Chapter 25 “Anibal”

Akira followed Savannah's gaze to catch sight of a tall young man, with wispy brown hair, standing by a stall and laughing along with a merchant who was selling jewelry. There was nothing especially attractive about young man, nothing that would make him stand out of the crowd or make girls turn their heads. Yet as Akira watched she saw as the young man skillfully avert the merchant’s attention, slinging one arm about him and saying something. While the merchant laughed the young man reached his free hand to the stall and Akira watched in disbelief as he slipped a golden necklace into his pocket without the merchant realizing.

“Are you sure that’s him?” Akira asked.

“Oh that’s him alright,” Savannah nodded vigorously.

“Okay then,” Akira nodded as she began to make her way over to him.

“Wait!” Savannah grabbed her arm to stop her, “What are you doing!”

Akira gave Savannah a quizzical look, “To go talk to Anibal of course.”

Savannah shook her head, “Anibal doesn't just talk.”

“Hence we got the golden Dracos,” Akira replied as she gently took Savannah's hand off her arm.

“Akira, he'll first run,” Savannah warned.

Akira turned to see that there was fear in her friend's eyes and realized that Savannah was genuinely afraid of what could happen.

“How about,” Akira suggested, “I go get him, and you go find the boys and let them know we found our guy?” She hid a smile as she saw the look of relief that crossed Savannah's face.

“You sure?” Savannah hesitated.

“Don't worry, I can handle him until the others come,” Akira smiled encouragingly.

“Okay,” Savannah nodded. She hesitated a moment longer before she turned and hurried off.

Akira watched her disappear into the crowd before she turned back to where Anibal had stood moments before. To her surprise, he was no longer there.

“Great,” Akira muttered as her eyes flew around, trying to catch sight of Anibal's figure. Moments later she spotted him, casually making his way between market stalls, walking as though he didn't have a care in the world.

“Got you,” Akira murmured as she at once began to hurry on after him.

She decided to tail him until they came to an area that was less crowded where she would confront him.

Carefully she followed, stopping when he did and pretending to be interested in the items being sold at different stalls while keeping Anibal in sight out of the corner of her eye. When he moved again, she moved.

On the way she noted him pocket more items than she thought would be possible without being discovered, yet each time Anibal skillfully distracted the merchant so that they had no idea what his real intentions were. Once or twice she even saw him bump into well dressed passersby. His hand would dart into their pockets, emptying them in one sweep, during which he would hastily apologize to the clueless merchant.

Shaking her head Akira followed closely, twisting in and out of stalls until soon, they left the Market Square altogether.

Anibal walked down a long road before he suddenly ducked into a smaller side one. Akira raised an eyebrow as she realized that Anibal must have realized he was being followed. She smiled as she decided that this Anibal guy was not stupid, yet to bad for him, neither was she.

Deciding to play along Akira stopped in front of the side road Anibal had disappeared into. She hesitated, looking right and then left, as though making sure that no one saw her, before she ducked her head down and walked right in to the smaller, abandoned road.

She got no further than half way when she felt a large presence behind her. Knowing what was about to come, Akira could easily have avoided it, and yet remembering that she was not to reveal who she was; Akira did nothing as someone slammed into her.

Her hand was twisted behind her back and someone pushed her right up against the wall of the nearest building.

“Following me, are you?” a voice asked close to her ear.

“Anibal?” Akira asked.

There was a seconds silence before the same voice broke it, “Do I know you?” it growled.

“Perhaps you've heard of me,” Akira replied mysteriously, amusement in her voice, “I've certainly heard a lot about you, Anibal. You're not exactly a...how should I put it? Honest person?”

“Huh,” the voice snorted. At the same time Akira felt the grip on her arm loosen and a moment later it was gone altogether.

Slowly she turned around to find her facing the same tall, brown haired boy she had been following before. Now that she was close she could see his gray eyes. Eyes that left the impression that this boy, was not all that he seemed.

“What do you know about being honest?” Anibal asked as he crossed his arms and looked Akira up and down.

