Early the next morning, William made his way to Skyler's mansion, both of them fitting their earpieces and pinning tiny tiger brooches to their chests.
"Kane, can you see anything?" William whispered.
"Clear as day," Kane's voice crackled through the earpiece.
The tiny tiger brooch was a marvel, boasting a zoom capability of two hundred times, allowing them to monitor activities for miles around.
Skyler chuckled, "William, your brother is just as sharp as us." William's lips curled into a sly smirk, "Birds of a feather flock together. Smart guys naturally stick with other smart guys." William also slipped on a silver ring. Geoffrey was allergic to silver; a mere scratch on his skin would be enough to reveal his identity.
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He was just a kid, after all, mingling with others wouldn't raise any eyebrows.
They decided to start their search at a local bakery.
Since it wasn't the weekend, the place wasn't crowded, with just a few customers trickling in and out.
"Skyler, do you think Geoffrey could be disguised as a girl?" William murmured under his breath.
"It's possible," Skyler nodded.
"Is he tall?" "He's a little bit shorter than me. I'm 6'5" and he's around 6'4"," Skyler said.
William stroked his chin thoughtfully, "Then he probably wouldn't dress up as a woman. A tall girl would stand out too much." At the moment, the bakery was mainly frequented by girls who had a particular fondness for sweets.
They decided to switch up the scenery and headed to the bustling town square.
Crowds were good for blending in, and it was likely that Geoffrey would show up here.
Pretending to be absorbed in their playful antics, they kept a vigilant watch over the area.
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But everyone seemed normal; no one particularly suspicious caught their eye.
William sighed in frustration, "Skyler, maybe we've overestimated Geoffrey. He might not be tailing you constantly, just appearing at random." Skyler spoke in a low tone, "Or maybe he only follows when we're on vacation. Or maybe it's not him in person but someone he sends. He's got plenty of minions, and they all obey him. Disobey, and they would get bitten by a venomous bug, just like | did." William bristled with anger, "Geoffrey doesn't act like a real brother to you. | bet he's not your twin at all because he's too cruel. Just like those bullies at school. Look at me and Kane, we're tight. He never bullies me, and | never bully him." Skyler felt the same. With Geoffrey, it was always about obedience, or else he'd face the bugs' venom or some poison that left him dazed with splitting headaches and stomach pains.
Tanya never scolded Geoffrey, only Skyler, calling him foolish and disobedient. He sometimes wondered if Geoffrey was Tanya's child.
"So, | never want to go back to Eastwood Heights. Going back means dealing with Geoffrey and Tanya's bullying.
Dad and Mom wouldn't believe me, always thinking | was sick or hurting myself." William clapped him on the shoulder reassuringly, "Don't worry, Skyler. Uncle Leopold's sorted your residency.
This is your home now, and we're your family. No one can bully you here. We believe in you, not the wicked old Tanya. I'm starting to think she's part of the problem too. She and Geoffrey must be hiding some dirty secret." He paused, then added, "As soon as we catch Geoffrey, Tanya's lies will unravel, and no one will believe her anymore." Skyler nodded vigorously, "You're right. | have to expose Geoffrey." William fell silent, pondering, "Skyler, | have this hunch that Tanya and Geoffrey have something shady going on with Megan. Why else would they force you to hand over the antidote if Megan's poisoning didn't concern them?"