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63 Needle in a Haystack
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2024-10-07 13:14:12Related chapters
Shadow of Yesterday 64 Stranger Territory
The Eppley Airfield wasn't as active as one would expect the biggest airport in the state to be. In most aspects, it didn't even resemble an airport at all. No deafening announcements echoing in the halls and no panicky passengers scrambling for their luggage. It was perhaps because of the early morning but airports never really cared for the clock. A little boy was making the most of the half deserted lounge. His remote controlled truck was showing all sorts of tricks and acrobatics. The truck maneuvered through the legs of the benches and the passengers. A few appreciated it while the others were just irritated. The faint whirring noise of the toy and the occasional clattering were the only sounds in the lounge. The kid followed the truck, matching its speed. It let out a loud clatter as it collided with something hard and stopped moving. The kid ran to see where it had struck. He found an older man reading a newspaper on one of the benches. The truck had flipped after hitting his b
Last Updated : 2024-10-08Shadow of Yesterday 65 Always from the Closest Ones
The air in the hotel lobby started to get heavier and the emotions awkward. Ivan Volkov made one gesture to his men and they manned the doors. They started to gradually limit the new entries and hasten the exits. It all happened so subtly that even the hotel security couldn't see it happen. Within no time, the civilians in the lobby were outnumbered by three to one. Michelle felt sweat running down her forehead. She hadn't expected the encounter to take such an ominous turn. She was one wrong move away from becoming a turf war casualty. Another addition in the millions that weren't even worthy to be named in the evening news. She could feel the burning glare of the Bratva boss as he read her emotions and she knew better than to play any mind games with him. Ivan was far too dominating and intelligent to let anything slide. He put a hand in his coat pocket and Michelle’s breath got stuck in her throat. It dawned on her that he had made up his mind. Her body was frozen on that couch. Iv
Last Updated : 2024-10-10Shadow of Yesterday 66 The Uninvited Guest
It was Jessica’s turn to make dinner and she was going for mac and cheese. They both loved it. Adam was going to prepare some snacks when they were done with dinner. It was movie night and it warranted some butter popcorn. They badly needed a distraction with everything that had been going on for the past week. Adam was on the couch looking for a movie to watch. He had been on it for the past half an hour. They had literally memorized all the westerns. Adam was leaning more towards binge watching a series tonight. Dinner was ready and Jessica called him to lend a hand. That’s when Adam saw the absolute magnitude she had prepared.“Didn't know we were feeding an army of orcs!” Adam muttered and she nudged him hard with her elbow. He shouted ‘ouch!’ but laughed. Jessica also had a smile on her face as he emptied the pot into a couple of dishes. Jessica had that problem. She always ended up cooking too much. But it wasn't causing any harm. They could afford it and the local homeless guy
Last Updated : 2024-10-12Shadow of Yesterday 67 Make My Day
Jessica and Adam sat there confused with a table covered with pizza and mac and cheese. The previews kept playing on the TV. “What the hell just happened?” Jessica asked with her mouth full of pizza. Adam shrugged.“Who the hell cares? Pizza!” Adam responded and waved a slice in her face. “And that moron didn't even eat much.”Jessica shrugged and picked up another slice. Adam decided to tell her about Frank’s real motive to visit when they were off to bed. He didn't want to spoil the evening with serious talk about running away to a stranger land with fake aliases. He went back to choosing the movie to watch tonight. He chose a new rom-com police series and Jessica was excited to try something new. “Wait a sec! Let me clear the table first!” She said and picked up the dinner plates to take them to the kitchen. She returned in a minute, drying her hands on her shirt. “Now!”The moment Adam pressed the play button, there was another loud knock on the door. Adam groaned in irritation.
