章節 76: Change
"Pregnant!"
My eyes wandered to Sky's stomach as I repeated Vicky's words in wonder.
"That's right! We only discovered it recently when we went to Flint for a checkup!"
Grinning with a face full of happiness, Vicky pulled out a chair and guided Sky to sit on it.
"Flint said that it's just the early stages of pregnancy. You don't have to be so careful."
Smiling as she argued back against Vicky's careful treatment, Sky gently placed her hands above her stomach as she allowed herself to be sat on the chair.
"Still! You're finally pregnant!"
Vicky squatted down beside the chair, laying her head over Sky's hands as she hugged the thin waist. Snuggling into Sky's body, Vicky whispered and giggled as she rubbed her head intimately on it.
"Stop. Dan's still here."
Shifting one of her hands to pat Vicky's hair, Sky chastised as she brushed her fingers through those silky strands. She then brought her attention back to me.
"So? Did you come to buy something for your family?"
"No. It's nothing."
I shook my head and hugged myself. The plan to ask for help regarding the papers was a bust. Exchanging glances, Sky and Vicky seemed to understand what my words meant, and gestured for me to come closer.
"We'll be backing off from faction activities for a couple of years. However, that doesn't mean you can't visit us."
Taking hold of my hand, Sky brought it to her stomach to let me feel it. Although her pregnancy was too early to create a baby bump, the mere knowledge that there was a life underneath my hands made me feel as if I could feel something pulsing under my sweaty palms.
"Nervous?"
Hearing laughter from in front of me, I looked up to see the two women with faces of jou as they shot loving gazes toward Sky's stomach. Retracting my land slowly, the three of us made small talk about our daily lives before I bid them farewell and headed toward the door. Reaching out for the doorknob, I suddenly heard footsteps approaching the door and jumped back just in time to prevent myself from getting hit as it flung open.
"Sorry!"
Standing in front of me, Jasper apologized as he clung tightly to the container of food he had in his hands. After making sure I was alright, he patted me on the head and rushed forward to his two lover's sides to place the bowl gently into Sky's arms. Watching the harmonious atmosphere turn pink, I slowly closed the door, afraid that the bell's ringing would break it, and left the furniture shop.
Walking 'up', I left the semicircle road and traveled along the straight road of the market, keeping my eyes peeled for Shirley's store of fruits and vegetables.
"Shirley!"
Spotting the tough-looking woman, I called out her name.
"Brat!"
Swerving around, she grinned as she saw me and leaned over to reach my eye level.
"So what are you buying today?"
Her lips were slightly cracked as they opened, and the dark spots under her eyes were deeper than they were the last time I had seen her, but Shirley still had the energy to smile at me as she reached out her hand for a shopping list.
"Actually, I'm not here to buy something."
Immediately, that smile warped into a playful scowl as she made a gesture of shooing me away.
"If you're not here to shop, then what're you here for? To insult my baby vegetables again?"
Those mischievous eyes twinkled as she joked, maneuvering herself out of her storefront as she gestured for me to sit on a nearby stool. Taking another stool from her stall, she dropped it on the ground and plopped herself on it.
"Is it about the faction?"
Shifting her eyes to ensure no one was close enough to hear us talk, she bent over and whispered to me with a frown.
"Yes."
Leaning nearer to her, I explained the task Mark and James had given us, the research paper, and what we wanted her to do. Nodding her head, she crossed her arms and straightened her back, an arrogant smile on her face as her voice returned to its normal volume.
"Easy Peasy! If it's something as small as this, I don't even need to do much work. There's a lot of bootlickers in High Bottom Street that would bend over backward for a chance to use my store to sell some of their stuff. It'll be easy for me to exchange some spots here and there for their cooperation. Leave it to me!"
Thumping her chest, Shirley then slapped her knees.
"Is this all?"
"Yes."
I nodded my head, the fear that our plan would be ruined because we suddenly lost three people was assured with her confidence.
"Thank you, Charlotte!"
Hearing that name, Shirely's smile turned into a frown as she brought out her finger to nag at me.
"Don't call me Charlotte in Middle Street. I'm Shirely here. Shirely! I looked past your mistake back when you brought Ralph here, but you need to erase that name from your head! It's confusing to those who never bought from me at Bottom Street!"
Pretending to cover my ears, I weakly nodded my head to her and the two of us had a laugh before I waved goodbye and left.
Alright! That was High Bottom Street covered! Crossing out High Bottom Street from the list inside my head, I exited Middle Middle Market to head to the local shop. However, after a couple of steps, I paused as I suddenly remembered there was one more place to visit here.
