35/XXXV. In The Shadows (Remastered)

The sun shined eerily that winter day in December 23, 2009. Usually, London would be filled with mud and puddles as rain and cold showers plagued the city for the past few millennia.

The skies opened the bright glimmer of the morning star and the gang quickly headed to the production floor in one of the studios in Warmer Brothers.

The car screeched to a halt at the gate of the studios and as soon as the guard went out of his way to check the car’s passengers, Johnny began sweating profusely.

“Where to, Sir?” The guard lowered his head leveled behind the car’s window and darted his eyes to Irene in the front seat, and the four boys in the back seat.

“Top Cook studio, I’m here for the Exec, Bailey Park.” Irene’s thick Russian accent got a reaction from the guard.

He gulped shocked and nervous. His eyelids began to dilate, and tried to avoid eye contact with Irene as he reached for his radio.

“This is gate one, over, I have a guest here under Exec Park named…” His eyes trailed back to the lady at the front seat.

“Irene… Irene Ivanovsky.” She raised her eyebrows and rolled her eyes.

“Miss Ivanovsky. Do they have access and do they need a guide?” Another gulp and he stretched his back and posture, waiting for a response from the other side of the frequency.

Arthur had tons of suspicious doubts about the guy, he felt fear, but he didn’t hear any malicious thoughts.

“Yes, they have access, no need for a guide. They know how to get here.” A voice answered on the other side.

The guard squinted his eyes in disbelief.

He usually knows the visitors by face since he has a photographic memory and this was the first time he’s seen the vehicle along with the six passengers.

“Are you sure they don’t need a guide?” He repeated his question.

“Damn, just open the gate for them!” Rattled by the mad voice at the other side, he just stumped heavily back to the guard house and pushed the button to lift the wooden gate at the entrance.

“Have a great day!” Matthew’s jolly smile and greeting put off the guard pretty quick. He smiled back and he glanced back to Irene, her bitchy face immediately turned his smile into a sour face.

“You know the exec?” Arthur curiously inquired as he lifted his eyes and looked at the passenger side mirror.

The sun scorched through the car as soon as they hit the road and the sizzling noise that drowned out any movements silenced everything.

No response from Irene.

It’s one of the clichés of Russian mafia not to discuss any connections verbally. Staying silent and labeling connections as ‘friends in high places’, but knowing Irene and knowing that she doesn’t stand with the principles and twisted conviction of her mother, she doesn’t want to call them, ‘friends’.

The ride from the gate to the studio became unbelievably awkward and silent for everyone inside the car.

Arthur knew that there are times that they will need the help of these kinds of people, but standing on what’s right, he didn’t dare to press on further with Irene.

“We’re here.” Irene broke the silence as they arrived at Studio 72.

She closed her eyes, inhaled, and brazed herself as she opened the car’s door. “Let’s go.” She flaunted herself proudly as the gang’s leader and storming into the entrance to the production floor.

“Too much peacocking.” Johnny puffed his chest as he flung the studio’s doors open.

“Too much chest-puffing.” Jackson stepped in the doors with swag, with confidence in his eyes and a half-baked smile, you’d see him as a villain with a creepy grin.

“Shut up, you two.” The goth kid entered, dawning the halls with his all black attire, Arthur entered looking smug, with his black eyeliner streamlining his looks and his clenching, sexy jaw.

“Damn!” Eddie sheepishly set foot inside the production floor. With his head down and his gentle smile and face, he tried to blend into the shadows, but his moves proved futile.

The production assistant immediately took notice of the four goofy and ‘stylish’ boys and approached Irene.

“Are they-?” Even without finishing the sentence, Irene threw a sharp look back to the PA.

“They’re from my agency, understudies, here to learn from your stars, I want them following your stars and into their dressing rooms.” She crossed her arms, acting high and mighty, as if a manager just walked in.

“You’re their-“

“Yes, I’m their manager.” She finished the PA’s sentence, as if they’re running out of time.

Or she just wanted to intimidate the PA.

“We’re from the Skyline Agency.” Irene brought up a name that shouldn’t have been used, especially in this investigation.

Arthur grabbed Irene’s arm and dragged her out of the PA’s earshot. “What are you doing?" He gave her a stern look. His piercing eyes along with the black eyeliner, and his foul mood turned Irene into a scared little puppy.

“I’m just…”

Arthur gritted his teeth, curled his eyebrows, showing her his complete disgust. Skyline Agency was one of the companies of her mother, the Icy Queen, recruiting young girls to prostitute in high places – including showbusiness.

