Edward walked through the alleyway. He was nervous. He was determined.
At the end of the alley, he stopped and peeked out, scanning both directions of the neighborhood. A few kids were out playing together; some were solo. It was 4 p.m.—no surprise there. The kids were home from school, so naturally, the area was alive.
Edward didn't exactly know what he was waiting for, but his stomach tingled with anticipation.
"Should I go or not?" he muttered to himself.
Hallington's house stood just across the street and a little to the left.
"Oh, I have no time for this. Liwe lilivyo." (Let it be as it may.)
"Edward!" a sharp voice cut through his thoughts, halting him mid-step.
He turned. Mdachi.
His face twisted into surprise—and then annoyance.
"What are you doing here?" he whispered harshly. "You should be home."
"I knew you were up to something," Mdachi said, walking toward him, almost proud of his instincts.
"Now tell me, Edu—what are you doing here? And why the whispering?"
Edward met him partway down the alley.
"You need to leave." His tone was serious.
"I'm not leaving."
"Excuse me?"
"I said I'm not leaving."
Edward clenched his jaw, trying to speak. But his frustration choked the words. He closed his eyes, pinched the bridge of his nose, and slowly exhaled.
Calmer now, he tried again.
"Mdachi, this is serious. You need to go. I need to do this alone. And... don't follow me around like this again, okay?"
It wasn't a suggestion. It was a command.
Mdachi didn't flinch.
"You said you were going home when we parted ways. What are you doing here? … Oh wait—don't answer that. Answer this instead—"
"I don't owe you any explanation, Mdachi," Edward snapped, turning away.
Mdachi wouldn't let it slide. He grabbed Edward by the shoulder and spun him around to face him.
"What's your problem?!" Edward growled.
"Oh, come on now. Don't give me that BS! Why are you acting like some martyr on a super dangerous mission, trying to sacrifice yourself for the greater cause?"
Mdachi's temper had flared.
"FYI: You're not a hero or martyr or whatever you think you are. So stop behaving like a sissy jackass and just tell me what you're doing... Look, Edward—we're in this together. You trying to handle everything alone, thinking it's the noble thing to do, is actually stupid. We need to work as a team. All of us."
Edward's tone softened, but his words were heavy.
"But you're not the ones who had their memories erased. You're not the ones… whose identity was hidden for your whole life, only to discover it by accident—not even intentionally. You're not me, Mdachi. You don't know how this feels. You—"
"Edward—"
"Don't interrupt." He raised a hand.
"Sometimes I just wish I'd blink and wake up from all of this. That it's just a dream…"
"Edward—"
"I said DON'T INTERRUPT."
The sharpness in his voice sliced through the air. Mdachi swallowed hard and nodded.
Edward stared at the ground for a moment, breathing deeply. Then, in a lower tone:
"I always fantasized about things like this. Powers. The supernatural. But not like this. Never like this."
He looked up at Mdachi.
"I know you want to help, buddy. But I feel like this is my fight. I shouldn't involve you guys. Not too much. I don't want to put you in danger. Hallington is gone, and I don't even know why."
His voice cracked.
"I don't want to lose you guys too. I can't. I don't even know the motive of the people behind this. I need to find out. I have a feeling this isn't over. Not yet."
Mdachi placed his hands on Edward's shoulders.
"I understand how you're feeling. Maybe more than you think. Finding out something this big—it's not easy. Believe me, I know. But have you considered how we'd feel if you got hurt? Or worse—killed? How would we feel knowing we could've helped, but didn't?"
It hit Edward like a runaway train. That raw pain in Mdachi's eyes—it was real.
"Let us help you, Edu. Don't shut us out. Please. Or do I need to remind you of our oath?"
Edward managed a small smile.
"No."
Mdachi lowered his arms.
"So... what were you planning to do? I hope it wasn't the obvious idiotic thing."
His brows arched, and his glasses reflected hopeful suspicion.
Edward winced, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Actually…"
"Oh God." Mdachi slapped his face in exasperation.
"What do you suggest I do, then?" Edward asked, genuinely curious.
"You could use your powers," Mdachi said flatly, like reminding a child of their own name. "You're not normal. You're an oddball."
"Oh yeah? Oddball, huh?" Edward shoved him playfully. He was brightening now.
"Well, that's better than being casual and mediocre."
He stressed mediocre with exaggerated mockery.
"Since you're so smart, what do I use my powers for, genius?"
Mdachi sighed, raking his fingers through his hair.
"Edward, remember that bureau?" He paused for effect.
"Oh yeah. How could I forget?" Edward's eyes lit up in realization.
"You want me to keep a low profile… You want me to turn invisible."
"Ding! Dong! And the clock finally hit midnight. Astounding, isn't it?"
Edward rolled his eyes at the dramatic sarcasm.
"I'm sure they still have agents—or officers—or whatever those supernatural bureau folks call themselves—hovering around Hallington's house. The place is probably under surveillance."
