bChapter 5. Lost and Found/b

i Somewhere in a farther side of London, Ali and the Genie were rushing out of a building, being chased by a group of armed men…/i

"You know I could help with this if you let me out. You still have one more wish…" , Genie's voice echoed from inside the lamp.

"Yeah right! I'm not going to waste my last wish on this!" Ali said slightly breathless while he was still running. The men that were chasing him, were left behind but he could still see them when he turned his head, so he couldn't really stop now. If they got closer they could point their guns at him again. And he really didn't want that. On his tail there were 6 men, wearing dark grey suits, red matching bow ties and fedora hats. Plus they each carried a gun which was frankly what made Ali run as fast as he could despite the fact that he was already tired. In his hands he had Genie's lamp and his attire was quite similar to that of his pursuers.

"Do you even know where we're going?" the Genie asked annoyed again.

"N..No…I don't" Ali answered panting. Truth was he had no freaking idea where on earth he was going. He had only been to London briefly before he and Genie went on to their journey around the world. A journey that had strangely led them back to Britain where it had all begun. However Ali had set off from Britain as a multimillionaire and had ended up being broke and chased after. Plus he was running without a destination and pretty much running for his life. Those guys were not joking. They'd shoot him on sight once they had clear view of him, that's why he kept running through the dark alleys of London. However, he could end up in a dead end anytime and that would be the end of him, and Genie would fall on their hands.

"That's awesome. Why don't you just let me out and I'll check on the perimeter" Genie said again.

"Are you out of your mind? We can't let those people see you. For one thing, they're going to lock on our location and second, it's not in our best interest if a genie shows up in the middle of London. For all they know I could be lying about the lamp being magic. We don't need to confirm it" Ali said still slightly panting and looking behind his back. The men with the suits seemed to have gotten pretty far away.

i Now's the chance. I'll hide somewhere around here and wait for them to pass us by /i

He thought and looked around. At the far left of where he was running he noticed a small alley. He rushed that way, and as he suspected there was another, very small and narrow alley next to it, almost invisible. Ali jumped in there and put his back against the wall, as if that was going to hide him even more efficiently and after a few seconds he heard the men that were after him, pass by his location. He peeked with the corner of his eyes to make sure. He saw the last of them pass by the alley without even looking. His plan had worked. Or so he thought. He turned back to the alley and let his back slip down the wall and landed on his butt heavily panting.

"Oh Lord… That was close.." he mumbled. He looked at a small opening on the other side of the valley. He saw the river that ran through London a little farther away. Then moonlight made the waters of the Thames seem magical as it reflected on them. He half-smiled, thinking how his life had been saved at the last minute yet again. This was starting to become a habit. His dreamy thoughts were interrupted by the sudden vibration of the lamp he had in his hands. After some moments, the familiar blue smoke appeared, a little faint thought, and a chibi, miniature version of Genie popped out of it, looking at Ali with a VERY disapproving look. He even wore a pair of glasses to make him look more serious, as that, was not how he usually came out. His arms were crossed in front of his chest and his brows were narrowed, but he still looked pretty cute and funny to Ali.

"Well… Young man" he started saying trying to make his voice sound really judgmental but still came out a little thin and funny. "I hate to say 'I told you so'.." he said as his figure started becoming gradually bigger, until his body and voice where the normal ones, but he still had the same expression and now he took a somewhat humanized form and started tapping his foot in the ground. Of course no sound came from it, his body was still made of smoke. "Meh, who am I kidding… I love it.. I told you so, I told you so, I SO told you so you buffoon!" he said in a tone that didn't really sound as annoyed as he would have wanted it to. Ali looked at him with a quite guilty but also tired look.

"Spare me Genie… Please" he said, still a little breathless from all the running.

