Darion stepped out of the bus and looked around the plaza. Besides a few new establishments, Darion's memory of the town plaza was the same as it was 3 years ago. He didn't know why but he is comforted by a few things that stayed the same for him. For a moment, he just wandered around and reabsorbed the place.

Just then his nostalgia abruptly stopped when he felt the eyes on him. Someone or something was definitely watching him.

Darion didn't even hesitate. He continued to walk while covering his head with his hoodie as best he could. It was barely 8 in the evening and the town plaza was bustling with activities. Most businesses, including the restaurants and stores, are still open and an army of uniformed men and women negotiate the use of the massive central parking space for everyone's benefit. His dad's Buick was somewhere in that metallic graveyard.

Darion followed one side of the hall and seemingly looking at the glass displays in every shop, but when a side street alleyway presented itself, he darted in and started running. He ran using his superspeed around the back and into the next alley only to emerge at the side door of a popular pub.

The pub owner and its crew are locals and they did recognize Darion when he nodded to them. This stopped any hard questions but the owner still looked annoyed when Darion just hang around and didn't buy anything. Instead, Darion surreptitiously studied the glass window outside while still hiding with the patrons of the bar.

He didn't have to wait very long when a suspicious individual hurried up to the alley he disappeared from and followed him there.

Darion walked out of the pub and followed his pursuer. He caught the person hesitating in the dark alley halfway inside before he cleared his throat about ten feet away from the person.

He whirled around with some metallic object in his hand. Darion raised his left hand, and the object zipped into his hand silently.

It was a small taser. A powerful one at that. A car passed by the mouth of the alley and briefly illuminated the place. Only then did Darion realized that he is confronting a very scared woman.

Darion raised an eyebrow. He deliberately scanned the woman from head to toe and then back. No other concealed weapons, he thought. Makeshift, or otherwise. Cellphone in the left pocket. No previous knowledge of unarmed combat judging from her stance, and most importantly, judging from her trap looks, she doesn't have any backup plans.

"Who are you?" Darion demanded, but he did not do anything threatening at the moment. "And why are you following me?"

The woman gulped but forced herself to speak. "I-... I'm a friend of Melvin Colmy."

Darion hid a groan. He already suspected that it was the case but now that it was confirmed, he felt annoyed.

Melvin Colmy is the reason why he is here in the first place. He told the guy that he will meet him alone, and of course, the idiot didn't listen. Now there are complications.

"Where is he?"

So the two of them walked into a nearby pub. Not the same one Darion hid in but a newer one with better accommodations. Unfortunately, this is a new branch and Darion has no idea who the managements are in this business establishment.

The place was cozy enough and at least represent an assumption of privacy. He recognized Melvin Colmy immediately at the far end table. Darion never saw him before nor did he have a picture of him, but the way he nervously fiddled with his drinks and looking around the room was a dead giveaway.

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When Melvin noticed them, his surprise to see the woman next to Darion was not an act. "Margie? Wha- what are you doing here?"

The woman looked guilty for a second or two before it changes to angry defiance. "I want to be sure that you are okay. So I followed you... and him."

Darion sat down and endured the couple's loud whisper and hissing as they continued to argue. He is having second thoughts about this matter the moment he saw the two of them together.

Darion and Mr. Colmy met in a specialized black site forum. Mr. Colmy is the principal of one of the public high schools here in Georgia, and in all accounts that Darion can research, the man was a responsible public servant who didn't even have a parking ticket for years. He is a family man for the last 12 years with a devoted housewife and two girls age 9 and 11. In all respect, he is considered one of the good guys.

Except for the fact that he is banging his secretary for the last year. Margaret Tellerman, 36 years old and also married, works for the guy as his secretary for the last 3 years and she fell for the little chubby principal hard. They attended this educational convention in Washington 11 months ago, and after a few drinks, lots of chummy laughter, an innocent kiss, and off they go to the hotel room to rut like teenagers losing their virginities.

Darion came in because someone sent the principal pictures of him and his secretary doing the nasty in a private motel outside of town several months ago. The culprit demanded $25k, and Melvin Colmy being scared shitless, decided to pay the amount. 2 months after that, another batch of pictures arrive and the mystery blackmailer demanded the same amount, or else Mr. Colmy's wife and his girls will receive something interesting on their email in the next couple of days.

Again the principal paid the amount.

3 days ago he received another batch of pictures and this time he wanted this blackmailer gone forever. So he hired Darion with the same amount to find the blackmailer and put an end to his nightmare.

Darion accepted all the relevant data he asked the man to prepare, like the email address of the blackmailer. It was different each time, but Darion didn't mind and asked nevertheless.

He also asked for financial data, including bank statements and tax returns. He also asked the name of each staff member in school from the assistant principal to the 3 janitors hired part-time by the department of education.

He also asked if there are any prominent alumni or organizations or any other person who might have ill will against him.

"I'm not sure." Mr. Colmy said nervously. "I'm sure I stepped on a few toes throughout my career but for the life of me, I cannot think of anyone."

"That will be all, I think I have enough," Darion said.

"What will you do to the blackmailer?" Margie finally opened her mouth to ask him.

Darion shrugged. "I don't know yet," He said honestly.

"You don't know yet?!" Margie said, raising her voice in disbelief. Darion cringed when a few of the other patrons turned to them curiously. "These men are destroying our lives, and all you can say is that you don't know yet?!"

"Yes."

"How dare you sit there-"

"Shut the fuck up," Darion said mildly. "I am not one of your students. I am a specialist that deals with a problem like yours. You don't tell me what to do here, do you understand?"

The woman glared at Daron but said nothing. The principal cleared his throat while holding his lover's hand.

"What Margie is trying to say is what kind of time period are we talking about here? And what can we do to help you make this faster to go away."

"Nothing. Just sit back and do your normal thing back at work. This might take anywhere from 2-5 days. A week is the maximum, but I do not believe it will take that long. Right now, the first phase of the plan is to pinpoint exactly where the messages are coming from. I am confident that I can narrow it down to the exact location of the target and from there I will find out exactly who the blackmailer is. From there... I don't know yet."

Darion looked both of them in the eye. "With the money you gave me, I can guarantee you that I will find out who this person, or group of persons, is that is harassing you. Once I dealt with them, they will cease blackmailing both of you." Darion's eyes hardened. "In return, I do not want to hear anything else from you. Throw away my contact information because, after this, we will not see each other again. Do not contact me ever again."

Melvin Colmy looked at Darion and nodded slowly. That is how he wants it to happen as well. "I agree. If you fix this problem for me, you will not ever hear from me or Margaret ever again. I give you my word."

Darion snorted openly as he gathered the papers and prepared to stand up. "Like you gave your word to your wife?"

Without a second glance, Darion turned and left the couple in the bar.