"Madeleine? What are you doing here?" Nine asked innocently after standing up.
"Uh... I'm here with friends. What about you?" Madeleine looked back at her group then to Nine with an uncertain gaze. A few of her friends made their way towards them, Sinclair being one of them.
"I am here with some acquaintances," Nine answered, pointing back at Anton and Marek. "When they found out I was coming to visit, they insisted that we should make a stop here."
"Madeleine, are you alright?" Sinclair interrupted their conversation.
"I'm fine. You should be asking her if she's alright," Madeleine said and pointed at Nine. "I wasn't looking where I was going, then I bumped into her. Again, I'm really sorry."
"Don't stress about it, I'm fine," she reassured her.
"I didn't think I would be seeing you again," Madeleine admitted with her head lowered.
Before Nine could answer, Sinclair interrupted.
"You two know each other?"
"Yes, we... uh... we met at Dune, whilst I was working," Madeleine answered suspiciously quickly. Poor girl. Just say it, there is no need to be shy now. We fucked. Plain and simple.
"Lyra Point," Nine introduced herself.
"Hank Sinclair," he introduced himself as well, extending his hand for her to shake with a confused expression. "Have we met before? You seem familiar."
"I believe not. You maybe have me confused with someone else," Nine denied his suspicions.
"Our table is available, we should go sit down," Sinclair dismissed their conversation, continuing to stare at Nine skeptically.
"Oh, alright. Well, it was nice bumping into you again. Don't be a stranger," Madeleine offered her small smile.
As they walked to their table, Nine looked back at Tatum. She gave her a wink and a thumbs-up, signaling that her job was finished. Nine continued her journey outside and strolled to the farmstall.
There was a small smoking area on the left-hand side. So far, she did not have the chance to smoke today. Anton said that she should keep her bad habits far away from his ankle-biter. Which was fair, but still, she had cravings to satisfy.
Standing outside the farmstall, taking a few moments to herself as she lit up a cigarette. The air was crisp and cool, despite the searing sun, she could feel a gentle breeze brushing against her skin. Surrounding her were towering oak trees, their leaves rustling in the wind and casting dappled shadows on the ground.
As she took a deep drag on her cigarette, she noticed a group of chipmunks scurrying about the area, darting between the trees and rocks. They seemed almost oblivious to her presence, focused solely on their own business. She watched them for a moment before exhaling a cloud of smoke into the air. Placing the cigarette butt in the provided ashtray, she suddenly felt the urge to go into the farmstall.
She stepped inside the modern farmstall, immediately struck by its clean lines and minimalist aesthetic. The space was open and airy, with high ceilings and walls made of glass that allowed natural light to flood in. Everywhere she looked, she saw sleek metal and polished wood, a sharp contrast to the rustic charm of traditional farmstalls.
The shelves were stocked with artisanal products, each item carefully curated for its quality and craftsmanship. There were jars of honey, fresh produce, homemade jams and preserves, and even handcrafted cheeses. The modern twist on these classic farm products was evident in the sleek packaging and minimalist labels.
In one corner, there was a coffee bar, where a barista expertly crafted a cup of coffee for a customer. The scent of freshly roasted beans wafted through the air, adding to the sensory experience.
As Nine wandered through the space, she noticed an area designated for events and workshops. A group of people was gathered around a long table, learning how to make bread from scratch. The modern farmstall served not only as a place to purchase quality goods but also as a community hub for education and connection.
Overall, the design of the modern farmstall felt like a breath of fresh air, blending the timeless appeal of farm-fresh goods with the sleekness of contemporary design.
Her phone vibrating in her pocket caught her attention. She pulled it out and answered the call.
"You're quiet. Should I be worried?" Viv laughed.
"No, there is no need to be worried. Your timing is impeccable as always. Sinclair's hard drive has been retrieved." Nine walked out of the farmstall as she continued her conversation with Viv.
"That's good. I've been informed that you are gallivanting around on a wine farm. Babylonstoren, if I am not mistaken. Are you really on a wine tasting quest of some sort? I thought you didn't like alcohol?" Nine was in no mood to report back to Vivienne. She knew everything but liked to have Nine spell it out for her.
"Yes, I am. Anton, Marek, and their spawn are here as well. Anton insisted that they should join me. I also asked if they could bring someone else with them to help retrieve the hard drive," Nine informed her. She noticed that Tatum left the building and was looking around. She seemed satisfied when she spotted Nine and made her way over. Her hand disappeared into her jacket's pockets and pulled out a vape. That was repulsive.
"Oh? Who might this 'friend' be?" Viv questioned.
"Listen Doc, I'll call you later. Something just came up," and with that, Nine ended the call and stuffed her phone into her pocket.
"Why are you out here? The good stuff is in there," Tatum joked, pointing back at the wine tasting building and taking a long drag from her vape.
