Friday afternoon
Page Mansion
Maria was preparing a cheesesteak sandwich for Dan and Cia who were still solving a math problem. The house was quite silent when the house phone rang
"We'll get it" the twins said at the same time and Dan reached for the phone before picking up the call
"This is the Page mansion, who am I speaking with?" Dan asked
"You've got some nerves to forget my number" the person on the other line said
"Uncle Gabriel" the twins said at the same time before getting off the sofa and running towards the gardens
"Where are you two running off to?" Maria asked while dropping the cheesesteak sandwiches on the centre table. "Have you finished what I asked you to do?"
"We'll be right back" Dan said
"We've already solved the math problem. Please let us have a break" Cia pleaded in a cute voice and Maria waved her hands
"Thank you" the twins said before leaving for the garden
******
"Is your nanny maltreating you?" Gabriel asked "I'm on my way right now"
"Stop. Uncle...." Cia started
"Aunty Maria's a really nice lady" Dan said "We've just gotten her into trouble a lot of times...."
"She's a bit strict with us because of that" Cia said
"If you say so" Gabriel said "What's she like?"
"She's smart, sweet and really knows her way around the kitchen" Dan said
"She's really elegant and more mature than our dad" Cia said
"She really knows how to distinguish between play and work" Dan said
"Plus, her tutor sessions are more fun than those other, boring nannies" the twins said in unison
"You both seem to really like her.... that's unusual" Gabriel said with a sigh "Has she said anything about your parents or asked many questions?"
"She did say something about dad once" Cia said
"What?"
"It was more like she was mumbling to herself" Dan said
"Yeah" Cia agreed "She said, and I quote 'Mark is so weird. He acts as though we've met before and his actions are suspicious...'"
"What about questions?" Gabriel asked
"She only ever ask us questions on when our parents would be home, so she can rest. Or, she asks us about what we'd like to do today or tomorrow" Dan said
"Can I have a description of how she looks?" Gabriel asked
"I knew it" Cia said
"Dad said you'd call and ask for the description of Aunty Maria" Dan said
'That son of a- Well, the guy does know me, inside and out' Gabriel thought. "Can't you just tell me a little?" Gabriel asked
"Dad's always had his reasons for doing things" Dan said with a shrug
"We can't say anything" Cia said "He wants to tell you himself"
"Bye bye, Uncle Gabriel" Dan and Cia said before hanging up
"I think we did well" Cia said with a nod
"If he comes here himself, dad will have him arrested" Dan said "I think our uncle knows that much"
******
Nine o'clock in the night
Wayne Corp
Gabriel sat while resting his head on one hand before Mark barged into his office
"I told you it was hopeless" Mark said as he sat across from him
"Just shut up" Gabriel said with a frown "Why are you here?"
"Atkins hasn't returned even a single dime that he stole from you" Mark said "He's even spending it has he pleases"
Gabriel's eyes turned stone cold "I thought I told him to watch his back. He never knows who is after his life" he said as he picked up his phone and called someone before saying "Find Atkins. And when you're done, gather all the men and come pick me up" he said before hanging up the call
"You know, I could find him"
"I want him to run around like the rat he is" Gabriel said as he dropped his phone, reached into his desk drawer, and pulled out a gun. He started to load it with bullets "He's one of my father's men. So when his time runs out..." he set his gun after loading it "...death will be all he'll seek in this world" he placed the gun on the table
Mark stared at the gun for a while and sighed "I sure would hate to be that guy" his phone rang immediately after and he picked it up. However, he immediately found a problem with the phone he picked; it was neither his personal or business phone but it was the phone that always made him on edge whenever someone called, it was the phone with mostly pictures.
"Is that what I think it is?" Gabriel asked
"Yeah" Mark said before answering the call and putting it on speaker "Speak"
"Co-"
"Get straight to the point already" Mark interrupted while pinching between his brows
"There are some men at the gates of your mansion" the person said, it was the voice of a man "And their all armed"
"How many?" Mark asked
"About eight people" the person said "Two on the bus and six standing in front of the gates. They look like mercenaries and a black van is parked outside. It looks like they plan on kidnapping someone"
"A blonde just walked out from the mansion and she's approaching the gates" another person, this time a female, said "It's definitely not Madam Vivian"
"Shit" Mark said "Provide assistance and stop them. That's my kids nanny and I won't....." Mark's words were interrupted when he heard four gun shots "What happened? Is she alright?"
"Sir, she just stabbed two of them with knives and shot four as soon as they got close to her" the female said "Wait. She's walking towards the van and....." four more gunshots went out "....Sir, she just killed eight mercenaries and has tossed the gun away. She's on the run"
Gabriel just stared at Mark in awe and said "What type of person did you allow to get close to your children?"
Mark ignored him "Investigate the mercenaries but leave Maria to me"
"We've already begun to search the bodies" the male said "One of the mercenaries I've got is....Robert Peanut. I've already checked his name with out database and he's an international criminal among the top three hundred thousand on our list of people to catch"
"Is he still alive?" Mark asked
"He is....he's the only one alive" the female said "But, I don't think he'll ever be a man again" she chuckled "The woman shot off his groin. She was probably in a hurry to take out the rest, she didn't care where she shot"
"Sir, according to the mercenary, a Jerry Atkins sent them to kidnap a pure-diamond blonde, with eyes like an ocean, from the Page mansion" the man said and Mark went silent
'Does he know who she is?' Mark thought 'But that's impossible unless... he knows what happened several years ago. That old fart'. "Find Jerry Atkins and dispose of those bodies, now. As for the one that's alive, bring him to me" Mark said before cutting the call and staring at Gabriel "I know you want to say something. So just say it"
"Who is the nanny to you?" Gabriel said
"I can't tell you" Mark said
"And Vivian...."
