PLAN NUMBER ONE

< The Hacienda Garden>

A light clear voice came from the hacienda garden. It was sweet and soothing. Alvin paused, leaning against the broad trunk of a Spanish oak to light a thin cigarette. Smoke curled up from the brown tip stinging his eyes, rich and aromatic. He inhaled, squinting against the smoke.

When the voice ceased singing, he dropped the cigarillo to the path and ground it beneath his heel.

"Hi" he said softly startling the singer who swung around, half-rising from the iron bench with her right hand on her left wrist.

"Ah!" Kiah said looking flustered. The pale hair around her face fell into her eyes as she stood up.I didn't know you were there, I'll head back inside now. She turned to go but Alvin grabbed her left hand and seeing this, she pulled away almost immediately.

"I'm sorry, did I hurt you?" He asked in a concerned tone.

No, no, don't worry. It's nothing.

He pulled out a tube of ointment at his back pocket. "Sit, let me apply it, he gestured to the bench. They both sat and he began to apply the ointment.

Kiah was lost in thoughts of how not just anyone could touch her and here she is, unable to do anything. "Just this last mission and I'm done." She muttered to herself.  

"Sorry, my brother caused this" Alvin's voice brought her out of her thoughts. No, it's not his fault. I didn't know he doesn't like to be served. Don't worry, it will relief you soon. He finished applying the ointment and they both sat to view the sky.

"So you're a fan of Ruth B?" Yes, kiah replied moving away from Alvin. Alvin stood and moved close to her. 

"What are you doing here late in the night" he queried.

"Nothing... I'll head back now because I have lot of work tomorrow." She said walking towards the maid's quarter without hearing him.

Maria had already slept by the time she entered the room. She went to her wardrobe and took out a waterproof phone and then headed to the bathroom. She soaked herself in water and then switched on the phone to send a message to Don Luis.

After sending the message, she stayed in the water for some minutes before changing into her nightie.

<France: Don Luis mansion>

Don Luis saw the message Kimberly sent to him. It read, "I have started the mission and I'll make sure to find the box." He Luis called in Brock after he finished reading the message.

"Have you sent a spy-master to the kincade's mansion?"

"I'm on it sir but why do you need another spy when kiah is there? I am sure she can get the box." Brock gently asked.

"I know what I am doing" Don Luis said.

His voice was a low growl, trembling slightly with emotion and fatigue. His hand shook and he lean against the edge of his massive desk, palms propping up his weight as he struggled to breathe.

Brock left the study sensing that Don Luis is planning something big and it involves kiah a lot.

(The Kincade Mansion)

Kiah noticed all the maid whispering to themselves when she entered the kitchen. She frowned and wondered what was the matter and she didn't see Maria around.

"Kimberly, come here" head maid Carly called to her. "Good morning ma'am" kiah greeted her. "Good morning Kim, You have been assigned to clean young master Jeff's room, every morning.

Some of the maids exchanged glances immediately which kiah noticed.

"Follow me." Head maid Carly said going out of the kitchen. "Don't look at young master Alexei in the eyes, avoid his eyes and do not touch anything in the room while cleaning. Clean the room and leave."

"Am I clear?" She asked stopping to face kiah. "Yes ma'am" kiah answered.

"Now go do your chores." 

Kiah went to Alexei's room with a cleaning trolley and a vacuum cleaner. She entered the room and moved to open the curtains. 

She's sure there are cameras in the room so she only proceeded to cleaning the room. She cleaned the room and changed the sheet and just as she wanted to leave, she saw something that caught her attention.

She went to the desk beside the bed and picked up a locket with a chain attached to it.

About to open it, Alexei came out of the bathroom.

"What are you doing here"?

Kiah froze for a moment confused on what to do. She turned around with the locket in her hand. Deliberately, she gazed at him as if assessing him and their eyes met again.

She tilted her head surveying his bare chest, dark snug-fitting pant he wore, then lowered her head. He was barefooted.

He asked her again, "what are you doing here?"

I-I--I....

 "Speak up!" He growled at her

"I came to clean the room" she said moving towards the door and he followed her. 

"Were you not told not to touch anything that doesn't belong to you?" Your job here is to clean and get out." He snatched the locket afterwards. Alexei moved closer to her till her back hit the wall. He placed his hand on the wall to stop her from going, then used the other to lift her chin.

"Don't you dare touch my things or I will kill you. Now, get the fuck out of my room" he barked at her.

Kiah moved away to open the door.

"Wait! Get over here" He stretched out the locket and asked her to wear it for him. Kiah collected the locket fuming with anger. 

"Will you wear it or not?" He queried

"I will." She sniffed moving closer to him. He is slightly taller than her so she had to stand on her toes to put the locket around his neck.

She could feel his breath. Few seconds, she was done. She pushed away the trolley and went out of the room.

She went to the kitchen with her face sour. 

"Are you okay? Did you meet him?" Maria rushed to her asking.

"Meet who?" Kiah frowned. 

"Uhmmm.... We'll talk later" Maria replied as she sensed her mood.

"I need to get something." Kim excused herself to the room. She went into the maids quarter, into her room and looked around for anyone before shutting the door.

She went to her bag and brought out a pocket knife. She pushed the bed away from the table.

She had already destroyed the bug and camera before she went to the kitchen making it look like it stopped working by itself. She bent down with a knife in her hand to remove the tiles the desk was placed on and took out a metal detector. 

She had set a timer before entering Alexei's room and must spend just fifteen minutes so it could detect whether or not the treasure box was in Alexei's room.

As soon as she entered the room, she sensed Alexei was already in the bathroom because of the rustling sound of water in the bathroom. She deliberately delayed the cleaning of the room.

By the time she finished cleaning, she had six minutes to go and thought of a way to delay herself when she sighted the locket on the desk beside the bed. She heard him turning of the shower and knew I'd he saw her inside the room, he was going to question her.

 And her plan worked, he stopped her. She acted along like she was scared so her wouldn't notice knowing he was sensitive and not slow-witted. 

This morning when she was heading for the kitchen, she overhead two maids talk..... One was telling the other about how she pities the new maid which was kiah because she was posted to be the one in charge of cleaning Alexei's room. The maid said she saw the list where head maid Carly wrote each maid's chores and felt bad for her being the ones to clean the devil's room everyday. So she already knew before head maid Carly informed her.

 As soon as she inserted the chip, it started beeping and then gave it's result. Kiah frowned at the result.. she didn't spend fifteen minutes but fourteen minutes, fifty-two seconds. 

"Shit! I missed it. I have to get into that room again" She said looking determined.