With a Pull of a Trigger

Chapter One

Reini grinned. “Like last time?”

Charles smiled. “Like last time. Here,” he said, showing them beautiful masks in purple and green, smiling as he looked at them, “are masks that you’re going to wear. It’s a masquerade ball, you see, and you need to wear these. These have mini cameras hidden and once you tap the connecting stick once, it takes a picture. You can unclasp the stick from the mask and just tie lace so you can still wear the mask without holding it.”

“What if I want to take a picture without having to hold the stick?” asked Eena.

“You lightly press the pearl or the amethyst near the upper right edge of the mask,” answered Charles.

“When are we going to get those?” asked Reini.

“Tomorrow,” answered Charles. “I still have to edit it some more.”

“Along with the gadgets would be files you have to read,” said Amrie, not visible in the screen. “We can’t debrief you so just read the files.”

Eena and Reini nodded. “Yes,” answered Reini.

“We’ll keep in touch, then,” said Amrie.

And then the screen went black.

Reini took her glass daintily and crossed her legs, turning to look at the crowd. There were people dancing in the middle of the room, swaying to the rhythm of the melodic music, and Reini smiled as she looked at them.

“Do you see him?” whispered Eena.

Reini shook her head. “No.”

She scanned through the room, looking at the various gentlemen wearing high-class suits when suddenly, a memory hit her.

She sat down on one of the barstools, crossing her legs daintily like a woman of money did, putting her elbow on the counter. “One vodka martini,” she said. She smiled as the bartender handed her the glass of vodka martini, sipping it daintily and looking at the man beside her.

The man was looking at her with a curious and slightly entertained look. “The ball’s too boring?” he asked, taking a sip of his own scotch.

Reini smiled. “How would you know?”

“I’m a lawyer in criminal justice. I’m basically paid to notice these things,” he said, shrugging. “I’m Samuel Milton, criminal justice lawyer.”

She closed her eyes and tried to imagine that she was beside Samuel, meeting him for the first time instead of never seeing him again like what was supposed to happen.

Reini took the hand offered and shook it. “I’m Reini Saunders, criminal justice lawyer.”

Reini shook her head slightly, taking a deep breath and trying to remove the memory from her mind.

It had been two years since she had met Samuel. Two years since she had faked her death, never to see Samuel or her parents again.

The past two years hurt so much for Reini. Paris was the city of love, and there she was, brokenhearted and not allowed to see Samuel.

“Stop thinking about him,” said Eena.

Reini stopped her thoughts and looked at her, turning her head. “What?”

“Stop thinking about Samuel,” said Eena.

“How did you know?”

Eena smiled sadly at her. “You always get this sort of sad look where your eyes go all misty when you think about him. Stop, please.”