At Aya's cryptic response, Mars slowly lifted her hands into the air too. The situation had escated and she didn't know how she would think her way out of this one.

  “Trust me.” Aya said winking so fast she almost didn't catch it. Aya had never lied to her or led her astray. Whatever the brue nning, Mars would follow her lead.

  That didn't make her any less nervous though. Mars gulped, what had she gotten herself into?

  “Oh my God! Aya!” A voice screamed from behind the otion. Nisha and Renard stood aghast at the sight of their friend at gunpoint.

  “Don't move! Let me see those hands! Shit!” Fido shouted, cursing as he swerved to face the newers.

  He hadn't expected there to be witnesses. He broke out in a nervous sweat, if this went badly he would actually have to kill someone, how could he live his life on the run?

  The hand holding the gun trembled as he poi at Renard who stood there stone faced.

  The older man motioo Nisha to do as Fido said, and both lifted their hands slowly as he had ordered them to do.

  “Not the brightest are you?” Aya taunted iher dire.

  “Doesn't seem to be a strategist this one.” Nisha said. She looked toward her friend who had her hands in the air. From her expression, Aya didn't seem bothered. This was Axen, who hadn't been held at gunpoint at least once living her.

  “Fragile ego too.” Mars said, shaking her head.

  Fido ched his teeth, boiling over until he lifted his gun in the air and shot twice. The sound startled the group but unbeknownst to them it was only helping further Aya’s pn.

  “Did the clouds put up that much of a fight?” Aya ughed.

  “Y-You shut up, I thought living with Lydia would curb yo.”

  “I told you I wasn't afraid of you, you abandoned me and now you've hatched this stupid scheme to do what? Keep me in this shitty apartment for the rest of my life?” Aya asked. “Tell me what was your phe ndlord of the neartment noticed we didn't show up?!”

  Fido wiped the sweat beading on his brow. He didn't think about that, he didn't even know where she was moving to. If it was somewhere more legit of course they would ask questions if the tenant didn't show up.

  “I would have thought of something.”

  “You sure you've got enough brain power for that?” Nisha said.

  Before Fido could ahe final cog in the wheel of pns turned and the sounds of sirens began bring through the air all the way towards the apartment plex.

  It had taken them as long as Aya expected, being oskirts of Axen made them more difficult to reach. Fido’s reckless firing only sped up the process as more reports would have been made from the sound of it.

  Not only was the man a coward but he was a moron as well.

  “Police!” Fido squeaked, Lydia had already long since disappeared leaving Fido desperately searg for his aplice.

  The enforcers of the w were soon upon them, rolling out of their vehicles at the sight of Fido’s gun.

  “Police! Drop your on!” One of the men yelled, pointing his gun back at Fido.

  “Try not to be stupid, though that might be a bit difficult for you.” Aya said, stig her to. She lowered her arms, a sign he no longer held any power over the situation.

  Fido trembled, throwing his gun down and falling to his knees in a panic.

  “Officers! Officers, I swear I'm not the mastermind behind this!” Fido yelled, shaking his head. “Please!”

  “E.” Nisha said walking over to Aya. Renard followed suit, trapping Aya in a hug.

  “Aya! Taunting an armed man was very stupid! Very dangerous!” He shouted. “Why would you do such a thing?!”

  “Fido isn't a man, he's a worm.” Aya said, casting a gnce over at the man now being cuffed. “That coward has been bckmailing my uncle for years all the while w a position at the pany.”

  Renard was taken aback by the text. He looked over at Fido who was bawling his eyes out, snot running down his face as he pleaded his innoce.

  “He got that gun to scare me, he wouldn't actually have done anything with it.” Aya said, patting Renard on the shoulder.

  “Regardless! Never do anything like that again, uand?! You really don't knoeople are capable of in times like this.”

  Aya he sight of Renard's worried face reminded her that she had put everyone she cared about in danger. As funny as it sounded, she felt a bit like Dyn. Ag with nard for their safety.

  "You're right, I'm sorry. I should have clued you in, but I couldn't have known if he would try to take me to a sed location and I khe only way I could stall him was to taunt..."

  The older man released her for Mars and Nisha to pull her into hugs of their own.

  "I guess I five you, Aya." Mars said, smirking. “You had me worried for a sed there Aya, I thought you had cracked.”

  “I knew you couldn't be taken out by such a maggot.” Nisha said.

  “It's a long story, remember when I told you I talked with my u night? I told him everything about the bckmail and the people doing it. Fido had told him he didn't know where I was all this time.”

  The lights of the police siren painted Aya red and blue as she told them everything she had rehearsed.

  “What an asshole!” Mars and Nisha remarked.

  They watched as a group of officers dragged Lydia out of the apartment kig and screaming. The old hag thought she would escape the situation unscathed.

  From the windows of the apartment plex, the tenants watched, with some even stepping out of their apartments to withe otion downstairs.

  The girls and Renard watched the old woman fight being dragged into the cruiser to sit beside Fido.

  “Aya tell them I had nothing to do with it, tell them I'm your aunt!” The woman cried.

  “Officer! She kept tabs on me every day and basically held me hostage in my apartment.” Aya said to the poli who took her words seriously.

  Lydia's pleading expression morphed into one of anger and hatred. She ched her teeth so hard that Aya thought she would chip the enamel.

  “You brat! After everything I've done for you-” she was shoved into the police car before she could tinue her rant.

  “What a hag.” Nisha said, wrinkling her nose. “I 't believe this happened as we came to see you off on moving day.”

  “Me her, we even have a gift for you.” Renard said, handing Aya a box. The brue accepted graciously.

  “Aww thank you guys.” Aya said, ing her arms around the burly man.

  “Think of it as your housewarming gift.” Renard said.

  “My idea of course!” Nisha chimed in.

  “Our idea.” Renard corrected.

  With the st of the police cars came the ued arrival of Fred. The blonde man stepped out of a bck jeep looking as sleepy as ever, yawning as he surveyed the se.

  “I see I got here just in time.”

  “All acc to pn.” Aya said, smiling at him.

  “A pn I did not support but I suppose it worked out.” Fred said. Aya beamed and Fred was suddenly reminded intensely of Anastasia, she had the same radiant smile all through her time at Lumos and now he was staring at her daughter. He couldn't help but smile back at her.

  “I'm gd to see you're okay, you too Renanrd.”

  “Never let Aya do anything like that again!” Renard said exasperatedly. “My heart 't take it.”

  “Frankly her could mine.” Mars said. “I just know Ats would go crazy if I told him what you did.” Mars said.

  “Let's keep this between you and me.” Aya said, making a zipping motion over her lips.

  ----------

  After taking statements and bidding Nisha and Renard farewell. Fred offered them a ride to the train station.

  “Your uncle paid for a First css experience, so we'll make the 9:00 AM departure time. Here are your tickets.” Fred said, handing them the tickets for Korva Express.

  Mars gasped.

  “A to ourselves, hell yeah! Aya, your uncle’s a pretty nice guy.”

  Fred smiled, Victor Sincir was indeed a very kind man. If only Fred could find the time to tell Aya just what the man had done for him.

  Oh well.

  “Indeed, now let's get there before I fall asleep at the wheel.” Fred said, swinging the keys around his finger.

  “No!”

  Sunghost