"Oh really? Spare YOU?!" the Genie answered in a quite mocking expression as his body started morphing into its normal ethereal shape again. "Spare you?" he asked again with his voice starting to break and sound more emotional. He put his open fingers over his heart taking a theatrical dramatic pose and stated: "Did you spare me the humiliation of betrayal? The humiliation of being used as a plain betting asset in order to get the money you gambled, back from the mobsters? Huh? Did you?" he then made a movement as if he was reaching for his imaginary pocket and took out a handkerchief. He blew his nose really loud and then sniffed in his fake tears. "Seriously Ali, I thought we were friends" he said in the same dramatic tone of voice blowing his nose even louder".

"I told you Genie. I'd never let those guys get you. And I didn't… Did I?" Ali said, actually feeling a little guilty about using the lamp as a bet in gambling. "Plus it was the only way we could get our money back…" he said a little apologetic.

"Oh, you mean the money you LOST in gambling?" the Genie said, taunting Ali again "And what if your masterpiece plan of grabbing the lamp and running away from a dozen mobsters hadn't really worked? I mean, yeah it was brilliant.." the Genie's tone became all the more mocking "But I say, what if?"

"I would have used the last wish. Our lives are more important than money…" Ali said in a clearly apologetic voice.

"Now you say that! When you were using me as a simple chip at the casino I guess you were thinking otherwise" the Genie answered in his drama-queen expression again. He was half-serious though. Ali's behavior had pissed him off a little. He knew he didn't intend on giving the lamp and him away and that this situation jeopardized both their lives, but that didn't make Ali's plan any less stupid.

"You know that's not true Genie. I explained… I mean…"

"Yeah sure, now you're logic… But when you gamble…" the Genie started.

"I know ok?! I know you're right… But I can't help it.. At that point I ain't even myself… And dammit… I know it, I just know they cheated!" Ali exclaimed frustrated.

"Seriously? Mobsters? Cheating? Oh dear I can't believe it.." the Genie mocked again. The he frowned his face. "OF COURSE they would cheat Ali. I mean, what the hell were you thinking, going against those people in the first place?" he asked in a completely fed-up tone of voice now.

"I told you… I couldn't help it… And I thought I could outsmart them…" he said looking down. "And I did! I won fair and square Genie, but that guy cheated!" he said raising his eyes again. The Genie facepalmed and sighed.

"They're criminals Ali. You can't outsmart them no matter your wits. They got guns dude… That's all the brains they need" The Genie said sitting next to him. Ali sighed as well.

"I'm sorry Genie…" he said in a low voice. The Genie tapped his back.

"It's cool bro. Their guns can't hurt me anyway. Although I'd hate to think the stuff those kinds of people would have me do…" he said a little pensive.

"I should have asked for infinite money.." Ali joked.

"I already told you I can't do that." The Genie answered. "Plus, I'm pretty sure you'd have disproven every law of mathematics and would have managed to gamble away even that.." the Genie joked back. Ali chuckled a little.

"You're probably right…"

Then the Genie's gaze fell on the dashing waters of the river that ran underneath them. His eyes widened.

"Wow.. It that the Thames?" he said somewhat in awe. He hadn't really been outside many times when they were in London and he had only once seen the grey waters of the Thames during daytime. But this image was so different. It was beautiful.

"Yeah. Pretty huh?" Ali answered.

"Yeah, it's…." the Genie started saying, but was abruptly interrupted by another loud voice.

"He must be in here!" the deep growling voice said and it was accompanied by fast tapping footsteps that were sounding closer and closer by the second. Ali jumped up still holding the lamp.

"Oh shit! They found us!" he said whispering.

"Oh crap…" the Genie said as well randomly taking the shape of a bagel. Ali lifted his brows surprised but then snapped back.

"Quickly, get back inside the lamp!" he ordered the Genie.

"But Ali.." the Genie protested morphing back into his original form. Ali glared at him.

"Get back inside. Please!"

"Very well, you're the master… Lucky me…" he sighed ironically. As he was being sucked back inside the lamp he let his final comment echo fading.

