*Bruno*
I could hear Lucia’s heartbeat as she stared at the men. I held her close,”breath love, I’m right here with you,” I said. She looked into my eyes. One side of my lips pulled to the side. My hands moved into my pocket and I brought out a small bottle and threw it on the floor. Thick fog covered everywhere.
I pulled Lucia away leaving those standing there coughing and choking. We ran to the end of the passageway. It wasn’t that I couldn’t fight them off, but I didn’t want to. That would create too much attention and that was the last thing I wanted.
“There should be an entrance somewhere,” Lucia said. My grip around her hands tightened as we took a bend. We could hear music resounding from the speaker from a distance so we knew we were close.
“My earbud fell earlier while fighting, do you still have yours!?” She asked. I had totally forgotten about that. I touched my ears to find both gone.
I shook my head, “guess we are on our own now,” she said worry reached her voice. “You have me and I have you, technically we aren’t alone,” I said.
My hands moved to my jacket and I took it off easily. Lucia did the same, dropping her blazer to the ground. She yanked her band away from her hair. Her hair fell on her shoulders.
She picked her blazer and my jacket and hid them behind the door. I pulled her close and straightened her hair with my hand, “what are you doing?” She asked.
“Making sure you look good, we don’t want it to seem you came in a hurry,” I said. She wore a white sleeveless dress which perfectly accentuated her curves.
We walked in the direction of the music. Before we entered, Lucia let’s a sigh of relief. I knew she must have been tense after what happened a while ago.
“Just be yourself and let conversation flow naturally. You don’t need to speak if you don’t want to,” I said, watching her nod. She placed her palm on mine and slowly we walked into the hall. Classic music resounded from the speaker. The hall was filled and rowdy just as I had expected it to.
People were dressed in their best attire. It wasn’t everyday you get invited to such a party where all the elites in the country are gathered. This was the best opportunity for business men to build partners and for girls to look for the most eligible bachelor.
“Wow!” Lucia was stunned when we entered immediately she saw the designs. I could tell that she was trying not to gawk like a peasant. The hall was given the most beautiful and exquisite decoration. It was lit by a dim blue bulb which switched to different colors.
” Whose table are we walking to first?” Lucia asked. Our hands were still linked together and she tried to keep a smile on her face. “The old geezer over there,” I answered her.
Aside from stealing the files, we needed more information and since we were here we could use the opportunity to get it without stress, “Mr. Matthew is there, is this going to work?” Lucia asked.
“It is for the better, kill two birds with one stone,” I said. As we walked closer to them, I felt Lucia gripping my hands.
The men who were discussing stopped when they saw us. Matthew had a smug look on his face while the old geezer stared lustfully at Lucia. I twitched my eyes wishing I could bring out his eyeballs right there and then.
There were two bottles of wine on the table and two glasses on the table. Each in front of the men. The information I wanted was simple. When they were expecting to catch the next package that would come in and where they will be stationed.
It may not be easy to get information out of them as they were public officials. I know how secrecy meant to them.
“Hope we aren’t interrupting anything?” I said as I said down. “No, no. You are welcome to sit anywhere,” The old man said. He had a line of gray hair at the side of his head.
I pulled out a chair for Lucia and she sat down.
I knew all I had to do was to strike a conversation and allow both men to speak while I fuelled it from behind. A waiter brought two glasses and immediately we sat. Lucia muttered a thank you to him.
Her eyes moved to the dance floor. There were a few couples dancing there. I thought the best way to strike a conversation with them would be by… my eyes moved around until it stopped on the bottle of the wine.
I read the name, ‘Barolo,’ I recognized it immediately, “Fine choice of wine, matches with the night,” I said. The old man’s eyes seem to light up. I guess he must be a wine lover.
“It’s good to see a person who recognizes fine wine frome just sight and smell. You must also be a wine lover,” he said.
I nodded, “Barolo is my favorite,” I said.
“Of course, the king of wines,” I poured into my glass and Lucia’s. I picked mine holding the glass and I twirled it around and took a whiff of it. I brought it to my mouth and took a little sip, “tastes as good as I remember,” I said.
“You treat it as the king he is,” The old man said, smiling from ear to ear, “you know you remind me of my younger self, I could recognise a fine wine from afar just by getting a whiff of the smell,” he says.
“It’s been so long, how long has it been since we sat and had a drink?” He asked, his question directed to Matthew who slowly brought his gaze back to us. “It has been forever,” he said.
I wiped the side of my mouth with my handkerchief spitting the little sip I had into it. It was tradition for me never to drink when I’m out on a mission.
