Stealthy Entry

"Is someone following us? Why didn't I notice it before? Are my senses worse than I thought?" were the questions that were going through Aren's mind as he made his way to a small stream of water that crossed the residence through a narrow hole under the walls that bordered the grounds.

That channel functioned as a water source that fed the surrounding vegetation as well as an alternative means in case the residence was not sufficiently supplied with water. However, for the two infiltrators it was an opportunity to enter the place.

- So... How do we do it? - Glen asked.

- I'll go first ... I'll try to see if there are guards inside ...

- Okay ... I'll keep watch.

Soiling his clothes as he entered through that opening in the canal, Aren was still in thought.

"I don't think Athenas has spoken out of turn ... Is there someone who has been spying on us? But since when? Who is it?" thought the young man who strangely to his personality seemed to get impatient.

The opening was difficult to enter, but not impossible. Within a few seconds, Aren had entered half of his body; however, that was not the difficult part.

Immediately, the young man began to look around the perimeter trying to see where the cameras on the poles equidistant almost a meter from each other were pointing.

"As I guessed ... most of them are focused outside ... there are only three that are pointed inside the residence ... I see no guards ... Fortunately these bushes allow me to hide ..."

Leaving the place, Aren could see better and understood that he was about at the edge of an outdoor garden where part of the walls were covered by bushes and one or another fruit tree.

A few seconds later, Glen also entered.

They were both wet, but that didn't matter. On the other hand, seeing Aren in the condition Glen was in, he remembered the time he came to his rescue in that abandoned village.

A slight smile appeared on the young man's face accompanied by a few words.

- Glen, if we get out of this, I will help you solve the problem with your parents.

- ... And what's gotten into you now? - Glen replied in bewilderment.

As they tried to settle in and see which way to go now, suddenly, an animal-like whimpering sound was heard a few inches away from them.

Turning their faces, they could see the head of a dog; a Siberian husky having ducked into the bushes was watching them as it had its tongue out.

 A lick was what they both received along with barking from a pet who seemed to have found a treasure.

A few seconds later, sensor cameras picked up inside the place and soon a group of undisturbed guards came by to supervise the area. The attitude of these men seemed tired.

Holding the dog's muzzle and body, Aren and Glen tried to remain unnoticed by hiding in the bushes.

- False alarm... It seems that Miss Charlotte's pet has come this way. - said one of the uniformed men who seemed to be talking on an intercom.

- Why don't they lock that dog up again? - said another of the men.

- Quiet; if Lady Charlotte heard you, you'd be fired or, worse, sent to Movera. 

Those men left the place in a short time.

Leaving those in hiding in thought, Aren wondered what the man meant. However, the priority now was to know what to do with that husky.

Interestingly, Aren noticed that Glen had fully trained the dog by feeding him some cookies he had brought with him.

- What? It's always good to bring food, isn't it? - Glen commented.

- Yeah... I guess so.

- Well...what's the plan? I'm running out of cookies.

Having seen the cameras before, Aren knew that they were sensitive to some degree of movement; therefore, he couldn't come out of hiding openly; however, there was an opportunity and that was to use that dog.

"I don't know exactly where that flower is located, I just remember that it was placed in a flower pot covered by a glass liner ... it only remains for me to search inside until I find it." was what Aren was thinking.

The idea of using the animal was that the cameras would focus on his movements, while somehow Glen and Aren could sneak inside the residence that was a few meters away from where they were crossing that wide garden. However, the cameras seemed to pick up different areas and angles; therefore, it was practically impossible for them to only focus on the dog and not on other things moving.

Suddenly, the voice of a little girl close to 12 years old was heard.

- Ozu! Ozu! Where are you?! - exclaimed a little girl with a pretty light blue dress, short wavy black hair and a tender look.

At her side, the presence of a guard who seemed to follow her everywhere could be noticed.

The husky instantly began to move uncontrollably as if trying to break free from Glen's hands and go where he was called.

