Chapter 12: Chapter 0012 – Bad News on the Doorstep

Ravela opened her eyes, enraged. As funny as these dreams were, compared to the nightmares she suffered before, they got old fast.

 

She got into her sports clothes and hit the lakeside with furious zeal.

 

The weather was good, the air cool, and the sun still hidden behind the mountain.

 

Ravela breezed down the path around the lake, angry. She didn’t like the thought of someone rummaging through her things. It was even less appealing when she considered that she had to let it happen.

 

She couldn’t think about those teenagers all day. Ravela had to study the history of this world. Reaching and passing the middle point of her run without stopping, as usual, Ravela pressed on. 

 

Ravela felt her mood rise once she reached the second town on her run. Breakfast could turn mediocre days with its alluring charm. She could endure anything if it came with a good breakfast.

 

She slowed down before she reached the corner where the slope was. Ravela turned the corner, and it was as she feared Safora and Laena stood where she had ‘landed’ the bus two days earlier.

 

They were talking, but he could see Safora glance down the lakeside path. ‘Yes, I am indeed passing through here. Damn my routine! I should have run the other way around the lake. Stupid, dumb, daft. You’re smarter than this!’

 

Ravela beat herself up over her adherence to her routine. Out of courtesy, Ravela slowed down and came to a halt beside the girls. She simulated being a bit out of breath a bit before saying.

 

“Blessed day, girls.” Then looked at the wheel markings and oil spots on the path. “So this was where it happened?”

 

Ravela looked up the slope and slowly back to the spot where the bus left unmistakable marks.

 

“Unbelievable.”

 

Ravela turned to the girls. They hadn’t returned his greeting.

 

Safora was the first to speak. “So, Mr. Roice, how long does one round around the lake take you? Just out of curiosity.”

 

Ravela gave her a look. ‘Subtle. Really? No, hello? Just ignore his question and try to get more information?’

 

“Ah, I see. Yeah, I wouldn’t want to talk about” Ravela gestured up the slope “this debacle if I had been here, either. Hm, you know today might be a new record. I don’t take the time, but if I get an early start, which I almost always do, I’m back for breakfast.”

 

Ravela looked at the tire marks and up the slope again. Shaking her head, she said. “You’re so lucky. It is hard to put into words. Anyways, I got to run. I missed breakfast the last two days. I don’t want to make it a tradition. Be safe out here.”

 

With these words, Ravela turned and began running. At what she considered an average pace.

 

Her ears still picked up Laena saying to Safora.

 

“Real smooth there.”

 

And Safora responding. “Not like I do this on the regular.”

 

Ravela smiled at their bickering.

 

After some more running, she made it back to Ma Stone’s house.

 

Next, as usual, were her bathtub and breakfast. Ma Stone was in a hurry today. She left breakfast early. Laena came back as Ma Stone left. They had some words as Ma Stone left.

 

Ravela couldn’t hear them, as something else had taken her attention.

 

Ma Stone’s Newspaper, The Tribute, lay on the table, and on the front page, she saw an old Asian man. A face she knew from the day of her arrival.

 

‘Fraud at Ito Incorporated’

 

Ravela read the article with growing concern. Dr. Himiko Ito’s statement on the whole thing seemed halfhearted, almost as if her thoughts circled something other than money.  The face of the doctor in question was the same as the woman she had shown her true face to after escaping her sarcophagus.

 

‘Okay, calm down. If you freak out now, Laena will realize something is wrong.’ 

 

Ravela kept reading the article. The money she stole, this man embezzled from Dr. Ito’s company. The money stolen was still in the wind, and they were grilling the former chief of finances on its whereabouts.

 

Ravela put the newspaper back where she picked it up, but the front page was face down this time. She didn’t need to see her troubles during breakfast.

 

Ravela dug in, and Laena seemed much less about investigating Ravela’s affairs which led to Ravela relaxing in her presence a bit.

After she had her fill, Ravela excused herself and left.

 

In her room, she took the teacher's notes from the small cosmetic desk together with her note block and left for the library.

 

It was time to study history, society, and geography. Once in the library, Ravela failed to concentrate on her tasks.

 

‘Could they track the money? If they could, they would be here in no time. How do I get them off my trail?’

 

Ravela got off her chair, put her notes back in the bag she transported them in, and left the library. She walked through town, deep in thought. 

 

She walked past the school and the mayoral seat. She found herself on the way to the train station, lost in thought. Betty’s Diner was once again full of customers, yet Ravela felt no urge to stop and go inside.

 

It was too risky to spend money right now. Soon, Ravela saw herself reach the outskirts of Gradjia.

 

‘Goodbye, and a safe journey.’ The sign stated.

 

Ravela looked down the road and spotted a different billboard.

 

“See you soon in La Heumö, Home of Lady Luck.” Ravela read the sign out loud.

 

Her brain suddenly kicked into a higher gear. ‘A solution!’

 

Ravela turned on her heels. She had wandered the town for half the day without noticing. Her path led her back to the train station. Ravela’s steps were no longer aimless but full of drive and purpose.

 

She looked at every arrival and departure plan. La Heumö was her new goal. Switching out the money there would make the police look in that city for people who wouldn’t be there.

