"What was the name of your mother's child?" Anastasia asked. "This cannot be possible!" Anastasia thought.
"Emily Sophia Seaswell. Why did you know her? " Alannah asked, hopefully.
Before Anastasia could answer, the alarm sounded. It was short, sharp blasts, the gang world's universal signal that they had been attacked.
"Shit!" Alannah said as she ran and looked into her bag. She brought out her fighting fan and quickly changed her shoes into her trainers. There is no way she was fighting in high heels!
Alannah wanted to go fight, but she could not leave an old lady to defend herself. There was no honour in that!
"Anastasia, you need to hide until your group gets here!" Alannah said.
"You need to hide with me, child!" Anastasia ordered.
"No! I will hold them off as long as I can till your group gets here. Don't worry, I can handle myself! " Alannah said as she heard everybody clambering and shouting. White smoke was coming through the door and shots were suddenly fired. Alannah turned and pushed Anastasia unceremoniously into a wardrobe and shut the doors.
"No, you don't understand!" Anastasia pleaded desperately.
Alannah was her only living heiress and her grandchild. Anastasia was desperate to protect her, and yet it was Alannah protecting her.
There were loud footsteps down the corridor outside, and the door to Alannah's dressing room burst open. Four men dressed in army grade plated armour and a gas mask were fired. Alannah wasted no time and sprang into action. She sliced one attacker's throat with her fan and twisted the other one's neck. Alannah hit one on the back of the neck, knocking him out, and with the help of her fan, smashed the gas mask. This then allowed her to knock that man unconscious as well. Alannah heard loud clapping and she turned to see two men she recognised.
"Akihiko!" Alannah hissed.
"Hello Alannah, how good it is to see you again!" Akihiko said.
Meanwhile, in the other part of the building, there was sheer panic. Smoke and light bombs had been detonated in the main hall, whilst a group of armed men filtered in. It was only when some of the smoke cleared that Xan found Grace was missing.
"Grace! Grace!" Xan shouted in sheer panic. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw one of the men dragging Grace into a lift. The doors closed, and Xan saw that they were heading for the roof.
"Grace has been taken to the roof!" Xan shouted. Xan sprang into action and ordered some of his gang members to get the weapons from their storage area.
"Denug makes sure the guests are secure, especially the founding members. Order the Nine-Tails and everyone else up on the roof! " Xan said, grabbing his gun. Theo, Kurt, and Tao all did the same, and they made their way to the roof.
Once there, they saw the armoured man with his hand around Grace's throat.
"If you value your life, I suggest you release her now!" Xan growled whilst aiming his gun at the man.
"Now, now, now! Don't be rude. Chairman Lang, surely we should discuss things before resorting to violence? Please stay where you are. I would not want to accidentally let your beautiful Phoenix fall! Especially when my demands are most reasonable! " The man said
"OK, so tell me what you want then!" Xan snapped as he slowly moved forward.
"Every step you take is a step closer to death!" Everyone came to a halt as the man spoke. The Nine Tails then burst onto the roof, ready to fight.
Stay where you are! Xan gave the order, and they all came to a halt.
"Isn't this sweet? All the gang is here!" The man sneered.
"State your demands!" Xan ordered.
"Quite simple really! I want Kurt Blackwood to admit he loves little old Grace and say how devastated he would be at Grace's death! " The man explained, with a smirk.
"What? But, I don't love her! " Kurt said. The voice in his head screamed, "No, you idiot, because you love Alannah! Yet, you have ignored her all day, like an utter twat! "
You've heard? Don't make me say it again. I mean, I am sure you don't want two sweet children to grow up without their mother! " The man said as he pushed Grace to the edge.
"Ahhhh!" Grace screamed as she was dangled off the edge of the building.
"Kurt! Just do it! " Xan said, through gritted teeth.
Kurt sighed and said, "Fine, I love Grace and would be devastated if she was to die!"
"Sorry, what was that?" The masked man said
I said, "I love Grace, and I would be devastated over her death." Now release her! " Kurt shouted.
Back in the changing room, Alannah was getting ready for the fight of her life.
"In a bloody ball dress!" Alannah thought angrily.
This was all your doing, wasn't it? I would be flattered if it were not so fucking creepy! " Alannah said, watching Akihiko closely.
Oh, Alannah, you should be very flattered. It was no small task organising all this! Are you ready to come with me? " Akihiko asked.
"Let me think about it; no!" Alannah snapped.
Seriously? Do you still think Kurt loves you? Where was he this morning when you woke? Where was he when you were dancing so beautifully? Where is he now? " Akihiko asked with a crooked smile.
"How do you know all this?" Alannah asked, shocked.
Kurt is not the only one who is good with technology! Akihiko said.
"Meaning you have been spying!" Alannah said, and Akihiko chuckled.
Of course, but you have not answered my questions. So I will answer them for you, shall I? Kurt was not there when you woke up this morning from a bad fever, he was not there at your dance, and he is on the roof now declaring his true feelings for Grace Lang! " Akihiko said smoothly.
"You lie!" Alannah shouted.