 Instantly, upon hearing that voice, the husky began to move uncontrollably as if trying to free himself from Glen's hands and go where he was called.

At that moment, it was where Aren noticed again the security cameras that were capturing the movements of the girl and the guard, but, something happened that interested the young man; the cameras, after a few seconds of being focused, turned back to their previous position watching the exteriors even when that pair was still moving.

"What does it mean?"

Before Aren could think any further, he was knocked sideways by the speed of the dog who had broken free from Glen's hands and went in the direction of the girl who was calling out to him.

- Ozu! Where have you been?

The guard just watched as the dog played with its owner, but a saying from the little girl caught his attention.

- Why do you have cookie crumbs in your mouth? Has someone fed you?

The husky turned his gaze to the bushes he had come out of.

As if those words puzzled the guard a little, he looked at the same place as the dog and slowly walked to that spot.

- D-Damn ... I shouldn't have given him cookies. - Glen muttered.

- ...

The man's footsteps did not stop; it was as if he knew someone or something was in those bushes.

- What do we do now, kill him? - said Glen in an agitated manner.

Aren was still silent.

Standing in front of the bushes, the man reached out his hand to look inside. Seconds seemed like an eternity as he watched the man's movement; they would probably be found and captured immediately upon discovery.

The guard's hand had touched the leaves and little by little he began to move them. The moment he was able to distinguish something different from the vegetation, an unexpected action took him by surprise.

- What was it?

Something hot, as if freshly brewed tea had been spilled on the guard's shoes, he felt. Looking around, the man saw how the husky was beside him urinating.

- Ozu! What are you doing?! - exclaimed the innocent girl who was running towards the guard.

Putting aside his search, the uniformed man looked angry, but restrained himself and asked for permission to change.

- Lady Charlotte, while I change I ask you to return to the mansion.

- No, I don't want to be locked inside. - replied the girl.

The guard sighed.

- I understand, but it is for your safety.

- But ... What can happen to me when I'm inside? Besides, there are more guards outside... Please...

- ... Okay, but stay close to the front door until I come back.

- Okay.

As the guard retreated first, the young woman continued to play with her pet.

As they approached the front door of the mansion, Aren gave the signal to Glen to run without making any noise.

Behind the girl, they both walked; only the dog jumping around noticed and would soon start barking, but seeing Glen's face he calmed down.

"Looks like it wasn't a total waste to have fed her, but what about the security cameras!" thought Glen who turned to look at the top of the poles and noticed that the cameras were still looking outside.

- What?!

Glen's negligent voice was heard in such a way that the girl noticed as well as the cameras which focused inside the mansion, in that garden to check the origin of that sound.

But, when Charlotte turned around, she saw no one behind her. Likewise, the cameras did not detect the presence of any other living being besides the girl and her pet who seemed to be jumping all over the place.

- ...

Without a word, the girl hurried further into the mansion. Soon another guard came out of the mansion as if giving the whole garden a once-over.

Hiding in the garbage cans next to one of the walls of the mansion waiting to be picked up, Glen and Aren were totally immobile waiting for the right moment to come out.

- First wet and now we stink like shit... What's next? - Glen commented.

- Go inside and take a bath. - replied Aren equally frustrated.

- Oh, I like that idea ... On the other hand, it seems that the cameras are also sensitive to sound ...

- ... We are cornered ... the dog and the girl are gone and it looks like she won't be leaving the mansion any time soon because of someone ...

- Sorry.

While they were immersed in their thoughts trying to find a way out, soon a strange noise like a car engine was heard. Entering the mansion the garbage truck had arrived to pick up the day's load.

Several workers immediately set out to ready the garbage to be picked up. The situation was worse than before, since there was no time to escape, the only thing left to do was to get caught.

- How are you doing today, nigger? - asked the driver of the garbage truck in a friendly manner.

- Normal, you know with its ups and downs... How about you, pigeon? Working hard or lasting on the job? - an African-skinned uniformed man replied in kind.

- The usual ... from here I'm on until tonight.

