Chapter 110: A Public Accusation
1465words
Their hearts dropped when the thing they most feared took place. It seemed like the curator truly was cleverer than everyone else. He had framed them, turning the public opinion against them.
Ayo, who was with them now, came into the room quickly. Her face looked very pale when she talked: "I saw the news," she said in a surprised voice. "How can this be?"
Eki and Dapo stared at each other with no answers in their expressions. They could not figure out how to prove that it was not them who did this, since everything seemed to accuse them.
The following days, they were very busy because of media and legal problems. Their phones kept ringing all the time since many reporters wanted to interview them. They had to go away - their lives turning from peaceful and quiet into a lot of chaos.
Ayo, in her journalist style, began to take charge of the situation. She started a private investigation to show they were innocent. Ayo also looked into the history of the curator to find evidence of his illegal actions.
Meanwhile, Eki and Dapo always tried to stay ahead of the police. They kept going from one safe house to another, living with their lives changing all the time. The worry about being caught was always there, like a friend who never went away from them.
Later, Ayo made a very big discovery. She found out that the curator had many bad ties in the art world. He joined in many robberies, and people even mentioned he had ties with a gang.
With this new information, Eki and Dapo felt a strong sense of hope. They discovered a clue, seeing it as a chance to improve their situation. Yet they knew it was an uncertain route.
They decide to share their story because there is a lot of bad news about them. They arrange a media event known as a "press conference" to change people's opinions about them.
The gathering of journalists felt like being in a big sports game. They understood the risks but saw it as their only chance. Their hearts were beating fast inside them as they got ready to stand before the cameras.
They tell a story, explaining about the curator, theft and their last try to take the artefact. They ask for help from everyone and believe they are innocent. The story starts with them meeting the curator who trusts them very much. But then there was a big theft in the museum where precious artefacts got stolen. In desperation, they make one final attempt to recover it themselves, thinking this is the best way to prove innocence. Now they reach out asking all people around for support and assistance because deep inside their hearts, they know they did not commit a crime but need others to believe the same too.
The reactions to the press conference were mixed; some people thought what they said was true, but many others still had questions. However, one thing was very clear: people's attention had shifted. The central theme was not their guilt but the curator's criminal actions.
As time passed, the authorities felt greater pressure to find the true criminals. Public voices grew louder, making police feel more stressed about solving this case quickly.
Eki and Dapo stayed in their safe house, feeling the tension. The idea of having a press conference felt a bit risky but seemed to be going okay for now. Public opinion was starting to shift gradually to their favouring side.
"We did it," Dapo said with surprise in his voice. "The hills and valleys were very something."
Eki smiled weakly. "It was crazy, but it might just work."
They knew they should not rest yet. Thorne and the curator were still out there, still a threat to them. But it was the first time in many weeks they felt a little hope.
"We must find Amina," Eki said, with her voice showing lots of determination. "She knows more things and keeps them secret."
Dapo nodded, "Yes, we need to find the item," he said. "That is most important."
In the coming days, they spend all their energy looking at old newspaper articles. The goal is clear - find any clue that might help them locate Amina. It was like looking for one tiny needle in a giant stack of hay, but their strong desire to find her never got less.
The next thing that happens is they make a big discovery. They find an old newspaper article about a cultural festival, and there is a photo of Amina inside it. The girl in this picture appears younger, with hope and a joyful expression on her face. But no question, it is certainly her.
The searchers, with hope inside their hearts, started to follow the clues. They looked at Amina's journey through these years. It was not easy work but they were determined to find her.
Some days went by, and then some weeks also passed. They reached a small village in the middle of this country. It felt like it might not work out, but they thought searching there was still worth trying.
As they get closer to the village, it starts to look familiar. The scenery seems the same, very much like the place where we find that secret room with many old things inside.
Their expectations were heightened. They found an old woman who seemed to know Amina. She led them to a small, quiet hut at the edge of the village.
Feeling both nervous and excited, they gave the door a little tap. After a few moments, the door made an old creaky noise as it opened slowly. Amina appeared in the opening, seeming older but still possessing her characteristic firmness.
"You discovered me," she uttered, a blend of relief and astonishment coating her tone.
Dapo asked, voice sounding both happy and confused, "How did you find us?"
Amina, with her lips forming a gentle smile and her eyes glowing softly, spoke modestly. "It was the spirits who guided me," she said. They told me you required help."
Eki and Dapo looked at each other quickly, eyes wide with surprise. They have felt doubtful about supernatural stuff for a while now, but after the strange events in the past weeks, they start to think more seriously.
Eki, looking very anxious, said "Please, we are in trouble. Thorne is coming for us; he wants the artefacts."
Amina nodded, her expression grave. "I know," she replied. "I've been watching."
The next hours went to studying maps closely and checking old files, trying to solve the mystery bit by bit. Amina knew this area very well. She was their guide, an important link in this unknown and dangerous setting.
They go inside an old ruin, hidden in the deep part of the forest. Amina says it is a holy place, with very strong energy. And she believed that there they would receive answers.
The path to the ruins was very risky. They had to travel over rough terrain, stay away from wild animals and remain hidden from Thorne's group. But their determination to uncover the truth drove them forward.
Finally, they arrived at the ruins and their eyes were amazed. The old stone buildings appeared very ancient; it felt like entering another period because of the strange feeling in the air around them.
As they walked around, suddenly a hidden room came into sight. Inside that place were objects so amazing it made them hold their breath for a few moments. And in the middle of everything, there it is - the Moonlight Lease collection's heart: missing artefact.
But when they tried to touch it, a trapdoor suddenly opened and pulled them into the dark. The place shook with loud noise as the trapdoor slammed shut.
As they thought their bodies would soon hit the ground, something stopped them. They got caught by a net and discovered themselves hanging up in the air. Underneath, there is a shadowy place that stretches out wide and deep; it reaches into lands unknown to anyone.
A bright light cut through the dark, making a person visible on stage. It was Thorne; he had a cold and pensive smile on his face.
"Come the unexpected," he said, voice echoing in the large empty room. "We see how long you stay here."
The light turned off, and Eki, like Dapo, found himself in the dark too. The whole situation was still not clear.