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The time had come for some mischieve. After searching for some time, Ravela found La Heumö on the plan. She began doing the math. Ravela would be there by late afternoon if she rides on Friday morning. Depending on time zones, it might be two hours later or earlier.

 

Ravela could get the last train back on Monday, and like that, she would lay a massive false trail. She would give herself a reasonable excuse for having that criminal money too. ‘After all, poor old Ramiel went there to relax a bit. He must have come back with some dirty money.’

 

“My, my, what a splendid situation,” Ravela said with a devilish grin.

 

She went over to the ticket booth.

 

“Blessed day.” Ravela greeted the man selling the train tickets.

 

“Blessed day, right back atcha. What can I do for you, young man.” The salesman responded.

 

“Please, call me Ramiel. I wondered what a ticket to La Heumö would cost a man.”

 

“Oh, that depends. When do you plan do you go, Ramiel?”

 

Ravela smiled, “I thought Friday morning would be nice.”

 

“Hm, this Friday? So in two days? Why, that would be 40 dollars, my friend.”

 

Ravela pulled out her money and paid the man without complaint.

‘Anything you want, buddy. Anything you want.’

 

She got her ticket and checked the time on it. 5:50 in the morning. 

No problem for Ravela. She was usually starting her round around the lake at that time.

 

“Goodbye, and see you on Friday.”

“Bright and early, friend.” came the response from the salesman, paired with a wave.

 

Ravela put the ticket into her pocket. It was time for a new plan.

 

One day for preparations should be enough to get some supplies.

Ravela would get some planning done before dinner.

 

A while later, Ravela sat in her room, her suitcase open. She spread out all the ring boxes on the table.

 

Ravela took stock of her money again. Eighty straps of ten thousand dollars each.

 

800,000 dollars to exchange in the gambling city. Ravela looked at the small bag with her schoolwork in it. That bag wouldn’t be nearly big enough to carry everything he wished to take with her.

 

Ravela planned on leaving the suitcase behind together with the armor suit and some of the unnecessary items.

 

First thing tomorrow, Ravela would buy two big bags, one for her money and another for clothes, and the other things she needed on this journey.

 

Ravela went down to tell Ma Stone about her plans for Friday. There was no need for her to worry about cooking breakfast and dinner if he won’t in town.

 

She found Ma Stone where she always was some time before dinner, in the kitchen.

 

“Good evening, Ma Stone,” Ravela said while knocking.

 

Ma Stone didn’t even break her pace while responding. “Good evening, Ramiel. What brings you into my sanctum?”

 

“I just wanted to inform you that I won’t be here from Friday till Sunday evening. I am going on a little trip to break the routine.”

 

Ma Stone nodded. “Thank you for warning me. It’d be a shame for food that would go to waste.”

 

Ravela left Ma Stone to her eager work. There was no need to disturb her more than she already had. Besides, there were other things she needed to do.

 

Ravela looked at the clock outside her room. There was plenty of time left before dinner would be served.

 

Returning to her room looked at the open suitcase and scolded herself for leaving things like this. The money in her pocket would be enough to buy herself two sufficiently big bags.

 

She worked quickly and got everything back in the suitcase. Afterward, she went back to the town’s main street. Shops were still open. She had another two hours to do some minor purchases.

 

First, she bought two bags, just as she planned. Next, she bought some clothes some a bit smaller than her current clothes, others were for men that had a slightly broader build than her outer appearance. She wasn’t as picky with these as she was with her first sets of clothes. Suits off the rack. The shoes were also rather mundane. Two smaller pairs and two bigger pairs would be good enough to make Ravela’s plans possible.

 

The shopkeepers asked curious questions, which was to be expected, but nothing Ravela couldn’t just wave off with some none-answers and empty pleasantries. Most salesmen got the message and moved on to just ring the things she wanted up at the register others eventually gave up on wringing an answer from a stone.

 

With her acquisitions, she made her way back through town.

 

While walking through the park, Ravela noticed that someone was following her.

 

‘Don’t mind it. Don’t react. Just…. ignore it. It’s just a stupid teenager obsessing. She’ll stop eventually. It’s not bothering me. It ISN’T bothering me… It bothers me! It bothers me a lot!’ 

 

Ravela strained her self-control, pretending not to hear the hopping steps behind her. It was, of course, Safora pretending to be on her way to visit her good friend Laena, not at all sticking her nose in Ravela’s business. To keep the distance between them to avoid being interrogated, Ravela walked as fast as could be considered not running away.

 

Narrowly managing to escape being questioned by Safora, Ravela made it to Ma Stone’s house. Pretending to not have noticed the nosey teenager behind her, she closed the door without looking back. She hurried to her room and shut herself in.

 

She immediately started packing her new clothing after searching it for still stuck-on tags or needles and the like. Shoes first clothing on top, like that Ravela prepared the first half of her luggage.

 

Once she was satisfied with her preparations Ravela went to the dining room. After all, it was not right to miss meals she didn’t have to miss.

 

She wasn’t surprised to find Safora there waiting. Ravela sighed.

 

‘This will become boring for her soon, right?’

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