Germaine once gave me a list of the most commonly used phrases in media. It was years ago, and I forgot most of them. But I'm banking everything on remembering this one correctly.

Getting the timing right will be more luck than anything. I don't know what time it is now. And I didn't know what time it was then. The sun is setting, it's getting dark. Just on the cusp of night.

I make my move. I wave down a taxi and get it. Guiding the driver to turn onto the quiet street I walked down last night. My luck pays off, The moment we got on the street I see the boy who stole my radio.

I pray I have this phrase right as I begin to utter the words.

"Follow that boy!"

"You got it chief."

Pulling his cap down and tightening his grip on the steering wheel. The taxi driver affirms I got it right. He slams his foot on the gas. The engine roars, alerting the boy on the scooter. He looks back. Sees the taxi screaming towards him. And rides away as fast as he can.

We stay on his tail. The taxi driver doing his best to stay as close as possible without actually hitting the boy. I roll down my window and try to reach out and grab him but I can't quite get him.

The kid finally goes down the same alley as last time. Tossing his scooter over the fence before climbing it himself. The taxi stops as we watch. I open the door to get out. Planning to jump the fence and follow him on foot again.

My door slams shut the moment I open it. Caused by the force of the taxi taking off again. Smashing through the fence. We continue trailing the kid. He scoots into a park. The driver doesn't hesitate in mounting the curb and maintaining chase.

The boy ditches his scooter into a bush. Figuring he'd lose us diving into the pond in the middle of the park. The driver takes us around to the other side of the pond where we meet the boy as he comes out of the water.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

The boy slides across our hood and keeps running. A cement wall separating the park from the street is no obstacle for the boy. He clears it in seconds. The driver doesn't even attempt it. Grabbing his hat and throwing it down in defeat. There's no question the taxi chase is over.

I wanted the boy to think he lost us anyways. And was planning to ditch the taxi next time he went down an alley. I had only been waiting for him to lose the scooter before pursuing on foot myself.

I clear the wall and see him heading down another alley. He didn't look back and see me. But he continues to run. I quickly cross the street but stop just to the side of the entrance. Peering down the alley.

The boy reaches the end. Looking back he sees no one. Putting his hands on his knees he hunches over and takes a few moments to catch his breath. Finally he starts walking again. He exits the alley to the left.

I wait a few seconds to make sure the alley is out of his sight before bolting down it myself. Stopping at the end. Looking out to the street it's busier. Much more foot traffic. But the boy is still within my sight. Only about ten meters in from of me. I exit and alley and blend into the crowd. Still following the boy.

Five blocks go by. The crowd is thinning out once again. Still the boy hasn't looked back. At the end of the block his only options are to go left, right, or forward to the pier. He goes straight. It's an industrial area so he and I are the only ones that continue towards the water.

Sure he's going to spot me now, I keep my head down. It's easier to keep my eyes on him with no one else around. So I let him get a bit further ahead. He leads me to a series of warehouses. They all look like they've been abandoned.

I stay hidden, two warehouses behind him. He eventually stops at the sixth. the whole area is dark. Save for a single row of dim street lights. The boy approaches the building. I can still make out his shape but can't see any details.

I realize he was standing at the door. As it opens. Light spilling out into the parking lot. Voices echoing out. It sounded like a party raging inside the warehouse. The boy steps into the light and the door slams shut behind him. Leaving only darkness and silence.

I creep up closer to the building. Even just on the other side of the wall none of the noise ekes out.I risk a glimpse through the window. The warehouse is filled with boys. All roughly the same age as the one I had been following. Approximately nine to thirteen years.

I duck my head down and make my way along the line of windows. Getting closer to the middle of the building before popping up for another look. There, in the very center of the warehouse. I see a mountain of various electronics. My radio no doubt buried within it.

"Just can't stay out of trouble, can you citizen?"

A familiar booming. I don't even need to turn around to know where that came from.