The door opened to Alice’s office. Alice looked up from her laptop and noticed Khan walking towards her.
“Morning, Khan,”“Alice.”“What happened?” Alice asked"The shareholders of LLC Corporation have moved the meeting to tomorrow, they need the product sooner."Alice's frown deepened as she tapped her pencil on the table"Then I guess we are going to London.”“Not we, you are.”“Okay? And why is that?” Alice asked“Adriano wants me to stay behind. He wants you to go alone.”“Why does he need you here?”Khan narrowed his eyes at her, “Alice, do you want me to question him?”Alice bit the side of her lip.“Fine.” You can leave if there is nothing else.Khan stared at her for a moment before he stood up and walked away. As he walked out he slammed the door behind him.Alice stared at the door deep in thought.“Something about this trip doesn’t feel right,” Alice whispered.~~~London~~~Alice looked down at her phone as she walked out of the airport dragging her suitcase behind her.“Sorry Miss,” A man dressed in a black tux called out to her making her stop and stare at him.“Yes. Can I help you?” Alice asked“Miss Bernardi, I am from the LLC Corporation. They have sent me to come and pick you up. Will you please follow me?Alice studied the man.“No one from the company has informed me about that,” Alice said“I don’t know the details. I was only sent to come and pick you up.”“You can go back. I have already made my own arrangement for transportation.”Alice took a step forward but the man step in front of her,“I insist.”Alice stared at him for a second,"It seems that I don’t have any choice. Please lead the way,” Alice said as she motioned with her hand for him to walk first.He hesitated for a moment, but when he noticed her unfazed expression, he turned around and walked away. Alice followed behind. They stopped beside a black car. The man opened the back door, holding it open for her to climb in.Alice examines the man for the last time.“Get in.” He instructedAlice lifted an eyebrow “Or what?” Alice ignored his furious expression and before he could reply she walked past him and climbed into the back of a taxi.Alice came alone to London. Oliver had to stay behind to take care of unfinished business.She glanced at her phone and called out to the driver who was impatiently staring at her,“Diamond hotel.”He nodded and started driving.Alice scrolled threw her phone and as anticipated, her father's name popped up on her screen.“Hello, Father.”“Where are you now?”“Just got in a taxi, I am heading toward the Hotel,”“Why didn’t you go with the man the company had arranged for you?”“Didn't you tell me to trust no one?”The line went silent for a while,“Keep me informed.”“As always…” Alice ended the call.She stared out of the window at the cars that drove past. In the corner of her eye, she spotted a black vehicle following them.Alice moved forward in her seat,“How long has the car been following us?” She asked,The driver glanced at her in the rearview mirror,“From the airport.”“Turn here, “She motioned with her hand to the driver“But this is not the way..."“Do as I say!” She interrupted him,The guy nodded and followed her instructions. The car behind them increased its speed. Shadowing them from behind.“Lady! What now? “The driver asks with widened eyes. His left hand started to tremble on the steering wheel.“Shit,” She slammed the back of the headrest when she saw the traffic jam in front of them. The taxi was trapped between the cars. Alice turned around and looked at the black car that was following them. She watched as all four doors opened at once. Four blocks climbed out.“Oh, nice…” Alice muttered.As she turned back toward the driver, she saw the fear in his eyes.“Stay in the car and lock the door, okay,” she said then patted him on the shoulders. His eyes widened.“Hell, no lady, I’m out.” He jerked the car door open and ran away.“Suit yourself…”Alice climbed out of the car. She leaned against the taxi watching the men as they approached her. They stopped a few feet away from her. Alice noticed the driver was the man who approached her at the airport.“It’s you again! Seriously! Why are you so keen on me coming with you? Don’t take your job so seriously.”"You need to come with us, Alice.” The man said,“Oh, now that’s not fair. You know my name, but I don’t know your names. I’ll call you…” She pointed to the driver, “Billy, and you,” She pointed to the guy on the passenger side, “Steve”, and you two at the back, “Willy and Hmmmm, Larry. Yes. Larry.”The men looked at each other confused“You do not want us to come and take you with force,” Billy said,“I wouldn't want it any other way Billy,” Alice said with a smirkBilly shook his head, then he and Steve started walking towards her.Alice glanced around at the cars standing around them. She smiled at the lady who looked through her window at the men walking towards Alice, and then looked back at Alice concerned. Alice looked down and saw the lady's car was unlocked. She motioned for the lady to lock it.