He wasn't a big fan of the taste If it but he likes the aroma of the coffee and the old barista of the cafe made it the way he likes it.
With the sound of the wind chime, a new customer came it. A thin tall man, with a long ponytail but clean shaved. The man was walking with the support of a stick.
He looked around before finding Aree at the corner of the shop. With his lazy, reluctant movement, he took some times before he reached to Aree.
"Order whatever you like"
After scrutinizing the menu for a long time, he ordered three items. Aree waited till he put the choco berry lime tart in the mouth, "Work for me."
"Why?"
"Because you have nothing else to do."
"You have resigned too." Sloth's fast networking doesn't surprise him anymore. He just said to the professor that he would resign a few hours ago and Sloth already knew.
If it was not for this insane networking he would have a hard time establishing their reputation in the peacekeeping army. It was not just him, all members of the team were insane. But that is already in the past.
"That means my resignation had gone through."
"No, they will call you in two days."
"And you are continuing your shabby work even after you are suspended?"
"Have you ever seen a fish stop drinking water?" Aree took a sip, knowing Sloth likes giving his weird comparison, "The day you will find one, will be the day I will stop doing it." With a triumphant smile on his face, he sucked half of the milkshake out of the glass.
"So are you doing it?"
"What is work?"
"I am launching a company."
"Of what?"
"It depends on you, on what you want to invest."
"If you want to invest money you won't need to open a company."
"You will understand when you read it." Aree pushed the flash drive towards him.
"And the money?" This time Aree pointed at the drive again. The spoon in Sloth's hand stopped in the middle of digging the desert.
If the money is also in the drive, that means only one thing, traceless money. With a serious face, "What if I run away with it."
"I bet my life in your hand, does this little money will be any problem?"
Sloth took a deep breath, "ok I am in. But I will need money in advance."
"Move to my apartment. Renovate it as you like."
"Ok boss."
Aree hesitated for a moment more, before adding, "I have another work for you."
"My type of work?"
Aree nodded before adding, "I want you to find the background of the little girl."
"No can do. It is highly classified secret even the paparazzi were suppressed. Do you know what it means? It means she is too high up in the ladder. No common man can find."
"What about you?"
The sly smile didn't suit his handsome face. "I need a component, it will be two million."
"Do it on first priority."
*********
"What? Is that guy an idiot? No, no I know the term, it is called a generation gap."
*Chough* *chough* Riley almost choked on his drink, 'It is not like that. Bro had joined at just an age of seventeen. That is why bro might not understand the intention of her.' Alas, he couldn't explain it to them.
"I felt it was different. " At Liya's doubt, he cheered inside, "I think he has a girlfriend. Oh no! how embarrassing, I hit…"
"No no, he doesn't have a girlfriend." Riley couldn't help it anymore.
"How do you know?" Both Nikita and Liya asked the same thing.
"I know bro for four years." He can't explain.
"Didn't you say you never met him before?"
"I had never seen him but I had known him for years…" Riley sly smile didn't catch their eyes, "If you are curious, why don't you ask brother?"
"Are you an idiot or something? Who would ask it?"
The smile turned into a grin, "Bro, do you have a girlfriend?"
"Stop it with the joke."
"No. Why?"
Both the words resonated with each other and silence covered the table. The only one who didn't care was Riley. Under the angry stare from both the women, he asked, "What do you think of Liya?"
"I don't know her."
"Would you like to know?"
All of a sudden he realised what had happened. The person in question was staring at the ground, even without looking, Aree knew her face was red.
'She might hade been serious. It is a generation gap.'
Even if the age gap of just five years, still he was like an old man who is almost 40.
"I won't mind having her phone no." Little did he know, now he was being too direct. She stood up in a jolt and walked away.
"You can have my number from them." She stopped for a brief moment before left without looking back.
"Bro, that was too damn direct. I am sending you the detail."
"Aree, are you serious?"
Aree was a little confused, not knowing what Nikita was talking about.
"About what?"
"About Liya, of course."
"Serious. I don't even know her, how I can be serious? But I would like to see her, if she is my type and if she likes me too."
"She asked you yesterday, still you are not sure about her liking?"
Aree couldn't help but shook his head, "It can infatuation, or can be moments impulse. She doesn't even know me. She had met me thrice. The only time she looked at me was yesterday. Please explain to me how she likes me?"