“I totally understand. Your position must demand a lot,” I said. I paused and continued, “I’m sorry for the late introduction,” I said. “It’s a pleasure to sit in the midst of two great men like yourselves, I’m Dan lock and this is my fiance, Mia,” I said.
“I’ve always looked forward to the day I’ll meet you and here we are,” I said. They had a look of pride on their face when they heard me. Probably thinking of how much respect I had toward them. I smirked within. If only they knew it was the opposite.
“It’s nice to meet you,” Matthew said.
“Speaking of demanding, I think we have jobs that are like that, yours shouldn’t be the easiest,” the old man said. I could only agree, “but we try to stay one step ahead, at all times,” he said, Matthew nodded in agreement.
“I’ve always wanted to be in your position. It used to be my lifelong wish. But thinking about the risk, I decided to pass,” Lucia said.
“Risk will always be there and you can’t be too careful you know. We have too much in our hands to mind the risk,” Matthew said.
“You sound like you’ve fallen in love with your job,” she said joking lightly.
“Of course, that’s the only way to keep pushing,” Matthew said with a small smile on his lips. They were getting to let go of their guard.
“Catching bad guys and putting them in their rightful place brings a different type of joy,” the old man said. “An indescribable joy,” Lucia nods.
“You must have spent your entire youth doing just that,” she said. More like admiration.
“And I never regretted it,” he said.
I think the old man was easier to speak to than the latter. I wish Matthew could just leave, we’ll, if he wasn’t leaving, I’ll make him leave. “I think a man is seeking your attention over there,” I said to Matthew raising my chin to point into the direction of a place where men of higher caliber sat.
“Oh, it must be Damien,” he said and left. I smiled internally.
“Heard about your last catch, I must say, you are really good at this job. Can’t wait for your next big catch,” I said.
“You don’t have to wait for long,” he boasted.
“So I heard. Rumour has been going round about a package coming in tomorrow. I heard they may be taking a particular route,” I said.
“Of course, we already have the area secured,” he says without thinking.
“They should be caught by midday,” Lucia leaned into the chair and said softly.
“Of course. It may happen before then. You know they way these people who have no idea may be,” he said.
Who said we have no idea? I laughed within. I have gotten what I wanted. Lucia excused herself to use the bathroom while I continued the conversation with him.
When Lucia came back, she looked a bit pale. Like she had seen someone or something she shouldn’t. I looked around, trying to figure out what she might have seen but I saw nothing.
She tried to smile and joined in the conversation. I noticed she kept looking around. She ticked loose strands of hair behind her ears and took a deep breath. Her hands then moved to her nose and she traced the bridge.
She did this when she was nervous.
But she had been fine when she left. What happened? I thought it was time we left the old man.
We bid him goodbye.
“Phew!!! That was easier than I thought,” Lucia said when we walked out.
“You did well,” I praised. I entwined our hands together. On the side were some men in black. I saw the man that had been the leader of the group of men who had run after us. He stood in front of someone with his head bowed to the ground and hands on his back.
I retracted my eyes from him, I looked at Lucia. She still looked nervous, “is anything wrong?” I asked her.
“What do you mean?” She asked.
“You’ve been acting weird since you came back from the restroom,” I said.
“Have I?” She asked and I nodded. We got to the car and I opened the door for her. She stepped in and I closed it before going to enter through the other side.
“Did you see someone in the bathroom?” I asked her, “or something? Don’t tell me you got into a fight with someone,” I said.
“What am I, two years old?” She asked.
“Who knows? You may be younger,” I said.
She scoffed. “So tell me, did something happen?” I asked again. I ignited the engine. Lucia picked a rubber band from the front of the car and tied her hair into a ponytail.
“I met an old friend.” She said, “Never thought I’d see her at this party. Guess we live in the same City after all.” I knew something was wrong. No matter how she tried to hide her emotions, they always seemed to open right in front of me.
Sometimes I feel like I could see within her. When she mentioned her friend, I arched my brow. I thought she didn’t have any friends.
“You don’t look so pleased to see them,” I said.
“Well, guess I had one at some point. Just like everyone,” I nodded.
My eyes moved to the rear mirror. I noticed a black car following us. They have been behind us for a while now. I switched lanes to be sure they were really following us and they switched lanes too.
She noticed me and continued staring at my rear mirror. “What? Something wrong?” She asked concern laced in her voice.
“I think we are being followed,” I said and took a sharp bend, driving into an alley.
The car followed us too.
“Who are they?” She asked looking behind from time to time.
“Well, there’s only one way to find out.”