Lionel was coming out of the washroom slightly grimacing in pain when he noticed Riley on the phone. He instantaneously slowed down his pace, listening in keenly to the conversation, wondering who it could be with the fierce expression on Riley's face.
"I'm going to make you pay for every pain you've caused my family, Ni..chole."
Lionel on hearing this, quickly rushed to Riley despite the pains he was going through, snatching the phone from Riley's ear.
"What are you doing Riley?" he uttered, hanging up the call."Do you think this is the right time? What if she plans something else? Don't you think you're giving her the chance to escape once again? Argh!" he grimaced in pain, holding his ribs.
Riley rushed to his end, "Are you okay?" she queried, helping him to sit on the bed.
"Yeah, I think."
Riley noticed the blood on the bandage around his wounds jolted up, startled.
"Oh my God, you're bleeding," she exclaimed with her eyes fixed on the wounds.
"Let me call Doctor Louis" she added, reaching out for her phone from Lionel but he pulled it away.
"No Riley, I'm fine."
"No, you're not Lionel. What if your wounds get infected?"
"It won't, just get me the first aid box. I will dress it. Trust me, I'm fine." he replied, noticing how tensed Riley was.
"Okay," she mumbled, reluctantly springing up from the bed. She went over to the drawer beside her wardrobe and pulled out the first aid kit. She strolled back to bed and sat beside him. He stretched out his hand, reaching for it but she slightly pulled it away.
"Let me help," she murmured.
Lionel slightly nodded in response with a smile on his face. She drew closer and gently removed the bandage on his wounds, dressing them up.
"I'm sorry Lio. I..." she murmured.
"Hey..." he hastily mumbled, lifting her chin."No need to be Riley, I understand how you feel but I have to take caution and put good measures on the place before we can gain victory. Relax and don't rush things. I promise I will give you the revenge you seek for your dad and family, Okay?"
"Hmm..." she mumbled, nodding in response as she went ahead dressing the wound. She was still on it when the door pushed open, drawing their attention to it.
"Mum..." she exclaimed, rising from the bed as she was almost done dressing the wounds.
She glided towards her mother, pulling her into a hug.
"You're finally home. I missed you so much."
"I missed you too dear," replied Rosita as they drew back from the hug.
"Lionel," she uttered as she trolled towards him. "I heard what happened to you." she said, sitting beside him. "how are you feeling now?"
"Much better, glad to have you back."
"Thanks, dear," she replied, brushing her hand in his hair as she slightly pulled her head, peeking at his forehead.
Lian and Riley stood looking on with a smile. They were still enjoying the moment of rebound when the door heavily slammed open, scaring the daylight out of them.
"Kate, Loretta, Nancy, what's going on? You startled us." queried Riley as her friends rushed in.
Kate, breathing heavily. "Sorry Riley, but we found some information about Nichole and her goons. And I think we're been followed now."
"Yes Riley, it's no longer safe here. I think we should find a hideout" added Loretta, tensed.
"Okay girls, but you need to calm down first. Here, sit Riley, guiding them to a seat. They settled in as Riley turned her gaze back to Lionel, Lian, and Rosita who were starring all along, alarmed.
"What do we do?" she queried.



************
Nichole was by this time more alarmed by his earlier conversation on phone with Riley.
"I need to act fast," she mumbled as she scanned her phone, searching for Zed's number.
"Why is Zed not giving me feedback all of a sudden?" she added as she placed the phone on her ears. After a short ring, Zed answered.
"What's going on Zed? I've been waiting for your call for a while now. Where the hell are you now?"
"Sorry ma'am, I was tailing after Riley and her friends. They've been acting suspicious for a while now."
"Okay, okay, keep following them. I want to know what they are up to. I received a call from that brat Riley. She is getting on my nerves."
"Okay, ma'am."
"Anyway, what about Lionel? You promised to give me feedback on him but up to now, I have not heard anything from you."
"Lionel..? What happened to him?" queried a familiar voice from behind.
Nichole immediately froze, stunned.
"Hmm...he..." she mumbled, stammering as she turned to face Dickson.
"What's going on Nichole? Is my son okay?"
"Yes, yes." she hastily answered, cutting in. "He's perfectly fine. I was even on the phone with one of his friends."
Dickson hived a distressful sigh with a pale face, looking disturbed.
"This is all my fault. I shouldn't have overreacted toward him. I should have understood him, being the first time discovering that the one he has always been calling his mother isn't her real mother. Every child would have felt the way he did but instead, I shouted at him. Sending him out."
"Calm down Dickson, he will call when he is ready to. Just give him some time to digest things. I believe he also understood how you felt."
Dickson with a weary face briefly stared at Nichole and sighed.
"If you say so."
"Here, let's go and have some rest," uttered Nichole as she wrapped her hand around his.
"Okay," she replied and they both sauntered away.

It was a beautiful morning, Nichole was asleep beside her husband when she heard her phone ringing. She drowsily opened her eyes as she reached for the phone. She checked who the caller was and her eyes flew wide open, the drowsiness disappearing from her face.
"Zed...? Why this early morning?" she whispered as she took a glance at Dickson who was fast asleep and quickly glided down from bed, rushing out of the room.
"What is it Zed..? Why this early morning?" she whispered through the phone when she got to the corridor.
"Well...ma'am, I have some news for you."
"What is it?"
"Well..., I just found out that Lionel is still alive and he is with Riley."
"What...?" she shouted, swiftly glancing at the door to the bedroom.
"What the hell happened? I thought you said it was a done deal."
"Yes ma'am, it was but I don't know what happened."
"Don't give me that bullshit Zed, eliminate them," she exclaimed, hanging up in rage.

CLIFFORD'S APARTMENT
Riley was in her room contemplating whether to go to school or not when her mother glided into the room.
"Aren't you going to school?" she queried.
"I will mum but..." she murmured, turning her gaze to Lionel who was fast asleep.
Rosita gently patted her daughter's shoulder, smiling.
"Don't worry about him Riley, I'll take care of him."
"Okay, mum. Then..." she mumbled, picking up her bag." I'm heading out." she added, peeking at her mother's cheeks before sauntering out of the room.


***********
It was around 8 am when Riley got to the school. She glided out of the bus to meet her friends at the entrance.
"Welcome back to school," uttered Loretta with a smile.
"Hmm.., Thank you," she murmured, tilting her head.
Just then, Kate saw someone watching them from a car then suddenly pulled out a gun, aiming at Riley.
"Riley, watch out," she shouted, pushing her aside.
Riley swiftly turned and the next thing she could see was Kate lying on the floor, grimacing in pain.
"Kate....!" they shouted, rushing to her.