Mdachi looked both ways at the mouth of the alley: one end leading to a quiet neighbourhood, the other where kids zipped by playing.
"Probably a whole radius of patrol around the house. If so, we're likely already inside it. These people are relentless. They don't seem like the type to panic over supernatural murders—but now that they are, they'll go full beast mode, scouring for anything suspicious."
Edward looked at him, eyebrows raised.
"What?" Mdachi asked defensively.
"How do you know so much about some bureau you literally just learned about?"
"I don't know," Mdachi shrugged. "I guess I've watched one too many spy thrillers and government conspiracy movies. I just imagined what they'd do."
"You do know those are just movies."
"Doesn't mean it doesn't happen in real life. Trust me, that analysis? Spot on."
"You are such a nerd. But I'm not doing that," Edward said flatly.
Mdachi raised a brow.
"I'm not turning invisible," Edward repeated, firm.
"But why?" Mdachi's voice cracked with disappointment.
"Uhhh, duh? I just learned the spell. Haven't even practiced it properly. I'm not gonna walk around invisible when I don't even know if I can hold it. What if it glitches? Or wears off halfway? I could traumatize those kids for life. Or worse." He shook his head.
"No. I'm not doing it."
"Let's talk somewhere else," Mdachi said, grabbing Edward and dragging him out the alley and into the back.
"What is it?" Edward asked, impatient.
Mdachi stretched his neck to glance back into the alley. Edward followed his gaze.
"What?" Edward asked again, eyebrows furrowed.
"Agent. Bureau agent."
Edward's pupils dilated. He looked again, squinting toward the end of the alley.
"You sure?"
"Mhhm," Mdachi nodded.
"Fuck!" Edward started pacing, visibly rattled.
"Relax," Mdachi stopped him. "I don't think he saw us."
"What do you mean?"
"He didn't look our way."
"And why are you so sure he's an agent?"
"He had an earpiece—the typical kind agents use. And he was clearly talking to someone. But not on a phone. I think he was communicating with headquarters… or a colleague or something."
Edward took a sharp breath.
"Okay. Let's go." He turned on his heel.
Mdachi caught him by the arm.
"We can't just go."
"Why not?" Edward snapped. He was already terrified to step anywhere near that house.
A car passed them, tires crunching the gravel. Edward's eyes followed it until it turned the corner, then flicked back to Mdachi.
"We're not even sure if he saw us or not," Mdachi said. "These people are cunning."
Edward still had a hard time grasping how Mdachi knew so much about this world.
"They might've set a trap. And by leaving right now, we could walk right into it. We need to act normal. Chill. Pretend we know nothing—and go there."
"Go there and do what exactly, huh?" Edward was panicking now. "Just approach the house and look around like I originally planned? Wouldn't that be the most suspicious thing we could possibly do?"
His skin crawled. Just thinking about that house gave him goosebumps.
Mdachi let out a tired sigh.
"You want info about what happened, right?"
"I do."
"Then we're still going to get it."
"Huh?"
"We're going to ask around."
Edward stared at him like he'd just suggested they jump off a bridge.
"You're not serious."
"I am," Mdachi read his mind.
"You used to visit Hallington sometimes, right?"
"Yeah, but what does that have to do—"
"You could ask a friendly neighbor. See if they noticed anything that night."
Before Edward could argue, Mdachi was already leading him down the alley.
"Mdachi, I don't think this is a good idea," Edward grumbled as he trudged along.
"Oh, just stop being scared, will you? We'll be fine if we act normal. Act. Normal."
When they reached the end of the alley, Mdachi let go of his hand.
"There's no going back now," he muttered, then confidently stepped out into the neighborhood.
Edward followed, but hesitated for a second.
"This is crazy," he whispered under his breath.
"Oh—watch it!" he sidestepped a kid who zoomed past him with a toy airplane, its wings cutting the air like a bird.
"Voom, voom!" the kid shouted gleefully, gliding it in a wavy, rhythmic pattern.
Another boy ran after him, yelling, "Klein, wait up!"
Edward paused, watching the scene unfold. Two innocent little boys—maybe five years old—running free, laughing, without a care in the world. The sight pulled a warm smile from him. For a moment, everything felt normal again.
A sharp whistle brought him back. He looked up to see Mdachi waiting. Edward jogged to catch up.
"Let's go," he said once he reached him.
Mdachi let out a long sigh.
"So who's your pick?"
Edward scanned the homes until he spotted her—Mrs. Orao, sitting on her front porch, watching the kids with a nostalgic smile.
"Her," Edward said.
They approached.
"Good afternoon, Mrs. Orao!" Edward greeted joyfully as he climbed the steps.
"Ohhhh, Edward?" she gasped with delight.
"Yep. One and only."
He motioned for her to stay seated, then gently took her hand, kissed its back, and brought it to his forehead.
She gave him a look—one of blasé amusement, as though this were all too familiar.
"Good afternoon, Mrs. Orao," Mdachi said as he arrived beside them.