Last Updated : 2024-10-14Shadow of Yesterday 68 New Beginning (Flashback)
Back at Santa Maria Hospital…It had been two weeks since they had found Camila in the middle of the field. Her condition was improving but very gradually. The panic attacks and hallucinations were still there. It often felt like one attack would negate all the progress they had made and throw her back at the starting line. Hugo hadn't left her side for one second. The doctors had tried to convince him to go home and get some rest but his one threatening glare was enough to prevent them from trying again. Aleksander Volkov was long gone but Hugo’s rage was far from extinguished. The test reports had arrived and it only made matters worse for Hugo. The reports indicated gangrape. He had his suspicions. One man couldn't wreak such havoc on a woman. He had already ordered his men to comb the city for any suspicious activities or rumors. The police were taking care of this case as their first priority. It was almost like a curfew in the city. There were raids everywhere but nothing came u
Last Updated : 2024-10-15Shadow of Yesterday 69 Nothing Has Changed (Flashback)
Six months later…Camila had been recovering quite miraculously. The smiles had returned and Hugo couldn't help but melt every time he saw her like that. The idea to have her family temporarily move into the mansion had worked better than they had expected. Sofia and Ell slept with their big sister every single night and Bruno had a chauffeur on standby for whenever he wanted to check in on his daughter. The wounds had long since healed and their physiotherapist had her on her feet within a week. The panic attacks rarely happened and they weren't as bad as they used to be. She had episodes where she cried for hours on end. The doctors decided that there wasn't much that they could do about it. If anything could heal it, it was time. Other than that, she was just as beautiful, playful and innocent as the day Hugo had seen her for the first time. The mansion was full of life and sometimes quite a mess. The little girls didn't sit at one place for more than a minute and Gabriel was their
Last Updated : 2024-10-16Shadow of Yesterday 70 The Mask (Flashback)
The wedding had been scheduled to take place on the very next day. Gabriel proved himself to be the miracle worker like Hugo had always witnessed him to be. The old guy was pulling hats out of rabbits. The best florists of the country were at the doorstep within hours. The pastor was chauffeured from his home. The entire estate had been heavily decorated. The moment Hugo got out of his room in the morning, a bright smile captured his face. He was in awe of his own mansion. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined his mansion to look so beautiful. He stood on the balcony, watching Gabriel barking orders at the servants. Almost everything was ready to go. No one would believe that it had only been a few hours since the event had been planned. The interior decorators were constructing white rose arches all over the open garden area of the estate. Hugo couldn't help but smile. Gabriel looked like he hadn't slept a wink during the night. The old advisor was genuinely excited for Hugo. A
Last Updated : 2024-10-17Shadow of Yesterday 71 The Real Face (Flashback)
A gentle knock on the door woke the newly wed bride up. Camila opened her eyes and realized that she was enveloped in Hugo's warm embrace while he was still asleep. It was way past dawn and the sun shone brightly. She couldn't have asked for more. It was so surreal for her. It had all started with her showing up at the cartel boss's doorstep to confront him for hurting her father. She smiled and hugged his arms that were on her chest. Another knock reminded her why she was awake in the first place. This time around, even Hugo was pulled out of his dreams. He grunted and got off the bed. “Who is it!?” He yelled.“It’s Gabriel and the witches,” Gabriel said from the other side.“Hey! It's fairies!” Ell's angry voice emerged from the other side followed by Gabriel's chuckle. Hugo couldn't help but smile at it. He opened the door and found Gabriel and the girls ready for a trip. Sofia was dragging along a bag that was even bigger than her. Gabriel sent Sofia on her way.“I’m sending Jos
Last Updated : 2024-10-18
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Shadow of Yesterday 90 From Lamb to Wolf
One year later…It was a cold winter with frost setting in on the grass and there wasn't much activity around, be it human or wild. It was one of the cons of living in the state of Montana but Adam and Camila couldn't have asked for anything better to start anew. The huge ranches in Missoula gave the perfect escape to the estranged couple. It had taken some of Frank's connections to get the ranch at a low low price. The previous owner had died of a cold a decade ago and the rumors of his wandering ghost didn't do any favors to the value of the estate. Adam was preparing the turkey for Thanksgiving dinner. They had invited only their closest friends. Adam had even offered to pay for the flights of a few while the others didn't need it. He stood at the window as the sun went down.“It’s burning!” Ell shouted and Adam almost jumped out of his socks. He ran to the kitchen to check on the turkey in the oven. The timer still said fifteen more minutes to go. Ell and Sofia giggled and high fi
Shadow of Yesterday 89 Lost
Hugo was pushed away from Adam with the force and he lost his grip on him. He regained his balance and looked back at her. The golden magnum in her hands was unmistakable. He had been too consumed with Adam that he didn't realize when she had opened his drawer. Adam stared at Camila with wide eyes. He hadn't expected that from her in a million years. Hugo took one step in her direction and she pulled the trigger again. Adam shielded his ears. This time the bullet tore through him and he was down. Camila stood over Hugo as he took his dying breaths. There was no anger in his eyes, just immense sadness and tears. It broke Camila to see him like that. He barely managed to put his hand on her dress and gripped it. The sleeve of his shirt moved and she caught a glimpse of the watch she had gifted him. A tear escaped her eye. Then Hugo let go and his lifeless hand hit the floor. Adam and Camila stood there like mannequins. It took them a while to realize that it was over. Camila broke into
Shadow of Yesterday 88 To Take a Life
No matter what Hugo did it only ended up making matters worse. He stormed out of the bedroom and went downstairs. It was raining cats and dogs. The sound of the rain and thunderclaps echoed across the mansion. He walked to the living room and almost smiled when his mind expected to see Michelle on the couch tapping away on her phone. He sat down and buried his face in his palms. Something had to give. They say faith can move mountains but what they don't say is how long one must have it for. Hugo was at the verge of giving up. He had tried everything and provided everything a woman could ever ask for. Even rocks eventually give in to constant pressure but Camila was something else. She didn't even pretend to love him. The disdain in her eyes was so obvious that even the servants weren't oblivious to it. “Would you like something to eat?” Asked a servant with a professional ear to ear smile. She was an old woman who had been with the Ortiz family since Mateo Ortiz took charge. Nobody
Shadow of Yesterday 87 It’s Me
Adam put his hand on the Tokarev in his belt but he knew that it wasn't going to save him if he was a sitting duck against an army. The shadow of the man strengthened on the ground. Adam pulled out the gun and aimed it where the head of the guard was expected to be. His hands were shaking. One gunshot could end it all before it even started. A lot could happen to Camila as well if he was found in the mansion. His forehead was covered in sweat. The thunder rumbled outside and it shook him from the inside out. The guard stepped out of the room and caught Adam standing right in front of him. He was an old man with a gray beard. He pointed his AK47 right at his face and walked closer to him, examining him. Adam didn't even breathe. “What was it?” Yelled the other guard from inside the room. Adam felt the old guard’s grip tighten around the weapon and he followed suit. One badly timed itch would have started a war. The two of them didn't break eye contact for even a second. “Just a cat!”
