Her phone rang over the noisey cabin of the plane. She opened her handbag and took her phone out. At first she thought it was her beloved husband, whom she missed dearly and was expecting a call from, but it was a withheld number.
"Hello..?" Monique asked, and then she listened a moment before she shook her head and looked concerned, "A message? From who? What do you mean 'saying goodbye'? Who is saying goodbye?"
She listened to the strange female voice with a strong Spanish accent on the other end of the phone. The voice then just started rattling off a confusing list of instructions, at a rate that Monique struggled to understand.
"Money? What money?" Monique asked.
The voice slowed slightly, and informed her that they were only a messenger, and that if she received money, she was to ask no questions. She was to use it as she saw fit, but she was not to speak of it to her American husband, or any of his offspring.
"Wait! Who is this?! What's going on?!" Monique said desperately, and rather loudly, making those in the aeroplane seats around her turn to look, as the line went dead.
A tall man walked back to his seat beside her and sat down.
"What's up darlin', you look like you seen a ghost."
He was tall at around six foot four, with greying golden blond hair that touched his shoulders and he had the most unusual, rather large eyes of a strange, deep blue.
Monique turned to him, "It's alright, Travis. Just, another strange phone call.."
"Look, I know you didn't wanna tell Merrick cause he's unwell, and cause he wouldn't let 'cha go, but what are we flyin' to Spain for, darlin'?" Travis asked.
Monique stared out the window, "Because my eldest son is in some kind of danger. Strangers call me and give me snippets of information."
"Soo... am I like the muscle on this trip? As, you're actin' on the word of some foreigner on the phone?" Travis asked.
"Not just that. I've also been receiving cryptic messages from my step son, until just recently, that just...never seem to make any sense. It seems like...something has our whole family in its grip.."
Travis raised an eyebrow, "Oh, your step-son, was that the anorexic one? He, is a freak...always has been. He barely speaks to his own family, and has exiled himself to Spain for years doing God knows what."
Monique covered her forehead with her hand as she leant against the window, "No! He was always troubled, and misunderstood, and... you are one of the only people who knew that he had been in communication with me on and off for years."
Travis looked down at his hands, "Yeah.. I support you like you wouldn't believe. But that man, your step son, also seems to have unexplained, bottomless pockets. Didn't his sister tell you that he bought a massive Chateau in the south of France?"
"Yes. He is a very successful man. I've often asked to meet him.. but something always came up, and he flatly refused to meet any of my children. I've not seen him in person for decades."
Travis nodded, "Yeah, but all of those kids had problems and abandonment issues. They all resented your biological children because their own mother walked out on them! And they blamed you for leaving when you met my eldest brother."
"Only because of the lies their father told them." Monique said, "I had quietly asked to see the children, and he always refused. He always made things so difficult."
"Ohh yeah, their father was some piece of work! It took you how long to get a divorce outta that old creep? I met him twice... and that was enough! That weird, spindly, bad tempered old man, who actually looked like a mortician!" Travis said.
Monique just stared out the cabin window silently.
Travis put his arm around Monique, "It's going to be okay, darlin'. You'll just see. Anyway, I'm gonna have myself a nice lotta explainin' to do when I don't show up home tonight, and so will you!"
"I did leave my beloved a brief note. I didn't want to worry him as he's so unwell, and I knew there was no way he would let me go if he knew. I'm surprised you insisted on accompanying me so quickly. I knew you were the only person who would understand. It is no mystery why Genevieve treasures you, Travis." Monique said.
"She does... And, I ain't even the looker of the family!" Travis said with a warm, ironic smile.
"That's not true, Travis! All of you, with your unique and unusual looks are all special!" Monique said.
"Everyone knew that out of all us Adamski boys, the looker was always Merrick! You proved that. So, you ain't really in a position to deny it, missy. Just like how the looker in the next generation of his, is Nathan." Travis said with a smile.
"Hey! All of my sons are gorgeous, fine young men! Any girl would be proud to bring one home to their mother!" Monique said.
"I'm just joshin' you, Mon. You've always known that I've always been there for you. You can help explain it all to Evie when we get home. You and her are as thick as thieves and my excuses will sound better coming from a fellow countrywoman of hers. You two can natter away in French while I climb outta window."
Monique just giggled as she leant towards Travis, and he smiled off into the distance as he held her close.
