Chapter 139 A Little Trick to Deceive Everyone
Leo and the crew bailed outta there, following Loren's lead. They ditched the ride and made a beeline for a nearby amusement park.
The place was jam-packed, perfect for laying low.
Loren had been here before and knew the ropes.
He spotted some part-timers in mascot getups, slipped 'em some cash, and snagged three mascot suits.
"Summer, Leo, suit up," Loren ordered.
"Why aren't we just bouncing?" Leo asked. They could've been long gone by now.
"It's too risky," Summer shot back, not mentioning his worry about blowing John's cover if they led the bad guys to the Lewis Mansion.
Leo was still puzzled. "Why's it not safe to head back?"
"Quit yappin' and put it on," Loren said, giving Leo a playful smack on the head.
Soon enough, they were all decked out in mascot suits.
The crew chasing them rolled into the park too, but with the crowd, they had to play it cool.
The three of them, now sweating in those thick mascot suits, started posing for pics with kids.
Loren, peeking through the mascot's eyes, saw the crew still on the hunt.
The suits were hot and clunky, making it tough to move.
Leo, not used to this kinda discomfort, was struggling. He got jostled, lost his balance, and hit the deck. His headpiece popped off, drawing eyes.
Seeing trouble, Loren quickly covered Leo's face with his own suit, grabbed the headpiece, and slapped it back on Leo.
"I'm roasting in here. I can't take it," Leo grumbled inside the suit.
"Hang tight a bit longer," Loren whispered.
Summer saw the crew heading their way. Rocking a snow elf suit, he started busting out some goofy dance moves to divert attention.
His silly dance had tourists cracking up and crowding around, pushing the crew away.
Thinking it was just mascots doing their thing, the crew moved on to search elsewhere.
"Split up and find those kids. Don't let 'em slip away," the leader barked.
The crew split up.
The park was crawling with kids, making it tough to spot Summer and Loren.
Once the coast was clear, Summer and Loren helped Leo to a shady spot.
Leo was panting from the heat. "Gimme some water," he said.
Loren handed him a bottle and teased, "Man, you're really soft, Leo. How you gonna carry on the family name with that weak bod?"
Leo felt embarrassed and almost choked on the water. "You almost made my dad bury his son. The Robinson line would've ended with me."
Loren laughed. "Alright, Leo, you were a trooper. I'll tell my mom and won't mess with you anymore."
Summer, keeping an eye out, said, "I think they're guarding the exit. If we try to leave, we're toast. I'll call for backup."
Summer called Todd but instantly regretted it.
Todd laughed when he heard Summer was being chased. "Kid, in this biz, sometimes you gotta pay the price. You'll get used to it."
Summer gritted his teeth, wanting to smack Todd. "They're after me and Loren."
"Loren?" Todd finally got it. "From your tone, sounds like you're okay. We haven't pissed anyone off recently, but we've got plenty of old enemies. Boss doesn't play nice and has snatched a lot of business from others. Even our Nightfall club has blown up. Where you at? I'll send Sam and Tyler to scoop you up."
"I'll send you my location," Summer replied, not expecting much from unreliable Todd.
Leo, still rattled, asked, "Loren, who the heck is Summer?"
A five-year-old kid, cool as a cucumber, had just told them to hop in the car in a sketchy situation. Any other kid would've been bawling. This wasn't normal.
Loren shrugged. "Summer's my brother."
Leo was annoyed; that wasn't what he was getting at.
"Loren, considering I almost bit the dust just now, can you tell me why those goons are after you?"
"Because they're bad guys," Loren said. He didn't really know either, just that they were trouble.
Leo felt a bit lost.
Summer chimed in, "Let's chill here for now. Someone will come to help."
Leo was still ticked off. "They clearly want to nab you, and it's definitely not for trafficking. Summer, who the heck are you?"
"My name's Summer, Loren's brother," Summer said seriously. "I'm almost five."
Leo's mouth twitched; they really were brothers.
"I gotta hit the restroom," Summer said. Even the toughest need a break.
Loren stayed outside with Leo. They didn't dare take off the mascot suits yet.
Leo really hated the mascot suit; it was way too hot. Loren scared him, and Leo didn't dare risk his neck. After all, he was the oldest of the three and should protect the two kids. He couldn't just bail.
In the restroom, Summer pulled out a small computer from his backpack and accessed the database to see who Nightfall had ticked off recently and what forces had rolled into Silver Crest City.
Summer didn't call John. This unexpected mess was also a test.
Summer used the faces of the people who had chased them to create a simulation on the computer and ID them.
Just as he was about to wrap up, there was a ruckus outside. Worried about Loren's safety, Summer quickly shut the computer and dashed out.
False alarm.
Loren and Leo were fine; it was just a thief who had caught the amusement park security's attention.
Summer signaled to Loren to move out.
They couldn't leave the amusement park yet, but they could find a quieter spot.
In a secluded area, Summer continued to dig into the leads.
The people who were chasing them earlier had tattoos on their arms. Based on the tattoos and a composite sketch, Summer quickly ID'd them.
Loren craned his neck to look. "People from Blue Venture Group, they got some nerve. By the way, Summer, what's Blue Venture Group?"
Summer didn't know how to explain.
Leo, who was eavesdropping, was also surprised and explained, "Loren, I know. Want me to spill the beans? Say something nice, and I'll tell you."
Loren pouted. "You don't have to say it."
Leo felt helpless.
His urge to show off made him unable to hold back.
Leo said, "Blue Venture Group is a big company, but it tanked recently. They mainly ran nightclubs. I've been to their joints. The women there are so fine, understanding, gentle, and know how to take care of people..."
Summer shot him a look. "Don't corrupt Loren."
Leo gave an embarrassed grin. "My bad, my bad. The boss of Blue Venture Group, nicknamed ViperStrike, is ruthless and holds grudges. By the way, how did you guys get tangled up with ViperStrike?"
Summer and Loren both shrugged. "No clue."
"No clue." Leo was once again at a loss.
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