Chapter 456: Quick Replies!!

It was already close to ten at night.

The streets of Star Harbor had quieted down.

Many shops had closed.

Traffic had thinned.

Cold air moved between the buildings.

And along one of the residential roads...

Hope Fenwick walked alone.

Her steps were slow.

Not because she was tired.

Not entirely.

She was simply lost in thought.

Her bag rested against one shoulder.

Her hands were inside the pockets of her jacket.

Every few seconds, she looked toward the road ahead.

Then back down.

The convenience store had been busy again.

She had stayed later than she should have.

Again.

And now the walk home felt longer than usual.

Suddenly...

A bicycle came from behind.

Fast enough to catch her attention.

Hope moved slightly aside.

But just as the cyclist crossed her...

The front wheel turned awkwardly.

The man lost balance.

"Whoa!"

The bicycle tilted.

The man barely managed to keep himself from falling completely.

His bag slipped from the side.

Several things scattered across the road.

Hope immediately rushed forward.

"Are you alright?"

The cyclist straightened himself.

"Yeah."

He laughed awkwardly.

"I’m good."

Hope crouched down.

"Wait."

She started picking up the things that had fallen.

A small notebook.

A pair of gloves.

A charger.

Some wrapped snacks.

A cable.

The cyclist parked the bicycle properly and came closer.

"Thank you."

Hope collected the last thing.

Then stood.

She held the items out.

"Here."

The man reached for them.

And that was when Hope looked directly at his face.

She froze.

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

The man smiled.

"Thank you so much."

Hope continued staring.

Something about him was...

Familiar.

Very familiar.

The cyclist quickly placed everything back into the bag.

Then adjusted the strap.

"Good night."

Before Hope could say anything...

He got back onto the bicycle.

Then rode away.

Hope remained standing there.

Her brows slowly furrowed.

She stared after him.

"No way..."

She shook her head.

"What am I thinking?"

The cyclist disappeared farther down the street.

Hope rubbed her forehead.

"How would Nicholas Abbott be here..."

She looked around.

"...cycling on the streets?"

She laughed quietly at herself.

"I’m just tired."

Then looked at the time.

Her eyes widened.

"It’s too late."

She immediately started walking faster.

"I need to get home."

Then...

Something reflected the streetlight.

Hope stopped.

She looked down.

A small device rested near the edge of the road.

She bent and picked it up.

"What is this?"

She turned it over.

Buttons.

A small screen.

Earphone port.

Hope frowned.

"A music player?"

Then realization came.

"Wait."

She looked toward the direction the cyclist had gone.

"Is this his?"

Hope turned completely.

The road was empty.

She checked the other side.

Still nothing.

Hope looked at the device again.

Then at the time.

"What do I do..."

She bit her lip.

"It’s too late."

"I really need to reach home."

Then another thought came.

"What if he comes back looking for it?"

Hope looked toward the road again.

"Maybe he lives nearby."

A bench sat close to the sidewalk.

She looked at it.

Then sighed.

"It might be important."

She walked over.

"I’ll wait ten minutes."

She sat down.

"If he doesn’t come back..."

"I’ll find him tomorrow."

The bench was cold.

Hope immediately pulled her jacket tighter.

The road remained mostly empty.

A few cars passed occasionally.

Farther away...

A dark van stood parked near another street.

Its windows were tinted.

From outside...

Nothing seemed unusual.

Inside...

It was very different.

Miles sat near one side.

Derek sat in front of a portable console.

Several screens were active.

Camera feeds.

Audio levels.

Location markers.

And beside them...

Nick was taking off his cycling gear.

He pulled off the gloves first.

Then the jacket.

Then looked toward Miles with disbelief.

"You are cruel."

Miles looked toward him.

Nick pointed toward one of the screens.

"It’s cold outside."

"How can you make her sit there this late?"

Miles raised an eyebrow.

"You did it."

Nick froze.

Then looked offended.

"Don’t blame me."

"You told me to drop that thing."

Miles smiled.

"You agreed."

"You tricked me."

Miles said nothing.

Nick pointed again.

"Look at her."

Hope was sitting on the bench.

Her hands were tucked into her sleeves.

Nick sighed.

"She looks cold."

Miles leaned forward slightly.

"Wait."

Nick stared.

"For what?"

Miles’ phone buzzed.

He checked it.

A message from Charles.

Boss, Gareth Fenwick will reach you in one minute.

Miles looked up.

"Her father is coming."

Nick immediately frowned.

Miles continued,

"You better hide."

Nick stared.

"Why?"

"You might get scolded."

Nick looked completely confused.

"What does that even mean?"

