The Cartel

Chapter XIII

If anything was to go according to plan, this would be the day. The day they'd planned all night for. So, of course, a little surprise just had to happen. Just had to make them do much more improv than expected. That is the whole concept of improv, after all.

"Andrew?" Carly came into his office with a deep, grave expression.

"Hm?" When he first looked at her, Andrew was happily curious. The second he caught adrift of how she felt, his face fell. "What is it?"

"Kayla...She would like to see you in her office."

"Now?"

"Right now." Her voice trembled.

Why now? Of all times?

"Shit," he muttered. "Do you have any idea what it is?"

Carly shook her head, a lump growing in her throat that left her mute. What if Kayla somehow figured Andrew out? What if she-No!

"Don't suppose she needed me to bring anything, then, hm?" he murmured, and again Carly shook her head.

Andrew strode across the office to Carly, putting his hands on her shoulders at seeing her so distressed. She looked near to tears. "I'll be fine. I'm sure it's nothing. I'll just act ignorant-as usual. It's worked so far, why would it suddenly not now?"

Carly nodded, still silent. Because they found you out!

"Stay here, just to make sure you're not seen by Kayla," Drew murmured. He started fixing his tie when he noticed Carly staring at him out of the corner out of her eye. "Could you fix this? I can't seem to get it straight, and I don't want to walk in there-"

Andrew shut himself up as Carly did as he asked. Her delicate, determined fingers fixed the crooked black tie. He gazed down at her, suppressing a grin. Her brow twitched and furrowed slightly as she finished her work.

"There," she rasped.

Andrew flattened his tie against his torso, promising, "Thank you. See you soon."

This time instead of being with Andrew as he went to face Kayla, Carly's head lowered as he walked passed, walked out of the office. She couldn't even watch him leave. He'd being facing their enemy-alone, again.

He seemed so heartfelt when he said 'See you soon,' but...

* * *

One of the four guards standing within ten feet of the door opened the plain white door for Andrew. When he walked in, the first thing he noticed was that that door was the only exit...unless he planned on attempting to jump through thick glass-which would either lead to bouncing off glass or going splat on the ground. None of those last options were part of his escape plan (which he had already begun to form, just in case it was needed), definitely not.

There was a coffee table with two chairs on one side of the office and Kayla's large desk on the other side. One wall was a library of books, some being nation best sellers in the horror, thriller, and mystery genres and others being more like books that would give you advice on how to run a drug buisness. Lovely stuff, really. The two impassive guards at the door and two more standing behind Kayla really added to the decor, too.

"Sit," Kayla said. "Please." With a pen in her hand, she waved to a cushioned chair across from her. Andrew sat down where he was told to. Kayla wore a tight, dark red halter dress that reached mid-thigh and black wedges. "How are you Andrew?" Her voice was slightly husky; Andrew almost missed it.

Oh, God. Andrew internally groaned, fidgeting in his seat like a restless little boy in a classroom. What does she want?

"Busy, but fine," Andrew answered, apprehensive. "Thank you." His "gratitude" sounded like a question.

"What do you think about the job?"

Andrew forced himself to appear relaxed. It didn't matter how many times he'd been face-to-face with assholes like Kayla; he could not unwind.

"It's good," he murmured, frowning and wishing he could take out his gun and shoot her right then and there. Except he didn't have his gun with him, just an ankle dagger.

Why was she dragging this on? What did she really want?

"Nice office, friendly co-workers, good pay, on an island," Andrew added. When he forced a smile, he wondered if he looked like he was trying to crack a joke or looked as though he was in pain.

"The island? You like it?" she asked, eyeing Andrew.

Andrew regained control over himself. He couldn't let Kayla see that she made him feel uncomfortable and awkward. So, he said indifferently, "It's wonderful."

Kayla frowned at Andrew, gave him a fake smile, and asked, "You remember what we talked about on your unfortunate attack?"

"Yes," he answered in a matter-of-fact tone. "It was only yesterday."

"I let you leave a little earlier than I would have liked," she admitted, linking her fingers and placing them onto her desk. "I have just a few more questions...Your attacker, what did she look like?"

"There was a man too-"

"Don't worry about him, for now. We have his body, after all," Kayla said, and Andrew nodded.

Thank God I can act ignorant...No use being dead.

"Oh, well, then. Uhh, brunette, tan skin, brown eyes, average height-maybe a bit shorter, hm..." Andrew pretended to think a moment. In reality, he cautiously studied Kayla as she got her feet. "Small mole on her neck." He tried not to smirk or smile. Carly's kissable neck was mole-free.

Kayla gave Andrew a tight smile, walking around to his side of her desk. "You're awfully observant."

"I'm telling you what I saw-or, rather, what I think I saw," he replied casually, but his body tensed as Kayla leaned against her desk next to him. "For all I know, I could be wrong. After all, it was night, plus I had a concussion."

Kayla frowned deeper than she had before. "True...Thank you, though...Perhaps, a drink one night. Of course, not tonight. I will be out on buisness." She pushed off her desk to put a perfectly manicured hand with solid white acrylics on his shoulder. Andrew could not help but flinch. She lingered next to him longer than he liked before calling, "Guard!"

With that, Kayla stepped away from the caseworker, and Andrew was dismissed. He forced his legs to move at normal speed, though every instinct was inclined to run and grab his gun. When the elevator dinged and opened, Andrew walked briskly towards his office, only for Carly to step out of her cubicle across the aisle into his way.

"How was it?" she demanded, clearly stressed. "What did she want?"

"Just more information on the attack. I'll tell you about that later," he answered, stepping around Carly to reach his office door and hold it open. "Now, come into my office. I want to tell you something."