Chapter 5 - Headquarters

Venice's Point of View

“Feed me some good news, Enzo.”

“Nothing. No one is responding to my calls,” he muttered while continuously tapping on his screens, reaching out to the main headquarters.

“They are not supposed to be offline but,” Amari paused as she did the same with Enzo, looking for possible answers about the headquarter’s sudden inactivity.

“Then get the damn line working!” I slammed the table as hard as I could, as if these hard slapping hands could magic the entire comms to get the systems back online.

Pissed, I entered the cockpit where Sin is, together with our pilots.

“And you,” I pointed at him recklessly, not minding his position nor his status compared to mine. “Tell my father to call me as soon as possible. He never picks up the phone whenever I am calling him, but he never fails to answer yours.”

But instead of responding to my command, he only gave me a sarcastic smile, as if something funny was attached to my face or my entire being.

“Will you calm down, hija? We are on our way there now,” he said while motioning both of his hands, as if telling me to sit back and relax.

But I cannot chill!

“Cro—”

“Will you shut the fuck up?” it almost came out like a shout. “The deliveries were compromised, Sin. It was the first time it happened, and mind you, under my command.”

“Everyone had their failed mission. Learn to live with yours,” it came out like an advice, but that is not what I really need right now.

I need a solution, not comfort.

“I don’t care that much about failing, but that is another conversation. Someone’s targeting me specifically.”

Realizing the seriousness of the situation, he went back to his stern face and nodded.

Respectfully.

“I’ll get back to you once I get him on the phone,” he said and excused himself out.

I turned to Bella who’s now standing at the entrance of the cockpit, with her expressive shocked face.

She is holding a tablet on her arm with the news, I hope.

“The headquarters requires your presence right away. Something came up,” she brought it out as she handed me the tablet containing a report.

I quickly grabbed it and started to manipulate the device.

On a split screen, a report was shown together with the formal announcement and a request for an emergency meeting as soon as we landed.

“Tell Enzo to accept the request. ETA, 18:00.”

I returned to the pilots and dropped them with an order.

“Have the convoy pick us up from the airport as soon as we land.”

“Will do, Ma’am.”

—

When I finally felt the alive atmosphere of the city that never sleeps, I took my luggage out together with my backpack.

My crew went after me, as we loaded our things inside the designated vans.

But I told them that I’ll be taking a different ride.

“Keys,” I asked Sin and he threw me the specific ones I am looking for.

I waved my goodbye to them as I watched their convoy leave the airport. Once settled, I went to one of the gates and took my ride.

“I miss you, baby.”

I touched its mirror, and savored its sophistication right in front of my eyes.

The two red lines on its black roof were just as hot as the heat of the day, as I went back to this land of the masterminds

It has been a while since the last time I took this one on the road, and I think it's time to let this monster out again.

During the daytime.

I swiftly moved myself inside and roared the engine. “Still smooth as ever.”

As I tapped the pedal, the car knew exactly that the road belongs to it entirely—as long as I am the one behind the wheels.

Passing the familiar bridges and highways, I overtook several cars.

I even passed the van where my crew was, and lowered my car window to wave at them.

Seconds passed, Bella called me.

“Stop showing off!” she scolded like a mother, but I only laughed at her.

“Come on, prima. It’s just a short ride!”

I hung up the phone and continued doing my own thing.

Until a red light tamed my acceleration.

While waiting I noticed another racing car on the road, taking up the space beside mine.

Its window is tinted enough for me not to see the driver’s seat, as mine is also private enough to be penetrated by naked eyes.

But what caught my attention the most is that one drawing attached at the back of its side mirror.

You have picked the wrong road.

I roared my engine as loud as it can, challenging the other car to a race. Just as I thought it would back down, the driver slightly lowered his window and waved his right hand.

As if taunting.

When the green light bloomed on the road, I immediately hit the pedal and had an early start over that silver Koenigsegg Regera.

Smirk immediately drew on my lips as I saw it falling behind.

Just as I was winning, I was shook to find him beside me, catching up my pace.

“Let’s see who gets on the other side first.”

But even after motivating myself, his maneuver became smoother than I had expected.

In a snap, I am on his tail.

And what surprised me the most, is he stopped at the same headquarters I am heading to.

Going out of the car last, I followed his trail immediately as he ran like a bandit inside.

“Why did you let him in!” I shouted in despair to the ones guarding, but I had no more minutes to wait for their answers.

He took the stairs up as fast as he could, and when he knew that I was barely keeping up, he took the elevator and left me catching my breath.

I watched the numbers above, and emotions started to overflow when he stopped on that floor.

“Fuck, no!”

I took the elevator that just came in and started calling Bella.

“Where are you?”

“We’re still on the road. Are you already there?”

“Get your damn ass here faster! He’s here…”

Curses filled my ears before hanging up the phone.

And as soon as the elevator door opened, I ran as fast as I could while preparing and loading my gun.

Without having a second thought after seeing the door half-closed, I entered my father’s office and pointed my weapon immediately to the man standing in front of his desk.

“Venice! Drop your weapon, mija.”

“What’s the meaning of this?” I asked, not following my father’s command.

The black rose tattoo fucktard who’s taller than me kept his posture—his broad back still facing me.

“He tried to kill me, Papa. What the fuck is he doing here?” This time, I pointed the gun hard at the back of his head, but he did not even flinch.

Instead, I only received a chuckle from my father.

An entertaining one.

“I’m sorry.”

His deep voice registered in my ears like a deep well drowning me into its endless abyss.

It was so familiar that I could almost identify its owner, but I cannot exactly pinpoint who.

His mullet, semi leaf cut hair gave off a friendly and innocent atmosphere, but I know that I cannot be fooled just by seeing his back alone.

But one thing is for sure: he was the one who tried to kill me.

“I will not ask again, fucktard. Who are you?”

I stepped back when he moved a bit, but I was even more shocked and my reflexes failed me when he finally faced my direction, stealing my gun from me.

And now pointing it right at my heart.

Those black hunter eyes and intimidating face that I haven’t seen for years. His eyeglasses and straight eyebrows sent shivers down my spine, as his stares seemed to shoot me with bullets sharper than what is loaded in that gun.

I wish I was just imagining things, but no. He is here, again. In flesh.

“That’s enough, you two.” But my father’s voice did not calm my racing heart.

His eyes intently traveled from mine, down to my lips; as if scanning every little twitch and movement of my face.

When he finally read my expression, the corner of his lips went up.

“Don’t you remember me, little sis?”

A trigger was pulled from the bottom of my heart, trying hard not to stutter as I faced him after all these years.

“Stop calling me that, Vladimir. You are still just my father’s bastard.”