"You are quite the comedian. On another note, did you retrieve it?"
"Desigur, idiotule. I wouldn't be standing here if I didn't have it," Tatum snapped as she exhaled the smoke. "I assume that he is the ill-omened man fated to suffer by your hand?
"Indeed."
"Poor soul. When is his due date?" Tatum liked to stick her nose where it did not belong.
Nine unlocked her phone and went forward to pay Tatum for her effort. Money would definitely divert her attention from that question. The transaction was finalized by the soft chime coming from Tatum's phone. "For your trouble, and as always, thank you."
"Anytime! Oh, by the way, your keeper gave me a ring last night. She has a job for me. She didn't tell me what it is, and I don't care because the pay is always good," Tatum announced.
"Is that so. While you two are in contact, I want you to send the hard drive to her as soon as possible."
Nine lit up another cigarette and brought it to her lips. "How many of those do you smoke a day?" Tatum questioned.
"Not enough," she answered.
Tatum hunched over laughing. "Oh wow 'not enough', that's hilarious. Here, try this, they say it's better than that shit," she offered her pink-colored vape.
Nine scrunched up her nose in disgust. "No, thank you. I picked my poison. To answer your previous question, I will handle Sinclair on Thursday if Vivienne gives the green light."
"Sounds fun. Let's head back to our table," Tatum suggested.
Nine nodded as she threw her cigarette away and walked back to the building.
***
Nine gripped the steering wheel tightly as she navigated the winding road through the heart of the forest. The trees tower above her on all sides, their branches reaching out like giant fingers, casting shadows over the road ahead.
Somehow she managed to convince Anton to leave Babylonstoren. He was not happy, at all. The only reason they were able to leave is because Marek told him that he could buy a few bottles and he quite literally almost bought every bottle of wine in the wineshop.
As Nine accelerated, the engine roars to life and the wind whips through the open windows, carrying with it the scent of pine and earth. The sound of gravel crunching beneath the tires is the only noise, save for the occasional chirping of birds or rustling of leaves.
As Nine round a bend, the road dips down into a valley, and she catches a glimpse of a babbling brook to her left. She pressed on, her eyes fixed on the road ahead as she navigates the twists and turns of the forest. The sunlight filters through the canopy above, dappling the ground with patches of gold and green.
Eventually, Nine emerged from the forest, the road straightening out as it leads her out into the open countryside beyond. As she looked back at the trees disappearing into the distance, Nine can't help but feel a sense of awe and wonder at the beauty of the natural world that surrounds me.
Her phone started to ring.
"Tatum sent me his hard drive, Sinclair has been communicating with someone that is trying to snoop out the organization. We can't find out who they are, for now, but they are definitely on to us. One thing is certain, they have taken quite the interest in you. They call you 'Faucheur d'âmes', Reaper of souls. Luckily they don't even have an identity or name on you." Viv seemed amused by this.
"So is this your way of saying that I have the green light for tomorrow?"
"Indeed, it is. I sent the jet to come and pick you up so it is there and waiting for you when you are finished."
"Copy that. I will call you tomorrow when I'm done."
"Okay, enjoy and remember what I told you before you left!" Viv lectured her before she hung up.
"Doamne Dumnezeu! That woman needs to calm down!" Tatum groaned from the backseats. She passed out the moment they parted ways with Anton and got into the car. Seems normal taking all the glasses of wine she had in account.
"Will you be joining me tonight or going back to Anton?" Nine asks.
"I'm joining you but I have a flight in like..." she glances at her bright phone screen,"three hours."
"Are you going back to Rome?"
"I am. I have some unfinished business to attend to, but I will see you in, I think, four weeks?"
"Do you have a lift or do you need me to take you?" Nine offered as she pulled into the hotel's parking lot.
Tatum stumbles out of the car,"It's fine, I will call an uber."
***
After Tatum left Nine couldn't bring herself to sleep. It is three forty six in the morning. She called Viv and asked her if she can track Sinclair so that she can maybe pay him an early visit. Viv confirmed his location, he was at the club. Nine put on an all black training outfit accompanied with her Beretta 92 and a hunting knife. She grabbed a beanie and a buff seeing as it is a little bit windy outside.
Nine ran to the strip club where she was supposed to meet Sinclair later today. Standing outside where a bunch of drunkards that were leaning on each other. They were counting all the money between the group of them to pay the entrance fee for the club.
Just then a familiar individual ascended from the building. Who on earth goes to a strip club this early? Although he can not see me Nine can still see him.
Nine sees him standing there, pacing back and forth infront of the club. He looks agitated, his eyes darting around, his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides. He is yelling into his phone. Nine has been watching him for a while now, hidden in the shadows across the street.
As he paces, Nine can feel her heart racing with excitement.
