The Source Keepers ✔ [Currently Editing]

Chapter 61

You put the OVER in LOVER, put the X in EX.
There's no I in TROUBLE, just the U since we met.

________________________________________________________________________________GOOD in goodbye (GOOD in goodbye, 2020) ~ Madison Beer

"What are you guys trying to do? Tear down the house?" Leo asked, as we looked around at the mess we were sitting in. "You may call this a mess, but this is how we arranged it!" said Nate, winking. "Either way, what are you guys doing?" I asked. "Key pad nails! Type in the air!" said Greg, as a click came from Nate's side. "Uhh...key pad nails?" Leo and I repeated. "Yup! That way, we dont have to keep taking out our phones now and then. It's gonna be connected to our watch, and since our watches are connected to our phones, boom! We can type!" he said, creating a small booming sound in the air because of his excitement. "So, what can we help with?" I asked. "Well, we needed some basic stuff from the mall-" said Nate. "And since you guys will be going there, we were wondering if you also stock up the kitchen again!" continued Greg. "Stock up the kitchen!? For what!" asked Leo. "Cuz it's empty dummy!" said the twins at the same time, for some reason, wearing the same expression like they were planning something. "You guys are planning something!" I said, pointing a finger between them as I saw them making eye contact, meaning that they were conversing mentally. 

I shook my head. "Here's a list of all the stuff!" said Greg, moving a long piece of paper filled with his neat handwriting. Everything, literally every basic item was written on it. "Are you planning to open a shop at home itself?" I asked, putting the list into my pocket. "Nahh. Just being prepared. Be safe you two!" he said, pushing Leo and I out of the door. "How did I manage to live with them for such a long time?" I heard Leo whisper under his breath as he shook his head. Twirling the car keys on his finger, he pulled me by my hoodie, playfully of course, to our usual black coloured ride. Getting into the car, he drove us to the mall. "Okay, so what's the first thing on the list?" he asked as he pulled out a cart in the shopping section. "First, he needs some extra screws." I said, as I put away the list, memorizing the next five things following the first. 

"Huh, for his brain or?" Leo joked causing me to burst out laughing as the old woman who was in the next section looked closely at us for laughing so loud. Half and hour later, as we were just going through the stack of books, Lexi spoke. "Attention. Incoming call from unknown telephone number!" I heard in my earpiece. "Okay, connect the call." I said, and I heard shuffling from the other side. "Hello? KC?" a familiar voice spoke. "It's Derek." he said. 

"Hey Derek! Um, did you get a new number or something?" I asked, bewildered. "No. I didn't. I'm calling from a general telephone stall from a café." he said. I could feel something off about the way he was speaking. "Is something wrong?" I asked, now waiting for Leo at the billing counter. "I need to talk to the four of you. Tomorrow." he said. "Okay, I've gotta go now. Remember, 7 pm, Red Brooke's Café." he said, and the line went dead. 

"What's wrong?" Leo asked, as he peeped from the drivers' seat to look at my watch where I was researching about Red Brooke's Café. "Something's not right with Derek. He said he wanted to talk to all of us tomorrow." I replied, my mind going back to zoom out on the location of the café. Compared to the rest of the shops, it was located on quite a secluded street. "Huh. No wonder there was a telephone there." I whispered to myself, a little too loudly. 

"So, he wants to talk to us? Did he say why?" asked Nate as we sat in the recreation room, thinking about all the possibilities of his sudden call. "It has to be something important, otherwise he would've called from his own phone." said Greg.

"It's fine. We'll find it out tomorrow." said Leo, as we all headed to bed for the night. 

"Well, now you know how you're gonna dance on the big day!" said Miss Marlow, as few of us shut the windows because practice had just gotten over. We had watched a video of the dance we were going to perform. "I will be assigning your partners tomorrow. Do NOT be absent!" she said and walked out, leaving the atmosphere still as usual. "She scares me sometimes. With her strictness and stuff." said Leo, as the two of us headed to the shooting area where the twins were waiting for us. "Phew, due to extra class as well as our extra curricular, we almost took up the entire afternoon!" said Greg, measuring the time on his watch. "It's almost 4:45!"

Later that evening, the four of us got into the car, with me driving. "Open yesterday's map onto the centre table Lexi." I said as we were now out of reach from the house. Little did I know, that the map I had opened, not yesterday, but the one of the tracker two days back. "WHAT THE HELL IS THIS!" shouted Leo from the back, causing me to miss the traffic signal. "What?!" I hissed. "Why is this red light blinking?" he asked, pointing to the centre. I turned back to see what he was talking about but my mouth went dry as the tracker had begun moving. "It can't be. That tracker was destroyed!" I said, still in disbelief even though I had already seen the tracker. Turning back to the front, I drove ahead, with the actual map now floating in front of me. "So you're saying that this is the tracker you had put on Black Fox, but he had destroyed it?" asked Nate. "Yeah." I replied.

"Trackers usually don't go and come like this unless-" Greg stopped abruptly. "Unless what?" Leo and I said at the same time.

"Unless an external device was used to block its radio signals."

"What are the possibilities?" I asked them, still keeping an eye on the road. We were now entering the street of the secluded café. It was deserted except for the person sitting in the far corner with their hood over their head. "Excuse me Miss? Are you Sparky?" the girl at the counter asked as we entered the café."Uhhh yeah?" I said. "The gentleman over there has been waiting for you." she said, and pointed to the hooded person. On hearing his reference, he turned back to look at us. "It's Derek!" said Leo. Thanking the girl, the four of us walked over to where he was sitting. As we sat down, he pulled down his hood. "Why the secrecy?" asked Nate. "Cuz I didn't want Chief or anyone to find me here. I need to talk to you about something important." he folded his hands in front of him. I looked clearly at him. He looked more tired than usual, like he wasn't getting any sleep at all. "Derek? What's going on?" I asked.

"I'm suspicious....about Chief."