“What do you know about three jewelry merchants, one silk dealer and two well off looking men who will all figure out they were robbed at one point or another?” Akira replied with her eyebrows raised.

“You've been watching me,” Anibal smirked.

“Sure.”

“Those guys won’t miss a thing, they have enough,” Anibal shrugged.

“I'm sure,” Akira replied dryly.

 “So,” Anibal narrowed his eyes, “What do you want?”

“What makes you think I want anything?” Akira asked, trying to hide her amusement.

“You were following me,” Anibal pointed out.

“Oh, right,” at the same time Akira couldn't help but feel that playing along was kind of fun. “Well,” she twirled a loose stand of her hair, as though deep in thought, “I was actually seeking some information.” As she spoke she saw something move out of the corner of her eye and she hid a smile.

Anibal’s eyes narrowed and at once he tensed up. “Information?” he asked. “What makes you think I have any?”

“Oh I don't know,” Akira shrugged innocently, “A friend told me.”

“A friend?” Anibal asked suspiciously.

“Yeah, I think you actually know him.” Akira nodded, “I'm just having trouble remembering his name, something beginning with D I think...”

“Hello Anibal,” a casual voice spoke.

Akira hid a grin while Anibal's head snapped around and his eyes landed on Dominique who was leaning against the wall some distance away.

Anibal's eyes widened and for a moment he froze before he suddenly turned and ran, sprinting away from both Akira and Dominique as fast as his legs could carry him. On the way one or two necklaces fell out of his pocket.

Akira made a move to follow yet Dominique grabbed her arm and shook his head.

“He won’t get far,” he said confidently.

Akira raised an eyebrow and turned to watch. For a moment she wondered what Dominique was up to when Anibal reached the end of the abandoned road. A hand seemed to shoot out of nowhere, coming right into Anibal's path. Going too fast he wasn't able to stop in time and crashed right into the arm, the force knocking flat on his back.

Dominique began to walk towards the fallen Anibal and Akira followed, watching as Anita stepped out from where she had been hiding to stare down at the fallen Anibal.

Anibal stared right up at her, blinking a couple of times before a smile spread across his face.

“Am I dead?” he asked dreamily.

In reply Anita's fist connected with his face, knocking him right out.

“Anita!” Dominique scolded, yet there was no anger in his voice but more a trace of amusement.

“I never liked the guy,” Anita shrugged as she stepped back and let Dominique kneel down beside Anibal.

“Where did you come from?” Akira asked Anita.

“There's a way around,” Anita shrugged. “After we saw you in the ally Dominique sent me around, he knew Anibal would run.”

“Savannah?” Akira asked as Dominique grabbed Anibal under the arms and dragged him over to the wall of a building.

“She went to inform the others after she found us,” Anita shrugged.

Akira nodded and then turned her attention to where Dominique had propped Anibal up against the wall of a building. He squatted down in front of him, staring intently at the other boy at the same time as Anibal groaned and his eyes fluttered open.

“Ah!” Anibal let out a girl like scream and scrambled backwards only to find that the wall behind him prevented him from going anywhere.

Anita giggled at his reaction while Akira bit her lip to hold back a laugh.

“Missed me?” Dominique asked innocently.

“Please tell me this is a nightmare,” Anibal muttered in reply. His eyes darted to Anita and he scowled, “You punched me!” he whined.

“I thought that by now you would have had learned,” Dominique sighed, “But you always run.”

Anibal turned his eyes back on Dominique. “You're a fugitive,” he told him, “I could call the Watchers right now and you'd be taken in!

“And you're a common thief,” Dominique replied calmly. “So therefore, we both could get locked up, right?”

In reply Anibal muttered something under his breath.

“He's pleasant,” Akira grinned making Anibal shoot her a glare.

“What do you want?” he asked.

“What do I always want?” Dominique sighed.

“I don't owe you anything anymore. If you want information go elsewhere,” Anibal told him moodily.

“Oh no, you certainly paid back the debt you owed last time,” Dominique agreed. “Which is why,” he reached in to his pocket and made the Dracos inside jingle, “This time, I'll even be gracious enough to pay.”

