Chapter 8: The Ally

(Leaves the library, her mind buzzing with plans. She needs to find more evidence against Veer, but where should she start?)
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
(Remembers the photos in the hidden room. The faces of the people connected to Veer. Maybe one of them can help.)
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
(She pulls out her phone and starts searching for information on the people in the photos. She focuses on the woman with the fiery red hair, the one Ishaan mentioned.)
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
(Finds an article about the woman. Her name is Maya, and she was Veerโ€™s former girlfriend. The article mentions that their relationship ended badly, with Maya accusing Veer of abuse and manipulation.)
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
(Inner monologue) Maya. She could be a valuable ally.
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
(She finds Mayaโ€™s contact information and sends her a message, introducing herself and explaining that she has information about Veer.)
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
(Waits anxiously for a response. Minutes turn into hours, but Maya doesnโ€™t reply.)
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
(Starts to lose hope. Maybe Maya doesnโ€™t want to get involved. Maybe sheโ€™s too scared.)
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
(Decides to take a chance. She finds Mayaโ€™s address and heads towards her apartment.)
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
(Arrives at Mayaโ€™s apartment building, a modest complex in a quiet neighborhood. She hesitates for a moment, then rings the doorbell.)
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
(The door opens a crack, revealing a woman with tired eyes and a wary expression. Itโ€™s Maya.)
Maya
Maya
(Her voice cautious.) Who are you?
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
(Her voice soft.) My name is Anika. I sent you a message earlier.
Maya
Maya
(Her eyes widen slightly.) Youโ€™re the one who knows about Veer.
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
(Nods.) Can I come in? I need to talk to you.
Maya
Maya
(Hesitates for a moment, then opens the door wider.) Come in.
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
(Enters the apartment, a small and sparsely furnished space. Maya closes the door behind her.)
Maya
Maya
(Leads Anika to a small table in the living room. They sit down, facing each other.)
Maya
Maya
(Her voice filled with suspicion.) What do you want?
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
I want to help you.
Maya
Maya
Help me? How?
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
I know what Veer did to you. I know about the abuse, the manipulation.
Maya
Maya
(Her eyes widen in surprise.) How do you know that?
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
I saw it. In the hidden room.
Maya
Maya
(Her brow furrowed.) What hidden room?
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
(Explains about the clock tower, the hidden room, and the evidence she found there.)
Maya
Maya
(Listens intently, her expression changing from disbelief to anger.) That bastard.
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
I know. Heโ€™s a monster.
Maya
Maya
(Her voice filled with bitterness.) He ruined my life. He took everything from me.
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
I know. But we can stop him. Together.
Maya
Maya
(Looks at Anika, a flicker of hope in her eyes.) Do you really think so?
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
(Nods.) We have to try.
Maya
Maya
(Takes a deep breath.) Iโ€™m in.
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
(A wave of relief washes over her.) Thank you, Maya.
Maya
Maya
(Stands up.) We need a plan.
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
(Nods.) I know. But first, I need to tell you everything. About Anya. About my past life.
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
(Begins to tell Maya the story of her past life, her death, and her rebirth. Maya listens intently, her expression a mixture of shock and sympathy.)
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ž๐™ ๐™–/ ๐˜ผ๐™ฃ๐™ฎ๐™–
It all started 10 years ago...

Download

Like this story? Download the app to keep your reading history.
Download

Bonus

New users downloading the APP can read 10 episodes for free

Receive
NovelToon
Step Into A Different WORLD!
Download MangaToon APP on App Store and Google Play