Chap 19: The New Plan

The Cliff twins were beyond pissed. They and their friends immediately left the University and went to their usual hangout to let off steam.

" That guy went too far," Jeff snarled, kicking a chair angrily.

" We have never been humiliated like this," Fred seethed, equally angry.

" I swear I will kill that guy," Jeff said, looking deadly.

" Calm down, guys," Austin tried to say but was stopped by Brad.

" How the f**k do we calm down? Didn't you see what he did?"

" None of the students in the entire University even dared to look at us in the eye, but today they were openly mocking us," Fred spat.

" We have to do something. We can't sit here and just complain," Jeff said with determination.

" But what can we do? We don't even know who he is," Jake commented.

" We must find out somehow," Fred said, taking out his phone and dialing a number. He asked the other person to get hold of the CCTV footage of the gym in the Cliff Resort where Adam had drugged them.

After a few minutes, Fred got a callback and was told the footage showed only a person covered entirely in black.

" F**k!!" Fred spat and threw his phone towards the wall. " He was wearing his mask the entire time."

" Did you check the footage at the entrance?" Jeff enquired. " The security won't allow anybody without an invitation or a member pass. So, how did he enter the resort?"

Fred called the resort security staff and asked them to recheck the complete footage from the previous day. After a while, the team called back and informed him about the status.

Fred had an unpleasant expression on his face, and Brad asked him, " What did they say?"

" They say there was no one suspicious who entered the hotel yesterday."

" How the hell is that possible?" Jeff screamed. " Such incompetent people. Give me your phone." Jeff took Fred's phone, redialed the security staff's number, and asked them to send the entire footage to him.

Everyone was glued to their laptop screen, carefully observing the camera footage for every minute detail.

" How did the son of bi**h enter inside, avoiding all the cameras? We can only see him in the camera outside the gym," Jake remarked.

" Does that mean he knows his way around the resort?"

" Then he must be one of the members."

" But only rich people could afford this resort. So, is he rich?"

" Quite possible. That's why we could not catch him yet," Fred commented.

" What do we do now?" Brad asked.

" First, let's check the members' list and see if there's someone who's related to that orphan girl and wants to help her," Jeff suggested.

Jeff was about to call someone when he was interrupted by Jake, who was still scanning the camera footage. " Look what I found."

Everyone glanced at the screen and saw Triston standing in front of the resort staring at the building.

" Is it him?" Austin asked, shocked.

" No way in hell," Fred said confidently. " He doesn't have the guts."

" But what is he doing at the resort on the day we were attacked," Jake asked.

Brad checked the footage timings and said, " But this was in the morning, and we were attacked in the evening. Also, he never entered the resort."

Jeff suddenly realized something and said, " What if Triston is working with that hooded guy? What if he asked him to do it?"

" That's absolutely possible!!" Fred exclaimed, getting up from his seat. " Who else other than Triston could have told the stranger about the resort's layout? Also, we all know how much Triston hates us, and he favors that orphan girl too. Since he cannot fight with us, he asked someone else to do it for him, that b**tard."

" But who would that be?" Jeff remarked. " I thought he had no friends."

" We cannot be sure. We are not watching him 24/7. Above all, after he started hanging out with the girl, we have stopped bothering him, too," Brad said in embarrassment.

" He's right," Fred remarked. " He even has a grudge against us."

" Son of a b**ch!!!" Jeff screamed. " I will kill him."

" But we are still not sure it's him," Austin said. " We can't attack him without any valid proof."

" Who cares," Jeff said. " I don't need a reason to punish him. "

" Stop it, Jeff," Fred spat. " We cannot act recklessly now. Have you already forgotten what happened today?"

" Then do you want us to sit quietly and let them enjoy their win?"

" Of course not!! What I am saying is we need to plan our next move thoroughly. We are at a disadvantage now because he seems to know everything about us, but we don't even know his identity. Also, he is physically strong and quite cunning."

" What has that got to do with Triston? My hands are itching, and I badly want to beat someone up, and that someone should be Triston."

" What if the stranger comes back for revenge?" Fred asked.

" Last time we beat Triston, the stranger didn't do anything. He only interfered when we messed with the girl."

" Maybe he was looking for the right opportunity? We still don't know his actual intentions."

" Then what do you reckon we do?" Brad asked.

" I have a plan," Fred smirked. " This time, he will have to deal with the big guns."

" You mean the goons?" Jake asked. " They are useless. They failed in the kidnapping plan."

" This time, we will get professionals, not small-time goons," Fred sneered. " Also, last time, our plan failed because we kidnapped the girl at the University where she was bound to get noticed. No one would have known if we had taken her from her home, and our plan would have worked."

" Are you planning to kidnap her again?" Austin asked in shock.

" No way!!!" Fred exclaimed. " Do you think I am a fool?"

" Why not?" Jeff snarled. " Are you scared?"

"I am not scared, Jeff; I am being careful. We do not want a repeat of what happened yesterday."

" Fine... you don't have to nag about it," Jeff said, annoyed. " So... what's your plan?"

" First, we need to keep a watch on Triston. If he is an accomplice of the hooded guy, I am sure they will meet."

" That's a good plan," Brad agreed. " And... what about that girl? Isn't the hooded guy more focused on the girl?"

" We are not sure yet. He asked us not to bother the girl but Triston being at the resort yesterday is too suspicious. What if Triston instructed him to threaten us to keep the girl safe?" Fred reasoned.

" That's possible," Jeff said. " But why would anybody listen to a nobody like Triston? What can he offer?"

" Did you forget Triston is a Cliff?" Brad said without thinking. " The entire fortune belongs to him."

" Shut the f**k up, a**hole!!" Fred bellowed. " It's not his."

" I-I... m-mean...Technically it belongs to him..."

" So what?" Jeff spat. " Once he is 21, he will have to transfer everything to us. Dad will ensure that. And even if he is the owner on papers, he does not have access to the money."

" Then why would the stranger help Triston," Jake asked.

" Who knows what he has bargained for?" Fred wondered. " But I sure will find out soon."