The air suddenly seems dry and I don't notice when I start sweating. It definitely wasn't as cold as it was before. Or maybe it's just me. I don't know. The trees are at a standstill. It's like they can sense the tension between us. We haven't moved at all since I'd stopped running and turned around. He had stopped as well. We are far from Mr. Saotome's mansion and I don't see any police following Troy. So I decide not to run away. But I am not taking any chances by taking off my mask. If I hear any of the police coming, I will take off immediately. 

  For some time we just keep looking at each other. Troy's expression is neutral. He sure knows how to keep a poker face. I don't know what to say. I didn't want to admit to him that I was the Masked Bandit all along. 

  "So are you gonna tell me how you came to know? " I ask him. 

  He takes something out of his pocket and shows it to me. My eyes grow wide. In his hand is the cut-out I have been looking for. He throws it to me and I catch it. . 

  "Where did you find it? "I ask, wondering how it turned up in his hands. 

  "The last big robbery you were involved in. " He says, still maintaining a neutral expression. 

  "You saw me? " I ask. 

  "No. I just found this. You dropped it while I was chasing after you. I didn't remember where I had seen it at first but then when you asked me about it, it kinda clicked. I didn't want to believe it at first, but then you seemed to be very interested in Mr. Saotome, so I decided to keep a close watch on his mansion. I was a little late actually. If I was on time I would have confronted you about it before you had a chance to do anything. "

  "Why didn't you alert the police? " I ask him. 

  "I'm not that heartless you know. We've been friends for how long? Six years almost? " He asks, like he doesn't already know. 

  "Yeah." I reply, not knowing where all this is going. 

  "I wanted to ask you, why? Why are you doing this? " He asks. His face pleading for an explanation. 

  I don't know how much I should tell him. Maybe everything. He didn't tell his dad about me after all. 

  "You've heard about the NETWORK? " I ask. 

  "Yeah I have. Why? " He asks, looking confused. 

  "I plan on climbing to the top. I'm looking for someone there. This is the only way I can do it. You know how criminals are. It's very difficult to find someone unless you're one of them." I explain. 

  "But you didn't have to do this. I could have helped you. " He says. 

  "I didn't want to drag anyone else into this, okay. " I try to make him understand. 

  "Why are you looking for him? "

  "You remember Dean? My hometown? "

  "Yeah, of course. "

  "I told you that Dean went missing one day, right? But that's not true. He was an orphan. That's what those at the orphanage wanted everyone to believe. They didn't want the truth to come out. What actually happened to him was, he… " I can't hold in my emotions any longer. Tears are flowing from my eyes and I just can't stop them. 

  Troy starts to come closer. I can see the sympathy in his eyes but I don't need it. 

  "Don't come any closer. Just stay there. Let me finish. You wanna know the whole story? I'll tell you. One night him and I decided to go for a swim. The ones at the orphanage never let him, so I decided to take him at night. I regret that decision with all my heart.

   That night a thief called Blackbeard came to Coalville, my hometown. He wanted to rob without anyone knowing it was him. But then he heard us. We hid. Dean, being a little older than me, told me to sit still and not move, whatever happened. If I did he would be very angry. And I didn't want that so I sat there quietly. He went out. Unfortunately Blackbeard heard him and tied him up and asked him if there was anyone with him. He said no but he didn't believe him and asked his goons to look around and they found me. I struggled and tried to scream as they tried to grab hold of me but one of them clamped my mouth shut with his hand and the other caught my arms and legs. Then they proceeded to beat us up. After they looted everyone, they came back for us. Blackbeard had this evil look on his face. What they did next made me want to hunt them down and kill them, the whole lot. "

  "What was it they did? "He asks, his voice shaking a little. 

  "They….burned him alive. And as if that wasn't enough, they laughed and told me to watch him die. I felt so helpless that day. I couldn't do anything. I wanted to leap into the fire but I also wanted to get revenge. "

  "You would go that far for a friend, huh? "He asks, in a low voice. 

  "He was more than that to me. I freaking loved him. " I almost scream out. The tears are still coming and I can't control them. 

  He remains quiet. Probably doesn't know what to say. 

  "So you're gonna hand me over to the police, right? " I ask, wiping at my eyes, regaining control of my emotions. 

  " No I'm not. But can't you just give this up? I can help you find whoever you're looking for. "

  "You don't get it. It's not that easy. And I've already made up my mind. I'm not giving up when I'm this close." I say, firmly. 

  "Fine. I'll still give you time though. To think it over. But one thing is for sure. I'm gonna be the one to catch you. "

  "You can try. "I say, with a smirk. 

  "I can't believe it though. That the one I've been looking for was right in front of my eyes the whole time. I really feel deceived. "

  "I'm really sorry. "

  "Is this the reason you became my friend in the first place? "

  "Huh? Of course not. I didn't even know that your dad was a policeman until about two years ago. Why would you think that? "

  "I don't know. I don't think I can trust you after this. I'm betraying my dad by letting you go you know? "

  "I'm sorry. "

  "Are you really? I can't be friends with someone I can't trust. "

  I feel hurt but I deserve it. I didn't mean to use him to get info about the police but he seemed to just give it to me. 

  "I understand. I won't be here for long. I'm thinking of accepting the scholarship. "

  "Good for you. You should get going then. See ya. "

  "See ya."

  Both of us part ways and leave. I will  probably see him in school. Doubt he'll talk to me though. It's gonna be lonely without a friend like him.