The Ghost Hunters and The Familiar Strangers

"Riele?" Everyone turned to look at Xen.

"You know her?" Everyone asked her. Riele was shocked.

"You know me?" She asked Xen.

Xen cleared his throat trying to find his voice. "She's my ex-girlfriend."

Everyone turned their attention back at Riele. "You know him?" Tamara asked.

Riele shook her head. Everyone was confused even Xen. "Maybe you are mistaking her for someone else," Jason said but Xen shook his head.

"I am not blind... I can identify my ex even if I am blindfolded," said Xen.

"I think we should go home and talk about this," Norman suggested as everyone got ready to move. Xen on the other hand couldn't take his eyes off Riele.

They arrived at the hideout and everyone sat on the chair. Laura came with their food and her eyes caught Riele. "Who is she?" she asked.

"That's exactly what we are trying to figure out," Devon answered.

"Xen said she is his ex.." Tamara said pointing at Xen. ".. but she said.." she pointed at Riele. "... she doesn't know him. "And now we all..." she pointed at everyone. "... are confused."

Amelia turned to face Xen. "Do you have any proof like maybe a picture or a video of you two together?" she asked.

Xen thought for a while, he remembered he deleted everything related to her and the only thing he has left are memories of their time together. "I don't have any."

Everyone sighed. "This is tough., Devon said.

Clarissa faced Riele. "Why were the ghosts after you?"

"Do ghosts need to have a reason to be after someone?" Riele asked. "I see ghosts which means I am a threat to them." Riele couldn't handle the whole questioning thing so she stood up. "I need to use the restroom." "Just take a walk down, first turning by your left." Laura directed as Riele took her to leave.

~~~

"Have you heard anything from Rose yet?" Dalton asked Link who shook his head.

"Where did you send her to?" Carlos asked. The moment Rose regained consciousness, Dalton ordered her to get going and up till now, he hasn't seen her. He wondered what their plan is.

"None of your business." Link retorted in anger. "All you need to do is mind your own business and we'll mind ours."

"You're worse than Ros," Carlos muttered to himself as Link glared at him.

There was a beep coming from Dalton. Carlos turned to see what it was but before he could, Dalton had disappeared.

Dalton appeared in a remote place in the house as he brought out a mirror that allows him to communicate with Rose. "I was just about to reach you, what the hell happened?" he paused. "The ghosts told me the mission was successful, I was worried when I didn't get feedback."

There was a long pause from Rose. "Rose, is everything ok?" Dalton asked.

"No. I think this body belongs to a girl called Riele," Rose said and her voice sounded very worried.

"And so?"

"Riele is Xen's ex-girlfriend."

"What?" Dalton asked.

"I don't know how to go about it anymore and that's why I called," Rose said.

Dalton thought for a while. "Hold on a sec! this could be a blessing," he said as Rose froze.

"How is this a blessing?" Rose asked.

"Does he look like someone who is still interested in her?"

Rose thought for a while as she remembered how he called her name and with the way he looks at her, she could tell he still has feelings. "I think so," she told him.

"Then that's something we can use to our advantage."

"How?" Rose asked.

"Get him to fall deeper in love with you and try your best to make sure he doesn't carry out the plan of saving Carlos. Let him focus more on getting more ghost seers that way we can plant our people there." "Are you sure it's going to work out?" Rose asked.

"If you play your part well, I don't see why not," Dalton said as he hung up. "This is a lot easier than I thought." He said as he disappeared back to where Carlos and the rest of the ghosts were.

~~~

There was a knock at the door in the restroom where Rose was. "hello... are you okay in there?" Tamara asked knocking at the door.

The door opened and Riele came out with a smile on her face. "I thought something bad had happened to you., Tamara said as they both walked to join the others.

Riele stood there staring at everyone and they returned the stare. She smiled and said. "I remember him now." Everyone watched as Xen got up, pulled her close, and hugged her.

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Riele smiled. "I remember him now." She said as everyone turned to watch Xen hug her.

"I knew you'd remember me," Xen said stroking her hair.

