Lagades Villa
Aria behind the steering wheel was a sight to behold. Deacon halted in his tracks to watch his mother practice. It was a terrible sight. She was just swinging the car to the left and the right not having a sense of direction. And the cluelessness in her eyes was marvelous. The woman had lost touch with her driving skills. Even her grip on the wheel and her posture was enough evidence to prove his point. She drove like a headless chicken flapping its wings as it went, anywhere. Such a shame! He tutted. All this luxury, Deacon scrutinized his parents' villa, has resulted in her losing some of her common sense. If not all...
He shook his head. Aria got down from the car looking all fussed up. Her legs looked like they were going to buckle anytime soon. It was like she has just had her first experience with a rollercoaster and gravity was having a laugh of a lifetime. He couldn't help but chuckle at her current condition. Who would have thought a Bakirzist would be deterred by simple driving lessons. He let out a laugh and she heard. "You're doing great, Mana!" He teased. She showed him her middle finger but that didn't stop him from laughing.
"I hope you are having a good laugh." She managed to sneer.
Amusement dancing in his eyes, "ooh the best." He shown his immaculate smirk. "Come on let's go inside and tell me how your day has been." Aria scowls at him. No matter how she tried to distance herself from her family, she knew they were all she's got. How peeving!
Deacon allows her to catch her breath as they occupied the living room couches. She still looked the same if not for age catching up on her. She was still strong. He could tell and had the brain capacity and right sanity to keep everything running. This woman sitting across him was the very same being who waked him up at dawn just to train. He would train with Hensel most often and rarely with her. Staring at her, memories of her breaking his nose twice and giving him several fractures in the ribs in just two weeks in his teens floated through his brain. Two fucking weeks! The damn woman hit hard. He wasn't even healed from the first blow yet. Deacon subconsciously rubbed his moderate nose as she stared at him weirdly.
He had succumbed to jet lag yesterday after arriving in Tinos at eleven into the night. After a fourteen-hour plane ride and ferry ride from Mykonos Island, he wasn't sure he was alert enough to approach his mother. Even so, the damn woman would curse him for ruining her sleep. He sighed. Tinos was okay to live in but the wide isolation was appalling. The only time they get to see many people was when the time came for the religious worshippers to visit the sacred cathedral. It was a building believed to have housed God in those days when he came on earth. How delusional!
Deacon diverts his gaze from the game on his phone to his mother. Immediately a smile grazes his face. "What are you smiling at?" She was standing on her own two feet without wobbling like earlier. He cursed when he realized he didn't record that scene. It would have made a great topic in their family group chat.
"Are you sure you are capable of walking?" she frowns. "We wouldn't want you falling face flat on the floor." He taunts trying to suppress the laughter dying to escape.
"Ha ha ha. Laugh all you want. I'm going to the gallery. Want to join?" He couldn't wipe the smirk on his face at the mention of the gallery. Aria noticed too and chuckled. There was some kind of electricity pulsing through his body anytime he found himself at the gallery with a Glock in hand. Maybe he would go with a Beretta today or try something new. His mother had some kind of fetish with guns and had a whole compartment of different brands. She was a gunrunner for Pete's sake!
Bakirzist Gallery
Recessive gunshots echoed down the hallway as he drew nearer to his mother. She had ear muffs on and a Ruger LCR in her hand. She shot bull's-eye every time in the six feet range. Aria was in a pair of grey trousers and a short sleeve shirt. Her brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail leaving her face bare. The grin on her face was evident that the crazy woman loves her pistols. Deacon walked to the big white table to pick a Glock G43. He aimed to shoot but Aria snatches the gun from him. "Mom…" He whined. She was very protective of her 'babies'. Sloane, his mother's assistant places a blue file in his hand then steps aside.
"Go through that and tell me what you think tomorrow over breakfast." Aria says while she shoots the side of the dummy. Deacon nods not caring to take a look. "Besides that, ever heard of Koh-I-Noor?" He scrutinizes his mother's face as the word resonates through his brain. It caused a nostalgic feeling in his system. "The 'mountain of light'?" He has heard of the name before but couldn't place his finger on it where. Aria notices his slight confusion and decides to cut to the chase. " the most prized jewel of the crown of the English queen. Estimated worth, £400plus million…" He still looked lost. "c'mon kid, do your own research. But for now, that is what Grygora is going for and we must get it first." She releases her finger on the trigger pushing a bullet out of the mussel. "We can't let those kathármata get their dirty fingers on it. Round up your crew. I've informed your siblings. They will be here soon. Go do your homework. You have one week." Deacon nods and begins towards the exit. "Yiós, congrats on acquiring the Daria-I-Noor." She genuinely smiles causing him to break into one.
"Efcharistó mamá!" His accent so thick.
Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum
She stared at the sculpture intensely trying to decipher what it is. It was magnificent. She was at the sea life room of Chihuly after touring the glass forest and the northwest room. There was a huge blue glass piece in the middle of the room. The piece stole her breath away. "How did they build this? She whispered to herself but the few tourists beside her heard it. They shot her a smile and she returned it. It was so big and detailed and in a way it kind of reminded her of a blue Christmas tree! When she looked closely, she saw little glass sea creatures built in it! She looked around the room, there were other little glass statues that had adorable sea creatures embedded in it. It was so adorable! She would bring her son or daughter to come see immediately it is born. She subconsciously rubbed her tummy as a smile graced her face. It was a wonderful idea.