"Am I? See for yourself! " Akihiko said, handing her a phone from his pocket. On the screen, she saw all of the Nine-Tails, Theo, Xan, and Kurt on a rooftop. along with a man who had a hand around Grace's throat.
I said, "I love Grace and I will be devastated over her death. Now release her! " Kurt shouted.
Alannah felt a knife stab through her heart at what she heard. The nagging voice in the back of her head had now become a roar. See, you were always his second choice, Alannah. He could not have Grace, so he settled for you. At least Akihiko had shown he loved you, even if it was sick and twisted! " The Voice said
Alannah closed her eyes and said, "I will go with you on two conditions." One Grace is released, I don't want kids growing up without a mother! " Alannah said firmly.
"Done, and the other?" Akihiko asked.
"None of the Nine-Tails are to be hurt. Neither is the old woman hiding in the wardrobe. " Alannah said.
"Fine! So, you agree to come? " Akihiko asked delightedly.
"Yes, Can you hang on for a second? " Alannah said as she took off her engagement ring and went to the wardrobe and opened it.
Can you do me a favour and please hand these back to Kurt Blackwood? He is the Chairman of the British Syndicate. Say that I lent him my heart for a while, but I am taking it back now. This is a shame because I would have held his hand through hell, but I realise I am not his love, Grace is. I hope he finds the happiness he seeks. One last thing, tell the Nine-Tails I love them, OK? " Alannah said in Russian as she handed over the ring and her fan. Anastasia said nothing as Alannah shut the wardrobe door.
"Right, let's go!" Alannah said, holding her hands in front of her to be bound.
"No Alannah, you are a person of your word and so shall not be bound. Come with me and start your new life! " Akihiko said, taking one of her hands and leading her down to the ground floor. Akihiko then guided her towards a group of super-powered motorcycles.
"Clever, they are much harder to track and can go into a lot more spaces than cars can. But I am afraid, I have never driven anything this powerful, "Alannah said admiringly."
Don't worry, you'll be riding with me. I am surprised there are no tears, Alannah. " Akihiko said, handing her a helmet.
"You know me, I cried all the tears I had a long time ago. Just remember your promise! " Alannah said as she got on the back of the bike.
You know, they will all be unhurt, and you are right, I do know you. Better than anyone. " Akihiko said as the bike roared into life. Alannah and Akihiko drove into the Beijing night at a super-fast speed.
Back on the rooftop, the atmosphere was tense. I have done what you said! No, release her! " Kurt said.
The man in the black mask laughed and said, "Boss was right, you are all so dim. Here is your Phoenix! " It has been an absolute pleasure to do business with you! "
With that, the man pushed Grace hard into the crowd and jumped off the building, abseiling at speed until he reached the bottom. He then jumped on a motorcycle and drove off.
"Thank God you are safe!" Xan said as Grace started to cry in his arms.
"This does not make any sense!" Bruce said, "Thought."
"Why go to all this trouble for a sound bite?" Ethan asked, confused.
Does it matter, as long as Grace is safe? We can figure the rest out later! " Theo said.
Suddenly, the door opened and Anastasia walked with Dimitri, who was flanked by two six-foot Russian soldiers, nicknamed "The Black Bears."
"You bunch of fucking idiots!" Anastasia shouted, making everybody tremble.
Xan came forward, bowed, and said, "Founding Mother, I can only apologise for what happened here. Please assure yourself that your safety throughout was given top priority! "
"Oh, is that why I've been locked in a fucking wardrobe for the last 20 minutes, is it?" Anastasia snapped.
Please, forgive me.. whoever did that will be soundly punished, I can assure you!" "Xan said quickly." Which fucking idiot would do such a stupid thing to a founding mother? Xan thought furiously.
Well, that would be difficult for two reasons. One, the person who did it is my granddaughter, and two, I would kill you if you laid a finger on her. The other reason is that she has been taken by Akihiko! " Anastasia shouted.
"Alannah? Alannah has been taken? I thought she was up here! " Theo said, panicked, as she searched around.
"No, that is not true!" Kurt shouted.
"Tsk, tsk, not knowing where your daughter is, Theo? How remiss of you! " Anastasia snapped.
"I can explain." Theo suddenly said.
Oh, I can't wait to hear it! It will be the icing on the cake that is this shit show! Before I forget, where is that Son of Bitch Kurt? " Anastasia said, and when she spotted him, she walked up to him. She unceremoniously flung the ring and fan at his feet.
She said, "Give you a message: Say I lent him my heart for a while, but I am taking it back now. This is a shame because I would have held his hand through hell, but I realise I am not his love, Grace is. I hope he can find the happiness he seeks, even if it is not with me! " Anastasia recited.
Kurt looked like his heart had stopped beating and that was how he felt. He looked down and saw the engagement ring and the fan. Kurt sank to his knees. What a fool he had been! How could he have let this happen? He should have gone straight to Alannah; he should have been there for her. Instead, a stupid trick had been enough to convince her that Grace was his love, not hers.
"We will find her, Kurt!" "Xan said firmly."
"She also said she loved you a lot!" Anastasia said softly to the Nine-Tails.
Well, it is a good thing we have it in hand then, isn't it?" Bruce said with a smirk.