In middle of a busy market, many sounds can be heard. People crowd near the port's market is rustling with people. Many noises of vendors can be heard in this market. There we can see bunch of men carrying some crates.
"Make sure you don't get lost kid." Uvanov said this to Ji hyun as he looked at the crowd.
"no I won't sir."
"look at this polite kid." Uvanov patted ji hyun's head.
"Well, we are going to deal with some adult' matter."
"so…"
"you can go around this place with Kamau."
Ji hyun looked at Kamau's face and then Kamau said
"it won't be a problem."
"I will make sure that he is safe."
"good!" Uvanov said, "now sid. Make sure you have fun here because we will have a long journey ahead."
"yes sir."
As Uvanov and his men went in the crowd, ji hyun was still looking at Kamau.
"Ji let me tell you this." He smiled as he took out something from his pocket
"this necklace was given to me by commander."
"now I will be giving this to you."
Ji hyun looked at the necklace. It was a small blue gem kept in a capsule. This gift from Kamau made him burst out of joy.
"thank you Mr.Kamau." as ji hyun held the necklace with his palm "I will treasure this my entire life."
"well you better do or I will be sad."
The both of them started to walk around the market as they looked around the market
"come and take a draw" a voice of a vendor was heard by them
The man had sticks kept in a jar. He had a stall of some kind of lucky draw.
"let's try that." As both of them walked to the stall, kamau smirked ,"(thinking) let's see if he really is special."
"hey you!" the vendor looked at him, " Let me try that."
"ok go ahead. Try your luck." The vendor smiled and kept the jar of the sticks in front of him.
"in this jar there are three red sticks, two black sticks and a brown stick. If you pull out stick with brown tip, you win."
"each draw cost 50 bucks." Kamau gave the man money for one draw "let me
"so take one out."
"I will have this stick." Kamau took out a stick from the box.
"it is all red."
Ji hyun saw that red stick in Kamau's hands, but suddenly, he felt a weird sensation and the man asked again
"so take one out."
"I will have this stick" then Kamau took out a stick. It had a brown stick.
"well it look like you won mister."
Kamau won a coupon for free ice cream.
"see this kid I won. So let's have some ice cream."
As Kamau walked to the ice cream truck to use the coupon Ji hyun looked at him confused
"What happened kid."
"you only paid him 50." Ji hyun looked at him with a confused face.
"what do you mean?" as Kamau smiled ji hyun was even more confused "you played two times, right?"
"I won in my first attempt."
Ji hyun was even more confused now. Then Kamau took him to the corner of the street.
"you stand and wait here till I get the ice cream, ok?"
"ok sir." He replied cheerfully as Kamau left for the ice cream.
After Kamau got a little distant from the ji hyun he silently entered an alleyway.
"that kid…."
"how was he able to see through my ability?"
As Ji hyun waited for Kamau to come back he saw a little girl on the side of the road carrying a basket selling bracelets.
"bracelets! Pretty bracelets."
The little girl seemed in a horrible condition. Her clothes were torn and all in messy state.
"move girl. You are blocking the way." Ji hyun looked as an man casted her aside and she fell.
"are you alright?" ji hyun went to help the girl "can you move?"
"Yes…ahh" ji hyun looked at girl's leg and saw that a nail has injured her leg.
"Here, let me help." Ji hyun tore off a part of his sleeve and tied it to her leg. "this will help you."
"thank you big brother." The girl looked at him from head to toe and said "you are not from here, are you?"
"yes I am a traveler." Ji hyun said.
"oh it looked like that."
The girl then took out a bracelet from her basket.
"Take this as my sign of gratitude." As the girl handed him the bracelet
"No. I cannot accept this."
"And why is that?" the girl asked him.
"It is because you are working hard to sell this bracelet. I can't just take it."
As he was talking to the girl Kamau came with the ice cream.
"I came with... what is the matter?" he looked confused.
"Mr.Kamau, I helped this girl but she is giving me this bracelet for free."
"oh! I see." Kamau took out a pouch from his pocket.
"Then how about this." as Kamau handed the pouch to the girl "How about you take this in return."
The girl took the pouch and accepted the deal.
"Ok, now make sure take care of yourself." Then they both departed from there.