She hadn't had time to explore the attractive sites of Seattle. Always moving from one need to the other in a boring routine. She knew with the baby's arrival comes a new routine. She couldn't be more excited. She will decorate the nursery with sea life themes. A dolphin here, a whale there… Nelly would be so happy! Her child should get ready to be spoilt. She sighed contently to that factor. Her bump was showing but not that visible unless with keen eyes under her oversized clothes.
The hairs on the nape of her neck straightened. And goosebumps danced their way down her skin. Jordan sensed that she wasn't alone. Though there were other tourists around, she meant the opposite. Indeed she was right. After a quick one-eighty turn, there before her eyes stood her ex in a casual glory. He had dyed his blond hair black this time and had gained more muscles to his moderate build. He still looked handsome and delicious. Too bad! The said man smirked seeing her checking him out.
"Like what you see?" He says, smirking. Jordan crossed her arms to her chest and raised a brow.
"Oh I love what I see." She had a smug tone to it. "Its been a long time, Lucius." She sighs embracing him in a tight hug. A Chinatown woman pops up beside them. They squealed silently. It was Yuan alright.
"My, my Yuan Ting, you have blossomed beautifully." She turned to Lucius." What have you guys been feeding her?" They laughed seeing Yuan burning on the cheeks.
"C'mon let's continue the tour together. Then you tell me why you are here." Jordan knew they wouldn't just pop out of no where just to see her. And they respected that she knew that they knew that this isn't some mere coincidence.
"Ever the smartass!" Yuan Ting says locking hands with her."
As suspected, they wanted something from her and she wasn't going to give it. They sat at one of the benches available. Yuan decided to begin.
"Does Koh-I-Noor ring a bell?" she began. Jordan nods. Who in this world doesn't know about that cursed jewel? "Well we've had hints that it is going to be taken soon."
"Well that's great." Jordan shrugs. ""Its high time they took it off the crown." The duo stare at her aghast.
"Not that kind of taking." Lucius exasperates. Her blue eyes looked at him inquisitively. She knew where they were driving at but she needed to play dumb. " A conspiracy, syndicate…those kind of taking. As the estimated worth says it all and that damn curse about it, everyone wants it."
"I don't see where you are getting at."
"We need your help, Jordie." Yuan exclaims. "To take them down." Jordan frowns.
"Please" Lucius and Yuan say in unison.
"I quit that life and left it a long time ago." She says indifferently. " I've moved on. Hope you relay that to Gustavo."
"But-" Yuan had fear dancing in her eyes.
"No buts Yuan Ting. I quit hoping not to return. Those people can kill themselves for all I care."
"This is a potential war outbreak!" Lucius growls.
"And I have a new addition in a few months. " Jordan snaps. They stare at her wide eyed. She surely has moved on. They stood up to leave heartbroken. They had high hopes of bringing their favorite agent back into action.
"We understand" Clearly they didn't. "We hope that someday you'll join us and the world will be as one. You need a stable world to ensure a happy family, agent." Those were Lucius' parting words. Jordan sighs real deep taking in whatever has happened.
Lucius' words kept bouncing off in her thoughts.
Kyrkesund, Tjörn
"Sir, you have a meeting in five minutes with DVB shipyard…but Mr. Lindström wishes to speak with you." The buff man quirks an eyebrow at his assistant. " He says it's urgent-" The assistant didn't get to finish. A lean man in a fellow grey suit barges in looking all red.
"How dare-" The buff man is cut short.
"There's no time, Henric." The buff man, Henric, glares at the lack of respect despite seeing the urgency in Dahlin's eyes.
"Liam, leave us." Henric didn't tear his gaze off Dahlin. " Have a seat" He says when Liam closes the wooden door behind him.
"Henric, we need to begin with the plan!" Dahlin begins.
"And why is that." His gaze was calculative.
"Vasiliki has caught onto it" His eyes express a passing shock. "And thy are going for it at the earliest."
"And how do you know that."
"I have my sources." He was beginning to doubt him but he had been ever so helpful all these years in their transactions. They needed the help of the mayor and they got it. "Besides Interpol has heard and they are taking charge except with a little setbacks, they will be good to go." Henric rubs his face in irritation.
Those damn mutts didn't know how to not interfere in people's businesses. "How can I be certain of what you are saying?"
Dahlin shrugs. "You can conduct your own research. It's up to you. But the more you waste time, the closet Vasiliki gets to the prize!" They share a hard stare. "You and I both know it wouldn't be the best for us or even those damn Interpol. They already have their men on patrols." Smoke escaped Henric's ears. Dahlin was right but not in all ways. Let's just give him the benefit of the doubt, shall we?
He bobs his head for a minute as a plan formulated in his mind. A smile spread on his face like herpes.
"Assemble the men." He broke into a smirk. "We are going to pay Her Majesty a visit."
"Things are going to get messy."
As that , the fate of the entire summer, autumn and winter was planned in a minute. It was pure grotesque.
The queen might not even survive!