Chapter 9

The door opened to Alice’s office. Alice looked up from her laptop and noticed Khan walking towards her.

“Morning, Khan,”

“Alice.”

“What happened?” Alice asked

"The shareholders of LLC Corporation have moved the meeting to tomorrow, they need the product sooner."

Alice's frown deepened as she tapped her pencil on the table

"Then I guess we are going to London.”

“Not we, you are.”

“Okay? And why is that?” Alice asked

“Adriano wants me to stay behind. He wants you to go alone.”

“Why does he need you here?”

Khan narrowed his eyes at her, “Alice, do you want me to question him?”

Alice bit the side of her lip.

“Fine.” You can leave if there is nothing else.

Khan stared at her for a moment before he stood up and walked away. As he walked out he slammed the door behind him.

Alice stared at the door deep in thought.

“Something about this trip doesn’t feel right,” Alice whispered.

~~~London~~~

Alice looked down at her phone as she walked out of the airport dragging her suitcase behind her.

“Sorry Miss,” A man dressed in a black tux called out to her making her stop and stare at him.

“Yes. Can I help you?” Alice asked

“Miss Bernardi, I am from the LLC Corporation. They have sent me to come and pick you up. Will you please follow me?

Alice studied the man.

“No one from the company has informed me about that,” Alice said

“I don’t know the details. I was only sent to come and pick you up.”

“You can go back. I have already made my own arrangement for transportation.”

Alice took a step forward but the man step in front of her,

“I insist.”

Alice stared at him for a second,

"It seems that I don’t have any choice. Please lead the way,” Alice said as she motioned with her hand for him to walk first.

He hesitated for a moment, but when he noticed her unfazed expression, he turned around and walked away. Alice followed behind. They stopped beside a black car. The man opened the back door, holding it open for her to climb in.

Alice examines the man for the last time.

“Get in.” He instructed

Alice lifted an eyebrow “Or what?” Alice ignored his furious expression and before he could reply she walked past him and climbed into the back of a taxi.

Alice came alone to London. Oliver had to stay behind to take care of unfinished business.

She glanced at her phone and called out to the driver who was impatiently staring at her,

“Diamond hotel.”

He nodded and started driving.

Alice scrolled threw her phone and as anticipated, her father's name popped up on her screen.

“Hello, Father.”

“Where are you now?”

“Just got in a taxi, I am heading toward the Hotel,”

“Why didn’t you go with the man the company had arranged for you?”

“Didn't you tell me to trust no one?”

The line went silent for a while,

“Keep me informed.”

“As always…” Alice ended the call.

She stared out of the window at the cars that drove past. In the corner of her eye, she spotted a black vehicle following them.

Alice moved forward in her seat,

“How long has the car been following us?” She asked,

The driver glanced at her in the rearview mirror,

“From the airport.”

“Turn here, “She motioned with her hand to the driver

“But this is not the way..."

“Do as I say!” She interrupted him,

The guy nodded and followed her instructions. The car behind them increased its speed. Shadowing them from behind.

“Lady! What now? “The driver asks with widened eyes. His left hand started to tremble on the steering wheel.

“Shit,” She slammed the back of the headrest when she saw the traffic jam in front of them. The taxi was trapped between the cars. Alice turned around and looked at the black car that was following them. She watched as all four doors opened at once. Four blocks climbed out.

“Oh, nice…” Alice muttered.

As she turned back toward the driver, she saw the fear in his eyes.

“Stay in the car and lock the door, okay,” she said then patted him on the shoulders. His eyes widened.

“Hell, no lady, I’m out.” He jerked the car door open and ran away.

“Suit yourself…”

Alice climbed out of the car. She leaned against the taxi watching the men as they approached her. They stopped a few feet away from her. Alice noticed the driver was the man who approached her at the airport.

“It’s you again! Seriously! Why are you so keen on me coming with you? Don’t take your job so seriously.”

"You need to come with us, Alice.” The man said,

“Oh, now that’s not fair. You know my name, but I don’t know your names. I’ll call you…” She pointed to the driver, “Billy, and you,” She pointed to the guy on the passenger side, “Steve”, and you two at the back, “Willy and Hmmmm, Larry. Yes. Larry.”

The men looked at each other confused

“You do not want us to come and take you with force,” Billy said,

“I wouldn't want it any other way Billy,” Alice said with a smirk

Billy shook his head, then he and Steve started walking towards her.

Alice glanced around at the cars standing around them. She smiled at the lady who looked through her window at the men walking towards Alice, and then looked back at Alice concerned. Alice looked down and saw the lady's car was unlocked. She motioned for the lady to lock it.

“A shitty place to fight, but okay, let’s do this,” Alice said.

Alice cracked her neck from side to side and walked towards them. When Billy was a foot away, she spun around and side-kicked him in the neck. He grabbed his neck gasping for air. Steve reached out towards her but Alice spun around him and removed his gun from his side and hit him with it against the side of his head. Out of the corner of her eyes, she noticed Willy and Larry grabbing their guns. Larry fired first and shot her in the leg. She fell on one knee and instantly shot Larry and Willy in the head. She looked at Billy and Steve lying unconscious on the ground. She breathed out a sigh of relief. Alice examined her leg and looked at the gun wound. A popping sound echoed through the air. Alice's shoulder shook backward as the bullet hit her. Her head jerked up toward the direction the bullet came from. Before she could react, another bullet hit her on the other shoulder knocking her forcefully backward and letting her back hit the gravel road. She closed her eyes from the impact and gasped for air as the wind was knocked out of her. Alice turned her head sideways seeing the man's feet beside her. Her eyes moved up to his.

“Unfortunately for you, I received different orders than the four idiots. I was told to kill you.” The man said,

Alice noticed a gun lying a distance away from her, she moved her fingers a little bit toward it. The man stepped on her fingers preventing her from doing anything else.

Pain shot through Alice, but she only bit the inside of her mouth to contain the scream that wanted to escape. Her eyes started to blur from the blood she was losing. Time seemed to slow down as she looked back up at the guy. She saw his mouth moving but heard no words, everything went silent. The pressure of his boot increase. She could feel her fingers breaking. Pain. One word that described her life. Her body felt lifeless.

“Goodbye Alice,” The guy said as he held the gun to her forehead

Alice stared him in the eyes refusing to let him get the satisfaction of seeing her suffer.

‘I lived a bitter life and now I will die the same way.’