One Hundred and Twenty Seven

CHAPTER 127

Nicholas tightened his grip on the shard, sweat dripping down his face as he assessed Ace's every move. With quick movements, Ace charged, aiming to strip Nicholas of his weapon, but Nicholas spun around, out of Ace's reach.

"You're not as smart as you think you are," Nicholas retorted, his voice remaining calm despite the rush of adrenaline.

Ace was about to attack again when suddenly the sound of a car roaring outside made him stop. Everyone looked to the source of the sound. And this made Ace change his plans. He ran away and made Nicholas turn around. When Nicholas wanted to chase, Ace kicked the wound on Nicholas' leg accidentally and made the man fall to the floor.

"Asshole!"

A smirk appeared on Ace's lips, he snorted and said, "Our business is not done yet." and he looked at Alicia who was still standing frightened back there. "I'll pick you up soon, Alicia. Don't worry."

"Asshole! Where are you going?"

But Ace ignored Nicholas' words and ran away from the side door. Not long after, Noel ran in and scanned the surroundings. And he was wide-eyed when he saw Nicholas whimpering on the floor while trying to get up. "Nicholas!"

"Ace run from the side door, go after him!"

Noel obeyed Nicholas' orders and immediately ran outside the room to check Ace's whereabouts.

While Alicia ran towards Nicholas, she held Nicholas' leg and looked worriedly at him. "Nic, are you okay?" she asked, still with a trembling voice. "Are you okay?"

Nicholas winced, pain burning through his leg. "I'll be fine," he grunted, gritting his teeth. "We need to stop Ace."

Alicia helped him sit against the wall, her eyes staring intently at him and the door Ace had walked through. "We can't let him get away," she urged, her voice shaky but firm. "He's already escaped."

"Noel can handle it," Nicholas assured him, trying to stand up despite the pain. "He's fast, he'll catch Ace."

Outside, the chaos of the city seemed distant despite the urgent need to track down Ace. Noel ran down the alleys, his eyes scanning every trace of the elusive figure. Before finally returning empty-handed. Her pursuit had ended in vain. She didn't get Ace as she had expected. Noel returned to Alicia's flat.

Still breathing heavily, Noel made a report to Nicholas. "I didn't manage to catch up with him, he's gone."

"Ah, shit!" sighed Nicholas as he tapped his own forehead.

As an eerie silence fell over Alicia's apartment, the urgency of the situation weighed heavily on their shoulders. Nicholas, despite his pain, took charge, his mind racing with possibilities.

"We need a plan," Nicholas insisted, his jaw clenched. "Ace won't just disappear."

Alicia, feeling uneasy, cast her eyes around the room, looking for any clues that might lead them to Ace's whereabouts. "What's his motive?" she asked herself. "Why is he so desperate to escape? And why does he want to take me with him so badly? It's an obsession!"

Noel, catching her breath, chimed in, "It's not just about running away. He's got something planned, something bigger. And he wants Alicia to be in his plans. We need to focus on these people."

Nicholas nodded, the gravity of the situation sinking in. "She's not just a runaway, she's a time bomb." Sighing, Nicholas gently stroked Alicia's back. "We'll take care of you here, take your time to shower and change. We need to get back to check on Brittany before we find Ace."

"Okay."

****

Having finished with all her personal matters, Alicia joined Nicholas and Noel in the center of the room. She had changed her clothes after several days of wearing the same clothes. Alicia tied up her black hair, then wearing a shirt covered with a gray leather jacket and jeans, Alicia looked ready for the day.

Alicia's presence caught Nicholas' attention. He looked up and smiled a little. "Are you done?"

And Alicia nodded her head. Noel, who was sitting across from Nicholas, spoke up. "We've just finished setting up the plan," he said, then he put away the cell phone he had been holding. "We should focus on Brittany and Ace's case first."

Alicia's brow immediately creased deeply. Biting her lip, she muttered, "W-what about the case of my parent's deaths?"

"We have to prove whether or not Ace was involved in your parents' deaths, and then we can decide whether or not to continue searching for Amanda."

"Alright," Alicia sighed, she couldn't protest anymore.

Noel cleared his throat to break the awkward atmosphere. Getting up from the sofa, he explained. "Can I leave you guys alone? I'm going to leave now."

"Yes, you can. I already feel better than before," Nicholas said. "What are your plans now?"

"I'm going to the office to make a report about Kevin. Don't they have a lawyer lined up against us? Brittany could be found guilty if we delay."

Nicholas also stood up from the sofa. He looked around and nodded his head. "After cleaning up all this mess, I will immediately inspect the crime scene where the accident occurred. We'll see if there are any eyewitnesses who can prove that Brittany wasn't driving that night." Nicholas sighed angrily, while rubbing his head in frustration, Nicholas continued, "I didn't know that a good-looking guy like Kevin would get us into trouble like this."

Alicia stood up as well. "I hope we can help Brittany get out of this mess."

"I agree." Noel gave a small smile. "I'm leaving now. See you soon."

Alicia and Nicholas exchanged glances after Noel's car left Alicia's flat. Nicholas mumbled, "Um, where do we start?"

"Maybe we should sweep first." Alicia gestured around her living room which was a mess because of the fight between Nicholas and Ace, she then squinted her nose and nodded. "Can you get the mop and deodorizer?"

"Do you really want me to clean the floor first, Alicia?"

"Do you think I look like I'm joking?"

Nicholas and Alicia laughed together, at their current situation.