The Mouse out of hiding

Taf was intrigued and excited about reading the journal as he returned to the restaurant.

He also felt grateful to senior Grace for her kindness and foresight in allowing him to take the journal.

Crowds still flooded the streets as buyers haggled with sellers to negotiate the most reasonable prices, making for a noisy scene everywhere.

Having accomplished everything he set out to do, Taf ignored his surroundings.

Unbeknownst to him, prying eyes observed his every movement from a distance.

He was stalked like succulent prey waiting to be pounced upon. Wicked grins graced their faces, noticing his ignorance.

They had finally found the thorn that had been a pain in their sides for a while now.

"Should we attack this runt now, boss Fang. Crippling those legs, he seems to be so fond of?"

A man with a ghastly scar from his eyelids to his neck asked impatiently. He was Scarface, the man he referred to as boss second in command.

The boss, Fang, a man of short but bulky stature, watched as the youth made his way on the street, unaware that he was being stalked.

"No.., not now. Do you not see the crowd?

How would it look if we grown men were to attack a kid with so many to witness the act?" Boss Fang replied, eying the crowd.

The Scarface was brought back as he surveyed his surroundings and nodded in agreement.

"Boss, but surely we aren't going to let this runt walk free.., are we?

He has made our gang the laughingstock of the city, and we have had little face ever since.

Our members are being ridiculed daily among the gangs and taunted as being the little Mouse's playthings."

Evidently hating Taf, the more he spoke, Scarface continued with his rage-filled tantrum,

"How can we even fathom a continued existence in the city? How can we recruit new members in the future?"

He ended, bellowing out the disgust of him and his fellow members.

"Be patient; I never said we would do nothing, Scarface. The timing is just a bit off, and our surroundings forbid us. How do you get rid of a mouse scarface?" He asked with an evil smirk.

"You poison or trap it, boss," Scarface replied while figuring out what his boss had planned.

"What about when this Mouse has stolen your treasures?

Wouldn't it be tragic if the Mouse was killed without recovering your looted treasure?"

Slowly, Boss Fang outlined the plan to his faithful subordinates,

"That will not do, so we'll aim high and select option C. This Mouse must have a home or hiding place that he goes to after he stole from us.

This is no common street child scarface, haven't you noticed? He always seems well-fed and clean. Doesn't that strike you as odd?"

While the boss spoke, he saw the realization of the scenario dawn on his members.

"Your powers of observation need improving, Scarface. How can this minor detail escape your eyes?" The boss interjected once more as he berated them all.

"We will lay siege on this insignificant Mouse and his benefactor when found. Wouldn't that be an even more glorious event, Scarface?"

Boss Fang wickedly smiled as he spoke.

"Yes, boss, I see indeed. " Scarface sheepishly agreed.

Taf had a strange and frightening feeling that he was being stalked by a hawk as he walked. Ever since his time on the street, he has had this sense of danger, which has never let him down.

'What is it?! or should I say who is it?'

Thoughts ran a mile a minute through Taf's head as he tried to grasp the situation. 

'OK, stay calm, and rationalize this as you have always done. Who have you offended?" He asked himself.

'Damn it, many... I have offended many!"

He screamed at himself.

'I really need to reassess these dumb life choices. If I survive this little ordeal, I will be a renewed man, ' Taf rightly said.

'OK., OK, let me see who is following me.'

Taf casually walked over to a store window with clothes displayed through their glass.

He acted as though observing and admiring the clothes and their extravagant designs. In its reflection, he saw ten figures in the mirror.

Cold sweat soaked his back as some words finally came out of his mouth, and he wryly smiled and said...

" Those bastards of the Bing Gang!"