The girl opened the pouch and to her amazement, there was a great bundle of cash in it.
"thank you O great man." Ji hyun heard the girl as he walked along kamau.
they both were enjoying their ice cream. Then ji hyun looked at the bracelet. On the bracelet, the word
'friend' was written.
"What are you planning to do with that?" kamau asked him.
"I don't know." Ji hyun looked at the bracelet.
"Is it your first time having a friendship bracelet."
"yes." Ji hyun said nervously, "I don't know what to do with it."
"Well, I guess you are supposed to give this to a friend."
"But…." Ji hyun told him disappointedly "I never had a friend."
"What!" Kamau exclaimed in surprise.
"A kid of your age doesn't have any friends."
"Did you never went to school or something?"
"yes." in a bit of hesitation, "I was taught by my mom who was an teacher."
"really." Kamau scratched his head out of confusion.
" Well I guess I will tell you this that you should give it to a friend close to you."
Ji hyun thought for a moment. He, who had never had friends now has a something you give to a friend.
"okay. I will give this to someone who I can call a friend."
"Make sure you give it to someone very close to you." Kamau then held his hand.
"okay! Now let's go meet the others, shall we?"
***
In the middle of desert, there is a caravan of gypsies. They have settled near a small water source rarely found in the desert. The people have already put up their tents at that location. Inside one of those tents, Uvanov and his men are sitting. The tent contains some furniture such as table with two chairs and a small bed, there, a girl is serving them tea.
"when will the priest arrive." Uvanov asked the girl as he took a sip of the tea.
"he will be here soon." The girl replied
"I waited for that damn old geezer the entire day."
Uvanov seemed furious about the waiting. Later an African man with a beard entered the room.
He was dressed in the black gown and looked fragile and very old.
"Priest! it's great to see you." , Said the girl as she took off the old man's shoes.
"thank you dear child." The priest replied to the girl in a very kind tone.
"Don't you ignore me damn bastard." Uvanov"s tone was very arrogant.
"oh… uvanov. I didn't knew you were present here."
"you are still the same person I know." Uvanov sat along with the old man on the chair.
"so let me ask you this." The old man's tone changed. His facial expressions became very grim.
"What is the reason that has brought you to me?"
"well. Let's not waste each other's time." Uvanov tossed a gold coin towards the old man.
"What are white TIGer upto these days?"
"it is too complex." As he caught the coin "they are trying to find that."
"what? Isn't it just just a fairytale?" Uvanov was very amazed with what he has heard.
"well I guess one may think of it like a fairytale but…."
"what is it?" Uvanov looked worried.
"uhm... I think they were actually able to find it."
Uvanov was thrown aback by the discovery. The item believed to be just a fairytale told to children at night has actually taken place.
"But it seems that they have lost the item." As the old man took out a cigar, "my sources tell me that the item was lost twenty years ago."
Uvanov was not sure of what he had just heard. He was astonished from what he had just discovered.
"well…even I am not sure if all these information are correct or not." Uvanov then jumped out of his seat and grabbed him by both of his shoulders, "Do you have any other information about this."
Suddenly the girl threw a knife straight at Uvanov's face which he easily dodged and it tore a hole through the tent.
"take down the girl." One of Uvanov's men shouted as the fight broke out. All Uvanov's men started to fire at the girl simultaneously. The girl was shot many times and she fell.
"we've neutralized her." Then they heard Uvanov , "Idiots! Don't let your guard down."
Then all of a sudden the girl stood back at her feet and she disappeared. The men were shocked and were put in state of panic about the whereabouts of the girl.
As the men searched for her she, in a flash, appeared behind a man and was about to stab him
"SORAAAA! STOP." She heard the old man's order and she stopped inch away from stabbing him.
"he is an old friend. I am fine."
"but father…"
" The mystery of desert. So she is your daughter." Uvanov then left the old man and went near the girl
"I am sorry for my behavior, I made a mistake, but I really need any other information." Uvanov then took one arm of the girl "I don't want to hurt your father. Please forgive me."
"no." the girl in a strong voice, " I overreacted to much."
"Then my friend. Will you tell me what is the intel you have."
"the agent they sent for this." The old man, now spoke in a very serious tone, replied to Uvanov
"was hailstorm."