Yahya followed Murad to the shore where Badr and Yousef were chasing each other. Murad made no attempt to appear in front of them; instead, he watched them from behind the thick bushes in the forest.

"Tsk," Murad muttered to himself. "Why can't that brat leave him alone...?"

Sweat dripped down Yahya's terror-filled face as he finally made out what Murad was holding. It was a revolver gun, and he understood what Murad's intentions were. He wanted to believe that he was only being pessimistic, but in his mind, he knew that there was no other reason for Murad to carry a gun. He wanted to snatch the revolver from Murad's fingers and run far away, but he felt petrified.

"Did our clothes dry yet?" Yousef asked impatiently. "The sun is almost setting! Now they won't dry..."

"No, I think they dried because we put them in the sun for like two hours," Badr replied.

Yousef exhaled. "Maybe you're right. Let's go get them."

"Okay."

Murad cursed under his breath because of the missed opportunity. Yahya swallowed hard.

Badr and Yousef wore their half-dried clothes and laid down on the sand to relax. It was actually starting to become less sunny. Not just because it was the afternoon, but also the clouds gathered together like puzzle pieces connected in the periwinkle and orange sky.

"So, Badr, what are you going to do with that fish?" Yousef questioned after a while.

"Hmm...maybe give it to someone so they can cook it for us. I'm actually very hungry right now, aren't you?"

"Yeah..."

"Let's eat it raw," Badr suggested suddenly.

"No, that's gross! It won't taste as good!"

"Then what do we eat?"

The two sat in silence. "I think there are some berries in the forest. Let's go pick some and eat them," Yousef suggested.

"That's a good idea! Let's go," Badr got up and headed to the forest while Yousef followed him.

"There!" Badr pointed. A tall moist tree stood amongst the group of trees with some small berries that hung splendidly from its leaves. Badr hurried over to it and attempted to climb it.

"I'll go there," Yousef pointed at another similar tree on the other side of the forest.

"Yousef! I think they are blueberries!" Badr shouted from the top of the tree. He jumped down after he filled his palms with the ripe berries.

"Yeah, I know!" Yousef placed his right foot on the highest bump in the tree to pick the blueberries from the branch.

Murad realized that Yousef was picking berries from the tree that was right in front of the bush he was hiding in. He thought that Yousef might see him so he took a step to the left and lowered his head. Murad tightened his grip on the revolver gun and aimed towards Badr. Badr was examining the blueberries he picked before. He tasted one but then realized he needed to wash them first. He dropped them on the soil and searched for more berries.

Yousef heard a gentle noise from the bushes so he looked under him. His eyes darted towards the bush and to his horror, he saw a gun pointed in the direction of Badr.

"LOOK OUT!" Yousef jumped down the tree as Murad pulled the trigger. Yahya, on the other hand, did not know what to do. His body was frozen in its place.

Badr turned around and saw a tiny bullet flying towards him with great speed. He barely had time to move before it plunged into his right shoulder. A sharp pain tingled through his body. He lost his balance and immediately fell to his knees.

Yousef quickly dashed to Murad and pushed him so that the man fell on the dirt. He then rushed towards his bleeding friend.

"Didn't you see him? Why didn't you move, you idiot!" Yousef yelled while trying to find something to stop the bleeding. He was aching on the inside because he wasn't able to save Badr. He felt like it was partly his fault, and he couldn't help but feel useless.

"Ah...I don't know...I didn't notice..." Badr said warily.

"Oi YOU!" Yousef pointed at Murad as he faced the huge man. "Are you out of your mind? Why did you do that?!"

Murad kept his sullen expression as he stood up, suddenly realizing that his hand was empty. He searched his surroundings for his revolver. To his surprise, Yahya was holding it in his shaking hands.

"W-why...did you do that?" Yahya inquired quietly.

"Give me the gun," Murad ordered while extending his big hand.

"N...no," Yahya shook his head and backed away. "I won't...give it to you."

He ran towards Badr and Yousef and Murad followed him. "A-are you okay?" he gazed at Badr. Badr stood up.

"Yeah, I'm fine..." he turned his head towards Murad. He was losing more blood from his body each second. "Why did you do that? Did you shoot me on purpose?"

"It was my mission," Murad replied in a deep voice. "My boss told me to kill you. I don't really have anything against you."

"Why? Who's your boss? Is he related to me?" Badr questioned.

