THE ALGORITHM

14.

Penny kept her composure as her smirk melted. She wanted to stay poised and fierce, but she did feel a little intimidated. Her eyes fluttered as she looked away, trying to keep her tears from spilling. All she wanted was her freedom, and Bilal was aware of that. He knew what words to say to trigger Penny. He was skilled in shattering people's egos into a million pieces.

"Let's go." He instructed sternly while backing away. Bilal kept his eyes on her, taking in her appearance. Penny traded her all white appearance for a look that blended in with the rest of the staff. Her long locks were no longer pulled into a bun. They were draped against her shoulders, framing her face. Her damaged eye was healing, but there were still signs of bruising. He eyed her lips momentarily. They were huge in his opinion and shaped into a heart. Penny looked elsewhere, resulting in Bilal shifting his focus.

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As soon as Penny got a whiff of the outside air, she almost collapsed. The woman paused while taking in the scene before her. The sun wasn't beaming, but she noticed it sitting high in the blue sky. Clouds were scattered around, and they moved with the wind.

"Hey." The stern voice called out, pulling her away from her inspection. Penny turned around and realized Bilal was walking behind her with a tight expression. "Keep moving."

Penny didn't bother to obey him. Her eyes scanned the massive home before her. This wasn't her first time seeing it. She remembered the manor when Decon and Natirah kidnapped her. However, this was her first opportunity to inspect the house thoroughly. The mansion was very unique and oddly shaped in her opinion, yet beautiful. Judging by the amount of land, she assumed they'd purchased a few properties to make room for their manor. Manhattan was already overpopulated.

Bilal stood there overseeing her. He noticed how disconnected she seemed. He figured she was trying to take in the view. However, he became paranoid about the thought of her mentally capturing the home's layout. He pressed his hand against her shoulder and gave her a gentle push, urging her to walk. Penny reluctantly obeyed him as her eyes continued to move swiftly. She was trying to figure out where she was. Bilal cut her investigation short when he made her get into the Cadillac Escalade. Penny noticed it was black with tinted windows. She was instructed to sit in the very back of the truck. Bilal sat in the seat ahead of her. Penny watched as he surveyed his surroundings, holding his phone and folder.

He barked a few orders at the guards. Penny couldn't believe how obedient they were. A group of grown men standing around and waiting for their next instructions from another grown man. It didn't sit right with her. She found Bilal to be egotistical and imperious. Penny folded her arms as she pushed against the seat with her nose and mouth twisted in disgust. She didn't like Bilal.

The truck eventually pulled out of the circular driveway. Penny noticed other cars and trucks parked nearby. The driver eased out of the secluded area and expertly drove on the smooth roads. Trees were rooted everywhere, concealing the mansion, along with the towering gate.

It had been weeks since Penny last stepped foot outside. She missed it. Her eyes grew watery as she continued to look outside and take in the view. Everything blended into a merge of colors due to the truck's speed. Oh, how she missed the green trees, blue skies, and the mixed aroma. Her eyes closed as she silently reminisced about the street food and the fumes of fried onions and sauerkraut that most vendors used as toppings for beef hot dogs. She also missed being able to walk past bakeries and coffee shops; the strong smell of coffee, mixed with the pleasant scent of baked bread, always made her day. There was a Jamaican restaurant nearby her brownstone that she used to visit frequently. They cooked the best oxtail she'd ever had.

Penny's peaceful moment was interrupted by Bilal. She opened her eyes and realized he was on the phone speaking with someone. She listened closely, noticing the tension in his naturally low-pitched voice. It was obvious something bad had happened.