 As they both spoke two people approached bringing garbage cans.

- Ah, you know where it goes..." said the driver.

A woman wearing a sport uniform with a hat and a cap that covered her hair was the first to place the can where the mechanical arm of the truck would pick it up.

Ignoring the servants as if they did not exist, the pair continued talking among themselves.

Having finished unloading the fourth garbage can, the truck began to pull away.

- You, get on with your work ... ... But first take a bath, it seems that you smell just like the garbage from before," said the guard to the pair that had taken out the trash. - said the guard to the pair who had taken out the garbage.

The two just nodded without saying a word and entered the mansion.

- What are you doing! use the staff house! - exclaimed the same guard watching them from afar.

Losing sight of him, the pair went to the side of the mansion, which revealed a large clear path that in the distance showed a house not as big as the mansion they couldn't really see.

- You really go too far. - said one of them.

- I thought it was inside the mansion... What would I know?

- Well, at least we can take a bath... the bad thing is that we throw our clothes in the garbage.

- Yes... but at least we left them dressed, didn't we? It was a trade... I hope at least when they wake up in the dumpster they won't be too angry.

- Exchange? Then why am I dressed like a woman?

- Well your hair gives you away, haven't you thought about cutting it?

- ...

- Hey... How does it feel to wear a bra?

- ...

Raising his hand to the sky and making a fist, one of them swiftly hit his sidekick in the head.

- Ouch ... hey, it was just a question.

- ...

- Well?

- ... It feels awkward ...

Aren and Glen had successfully managed to infiltrate that residence now dressed as site workers.

On the outskirts of the place, inside the minivan left parked by Glen, sat in the driver's seat the man who was following them while answering a call.

- Something to report? - he heard from the phone.

- No, nothing yet. - the man lied in reply.

- ... Understood. 

The call ended.

While the man seemed to be snooping around, he hadn't found anything of interest.

- It seems that they are already beginning to doubt me ... I don't blame them, it's been days since I gave them results ... Infiltrating me and catching that pair doesn't seem difficult, but ... I'm quite interested in why both of them have come to this very place ... Did they find out who was behind the kidnapping of that brat? No, those upper class idiots know how to hide well ... then, why have you come all the way here?

Opening a door that revealed a room where three people were gathered, a man entered somewhat annoyed.

- How come there's nothing here yet! - exclaimed the man.

- Calm down, Franco. You look like a madman. - said one of the two women present.

- Call me what you want, Rebeca; what I want are answers. Why hasn't Renaud captured Joseph's daughter yet?

- ... These things are done patiently and thoroughly ... Not everything will go as we want it to, remember that Princess Lisbeth herself is setting her sights on this matter. - said the other woman.

- That's what I'm talking about, Kiara! At the moment Ephraim and I are being cornered by the princess' people. - Franco exclaimed angrily.

- What are you talking about?

- I don't know when it all started, but Rufasto's house and mine realized a few weeks ago that there are infiltrators in Movera. People who are inciting the villagers to rebel against us and now there are rumors that auditors are coming to review our financial statements.

- If so, they may know that the Rufasto and the Sotomayor are working together ...

- Make your point, Kiara. You're worried that they know about us too, aren't you? - Rebeca affirmed.

The woman who had been easily read did not respond.

- What do you think, Erick? Didn't your son, Eduardo, go to visit Count Beltran? Did he find anything interesting?

- ... He hasn't confessed anything to me, but from what I see ... It seems that Emily is there ... But, let's not lose sight of what we have so far ... If we manage to capture that guy who was seen helping Jose's daughter, the rest will be a piece of cake. - Erick replied.

- ... Where do you get that confidence from? - Kiara asked.

Erick smiled.

- Look at this ...

Placing a printed paper on the table, everyone could witness what was written. It was a report announcing to the royal family about the contract made between Emily and Aren.

- Sworn ... Brother?

- Yes... for the brat to have agreed to do this, it means that this guy is someone precious to her.

Everyone was a little interested in that hypothesis.