Chapter 16 - Pursuing objectives

A suspect in a cap and hood was running at full throttle. Even though it was difficult to breathe and his legs seemed to be numb, he forced himself to keep running desperately. Every now and then he looked over his shoulder, seeing three men following him still apart.

It was a signal for him to increase his speed.

Turning into a street, he had found a fence from which he hung in order to climb over it. The men following him arrived soon after, annoyed at having lost their target. But only one of them did not dare to give up, picking up the momentum to jump over the fence and continue the chase.

― Go down the other street! ― shouted the strong guy, with his hand on his belt.

Chasing the suspect again, the strong man smiled pleasantly as he increased his speed to catch up with the man, who was desperate to see him. Even if they turned one street or another continuing into narrow alleys, it would be a matter of time before the suspect reached the avenue and blended in with the other people.

That would be a big problem, as he would easily escape.

Snapping his tongue, the boy had gotten off the obvious route by taking another street in the alley. Knowing the area he would know that if he turned here and there he could fall into the avenue as well. He just needed to be quick to ambush the suspect.

Said and done!

Gasping for breath, the boy had left the avenue under the curious looks of the passers-by. He had ignored them by crouching behind a rubbish bucket and pushing it to close the exit of the alley. It had taken a good deal of strength to do so, for the bucket was heavy and full to the brim.

Managing to lock the exit, the boy climbed on the lid and sat down, being able to hear the shouts of his colleagues and the hurried steps. A few seconds later the suspect entered his field of vision, terrified to see him so calm and smiling in the face of his triumph.

― Shit!

The fellow was about to turn around to run away, but the other two boys chasing him had already blocked him. With no way out, the suspect had pulled a small revolver from his pocket, shooting the two pursuers at their feet.

Upon their initiative to use firearms, the strong young man had pulled the gun from his belt and shot the subject in the calf, making him fall to the ground.

―Hey! ― shouted one of the followers.

― He shot at you first! ― Shouted the strong boy, keeping the gun in his belt and removing a pair of handcuffs.

Descending from the rubbish bucket, the boy held the back of the suspect's head and pushed him against the ground while deftly handcuffing him. Finally the chase had come to an end.

The police station was close to the city centre. Taking almost an entire block, it was there that the three policemen took the handcuffed suspect. The comings and goings of uniformed policemen and people continued intense, showing that they wouldn't be off duty so soon.

― Detective! He finally came back, and by the looks of things he managed to handle it. ― He greeted a rookie cop, pointing to the back door where the other two cops took the suspect.

― Possession of an illegal firearm, investigate this well eh.

― Yes sir!

Watching the intense movement, the detective sighed as he passed through a narrow corridor where he found the door to his office. Just passing by the door and seeing the pile of papers he felt his tiredness consume him in mere seconds.

― I don't want to stay up all night again.

― Hahaha, detective, you are very busy. ― Laughed the rookie, carrying another folder to the despair of the strongest.

― All this unsolved case stuff?

― No, it's just a boring bureaucracy. ― Relieved the boy, handing the folder. - That's unsolved.

Holding the dark folder, the detective sat in his chair and could open and read the document. While the rookie cop prepared a cup of instant coffee, the detective grimaced.

― Another missing person? What the hell is happening in this city for so many people to disappear?

― I wonder the same thing, detective. We should form a task force to investigate this, don't you think?

Receiving the cup of hot coffee from the young policeman, the detective held it throwing the folder on the table, being able to drink a sip of the hot and watery drink. Still tasty, though.

The idea of a task force could only be effective if those disappearances had something similar. As if occasioned by the same source of trouble. However, those files seemed to point only to the one starting point.

― So the other police station couldn't complete the investigation and passed it on to us?

― Actually they weren't notified. The parents came here to report the disappearance. ― The young policeman picked up the folder to read the document again ― A ten-year-old child suddenly disappeared.

The detective rose from his chair without putting down his coffee cup. His dark brown eyes passed over a whiteboard hanging on the wall, where several pictures and information were arranged in a real mess.

― Did you happen to steal the case before anyone else got their hands on it?

The young policeman stiffened, scratching his temple as he laughed low and embarrassed. The detective turned around, smiling mischievously as if to make it clear that the boy would not escape his grasp.

― Well... I know the detective is interested when it comes to that place, so maybe I've gone over the top...

Turning to the panel again, the strong boy would hold out his hand to the young policeman who had handed him a small photo of the missing child. Sticking it on the panel below the picture of a park, the detective sighed.

― Last sighting, the parents took their ten year old daughter to a park with the intention of having family fun. But while she was on the toy, she mysteriously disappeared without being seen. This sounds like a horror movie to me.

The young policeman had stood beside the detective, staring at the panel. In that title of the park there were other pictures of missing people Containing a single evident pattern.

― That makes four disappearances. All had their last sightings in the same place. We have enough to get a warrant. What do you intend to do?