"Don't listen to him! He's probably lying!" Yousef raged. "And you, you traitor, you were helping him weren't you?"

"M-me?" Yahya's eyes widened a little. Yousef crossed his arms furiously.

"Why does your boss want me to die?" Badr implored again.

Murad sighed. "I don't know. I was just doing my job."

"Can you take me to him?" Badr's eyebrows furrowed. "I want to see him."

"I can't take you now. My boss is in another country," Murad simply stated.

"I can't believe you listened to him...I mean, even if he's your boss, why would you kill someone so easily like that?"

"I'd be fired."

"That's not a nice job," Badr stated. His arm was feeling weaker now.

"My job is not bad. I will graduate and become a professional after I complete my last mission. Mine was...to kill you," Murad revealed.

"But why me?! How does he know me?"

"Don't ask me."

"But I really trusted you! I didn't think you'd attack me, I just thought Mr. Mohamad got you and Mr. Wael as trainers to train us for Moonland!" Badr admitted earnestly. He touched his shoulder lightly but it felt like a dozen needles were brutally inserted in his muscle.

"You can't have everything you want, boy. I told you to give up on Moonland," Murad ridiculed coldly. "Don't be spoiled. Don't think that everyone is going to support you and your decisions."

"It was my goal from the start! I've always wanted to go to Moonland! You can't make fun of me!" Badr protested, clenching his shoulder tightly. "I want to be a hero and go on adventures with my friends!"

"Shut up," Murad ordered. "You're not a hero. If you were a real hero, you would've dodged that bullet. If you can't even survive a gunshot, how will you survive in Moonland?"

Badr was shocked. Why was Murad so cruel to him? Was his goal really unachievable? Was he really being spoiled?

Yousef decided to break the silence. "So what now, you're going to kill Badr, or did you give up on your mission?"

Murad glared at him then Yahya. "Give it back."

"No," Yahya replied stubbornly.

"Give it or else I'll take it by force."

"N-no! Why are you doing this?"

"Just shut up and give me the GUN!" Murad's voice rose as he said the words clearly. Footsteps were faintly heard from nearby. It was coming from the dark muddy path. The steps were actually coming from Malak, who ran quickly to their location once she recognized them.

"Guys, where were you? We were looking for you!" Malak darted towards them. "We are going to have dinner then go back to Albasea...oh Badr, are you hurt? You are HURT!"

She gasped before hurrying towards Badr. "There is blood on your shoulder! What happened? Did you scratch yourself? Don't tell me you were climbing that tree!"

No one said a word. Malak gazed around her for an explanation then spotted Yahya holding a gun.

"I-is that a gun? You got it from the cave, right?"

"Uh...yeah. It's for this guy," Yahya gave the gun back to Murad. Malak turned towards Murad. She noticed that his face was darker, as if he had done something wrong. His body was tense and his shoulders were stiff. His eyes flared at her with menace. She immediately understood what had happened.

"Let's go, you need to wash this." Malak patted Badr's back. She was kind of awkward talking to Badr after what Noor had informed her, but she decided to ignore it and give her attention to Badr's injured shoulder instead.

Badr nodded and walked alongside her and Yousef, who had his hands in his pockets.

"Man, I'm hungry," Yousef complained, shooting a glare in Yahya's direction. "Are we having dinner now?"

"Yeah, we are," Malak answered quickly. Murad followed the three friends back to Omran's house while Yahya tailed after them, his face constantly fixed to the ground.

Badr received treatment for his injury from the mothers of the young pirates, who were desperate to return the favor he had done to their sons. After a few hours of dinner, explanations, and packing, the club members and their teachers returned to the yacht so that they can reach Nuport by the next day.

Yasameen climbed on the yacht and took a good look around before heading to the indoor rooms. There she found Malak sitting down on a couch, staring into thin air.

"Are you okay?" she asked, seating herself next to her.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Malak replied.

"Come on, tell me, is there something bothering you?"

"I...it's just that...I'm worried about Badr. Why would Mr. Murad do something like that to him?"

"I'm sure he has a reason. Everything in the world has," Yasameen assured her. "And I am sure he is not a bad man. You cannot judge people from one mistake they made."

Malak nodded sadly. Outside, she made out the voices of the men conversing. She couldn't understand what they were discussing, so she just ignored them and continued staring at nothing.

"What do we do if he attacks one of the kids again?" Mohamad addressed Louis. They were standing on the deck of the ship, the sea glistening beneath them in the yacht.