She watches as he pulls out a pack of cigarettes and lights one up. Nine can smell the smoke from where she is standing, and can feel her own desire for a cigarette rising, bur she can't move from her spot. She has to stay hidden.
He takes a few drags on the cigarette, then tosses it to the ground and grinds it out with his boot. He starts pacing again, faster this time, his agitation growing.
A few minutes passed when a black Sedan pulled up infront of the club. Nine could see through the windows of the two doors infront, but the one's in the back were tinted. The driver paid no attention to Sinclair and kept his gaze ahead. Nine watched Sinclair scamper inside of the car through one of the back doors.
The car's engine came to life and started to drive off, Nine decided to tail it. Looking through the boot window she can see two figures, one being Sinclair and the other unknown.
The car turned left making its way to the parking lot at the promenade. The driver excited the car and walked off to a tree for a quick smoke.
Nine snuck up behind the driver and striked him at the back of his head with her gun, successfully knocking him out. His body slumped against the ground.
He is in business attire. Security or bodyguard is her guess. Nine carved out the logo from his tuxedo's front pocket and secured the piece of material in her pocket.
Nine hears muffled fragments from Sinclair's conversation, he is yelling. Now is Nine's chance to take him out, but she is not in the mood to kill two people, it's way too early for that.
Nine decided that she was going to wait for them to realise that their driver is not coming back and their natural instinct would be to get out of the car and look for him.
The power was out on this street, the only source of light was coming from the moon and stars. Nine waited patiently for the two to get out for quite some time.
Nine heard a click coming from the car and saw that the left door opened. Sinclair stepped out first, his breathing was heavy. The next person to leave the car reach for the door with a perfectly manicured hand bound with a couple of fine Cuban Link bracelets. A pair of white stripper heels stepped out of the car guided with long, strong but slender legs.
Nine watched from a distance as the woman steps out of the sleek, black Sedan. The woman is wearing a pristine white dress with a matching white coat, her perfectly manicured nails and long, slender legs catching the moonlight. Nine's heart races as she watches the woman move with ease and grace.
Nine's eyes remain fixed on her every move, analyzing her behavior and movements. Nine can feel a rush of excitement as she continues to watch the woman, her obsession with her growing with every passing moment.
Nine's breath quickens as the woman starts to walk around looking for the driver, knowing that she is getting closer to her newly discovered prey. Nine keeps her distance, careful not to draw attention to herself. But her desire to be near the woman grows stronger, and she began to move closer, inching her way towards her.
As Nine gets closer, she can see the details of her appearance more clearly - the way her dress flows around her legs, the way she carries herself with such confidence and power. Nine's heart races as she realises that she is dangerously close to her, and Nine feels a sense of exhilaration at the thought of getting even closer.
"Where is he?" The woman speaks with a velvety voice, the words rolling off her tongue with ease. And as Nine listens more closely, she realises that her accent is a mix of British and French. It's as if her voice is a delicate blend of the two languages, creating a sound that is both alluring and enchanting.
Nine found herself entranced by the woman's voice, her attention drawn to every word she speaks. There is something about the way she speaks that is both elegant and refined, a clear reflection of her high status.
As Nine listens, she realises that she has become so focused on her voice that she lost sight of the fact that she is there to kill Sinclair. Nine shook her head, trying to clear her mind, but the sound of the woman's voice continues to linger in Nine's thoughts.
"See! I told you! Weird shit is happening to me and... and I just... I can't explain it." Sinclair's distressed voice echoed through the parking lot.
"C'est assez! This does not prove anything just calm down for a second and help me look for the driver." she demanded with irritation laced in her heavenly voice.
For a moment, Nine allowed herself to simply listen, to be carried away by the sound of the woman's voice. Nine knows that she can not let herself become distracted, that she must continue to follow the woman from a safe distance. And so, with a heavy heart, Nine turned away, the sound of the woman's voice echoing in Nine's mind as she slips back into the shadows.
Nine knows that she must be careful, that she can not be discovered. Nine watched from a distance, following their every move, determined to stay close to them no matter what. For Nine, the thrill of the chase is intoxicating, and she knows that she can not resist the urge to continue stalking this woman of high status.
Focus
Nine stepped out of the shadows and started walking towards them. But then, their eyes meet, and for a moment, time seems to stand still. Nine can see the deep blue of her eyes, the way they seem to sparkle in the moonlight. And for a moment, Nine is transfixed, unable to move.
She looks at Nine, and Nine knows that she senses something is wrong. Her eyes narrow, and Nine can feel the tension rising. She turned around and ran back to the car. Nine is not here for her, Sinclair is her top priority.
Sinclair soon also turned around and saw Nine. Nine can see the fear in his eyes as he realises that she has been following him.
"The f-fuck? Who are you?" Sinclair managed to ask.
Nine says nothing as she swiftly approaches him. She reached for her knife and positioned her other hand above her gun. Sinclair quickly snaps out of his state of fear and tries to make a run for it.