Anibal seemed to pause and Dominique, seeming certain that the boy would not run again, stepped back, giving Anibal the space he needed to slowly get up.

“You'll pay?” Anibal asked, looking like he wasn't sure that he believed it.

“Oh yes,” Dominique pulled a golden Draco from his pocket and tossed it once in the air before catching it.

Anibal's eyes followed it, a lounging in them. Akira grinned as she realized that the boy was hooked.

“Well, I guess I might know something. What do you want to know?” Anibal asked carefully.

“Now we're getting somewhere,” Anita muttered.

“What do you know about Steeson?” it was Akira that asked.

“Oh that’s simple,” Anibal snorted. “You'd have to be either dumb or not have been around to not know the answer to that one...” he paused, “Then again,” he peered closer at Akira, “I'm guessing you haven't exactly been around.”

“Answer the question,” Dominique growled.

“Steeson is at the Academy. He is Argos' right hand man...”

Anita snorted at this and Anibal shot her a questioning look, yet he did not ask as he continued, “He wasn't all that big at first but lately he's become pretty popular and influential. Everyone seems to like him. If you ask me, Argos looks like he will be handing over the reins of the Academy to the guy soon.”

Akira frowned yet Dominique, seeming to be satisfied with the answer, tossed the gold Draco to Anibal who caught it and quickly pocketed it.

“Notice anything suspicious about the guy?” Dominique asked.

“Everyone has their secrets,” Anibal shrugged in reply. “Trust me; I think everyone has something suspicious about them,” pausing he frowned as he peered at Dominique, “Like why are you suddenly so willing to pay with golden Dracos?” Anibal asked suspiciously.

In reply Dominique pulled another Draco from his pocket. “I'll ask the questions,” he said.

Anibal nodded eagerly in reply as his eyes seemed to suddenly be glued on the Draco.

“Would you know of anyone that might know Steeson better than most? Someone that would be clued in to certain...” Dominique searched for the word, “things that others would not know?”

Akira knew that Dominique was trying to find out information from Anibal while not giving anything away about the whole mind control thing.

“What kind of things?” Anibal asked.

“Stuff people on the outside wouldn't know about. Something only the inner circle in the Academy would have knowledge of,” Dominique replied.

Anibal licked his lips. “You know, prices have risen all around and even information is harder to get...”

Getting the point Dominique pulled another gold Draco from his pocket.

“Twenty third floor of the Grand Tower, I only know the guy as Jack,” Anibal quickly said.

“Jack?” Anita frowned.

Anibal nodded. “He knows a lot about what goes on in the Academy. Don't know how but he knows.”

In response Seth tossed him the two gold Dracos. Anibal caught one while the other fell to the floor and he quickly scrambled to get it.

“I think we have what we need,” Dominique murmured.

“Are you serious?” Anita frowned. “Just a name and a floor of a building really isn't a lot to go on. How do you even know he's telling the truth?” she glared at Anibal.

“Because Anibal wouldn't lie to me, would you?” Dominique asked Anibal.

“Never,” Anibal agreed hastily.

“He also won’t tell anyone about this,” Dominique added and Anibal nodded in agreement. “Because if he does, I'll find him and let him know just how unhappy I am,” Dominique continued making Anibal swallow visibly.

“Are we done?” he asked in a small voice.

“Yup,” Anita told him cheerfully.

“Great,” Anibal turned and scurried off down the alley.

Guess he doesn't have a dragon after all,” Dominique murmured.

“Any dragon that chose him would sure have to be an idiot,” Anita replied.

Akira snorted as she watched Anibal's back. He just reached the end of the ally when Liam, Tresus, Seth, Kirk and Savannah all appeared at the end. Without pausing Anibal rushed passed them.

For a moment Liam looked like he was about to hurry after him and yet Kirk grabbed his arm and pointed to where Dominique, Akira and Anita stood.

“Tell me you got something,” Tresus said as the group walked to meet up with each other.

“Location and a name,” Akira spoke.

“So where are we going?” Seth asked.

“To meet Jack,” was Dominique's reply.