"So this is the place," Haiti said, stepping out of her car with Orion as they stared at a large hotel about the size of an entire football field beyond some more fancy restaurants, bars, malls and hotels.
They were in the parking lot a couple of yards away from their destination, waiting for Issac as he asked.
Orion wore a midnight blue suit made entirely of silk with gold cuffs at the sleeves that he kept fiddling with while Haiti wore a matching form-fitted dress that sparked with every movement she made.
Taking out a pair of binoculars from her purse, she handed one to Orion and the two zoomed in on the hotel, observing all the statues and people walking into the building.
At the front is a gate with guards checking the identity of the people entering the vicinity. There were also security cameras all along the Iron Gate.
"Do you think the gates are electrified?" She asked, zooming in on the cameras as she began counting them.
"I don't know," Orion replied, popping a piece of gum into his mouth and then handing it to her. "Gum?"
"No thank you." She said without looking at him. "They have ten cameras from what I can see. I don't know how far it extends to so I can't make a proper estimate."
"Hopefully that will not cause us too many problems," Orion said, zooming on the guests loitering on the grounds, talking and laughing amongst each other. "I feel so poor looking at them."
There were fountains at the front of it with hedges made of a hybrid of rare plants.
"If I sell just a couple of those leaves, I will be able to get a ton of money for it," Orion said, zooming more on the leaves. "Maybe I sh-"
"Don't do it," Haiti said, nudging him slightly. "This place is so heavily guarded that I doubt you would be able to get a leaf without being talked to the ground."
"Is that a challenge?" The man asked, grinning at her.
"Please don't." She shook her head, putting the binoculars down as she fixed her hair done in a side bun with a single blue rose to compliment the dress. "Remember, you have to behave as though you have been in places like this."
"You're right, I am behaving just like a poor person," he said, standing up straight and smiling at her, handing the binoculars back. "By the way, you look really pretty."
"I don't know." She said, fiddling with the hem of her dress. "I think I am too old to be wearing something like this. Someone who is closer to Issac's age should be wearing this instead."
"Old??" Orion shouted, indignant. "How dare you call yourself old? You are not old."
"I am approaching my fifties, Orion." She chuckled. "I am old enough to be Issac's mother."
"Isn't it just a twenty-something year age gap between you two?" Orion asked as they stood by the hedges while the sky grew even darker.
"I don't know." She said, fiddling with the crescent moon pendant hanging around her neck. "I don't want to count. What about you? How old are you compared to Issac?"
"Around the same as you," he said, looking up at the stars twinkling above them. "Though I must say, you look much younger than I thought your age would be."
"I will accept that compliment then." She smiled brightly at him while they continued to wait by the car in silence.
"He really is taking his time, isn't he?" Orion said, trying to ease the awkwardness between the two.
"I think I should call him." She took out her phone when a limo made its way to them, turning the corner before stopping in front of them.
"Haiti?" Issac walked out of the car in a suit that is about the same colour as the two, though his has a hint of red undertones and they matched his gloves perfectly.
All his front hair was brushed to the side while his glasses glinted in the light from the limo's headlights. His crystal brown eyes sparked once he saw Haiti.
"You look nice." He said, fixing the rose on her hair. "I am glad the dress fitted you."
"And me?" Orion walked to Issac, fixing the collar of the suit he wore, smiling smugly.
"Where is the tie?" Issac pointed at his unbuttoned shirt. "And what is that open?"
"The tie was too restricting." He shrugged. "Besides, I like this rugged look. If I could show my tattoos-"
"Thank you for not doing that." Issac interrupted him before turning to Haiti again. "Shall we go inside?"
"But it is just over there." She pointed to the building that seemed to glow brighter as the darkness grew. "Could we not just walk?"
"We could." He said, looking at his watch. "But that would not put the best impression of us, now would it? We need to appear … sophisticated."
He looked over at Orion, judging his attire before sucking in a pained breath and falling silent.
"What is with that look of disappointment??" Orion shouted as the two walked to the limo, leaving him behind. "Hey! Wait for me!"
