THE ENCOUNTER

Flashing the mirror in his face, Gisella shouted with a step back." Don't you dare come any closer!"

A ray of light suddenly emerged from it, tolling him against the wall, some meters away from her.

" Ah–" He groaned in pain, transforming into Natasha.

Bemused and shocked at what her eyes just witnessed, she stammered.

" What?– Natasha?" She trembled. "You again?– Don't you ever get tired?" Gisella cried.

" Never will I get tired, Gisella!" She scoffed. "Not until I've made sure you spend the rest of your life in mystery." She laughed, sauntering closer to her.

"Do you think I'll let go just like that?– huh...? " She asked with a raised eyebrow.

Gisella just stared into her eyes, dumbfounded by the whole happening. Natasha smiled with a quizzical look on her face, she sneered.

" I don't accept defeat so easily like that Gisella especially not from a weakling like you!"

Gisella scoffed, her lips curved in a smile as she tilted her head with a raised eyebrow.

" Don't be so sure of yourself this time, Nat. No one hurts my Desmond and goes scot-free any longer. " She chuckled. Natasha gazed at her in disbelieve, marveled at her attitude.

" How dare you talk to me like that? She shouted in rage, lifting her hand to slap her but Gisella swiftly held her hand in the air and wanked it away with anger.

" And how dare you touch my Desmond– The Gisella you knew died a moment ago with her timid and weak character. This Gisella right in front of you is your worse nightmare and the end to all your nonsense" She barked.

Burning in rage, Natasha's eyes turned bloody red, her hands burning with flame.

" Let's see how this damn threat of yours saves both of you now– Ah...!! "

She flicked her hand towards them. Gisella stood in front of Desmond's bed, preventing Natasha from getting any closer. She swiftly drew the mirror in between them like a shield, preventing the spell from getting to them, and pushed it back to Natasha. Unaware of what Gisella did, the spell hit her and she disappeared.

Gisella's eyes swiftly scanned through the ward.

" Where did she go?– I need to find her now. I've got to end all this."

With no sign of her, she quickly turned, about to leave but was instinctively drawn back by a sudden movement of Desmond's finger. She gasped.

" Oh my God, Desmond– He's waking up" She smiled. "I need to get the doctor–I'm coming, dear" She fidgeted.

Gisella rushed out of the ward in search of a doctor. Just when she stepped out of the door, she suddenly felt dizzy. It had been a long day for her. Her health was still unstable and she had neither taken her medications yet.

" Gisella!! " That's all she heard and fell unconscious.

Jerry and Catherine raced to her, anxious. Jerry knelt beside her, checking her pulses and Catherina also knelt beside her. Her face flushed.

" How is she?– Is she breathing?" She asked.

" Yeah but I need to rush her to her ward now. We need to put some drips on her. She's dehydrated. She'll be fine after that" said Jerry, carrying her in the process. Catherina nervously followed him.

NEXT DAY

Loretta got up very early, descending the stairs all dressed up and ready for class. She sped towards the door on her phone.

" Yeah, you guys should meet me on the junction leading to his hideout. Don't worry, I'll pick a cab."

Ciara heard her voice from the kitchen as she got closer to the hall.

" Hey, honey– you're awake so early today." She exclaimed, gazing out from the kitchen "Where to?"

She asked.

" Um–" Lore responded, hanging up. " Good morning, mum" She hugged her with a smile and kissed her cheeks. "Sorry I didn't see you earlier on".

" No worries dear but what's the rush for– I've never seen you like this." She tilted her head with a raised eyebrow. "Come on, tell me–what's up with you"

She smiled.

"Um..." She muttered. ".....I've got to get to school early today. I need to finish off a project I couldn't complete yesterday before class starts."

" Okay, here– have breakfast before you leave since it's ready and the driver is not yet in."

She crinkled her nose with a twisted mouth.

" No, mum– I'll have breakfast at school and about the driver, don't worry, I'll get a cab. Okay? " She completed her statement, rushing out of the house.

" But, Lore....." Ciara stuttered.

" Don't worry, mum....I'll be fine", she shouted and sauntered out of the gate.

Ciara gazed at the gate with a faint smile, slightly shaking her head.

" Oh, Lore.....you're unbelievable at times." She chortled. "One minute, you won't leave without your driver– The next minute, you want to go alone. I wish I could understand you better." She sighed, tilting her head as she sauntered back to the kitchen.

BELLO'S HIDEOUT

It was a cool morning and the library was quiet as usual. All you could hear was the sounds of the birds, tweeting outside the window on the tree nearby. The sun was giving its best as it shone through the library through the window.

Bello sat in the hall of the library with his legs, stretched out on one of the chairs, drinking and smoking. He had minor bruises on his face with a bandage over his head due to Desmond's strike during their struggle.

" Bello !– Hey, open this damn door now!!" A voice invaded the silence. Bello reluctantly shrugged from the chair and trod to the door with heavy feet.

" Why this early morning? Don't she have any better things doing? " He mumbled as he opened the door.

Loretta dashed into the hall in rage, followed by Bianca and Paola. Bello held the door, his eyes swiftly lurked across the compound to make sure no one followed them there before finally locking it. He sauntered back in to join them.