"Wh... What is that supposed to mean?" Ava asked, even though she had a good guess. Her heart was pounding as she fearfully watched the driver check his rearview mirror.
"Shut up!" The man snapped at her, then after a moment, he stopped the car, parking in a dark, secluded area.
"What are you doing?" Ava asked, trying to keep the man busy as her hand moved slowly to the doorknob.
"Stop that before I shoot you." The driver snapped at her again, then he pulled out a gun.
Ava gasped and her hand fell quickly.
"Give me everything you have. Now!" He snapped again.
Ava's hands shook as she raised them.
"Please, I don't have much money, I am poor to the extent ..." Ava was saying but got cut off before she could finish.
"Don't lie to me! Designer clothes, expensive bag and watch yet you are poor? You think I'm stupid, right?" The man scoffed in annoyance.
"Please, believe me. My mom is in the hospital. I can't even afford the hospital bills, that is how poor I..." Ava tried to explain desperately but got cut off again.
"That bag costs more than I make in months! So don't give me that shit of being poor." He snarled at her.
Ava remained silent, knowing she couldn't explain how she got these things.
"Please don't do this. I beg you." She pleaded.
The driver let out a dry laugh devoid of any real humor.
"You think I want to do this? You think I have a choice? I don't!" He snapped, shaking his head.
"Take off the shoes, the watch, the necklace. Everything! Don't waste my time." He ordered her.
With trembling hands, Ava complied, carefully removing each item.
"Please, just let me keep my phone. I need it to get in touch with my employer. My mom's treatment..." She was pleading but the man didn't allow her to finish.
He cocked his gun.
"Get out! Unless you want to die tonight." He told her coldly.
"Please..." Ava pressed on even though she was scared to death at the sight of the gun.
The driver peered at her and seemed to think about something.
Then he chuckled darkly and kicked off his flip-flops, tossing them at her. He also removed a dollar note from her bag and threw it at her.
"At least you won't walk barefoot and you can use a phone booth. Now get out!" He bellowed.
Ava scrambled out of the car, clutching the worn flip-flops. And the cab sped away, leaving her in darkness.
She stared at the flip-flops and the dollar note, then let out a hollow laugh that turned into a frustrated scream.
"Is this really happening? Not a dream... definitely not a dream! Fuck!" She said, pinching her cheek.
Her eyes searched desperately for any sign of civilization. The street was eerily quiet, with only a few dimly lit lampposts.
"I need to find a phone booth!" She muttered, fighting back tears.
~~~~~~~~~
Twenty minutes later, a familiar car pulled up. Olivia jumped out, running to embrace her friend.
"Oh my God, Ava! Thank God you are not harmed. Get in the car, let us go home!" Olivia rushed out.
"No, I still need to run the errand." She informed her friend. Olivia furrowed her eyebrows in disbelief.
"Are you crazy? After what just happened to you? Come on, Ava." Olivia said and grabbed her arm.
"No, Olivia. I have to prove that I can do this. Mr. Gray needs to see that I'm competent." Ava maintained firmly.
Olivia scoffed.
"Let me get this straight. You got robbed at gunpoint, lost everything, and you are still thinking about one job?" Olivia asked, looking bewildered as if her friend had lost her mind.
"You don't understand. My mom... I need to do this for her." Ava said, her voice breaking slightly.
Olivia heaved a heavy sigh then nodded in understanding.
"Okay, then. I will drive you." Olivia said.
"No, I can't let you do that. You have to go to work tomorrow, you need to sleep early..." Ava was protesting but Olivia cut her short.
"I don't care about sleeping or not sleeping early. I can't let you take another cab tonight." Olivia insisted.
"Get in. We are going together." She added firmly.
Tears of gratitude welled up in Ava's eyes and she hugged her friend passionately before getting into the car.
~~~~~~~~~
"It is 9:48 PM!" Ava muttered as she checked the time on Olivia's dashboard.
"This is insane!" Olivia muttered back as they gradually approached their destination.
"What kind of boss sends their employee on such a crazy mission?" She grumbled and scoffed.
"The kind that holds my mother's future in his hands." Ava whispered, her voice hollow.
Olivia squeezed her friend's hand in support.
"You are going to pull through, Ava. Don't worry too much. I am here for you." She said assuringly.
Ava nodded in appreciation.
Finally, they arrived at Calix's gates and Ava got out of the car.
Her hands were sweaty as she pressed the intercom button.
A face appeared on the small screen after the second ring.
"Who are you?" The man asked gruffly.
"I am from Gray Enterprises. I am Ava..." She was just introducing herself but the man interrupted her.
"Not again." Calix Maxwell mumbled, his expression hardening at the mention of the company.
"Don't waste your time. You should go back before it gets too late." He told her and the screen went black.
"Oh, no! Not after what I have been through today!" Ava grumbled as she stared at the blank display.
"No, I have to succeed at this." She said and her finger moved to press the button again but Olivia suddenly appeared at her side and grabbed her wrist.
"Ava... look!" Olivia whispered, her voice trembling as she called her friend's attention to what was happening behind them.
One black SUV had silently pulled up at the back of Calix's house, the headlights off. Men in dark suits alighted from the cars, moving purposefully.
"I don't think they are from Gray Enterprises." Olivia's voice shook as she observed.
"Definitely not! We need to hide!" Ava whispered and quickly grabbed her friend's arm.
"No wasting of time. Just kill!" One of the man said, reminding his colleagues of their mission.
Ava's eyes widened fearfully. Olivia gasped.