[https://i.imgur.com/cWEJoV7.jpg]

Tori Plaza

September 17th X288

I can’t believe it. “You actually found the culprit that attempted to kidnap Blythe. Are you sure it’s him?”

“There’s no question. The drooling lizard spirit’s right beside him. He’s in a group at the Burger Boyz across the street.”

Florian Lilly Cobblestone and Dr. Ronaldo had staked out Tori Plaza every day. After school, Florian went straight to the clinic, leaving her sister guarded by her friends from school. They even hung out at the Cobblestone residence until Florian got home. It was thanks to them that Florian could concentrate on finding the culprits.

“The people around him, do you think they’re working together?”

“Most likely.”

Florian took out her journal, compelled to draw their spirits. She trembled with excitement. She drew all the souls on the first page, then flipped to the next to draw their faces.

The drooling lizard spirit paired with an African American man with long dreadlocks, wearing a yellow shirt and silver armbands. The lizard’s long snout looked as if it was laughing.

A four-foot cheetah spirit was in a booth with a blonde-haired woman in a black and yellow motorcycle suit. The cheetah curled up next to the woman. Florian felt like she’d seen it from somewhere before but was too busy to remember.

Next to the woman was a boy that looked around Florian’s age, wearing a blue hoodie. His spirit slithered in and out from his short sleeves. Observing through binoculars from across the street, she thought it appeared to be a snake spirit.

Then a tall crimson-haired man joined them. His spirit overshadowed them all. His soul was furious as it partly phased through the window. It had the arms of a gorilla, and the body, face, and legs of a black rain frog covered in fur. Dangling from its head was a glowing lure of an anglerfish.

Over her shoulder, Dr. Ronaldo studied the souls Florian drew. Without saying a word, he calculated. Ronaldo had reviewed Florian’s old journals meticulously for this very moment. He hoped to break down their psyche with the few clues Florian scribbled on the page.

Florian and Dr. Ronaldo also took photos of the group with their phones.

“Their souls are acting so carefree. After causing so much trouble! How dare they?” Florian said.

The group left the restaurant and headed toward Tori Railway.

“That’s it. We can report to the police now,” Dr. Ronaldo said.

“No. It’s not enough.” Florian jumped out of Dr. Ronaldo’s car, leaving her journal.

“Florian! What are you doing? Damn it!” Dr. Ronaldo chased after her.

“If we can find their hideout, it will be enough to clear Sergeant Honest’s name,” Florian said.

“We can’t! It’s too dangerous!”

“We planned for this. Message Miss Fumblehouse our location every few minutes. We can do this. I know we can. It can’t be far since they’re on foot.”

Dr. Ronaldo hesitated. “Damn it! Fine! If they approach us, play dumb. We’ll tail them to their building. That’s it. One wrong move, we run. Got it?”

“That was my plan from the start.”

🙠🙢

On the Tori Railway, Florian noticed their souls acting differently.

They were abnormally calm. The angler gorilla frog spirit refused to turn around to the others. The curled cheetah spirit was lazily licking itself while darting its eyes back and forth. The drooling lizard soul stood up straight, sniffing the air as if on the lookout.

“All we have to do is avoid their soul’s line of sight, and they won’t notice us,” Florian said.

“What do you mean?” Ronaldo asked.

“The moment their souls turn their heads, we just have to hide. It’s easy.”

“Easy for you. I can’t see souls.”

“Leave it to me and hide,” Florian said.

Their soul’s line of sight, they’re looking at the reflections in the car windows, trying to spot me.

I see. This is the opposite of when I was with Hope and Blythe. Now I’m tailing them. Think. What was it that put a ton of pressure on me? I was so busy trying to prote— That’s it! When I was in their shoes, I prioritized my vulnerable friends. The motorcycle suit woman with the cheetah was drinking, and they have a boy my age with them. Those two might be their weakest link. I know the one with the drooling lizard soul can fight and might be concealing a gun. The crimson-haired man with the angler gorilla frog reminds me of Sergeant Honest’s slender spike spirit. They both have an intimidating presence that has experienced bloodshed and violence. I don’t want to get anywhere near that crimson-haired man. Right now, they might be thinking the police are stalking them. I have to be careful.

The group didn’t move, but their souls crept closer to the doors.

“Next stop, Tori Docks. Next stop, Tori Docks,” the speakers announced.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

🙠🙢

“There are so many people on board. How can we weed out our stalker?” Sticks asked.

“Follow our lead, kid. Just stay alert,” Juke said.

“Our stop’s next. What do we do?” Sticks asked.

“Just stick with me, kid,” Juke said. “Cover my back.”

The others nodded to one another.

🙠🙢

“Tori Docks, Tori Docks.” The doors opened.

Countless people exited the train. The group didn’t.

“This mustn’t be their stop then,” Florian said. “No, wait.”

Florian noticed the gang’s spirits exited and stood by the doors. Two on the east and two on the west exit, but the owners sat still in their seats.

“Are they getting off or not?” Florian’s stomach turned. “They’re up to something. Do I go now?”