“A shitty place to fight, but okay, let’s do this,” Alice said.Alice cracked her neck from side to side and walked towards them. When Billy was a foot away, she spun around and side-kicked him in the neck. He grabbed his neck gasping for air. Steve reached out towards her but Alice spun around him and removed his gun from his side and hit him with it against the side of his head. Out of the corner of her eyes, she noticed Willy and Larry grabbing their guns. Larry fired first and shot her in the leg. She fell on one knee and instantly shot Larry and Willy in the head. She looked at Billy and Steve lying unconscious on the ground. She breathed out a sigh of relief. Alice examined her leg and looked at the gun wound. A popping sound echoed through the air. Alice's shoulder shook backward as the bullet hit her. Her head jerked up toward the direction the bullet came from. Before she could react, another bullet hit her on the other shoulder knocking her forcefully backward and letting her back hit the gravel road. She closed her eyes from the impact and gasped for air as the wind was knocked out of her. Alice turned her head sideways seeing the man's feet beside her. Her eyes moved up to his.“Unfortunately for you, I received different orders than the four idiots. I was told to kill you.” The man said,Alice noticed a gun lying a distance away from her, she moved her fingers a little bit toward it. The man stepped on her fingers preventing her from doing anything else.Pain shot through Alice, but she only bit the inside of her mouth to contain the scream that wanted to escape. Her eyes started to blur from the blood she was losing. Time seemed to slow down as she looked back up at the guy. She saw his mouth moving but heard no words, everything went silent. The pressure of his boot increase. She could feel her fingers breaking. Pain. One word that described her life. Her body felt lifeless.“Goodbye Alice,” The guy said as he held the gun to her foreheadAlice stared him in the eyes refusing to let him get the satisfaction of seeing her suffer.‘I lived a bitter life and now I will die the same way.’“Bang.”His eyes widened. His finger loosens its grip on the gun letting it fall to the ground. Alice's eyes widened as she watched him fall to his knees. The blood poured out from his forehead down his face. Adrenaline rushed through her veins as she crawled backward away from him. His lifeless body fell forward next to Alice. Alice held her breath. Through the screaming and police sirens, Alice, heard the sound of boots pacing toward her.“Alice!”A familiar voice she heard before calling out to her. Alice stared in the direction of the voice, but her blurry vision made it difficult for her to see the man’s face. She closed her eyes and opened them again trying to regain her focus.“KEVIN?” She called out in a hoarse voice. She tried lifting her body only to fall backward again, she saw the figure approaching her, “Finally” she muttered then lost consciousness.‘When we think we finally have everything in our control. Life comes and knocks our feet right from underneath us, showing
“What did you say?” Nico asked from behind.Kevin bowed his head as he closed his eyes. “She is gone.”“She is gone?” Nico asked then rushed past Kevin into the room. He looked frantically around the room and then rushed toward the window.“She is gone,” Nico said as if he was trying to convince himself.He leaned over the window and looked down. “Wow, she is quite something. How did she get down two floors?”“Nico stop looking, she will be gone by now.”Nico turned and looked at Kevin stunned. “She has been shot in both shoulders and her leg. How can she possibly climb down?”Nico looked around the room. He walked to the bed and looked underneath.“We need to get her back. They will kill her if they get her again.” Kevin said,After Kevin had found Alice, he sent word out to his men to keep tabs on her. Kevin had received word that two groups were sent to kill her. He still was not sure who, but when he received the information, he dropped everything and flew directly to London. His
“Hey, Tess,”“Maisie? Please tell me you are back.”“I am back!!!” Maisie sang over the phone.“AHHHHHH!” Tess screamed which made Maisie hold the phone away from her ear.“You want to go to Club La Vita tonight?” Maisie asked.“Hell yeah! I am down on getting smashed tonight!”“Yeah! Will you inform the rest of the girls? Oh, and should I come and pick you up?”“Yes, I will let them know. They are going to be thrilled, and yes, please. I think it is best. I don’t want to total my car tonight. My dad will kill me.”“Then it’s settled. How late should I come and pick you up?”“How about past ten?”“Okay, I will see you then. Bye.” Maisie ended the call.The girls were a total of six. Tess walked in front swaying her hips. The black mini dress barely covered her bum.Tess trailed her finger around the bouncer.“Hello Ivan, have you missed me?”Ivan smiled at Tess as she was circling him.“Always,”He opened the red rope.“Ladies” Ivan motioned with his hand for them to enter.Maisie was