Miles smiled.

Nick crossed his arms.

"Initially, this whole thing is going to look terrible."

He pointed at Miles.

"You should be protecting your own image, Mr. Nicholas."

Nick sighed.

"Okay, okay."

Then he looked between Miles and Derek.

"Can someone at least tell me what’s happening?"

Miles remained silent.

Nick continued,

"Why are we doing something that looks suspiciously like bullying a teenage girl?"

Miles immediately looked at him.

"Don’t make me feel guilty now."

Nick raised both hands.

"I am just asking."

Miles looked toward Derek.

"Derek."

NULL turned.

"Give this guy eyes and ears."

Nick frowned.

"What?"

"So he can go sit in his own car."

NULL smiled.

"Sure."

His fingers moved across the console.

A few buttons.

A new device connection.

Then he looked toward Nick.

"Check your phone."

Nick pulled it out.

The screen flashed.

A live camera feed appeared.

Same street.

Same bench.

Hope.

Nick’s eyes widened.

Then an audio panel appeared beneath it.

He looked toward Derek.

"What are you?"

Derek smiled.

Nick stared.

"A magician?"

Miles sighed.

"Now go."

Nick looked at him.

Then at Hope.

Then at Derek.

Finally...

"Alright."

He opened the van door.

Cold air rushed in.

Nick immediately stepped out.

A nearby car waited for him.

He got inside.

The door closed.

The feed remained active on his phone.

...

Inside the van...

Derek looked toward Miles.

"So..."

"What are we actually doing?"

Miles’ expression changed.

"Collecting evidence."

Derek nodded slowly.

"That sounds serious."

"It is."

Before Derek could ask more...

Another car stopped behind them.

Two Sterling Security agents stepped out.

A man in formal clothes was brought forward between them.

Not violently.

But firmly.

The man was clearly irritated.

"Easy."

He tried pulling one arm free.

"I already told you I’ll cooperate."

One agent released slightly.

The man looked down at his suit.

"Please."

"You’ll ruin this."

The agents said nothing.

He adjusted the sleeve.

"My wife gifted me this."

He looked genuinely concerned.

"She’ll be upset."

The van doors opened.

The man looked inside.

Miles stared at him.

Then said calmly,

"Seriously?"

The man frowned.

Miles continued,

"You only care about your suit..."

"And your wife?"

The man stared.

"Who are you?"

Miles didn’t answer.

"That’s not important right now, Mr. Fenwick."

The man’s expression changed.

He looked around.

Miles gestured toward the seat.

"Please."

"Come inside."

Gareth Fenwick climbed in.

The agents followed for a moment.

Miles nodded toward them.

They stepped back.

The door closed.

Gareth adjusted his jacket again.

Then looked toward Miles.

"Whatever this is..."

He sat down.

"Your people have been dragging me around for the last seven hours."

Miles looked at him.

Gareth continued,

"I cooperated."

"I answered questions."

"I gave them identification."

"I gave them my business details."

"I gave them everything they asked for."

His voice grew sharper.

"And nobody tells me what the government wants with me."

Derek looked toward Miles.

Gareth continued,

"This is harassment."

Miles remained calm.

Gareth pointed toward the door.

"I can sue you."

"No problem."

Miles nodded.

"You may."

Gareth became confused.

Miles continued,

"I’ll even give you the names of everyone’s superiors."

Gareth stared.

Miles gestured toward the chair.

"Sit properly first."

Gareth sighed.

Then sat.

His eyes moved around the van.

Screens.

Equipment.

Live feeds.

Then...

He stopped.

His face changed instantly.

On one screen...

Hope sat alone on the cold bench.

Gareth stood so quickly that the chair moved behind him.

"Sweetie..."

He stepped toward the console.

His hands touched the edge.

"My daughter."

His eyes widened.

"What is she doing there?"

Derek leaned slightly away.

Gareth turned toward Miles.

"I told you."

His voice became louder.

"I will sue every single one of you."

Miles remained seated.

"This is outrageous."

Gareth pointed toward the screen.

"It’s past her bedtime."

His breathing became faster.

"Whatever you’re doing..."

"Stop it."

He looked toward the van door.

"I need my daughter home."

"Now."

Miles’ expression hardened.

"Stop."

Gareth froze.

Miles continued,

"Stop with the nonsense."

Gareth stared.

Miles looked directly at him.

"Do you really care about her?"

The words hit hard.

Gareth’s face changed.

"What?"

Miles asked,

"When was the last time you called her?"

Gareth stared.

"This has nothing to do with you."

Miles’ eyes became cold.

"Answer the question."

Silence.