"I almost forgot about Cedy."
Turning left, I headed off the path toward the Bottom Street police station located just below the market. It was a small blue building made of concrete. The large windows at the side were lifted up to allow the air in as a uniformed police officer sweated behind his counter.
"Good morning Tim!"
Waving to him as I passed the large window, I saw Tim take a moment to put down the fan in his hand to wave back to me. Rounding the corner of the police station, I stopped when I spotted a faintly familiar face.
"..."
In front of the police station, a man was sitting on a chair, the table in front of him stacked with newspapers. Black eyes staring at me, a slightly amused smile hung on his face as he gave me a small wave.
Back in the dark alleyway after our escape from the Main Cemetery on High Street, the night had managed to cover up a great majority of his features. However, the minimal moonlight still allowed me to vaguely see his face. And since our group of two adults and three children was at the mouth of the alleyway, he would have definitely been able to identify all of us.
"I didn't think the two of us would meet so soon."
"...yeah."
Walking to the table, I used the piece of wood as a barrier between the two of us as I took one of the newspapers. Lightly skimming the cover, it was filled with twisted 'news' about Mark and James, propaganda about the government, and lies regarding their 'concerns' with 'fake news'.
"Are you getting another set of newspapers to give out?"
He gestured to the newspaper I had stuffed under my arm as he straightened his back.
"No. I just wanted to speak with you."
Returning the waste of paper back to the table, I repeated what I had told Shirely, and watched as his eyes gleamed the more he heard.
"Sounds like it'll be a pretty large deal."
A wide smile cracked across his face as Cedy gave a low chuckle. Then, he brought one hand in front of him and rubbed his fingers together.
"How much are you willing to pay...is what I would have asked if this was the first time we were meeting. Luckily for us, I'm willing to basically work for free, provided you help me with something."
Getting out of his seat, Cedy closed the distance between the two of us with a couple of steps and squatted down to whisper to me.
"Can you grant me a meeting with a researcher from High Street? It doesn't have to be the one who wrote the research paper. Anyone will do."
Staring into those pitch-black eyes, an alarm in my brain blared and I couldn't help but take a step away from him. Inside it, a wide crack across its face as a smile was the void. Compared to the one I had seen in my mother's eyes, this void was so black it was tinted red. Staring at me, it reached out its black hands, the invisible strands wrapping their fingers around my neck, making it hard to breathe.
"Ah, but it's fine if you can't. I'll still help in the project."
Despite saying that, the look in his eyes didn't fade. However, the void's hold on my throat loosened and its hands retreated back into Cedy's eyes. With one last glance, the void turned its gaze away from me and retreated deeper into his eyes, until it disappeared. Taking a deep breath there was enough distance between us, I wiped the cold sweat on my palms against my pants and nodded my head.
"I'll try. But there's no guarantee."
Closing his eyes in a smile, Cedy stood up and returned to his seat.
"Then, you can pass me the paper when you get it. I'll distribute it amongst my circle in Bottom Street. I can guarantee that with its wide reach, almost everyone and their mothers will know of its existence."
Winking at me, Cedy concealed the void in his eyes as he leaned back against his chair, the conversation between us finished. Bidding farewell, I left the police station, waved goodbye to Tim from the large window, and finally headed towards the local cafe.
Reaching the back door of the local cafe, I knocked on the door and waited. After a while, Jade, wearing a black dress that had a slit running down one leg, opened the door with his usual cold face.
"Dan? Are you here to work?"
Inviting me inside, I waited for him to close the door before I gestured for him to squat down and explained the reason why I was visiting.
"If it's passing those papers to Lucifer's territory, Joel and I can do it no problem. However, you'll also want to pass them to the other gang territories apart from Lucifer's right?"
Putting on a thoughtful face, I was about to comment that there was already someone who said they would do it when Jade opened his eyes.
"If it's other more peaceful territories like Calvados' or Peter's, then it should be no issue entering their territories to pass the papers. It's the less safe territories that are the issue.
"Actually, there's someone else who said they would take care of the other territories."
Speaking up here before it became too late, I repeated what Cedy said, without revealing his identity. Eyes narrowing as he listened to me speak, Jade touched his chin as a crafty smile slipped onto his lips.
"If that's the case, the next time you speak to him, you can tell him that Joel and I will handle Lucifer's territory. Additionally, you can say that we would like to work together with him. If it's him, I don't think he'll disagree."
