The Star || NYSM || [1]

Chapter Twelve.

Natalia's heels clicked on the concrete floor as the three followed after Henley who was leading them towards Central Park. The place they were supposedly supposed to meet the Eye, after working for them for over a year. The small gate squeaked as the three walked through it, Henley pushing on the larger gate in front of them, that was chained close.

"Oh shit" She muttered "Its locked" she announced fiddling with the chain as Natalia and Danny stood on either side of it.

"Weren't you listening? Nothings ever locked" A voice broke through the silence causing Natalia's heart to shatter once again. Her eyes filled with tears as she jerked her head up; staring as Jack Wilder emerged from the shadows with a cheeky grin on his face.

"Well done, Mr Wilder! Good work" Henley applauded, Danny even smiling but Merritt had his eyes locked onto the younger female who remained speechless, her eyes filled with conflict and confusion.

"You're a big boy now Jack" Merritt commented trying to keep the tension light as Jack unlocked the chain and opened the gate. His eyes instantly locking onto Natalia's figure.

"Talia" Jack muttered as he stepped towards her but she stepped back, shaking her head a s a tear rolled down her cheek.

"No." Natalia muttered as she stared at the boy with sudden anger and hurt "You died. I watched you die"

"Talia. I'm sorry it was the only way we could get away with this" Jack tried to explain but she shook her head at him.

"I cried for you Jack. My heart broke for you. And all this time. You were alive. Why didn't you tell me this was the plan? Why didn't anyone tell me?" Natalia exclaimed as she stared at the other three with a hurt expression.

Henley opened her mouth to speak but Jack cut her off "It was my idea. I thought that if you had a real reaction to my death then everyone would believe it and there would be no questioning. I'm sorry. I thought I was doing the right thing." Jack told the girl, who just stared at him with a sad expression.

"You did Jack. You did the right thing for the plan. You just didn't do the right thing for us" Natalia replied to the boy as she walked past him and further into Central Park. Jack sighed in sadness as he closed his eyes, his heart crushing as he heard the girl he loved walk away from him.

"I fucked up didn't I" Jack asked the three who were staring at the three with sadness.

"I dunno. I think she knows you did it for the best. I think she's just lost the trust in you that you once had" Henley gave the boy a small smile as he followed over the girl; the two other males giving him a pat on the back before leading him to where the girls had walked off to.

"What if all this was just leading up to us getting mugged in Central Park at 2:00 am?" Merritt muttered; a hint of humour in her voice as the other four continued to look around for a clue that would lead them to find The Eye. Natalia stood close to Henley as the two girls walked around a tree both of them studying it before sending each other a smirk.

"No, I'm telling you, we're right where we need to be. We just have to find..." Danny argued, drifting off from his sentence, as he held his flashlight in the air.

"That?" Natalia smirked towards the man causing everyone to look towards the two girls before staring at the tree in front of them. Their lights shining on the bench surrounding the tree.

"The Lionel Shrike tree" Danny muttered as they raised their flashlights higher to reveal a card encased in the tree.

"And the card encased in glass" Henley pointed out, her voice filled with awe as the five magicians stared at the famous tree with a glint in each of their eyes.