The hotel was not as busy as Alice thought it would be. As she walked up toward the entrance, she noticed a suitcase standing unattended. The owner was having an intense conversation over the phone and was looking into the distance. Alice monitored her surroundings. As she noticed no one was paying attention to it or her, she made use of the chance and walked toward the suitcase and casually dragged it away. Inside the hotel she spotted the bathroom and limped towards it, ignoring the stares she received. As she entered the bathroom she walked into a stall and closed the door behind her. She closed the lid of the toilet and placed the suitcase on top“Oh, thank goodness. Some little bit of luck,” she said when she saw women's clothes inside.Alice quickly changed. She hid her hair underneath a sunhat and put the glasses she found in the suitcase on. She left the suite case inside the stall and walked out.“Good day, how can I help you?” The lady at the reception asked“Hello, I booked
Alice heard a knock on the hotel door. She stood sideways against it and called out.“Yes, who is it?”“Lenzo. Open up.”Alice unlocked the door and slightly cracked the door open. She looked through the crack.Lenzo grinned at her and gave a small wave with his hand. Alice opened the door and stood to the side. Lenzo walked in. He glanced around the room and looked back at Alice“You look like shit,” Lenzo commented“Yeah, I know. Thanks.”Alice turned around and limped to the bed. She put the sunhat and the sunglasses on and limped back to Lenzo. He held his arm out for her. She reached for his arm and held unto it.Shall we go?” He asked.“Where are the others?” Alice asked“Federico and Dario are waiting downstairs. I thought it would look less suspicious if I come up alone.”“Yeah, you are right. Let’s go.” Alice said.They walked past the guy standing in front of room 205. The guy only glanced at them and looked the other way not suspecting anything suspicious.As they entered t
Alice looked confused at her surroundings. She could hear the voices of children but could not see them.“Tag your it.” The Children's voices echoed through the hallway. Alice looked down at her clothes. “This can’t be…” Alice jerked her head up and noticed her surroundings had changed. She looked around and noticed she was in her old room in the orphanage. She looked at the full body-length mirror against the wall and slowly walked up to it. Two big young eyes stared back at her. Her hair hung loosely over her shoulders. Alice reached for her hair and twirled it around her finger. She stared astonished at her younger self in the mirror. Her younger self suddenly smiled back at her. Alice reached for the mirror. Her younger self reflects her action. Alice's fingers pressed against the mirror. She jerked her head to the door as she heard children screaming. She looked terrified back at her younger self. Her younger self stared back with tears running down her cheeks. It was like the pa
Fifteen Years AgoBeing an orphan, you do not get to decide what happens to you. You do not get to decide where you will go or with whom. One can stay in the orphanage until one turns eighteen and then go out living on your own or, one can get adopted by a family who one did not choose. You do not know what they are like until you’re in their home. You must adapt to their surroundings and their rules. Unfortunately, Alice and Kevin were one of those kids.They found Alice at the steps of the orphanage on a cold night only wrapped in a thin blanket. Luckily one of the caretakers went out for a smoke and found her. Kevin’s parents died in a car crash when he was about two years old. No relatives came and claimed him. He use to stand behind the caretakers and watch how they changed, bath, and took care of Alice. He thought this small person was very fascinating. From the first time he laid his eyes on her, he felt protective over her. Time went by and they grew extremely close. Kevin and
Alice walked out with her suitcase toward the man standing in the middle of the lobby. She stopped next to the director.“Alice. This is Mr. Adriano Bernardi. You will go with him.”The director could not bear to look Alice in her eyes. She felt a lump in her throat. She could not bear sending Alice with this man, but she had no choice.Alice watch as the director walked and enter her office closing the door behind her and leaving Alice alone with this man. She looked at Adriano who was looking her up and down. He turned around and walked out without uttering a word. Alice had to hold back the tears that wanted to escape. As she exited the building she noticed strange men, standing outside. She almost bumped into Adriano when he stopped next to a man. Adriano glared back at her and then looked sternly at the man,“Get rid of all her information. Make sure there is nothing left and nothing to trace.” Adriano said, then walked toward the car.Alice frowned as she heard his words. She wa