Riley was staring at Aree with big round eyes, 'He is more serious than anyone else.' It wasn't just Riley even Nikita's thought was along the way.
She didn't know how to respond to the question, "I shouldn't say this, but she isn't looking for a fling."
But before Aree could say anything his phone started to ring.
*Unknown Number*
It was not the number he had known rather, 'Unknown Number' was written on the phone. 'It must them.'
"Hello!"
"Brother!?"
The voice on the other side was almost inaudible.
"Sweety!" That was surprising, but not unexpected. After all his number was written on the part of the paper Mishu had torn.
"Brother, help me."
"What happened?"
"Mommy. They took Mommy."
"Mommy? Who took her?"
"The bad guys." Her voice was wet, but Aree couldn't help but praise her mental prowess.
"Sweety, how do you know?" Her words were not perfect. The summary was that someone kidnapped her and send her phone as proof to ask for the ransom. She was calling from the same phone and she had no idea how much time was given.
"Brother, if you don't save mommy, I won't talk to you, I will hate you."
Aree didn't know whether to laugh or cry. But he felt warmer inside. For a child using such a threat means only one thing. She cares for you, she feels it is important to talk to you.
"Sweety, believe in brother." Not finding any response on the other side he cut the phone, only to find both Riley and Nikita was staring at him.
"Sorry, it is an urgent matter. I have to go."
As soon as Aree left, Nikita jumped, "Does he have a girlfriend?"
'No way, Bro himself had said' Riley wanted to say it out loud but not sure about it. To call someone sweety is something too personal, and he had no explanation of it.
"Can you do it?" Aree had already taken a cab home.
"No problem at all. It was the last call on your phone right?"
"Yes. They won't be able to trace you, right?"
"I have already purchased new components."
"Ok, do it."
"You will need a ride. I send you our first employee at your house."
There were many things he wanted to ask but it was not the right time. Even before he stepped out of the car a car was waiting for him. It was Chap.
"Big boss." Hearing the call Aree stumbled on the flat land.
"Don't call me that."
"But Boss had said to call you that."
"Don't do it, I will tell him. Call me Aree. Get ready, we will leave in five."
Chap look as Aree disappeared in the building. It is not just because Sloth had told him to. Last time he had seen him fight, it was not just anybody could do it. Chap was a part of the reserve force and had his own share of training. But what he had done was not something anybody could do.
Soon enough Aree had returned, dressed in black. As the car started moving the talk continued.
"Do you know the identity of her?"
"It will take some time. Maybe you will see her before that."
"What about the identity of the kidnapper?"
"Kidnapers? What kidnapers? Do you think someone will come from the middle east to her?"
"Mercenaries?"
"Just two, and some local goons. It doesn't look like simple kidnapping, something more must be going on behind the scenes. It is not like you will listen to me, but it would have been better if you keep your nose out of it."
"Don't worry, it will be over even before it starts. What about the company?"
"With the works you had put in the resume, I will be just reaping the benefits."
"When will the phase two start?"
"Come on boss, give me some time. I think it will take at least one more week before I can complete the full recruitment. At least give me some members to help."
"Ok, I will send you two numbers tomorrow, they will help you out. They know everything so you don't have to worry about the secret."
"But brother, it will be ok to bring a ghost company to life? And it is not just any, but GW groups. Do you know how much ripple will it create in the country?"
"I am bored, I just want to play a little." Aree couldn't help but smile. He had never thought of doing something so silly in the last life. But with the knowledge of the future, understanding of the world economy and the asset he had garnered in the last ten years, it would be hard for him not to affect the economy of the country. 'And if I have to do it, I will do it in the grandest way possible.'
The engine stopped. Aree looked around it was a five-star hotel, 'The Arihat.'
"Are you sure it was the right one?" Aree couldn't be too sure about it. But a place like this comes with an additional problem.
"I track backed the number that called you, traced back it's last recorded location…"
"It this location is right?"
Sloth could feel the calmness in his voice, "It is the most probable. The presidential suite. And also the current location of the phone is also Arihat Manson."
'Who could it be? None of the current heirs of the family is married. It's an illegitimate child.' Now, Aree understood why she was facing such harsh treatment.
"Book me the room underneath it." He put on the jacket, removed his mask and entered the hotel.