~ X ~
Lennon tried to pull the shutter back up, but it was locked in place, tight. He tried forcing it up, but it was useless.
"FUCK!" He shouted as he kicked the shutter in pure frustration, bending and warping the steel slats slightly.
He gripped it again, trying to force it back up against the hydraulic, but even he couldn't force it back up, even one millimetre. Lennon pulled out his phone to find he still had no network or Wifi.
He then saw a biometric pad on the far side of the shutter. Some had keypads too, but this one only had a biometric pad.
Walking up to it, he placed his hand against the glass, and he heard the hiss of the hydraulic release. He then gripped the bottom of the shutter and started to force it back up. Walking into the hall, he noticed the shutters down as he looked for a radio.
All he could think of, was that Chéri was potentially trapped somewhere, and was probably frightened. His heart ached and his first instinct was to find Chéri, then deal with the situation.
~ X ~
Meanwhile the group from the canteen had reached the end of that segment of the complex with nowhere to go but a cleaning room, as the keypad had been strangely damaged, blocking their way into the next compound.
"Hav...are you there?" Mateo asked into the radio, but there was no answer. Mateo just kicked the table before he sat down.
"Javier must not have a radio." Ethan said.
"Hav always carries a radio. He just doesn't keep it on all the time. But, I'll bet he'll turn it on as soon as he realises the phones are down. But! we don't know what kind of situation he's dealing with right now. Remember, his pregnant wife is probably stuck somewhere. So, we need to organise ourselves just now! Follow orders and make some decisions." Mateo said.
Daiquiri pressed her back against the wall and started to slump down to the floor, "Are we gonna run out of air? We're now trapped! We're so fucked..."
Ethan turned to Daiquiri, "No, because the ventilation systems still on..." he stopped mid sentence as he stared up at the grill cover of the large, square ventilation shaft, "Wait, I have an idea..."
Daiquiri turned to Mateo, "So, right here, now, in this room, leadership falls to you as you're next in the command chain, right?"
"In the room now?" Mateo asked.
"Yeah." Daiquiri said.
Ethan, who was standing on a chair uncliping the ventilation shaft cover, turned to Daiquiri, "Not with her standing here." He said as he pointed to Chéri.
Mateo turned to Daiquiri, "Well, under Madam Dolores, there's Lennon as global leader, AK and head of security, then Kenzo, then Javier, then Ignacio..."
Chéri turned to them, "I out rank you all, as a family member."
"Yeah, Chéri outranks me...big time." Mateo said.
Ethan looked at Mateo, "Yeah, but you'll follow protocols in a crisis. Sherry won't! So, I'm good following you."
Daiquiri nodded, "I'll follow Mateo."
The gay assets nodded as well.
"Hey, where did you get the name Daiquiri, anyway?" Ethan asked Daiquiri while he worked on unclipping the vent cover, as Mateo snorted in suppressed laughter behind them.
"It's because my hair is candy pink and I'm so sweet! Marcel said it was to do with strawberries too!" Daiquiri exclaimed.
"That's not exactly what Marcel meant..." Mateo said.
"Ohh?" Ethan asked as he pulled the vent cover off.
Mateo nodded, "Yeah, Marcel noticed that she had candy pink hair, and he told her that she was so fake and artificially sweet that she made him feel sick. He then announced that her working name would be Daiquiri."
Everyone in the room chuckled, even Ethan.
Daiquiri just pouted back, "I have more class than Spangna! What's she famous for? Fucking?! Gangbangs and being a complete cumdumpster for anyone!"
"Whoa..." Mateo answered, "Shes a good girl with a heart of gold. She's helped me out, loads. She's like.. the patron saint of the Bordello."
Daiquiri turned to Mateo, "Well, she's never helped me! She only helps herself. Does she really think it's cool to claim she's fallen in love with her pimp too?"
Ethan looked over, "I think in the real world, they call that Stockholm syndrome."
Daiquiri looked over to Ethan, "Yeah! She only hooked up with him because he's the most powerful person assets can get close to!"
Ethan remarked, "Marcel is a chancer and a loose canon. What do you think, Sherry?"
Mateo looked over at Chéri who was slumped on a chair with his head on his arms.
"Hey bro, you okay?" Mateo asked.
Chéri looked up, "I wish Lenny was here. I miss him."
