SMOKE (The Aurum Trilogy Book 2)

Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Jonathan 

The trap was set. 

We sent a fake signal to Lauren telling her that Argentum was coming for her, that her reinforcements were coming to the Cockaigne to claim the presidency fron me. I figured that it would be the best way to lure her into my territory. After all, no spy or agent would go to a mission without communication equipment. I knew all about those rules. I'm a soldier myself. 

I had also informed Aurum that I would be gone for the set date of Lauren's entrapment. I had announced my leave for the lower divisions, together with most of my guards so that Lauren wouldn't be too suspicious about the signal we sent and so that she'd agree to meet up with her allies. Besides, the lower divisions are far from the Cockaigne. It took me three days to travel it in my simulation. 

I close my eyes and breathe heavily. My head has begun to hurt again, and I could see flashes of light before my eyes. From the back of my mind, I could see flashbacks of my simulation. Another memory became clear to me. 

"Rise and shine, golden boy." Lauren said. Her eyes were glittering and she kept tapping my shoulder. I had just woken up and my body ached. I didn't know what I went through the previous night, but I knew it was a rough journey. "We need to set off to the safe house." I rubbed my eyes and stifled a yawn. All I wanted was to take a long rest. 

My head hurt again and the flashback was gone as soon as it had appeared. I buried my head on my arms and tried to compose myself once more. What could that safe house be? Why was she with me? Why did we even need safety? 

No. I have to stop thinking about her. I have to stop dwelling on these tricks being played by my mind. 

I have to focus. 

My name is Jonathan Alexander Kress. 

I am Aurum's newest leader. 

I will be the one to capture Lauren Steel. 

And this time, I would be the one who 

kills her. 

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I hide in one of the secret passages of the palace. The air is dank and musty, and my soldiers crowd behind me. We watch and wait for her arrival in one giant monitor set before us. One of my men continues to send signals to her transmitter, indicating the throne room, the place where we would meet her. 

I fold my arms across my chest and lean casually against the wall. I continue thinking about strategies I could use to tackle her and tactics I could use to take her out. I could always hit her on the weak points; however, she knows better than that. She is well-equipped with fighting and superb in hand to hand combat. She's also deadly when it comes to weapons. But I know she's got to have some weak point, some fatal flaw that I could use to outsmart her. If the physical realm cannot do its tricks, then the mental dimension will play them.