2025-09-17 00:29:29
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Chapter 8: The Devil's Bargain
“Edward…” Clara's voice trembled as if the word slipped between her lips, a low but pleading sound. It resonated down the deserted corridor and bounced off the stench of rusty oil clung to wet walls. Her heart thudded against her ribs, giving off a mixture of terror and resolve. She'd come this far—at this farthest point that any other human had reached. Through this vast maze of shadows, Edward was there. She was positive.But she wasn’t alone.Outside the warehouse stood two of Angelo's men against a rusty van and gazed out in the distance at the vague glow of Clara's phone screen. One was frantically dialling."Boss," he whispered thickly with a mixture of panic and excitement. "I think the girl's here. That meddling brat's friend—the girl who's checking around. She made it in."The static broke. Then Angelo's voice came on, rough and venomous-sounding, like a snake hissing.“Let her find him,” he said. “But don’t make it too easy. Disorient her, mislead her. I want to know how far
Chapter 7: Hunt In Silence
Clara hadn’t slept. She was in front of the map-clipped and note-adorned board that the detectives operated from, her head replaying Angelo’s men setting them up to observe the wrong trap. The warehouse silence echoed in her heart — too empty, too empty. The more that played through her head, the more distinct it became: this was not a hiding ground, this was a platform. Clara wrung her hands, her voice low. “Why do I feel as if we are in the wrong place?” The detective raised his head from the notebook. “What are you saying?” She swallowed. “Edward’s not in here. We’ve spent all night sitting watch over this warehouse. There are no guards. Nobody moves. Not even a sound. Angelo is not irresponsible. If Edward was in here, we’d know.” The room got very still. None of them had ever laid eyes on the sponsor in operation till her calm presence walked into the room. She did not dismiss Clara as a trembling child like the others. She motioned silently to one of her men without ever lo
Chapter 6: The False Trail
Clara could not sleep the whole of that night. She and the detectives had turned up every possible means of tracing Edward but without success. The day that Edward had disappeared haunted her like an evil spirit that she could not extinguish. His voice haunted her mind—he had yelled out to her that afternoon, a wail from the van that she had not been able to reach in time. The memory pierced her chest and left in its trail a wake of shame and anguish. She perched at the edge of her bed with her hands tightly grasped. Out in the world, the neighbourhood buzzed with fretful grumbling. People gossiped just the way they always did—gossiping all the time. Some theorised that Edward had probably escaped the cruelty of Mr Marcus. Others talked of falling into the hands of Angelo. Some went so far as to blame Marcus for doing it himself and wanting to get rid of a boy who had begun to outshine him. Clara didn’t care for the side banter at all. It didn’t do anything. What mattered was this
Chapter 5: Shadows Close In
Ring, ring. Edward’s phone buzzed against the nightstand. He was fast asleep, but the call jolted him awake.It was Mr Marcus.Why would he be calling me so early? Edward thought, rubbing his eyes.He picked up.“Edward!” Mr Marcus barked through the phone. “Report to my office. Now.”The line went dead.Edward rushed through his morning routine, barely pulling himself together before running outside. Clara stood by her scooter.“Hello there,” she greeted.“Hi Clara, would you mind taking me by your scooter? I have somewhere urgent to go.”“I’m headed to the circus,” he said slowly. " But why are you in such a hurry?"Clara hesitated, biting her lip.“Just take me there!” Edward snapped, more desperate than angry.She had no option but to let him on, though she kept wondering why Edward was in such a rush.Sooner or later, they arrived at the circus. Edward jumped off before the scooter stopped and sped off toward Marcus’s office.He stood outside the wooden door for a moment. His pal
Chapter 4: One More Day
Edward had barely set foot in his home. He was greeted with the deafening gurgle of the icebox. Yes, his one companion had truly missed him. He hardened himself on the prickly mattress. Home, sweet home.He had not slept much last night. At any rate, the noise of mulling Mr. Angelo’s words at the entrance of the circus was terrifying—it would not let him sleep. Through the act Edward had performed on the night of the annual bash, he had lost his wages. How would he now ever repay Angelo’s debt?Just as he settled on this thought, there came a knock—forceful, insistent, deliberate. He stood stock-still. Who knocked at this hour of the night? Then he remembered Angelo. The longer he delayed, the louder the pounding grew.Before he had time to reach the door, it swung open. There stood three men in the doorway, broad-shouldered men with their faces expressionless and solemn. They stepped inside the apartment as if it belonged to them.Edward required no introduction. Angelo’s men had com
Chapter 3: The Spark In The Ring
The Diego Circus Arena was bathed in lights, glittering like a wonder kingdom. Golden light bulbs outlined each tent and scaffolding, their glow reflected in the shiny railings and brass hardware. Currents of faces flowed into the entrance, a tide of expectation and hilarity flowing into the evening. Laughter and euphoric chatter rang off the walls. Drums pulsed in time, their beat resonating through the air, drawing the crowd into the heartbeat of the show. Each step into the arena was a step into another realm.Edward remained outside. His red shirt clung to him with sweat, a patchwork of dampness from the relentless sun and toil of lifting cages earlier in the day. His hands throbbed from the labour of lifting rough metal, from pushing and pulling and securing creatures who reeked of hay, sweat, and musk. Around him, performers sparkled in vibrant attire—sequins catching light, feathers caressing shoulders, costumes embroidered with care. He could not mingle. Why should he? He was
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