"You came in handy." I spoke while coming closer to him.
"So here is the plan..." He started totally ignoring my gesture, walked past me and went down to business.
He was dead serious about all this but yet one way or another his brave composer couldn't hide the fact that he was scared. I saw it in him when he spoke. What if everything goes south and not according to plan. He knew he'd loose me then and I bet that wasn't a chance he was going to take.
"Anny. I Guess we still stick together."I heard Gabby's voice interrupting me from my deep thoughts.
"Anny, you stay with her. Okay ." He looked hard at me until I nodded in agreement.
"Good."he paused." Lukah you and me, the rest protect the two. "He signaled to our direction.
Lukah and Max both rushed out first. Gabby and I, we both followed after couple of minutes when the two had already left. Even though they weren't technically with us, we felt safe. By them being ahead of us was better too.
This was the epic plan to avoid much attention to our side and blend in as if we were having the night of our lives.
If we could have just barged outside then things could get uglier by the second. Our chances of survival could have been a one percent. Both Gabby and I walked as if nothing was happening.
We walked past couple of business men, who appreciated our beauty. While we on the other side had our faces paste with fake smiles and returned the gesture. This took a lot from us. Pretending knowing very well this could be the end of us.
Unfortunately, the second stair way I met couple of people who knew me. There and then I became alarmed. Now wasn't the time to be acquainted with anyone who knew me. Walking past them wasn't a brave act at all. We both ended up being stopped.
"Miss. Anny Palmer." He started. "Pleasure to see you again." He spoke his voice with a hint of joy as he took my hand and gently kissed it.
It was the kind of feeling that you plan something the hard way and it brings itself to you without even raising a finger. That's what I felt when he looked at me.
" Anny this guy gives me creep." Gabby whispered.
"Sure he does." I agreed.
"Better get him out of our way." she suggested.
"Sir pleasure is all mine but..."
"No need to be so polite. Why don't we both go see Mr. Palmer. I could really use your help." He cut me in.
He spoke while dragging me to where we had come from. Instantly Gabby became aware of the situation. Not wanting to be seen rude, she slightly grabbed his hand and shoved it away.
" Sir, you are being a bit disrespectful over here. "she spoke calmly hiding all her anger deep within her.
" And who are you?"he asked, his tone now changed from a jovial one to a more business like.
" Don't mind her. "I spoke out of the blues.
" Pardon me, Anny. "He apologized with a smirk plastered on his face.
" First You could at least pretend to be apologetic and second to you it's Miss. Anny. Get that. "I reprimanded him.
This he did not take it lightly. Suddenly he came closer to me, dug his nails in his hair and looked away from me to Gabby then back to me, for a second there his eyes met mine.
" You are too young to sabotage my plans. So listen here, you and I will both walk back to the main hall, and you will introduce me to your dad and as a good girl you will convince him that am a good asset to his business. Simple." He stopped talking. His eyes never leaving mine.
Suddenly I felt a hand gently pulling me to the side. His eyes bore to mine as he pulled me back to his side.
" Why don't you pick someone your size to pick a fight with. "I heard Max's calm voice.
I have never been this happy to see him. He stood there, his large frame covering half my body. I hid behind him like a little puppy, my hands still holding onto his arm for protection.
" Who the heck are you? "he asked directing it to Max.
" You are not worthy to know the name. "
I knew then this was war. Judging from the looks of the guy, he wasn't going to let this slide. Coming to Max neither was he going to walk past this. Slowly I freed his arm and stepped away from them. The aura was that of enemies.
"It's better if we leave them alone." Gabby suggested.
I agreed with her. The next thing we heard was punching noises then a thug. My thoughts were far ahead of me, yet I found myself pitying the other guy. I barely knew Max's strength to fight but I came to understand that he wasn't the type to loose. So I was super sure that wasn't him being beaten up. Being tempted to look back, Gabby dragged me away.
"Come on, Gab. It was just a little peek and that's that." I complained.
"Yah! That little peek and we could have be goners now. How could you afford to be curious right now. Infact I just saw Benjamin before I dragged you here."
She had a point. We both rushed to the exit. Luckily there wasn't any security personnel. That was odd yet it favored us.
"Anny, this way." I heard one of Max's men speak near the entrance. It was as if he was waiting for us.
We followed him close behind to the back of the mansion where there was a car waiting for us.
"Leave here. We are right behind you." He spoke opening the door for us.
This wasn't the right plan. Max clearly put it he'd be right behind us. Both Lukah and him should be here with us planning on how to finalize the last bit.
"No, not without Max." I spoke out of the blues.
"Anny your safety first. Boss will protect himself." He tried to get me on the same page as him.
"No. Not without him." I spoke again.
That was my final decision. I don't know why but I had this gut feeling telling me everything was not okay.
Two minutes, five minutes, ten minutes done the line they were not here. I became anxious at the moment. What was taking them so long. The silence out here was killing me.
"Anny, we have no time waste. We should be heading out now." He tried to convince me again.
"Five more minutes." I begged him.
Tears stung my eyes blocking my view. My head was already spinning and my hands were sweaty. I feared for what could possibly be holding them back.
"We need more men. I repeat we need more men." we all heard through the walkie_talkie that he had. It was Lukah's voice.
The next thing we heard were gun shots and a bomb explosion. My adrenaline hit in and I rushed past the guards to the mansion. At the far end I heard Gabby's voice calling me. I had no time to decide whether to stay or go. My legs were already on the way to where I heard the explosion coming from.
Behind me I felt couple of legs following me. Some voice kept telling me to stop. Others not to go that it was dangerous. All fell in the wrong ears. What ran in my mind was my Max.
In the main hall there was so much dust particles. The place was utterly destroyed. Bodies were laying on the floor lifelessly. The vicinity was hard to tell right from left. The whole place looked the same.
I coughed so hard when I inhaled the smoke. This wasn't the time to act weak. I walked forward in search for Max. Calling his name was all I could do while walking.
"Max... Max..." I called between coughs.
Tears rolled down my cheeks. Being unable to find him, I almost gave up. My legs gave way and I found myself squatting as I cried.
"Anny." I heard Nano's voice.
He came closer and hugged me.
"Why are you here? I thought you had already left." He spoke helping me stand.
"I... I... Can't find him... I have... Searched but..." I spoke in between sobs.
"Who..." He dragged.
"Max."
"I saw him heading down to the second floor. Thought he was heading out."
The moment he said that, a kind of energy build up in me. Quickly I rushed up the stairs to the second floor. I searched every room there. Still he wasn't anywhere to be seen.
In the outside, it was filled with gun shots noises. I became unaware of the situation at hand. My mind froze for a moment. Nano's voice was all I could hear at a far distance. Suddenly I felt dizzy. The ground felt as if it was crumbling beneath my legs.
"Anny, do you hear me." I heard him calling out.
Suddenly I felt my body being shoved aside. The next thing was Nano's voice pleading someone to leave me alone. I felt several punches noise, and there he was. Nano lied on the ground as blood oozed from his mouth.
" Well unfortunately you don't have what it takes." I heard dad's voice.
I made out his features and the gun he had in his hand pointing towards Nano. I fidget on the ground trying to get up. My body was all numb.
"Please, don't." I begged.
"Anny. This is all on you." He spoke aiming directly at Nano's head.
Suddenly I heard the gun go off. There he was, Nano on the floor as he laid on his own blood. I cried bitterly. The taste of metal hit my mouth and the next thing I saw was darkness.