenly regained their sparkle, and the eerie green glow that had enveloped them slowly dissipated, returning to their normal appearance. He gasped for breath as the beads of sweat on his forehead began to trickle down his face, relieved to be free from the strange trance-like state.
Rachael's expression was etched with worry. "What's wrong, Mike?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.
"Can you see me?" she pressed, her eyes locked onto his, searching for any sign of abnormality.
"I can't believe I'm even dreaming during the day, without even sleeping," Mike muttered under his breath, but loud enough for Rachael to hear, his words were laced with confusion and a hint of unease.
Rachael's gaze intensified, her brow furrowed. "What do you mean by 'dreaming'? Mike, is something wrong with you?" she inquired, her tone demanding immediate answers. "You're making me worried, can you even see me?"
Mike reassured her, "Of course, I can see you. But a few minutes ago, I saw a place I've never seen before in my life. This is the second time I'm experiencing this vision, I was at the hospital with mom whenI first saw it." His voice was laced with perplexity.
Stefan, having composed himself after the initial shock, approached Mike again. "What vision?" he asked, curiosity etched on his face.
Mike's expression turned thoughtful, his eyes gazing into the distance. "A place I've never been to, yet it felt familiar. I also heard a name echoing in my mind, and it's still resonating now." His words were measured, as if trying to make sense of the experience.
Rachael and Stefan exchanged concerned glances before asking in unison, "What name?" Their voices were tinged with anticipation.
Mike's face contorted in a grimace, his eyes narrowing. "Perebia. The name sounds familiar, yet I've never heard it before. Isn't that strange?" His tone conveyed his bewilderment.
Stefan pulled out his phone and searched for the name online, scrolling through the results with a puzzled expression. "There's no information on Google about 'Perebia.' Perhaps you misheard it," he suggested, looking up at Mike with a questioning gaze. "Something that looks familiar is 'Perebea' and it's a genus of flowering plant. Are you sure you're…"
Mike shook his head firmly, his eyes narrowing. "I didn't hear it wrong. Whoever bears that name probably wants me to look for them." His voice conveyed determination.
Just then, Rachael's urgent warning cut through their conversation, her voice laced with concern. "Guys, the gate is about to be closed!"
Mike and Stefan quickly looked up to see Jude, the gateman, shutting the entrance. His hands grasped the metal bars, preparing to lock them into place.
"Wait! Wait! Wait!" Mike shouted, sprinting toward the gate with Stefan and Rachael close behind. Their footsteps echoed through the air.
Jude, a man in his 50s with a kind face and a hint of amusement, held up his hands. "I wasn't closing it; I just wanted to hurry you along," he said with a small smile. "You shouldn't be late for class, especially since you arrive early today."
Mike, Stefan, and Rachael exchanged awkward glances as they slowly entered the school gate, relieved.
Jude stepped aside, allowing them to pass. "You're welcome, kids."
As they walked through the gate, they heard a familiar voice calling out from behind. "Hey guys, are you coming in?"
The trio turned to see Laura pulling up in her car, the engine purring smoothly.
"Yes!" they chorused, quickly settling into the vehicle.
Laura smiled, her eyes sparkling. "Remember, no arguing today," she reminded Mike, referencing their previous conversation.
Mike grinned, his expression lighthearted. "Thanks for the reminder; it'll go a long way."
Laura chuckled, shifting the car into gear. "Let's get going."
The car pulled away from the curb, leaving the school gate behind.