Chapter 1

As I saw the man in black open the suitcase, I knew he was the one who stole the diamonds. The police report read that the jewelry store owner had seen a person dressed in black steel them. Plus, the only person I saw dressed in black was him.

I started to walk closer, but then I noticed that he wasn't alone. There was someone behind him.

"William, aren't you glad we can be rich now?" 

"I would sir, but..." 

"But what?"

"But I don't think we would be rich from stolen diamonds."

I knew it! Now, if only I can get the cops here. The problem is, I don't know where I am. I had to follow that truck for 3 hours. Maybe I can get the license plate number copied.

I tried to escape, but as I turned around to leave, I saw someone standing there blocking the exit. I tried to dodge him, but he was too fast.

"Lenud, sir?"

"Mmmm?"

"We have a trespasser I believe."

"Oh goodie! Bring him here."

He pulled me towards the man in black.

"Hello," he smiled. "What brings you here?"

Before I said anything, he said something else.

Forget what I said. Before you answer that, who are you?"

"I'm not telling a thief like you," I said.

"A thief? What makes you say that?"

"Well, I can tell because you have bags that say diamonds, and all four of the bags are full. No one would have that many diamonds, and live in such a cheap and small place."

"I am Lenud, leader of the 'Falcon's Nest'. The Falcon's Nest is a secret organization," the man said.

"What does it do?"

"Can't tell nonmembers."

"Hmph."

"Well, since your just a kid, I'll let you go this time, but if I ever see you here again, I will have you exterminated. And don't even think about contacting the police, or anyone else."

He let me go, but before I stepped outside, I left a walky-talky so that at home, I can listen to their conversation through the other end for the next 12 hours.

As I walked home, I wondered what I was going to do. Before I can answer my own question, my friend ran up to me.

"Hey Jason," he said catching his breath.

"You look like you've seen a ghost," I snicker.

"No, it's worse than a ghost. It's Randy. He's looking for you. Remember during lunch when your tray fell on him?"

"Yeah."

"Well, they are looking for you. They all split up."

"How do you know this?"

"Because I saw them."

"Okay thanks. I'll handle the rest."

"You sure you don't need my help?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

"Okay."

 As he turned around to leave, he told me, "Hey, ummm, where were you anyways?"

"Walking around town," I lied.

"Oh, okay. Later."

Looks like I now have another problem. Randy. Let me tell you about him.

Randy goes to the same school as me, Hernoes Middle School. He’s in 8th grade and likes to pick on us 7th graders. Randy’s the biggest bully in school. His favorite way to torture his victims is to pull a long wedgie on them. So far, it hasn’t happened to me, but after what happened yesterday may make him do it to me finally.
As I walked home, I saw one of his goons, Maar. At first, I thought that as long as I didn’t move or make a sound, he wouldn’t notice me, but as usual I was wrong. He spotted me, talked into a walky-talky, and walked towards me. I knew there was no point in running, so I just stood there. As he got closer, I saw that he looked different. He got a scar on his right eye as if a sword were to slash his face. 

“Hey Jason, long time no see.”

“What do you want Maar?”

“Just came to tell you that you are caught!” he warned.

Before I can understand what he meant, my vision went black.

I woke with a big headache. I tried to sit up, but when I did, the headache got worse.

“Rest little hero,” said a voice.

“Who are you?” I asked.

“Your guardian.”

“My what?”

“That is not important right now hero.”

You sound familiar.”

“Do I now?”

Yes, you sound a little like this one girl named Lucy.”

“And is this Lucy special to you?

I blushed, “No.”

“I will let you rest now.”

“What do you mean?”

Before I heard an answer, I woke up again, this time for reals. I was in my bed. I still had a headache, but it wasn’t as intense as before.

“What a dream,” I said. “I wonder who this ‘guardian’ is.”

“Jason!” my mom called. “Time to get ready for school!”

“Mom, it’s Saturday!”

She walked in my room. “Actually honey, it’s Monday. You were knocked out from Friday till now.”

“But how did I live without food or water?”

“Well Jason, a few kids have something called a ‘guardian’.”

“I think I just met mine.”

If I remember correctly, I think she was the mother of the girl named Lucy.”

“You mean Lucy Marly?”

Yes, that’s the one.”

“You see, before her mother passed away, she asked me if she could be your guardian so that she can protect you, but at the same time, kind of take care of Lucy.”

“And you let her.”

“Exactly. But I did it when Lucy was out of the room because I knew she wouldn’t approve.”

“Out of curiosity, what was her mother’s name?”

“Her name was Mia.”

“You mean like my cousin Mia?”

“Mmmhmmm.

“Whow.”

“Well, you should be getting ready for school.”

“But I have a headache.”

She checked my temperature. “Mmmm, I guess you do. Fine, you can stay.”

As she walked out the room, I looked at the alarm clock.

7:30, just great. Plus, I can see that my mom wasn’t lying about it being Monday. A few minutes passed and the alarm went off.

Beep! Beep! Beep! I hit the snooze button.

“So you have a headache, but somehow you can push the snooze button?” a voice said.

“Caroline, get out of my room.” I told my sister.

“Your room? Don’t you mean our room? We share this room twerp.”

“Well then stop bothering me.”

Okay, Caroline is my sister. She is 17 years old, 4 years older than me. I think she is the only person I have met so far that doesn’t care about how they look. She says there is no point in dressing pretty.

I tried to stand, but the headache got intense again.

“Ooooh,” I moaned.

“Ooooh your head hurts, or ooooh it’s Monday?”

“Both.”

“Yeah, I would say both too.”

As I try to fall back asleep, I remember about the person who stole the diamonds. Then, I also remember about something else, the sound recorder. I decided to wait till tomorrow. Hopefully, no one notices the sound recorder. Well, looks like it’s going to be a long day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Lenud?”

“Yes William?”

“Where are you planning to sell the diamonds?”

“I’m not going to.”

“But, why?”

“Well, it just happened to be that on the newspaper it said that the gem that grants immortality was stolen the same day and time that we stole the diamonds. If it’s true, what if we have it?”

“Well, we can become immortal.”

“Exactly!”

“Yup.”

“Plus, if we do have it, and we become immortal, then we can sell the diamonds and keep the money for ourselves and not have to worry about our boss killing us.”

“Maybe.”

“What do you mean maybe?”

“Well sir, there are two types of immortality. The first is where we can’t die no matter what, but can probably still age. The second one, we can still die, but we live forever without aging.

“With my luck, I’ll get the one where I look exactly the same.”

“Maybe.”

“What?”

“I…I…I mean… no, don’t say that!”

“That’s much like it.”

“May I have my break now?”

“Fine, but be back before 5 o’ clock.”

“Yes, sir.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Oh man, what happened? I can barely remember what happened yesterday. The only things I remember are that someone saying she is my guardian, a girl named Lucy Marly, a man named Lenud, and stolen diamonds.

“Jason, foods ready!” I hear someone call.

I wonder if Jason is me. I decide to stay in this room.

“Jason?” I hear the voice call again.

“Mom, Jason has a ‘headache’ remember?” I hear another voice say. 

“Oh, that’s right! I forgot. I’ll go talk to him.”

I start to hear footsteps coming closer. I then realize that Jason IS me. I see the door open a little.

“Jason, are you feeling better?” I hear the first voice say.

“Who are you?” I whisper.

“What? C’mon Jason, you know I don’t like it when you mumble.”

“Who are you?” I say a little more louder.”

“Jason what… no… no! Why!”

I see her eyes start to water.

“Why are you crying?”

“Jason, I am your mother, your mother!

“You are?”

“Yes Jason, yes! Try to remember!” I hear her cry.