Cliff put Anna down on the linoleum floor in her kitchen, panicking. He wasn't sure what to do. A crease of sweat appeared on his forehead, whilst Anna's convulsions grew worse.
Is this supposed to last this long? He'd never felt so useless before.
Anna had just emptied the contents of the vial into her stomach, shortly after she had a fine meal, made by her cousin, Cliff.
Just as Cliff grabbed his phone from the countertop to dial 911, the front door to their apartment burst open, and two well-built men, in tailored suits boarded the hallway.
"Miss Anna?" One frantic voice came from the living room, while another tall handsome man in a deep yellow suit, walked past him, and crashed down the floor before Cliff.
He didn't have much time to think, as the man in sleek dark hair and deep yellow suit, clasped Anna's head gently in his hand, and began to hum a strange sound.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing? Who are you?"
Cliff fanned questions at him, pushing him away, not until the second man, in sandy brown hair and wide mouth, pulled him away, in one efficient swoop from the one who had Anna in his hands
What was going on?
"Mr. Cliff Malcom," started the wide mouthed man, "my name is Chen, and this is Truce Avidon, CEO of The Avidon Empire. We came immediately we heard the commotion. You don't have to worry, she's in safe hands, sir."
Cliff froze at the mention of the names. He had imagined Truce would be... more rigid and older. He turned to Chen with confused eyes as he was lost for words–or any thoughts. Tipping his chin forward in a haughty manner.
"How'd you know there was even a commotion?" He should be grateful to these men, imagine what he did, when he was supposed to protect her.
Chen waved his phone at Cliff, revealing a muted, ongoing call.
Were they monitoring her? He had to do something about it
On the floor some feet away from them, Truce tried to concentrate as his heart, beat wildly in his chest and his hands shook slightly.
Bright lights emanated from his eyes and hands, as he hummed, searching for where she was short of blood, in his mind. Anna still shook vigorously, but not as wild as before, on the floor. Both Chen and Cliff looked terrified.
Earlier in the day, Truce felt vaguely odd, even before Chen swung open his office doors, alarming him of Anna's circumstances. They got the car ready in seconds, and he ordered Chen to step on the gas as they drove to Roxbury.
He wasn't thinking straight; perhaps he didn't think at all. He was suddenly reminded of Miriam and thought she was in danger, not until he realized, seconds after they were in the car, that they were in the twenty-first century, and that they were headed to rescue Anna, not Miriam.
He held her small head gently in his hands, his sharp, crisp suit was already crumpled, but he didn't mind.
There, he found the spot, and massaged deeply, blood began to flow again. She stilled under his arms, and he relaxed his humped shoulders, his eyes returned to it's original pale-blue colour.
Cliff watched the event that unveiled before him like he was watching a movie.
Ruckus rackus! Anna was telling the truth the whole time!.
Truce slowly lifted the petite lady into his arms, and asked for her room. Cliff just pointed to her door, blanched and still in shock.
Truce walked to her room, and laid the now sleeping lady in his arms, on her bed. He was distracted by her face, when his wristwatch caught Anna's shirt, and pulled away from his hand.
Her lips were slightly apart, and her hair, loosened and flopped about her, making her look more like a beautiful child on the soft bed. He stared at her, mesmerized.
He didn't understand why she had that much effect on him. This was just a day after their meeting. But he felt like he had known her for a long time.
Did Miriam come back to the human realm in another body? Why doesn't she recognize me? He frowned.
His heart clenched a little, but he.focused his gaze on the little room. It had little furniture but felt very homey. He wrinkled his nose as the two men, whom he had left in the living room boarded the threshold of the room. Invaders. He walked out in cool strides to meet them.
Truce looked at Cliff Malcolm. He totally didn't recognize him; felt he was a little too handsome to be a cousin, and was he living with her? A hint of jealousy boiled, before he spoke up.
"I think she's stable now." He glanced at her bed, and turned to face Cliff. "What happened?" he asked, in a cool voice.