“I have no choice but to exploit this.” She huffed, looked him straight in the eye and stood with her decision to use and exploit her mother’s resources.

“I told you I’m going to help, and this is my way of helping.” She twisted her arm and flung it from Arthur’s hand. He had no choice but to let go.

The stubborn maiden clicked her heels and walked confidently towards the PA.

This twelve year old kid knew how to catwalk. “I’m so sorry about that. I just had a quick talk with one of my star.” Her eloquent use of English under a Russian accent gave a more compelling proof that this lady is one of the agents in Skyline Agency.

The agency was widely known for hiring Russian agents to handle European stars and clients.

“Alright, here are their ID Cards – just make sure that they don’t disrupt any shooting or recording.” The PA had no choice but to hand over four guest star ID cards and one manager ID card to Irene.

“Thank you.” Grabbing the ID cards, she kept her sharp look on the PA and walked back to the four men waiting for her.

Johnny smirked with Irene’s victory from that cracking.

The first step in intimidating is to strike fast, and quick, with madness and anger as a drive to your words, the other party will rattle and comply quickly, but it still depends on the situation, the PA was just a little pushover.

“You’re quite good with this.” Jackson approached Irene as she handed out their ID cards, and almost saluted the young girl.

“It’s natural. I’ve been taught these things.” You can hear the sorrow in her words, the worry under her breath, but her eyes defy fear as they clipped on their ID cards.

Arthur distributed their bluetooth device, one-ear headphone connected to a one-line frequency and set their clocks at the same time.

“We gather back in the car by thirteen hundred. Jackson, you’re in charge of JW live. Eddie, you’re in charge of JP live. Irene, make sure to check with the other stars’ information. Johnny and I will be roaming around their dressing rooms and in the crew and extras. Copy?” The leader instructed everyone to their places.

“Copy.”

------------------------------ / / ------------------------------

Jackson and Eddie were the ones to first report the movements of the two.

“JW and JP are here inside the production floor recording. This is for the event in that amusement park under Warmer Brothers on the twenty-fifth, as I am hearing from the scripts.” Eddie clicked on the device on his left ear.

“I’m still checking the crew here for additional info on JW.” Jackson moved along the shadows, trying to conceal his presence into the recording, and shooting.

“Continue on checking up on them.” Arthur and Johnny glided and slide into some corners to avoid the CCTV’s in other rooms and hallway.

“Are you sure we need to sneak around with this around our neck?” Johnny followed Arthur’s suit, but he pointed on their ID Cards as Arthur tried to avoid any CCTVs on any situation.

“If they see us in those cameras it’ll only be a matter of time that they find us.” Find us - Arthur recalled his first run-in with the Icy Queen, with the rescue of Sophia in that amusement park.

Passing through a narrow hallway and a number of other dressing rooms, they were able to locate JP’s office.

“This is it.” Arthur stood in front of the door. He tried to reach the door handle, but stopped by his gut feeling.

“What is it?” Johnny whispered frantically as he looked around.

“Something’s wrong.” Something inside of him tells him not to grab that handle and open the door.

“Art, we only have a few hours.” Johnny drew closer, agitated by the double-minded Arthur, he reached out his hands for the handle but at the last minute, Arthur grabbed his hand to stop him.

“We missed something.” As Arthur recalled the CCTV’s in the hallway, he remembered the detectors on the cave in the Greenwich Pier.

“What is it?” Johnny’s truly irritated, he flung his hands outwards and Arthur lost his grip and had no choice but to let go.

“Let’s go.” Arthur grabbed him again and dragged him out of the dressers into the backdoor.

“What are we doing, Art- wait-“ Johnny just went along.

As the backdoor closed, Arthur paced quickly back and forth, with the images he received from his clones that went on to the cave yesterday.

He stopped for a second, opened his mouth in amazement, and grinned as he struggled pulling out his flip phone from his pants.

“Miss Mayer, this is-“

“Mister Smith, no, young master Smith, what do you require of me?” She answered so skillfully, Arthur knew of the men who were tailing them from the MI7.

“You’re well aware where we are, right?” Arthur still tried to shift the power to him, knowing well, that he can use the stalking to his advantage sooner or later.

“Of course.” She cunningly answered, with a sly tone on the back of her throat.

“I know you’ve been stalking me and my brothers in these past few days. Considering we are minors, I can-“ He’s driving the conversation, trying to settle a common point for the negotiation.

