บท 19: Shredded snakeskin

As Dustin navigated the unfamiliar streets guided by Leandre's live location, he couldn't help but notice the quaint charm of the area. The car passed by various shops, their displays brimming with dried herbs, nuts, and an array of plants. Despite the picturesque setting, Dustin couldn't shake off the feeling of confusion. "Why did Leandre choose such a circuitous route? He could've easily gone via Southwood street to meet Mike," He thought, his frown deepening as he slowed the car to a stop upon realizing that the location tracking had ended at a café.

Getting down from the car, he called Leandre, and upon confirming that he was indeed inside the café, Dustin made his way in. The café wasn't particularly crowded, making it easy for him to spot him without having to search for him. Leandre was sitting at a table, studying a piece of paper in front of him. He approached Leandre, noting the stern expression on his face, as angry as a hornet as his gaze fixed on a certain piece of paper. "Is he mad over something?" He frowned.

"Hey, brother!" Dustin greeted Leandre cheerfully, attempting to lift his spirits. Glossy and dark, Dustin's hair cascaded in effortless waves that fell across his forehead. He had striking, bold features and a regal appearance, further accentuated by his sturdy frame.

"What happened to your car? Did you not go to meet Mike?" Dustin asked as he sat across from Leandre. He had received a text from Leandre, including the live location, telling him to pick him up immediately. It's still a mystery how he ended up in an unfamiliar place.

"Were you driving a car or riding a donkey? You took two hours to get here when it should have only taken 45 minutes," Leandre asked with a stern expression, standing up to leave. All he could think about was taking a hot shower. Despite brushing off the dirt and cow dung from his shirt, the smell still clung to him. That impudent girl! The thought of her face brought a wave of anger into Leandre's face. He made a silent vow to feed her blood to the bats if she crossed his path again.

"You better thank me for coming to pick you up," Dustin added, a deep scowl on his face.

"And what happened to your thought process while behind the wheel? Why did you choose this unfamiliar route? It caused me to have a longer journey, cutting an extra one and a half hours of my leisure time." Dustin wanted a hot coffee after the long drive, but luck seemed not on his side. Passing the crowd, Leandre and Dustin walked towards the car parked at the side of the cafe. It was a surprise that Leandre didnot grab the car keys because this obsessed car maniac would not let any of the friends go behind the wheel in his presence. Dustin jumped into the pilot seat and started the car after Leandre settled.

"Leisure time? Other than venturing into the forest to collect shredded snakeskin, what other strange hobbies do you have planned for Sunday?" With Dustin's mysterious behaviour, Leandre strongly suspected that the hobbies he picked up were just a cover-up to conceal his true intentions.

Dustin planned to go early in the morning to the nearby forest to visit the vipers. Blame the alcohol, he woke up with a pounding headache in the morning. "FYI, the snakeskin collection is a unique hobby. Dad praises too!" Dustin corrected, switching to fifth gear to speed up before Leandre barked at him, 'you better buy an ox cart in place of a car'.

"He doesn't have a taste to start with, and you believed that old man," Leandre muttered as he snapped a picture of the warning notice, considering whether to send it to the old man on Snapchat. Leandre knew his dad would likely step out of that dark lab, leaving his experiments behind to gloat over his son's frustration for damaging the car. At least mom will thank me for doing this favour.

"Leandre?" Dustin called, to which Leandre raised his hed in question.

"What has captured your attention so completely in that piece of paper since I arrived?" Dustin asked, attempting to discern what Leandre was studying.

"N_othing."

Leandre's efforts to hide the paper were unsuccessful, for Dustin's sharp eyes caught sight of it, which seemed to shed light on Leandre's visible frustration.

Dustin stifled a laugh as he saw Leandre angry, he could tell by the way his fists clenched. "The future Special Agent, who is supposed to be respected by society in the future, broke the rules by parking in a prohibited area. Xanth and Knox will get a kick out of this. Duncan should see this, a feast for his eyes," Dustin grinned, which only served to further irritate Leandre.

"Put a lock to your mouth, or I will have to wake my Glock." Leandre threatened. He closed his eyes, recalling the conversation that happened with that brazen girl.

Is he wandering around the city carrying the revolver without worrying about getting caught? Dustin thought. He didnot speak a word throughout the ride. The atmosphere in the car was freezing, like in the Arctic, as they headed to the academy.

By the time they reached the academy premises, it had turned afternoon. Parking the car, both walked for a half-kilometer in silence and stopped in front of a high-end iron gate. Upon checking their identity for formality, the security let them inside.

Meanwhile, inside the academy, a five-foot-ten lean figure sat beside a short-haired woman under the shade of a tree. A dippy smile never left his face as he stroked his dyed green leaves-like hair, spiked like a crown.

"Why do you always stroke your hair, Evan?" The woman asked, shifting comfortably next to him.The hair cut would still make her laugh despite seeing everyday.

"It's my mannerism, Zoe." He winked, shifting to the main topic he had been conversing with Zoe for an hour. "Coming back to the topic, you now understand what kind of monster he is?"

Zoe sighed. "I_I don't think_"

"Do you still not believe me if I say he has killed a girl in the school and hid her body?His father used all his influence to hide the evidence to save him. Whatever I said about him are all facts." Pineapple said, a grin appearing on his face as he could see Zoe's eyes widened, her hand clasped to her mouth in shock. He further continued.

"And you know what he did yesterday?"

Pineapple's mood lifted. He fished a small bottle from his back pocket. There was no label stick to it, so, Zoe could see the black pills through the translucent plastic bottle. She wondered what they could be.

Uncapping the bottle, Pineapple put a pill into his mouth and swallowed it. He paused to see if Zoe was eager to listen more. Delighted with her curiosity, Pineapple continued. "He went to a burial ground to dig a five-foot-ten grave. Also, he threatened to kill me when I tried to educate him about his misconduct with our director. My height is exactly five-ten. Now, you can connect the dots." Pineapple said, swallowing another pill. The urge to rush to the bathroom and unload was goading him to run. He has to run before Zoe finds the truth. Though it's open air, he can't risk.

"Zoe, I have an urgent work. So, I need to leave_" His words halted in the middle as his eyes unconsciously spotted two men heading towards the Pentagon building, his eyes following them keenly.

Finally! You came! Pineapple immediately got up, ready to create a drama.