At this moment, Sagas had already left, but Dick wasn't aware of that. He didn't have time to dwell on it. His primary focus was Homa.
But as he moved, something gnawed at the back of his mind. He couldn't shake the feeling that someone was following them. It wasn't just the usual paranoia; it felt like someone had been tailing them for a while now. He glanced over his shoulder several times, but the street was empty. His instincts screamed at him to be alert.
Something didn't sit right. Was he being watched? He couldn't be sure, but the sensation was unmistakable. It made him feel uneasy. He had to remain vigilant. There could be an attack waiting to happen, and he needed to stay one step ahead.
"I just want to say thank you for your visit," Dick said as he looked into her eyes. He spoke softly, almost unsure of how to begin, but grateful nonetheless. "You amazed me."
Homa took a moment to process his words. There was something disarming about her smile as she listened to him, and Dick couldn't help but feel relieved.
"I never thought I'd see someone like you," Dick added with a slight chuckle, his nerves easing a little with each passing second.
"Why would you say that?" Homa replied, her voice light, the playful tone in her words making Dick laugh. "Everyone is important. When I heard about your condition, I just felt like I should check on the poor guy."
Her words took him off guard, but it didn't matter. They shared a laugh, the kind of moment that could melt away any lingering tension. It felt refreshing, as if for a brief second, they had escaped the weight of the world around them.
But just as the moment felt too peaceful, their laughter was interrupted by two figures approaching them from a distance—Jemma and Harper. Their expressions were tight, their postures tense. Dick knew this wasn't going to end well.
Despite their clear anger, they didn't immediately confront him. Instead, they simply stood there, observing the interaction between him and Homa. There was something almost predatory in their silence. They hadn't yet unleashed their fury, but it was clear they weren't pleased by what they were witnessing.
They could have passed their aggression on him at once but for the presence of Homa who seemed to be having a good time with him. But, they were not pleased. There was a driver at the front seat and he sat there like a dummy.
"Hi," greeted Dick.
Both of them ignored him. Jemma went into the ride and Harper followed. Dick got close to greet the driver.
"Hello sir," he said.
He noticed the driver too didn't respond though he knew the greetings was for him. He wonder what hostile people these were.
"Dont worry, Dick," Homa said, waving a goodbye and the vehicle left.
In the car, the silence was thick with unspoken words. Jemma's fists were clenched, and Harper's eyes were narrowed. They had seen Homa in the company of Dick, and it didn't sit right with them. The animosity had been there from the start, ever since they had heard about the incident with Dick being taken from the anthill in a compromising state. Word had spread quickly among the students. Some girls were intrigued by the mysterious situation, and the trio—Jemma, Harper, and Homa—had been particularly curious. They had eventually discovered his identity, and since then, they had kept a wary eye on him.
"What on earth would you have to do with that guy?" Jemma spat, her voice sharp with disgust.
"I feel like I should just freeze him right here," Harper added, her anger simmering just below the surface.
"Calm down. I have my reasons," Homa said, trying to deescalate the situation.
"No reason. Just stay away from him," Harper shot back with a bite to her words.
Homa opened her mouth to explain, but quickly shut it again. She knew it was pointless. No matter what she said, it wouldn't change how they felt. She didn't want to make them angrier, so she fell silent, allowing the tension to hang thick in the air.
As if on cue, Jemma's phone rang. She checked it, and her frown deepened. The call was from her father's driver, notifying her that he had arrived to pick her up. She glared at the phone, feeling the frustration building within her. She didn't pick up the call, her anger palpable.
She had other things on her mind now, though. Her father's involvement with her had always come at the most inconvenient moments. His driver's call was just the icing on the cake of her already sour mood.
"Go home, I'll find my way," she snapped, not bothering to explain further as she hung up.
Meanwhile, Harper, whose power to freeze was no secret, was becoming more preoccupied with her father's plans. Lao, her father, had been working tirelessly on perfecting his vision of altering nature—creating humans who could be controlled and enhanced by technology. Harper had agreed to support him, her promise to Lao solidifying her role in his experiments. Her ability to freeze was one of the first steps in this grand plan, but the vision was much broader than that. Lao had plans to enhance his creations even further, creating a world where people like Harper could be used as weapons or tools for control.
The phone rang again, breaking Harper from her thoughts.
"Please, ma'am, sorry to bother you. I'm at the gate... should I wait?" the driver on the other end of the line asked.
"Go home. I'll find my way," Jemma replied curtly, cutting off the conversation with an air of finality.
---
Dick's mind was a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts. He had intended to speak to Homa for a little longer, but his mind kept drifting to Caul and the conversation he needed to have with her.
He rushed to her office, his footsteps quick and heavy. He was supposed to have followed her immediately with her sad look but the thirst to speak with Homa overwhelmed him. He walked as fast as he could to get to her office.
At the door, he knocked. The voice that usually responded was not heared. He gave a second trial and he got the same reply, no response. Dick didn't want to continue because he felt no one was inside. Unknown to him, Caul was inside and the door was not locked, she only closed it. She was weeping profusely. Dick opened the door slightly until it was wide. Her head was on the table. He looked in.
Caul had lost her son to kidnappers and they had warned her to fulfill some conditions for him to be free. She could have made use of the police but she had been assured of his death if they're involved. When she came to the class, she was acting dogged but right now, she broke down.
She lifted her head to see him. She wiped her tears with a piece of clothes.
"I'm sorry, hero," She apologized. "I didn't hear your knock."
"What is going on, ma?" Dick asked.
She told him about the hostage and how they had demanded three students instead of one. The kind of demand was rare.
Caul son, Donald was abducted that morning as he stepped down from the car that took him. She got to know of the latest when he called.
Kidnapping was gaining ground prominently around the school at an alarming rate. The school principal had tried to put some measures in place to curtail it but one of the security operates had died in the process.
This time, Dick felt the need to rise up for his school. He had not heard from Moore, he knew Kathryn would never bring him back. He had lost a friend to this menace. Now, the present one was Donald and he had to do something.
"I will help you," the words slipped out of his lips.
Caul's hope jerked back to life.
"My hero," She said.
Dick moved closer and reached out his hand to touch her by the shoulder.
"Do you have any other information?" He asked.
But there was no one. She only knew he was taken before he entered the school. With this piece of information, he was going to try his best. He placed the book he brought on the table and walked out.
****
By this time, all students were out of the street and Dick was like the only one they leftsetting behind. He was in troubled state because of where he was coming from.
Bret was tailing him. He had been following since they closed.
Suddenly, a car came before him. Four boys came out and stood before him. They were Boyas, Sagas and two of their colleagues. They have come to force him to come with them.