“What’s wrong?” Dr. Ronaldo asked.

“We have to leave the car.”

“But they haven’t left their seats yet.”

“Now!” Florian gently pushed Ronaldo.

🙠🙢

Passengers disembarked the train, giving clear visibility to the gang.

“Doors closing. Doors closing,” speakers announced.

“Now!”

The gang split back to back and exited on both sides, the east and west exits. They stared down the train seeing if anyone else jumped out at the last second to follow them.

The doors closed, and the train began moving.

“There!” Sticks yelled. He charged forward, grabbing a man in front of him. His soul coiled around his arm and sprang to his fingertips. Sticks’s long reach clenched the man’s neck and pushed him to the ground. The snake soul wrapped around the man’s neck. “Who are you working for!?” he yelled.

“Get off him, Sticks. That’s not our stalker,” Juke said.

“He looked at me funny. It has to be him.”

Juke picked up Sticks by the hoodie as if the two weighed nothing. Juke freed the poor man.

“He got away,” Sticks said, dangling from the height.

The train left, revealing Travis and Irina on the other side.

“Anything?” Juke said.

“Nope, guess our stalker didn’t leave the train in time,” Travis said.

“Good. Meet us outside the east gate,” Juke said.

🙠🙢

Florian panted.

Both Florian and Ronaldo had exited the train a minute before the announcement that the doors were closing. Florian’s hunch was correct. Tori Docks was their stop, and they were planning an ambush. Florian had doubted herself until the last second.

“If we’d stayed, we would’ve lost them. If we got off when the gang did, we would be dead,” Florian said.

“You were right. You predicted the gang was up to something and that this was the gang’s stop. No pursuer would get off a train before their target,” Dr. Ronaldo said.

“That was too close.” Florian’s heart pounded, terrified. They hid behind a pillar, catching their breath. “They haven’t used their cell phones to call for help like I did when they tailed me. They could text, but now that they think they lost us, they should lead us to their hideout without any more issues.”

“I’ll text an update to Miss Fumblehouse,” Dr. Ronaldo said.

“Very good.”

🙠🙢

The gang regrouped and casually walked toward their hideout.

“Gahaha, not bad, Sticks. But if you go for the neck, how’re they supposed to answer your questions?”

“I see. I’ll remember that for the next time.”

“Ve’re still being vatched.”

“We didn’t lose them after all,” Juke said. “They tailed us so close to the hideout, so annoying.”

“So it’s an organization? They might have agents all over the city to continue where the last team left off?” Travis said.

“There aren’t any left like that. This city’s strange, especially with that mayor in charge,” Juke said.

“What do we do now?” Sticks asked.

“Ve split up and lose dem de old fashioned vay. I’ve sobered up. I’m ready for a fight.”

“You’re still drunk to me. Gahaha.”

“We’ll race to the hideout. If you see anyone, don’t engage, lure the stalker away. Whoever’s being chased, we’ll cover you,” Juke said.

“Right.” They sprinted off in different directions.

🙠🙢

The sun began to set.

Florian and Ronaldo tailed the group for about half an hour to a series of abandoned buildings near the docks. They were old apartment complexes. One was partially submerged as if it had sunk into the river.

“I remember it flooded about four years ago. Due to rising sea levels and flooding, the residents evacuated. I thought they were demolished years ago,” Dr. Ronaldo said.

“Shhh, they stopped moving,” Florian said.

The two sat in cover behind the corner of a building when the gang split up, diving and vaulting through windows and alleyways.

“Damn, they’re fast.” Florian couldn’t react in time. “Is this a trap?”

Dr. Ronaldo grabbed Florian’s hand. “I’m not letting go. There’s no way I’m letting you run headfirst into danger anymore. That’s enough. Let the police take it from here.”

Seeing the seriousness on Ronaldo’s face made Florian think. She looked at his dark urchin soul that wrapped its threads around her hand. She understood.

“Their hideout must be in one of these abandoned buildings. We were so close,” Florian said.

“Text Miss Fumblehouse the address of one of these buildings. She can report everything for us while we head back,” Ronaldo said.

“Okay.” Florian pulled out her phone. It was getting late. “That’s weird. . . It’s not sending. I can’t get a signal,” Florian said.

“Let me check mine.” He called the police directly. It also had no signal.

“Weird,” Ronaldo said.

Florian noticed a shadow accumulated behind him. A giant claw pierced through Dr. Ronaldo’s neck.

“What’s wrong?” He looked at Florian.

No. The image seared itself in Florian’s mind. Move. Her eyes watered. Hurry up! She blamed herself for dragging Ronaldo along. I’ll never let someone die in front of me again! Without hesitation, she reached forward and pulled Dr. Ronaldo toward her.

A gleam of light swiped right over Dr. Ronaldo’s head.

The shadow vanished. Behind it was a woman with long black hair. A few strands covered her face. Her giant white eyes stared at Florian, and she was holding a scalpel.

“Hie hehe! What are you cute little bunnies doing here?”