While Aria was crying over the fact that she was going to lose her hard-earned money, on the other side of the city, Tim was waiting to meet Jared. He had some things to report him as well as to get his next orders. He had done his job as Jared commanded.

Tim was waiting for him at their usual meeting place. It was not the abandoned factory where Jared usually met his men, nor was it his company. It was a secret hideout that only a few trusted people knew about. It was a small cafe which did not many visitors. Jared had a hidden room in the cafe which was not accessible to anybody. Except for the cafe owner, nobody else working there even knew about it.

The cafe was closed for the day so as to not disturb the secret meeting. Since not many people came there, it did not raise eyes for it to have been closed earlier than usual. Jared came ten minutes later than their appointed time, he was being followed by his assistant. He had not donned his mask. So, he looked less fierce and lethal. But his eyes were all the more venomous, completely different from the way he looked at Rachel.

"Master," Tim bowed seeing Jared walk in. He was wearing an all-black attire, with a black windbreaker and he looked nothing less than a black serpent. Even Tim who had seen him a lot of times before, couldn't stop himself from getting scared for a second. However, he composed himself quickly. He knew his boss hated it if people behaved cowardly in front of him.

Jared sat in front of him and folded his legs. Tim took a seat opposite to Jared while Jared's assistant remained standing behind them. Jared started to tap his fingers on the armrest and his eyes were closed. "What have you got for me, Tim?"

"Master, the five people have been removed from their jobs as you had ordered."

"Good. What are they doing now?"

"Master, I followed all of them for a few days and I found nothing suspicious. They did not do anything out of the ordinary."

Jared opened his eyes suddenly and Tim stopped speaking. "Something is wrong."

"What Master?"

Jared thought for a while as he continued tapping his fingers. Tim looked on wondering what he was thinking. His Master's mind worked in a way even he could not comprehend. He was always one step ahead of a lot of people and this made him admire Jared a lot.

"They know that they are being followed."

"What?"

"Yes. There is no way they would have remained silent after losing their jobs. They know about you and they are taking measures. If I am not wrong, they are plotting something in secret."

"No way."

"Yes. They are up to something and we need to find out what it is. Keep an eye on them until I tell you to stop. They will reveal themselves eventually."

"Yes, Master."

"What is the girl you are doubtful about, up to? What is her name again?"

"Ivy."

"Ah, yes. Ivy. What did she do after losing her job?"

"Boss, she did nothing but to stay at home. I never saw her leave her home."

"Now I am a hundred percent sure that there is something wrong. They are seriously planning something."

"I'll keep a look on them. In fact, I'll ask my men to watch out for all of them."

"Good. But be careful. Now that they know about you, it might not be easy to get information."

"Yes, Master. I'll take care."

Jared then looked at his assistant. "What happened to the boy we were searching for?"

"Master, he died of a hemorrhage." The assistant replied almost instantly.

"That's good news. Now that he is out of our way, nobody will testify against us. Reward the man who got this job done."

"But Boss, there is a problem."

Jared's eyes immediately shot to him and the assistant cowered in fear. It was as though a snake was about to attack him at that moment. He was not scared of anything as he was of his master.

"What?" He barked.

"The school van driver witnessed everything."

"Is he alive?"

"Yes, Master. He survived, that is what I heard."

"This is bad. We need to dispose him off before he does anything. Kill him. I don't want any trouble knocking on my door."

"Yes, Master."

Jared's assistant had only got the news that the school van driver had survived the accident. He did not know that he had already filed a complaint against his attacker and had told them about the Vipers. If he had known and had informed his Master, all hell would have broken loose by now and maybe he would have been shot dead and his body would have been in the gutter.

"Make sure nobody knows about it. It will not be easy for you to finish him in a hospital."

"Yes Master, I'll be careful."

"I hope so otherwise, you have no hope."

Jared's assistant remained unfazed by his threat. He had been facing them a lot after he had become Jared's assistant and every time he had postponed his ill-fate. He had the confidence that this time too he would be victorious.

"I'll take care of it, Master."

Jared got up to go, but stopped suddenly when he remembered something. "Find all the details about Rachel's boyfriend. I need everything about him."

"Yes, Master."

Jared took his leave first while Tim and his assistant stayed behind.

"Who is Rachel?" Tim was the first one to break the silence.

"Rachel Carter, Noah Carter's sister."

"What?"

"Yeah. Master has his eye on her."

"You have got to be kidding me."

"No. He is actively pursuing her even though he knows that she has a boyfriend."

"I wonder what would happen if Master and Noah Carter come face to face."

"That would be the end of the world. Only one of them would survive and I don't know who would that be. Both are equally powerful."

"You bet."

"I need to go. I have a man to kill." Jared's assistant said.

"And I have people to follow."