"I'm sorry I didn't remember you earlier... I must have lost some of my memories when I was kidnapped by the ghosts.

"Did you happen to see Carlos?" Amelia asked.

Riele looked at Amelia before returning her gaze to her ex. "Who's Carlos?" She asked.

"He's our friend. We are trying to rescue him from the same ghosts that got you." Xen explained. "When did you start seeing ghosts?"

Shocked by the question, Riele looked away like she didn't hear him. "Did you hear me?" Xen asked.

"Uh?" Riele turned to face him.

"When did you start seeing ghosts?" he asked again. "I remember you broke up with me because I see ghosts."

"Really?" Riele asked. "I must have been very stupid to do that," she said coming closer to him. "I'm very sorry for everything I've put through."

"It's fine.. but how did you escape?" he asked as Riele thought of what to say.

I can't let him know who I am. I must pretend. "I got an opportunity to escape and that was why I'm being chased."

"I'm glad we got there in time... I don't think I can ever forgive myself if anything should happen to you again... this is fate giving me another chance and I don't want to lose it." Riele smiled at Xen's words.

"Um... sorry to disturb you lovebirds but um... We have Carlos to save, remember?" Jason said.

"That's true," Xen said. They were all moving to watch the chip do its magic when Riele said something that made them stop on their track.

Amelia turned to face her. "What did you say?" She asked as everyone turned to face Riele.

Riele walked towards them folding her arms and she said, "Saving Carlos now is a bad idea... believe me."

Everyone looked at each other before returning their gaze to Riele.

~~~

Andrea has been going through a lot with just handling Damian and he was missing his wife. He tried calling her for several days but she didn't pick up his call. If he could turn back the hand of time, he would have held her hand and never let her go.

Damian came to sit with him, he fondled his hands and Andrea could tell something was wrong. "What did you do this time?" Andrea asked.

Damian turned to look at his father. "Promise not to get mad?" He asked.

"Damian, what did you do?" Andrea asked again.

"Um..." Damian stammered. "I... got... um..." he looked at his father who was staring at him before finally giving in. "I got a girl pregnant.

"What?" Andrea asked. "You did what?"

"It was just this once, dad. I didn't know it would lead to pregnancy and now the girl's parents want to meet with you."

Andrea sat down looking at his son wondering how a guy that looks so innocent would do such kind of a thing. He placed his head on his palms before looking at his son once again.

~~~

Dalton decided it was time to see Tessa and he took Carlos there with him. Carlos had to pretend it was his first time going there in order not to ruin things. "Where are we going?"

"To see someone," Dalton said as he opened the door where Tessa was kept captive. "Long time no see!" Dalton said turning on the light so they could get a better picture of her. "I told you without you, we could achieve massive things." He finally set her mouth free.

"I see you've gotten what you wanted," Tessa said sounding very faint.Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

"Not yet but I think I will soon enough." Dalton smiled. "And that's going to happen with Carlos here." He placed his arms around Carlos who pushed his hands away. "Don't worry! You will all get the story.

"Where is Rose? And how come I don't see her around." Tessa asked wondering why she was not seeing that lousy mouth near him.

"She is doing what you couldn't do for eighteen years." And with that Dalton walked away.

"Do you have any idea what you are doing?" Tessa whispered to Carlos.

"I don't know but all I'm doing is trying to stay alive till I can figure out how to get us both out of here," Carlos whisper back to her.

"Do you know where Rose is?" Tessa asked.

Carlos shook his head. "He wouldn't tell me."

"That's because she's ..."

"and what are you still doing here?" Dalton asked coming inside. Carlos and Tessa pretended like they didn't just have a conversation a few seconds ago. "Move it." He told her as Carlos left and Dalton switched off the light before locking the door.

Carlos thought about the question Tessa asked. Where exactly is Rose? that's when it hits him. "Dang it!" He said not realizing Dalton was beside him. What have I done? he asked himself. All he was doing was trying to secure his life unknown to him he was endangering those of his friends. How is he going to undo what has been done already???