Estrellas: Book 2

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: DETECTIVE WORK

(told in perspective of Tony)

"Around two weeks ago, a team of Medias came through this town and bought supplies, do you have any idea where they went, or even who they bought from?" I asked a man who I had found sitting on a bench waiting for his bus.

He looked at me, suspiciously, then he finally gave me a hesitant nod, "Yes, I do believe I've seen them around here, I don't remember what they looked like, but I do know that Cindy Yebbe took care of them as a shopkeeper." He shrugged and the bus pulled up and he started to get up.

"Which supply shop?" I yelled after him.

"The one on the far side of town, Yebbe Supplies, take a right that way, go a few blocks forward, then take a left and it should bring you to Mrs. Yebbe, you can't miss it." He walked to the bus door and tilted his hat.

"Thanks." I said while I nodded and stood up as well.

"Pleasure to be of service to the Luna's." He said and waved, getting on his bus. I felt guilty for lying to this man and telling him I was a Luna, but it was a war after all, plus, it was way easier to get info out of them if they think your on their side. I got up and grabbed my bicycle handles, slowly maneuvering it out to the sidewalk where I hopped on and started pedaling. I passed a building then turned right, leading to two lines of houses on either side of me, evenly spaced from each other and perfectly lined up. I pedaled hard and fast, biking down two blocks and reaching a sign that read, Gloria Drive. I turned left and stopped on a street lined with shops and thrift stores. Where is it? Where is it? ...FOUND IT! I stopped at the store front of a door that read: Yebbe Supplies. I rested my bike outside and walked in, the door ringing in the way in. A lady that I'm guessing is Mrs. Yebbe stood behind the counter, giving a bright warm smile.

"Hello and welcome to Yebbe Supplies, what can I get for you today?" She asked cheerfully.

"Hey, I was wondering if you know anything about this group of people?" I handed her a paper from my fliers I had just printed today.

"Yeah, I know them, they came into my shop a while back, I had my suspicions from the start, but you know how a business woman doesn't prefer to scare away her customers..." I nodded as she went on. "...well, anyways. When they came in here, they were in a bit of a rush, then this big burly man walked in and they freaked out, payed me, and ran out." The woman finished.

"Did you hear anything about where their base might be, or possibly where they were going next?" I asked the woman. She looked down, she knows more than she's telling me. "Please ma'am, anything? Anything at all?" She gave a nervous look then she sighed.

"Come to the back." Her eyes shifted back and forth, then I walked with her to the back. She gave me a super serious look and lowered her voice down to a whisper, "Yes, I do know where they went, I know their base coordinates and everything." I was surprised but relieved that I had finally found a lead.

"Well, where is it?" I asked her impatiently.

"If I tell you, the Medias will come after me, I just know it." She started freaking out, looking around, paranoid they were watching her.

"No they won't, you have my word." I reassured her. And if they try to come after her, I'll just explain to them that it was my fault. "Go on." I told her.

She took a deep breath, "Well, I was taken captive by these people called the Estrellas or something like that, they took me captive to get in the heads of the people who bought from me. I begged her to let me go, but she wouldn't, finally two guys came a rescued me. They took me to their base that turned out to belong to the Medias and then I was given extensive interviews there, as well as threats not to share their location..." She stopped. "I'll get in trouble if I give up their location. I'll get in trouble for even holding onto this information from the Luna's. I'm just kind of sacred." She looked down.

"Hey, don't worry, nobody's gonna hurt you, I'll make certain of that." I gave her an encouraging smile and she nodded.

"The suburbs out to the East of us. But you didn't hear that from me." She finally said, "Also, I thought you'd like to know that the Sols are planning the same attack time as us, I heard it from the crazy Estrello lady or whatever their name is."

"Wha-what?" I asked her, wondering if I heard that right.

"The same raid time, on the team I told you about I think, out in this mystical mountain pass." I stared at her, that meant that Matthew and his team were walking into a trap. Oh no, oh no no no no. Suddenly the lady pushed me out of the back room. Another customer was in there waiting. She looked at me, "I'm sorry sir but we don't have what your looking for, maybe come back next time and I can get it in for you." I gave her a confused face, then she whispered, "Play along."

I realized what she was saying, "Awww that's to bad... I really wanted that er... electric guitar..." I managed to get out. She nodded.

"Well, see you next time, have a good day!" She waved and I waved as well. Then she quickly tugged on my shirt and whispered into my ear, "YOU HEARD NOTHING FROM ME." I gave her a quick nod and speed walked out the door. Then I turned around and mouthed the word thanks at her through the window. She nodded and waved.

What was I going to do about the ambush? I kicked the dirt. I still need to tell Andrometa I'm sorry. I sighed. But I know that I need to get them back-up, so I'll go to the base, get them back-up, then talk to Andrometa. I finally decided, pedaling out to the suburbs the shopkeeper had told me about.
TO BE CONTINUED