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Chapter 8: Suspicion

  (Author's note: The dialogues in telepathy are italicized.)

  Anna shyly glances at her father, then quickly looks away to avoid his scowl. Though it's morning, the chill of the previous night still lingers in the air.

  "How's the case going?" Daniel asks Kyle telepathically, tending to the more urgent matter at the moment.

  "The serial murder's newest victim was confirmed last night, Dad... I mean, sir," Kyle mentally informs his father, who is receiving his quick report as the city mayor. "Thankfully, a passerby heard her cry for help and called emergency services in time. The victim's still in a coma, and the witness didn't see the assailant clearly, but at least we have a general description."

  Daniel turns to Anna and says softly, "I was too careless, letting you roam outside at such a dangerous time." His eyes fill with guilt as he looks at her.

  "I'm fine... It's my fault, too, for acting out like that," Anna murmurs, lowering her head.

  Daniel sighs deeply. "Where's Gab?" he asks, looking around.

  "Let me check on him," Jason says, standing up and grabbing his medical bag.

  Gabriel is still in his room. The harsh rain doesn't affect a dominant like Anna, but it does affect him. After knocking a few times without a response, Jason enters and finds Gabriel lying still on his bed, tightly wrapped in a thick blanket. Jason's professional intuition urges him to hurry.

  "Gab... Gab! Can you hear me?" Jason calls worriedly, touching his brother's forehead.

  Gabriel moves slightly, eyes closed, but doesn't reply.

  "Goodness... you're burning up!" Jason quickly removes the blanket, revealing Gabriel shivering intermittently.

  That morning, Jason takes leave from the hospital to care for Gabriel. Watching him breathe weakly in his sleep, as pale as paper, Jason sighs deeply. While changing Gabriel's sweaty clothes, he notices troubling scars on Gabriel's body.

  "What have you been doing all these years?" Jason frowns.

  May sits next to Jason in the hallway outside Gabriel's room, handing him a cup of coffee.

  "Don't worry, my mom is looking after him. You should rest a little," May thinks to Jason, her heart aching for her crush. His pure white long-sleeve shirt is rolled up and wrinkled. His elegant face looks sad and unkempt.

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  "I'm fine," Jason replies through his mind. Normally quiet, he suddenly opens up to her.

  "I tried to deny it, but An was right," Jason conveys softly. "Since Gab came back, I've been avoiding him, using my work as an excuse. I shouldn't have done that."

  May listens intently through their telepathic link.

  "He's a healthy boy, so we often forget that he's naturally weaker than us," Jason reminisces. "When we were little, he was the only one in the family to catch seasonal colds or flu. Each time, I would check his temperature and give him medicine. He was my first patient."

  Jason smiles nostalgically at May, and she feels her heart melt looking into his deep blue eyes.

  Gabriel's room door opens, interrupting their silent conversation. Gabriel hurries out, heading somewhere. Clara follows, looking at Jason and May with worried eyes.

  "You're sick, Gab," Jason says, holding him back in the hallway. "Where are you going?"

  "I need to go out for a moment," Gabriel replies, slipping out of Jason's grasp and running away. "I'll be back soon, I promise!"

  "Put your jacket on and bring an umbrella!" Jason calls after him.

  Gabriel waves, signaling he understands, then leaves.

  Kyle and Anna secretly follow Gabriel as he rushes out of the house, looking disheveled and not paying attention to himself. He has been acting shady since returning from his sentence, but seeing him like this makes Anna curious and a bit worried for him, just a tiny bit.

  "Look, I'm only doing this because you keep insisting, but just this once, okay? I'm a busy man," Kyle shoots his thought to Anna impatiently.

  "Alright, I get it. I can do this alone just fine, but I'm using my policeman brother's assistance. You should be honored," Anna retorts.

  "Oh yeah? For what? Stalking another brother of yours?" Kyle snorts.

  "Shhh! He's meeting someone!" Anna turns their attention to Gabriel, who is circling a house in a quiet area. He looks hesitant and deep in thought. After checking that no one is watching, he pulls a thick envelope from his pocket, about to leave it in the post box.

  "What do you think it is?" Anna whispers in Kyle's head, her face serious. "A threat letter? A bomb?"

  "You've watched too many movies!" Kyle shakes his head in frustration.

  Suddenly, the door flings open, and a woman in her forties stands before Gabriel, her face filled with anger and hatred when she recognizes him.

  "What do you think you're doing?" she asks abruptly.

  "Excuse me... I heard you were moving today, so I came to give you... um... this..." Gabriel hesitates, handing her the envelope.

  "What is this? Money?" the woman cries in disbelief. "My goodness... you think this can make up for what you did to us? Are you for real?"

  She throws the envelope at Gabriel, the bills scattering everywhere.

  Gabriel stands still, head lowered, muttering in shame, "Sorry... I'm so sorry."

  "Shut up!" the woman screams, tears streaming down her face. "You caused my child trauma, having to watch his father die in front of him! You killed my husband in cold blood! You murderer!"

  Kyle and Anna are dumbfounded. They look at Gabriel, unable to believe their eyes and ears. Gabriel doesn't deny it; he silently bends down to pick up the money. Suddenly, he senses something and turns to look behind him. That's where Kyle and Anna were just a moment ago. Before Gabriel could notice, Kyle teleported them away. They are standing somewhere else, still breathing hard from the dramatic scene they just witnessed.

  "You..." Anna wheezes, looking at Kyle. "Did you hear what I just heard?"

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