The driver got out and opened the door for them. Haiti getting on first, followed by Orion and then Issac who nodded at the driver as the two exchanged knowing looks.
_________________
The interior of the car had a table in the middle with a bucket of ice and all kinds of drinks from alcoholic to non-alcoholic. Cabins were there with whisky glasses and other … necessities.
"Oh? Araya is here?" Haiti said upon entering the car and settling down.
There were two strangers she did not recognise in the car with them. One was a man, his long brown hair was done in a half-bun with the remaining in a braid. His suit is similar to theirs but his was with a hint of pink to it.
The other was a woman with long, straight black hair done up in a high ponytail. Her dress matched Issac's suit. The slit at the side showed off her long legs gracefully.
There was not a hint of a smile on her face as she merely gave her a nod of acknowledgement and nothing more.
"Hi, Haiti," Araya said happily, fiddling with the hem of her pink, tulle, evening princess gown. "I am so excited to be here."
"I am surprised your brother even let you come." She said, taking the seat opposite to them with Orion busy browsing through the drinks.
"I owed her a favour," Issac said, sitting beside the black-haired woman as the door closed beside him.
"It is a good thing my dear brother is a man of his word," Araya said, grinning brightly.
"I need to stop doing that." Issac sighed, pulling out a packet of cigarette and was about to smoke one but the woman beside him stopped him.
"Later."
"Fine." He put the cigarette back into his pocket and turned to Orion and Haiti. "I forgot, you four do not know each other, do you?"
Haiti smiled pleasantly while Orion merely looked at them.
"This is Zadie." Issac introduced. "She is our childhood friend. Zadie, this is Haiti and Orion."
"Pleasure to meet you," Orion said, shaking her hand before going back to inspecting the drinks.
"I am Haiti." She said as the two shook hands. Zadie strengthened her grip instantly but Haiti seemed to have known her intentions as she turned her hand slightly to the side, preventing her from having the chance to grip her too hard.
"Are you a soldier?" The woman asked, still not letting go of her.
"No," Haiti said, not backing down either. "But I work with the military and have had training."
"How many years?"
"From the moment I could walk. My father was in the army."
"I see." She said, seemingly impressed. "It is my pleasure to meet you."
"Likewise." He pulled her hand away, pressing the slight numbness away as she turned to the man looking at them amusement dancing in his eyes. "And … who might you be?"
"I am Soren." He extended his left hand to her. "I am Issac's friend from high school. I hope you are ok. Zadie tends to be a bit ... intense. Especially to people she is meeting for the first time."
"I understand." She shook his hand with her right.
"May I ask, who you two are?" Soren looked from Haiti to Orion then back to Haiti. "I hope I am not being too rude."
How much does he know about this? What do I tell him?
She turned to Issac who piped in instantly, "She is like my mother figure. Remember the year we moved houses?"
"Yes?"
"She has been with us ever since then."
"You are very special to Issac then," Soren said brightly. "Thank you for taking care of Issac all those years we could not be there."
"You make it sound like I needed constant defending and protecting," Issac said, narrowing his eyes at them.
"Well, there was protecting and defending needed," Soren said, nudging Zadie in the arm. "But it was not you."
"You were the handful, problem child," Zadie added smiling slightly.
"Issac always did get in trouble every time he got home." Araya piped in, staring out the window. "No matter where he is, trouble just enjoys being with him."
"If you all say so." Issac shrugged, looking at his watch once again.
"Who wants whisky?" Orion suddenly shouted, holding the bottle up. "I will pour."
"We are about to arrive, Orion," Haiti said, tugging at his suit. "Besides, will you be able to pay for that?"
"Don't worry about it," Issac said, pulling his sleeve over his watch. "We can go for one more round in the city. And everything in this car has been paid for. Take whatever you want as much as you want."
Everyone in the car stared at Issac for a second before moving away from him as far as they could.
Everyone except Soren, that is, who is busy laughing.
"I see your side business took off." He remarked. "Didn't think pole dancing would suit you but the world is full of surprises."
"WHAT???!!!"