CHAPTER 16: Leads

"They changed the location to the grounds behind the academy." Said Batuhan as he looked at a small gadget around his wrist, the screen of which popped into thin air, much like a hologram in a sci-fi movie.

"We havent really made any progress to be honest, hey Zakiyye! Why dont you join us instead of doing your own research looking like a sad loner?" Samuel was as blunt as one could be .

"I am no sad loner!" Zakiyye said , flustered by the comment that just hit a bullseye.

"Then come over here from that corner.We arent contagious."

"Your idiocy might be, one can never be too careful."

"And your reason for calling us idiots would be....?"

"The fact that you refuse to look into the matter I previously told you of...instead you prefer this pile of misdirection."

"UHHHH...none of the books we found had the information on why it was important to get rid of the Red Night." Batuhan said, waving the book he was holding in air .

"Then find out why there is no information." Zakiyye replied turning a page in his book.

Samuel smirked.

"Zakiyye.... you havent been able to get any information yourself have you?."

Zakkiye kept looking at his book.

Batuhan understood aswell and smiled.

"Is it possible that you have been stuck in these questions yourself..." Batuhan said slyly.

Zakiyye stopped reading his book and glared at the two of them.

"Get to the point." he said in a stern voice.

"How many years have you been on this?"Samuel smiled.

"10 years."

"And you still have no leads at all?"

"None"

"And you call US idiots?"

"Ugh." Zakiyye got up to leave while Batuhan and Samuel looked at him , both grinning .

"What are you two grinning about?" Zakiyye said annoyed.

"Nothing man ,we are just messing with you." Samuel got up and offered Zakiyye a handshake.

"What for?"

"A truce."

"Ho.."

"Now that I am sure that we all have the same IQ , how about we work together as a team. I see nothing wrong with a bit of teamwork. Do you?"

Zakiyye blushed but recovered quickly.

"As long as you guys dont act too stupid." Zakiyye shook his hand.

"Deal!" Samuel smiled .

******

"None of them have any memory of the event. Not only that, they are all dazed ." said Aleena as she and Josh stepped out of the hospital.

"But you and Jun didnt forget anything right? "

Josh said as he leaned against the wall.

"Yeah..."

"No wonder they havent been able to find anything .Whoever goes in , comes out numb."

"The one who attacked us...he felt similar to us.." Aleena said thoughtfully.

"So something turned him into that?"

"Or someone?"

"Classic" Josh said as he sat on the grass.Arms and legs folded.

"When do you think these attacks first started." said Aleena , looking at the sky.

"The first attack I ever heard of was when Jun's and Batuhan's parents were killed...after that ...it happened ...but not so frequently as now."

"You think someone wants to put all three species against each other?"

"Or maybe they already were against each other? Hiding spies among each other...waiting for the moment."

"Gah....so many possibilities." Aleena said rubbing her head with hands, frustrated.

"Then lets narrow em." Josh said .

Aleena gave him a quizzical look.

"How about we go to the forest again.. tonight? "

"At...night?" All of the memories came rushing back and made her forehead sweat profusely.

"I understand you were attacked there, but you will be fine..since nothing else happened...or did it? Josh said as he got up.

Aleena looked at him, her breathing fast , but she tried to act as normal as possible.

"Nothing else happened .." she collected herself.

"We will go after we meet our mentor" she said.

Josh nodded.

*****