"Vivian is suspicious too. But I told her I'd explain everything one the pieces of the puzzle are all in place" Mark said "For now, all you need to know, is that she needs to stay by me for as long as needed" he said and stood up "I'm sorry for ruining your cat and mouse play but I need Atkins now"
Before Gabriel could say anything, Mark's phone buzzed
"He's at a bar called the Red Shoe" Mark said and Gabriel quickly picked up his phone and his gun before calling some
"Stop whatever you're doing and head to the Red Shoe. Oh, and get me a car" Gabriel said before hanging up and putting his phone in his pocket, and his gun around his belt "Let's go" he said and they both left the office
******
At the same time,
Red Shoe
"Helen, head to table sixteen in the VIP section" a male attendant said "He's been asking for his Bloody Mary and vodka. Add some salt and..."
"Lemon. I know" Helen said
"What would I do without you?" the male attendant asked
"A lot of things" Helen said "That'll be the last time you flirt with me. I'm really not into relationships and I'd prefer spending the rest of my life alone"
"That'll be a waste of your beauty" a female attendant said next to her
"Forget it" Helen said as she carried the tray with the Bloody Mary and vodka before walking away.
Red Shoe was a bar that hosted all types of guests on different floors. The first floor housed the ruffians who could only afford bottles of bears and cigarettes. They danced like animals and did whatever miscreant stuff; making out around the floor, dancing, groping and a lot of other things. The people who worked that floor had to be good at fighting; there were typically no female attendants on that floor.
The second floor housed the middle class type of people. They could afford a lot of stuff but never touched bottles that caused more than a hundred dollars. Their floor had attendants of both genders, people who played poker and billiards, smoked and bet away their money, there were even dancers to entertain the guests here.
The third and fourth floors were connected. These floors were for the VIPs who made business deals, or had celebratory parties in groups. From drinking any type of alcohol, to smoking any quality crap, to enjoying the night with any woman or stripper of their choice. As far as they had the money in their accounts, they could enjoy all of these in the VIP section. This floor had almost all the male and female attendants at people's beck and call.
Helen walked up the spiral stairs, from the second floor, to the third floor.
"If it isn't my favorite waitress" a man said while whistling and Helen looked at him "Are you serving the VIP section today?"
"It's where I was posted" Helen said with a shrug before walking away
She ignored the man who was still trying to talk to her and walked up to table sixteen. Sitting at the table was a man with reddish blonde hair cut in a side fringe, brown eyes hidden behind a pair of round glasses, and a robust statue which made him look short.
He was smoking something but Helen couldn't tell what it was. The glass cups and bottles of vodka were littered around the table.
"Sir, your Bloody Mary and vodka have arrived" Helen said as she set it down "I'll set it down and...."
"Wait" the man said as he pulled her and made her sit on his laps "How much for one night?" he asked as his hands roamed around her body and she struggled
"Let go of me" Helen shouted "That's the job of the strippers. I'm a waitress"
"Just name your price" the man said as he started unbuttoning her shirt and kissing her neck. It was clear that he was drunk.
Helen carried the bottle or vodka she had just brought. She held it by its body and slammed the bottle on the man's head while shouting "I said let go of me" the bottle shattered and blood began to seep from the man's forehead while Helen's hand was bleeding due to the shards of glass stuck in her palm
"F*ck, bitch" the man shouted as he grabbed her by the hair and flung her to the floor "Where's the manager? I'd like to speak to the person who hired this woman" the man shouted which attracted the attention of everyone in the VIP section
One of the male attendants helped Helen off the floor while a female attendant had gone to call the manager
"Where's the person who hired this bitch?" the man continued to shouted
"Sir, you have no right to speak to her in such a way" the male attendant argued "You were molesting her in public. Her job is to wait tables and not accompany you in your bed"
"Do you know who I am?" the man shouted "I'm Jerry Atkins. A member of the Lion's Den" he said and just then, the manager came out
"I'm so sorry about this" the manager said "Helen will apologize to you immediately" he said before looking at Helen "Helen, apologize"
Hearing this, Helen frowned and took off her heels. She had worn her uniform which consisted of heels, fence net socks, a tight dark blue tube skirt, and a white tuxedo dress shirt. She had been uncomfortable since her shift started at seven and was even molested despite all her hardwork. Now, she was being told she had to apologize to the man who almost violated her.
"You son of a bitch" Helen said before using one of her heels to whack Jerry across the face "You think I'm gonna apologize to you because you're a member of a trillion dollar company? Dream on"
"Helen" the manager shouted
"Don't you dare Helen me" Helen said "I'm sick and tired of this job. You don't have to fire me because.....I quit" she said before tossing the heels aside and walking away
The male attendant followed behind her and pulled her wrist as she was walking down the stairs
"Helen, don't you need the money? That man's gonna make getting a job for you difficult" the male attendant said "And...."
"I've made up my mind. He can come at me whenever he feels like it" Helen said as she yanked her hand away from him and continued down the stairs.
At the stairs, the man who had been trying to talk to her, followed her down the stairs.