"I don't know, report him?" He sighed. "I'm tired anyway...this whole trip has been tiring to me."

"At least we got the weapons..." Mohamad declared.

Nearby, Yahya was mustering up the courage to apologize to Badr and Yousef about the way he treated them before in school. He searched around the yacht for them, checking rooms, the deck, and in the kitchen. He finally found them minutes later when he checked near the steering wheel.

"Ah-hey guys..." he greeted them.

"Hi," Badr replied.

"Um...when are we setting sail?"

"In, like, thirty minutes?" Badr answered.

"Oh, okay."

A few minutes had passed and all Yahya could feel was guilt. He couldn't stop thinking about how he treated them and how mean he acted towards them. He knew he was a traitor.

"C-can I tell you guys something?" he pleaded quietly.

"Yeah, go ahead," Badr nodded as Yousef sighed.

"Um...I...I'm...sorry," Yahya mumbled so that only Badr and Yousef could hear, since the sailor had been standing there, checking directions. "I feel really...bad about...how I acted towards you guys. I'm...really sorry. We fought, and I called you names...I...I shouldn't have. You were like...the only people who were kind of nice to me in the school. And I treated you like trash. I'm really, really...sorry."

"It's okay Yahya," Badr forgave him with eyes of sincerity. "I know that maybe you have your reason for doing that. Maybe you wanted to keep your secrets to yourself and...I was just kind of really nosy. So, I'm sorry too, can we be friends now?"

Despite his injury, he stretched his hand so that Yahya could shake it. Yahya recalled the day that Badr held out his hand for him to shake before. At that time, Yahya didn't want to make any friends. He wanted nothing to do with Badr or anyone else. But now, this feeling had changed. Why was he suddenly so desperate for friends now?

Yahya shook hands with Badr and gave him a smile. Badr was really kind and forgiving. How could he forgive him for everything he has done before? Yahya didn't even forgive himself yet!

He turned to Yousef afterward. Yousef's eyes were unlike Badr's; they were cold. His blue-turquoise eyes met Yahya's jade green ones.

"You can't expect me to forgive you that easily after what you've done, traitor," Yousef's steady voice rang in Yahya's ears.

It took Yahya only a few seconds to realize that Yousef wasn't ready to forgive and befriend him yet. Why should he, anyway? Yousef didn't trust him anymore.

"I..." Yahya's long bangs covered his gloomy eyes. "I...understand."

And that ended the conversation. Yahya left without another word. He walked down the stairs then stopped when he reached the middle.

Badr looked at Yousef. "Are you still mad at him?"

"Yes! Then what?! Don't you remember what he did!? He left us! To spend time with his other friends! He just wanted to become popular! And you forgive him?! Just like that?! I FORGAVE HIM THE FIRST TIME!"

"Yousef, please, calm down!" Badr tried to stop Yousef from continuing. Yahya was still standing on the stairs, listening to every word Yousef was saying.

"HE STOLE MY BAG! AND I FORGAVE HIM! I EVEN GAVE HIM FOOD! AND HE TREATED ME LIKE CRAP! ONCE HE FOUND NEWER, BETTER FRIENDS, HE DECIDED TO LEAVE US!"

"Please, Yousef!" Badr consoled him. But Yousef was not having any of it.

"HE STOLE THE BAG WITH MY CREST AND I FORGAVE HIM! I'M NOT GOING TO FORGIVE HIM A SECOND TIME! HE'S NOT WORTHY OF MY TRUST! HE'S NOTHING BUT A TRAITOR!"

Yahya's lips trembled upon hearing Yousef's shouting. He put his hands in his pockets and ran down the lit stairs.

Author's note: Hey guys! We hope you enjoyed this chapter! Don't forget to vote if you liked this chapter! There is more to come about Yahya in the next chapter so look out for that! We also updated the cover so tell us what you think about the new one! Is it better than the old one?

And Yousef is referring to his family crest which he explained about in Chapter 12 (Back at Home).

This chapter is dedicated to the wonderful bubba_bree ♥ Thank you for still reading this book and for all the helpful and kind feedback! You are incredibly kind and supportive. I hope you become a professional and published author in the future, since you deserve it. ♥ ♥ ♥

P.s: What was your favorite scene in this chapter? (I hope it's not when Badr was bleeding because then you might be a sadist) ◔̯◔ (jk hahaha)

Credits to Brunuhville for the soundtrack. Thank you Bruno for this music!