ENTANGLED STRINGS OF PAST

CHAPTER TEN

Aiden Williamson

"Let's go back to YOUR home", Hazel's words were ringing repeatedly in my head throughout our drive back home. This single line was so surprising from her mouth, I will not lie but I started getting second thoughts on my decision. I started doubting her damn intentions. The whole drive I was thinking about different possibilities and answers to all the fucking questions coming back and forth in my mind, I think it's time to confront her.

Everyone was silent through the drive and lunch too that we brought on our way. After lunch, Anna went to work in the kitchen, I got a chance to talk to Hazel but before I could say something she said first, "I want to talk to you", "Okay, come with me," I said immediately. I took her to my office so that no one could hear us.

After a complete silence of one minute, she finally speaks, "What's my profit in it?" "Profit in what?" I ask her, confused.

"What will be my profit if I work for you in that mission of yours?" she asked with confidence I never saw in her, I was impressed, but wait "How did you know about the mission?" I asked her immediately. "It's common sense! Why would you need a girl like me and decide to train her out of the blue?" her answer proved that she was not stupid as Terry was thinking of her. "I wasn't expecting this question like this from a businessman who is also in the mafia!" she said in her usual sarcastic tone. "What do you want Hazel?" I ask her straightforwardly. "I want to make a deal," she said immediately, "if I work for you I want something in return too..." "So what do you want in return?" I asked her. "I haven't decided yet." She said. "You want to make a deal but don't know what to ask in return," I laughed. 
"How do I trust you that you'll not ask for my life in return?" I said, "Exactly how do I trust you?" She ask me looking straight into my eyes but all I could see was pain and hurt in hers. I could not explain that look but could feel how serious this all was for her.
"What if I reject your deal and force you to work for me?" I asked her ignoring her emotions cause this all can be her trap and I'm not going to fall for this.
" You will not force me. And if you did then I'll fight with your guards until they'll let me escape or kill me by themselves" she stated with confidence while the emotions in her eyes were replaced by the fire I wanted to see in them.
"You will work for me in the mission and in return, I  will give you whatever you want. Deal" I said closing the discussion.
"Deal," she said while going out of my office.

I stayed in the office, thinking. After about an hour Terry walked in. "hey buddy, are you sleeping?" he asked and I opened my eyes. "No! Did you bring what I asked?" I asked Terry to bring the footage of the mall when Hazel tried to escape. "Yes!" he exclaimed.

Terry and I saw all the footage, I hope I find the answer to the big question haunting me, what made her change her decision? One night she was planning to kill herself and the other she decided to stay. Everything about her was becoming strange.

Who are you, Hazel? I asked myself, "What made you like this?"

"So she said that she was checking your security?" Terry said chuckling, bringing me back to reality. "I will not lie but there is something different in her, but I'm ashamed of you Aiden, YOU WERE 10 MINUTES LATE TO FIND HER," he said and bust out laughing. "SHUT UP TERRY! Let me focus" I scolded him but he was still laughing like a maniac.

"If you don't stop laughing then I'll kick you out of my damn office," I told him finally. "Ok. Ok. Calm down" he said shutting his mouth.

"If you were the one escaping, then what would you have done?" I asked Terry. "If I was the one escaping, I run and ask someone for help. Call someone maybe...", "Exactly that is what a normal person would do right," I told Terry. "Right," he repeated. "But see this" I played the video of Hazel walking endlessly, without knowing where to stop, she asked a lady for her phone but she hold it for a minute but didn't make a call. "May it was her trick to confuse us or..." Terry said. "Or maybe she had nobody to call for help..." I completed. "What that means?" Terry asked.

"That means it is true that she has run away from her house, and she is not from this city, and in addition, she does not want anyone to find her. Hence she is hiding a really big secret," I explained to Terry whose brain is not working right now. I glanced over at Terry who was still processing my words. I huffed. "So Terry get your ass up and search for more information about her" he scoffed.

While we were talking all about her suddenly, Lucas rushed into my office.

"There has been a shootout at Vixen Club," he was panting fast. "Who the hell dared to mess with us?" I asked him angrily. "That is still unknown sir, but our two men have already died," he answered in fear.

"Get the car ready!" I said to him. Terry and I rushed to the Vixen.

When we reached the club, my men have already taken charge. "Fucking Russians!" Terry exclaimed. Ten Russians were already lying dead on the floor while three of them were still alive.

"Burn the dead and take the rest to our warehouse. I will personally deal with them." I told my men.

"Conduct a proper funeral for two men of ours, and take of their families," I said to Terry. "Okay," he said quietly. "Let's go to the warehouse"

Russians were tied to a chair and brutally beaten up. "Who send you?" I ask them.

However, no one said a word. "So you are not going to speak?" I shoot one of them before completing my words.

"Look you both worthless piece of shit. I need information, whether you both give me that or one of you, who does not want to die, can give, choice is all yours." I could see the fear in them while I completed the sentence. I smirked.

"So let's start again, who sent you?" I shoot one of them again when I did not hear the answer I wanted. "Dmitry! Dmitry Volkow" the other one shouted in fear.

"Yes! See this was so simple" I said to him. "So what is your name?" I ask him. "Daniel," he said.

"So Daniel, now you are going to answer all my questions sincerely and if you answered wrong then you are going to lose your fingers," I said to him while sitting in front of him holding clippers in my one hand and his fucking hand in another one.

"Why did Dmitry send to here?" "I don't know," he said. "Wrong answered Daniel," I said cutting his index and middle finger, he shouted in pain. "Why did he send you?" I ask again, "He told us to buy some of your drugs, and gather some information about your new territory," he said crying in pain. "Where is Dmitry right now?" I asked him. "I really don't know", "again wrong answered!" I cut the rest fingers of one hand; he cried in pain, "I really don't know, please leave me. I already told you everything." He pleaded in pain.

"Now you are of no use to me," I told him, I stand from my seat and walked towards Terry. "Burn him alive with the rest of the bodies," I told him. He nodded. I washed some of the blood of the asshole from my hands but it stained on my new shirt.

I walked out of the warehouse. It was almost late at night so I drive back home.