The heart of Cleopatra

Safety

Chapter twenty six

"What kind of problem?" Lola asked recognising the serious tone in Cleo's voice.

"The List kind. I've got a car hot my tail."

"Uhh, Cleo." Charlie said interrupting her business call. Cleo turned to him with a disapproving look. "He's not alone."

She glanced at the mirror seeing another car drifting behind her. "Crap." She muttered.

"Two, black out BMW's." She told Lola

"Licence plates?"

Cleo groaned. "They don't have any." She shifted gears passing through the quiet dark Asterin streets.

"I'm tracking you now." Lola said with the sounds of clicking keys coming through. "There's a strip of camera's about eight miles away. Can you get there?"

Cleo smirked. "I've done harder, but they're quick Lola, I'm going to need help."

"I've already sent the boys. You've got this girl."

"I hope so." Cleo said before hanging up.

"Let's see what you've got assholes." She muttered while accelerating harder than before.

Eight miles to get any chance of capturing them on camera. Charlie groaned as Cleo took a sharp right.

"Hey, Ivy league. I'm going to need your help."

Charlie's face contained his panic. "What?"

"Any second Zeus is going to come around the corner, you need to get in his car."

"NO WAY! I'm not leaving you." He shouted over her command.

Cleo groaned and gripped tighter on the steering wheel. "You haven't got a choice, just do what I say if you want to stay alive."

She looked to see his conflicted eyes, little fear from himself, more for her. The fast growing car just inches away from rear ending them broke their eye contact. Suddenly the car pulled away.

"Right on time." Cleo smirked seeing Zeus and Jax drift into sight. Jax drove one side and Zeus the other, Cleo stayed put in the middle. "Get ready to go." She shouted.

"Be careful Cleo." Charlie told her.

"No promises." She replied.

She pulled into a small alley while Jax kept the two cars distracted, Zeus turned in pushing the door open. "Get him out of here." Cleo shouted to her brother.

"I will. See you on the other side." Zeus shouted as Charlie jumped into his car.

Jax and Cleo played tag with the two hopeless racers for five minutes before they were slacking. The road with the camera's was as long as Cleo had hoped. She caught Jax eye as they came up to a dividing road. Jax saluted her as he split to the left.

Cleo weaved in and out of lanes before drifting a tight corner that only a Valencia could handle. The chaser's car smashed into the wall crushing the bonnet of the car. There was no way that car was driving anymore. She pulled up and made her way over to the wreck. A man who looked as if he had seen better days sat cold with blood trickling down from the fresh cuts the impacts gave him. Cleo didn't feel anything but smug as she took out yet another hit man. A buzzing phone on the floor highlighted exactly what she was looking for. She reached down and pocketed the smashed mobile.

***

"Two more." Cleo informed throwing another two phones of the table. Lola swiped them away graciously. "Thanks for saving my ass boys." Cleo said pulling both Jax and Zeus in for a hug.

"No problem. It was nice taking her for a spin again, she was getting rusty." Jax smiled swinging his keys around his finger.

"Who were they?" Zeus asked as he leant on the wall.

"Just another two broke guys looking for a fat pay check." Cleo answered. "How did they find me in Asterin though?"

"My guess would be they weren't coming for you. It was just a happy coincidence." Lola said from her computer. The other looked at her waiting for a full explanation. "The list just grew by like ten people."

"So? It's been doing that all week." Zeus pointed out.

Lola got out her chair and placed her tablet with the list of names loaded, it's nearly doubled since Cleo saw it last. "These are all from Asterin."

"Shit." Cleo muttered. "This is escalating rapidly."

"No kidding, these are important people too." Zeus said scanning through the list of names. Some of them were known around the world, big business men and women.

"They do say the rich are always shady." Jax stated.

"So what's the plan?" Lola asked, all three looked to Cleo waiting for her genius plot. A few hours ago she would have said she needed time, but now. She knew what she needed.

"Call Kai, I'll be back."

***

The drive home was less stressful compared to the last time she was in the car. Returning to the half way hide out didn't feel as safe as it used to, Cleo always knew somethings were too good to be true.

"I had a feeling you'd be here." Cleo said as she slammed her car door.

"I needed to know you were okay." Charlie said leaning on his car still parked in the same spot.

"I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?" Cleo asked casually while unlocking her door. Charlie tutted in disbelief that she couldn't possibly be fazed.

"Because we were just chased down by two shady ass cars."

Cleo shrugged taking her jacket off. "It happens."

"That doesn't just happen Cleopatra. Not here and not to me." Charlie shouted.

"Why do you think I gave you a getaway car? It wasn't for my entertainment, that was to keep you safe." Cleo shouted back feeling a new type of anger towards him.

"You keep protecting me. Why? What is so bad that you need to shut me out?"

Cleo sighed, she moved her eyes away from him. "It's complicated."

"It's only as complicated as you make it Cleopatra."

She snapped back to look at him, his eyes were still fixed to her. "If you want to know fine. But I need something from you."