CHAPTER 2-PLAYING THE LONG GAME

Adams just got off work from the delivery office and was rushing to his second job on his power bike where he works as a cleaner when his phone kept ringing non stop. He stopped driving so he could attend to the caller. It was his sister Avril and he immediately knew it had to be emergency cause Avril would never call him during his work hours if it wasn't important.

“ Hello! Avril?”

Adams! I just came back from school....... and met mom on the floor, she is not waking up, I don't know what to do!!”

She was panting frantically.

“ Calm down Avril, call 911, I will meet you guys at the hospital!!"

“ Okay! "

She hangs up. He knew if he didn't show up at work then he was going to loose his job, but right at that moment, the most important thing to him was the life of his mother.

Arriving at the hospital, Avril is seating at the waiting area, rubbing both her palms together and sobbing silently.

“ Avril!"

He called and she immediately stood up, rushing to him.

“ Adams!! The doctors haven't said anything to me since we got here, am scared I don't know what is happening!!"

She fell on his shoulder now sobbing loud.

“ Calm down! Am here now, nothing will happen to her, we just need to let the doctors do their job”

He tried calming her down as he gently stroke her hair. He felt like it was his fault and he should have noticed the signs, these few days His mom kept having consistent pain on her back, waist and belly, she was loosing a lot of weight and he taught all these would stop in due time but they didn't, instead they are right here at hospital with no available fund to take care of her.

**************

Mrs. Cruz barely had any wince of sleep last night, just when she taught she is able to put Natash at a corner, she still bounce back. Ever since Natash started her own Casino, she has been trying so hard to stop her from getting to these level, but despite all her effort, it just seems as if she has a secret weapon.

She was pacing restlessly at her office, and didn't notice her assistant Claudia walked in.

“ Good morning ma'am is there a problem?”

“ What other problem could there be than the fact that Natash’s has one of the biggest company here in Los Angeles!! Claudia I need a plan, I need to infiltrate her, I just don't know how, tell me how?"

She was now biting her lips in frustration.

“ If you want to infiltrate her, then you need a spy. Someone that works at her organization but is loyal to you"

“ That makes quiet a sense! But believe me Natash is smart, she would smell it even from afar, I really can't tell how she does it!"

“ Ma'am! She would only smell it if she was interested in it. I mean what about someone close to her but of no importance, someone she wouldn't even care of their existence and yet they will just be right under her nose.”

“ Claudia!! I just got the perfect idea. We have been playing the quick game with Natash, it time to play the long game. Get me a man in his late thirties that any woman will drool on seeing his handsome face. I need it before the end of this week!!”

“ Yes ma'am! I will work on it"

Claudia walks out of the office, shutting the door behind her.

*************

After waiting for what seems like forever, the doctor is finally out, as Adams rushed to him.

“ Doctor! How is my mom! How is she doing?"

“ Mr. Madison right?"

“ Yes doctor!!"

“ Please let talk in my office"

Adams follows the doctor to his office while Avril till sat at the waiting area.

“ Doctor how is my mom doing, what is actually wrong with her?”

He ask the moment he was seated at the office.

“ your mom, her kidney is failing, she needs a kidney transplant right away”

“ Is it that serious?!!”

“ Yes. She doesn't have a lot of time”

“ Then doctor, go ahead and do it!!"

“ Mr. Madison first we don't have a kidney donor at the moment and secondly, the procedure is too expensive, your insurance doesn't cover it”

That what the last thing he wanted to hear at that point, to be reminded of his financial status.

“ Doctor! What do we do now!”

“ For now we will put her on life support to buy you some time, but you need to make some deposit as soon as possible!"

“ How much are we talking about here?"

“ Go over to the counter at the reception, they will take you through the method of payment”

“ Okay. Thank you doctor."

He left the office straight to the reception, but after he was briefed about the amount of payment he needed to make, Adams became lost.

Standing at the reception for hours, he just couldn't think of a way to go about it,  Avril just got into high school which he spent all his savings on despite the fact that it was a public school, he had no cash whatsoever nor was he expecting any at the moment, there was no friend he could turn to, and more than anything, he needed his mom alive.

“ Adams! Adams!!”

Avril called. He was so lost in his thought that he didn't see her walking towards him, she grab his arm, making him to startle. He stare at her confuse not sure what to say.

“ Adams is everything okay?"

“ Yes! Yes Avril!"

“ How is mom? What did the doctor say?"

“ Well.......she is seriously sick, but she will be fine soon”

“ Did they ask for money?"

She ask as she stare at him inquisitively.

“ No! Not at all, the insurance covered it. Come on am hungry, let go get something to eat"

He held her by the shoulder playfully and led her out of the hospital.

************

Natash sat at her Wegner swivel chair which presented her more of a boss. Sitting at her large office that could be mistaken for a palace mostly decorated with glass objects, Her eyes are fixed on her computer while both her hands were clicking through the keyboard non stop. There is a slight thump on the door as Robert walked in without waiting to be ushered in.

“ Good morning Boss!"

He greeted.

“ Morning Robert, what do you have for me?”

She ask with the usual calm voice, her eyes still fixed on the computer.

“ We've got a weak point on Mr. Meyers, I just need your confirmation to proceed with the plan"

“ Where is his wife at the moment?”

“ At California, but should be back today, she will be attending the women’s seminar”

“ Ambush her on her way there"

Natash's voice was still calm and could be mistaken for an angel.

“ Boss! What about Mrs. Cruz, shouldn't you strike now?"

“ Patience is the key! I need her to exhaust all her resources first that way it will be easy to deal with her. But for now start poking her investors bit by bit. And I need it done silently.”

“ Yes Boss!”

“ You can go now, I still need to review the new project”

“ Yes boss!"

Her focus was now back to the computer while he still stood there staring at her.

Robert Nelson a five feet tall light skin guy in his early thirties. He met Natash after she escaped from the hands of those she was sold to. She was hungry, homeless and desperate at that time. But had seen a group of boys beating Robert at that time, she was brave enough to try and rescue him.

They were four boys in number and she was just a vulnerable girl, but despite how well she was beaten, she still stood her ground making sure to return a fist to each of the boys. When she finally got a slight opportunity, she carried Robert on her back and ran away. He was an orphan living in the street, ever since then, he would follow her wherever she goes, and Natash would made sure Robert was well feed before she would eat. For him, she was his god, he would take a bullet for her at anytime, he was her most loyal follower. He was also talented with computers and can crack any code at anytime. But what Natash wasn't aware of was his feelings for her which run deeper than just being his boss, but he didn't dare say a word.

“ Boss! Have you heard your breakfast?"

He finally asked after standing there for hours not sure of what to say.

“ Don't worry Robert, I took some lemon, remember am on diet"

“ Don't you think it enough already, I mean you are not even weighing up to 170pounds”

“ Come on Robert, the company's anniversary is coming up soon, I need to be able to wear that gown”

“ You mean that tiny gown Mr. Alaska bought you during his visit to the queen of England”

“ Yeah! That gown is just so perfect, I need to be also perfect to wear it"

A slight smile on her face. She would only smile with Robert and that smile always made his heart melt

Standing there staring at her, he needed more excuse to be there, but there was none left, so he slowly left the office as he kept catching a glimpse of her on his way out.