Shadow of Yesterday 86 Intruder
Days passed agonizingly slow for Camila. The security around her had tightened exponentially. Her each step was carefully watched. She had a strict routine that even laid out her lunch, dinner and bedtime. Hugo still hadn't been physically intimate with her but that didn't mean she had any say over anything else. She wasn't allowed to leave the mansion alone under any circumstances. The servants and guards had orders to stop her at all costs and failure would result in execution. The recent bloodshed left little doubt in the gravity of the orders and everyone shadowed her twenty four hours. She wasn't allowed to own a cellphone. The walls were suffocating the life out of her. It was a starry night with a crystal clear sky. Camila stood at the balcony watching the only friends she had left. The stars never hurt her. They were free and Camila envied them. She cursed the day she had fallen in love with Hugo. She had been blind to the blood running through the white walls of Casa Ortiz.
Shadow of Yesterday 85 Best Served Cold
An extravagant yacht floated a couple of kilometers away from Tortuga Bay in Ecuador. A party was being hosted on the vessel. There were dozens of women of all shapes and sizes wearing swimsuits and bikinis, dancing to the beat. The tables had lines of coke on them and every once in a while, one of the guests showed up and one of the lines vanished. Dominic Carter was the center of attention as he sat on the beach chair wearing a tropical print shirt and a pair of shorts that barely hid what it was supposed to cover. Two girls sat on the armrests leaning their bodies on him and he wasn’t complaining. Everyone was trying to be on his good side since he was the proud host of the party and the yacht. Most of the girls enjoying the party had made their way to his list through his bedroom. The rest were future prospects. Dominic preferred them in their mid teens. Half a dozen guards were scattered across the vessel and two of them stood behind Dominic like mannequins. The lines on the tabl
Shadow of Yesterday 84 Misfit
A month later…The flight from the United States descended with the sun. Ernesto Cortissoz Barranquilla International Airport was already bustling with activity. There weren't many passengers traveling from the United States to Colombia. The majority of them were tourists and the rest were back to see their families. Among the crowd of arriving passengers was Adam Peterson trying his best to blend in. He wore a pair of oversized sunglasses and a baseball cap. He walked over the line at the immigration. He produced his passport that read, “Alex Bradley” and the officer didn't take long to return it after stamping it. He went through the formalities and stepped out of the airport. His mind was working over time. He couldn't spend one minute without looking over his shoulder. There was some truth to Frank’s words. This was a stupid idea. Hugo Ortiz didn't have much support back in Nebraska yet he still managed to wreak enough havoc to have the federal government involved. But this was hi
Shadow of Yesterday 83 Why?
Michelle was out with her friends drinking at Club Toledo. The place was packed with young boys and girls trying to get noticed and have a good time. The flickering lights and deafening bass music filled the club. It all reeked of sweat and cheap deodorants. Michelle was looking for a new target as usual. All her friends had found someone to spend the night with. Michelle had higher standards and no such man was up for grabs in the club. She decided to stick to the drinks. She checked the watch and it was ten already. Juan didn't show up. She’ll have to tame that stallion some other day. Even thinking about him made her mouth water. She caught one of her friends dragging a muscular guy to the restroom and she couldn't help but laugh. She ordered another round. Her phone pinged and drove her attention away from the psychedelic lights and deafening music. The screen said, “Message from Pedro”. She cringed as she was in no mood to deal with his tantrums and failures. She tapped on the ph
Shadow of Yesterday 82 The Mastermind
Hugo stood in the light of the burning cabin as he smoked a cigarette. He had never expected that from Pedro. Hugo’s father had assumed the financial responsibility for Michelle and Pedro. The siblings had been less than grateful but Hugo had never expected Pedro to do something so heinous against his saviors. Hugo knew that Michelle would give him hell for doing what he did to her brother but he didn't regret it. Pedro was to become an example for those who dared to look at the Ortiz family the wrong way. Hugo extinguished the cigarette under his shoe. He still had to break the news to Michelle. He shook his head and entered the SUV. Juan was typing away on his laptop. As soon as Hugo was inside, Juan ordered the driver to step on it. Hugo was silent for a while until he finally had enough of the secrecy. “What’s up with you and computers?” Hugo asked. Juan was a bit reluctant.“Senor Ortiz… I have a confession to make. I didn't drop investigations into Madam Michelle when you told