"However I'd like my opposition small be noted in the transcripts…/small" . Ali peeked outside from the alley and almost came face to face with the gunmen that were after him.

"Shit shit shit!..." he whispered to himself and looked around. He was cornered… there was no way out… The only way he would go was towards the river. He ran that way and luckily stopped at the end of the alley as there was a huge scarp at the end of it, leading straight to the river.

"Whoah!" he exclaimed self-consciously as he barely had the chance to keep his balance and not fall off. But before he could even breathe, his pursuers where at the entrance of the alley.

"THERE HE IS!" they yelled and pointed their guns at him. He had to think fast. REALLY fast. He looked down and made his decision in a split second. The fall would hurt, but it wouldn't kill him. He took a deep breath and before he could give himself the chance for second thoughts, he jumped. That was probably a wise decision, because seconds after his jump a rain of bullets came down his previous position.

"WUAAAAAHHHH!" he exclaimed as he jumped. Unfortunately for him he hadn't really calculated the impetus of the fall, which, aided by the air currents was pretty overwhelming, as he came in contact with the frozen waters of the river. He felt as if he was going to die as his feet hit the water. He felt as if hitting a solid area. It hurt like hell and was followed by the even more terrifying feeling of getting sunk into the abyss, as he fell really deep into the water. He was used to diving from very high places into the sea waters, but the water levitation because of the salinity always aided his body to come back to the surface. However now he had fallen into the Thames whose water was fresh, therefore, there was no such thing and he had to really push to get himself back to the air again. As he struggled his way up, against the really strong underwater currents of the huge British river, he self-consciously lost that he lost his grip on the lamp, without noticing as he was fighting to keep conscious due to the lack of air. After some moments that felt like eternity, the dark-skinned man found his nostrils filled his air instead of water. He coughed really loud to take some of the water he had taken in through his mouth, out and then he took some really fast, deep breaths to bring his lungs back to normal function, before he opened his eyes. His legs were practically worthless, so he had to keep swimming with his arms. Suddenly as he did, the corner of his eyes was caught by an image that almost made his heart stop. Genie's lamp was up ahead in the distance, near the shore, but rapidly being carried away by the extremely strong currents of the river.

"NOOOO! GENIE!" He yelled as loud as the fight with the frozen waters allowed him. He tried really hard to go up against the river but the lamp was being carried away really fast. It was over his powers to follow it.

"I WILL find you Genie! I promise…" he said to himself. After a little while, the lamp disappeared from his sight.

…

Lila used her memories of the flowerbeds that she had thoroughly examined during her walk, to make her way to the beautiful lily flowerbed and after a while she succeeded. He found the lilies and right behind them she noticed the small crack on the wall that would help her make her way to freedom, at least for a little while. Truth was she could run away and go back to her house, but Lila was a creature of duty. She didn't want to cause trouble, neither to her parents, nor to the nice man that was responsible for her safety, Solar. She would just take her little walk to the Thames and she would be back before anyone noticed. That way she would be a little calmer about this whole situation and no one would get in trouble, herself included.

"Ah! Here it is…" she whispered to herself excited as she spotted the crack. She made her way behind the lilies. Some of them smelled so great. Especially the white ones. She leaned over them and took a deep breath inhaling their scent. "Hmmm…. That's so great…" she self-spoke again before she snapped out of it and went for the crack. It was pretty small and narrow but then again, Lila's figure was small too, so she didn't have much trouble going through it. The long black hooded cloak she wore got a little stuck but she just pulled it and it came out too without causing her much trouble.

