Chapter Two

The Drive

Silver pushed past the tables, struggling to balance the drinks in her hands, and careful to not trip on her own foot. She could see that the man that had made the order for the group, already had his eyes on her and that made her shiver in fear. His lingering gaze too piercing for comfort. Silver couldn’t read the expressions that danced through his face and that made it even harder for her to bear. Not knowing what he was thinking about caused her chest to hurt.

She placed the tray of drinks carefully on the table, sinking in on herself as a couple other members of the group raised their head to acknowledge her. She noticed though, how the powerful man with beautiful blue eyes that she had been looking at earlier, kept typing furiously on his phone and didn’t bother to acknowledge her, not even for a second.

“Your drinks, sir.” She said in a voice barely above a whisper, scared that if she spoke louder, she might be punished for it. They looked like the kind of people to do such. As soon as the tray touched the table, she turned around and left far more quickly than she arrived. Not bothering to check if the need anything else. Wanting nothing more than to be away from the men as soon as possible. She noticed how easier it was to breathe as soon as she left the presence of the men. Doing her best to avoid their table, she went about serving the tables furthest from the group.

Rodriguez picked a glass from the tray that had been placed in the middle of the table. Wondering when the waiter had brought the drinks. He had heard a tiny voice speak at some point but didn’t bother to pay any attention to it. He swirled the glass in his hand, enjoying how the contents of the glass swished from side to side. The aroma from the drink did a lot to soothe his mind.

Rodriguez was aware of just how much attention he and his group were getting in the bar. He was used to this sort of attention though, it happened everywhere that they went, being at the top of whatever industry you ran would get you that sort of attention. Movies, fashion, music and even the Mafia. He ignored the eyes that seemed to be watching his every move and turned his eyes to address his men.

“Gentlemen, what we have got here is the last piece of the puzzle.” He says, holding up to the view of only the members of the round table, a single flash drive. Looking through the faces of each of his men to capture their reactions. He seemed satisfied with whatever he seemed to have found.

“Thanks to Jared, we have been able to infiltrate through the last of the barriers, and with this, it is on to the next stage.” Rodriguez continued, giving a slight nod of acknowledgment to his second in command who was sitting next to him.

Rodriguez could easily be described as the most powerful Mafia Don. Ruthless sounded like a word meant for child’s play when it came to describing how he could get. Everyone that offended him, never lived a day to tell the story and full grown men quavered in his presence. His reputation as the most dangerous man to ever cross paths with, preceded him wherever he went. He spared no one that dared to do wrong by him any mercy and till this day not a single soul lived as an exception to that rule.

Rodriguez continued to address his men, passing the drive to Jared for safe keeping once he was done explaining it’s content to the men before him. He drank from his glass enjoying the way it’s content, tickled his tongue and caused his chest to burn after swallowing it. Once he was done with his drink, he pulled out his wallet, dropping a few bills on the table and standing to leave. The rest of his men, moving to do the same. He took a quick sweep of the bar and enjoyed the way, the atmosphere quieted down and the way the people seemed to avert their eyes by bowing their heads. No one wanting to lock eyes with the powerful man.

As soon as the group stepped out through the doors. Silver felt as though the pressure in her lungs had finally disappeared. It became a lot easier to breathe and her forehead and palms didn’t feel as sweaty anymore. She frowned when she realized the pressure she had felt with their presence in the bar. Silver knew she didn’t do well with authoritative presence or intimidating people, but she wasn’t sure why that feeling seemed to triple in her chest with these particular group of men. She made a mental note to ask Ethan about the men, sometime during her shift. She moved towards the table they once occupied to clear of the glasses and wipe down the table. Just as she began to clear off the glasses, a small black device caught her attention, she moved closer to the table, taking the device in her hands, she noticed it was a flash drive. Her eyes widen at the realization. This must belong to the men.

Dropping the rag onto the table top, she moves with as much speed as her short legs would allow. Running towards the exit, in hopes of catching up with them. Just as she runs into the car park, she sees the last of their group speed off along the other three cars that were onto the road already. She knew it was no use running after the cars: she wouldn’t get far at all with the speed they were moving at. Turning the device this way and that in her small hands, she decides to keep it, just in case the men came back for it. She slips the drive into her pockets turning around to head back into the bar.

Unknowing to her that it was more than a drive and she was just about to turn her world upside down.