"Yeah well, I'm sure he's thinking the same thing. I kinda miss the funny stuff he comes out with... in that accent of his." Mateo said.
Daiquiri piped up, "Tell us something funny about Lennon, to cheer us up, Chéri."
Chéri smiled a moment, "Where do I start... he's always saying silly things, and has funny mannerisms. It's so easy to take the piss out of him. He once asked where my dad, Sheriden, was from. I told him he was from Royal Tunbridge Wells in Kent, and Lenny's thinking it's some lavish, royal place. I had to tell him that Tunbridge Wells is a shithole, and my dad lives in a mouldy council flat."
Ethan turned to the group, "I've never heard of the place..."
"Nor me..." Daiquiri said.
"Tunbridge Wells? Not ringing any bells to me..." Mateo said, pronouncing it hilariously in his Spanish accent.
"I bet Lennon will want to go to Tunbridge Wells..." Daiquiri said.
Chéri looked around, "Can we all fucking stop talking about Tunbridge Wells! It's a shithole!"
Mateo looked up, "I wonder if the boss has ever been to Tunbridge Wells...?"
Chéri looked over, "Why the fuck would he ever wanna fucking go fucking there?! He's from Paris!"
Ethan laughed, "What?! He may wake up one day and think... hey! I wanna go to this Tunbridge Wells place..."
Chéri looked over disparagingly, "No-one ever thinks that! Least of all, him!"
"Where's Spangna from? In England?" Mateo asked.
"Manchester." Chéri said.
"Well, at least I've heard of that place. I bet she'll drag him to Manchester at some point..." Ethan said.
Daiquiri looked over, "And then deviate to Tunbridge Wells."
Chéri sighed, "You all are as bad as Lenny... I wish I never mentioned the bloody place."
There was a loud metallic sound as the grill hit the floor.
"There!" Ethan said as he looked down at the cover on the floor, "According to the ventilation shaft map, this will lead to the hallway on the other side."
Daiquiri looked over, "Wait, are you saying that we have to climb up and squeeze ourselves through a tight ventilation shaft?! I'm not fucking doing that!"
Ethan looked at Daiquiri, "You don't have to! We can let you out through the door with any luck. I'm pretty sure that I can fit through that, but I'll need Sherry to come too to open the way for us. Anyway, it'll be easier for Sherry than any of us." He said as he pointed to Chéri's small and thin, emaciated frame.
"I'm small. I reckon I can fit through there." Mateo said.
"Ohh no, no, no! You're not leaving us all in here! I want a member of security to stay here!" Lolo said, to small cheering behind him.
"Yeah!" Fefe agreed.
Mateo looked at Chéri and Ethan, "I'll go too. I'm skinny, and what do these guys need protection for..?" He asked, pointing to the assets.
Lolo stood up, "What?! Listen! I can't fit through that vent, nor would I want too! But we'll be left here alone without a leader! And what if the emergency lights cut out and we're left in total darkness!"
Fefe spoke up too, "And you're taking the one person that can open doors!"
There was a din of disagreeing voices before Mateo lifted his arms, shouting for quiet.
"Listen! I remember Marcel telling me! Emergency lighting is from the massive back up generators. These will run for a week easy, before they shut off to save energy for the main generators feeding the panic rooms." Mateo said.
Trixi asked, "How do you know what the boss said is true?"
Mateo held his palms up, "Err... because he helped to plan the whole structure..?!"
"Ohh, okay.." Trixi answered.
Mateo turned to Ethan, "Anyway, any time now we should be hearing back from Juan, who should have reached the ESR room. So, we'll finally have a report as to what's happening to the systems."
Ethan turned to the small group, "Okay, you coming, Mateo?"
Immediately there was noise from the group of assets, demanding Mateo stay, as he would be the only person who could fit through the vent if the others 'forgot about them'. After much for and agaisn't from different members of the group, Mateo decided to stay to keep the peace.
Ethan helped a very reluctant Chéri up into the vent. Chéri was first concerned that he couldn't knock off the vent cover and they would be trapped.
Ethan pointed out that Chéri was so thin, he could actually turn around in the shaft. Chéri then insisted on taking his designer heels off, and having Ethan hold them on his trip through.
Ethan just rolled his eyes and held Chéri's shoes as he climbed up into the ventilation shaft.