Nine is really not going to run after him, she had enough running for today. His movements were unsteady, and it was clear he was having trouble keeping his balance. As Nine got closer, she could hear the sound of his footsteps as he tried to run away from her.
Nine aimed her knife and threw it at his left leg successfully striking him down.
"Agh, fucking piece of shit!" Sinclair cried out as he cradled his now injured leg. He reached for his waist and pulled out gun almost identical to Nine's.
Nine raised her gun and aimed it at his hand and pulled the trigger. His gun dropped along with his hand and she moved swiftly to his side and retrieved his gun.
"Ni-Nine... Nine is that you?" he questions.
A click sounded next to Nine's ear.
"Don't move!" an angelic voice commanded from behind Nine. She pushed the gun into Nine's head. "Drop your weapons!" Nine can listen to her talk for all eternity.
Nine dropped the guns and placed her hands above her head.
"Good, now stand up and turn around. Walk slowly to me and keep your hands on your head."
Nine did as she was told except when she stood up Nine quickly turned around and grabbed the woman's arm with the gun that was once rested agains Nine's head. Nine pulled the woman's extended arm to force her body towards Nine's and grabbed her other arm to force it behind her back as Nine stood behind her. Nine guided her arm that held the gun towards the trembling man and positioned her finger over the woman's on the trigger.
"Wait Nine! Please no... I have a fa-," his sentence was cut short when the gun went off. His body slumped agains the gravel. A pool started to form from the blood seeping out of his skull.
"Oh mon Dieu! Let me go!" the woman gasped. The woman struggled in Nine's hold but she held her still.
Nine guided them to Sinclair's lifeless body and dragged both of the guns back with her feet. Nine's hand clawed over the firearm and pulled it out of the woman's hold. Nine pushed her legs forward so that she was kneeling on the gravel.
"I do apologise for ruining your dress and night Ma'am." Nine uttered.
She turned her head and locked eyes with Nine once again. She wasn't scared, she just stared at Nine with confused eyes trying to identify her. A few loose strands of her hair hung loose over her face. Nine let go of her, walked back and crouched down to pick up the guns.
"All security units on site, needed at Pavilion Street on the promenade immediately! Sinclair is dead. I repeat, Sinclair is dead." Nine looked back at the woman as she stood up with a walkie talkie in her hand.
Nine can't bring herself to kill the woman. She is completely infatuated by her.
May we meet again someday, hopefully under better circumstances.
Nine turned around and bolted down the narrow alleyway. The darkness was her only ally, cloaking her in its embrace as she raced toward the safety of the other end. The only sounds were the pounding of her own footsteps on the pavement and the ragged gasps of her labored breaths.
Suddenly, the wail of sirens shattered the silence, causing Nine to glance over her shoulder in alarm. In the distance, Nine could see the flashing blue and red lights of a police car, signaling that they were closing in on her. Exhilaration surged through her veins as she realised that her escape was rapidly closing in.
Nine pushed herself harder, her heart pounding in her chest as she sprinted toward the end of the alleyway. Nine could feel the rough brick walls brushing against her shoulders as she hurtled past them, her eyes fixed on the faint outline of the exit. It seemed so far away, yet so tantalizingly close.
As she drew closer to the end of the alley, Nine could hear the pounding of boots on the pavement and the shouting of police officers behind her. She gritted her teeth and pushed herself even harder, willing her legs to move faster despite the burning ache in her muscles.
Finally, she bursts out into the open air, gasping for breath as she stumbled into the bright lights of the city streets. Nine glanced back once more, heart pounding in her chest, but there was no sign of the pursuing officers. For now, at least, she was safe.
Nine continued to run and made her way back to the strip club. She stumbled up to the entrance of the club, panting and gasping for air. Her hair was damp with sweat, and her heart was pounding so hard in her chest that she thought it might burst. The bass from the music inside boomed so loud that it made the pavement vibrate beneath Nine's feet.
She could see the bouncer standing at the entrance, his arms crossed over his chest as he surveyed the crowd with a stern expression. Nine knew she had to get inside, and she didn't have much time left.
Nine stumbled up to him, "I need to get inside."
The bouncer eyed her skeptically, but she could see the greed in his eyes. "Alright," he said finally, "I'll let you in. But it'll cost you."
Nine fished out a wad of cash from her pocket and thrusted it at him, not even bothering to count it. She didn't care how much it was; she just needed to get inside.
He took the money and pocketed it with a smirk, then stepped aside to let her through. Nine stumbled inside, still gasping for air as the music pounded through her body. The air was thick with smoke and sweat, and she could feel her heart racing faster than ever before. Nine craves this exhilarating feeling 24/7.
But she was inside, and that was all that mattered. Nine pushed her way through the crowd, desperate to find cover in the chaos of the club.