Gareth looked back toward the screen.

Hope was still sitting there.

Waiting.

He swallowed.

Miles asked again,

"When did you last call your daughter?"

Gareth’s voice became quieter.

"Last week."

Derek looked toward him.

Miles didn’t react.

"Last week."

Gareth looked uncomfortable.

Miles continued,

"She called you three times this week."

Gareth slowly turned.

Miles already had the records.

"But every time..."

"You sent her a quick reply that you were busy."

Gareth opened his mouth.

Miles continued,

"Quick replies."

Gareth said nothing.

Miles looked toward the screen.

"But you talked to your wife for several minutes at night."

Gareth’s expression changed.

"That’s..."

He hesitated.

"I..."

Miles waited.

Nothing came.

Miles pointed toward Hope.

"We are only watching."

Gareth looked toward the feed.

Miles continued,

"Everything she is doing is her own choice."

"No one told her to stay at work this late."

"No one told her to sit there."

"No one told her to walk home."

He looked toward Gareth.

"She comes home this late from the store."

Gareth’s face changed immediately.

"What?"

Miles remained silent.

Gareth turned fully.

"What do you mean?"

"Every day?"

Miles nodded slightly.

Gareth stared at the screen.

"But..."

He looked genuinely confused now.

"Yvonne said she’s home."

Miles watched carefully.

"She told me Hope was sleeping."

Miles gave a small nod.

"Of course."

Gareth looked toward him.

The irritation was slowly disappearing.

Something else was taking its place.

Fear.

Confusion.

"What is going on?"

His voice became lower.

"Please."

He looked back toward his daughter.

"Is she in trouble?"

Miles answered calmly,

"Not anymore from tonight."

Gareth turned.

Before he could ask anything else...

Derek leaned toward the console.

"She’s moving."

Miles immediately looked at the screen.

Hope stood from the bench.

She checked the road one last time.

No one returned.

She placed the music player into her bag.

Then started walking again.

Miles looked toward Derek.

"Track her."

Derek nodded.

"Already on it."

Miles continued,

"We move slowly toward the house."

Driver nodded

The van started moving.

Gareth remained standing.

His eyes never left the screen.

Hope walked faster now.

She kept checking the time.

Her shoulders were slightly hunched from the cold.

Gareth suddenly frowned.

"Where’s her bicycle?"

Miles looked toward him.

"She broke it."

Gareth turned.

"What?"

Miles continued,

"With a hammer."

Gareth stared.

"What?"

His face became completely confused.

"Why would she do that?"

Miles looked back at the screen.

"Maybe..."

"...because she wanted to reach home late."

Gareth’s expression froze.

"Why would she want that?"

Miles looked toward him.

"Maybe she doesn’t like staying there."

Gareth stepped closer.

"Stop."

Miles waited.

Gareth continued,

"Please stop talking in puzzles."

He looked shaken now.

"I’m concerned."

Miles replied,

"Really?"

Gareth stared.

Miles continued,

"Does she know that?"

Gareth didn’t answer.

Miles looked toward the screen.

"Maybe she just thinks you’re a busy father."

The words hurt more than Gareth expected.

He lowered his eyes.

Derek suddenly spoke.

"She’s at the house."

Miles looked forward.

Hope stood near the entrance of a quiet home.

The van slowed farther down the road.

Miles said,

"Connect it."

Derek’s fingers moved rapidly.

"Already linking."

A few seconds passed.

Then he nodded.

"We have ears."

Gareth immediately looked toward him.

Miles remained focused on the screen.

The van moved slowly.

Far enough not to be noticed.

Close enough to maintain a clean feed.

On the screen...

Hope reached into her bag.

Pulled out her keys.

The microphone picked up the metallic sound clearly.

A key entered the lock.

Click.

The door opened.

Hope stepped inside.

Then closed it behind her.

Gareth released a breath.

For a moment...

He looked relieved.

She was home.

Safe.

The video now showed only the exterior.

Closed door.

Quiet windows.

Nothing else.

But the audio continued.

Footsteps.

Hope moving inside.

Then...

A woman’s voice.

Sharp.

Cold.

Irritated.

"Why are you so late today?"

Gareth listened

He knew that voice.

Hope answered quietly,

"We were short staffed at the store."

Her voice sounded smaller inside the house.

"It took longer."

There was a pause.

Then Yvonne replied.

"You..."

Another pause.

Then the tone became openly cruel.

"You and your father’s shitty store."

Gareth’s face lost all color.

The voice continued,

"Just turn eighteen..."

"And leave us alone for good."

Gareth stood completely still

His eyes at the closed door..

To be continued...