I nodded my head at Jade's uncharacteristic grin. Then, from the corner of my eye, I suddenly spotted Joel. Facing our way, she seemed to show a face of surprise and curiosity as we met eyes before she turned to say something to the cafe owner. Putting down the plate in her hands, she bounded over and joined Jade in squatting in front of me.
"What are the two of you talking about?"
Turning his head, Jade, gave Joel a rundown of our conversation. At the mention of Cedy, Joel's eyebrows narrowed, and a small frown formed on her lips. Then, when Jade mentioned his idea to work with Cedy, Joel swung her head towards him and widened her eyes.
"You think we can work together with him?"
"It's a once in the lifetime opportunity. If we pass this up, we may never get to meet someone from the Black Market Circle ever again. At least not without offending the whole circle."
"That's true..."
Pausing, Joel shut her mouth as Jade reasoned with her. Looking at the two of them, I had the feeling that Cedy might be a larger fish than I thought he was.
"What's the Black Market Circle?"
Unable to contain my curiosity, as well as the looming feeling of uncertainty and panic at possibly involving someone too dangerous for us to handle, I interrupted the two adults to ask.
At my question, two eyes containing shock shot to me, before they looked at each other. A smile then blossomed on both of their faces.
"The Black Market Circle, as its name suggests, is a circle, or a gathering, of people who control the Black Market's in Bottom Street. You probably don't know this since people from Middle and Bottom Bottom Street rarely speak about it, but there isn't a market in Middle Bottom Street. Only in Bottom Bottom Street. That market is a huge political grey zone, where the gang leaders play nice and avoid causing skirmishes to ensure that their supply of resources isn't damaged. The ones in control of that market is the Black Market Circle."
"In other words, you can think of them like the government of High Street. The gang leaders are the noble families in High Street, and the Black Circle market is the government. A congregation of incredibly powerful people who control almost everything and ensure the balance between them."
Standing up, Joel dragged three boxes for us to sit on, as the two of them explained the importance of the Black Market Circle.
"Then isn't it dangerous for someone that important to come to Middle Street?"
Nodding thanks to Joel, I took one of the boxes and sat on it.
"I'm not too sure how things work, but I doubt someone from there would allow themselves to be exposed to harm so easily. He's probably not alone, even if he looks like he is. Still, for you to make connections with someone from the Black Market Circle without knowing it. That's really some luck you have there."
Joel sighed as she crossed her legs on the box. Beside her, Jade nodded his head as he smoothened the crease in his dress.
"I didn't do anything. In fact, it was Camellia who introduced me to him."
Shaking my hands, I denied any praise directed towards me and explained how I even knew Cedy.
"If it's Camellia who introduced you, then it makes sense she would know someone from the Black Market Circle. 2 years ago, when she went to Bottom Street, she managed to find out the hideout of the kidnappers shockingly fast. It was probably then that she got into contact with them."
Jade placed his hands on his lap as he nodded his head. Joel on the other hand, shot him a glance and asked.
"Are you still trying to contact them? Even if you manage to, there is no guarantee that they'll agree."
Shooting a glance back, Jade shook his head as he placed one hand on her lap.
"If it'll help, I'll do anything."
Joel's eyes widened. They looked at me, before scrambling back to Jade's, as she bit her lip."
"Let's not talk about this here."
Forcefully ending the conversation, Joel gave a strained smile as stood up and gently drove me out of the cafe.
"Once you have the research paper, just pass it to us. We'll help you spread it around."
Leaving me with those last words, she hurriedly shut the cafe's back door and left me alone in the alleyway between the two buildings.
I stood there for a while, my brain processing all the information that I had just received, before leaving the alleyway and walking towards Hope Research Center. Looking up at the sky, the sun was not even directly above me, and I gave a sigh of relief. It looks like I would have plenty of time to check on what Oliver and Raven were doing.
Turning left, as I neared the Hope Research Center, I could see the silhouette of somebody standing in front of the sign. They had one arm on their waist, another by their side, as they arrogantly smirked at the sign of the research center. Their skin was pale and smooth, their hair silky, contrasting against their expensive-looking clothes.
Approaching the center, the person seemed to spot me and turned their head slightly. Even as they turned their head, their actions screamed nobility and elegance, as they looked me up from head to toe. Then, as distaste bled into their eyes, a cruel smile graced their lips before they turned around and left.
[That's Jeremy Slims. The first son of the Slims family, and someone who will eventually become part of the government.]
每周推薦票狀態
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票