The Harvest of Souls

CHAPTER 39

ÁSTUR

12.01.8462 - 12:49 AM

Lélia's small plane was quickly approaching the domestic airport of Ástur. As soon as the aircraft completely stop, still in the middle of the airstrip, eight black cars appeared with sirens and surrounded the plane. Lélia commanded the door's opening, and a loud sound of propellers invaded the aircraft. Lélia was the first to leave, trying to control her hair with the strong wind caused by the helicopter's propeller flying over the airport at a low altitude.

"Hello," she shouted to one of the armed agents who was getting out of one of the cars.

"Mrs. Lélia. They interrupted the airport operation just because of you, can you believe it?" Said the agent taking Lélia's arm. "Each one of you goes in a different car."

"No, we'll go together. Give me your car," she shouted over the loud sound of the helicopter breaking away from the agent's hands.

"Too late," the agent said.

Lélia turned back and watched each of the plane's occupants being escorted by a different agent each to a car.

"Who commanded this?" Lélia asked indignantly, stopping in the middle of the runway.

"We received orders to take you all to The Palace, in Kotakahuana. Let's go?"

Lélia's jaw dropped, but she knew that at that moment it was better to set an example of subservience, and so she lowered her head and continued to the car. She picked up her MC as she got into the car and sent a message to the group with the Asturians:

I CAN'T BELIEVE SHE'S DOING THIS SHOW.

When Lélia sent the message, she noticed that two agents were seated on either side of her.

"Guys, we really needed this?" She asked, trying to identify one of her agents. "Lidia, what's going on?" She asked softly in the agent's ear.

"Charlotte asked maximum security to accompany everyone to the hotel. But look, the order is to leave you inside the hotel, protected," Lidia changed her voice as she said the last word.

"I understood. Nothing I can undo," Lélia concluded.

Lidia shook her head from side to side, looking deep into Lélia's eyes.

"At the moment, it might be better to retreat," Lidia spoke as the cars left the airstrip and entered a reserved area of ​​the airport.

Lélia sighed and tried to relax, leaning back on her seat and enjoying the view of Ástur, but her head was boiling with the situation. She remained all the way pressing her jaw as the car already turned onto Ocean Avenue and approached the hotel. To Lélia's surprise, the cars did not stop in front of the hotel but continued on Ocean Avenue, taking the first street on the right and going around the block.

"Are we entering through the back?" Lélia asked.

"It's better," Lidia spoke.

"OK," Lélia said, snorting and widening her eyes as the car slowed down.

Lélia watched an old man in a red uniform open an old, blue gate, which seemed never to be used. As soon as he opened the gate, the cars slowly entered the driveway built for much narrower vehicles. The vehicles entered underground to along a corridor for a few meters before making a left turn where they stopped in a line.

The hotel's basement, unlike its accommodations, was in awful taste and very poorly maintained. The agents were the first to leave, giving way then to the Asturians, who left the cars and stood underground, looking at the glass doors that gave access to a small Lobby and not understanding what they should do. Before one of the agents could say anything, a tall woman wearing a purple turban exited one of the three antique elevators in the lobby.