Chapter 16: Lost son!

Lidia welcomed her returning husband, Philip, into the funeral home out of his taxi. He turned his gaze for a second towards the only other family attending. He clears his throat and waves slightly before his attention returns to his wife with a confused expression. Derek's grandmother whispers into his grandfather's ear. "The founder called me, he figured Derek could use further training in his detective work, these were the investigators he had hired and suspects an enemy of their father's is behind their deaths." Lidia filled her husband in before the two took their seats. Philip stared over towards his grandson as children of the other attending family began gathering around Derek. While the sun began to drop in their beloved city, Philip Wiley along with his grandson's best friend, Alec Williams, next to his wife, Lidia Wiley, began to clean up and close up their library. The elder vanquisher observed his grandson equipped with a face that he couldn't bring himself to accept on his grandson while he had been lying with his cheek in an opened book while the Wiley elders' other grandsons kept their noses stuck in their own. Lidia sat next to their grandson and began comfortingly caressing his hair, Alec shortly joined them sitting next to the young, saddened young hero's little brothers. Nicholas moved his book away from his face. "Grams, what's up with Gray?" The hero's younger eight year old brother asked as he looked over towards their brother, Henry Wiley to the sight of a shrug from him. Derek nestled his head into her neck as she rested hers on his before gently kissing his forehead. Philip checked his library's clock before nodding towards clearing his throat to grab his wife's attention and gesturing. Lidia returned the gesture as she stood up, Derek laid his cheek back on the book, she grabbed her younger grandsons' hands. "C'mon, it's the third day of summer but we can't stay up later even for family time?" Derek, Philip and Alec heard as she led them outside. Philip checked the time on the library's clock again with a dreadful expression. Alec moved to the chair closest to his best friend's. He began humming the tune of his best friend's favorite series before bursting out the lyrics. "The world's either yours or it's mine, we've got to take it by the hand, win it's favor through our hard work and time!" Alec began with talent that caught Derek's attention and inspired him to join in. Derek sat up. "We've got to be Bo—." Yet Derek hushed up, worrying and disappointing his best friend though he couldn't bring himself to finish it. Alec rested his hand on Derek's shoulder before the young Williams child turned his gaze from his best friend to the strange man with lengthy dark hair and a gray poncho who entered his friend's family's library with a wide smile with those yellowest teeth Alec had laid eyes on at this point in his life. The older unfamiliar bearded man's voice shocked Alec as it didn't match his face to him, he looked young yet his voice was deeper than his own father's. "I know that I promised that I'd be here on the first to see my nephew but I wanted to paint a view from the tallest building in the city as a gift for this and then— accidentally fell asleep on it. I'm ready to meet Jacob's kid, Pops!" Shouted the unfamiliar bearded man as he walked towards Alec and Derek, knowing Philip was in the storage. Alec couldn't help but remain in confusion despite implying that he was Derek's uncle as he wore the exact same color scheme as his family except with no white, only a black shirt, gray poncho and dark blue pants. Alec worried as Derek didn't react to the strange man's implication. Philip entered into the selection area from the library's storage facility, sighing heavily. "Derek, this is your uncle Amell, the baby of your dad's brothers." Philip informed his Grandson and his best friend, Alec. Derek didn't react though Alec found himself even more curious than a moment ago. Amell moved his hair away from his eyes. "What happened to the poor kid, pops?" Amell whispered over to his father as the two observed Derek. Philip pulled his son into the library's book storage. "The founder of the heroic oath hired the children of the world's greatest African investigator to catch up on his investigative prowess with the others but someone, possibly, an enemy of their father's, hired a hit on them. I'll investigate but your mom— we were wondering if you could help him this summer?" Philip asked his son before having his grandson in his thoughts. The two leave the storage room and return to the library. The Librarian and his son hear Alec's attempts to lift his best friend's spirits result in failure. Derek has his head buried in his arms. Amell looked towards his father. "Oh, boy, little dude was hit hard. Who wouldn't be—??." Amell started with a grim tone as he crossed his arms. Philip returned the turn of attention towards his son. "Too much for you?" He asked his third son with a curious tone. Amell nodded as he grabbed his chin, rubbing it. "Nah. I'll take him on a road trip to some of the most beautiful places I've had the privilege of exploring myself until his spirit returns." Amell informed his father. Derek transformed himself into his gaseous form and hid under the table of the library he's been finding comfort in for the few months since the funeral passed. Philip and Amell both made the same sound when they got curious. Alec approached Derek's uncle with starry eyes. "Let me tag along with my best friend, he's scared of the world now and I want to stay at his side." Alec shouted enthusiastically. Amell looked down at the short teen. "For real?" Amell asked the unthreatening kid with determination in his tone before walking towards the table, "Gray, they call you, I'm wondering if you'd be curious how my road trips cheered up your old man was cheered up by wandering the world with me after he lost a very close friend to him before he was with your mother?" Amell wondered aloud before a smile appeared on his face after seeing his nephew peek out from under the table.