"Good afternoon to you too, young man."
Mdachi reached for her hand, but just as he was about to kiss it, she waved him off.
"There's really no need for that," she said with a soft smile. Then, turning to Edward with mock disapproval:
"Edward is just stubborn. He's insisted on greeting me like that since he was a boy. I don't even know where he got it from."
Mdachi gave a playful smile and raised his brows at Edward.
"And just call me Shosh," she added. "Another thing Edward still refuses to do. I know I've seen better days, but there's no need to be formal with me."
She was in her mid-sixties, aging gracefully. Her puffy gray afro softened her sweet face, and her simple but beautiful floral dress gave her a warm elegance.
Mdachi nodded. "Okay, Shosh."
She smiled.
Seeing the perfect opening, Edward jumped in:
"Mrs. Orao, this is my friend Mdachi. Mdachi, this is my grandma friend Mrs. Orao."
She rolled her eyes with a scoff. Grandma friend. Edward hadn't changed a bit.
"Have a seat, please," she said, gesturing to the cushioned bench.
They sat.
"Can I get you anything? Water? Tea? Milk with cookies?"
"No, no, Mrs. Orao. We don't want to trouble you," Edward said.
Mdachi's shoulders slumped. He really could've used some tea. Pasta at lunch hadn't filled him up.
"You sure?" she asked.
Mdachi's eyes lit with hope. He looked at Edward, silently begging for backup.
"We're sure," Edward said, completely missing the signal.
With a soft giggle, Mrs. Orao rose.
"I'll be right back."
Edward watched her go, admiring her grace.
Mdachi elbowed him.
"What gives? I was trying to signal you. I'm starving! Just glad Shosh is sharper than you and picks up on the vibes."
"But—but—ahh, never mind."
They sat in silence. Edward watched the kids playing. Mdachi kept scanning the neighborhood for the agent—but there was no sign. None at all. That felt… off.
Mrs. Orao returned with a tray: a glass of milk, a cup of tea, and a bowl of cookies.
"Dig in," she said, settling back into her chair.
"Thanks so much, Shosh. You read minds."
Mdachi reached for the tea and a cookie.
"Mmm. Yum. Hii ni chai ya mchaichai?"
"Yes," she smiled. "Lemongrass tea, with a smack of ginger."
"That explains it." He bit the cookie and blinked with delight.
"Wait—no way. Is this an oatmeal cookie?"
"Right again."
"They're my favorite. Thanks, Shosh. I already love you. You're the best."
"You're welcome."
Edward took his glass of milk.
"Thank you so much, Mrs. Orao."
"Like I said—you're welcome."
He paused.
"Mrs. Orao… can I ask you something?"
She heard the sorrow in his voice, and her expression softened. She, too, had been heartbroken over Hallington's death. Through him, she met Edward—the closest thing she had to a grandson.
"I'm so sorry for what happened," she said gently.
"I know this must be hard for you."
"It's okay… I mean—it's not your fault. Please don't apologize. He was your friend too. But I do need to know something."
"Fire away."
"The night he died—did you notice anything strange?"
Mrs. Orao's face scrunched slightly in confusion.
"Did you hear or see anything… unusual?"
"I don't know what you mean, son. Didn't Hallington die in a car accident?"
Mdachi nearly choked.
Edward stared, stunned.
"You mean… he wasn't discovered dead in his house Saturday morning?"
Her face twisted in concern.
"Are you okay, son? Hallington was found dead in a car crash—on Friday night."
"Oh my frigging goodness," Edward whispered.
He turned slowly toward Hallington's house. Men were inside, visible through the window—working. Renovation crew, probably.
Mdachi stopped chewing.
"Why's the house being renovated?"
"Well," she replied, "I heard the new tenant wanted some changes."
"Do you know who that is?" Edward asked.
"No idea… But boys—why all the questions? Did something happen that the police aren't telling us?" Fear was creeping into her voice.
Edward gently took her hand.
"No, no. Nothing like that. It's just… I don't know. I didn't expect him to die. He had his whole life ahead of him. I guess this is just how I'm grieving. I'm sorry."
She cupped his cheek tenderly.
"Oh, you poor thing. I understand. For what it's worth—he's in a better place now. And even if you can't see him, he'll never leave you."
"Thank you."
They spent the rest of their time chatting about school, life—normal things.
---
"Thank you again, Shosh," Mdachi said as they waved goodbye.
Edward turned back at the steps.
"We'll come visit again soon. Maybe bring a friend next time."
"Please do. I'll be waiting. And boys…" She pointed at them.
"Study hard, okay?"
"We will," Mdachi promised.
Once they were far enough away, Edward's tone changed.
"What do you think about what she said?"
"What part? She said a lot. I like her."
"About Hallington," Edward snapped, irritated.
"Oh, that…? I definitely think the Bureau wiped their memories," Mdachi said, voice low.
"Did you see the parts of that house being repaired? That was one hell of a fight. No way they didn't hear or see anything."