Cliff didn't like how distraught he looked, at the moment, especially in front of these two. He lost his cool worrying for Anna.
"Uh... we were just eating lunch when she drank something in a little bottle, then started shaking, like she got bitten by a rattlesnake. I lost my cool man." He said and peered at Truce from the corner of his eyes.
His gaze held the question he wanted to ask earlier. What was inside that bottle?
Truce's expression turned grim.
"She wasn't supposed to drink it right away, it would obstruct the airflow to the brain! It was meant to alleviate some of her symptoms while I arranged myself."
Truce wondered why he bothered explaining to him. A hint of worry etched on Chen's face.
If they hadn't come quick, Cliff would've called the police, and if forensics found traces of foreign substances in her blood…
Cliff turned more confused by the second. While he arranged himself? What did he mean by that?
He squared his shoulders. Anna was safe now and that was important.
"Thank you, gentlemen for coming as fast as you could. I think I can handle Anna from here." He said, taking responsibility, and they got the signal. Truce was first to leave, and Cliff closed the door behind them.
He was about to walk into Anna's room again, when her phone rang in the kitchen, he crossed the door of her room to get the ringing phone. It was Sam calling.
What did that goat-necked Fox jerk want from Anna this time? He chuckled at the nickname.
He quickly ended the call and deleted the number. Then saw Chen's number, and looked towards Anna's room before copying the number to his phone. This came as a huge surprise to them; better ready than not next time.
Truce sat at the back seat of his Rolls-Royce, he didn't like how the thought of Anna in danger made him act rashly.
She wasn't Miriam for heaven's sake.
Then he turned his gaze at Chen from the back seat for making him look very unprofessional before Cliff. Chen could feel the eyes of his boss burrowing into his skull as he drove.
What should he have done? Be casual about it? Did he even know what could've happened if they weren't there on time? Chen shook his head and continued driving.
He sucked in his breath when Truce changed directions to the house. Said that he needed to rest. He couldn't blame the man. Truce barely had time to enjoy his luxury.
It was some minutes past eight, when Anna woke from her sleep. Cliff was snoring lightly at her bedside. The memories flooded her. The thought of Truce's worried expression and his hands on her, made a faint flush rise on her cheeks.
Cliff felt movements on the bed and his head shot up.
"Hey, you alright? Do you need anything?–" He rambled, and Anna laid a gentle hand on his arm, smiling sweetly at him.
"I'm fine Cliff. Thank you for taking care of me," she said and he fell back into the chair, looking into her eyes with concern.
"You scared me for a sec. Are you sure you're not supposed to be in the hospital?" He asked, Anna ignored his question.
"I'm hungry…"
"What do you wanna eat? Steak? Stew?"
"I'd prefer pancakes mum." Her eyes twinkled in delight. He took the hint and laughed
"Got you. Don't move an inch or I'll let my spatula petter your butt, okay child?" he said and she laughed. "Okay."
After he was gone, she felt something cold touch her skin. Wondering what it was, she searched her bed and found a graff diamond. She lifted it to her face as it glinted in the night light in her room.
This surely belonged to Mister Truce, but how did it find its way here?
She took out here phone to browse the price of the watch in her hand.
When she saw the range of prices, she wilted on her bed. The man was loaded, this watch could change her life. Instead, she pushed thoughts of selling it to pay for her hospital bills in full, and dialled Chen's number.
He answered after a few rings and they exchanged pleasantries. She thanked him for coming to her rescue again. He chuckled
"Thank the CEO himself Miss, you should've his face." Anna grinned.
"About that, is there a way I can contact him personally?" She waited as Chen hesitated for a minute.
She was about to tell him not to bother when he said he would text the number to her.
Her heart flipped in her chest seconds later as her phone vibrated with a message notification.
She was reluctant to call the man. She suddenly felt heat wash over her just at the thought of his voice in her ears.
She picked her phone, copied the number to her dial pad and rang him up. She felt very unsettled under her skin as it rang.
Just when she gave up and was about to end the call, he answered his phone.
"Anna..." His voice was rough.