“Stop bluffing. Get to the point. We’ve no time to play.” The chief’s voice can be clearly heard on the other line.

Arthur took a deep breath and answered, “Fine. I need information.” Johnny stood in silence as he listened intently to that phone call, knowing that there were people spying on them, he turned his head around, his eyes played north, west, east, and south to check people and cars that go around.

“What information?” Mayer replied quickly. He heard the clicking of keys on the other line.

They’re opening their database, good. Or so he thought.

“If you give me this information, I can give you the culprit and their plans.” Arthur presented his negotiation. The chief stayed silent for a while, the call is still active, everyone on the other line was silent.

“Fine. Shoot. What information do you need?” After a minute or two, the chief nonchalantly agreed to his terms.

“I need information of a sexual assault case from fifteen years ago in Wales, involving one Greg Hughes.” He quickly told them what he needed for this case.

“Those are already in public records, you can-“ Mayer stopped typing as they already checked Hughes sexual assault case, and all closed cases are open to the public information.

“No. Not all of them.” He turned around and faced the camera of the MI7 directed at them from across the road in a white van.

He looked the camera, directly with his eyes, and said, “I want the names of the jury, the judge, the recorder, the District Attorney, the Prosecutor, the legal, everyone. I need names.” His gothic look helped a bit for intimidation.

His darkened eyebag, his sleepless nights, almost reddish eyes, and black outfit gave a chilling impression to the MI7, especially as he was directly talking with them in one of their monitors.

“That’s classified.” The chief’s answer didn’t please Arthur that much.

He simply frowned and ended the call and looked sharply to the camera hidden inside the van.

“He didn’t like that answer, chief.” Mayer commented unnecessarily as she saw the chief’s disgusted and angry face as he stared right in front of the monitor that displays Arthur and Johnny.

SFX: Bang! The chief slammed his hands on the table.

Arthur and Johnny walked away from the backroom, and into the wide road. They walked towards the parking lot and Arthur reached Matthew thru his phone.

“Young master. How’s the investigation going?” He asked, thoughtlessly.

“There’s something wrong, I missed something. Have you brought the laptop?” Arthur hurried along as he held his phone against his ear.

“Yes, young master, I brought it.” He opened the driver’s seat door and quickly dashed to the trunk and pulled out a large, thin bag.

“Open it, I’m coming to the parking lot.” Arthur paced faster than before and Johnny’s now running following him towards the parking lot.

“Art, where are we going?”

“To Matthew.” His coarse voice and deep heavy breathes gave Johnny an inkling that Arthur’s really tired as of the moment.

“Art, were you able to sleep peacefully yesterday?” He tried to check up on Arthur.

“Whatever do you mean?” Arthur stopped, curled his eyebrows and turned his head to his brother, “What are you saying?” Panting from a sudden change of exercise, he tried to conceal his rage in front of his brother.

“I’m just worried…” Johnny shook his head in disapproval. He wanted Arthur to rest.

“I’ll rest when this is over.” He simply replied and walked out from Johnny into the parking lot.

------------------------------ / / ------------------------------

“Matthew.”

“Young master.”

Johnny maintained his distance from Arthur as he approached the car and Matthew.

“You already opened this?”

“Yes, sir.”

Johnny arrived at the car shortly after Arthur started typing on the laptop.

“What have you found out?” Johnny’s curiosity couldn’t be contained. Matthew only sat in silence in the driver’s seat.

“There were some weird marks on the kitchen at that core camp.” Arthur typed and typed and typed.

“Weird, how?” He casually asked, still darting his eyes around to check any spies.

“Some kind of drawing or logo.”

“Logo?”

“There were two of them, I think.”

“Why do you think so?”

“I only had overlapping drawings. There were paper towels lying around everywhere that has a logo of a restaurant.” Arthur typed and typed and typed, not even batting an eye to Johnny.

“How do you know it’s a logo of a restaurant?” Johnny wanted to know what’s on Arthur’s mind.

“I searched for the brands of paper towels, and that logo is not in one of them.” Arthur became more assured of his conjecture at this point in time given he had the tool to research.

“Matthew, any pen and paper there?” Johnny wanted to see the logo that Arthur has been raving about.

Matthew scrambled to open the compartment of the car and cleared away the tools that get in the way.

There was a paper towel at the bend of the compartment, just laying there, and Matthew pulled it out and handed it over to Johnny.

Arthur saw the same paper towel. “Wait, where did you get that?” He stopped typing, and immediately turned his eyes to the paper.

