THE ALGORITHM

4.

"Yeah..." Decon trailed off. "She had on white, dirty shoes. With the letter P."

Bilal nodded in suspense and asked, "What type?"

"Converses," Decon answered.

Suddenly, Bilal thought about the shoes and realized they were indeed white Converse sneakers. They were dingy from being worn out.

Decon eyed his brother in curiosity and asked, "Why?"

"I think...I may have seen the girl." Bilal claimed.

"It could be anyone. You said that yourself."

"I know, but...something tells me she's the one," Bilal murmured while leaning against his desk. "What color is she?" He didn't want to say anything about her complexion until Decon revealed his answer.

"I mean, it was dark, but...she's brown-skinned. Like a deep brown. I told you she was black."

"So...chocolate?"

Decon only nodded.

"Yeah, I found her." Bilal nodded. "She's the head chef at Bert's Grill and Lounge." He tapped his brother on the shoulder and added, "What's crazy is the restaurant isn't far from Taylor Avenue."

"How will we find out if she's the right person?"

Bilal paced around his office, thinking about how they would determine if this girl was the person they were looking for. He sighed before saying, "We're going to send Natirah to the restaurant and get her to...check the girl out. We'll give her some time to analyze everything, and...if she's the one, I want you and Natirah to get her and bring her here."

"She might not be the one." Decon voiced with a headshake. "Witnessing a murder is hard for some people. How can anyone function after witnessing someone pull the trigger?"

"You'd be surprised..." Bilal trailed off. "Some people are strong and don't react to certain things." He took in a deep breath and murmured.

###

Cameron quickly adjusted to the manor's lifestyle. After spending a few days there and being treated with respect, she realized Bilal was not the enemy. He and his men assisted her. They rescued her from an attempted kidnapping. She felt the need to tell him everything that happened during the attempted abduction.

Bilal learned that Yusef Germain orchestrated the kidnapping of Cameron. Of course, Bilal listened and took her words seriously. Cameron revealed that Ricardo and his men kidnapped her from her job while on break. During her time around Ricardo, she mentioned the mistreatment she received—such as being verbally abused and having to use a pail as a bathroom, and going days without showering.

Bilal couldn't help but shake his head. What Ricardo did was inhumane. He wasn't surprised to hear Yusef's name either. Bilal knew who the man was and what he was capable of doing. Ricardo's jealousy and envy grew so strong that he betrayed Bilal by partnering up with Yusef.

"I don't understand. How did this happen, and why is the girl here?"

Bilal placed his eyes on his grandfather, David. He was busy having his breakfast. They sat in the dining room. The cook prepared a hearty meal for the household.

There were omelets served with buttered toast and fresh fruit. Of course, the chef had to lay out fresh tomatoes and herbs. David loved adding cilantro to his omelet and tomatoes to his toast.

Bilal declined breakfast and decided to sip on a green smoothie. Lately, he had been feeling sluggish. He needed energy and requested a green smoothie with spinach, kale, and other fruits that complemented the veggies well.