On the other side of the mall, Eric and Roman went to the men's clothing store because next to it was another seating area with a stairway to the tower. When they arrived at the store, they opened the door connected to the seating area between the men's clothing store and the candle store. When the door opened, Eric and Roman walked into an ambush. Roman was slashed in his stomach with a knife by two attackers. Roman fell to the floor. Eric was outnumbered, but he held a knife in his hand, and he was confident he would have a victory.
Roman was on the ground. He tripped the two gang members to the floor. Eric, at this moment, seized their weapons. The Payara gang started to call for help, but Eric and Roman used the two knives to intimidate and silence them.
Eric said, "Are you okay, Roman?"
"Yes, I am. I had this on." Roman showed him a small foam board used in water exercises. He had put it under his shirt to protect his body.
"Good, this thing worked. We need to get these criminals to prison."
"I know something about a prison," Roman said while he kicked a criminal in his stomach. "Those idiots Payaras don't know who they are messing with. We are Children of Demon Killers."
"They did not see anything yet," Eric said.
The people in two stores adjacent to the seating area heard a racket outside; they came to help them. They were too late, but the clothing store owner provided belts to tie the two criminals. Eric, Roman,
and four men volunteered to take the criminals to the bar. Roman led the group to the bar, followed by the two criminals, their hands tied behind them, and Eric and four volunteers walked behind them.
Eric came across Magdy and Head Freeda talking, and Head Freeda and four kids were crying. Eric knew Freeda and the kids because he taught those kids to play soccer every week. He asked Roman and the other four men to go without him. Eric went to talk to Freeda and Magdy.
When the four kids saw Eric, they ran to him. "Twenty kids and four Freedas are missing, Coach Eric," said one kid.
"How are they missing?" Eric asked the adults.
The Head Freeda told her story. "I don't know. I was buying some items in Jordan's Craft Store when this happened. I went to every store to look for them but did not find anyone. Then I found Agent Magdy."
"I will help you find them," Eric said. "Good news, we captured two gang members. Maybe they know where the kids and Freedas are."
"Let's go to the bar," Magdy said.
When Eric, Magdy, the Head Freeda, and four kids reached the bar, they met Roman and the four volunteers, who dropped the two criminals at the bar. Eric and Roman went to the fishermen's group to check on them. Four volunteers returned to their stores to sit with their families. Magdy went to the first floor to talk to the criminals. The Head Freeda sat on the stairs because she did not want the kids to encounter the criminals.
Roman and Eric found the fishermen's group, where they experimented with a trap in the other seating area between Jordan's Craft Store and Sofi's Boutique. Philip, Kent, and the fishermen ended their experiment and waited for the three windows overlooking the fountain area to be cleared of boxes. The smiles on the teens, three scholars, and fishermen were priceless; they had succeeded in their experiment. Ramon and Eric did not want to tell them the bad news, that twenty-four civilians were missing.
"You see those men downstairs," Philip said. Eric waved at the three men, and Philip explained, "They pretend to be Payara, and it was our job to capture them."
"We will put the fishing net on the ground beside the fountain so the Payara members will think this is a tile decoration rather than a trap," Kent said.
"We will push a cart with four-hundred-pound weight, so the net pulls the criminal to the second floor in two seconds," Philip said. "We timed it, and it takes two seconds for a person weighing
250 pounds to get pulled," Kent said.
"Cool idea. Similar to an elevator," Eric said. "How many criminals have you captured?"
"None. We are waiting for the space in front of three windows to be cleared."
"We captured two," said Roman, high-fiving Eric.
"You captured two already." Philip was stunned, and he snapped his rubber bracelet on his left hand. "How?"
"We got skills," Roman and Eric teased while they danced. "Who is he?" Philp said, disparaging Roman.
"He is my brother," Kent answered.
"Roman and I live together as brothers. We are orphans who live in Kirkia's Orphanage," Kent said. Captain Chez overheard their conversation.
Eric encouraged Philip. "Your idea is cool too. Your invention will capture more criminals at the end of the day."
"Thanks. You are skilled in hand-to-hand combat," said Philip. "Thanks, but we have bad news," Eric said. "Twenty kids and
Four Freedas are missing. We cannot find them." "We need to find them," Philip said.
"There are two criminals in the bar. They can tell us where the kids are," Roman suggested.
The four boys went to the bar and saw the Head Freeda with four kids waiting for Magdy on the stairs. "What is going on?" Eric asked.
"Nothing. The two criminals are not talking," the Head Freeda said
Roman pointed at a bat in the bar. "Let's beat them. They will talk."
"No violence, please," said the Head Freeda.
At the time, three retired army veterans, Magdy, and the ten police officers were struggling with them because the two Payaras were silent.
Eric, Philip, and two other boys visited the bar with bats. "We can beat them to talk. We are not the police. No one could harm us if you guys looked the other way," Roman said.
Magdy said, "No, I cannot let you do that." "Twenty kids are missing," said Roman.
Kent scolded Magdy, "You don't care because they are orphans. If they had parents, you would beat those men with your own hands."
Magdy replied, "I am an orphan. I lived in the same orphanage that those kids live in."
Philip said, "Yes, he is an orphan. I know him."
Kent apologized, and Magdy said, "Apology accepted. We can scare them."
Roman left the bar, saying, "I know how."