Printed on the paper towel, a capital letter G, in cursive writing, and with gold shining glitters.

“Oh! Master Edwards went to this restaurant the other day, Gla-“ Before he even finished his sentence, Arthur confirmed what he suspected all along.

“Glamorous?” He finished that one for Matthew.

“Yes, young master.” Matthew confirmed it as he nodded in agreement.

Johnny gently reached out his hands and got the paper towel and pen to write the other logo on the top side of the paper.

“What’s the other logo? How does it look?” Johnny handed the paper and pen to Arthur and as he took it, he sighed deeply.

Troubled by his ineffectiveness in the case this time, Arthur felt heavy. “What is it?” His twin wanted to share his burdens.

“I almost missed this.” Arthur answered, with his head bowed and humbled.

“Almost, but you didn’t.” Johnny tapped on his brother’s shoulder and they both shared a smile.

Arthur began drawing the other logo that he saw on the paper towel. “It wasn’t in the paper towels, the other logo was faint, I think, due to time, but I saw it in the ladles in the kitchen.” He handed Johnny the drawing.

“This logo is a bit familiar.” Johnny peered confused at the drawing, and-

“Do you remember the sexual assault case that involved Greg Hughes?” Arthur helped in trying to recall his memories.

He gasped, something sparkled in his eyes, as if he had a eureka moment!

“The Welsh restaurant!” His voice reverberated across the walls of the parking lot.

Arthur simply nodded in agreement. Matthew shushed the young man as he was surprised by how Johnny reacted as well.

The three smiled and chuckled sweetly as they discussed the case further.

“So, what are you doing right now?” Johnny peeked at the laptop that Arthur was holding.

“If the case fifteen years ago, and these attacks are connected, we need to check for more information for the case fifteen years ago – who are the people involved and how will they connect in this recent cases.” Arthur was setting up a different, changing Internet Protocol address on the laptop before accessing the MI7 and Interpol database.

“Is that why you contacted that Miss Mayer?” Johnny curled his brows, he knew that Arthur’s contact didn’t help him that much that’s why he’s resorting on hacking or simply put using his father’s access for this information.

“They weren’t much help, that’s why we’re doing this our way.” He simply answered to which Johnny replied with a smirk. He looked at him eye to eye and continued, “I wanted to do this the legal way, but they wouldn’t help us.”

Johnny huffed and chuckled creepily, “As if! When did we care about legalities?” Arthur stayed silent by that retort.

He knew sooner or later, if he ever joins the Interpol and MI7, he has to follow legalities and protocols.

“We didn’t, but now… we do.” He only smiled back to his twin.

“Alright, you’re the boss.”

------------------------------ / / ------------------------------

“Hmmm… I got in.” The Virtual Private Network (VPN) pings a different IP address every ten seconds.

“Are you sure we’re going to be untraceable?” Johnny held his brother’s hands as he typed.

“They’ll still be able to trace us, but not pinpoint our exact location.” He reassured his twin, knowing that this is the first time they’re going to access the database directly involving their investigation. “I’ve put IP address located in coordinates in America, Russia, and Asia, but not here.” He continued.

The two both sighed and got quickly to work.

“Alright, are you ready? I’m opening it.” Only one button left to click and they have access to the database.

“Enter.” Arthur’s laptop visibly went haywire, but it just pinged their location in America, in twenty states in two hundred seconds.

“There!” Johnny pointed on the folder for the information of the cases. They quickly found the list of names of the jury, the judge, the defense, the Prosecutor, the D.A., everyone, including the attendance on the trials.

“Good, here it is. Digest it.” Arthur has a photographic memory, once his eyes laid on something, he will never be able to forget it. Johnny, on the other hand, has a good memory as well.

The twin’s eyes went back and forth and speed read the whole document, including the names, the time, and all of the information about the case.

“Are you sure this isn’t already altered?”

“The last update here on the file was fifteen years ago, it’s not altered.”

One of the names popping up on the court’s attendance became too apparent to the two who were reviewing the case.

“This name, it’s been there for the fourth time.” Johnny pointed the obvious. “Mister Robins – do you know this guy?” He asked, puzzled with the most obvious answer.

“He’s familiar, and he’s the one that we’re looking for.” Arthur displayed particular confidence and reflected that he was pleased they were able to prove his deduction.

“We’ve reviewed the whole document, let’s end this login session.” He closed the database along with the access, but kept the VPN rolling in case that they were detected by the MI7 and Interpol.