Beyond the north wall of Sophia's manor there was a huge field with nothing but wild grass on it. It was a little humid but Lila didn't really mind. She would definitely get dirty but she could claim she got it from her walk in the garden and besides as Flare had informed her, they would be renewing her wardrobe the next few days so hopefully no one would notice.. However she wasn't going to get rid of her favorite blue dress…

As she stood outside the wall and dusted off her dress and cloak, she looked upwards. As it was the pattern, her restlessness and need for a walk at the Thames had come at the same time as September's fullmoon.. She started walking towards the river. She didn't really have to walk far as the bank of the river showed up before her after a few minutes only. It was a narrow spot where the waters became calmer and the muddy riverside was less steep that the rest of the river. That wasn't her usual spot, but it was close enough, even cozier and a little more picturesque than that… She found a high point where she could gaze the waters and the sky from, and where the soil wasn't too moist. She sat on her butt and hugged her knees because it was kind of chilly, but it was nice… It was the coolness of autumn she so very much loved… She looked at the sky and let her eyes slip down the silver line that connected the moon with the sparkling waters of the Thames… She smiled soflty.

"Why is it that you too call upon me every time you meet?..." she wondered… Maybe now that she had found out she was part of the ethereal, divine clan that was responsible for all this strange beauty, she would get some answers… Answers she could have never gotten as a human… In her mind as a child she had made up this story about the impossible love between the moon and the river… They could only meet each other once a month… They could see each other, but they could never touch… Their only contact was the reflection of the moon's silver light on the river's water… Still, they moon affects the river waters through gravity so their connection is ever strong… Now that she was older and she thought about that story she had come up with her childish mind she even found it silly… What connection could a planet body and a water body share other than plain physics?... However the thought was as heartwarming as ever…

As her eyes wondered over the beautiful waters, her attention was caught by a shiny object, shining half-covered in mud, a little farther from her she was sitting.

"Hm?..." she mumbled lifting her eyebrows. Out of pure curiosity, she lifted herself and walked that way, although her feet were half-sinking in the mud. She got closer and realized that the object was golden. It was shining bright as the full moon light fell upon it. She reached for it almost falling in the mud, but managed to maintain her balance at the last minute.

"Whoopsie!" she exclaimed, grabbing the cold object and pulling it out of the mud. She examined it.

"Wow… An old oil lamp!" she exclaimed again excited. It was plain, but really beautiful. "So beautiful…" she looked around. "I hope no one is missing it… But then again.. it was just sunk in the mud… An old lamp like this…" she blushed slightly… "Maybe I can keep it…" and as she said that, she used her cloak's edge to clean the mud off the half of the lamp that had been sunk in it. As she did so, the object started violently vibrating. Lila was so startled she almost dropped it. The lamp bounced a couple of times off her hands and eventually landed on them and she held it.

"What the…" she muttered. Before she could finish her phrase, the atmosphere around her was filled by a thick, blue smoke that was strangely, gradually morphing into something that looked like a person. Lila's heart had almost stopped, not from fear, but from excitement. After a little while, the blue smoke took the shape of a human-looking male figure that was levitating on the air, as if he were lying on his back, with his two four-fingered hands crossed over his belly and his eyes closed.

"Ehhh?!" Lila exclaimed, but was again surprised as the blue bearded, as she noticed, man started spitting water from his mouth as if he were a statue on a fountain. Then he fake-coughed a little and opened his eyes.

"Ahhhh! That was close…" he said in a dramatic tone of voice. His voice was deep and warm. Lila could have been scared, but strangely she wasn't. She was rather intrigued. "Ali you…" he started saying as he got back on a standing position, still on the air but he stopped his phrase and blinked startled. In front of him, stood a white-haired girl, and a pair of very confused, huge blue eyes were looking at him, blinking as well. The girl was surrounded by a strange glow… It was probably the moonlight bathing her pure white skin. The Genie felt his heart skip a beat just at the sight… This was one of the most beautiful creatures he had ever encountered… And he had encountered a lot... Plus, he couldn't help the feeling that he had met her before, although he was absolutely sure that this was the first time he ever saw her… He could never forget such a face… After a few moments of staring, he cleared his throat and took his look position.

"Ehm, hello…" He said in a serious self-confident way.

….