The detective sipped from his coffee peering at the photo of the park.

― I'm going to that place to do my own investigation. But just between you and me. Get the warrant for this Dreamland World.

― Yes sir.

⋈

Concentrating on his work, Leonardo took advantage of the silence of the mansion to review his college project. As it was midday, a presence had broken his concentration causing him to turn in his chair watching a trapeze artist stretch out.

It was unbelievable how confused he was when the subject was Benjin. Clearly he should keep his distance and continue to evade his kissing lips, yet there was something that made him weak. He had watched him sleep with his guard down, it seemed as if he hadn't kissed him until he had almost taken his breath away. He just slept like an angel.

What the hell was Benjin?

And why did he feel so strange about him?

Benjin scratched his eyes staring at the ceiling until he began his search for Leonardo, who stared at him a little way off. Relieved to have him still close, even if he felt he was the target of curses in his mind, the trapeze artist curled up in the covers.

― You stayed here with me just because I said you would run away when I woke up?

Leonardo growled, turning back to his laptop.

― It's my room, why the hell would I run away?

Benjin had got on his knees on the bed, crawling to its edge approaching Leonardo's chair. He could smell the boy and his shampoo, indicating that he had just recently bathed.

While he was sleeping, Leonardo had stayed in the room?

― What were you doing?

― Studying. Shouldn't you be rehearsing or training? ― Leonardo grumbled, pulling the sheet of paper where the details of the project were sketched.

He tried, at all costs, to pretend not to be affected by the actions of that trapeze artist. His study was the only barrier that seemed to hold back Benjin's libido, even though he was still the target of his hugs and grudges.

― How do you know?

― Vicente came here, but when he saw you drooling on my pillow he left.

Benjin let out a low laugh as he got up from the bed and hugged Leonardo's shoulders.

― I am so happy. Waking up next to you feels so good, I want to do this forever.

There was a cringe. Leonardo didn't know how to react to this kind of behaviour. He had already proven that the more he tried to push him away, the more motivated Benjin became to capture him. On the other hand it was annoying to stand there as if he accepted it.

Knocking at the door was not enough for Benjin to let go of Leonardo. Not even when Vicente entered the room opening a friendly smile as if he understood that the two were intimate. Quickly the young master had tried to disentangle himself from Benjin's big arms, which imprisoned him even more.

― Good morning, Vinnie!

― Shall I heat up your lunch? Looks like you're ready to leave the room now.

― Let go, you perverted puppet! ― Leonardo growled, managing to escape from Benjin's arms as he stood up from his chair. ― Ah! I'm tired.

― Seeing the young bride and groom getting along is sublime.

― Shut up, you clown! ― complained the boy again.

Benjin sat in the chair at the study table, tapping his lap in a silent invitation to Leonardo. But the university student had hidden behind Vincent like a scared cat, drawing laughter from his fiancé.

― Do you need something, Vinnie? ― asked Benjin as he dragged the chair closer to the two of them.

― Actually I need to discuss something with the young master.

― With me? ― questioned the suspicious young man. ― What is it?

― I know you don't want the Dreamland employees to know who you are, but it is necessary that you know who works for you, young master.

Leonardo made a face as he left his hiding place.

― Do I need to?

― Of course, we have already discussed this. But I offer you a mask. How would you like to work as our trainee?

Crossing his arms, Leonardo became interested in the subject, forgetting about the guy who kept dragging the chair behind him.

― Interning in the park... Hm, go on.

― In your curriculum you have to do an internship. You can pretend to be an intern out there, but from the moment you step inside the mansion you will be fulfilling your duties as the heir to Dreamland. What do you make of that?

Even Benjin stopped to listen to Vincent's idea. The administrator was expected to find possible ways out of the situation that would help him achieve his objectives. Regardless of the means used.

Leonardo was still a tough guy, but his ease in getting along with Barley the day before had brought him the essential idea to guarantee his permanence. Vicente knew that the young master did not like to leave his job in the workshop and did not wish to be there in the mansion. But if he offered the internship, he would be playing with his worldly desires.

It was a sure shot.

Leonardo smiled.

― Let me get this straight. You want me to pretend to be an intern when I'm actually the heir?

― No, I want you to be a trainee, young master. Tomorrow you can work as Mr Barley's apprentice on the circus automation projects.

― And I'll even do well in college. You are despicable, Vicente.

The administrator smiled and nodded his head.

― I am grateful for the compliment, young master.

Benjin had suddenly hugged Leonardo's waist, looking at him all happy.

― That's nice, isn't it Leo? Now you can do whatever you want here in Dreamland.

Stuck up, Leonardo realised for the first time that inheriting a park could be dangerous for an inflated ego. At least he would be happy to be able to work with machinery without anyone knowing who he was.

Probably the anxiety of doing what he loved so much would make him forget the reason for his reluctance until then.