Steve glanced at the house and realized that it looked like it hasn't been renovated since the last century.
With his feeble footsteps, he headed towards the house .
He heard a creaking sound coming from the staircase while he walked on it.
He noticed the doorbell was not in functioning situation so he rapped the door with a hope of being heard.After waiting for about thirty seconds he heard the opening of the door.
A fat and flabby lady who looked approximately forty to forty five years old opened the door with a tedious look on her leathery face.
Steve after looking at her dull expression realized that she might close the door if he'll try to maintain silence for a bit longer so he started

" Um...can I meet Mark Rasskazov?"

Suddenly the expression on the woman's face changed to abhorrence from dreary.
She answered in a striking tone
"Mark! He doesn't live here anymore. He refused to pay my rent so I kicked him out of my house. I don't know where he is. In case you meet him, tell him to pay my bills."

With this she closed the door at Steve.

Steve was bewildered.

He can't knock the door again, he knows it very well and he can't just go back either.

He turned back and started walking and was thinking what to do when he saw a an old man wearing a black coat and shades was observing him. Steve thought the man was blind, but he realised that the man's vision is proper and in a gesture he asked Steve to come to him.

Steve went to him and the man stared at Steve with full focus and said in a lame voice
" Are you Steve?"

Steve got surprised, how did the old man know his name he was sure he has never met him before then how? He asked himself.

Not giving Steve too much time to think the old man said
" Mark worked with you,right?"

"Yes, he did"

"He used to tell me about you whenever he came here for Vacations."

Steve wondered why Mark would talk to this old man about him, but keeping this question aside he asked

" Mark! Do you know where he is?"

The old man smirked

"He was a good friend, but I don't see him anymore.."

"Means you don't know where he is .." Steve said in a depressed voice.

"I said I don't see him anymore because he never comes out of his lab"

"His lab?!" Steve almost yelled

" Yes and he never comes out from there "

"Can you please take me there? I beg "

"No, child, you don't need to beg I can take you to his lab, but I'm not sure if he will allow you to enter inside..."

"I deal with it there, but first please take me to the place"

"As you wish...we'll need to hire a cab"

The old man and Steve found a cab and started heading towards Mark's lab.Steve was feeling strange about the old man but he controlled his curiosity for a while.