“I’mjusttryingtoremindyoutothinktwicebeforeyouact.Justbecauseyouhavesupportfromthehigher-upsdoesn’tmeanyoucanrunamok.”Withasolemnlook,Dahliaadded,“Dustin,youmustrealizethatyourworthhastobebackedbyability.Curryingfavorswithpowerfulpeoplecanpropelyouto greaterheights,butitwon’stunlessyoucanproveyou’reapersonofhighcaliber.Sodon’tthinkyou’reallhighandmighty-


    considerthisalessonfromme.”


    Dustinsnickereduponhearingthis.“HowcanyoubesurethatI’mcurryingfavorswiththepowerful?”


    “Isthatnotthecase?Ifitweren’tforMs.Harmon’sreputation,wouldtheCobrahaveletyougosoeasily?”Dahliadidn’tholdbackwithherremark.


    “Whateveryousay.Iknowthat,whateverIdo,I’mnothingbutauselessprickinyoureyes,”Dustinsneeredas


    he shookhishead.


    Firstimpressionstrulyweretoughtochange.Evenwiththeevidenceinfrontoftheireyes,somepeoplewouldsimplyrefusetobelieveit.Theypreferredscouringforexcusesinanattempttoconsolidatetheirprejudices.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    “Oh,Dustin,don’tbedisheartened.Keepyourdignityandutilizeyourcapabilitiestocarveoutyour owncareerandlegacyinsteadofbeingazybumwholeechesoffothers,”Dahliaurgedinadeepvoice.


    “SowhatifI’mabum?Catchingeasyfishisalsoaskill.ItjustmeansIworksmart,”Dustinshrugged.


    “You…”Dahliawasstartingtogetannoyed.Shehadputsincereeffortintotrying totalksenseintohim,but


    heradviceseemedtofallondeafears.Nottomentionthefactthathedidnotappearashamedofhisbehavior


    atall.Itwasapparentthattherewasnosavingsomepeoplefromtheirstubbornness.


    Asthetwowentbackandforth,afewpatrolcarspulledupandblockedtheintersection.


    The doorsofthepatrolcarsswungopen,andseveraluniformedpoliceofficerssteppedoutandapproachedthemswiftly.


    “We’relookingfor DustinRhys,”saidoneofthepoliceofficers.


    “That’sme.”Dustinresponded,“Issomethingwrong,officer?”


    “Wejustreceivedareportthatyou’vestolensomevaluableobjects.Pleasewithus!”shoutedtheofficer.


    “Stolen?Officer,theremustbeamisunderstanding.”Dustindered,squintinghiseyes.


    “Alright,mayIaskwhat’sinsidethisbox?”


    “Panaxroot.”


    “Thenthatprovesit!Comewithusimmediatelyforfurtherinvestigation!”Theofficersaidlittlemoreashe handcuffedDustin.


    “Officer!Whatexactlyisgoingon?”eximedDahlia,assherushedforward,thecolordrainedfromherface.


    “Whoareyou?”askedthepatrolofficer.


    “I’mhisfriend,”shereplied.


    “Hmph,suspicious!Youcouldbeanaplice.Takeherawayaswell!”


    Inoneswiftmovement,theofficerclickedapairofhandcuffsaroundDahlia’swrists.Thisincidentlefteveryoneatthescenestunned.


    “Officer,thishasnothingto dowithher.It’sall me,”saidDustinwithafrown.


    “He’sright,he’sright!ThisisallDustin’sdoing.Ithasnothingtodowithmydaughter!Ifyouwanttoarresthim,thendothat!Mydaughterhasdonenothingwrong.She’sinnocent!”pleadedFlorence.


    “That’sright,officer!Mysisterisinnocent.She’sakindsoul!”Jameseximed,panicked.


    “We’llfindoutifshe’sinnocentoncetheinvestigationisover.Takeheraway!”barkedthepoliceofficer.Withasinglmandfromthesquadleader,DustinandDahliawereescortedintothepolicecars.


    ““Wait!”Mattsteppedoutfromthecrowdandbegan,“I’moftheLaneyfamilyofMillsburg.Pleasecutussome ckandlet…”


    “Anymorenonsense,andyou’llbingalong!”snappedtheofficer.HiscoldresilencedMattinstantly.


    TherewasnothinganyonecoulddoastheywatchedDahlialeavewiththem.


    “It’sover!Goddamngood–for–nothingDustin,gettingmydaughterintrouble!”criedFlorenceasshestomped thegroundindistress.


    “Idon’tgiveadamnifhedigshisowngrave,but todragDahliawithhim?Whata bastard!”Jamesscowled withresentment.


    “Now’snotthetimeforthis.Quick,weneedtothink ofawaytosaveMs.Nicholson!”saidLyra.


    “You’reright!Wehavetofindaway.Iknowafriendwhoworksatthepolice station.I’llgivehimacat once!”


    “Iknowartivewhohasconnectionswithsomepoliceofficersof higherranks.I’llfindoutif hecanofferus anyhelp.”


    Suddenly,theairwasfilledwiththeexcitedchatteringofeveryoneinthegroup,gatheringassistancefromanyheycouldthinkof.