Insanity Chapter 10

“There’s nothing here!” I yelled out in frustration.

“What do you mean there’s nothing there?” Malik asked walking over to see that there was nothing inside the safe.

“Xavier must have known that we’d try this,” I said to Malik. He must have taken everything with him! Damnit!”

“Damn that old man was one step ahead of us again,” Malik said, most likely frustrated that he couldn’t get anything back from Xavier.

“What should we do now?” I asked. Xavier took Cal away and I had no idea where they were going. He took anything that could have answered my questions about why this had to happen. What did I have to do to learn the truth?

“Ugh,” malik groaned grabbing my attention. “I didn’t want to say this, but there is a way for us to get the information that you need. I know a guy that’s let’s say good with gathering information. Though I have talked to him in a while.”

“Are you sure?” I asked him. Malik usually never offered to help out unless there was something in it for him.

“With Jess gone and Xavier being his moody self you’re all I got. I was going to save the favor I had with him for later, but I guess that now is a better time than any to use it. Just to make sure, you do have the information about that house we robbed today?”

“Of course I do,” I said pulling out the card that Fidge gave us.

“Good, without that it would take him to long to get the information that we need,” he said as we walked downstairs.

“What is this going to cost us?” I asked him. I didn’t have too much on me, and information brokers like to charge heavy fees.

“Nothing,” Malik said, walking out the front door and I followed after him. “Well, that’s if you don’t count my dignity.”

“How did you say that you knew this person?” I asked curious about this person. Malik hid a lot of things from his past. We’ll he was adopted by Xavier just like us, he was already running cons and thefts by the time he was five. He grew up in these streets while I did not.

“I didn’t,” he responded back to me. “Let’s just say you’ll understand when we get there.”

“And where the hell would that be?” While I was grateful for his willingness to help, trusting Malik fully was never a wise choice. There was a time a year ago that had me fight against another kid and then told me that I had to lose because he bet aginst me.

“It’s at the underpass, between the slums and the upper levels,” he said to me.

“Isn’t that a bit too close for comfort?” I said. Xavier warned us not to go near there for the time being.

“It’ll be fine,” Malik said. “The imperial guard that our located in the slums doesn’t care what happens in the upper levels. They won’t even bat an eye when they see us.”

“If you say so,” I said, not completely sure that what he said was actually true. Most imperial guards that I have seen down here just try to stay away from us as much as possible. They’re afraid that they’ll catch some unknown disease by just staring at us. But since this was the bridge above the underpass that connected the slums to the upper levels, there would at least be a few people that cared to do their job.

After about ten minutes of walking, we finally got close to the underpass.

“Okay, it’s just over he-” Malik instantly stopped me and pulled me back into the closest ally.

“What the heck was that for?” I asked him.

“Shh!” he said, motioning me to take a look.

I popped my head out of the ally and to my shock saw at least twenty different imperial guards right above the underpass.

“What the heck is going on?” I asked.

“Shit, they must have decided to beef up security to the upper levels after what we did. Getting down there will be a bit tricky,” Malik said, motioning me to follow him. Though before I went after him I took one more small peak at the guards. However, when I did I saw that one of them was looking right at me.

I didn’t know if it was some random coincidence or if they actually saw me, but what mattered was getting out of here fast. I quickly went after Malik before he could notice that I was lagging behind.

“Okay, so if we go this way we should reach the underpass without being seen,” he said pointing down a pitch-black ally, which was commonly known as Death Ally. Yeah, I know that it’s a corny name, but most people that go into this ally with a guide are found dead days later. Besides, I wasn’t the one that made the name so don’t judge.

“Himmel, where are you?” Malik yelled into the darkness. A few seconds later a boy no older than Cal came walking out of the ally.

“Malik, I never thought that you would come back here after what you did to Domenic.,” the boy said to him.

“Now’s not the time to talk about the past,” Malik said. “We need to get to the underpass, but the imperial guard is blocking the way. This is the only other way that I know of. Can you lead us through?”

“Wait this kid is a guide? How the hell do you know him?” I asked. How much of Malik’s life had he kept hidden from us. The number of secrets he had beat the one that I was keeping from him about Kai.

“This is not the time Mal,” said Malik. “I’ll tell you about it later. So Himmel can you get us through?”

“I can but it will cost you,” the boy said, holding out his hand. “I’m sure that you remember the regular price.”

“Here just take them and let’s get going,” he said handing the boy two oddly shaped black stones.

“Okay then let’s go,” the boy said, holding out his hands for us to grab. “Remember there is only one rule when going through this ally, never let go of my hand.”

Himmel then led us through the ally and we made it out several minutes later. While the alleyway seemed normal I could tell that we were being watched at all times. I guess the boy’s presence was keeping us from being killed.

“Thanks again, Himmel,” malik said, as we started heading toward to underpass again.

“You’d better not come back until you make up with Domenic!” Himmel yelled as we got further away from him.

“Who the heck is Domenic?” I asked him.

“Domenic is the same guy that we’re going to meet,” malik said to me. “Let’s just say that we have a history.”

“What would that be?” I asked.

“Just shut up and wait,” Malik said as we approach a wooden door that was built right into the underpass. Malik slowly opened the door to reveal a shop that was riddled with documents and books.

“Welcome!” an energetic voice said from the back and then a few seconds later a young man a few years older than Malik with pink hair walked out to greet us.

“What can I get fo-” the man stooped mid-sentence before his eyes locked right onto Malik. “Oh it’s you,” he said, his energetic voice turning cold. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“Mal, this is Domenic, my ex-boyfriend.”