Previously on Aisha.
Charlotte visits Duke who spends the rest of the day congratulating himself on how well he's been able to keep the ladies coming without any problems.
Charlotte later then eases his stress by making out.

............

Chapter 4

The room is softly lit in a dark golden glow from the lamp sitting on the bedside table on the left. Duke sleeps, tucked under the blanket to the waist with Charlotte beside him,Obviously finding comfort using his chest as a pillow.

"Ring Ring" The phone on the table rings. Duke still with his eyes closed, traces the phone like a blind man and finally finds it.

"Hello!" He says in a low distorted voice.

"Hi. Its Anna. I got us a hint step on the case. You gotta see it."

"Okay where do I meet ya?"

"Meet me at central park."
"Okay. Im on ma way."
Call ends. Charlotte is awakened by  Duke 's voice.

"Where are you going?"
"Sorry honey, I gotta meet someone. Its about work." He says as he gets off the bed heading towards the wardrobe.

"Its only seven am Duke. Plus I just arrived and you're already ditching me."

"Im not ditching you Charlotte, I gotta work. When I get back, you have me all to yourself."  He grabs some clothes from the wardrobe and lays them down on the bed beside Charlotte who has now sat up, covering her upper body with the blanket.

Duke puts on black jeans, a white inner shirt, covered with a brown leather jacket and a pair of black shoes.

His  golden brown hair, lit by the morning light peeping through the slightly opened curtains.

He moves over to Charlotte and sits beside her. Her eyes filled with disappointment.

"Cmon Charlotte, you know I gotta work. Ill be back even before you know it. Okay?" He holds her cheeks softly and kisses her.

"Ill be back soon." He whispers and quickly exits the room. Charlotte sighs deeply and falls back to the bed.

..........

Aisha speeds through Timesquare dodging oncoming traffic with her orange colored speedbike. She feels her phone vibrating in her pocket. It has definitely got to be a call from Marco.  He's supposed to be waiting for her at central park.

She told him a while ago that she would be there in a couple of minutes and now shes late. Shucks! What difference does it make. She said a couple of minutes and a couple of minutes it is. Even if she is an hour late, its still a couple of minutes. But he hates to be kept waiting. And if there was anyone who knew that better, its her.

Marco took her in after her family was murdered by Luigi which no one believed anyway. But somehow, Marco knew the truth. How he knew, she doesn't know. But ever since he took her in she has been doing all his dirty work. Including stealing from all those rich people.

He claims he donates it off to the poor. But she has never seen him do it. And she can't question him either. She owes him everything. He trained her since her childhood to be a killing machine. A vigilante who doesn't work for anyone's good except him. And now she has to keep this life away from Jessie.

The only family she's got. She's been living a double life ever since she was taken. Sometimes she would want to talk to someone about how she felt about it. But that was either going to get her killed or end her an eternal life in prison.

All she can do is keep it to herself and endure the pain. Although she can tell Jessie about it. She risks loosing their friendship. She can't let that happen.
The phone vibrates once again in her pocket.

She taps the side of her helmet and the receiver puts the call through to the helmet. Some tech she has got there.

"Where are you?" Marco growls.
"Im on ma way marco, will be there in a minute."
"Dont keep me waiting kiwa, you know how much I hate waiting."

Kiwa is his own special name for Aisha. He has always called her that since he took her from the street.

"You dont have to remind me marco, ill be there soon."
"You better be. He's here. Hurry or we loose him."

"Okay. Im almost there." She taps the side of the helmet again and the call ends.

In a short while she arrives. Marco keeps his eyes on her as she approaches him. He is seated on a park bench, clothed in a pale brown cloak with some Chinese slippers.

Not a shabby dressing for an assassin. He looks more like a sensei. His eyes tucked under his eyebrows with a kind of wrinkled but stern face.

He is definitely Chinese. Quite old. Around his fifties. Aisha sits beside him on the bench. Silence takes over the moment as none make an attempt to speak. Aisha cant stand it whenever he does that.

"You're mad at me!" She finally breaks the silence.
"What else do you expect me to be kiwa? When you've kept me waiting this long."

"Im sorry. It wont happen again."
"It better not." He turns to a brown envelope that lies beside him on the bench and picks it up. He looks at Aisha and hands it over to her.

"Everything you need to know is in there. Now listen closely kiwa. In four days, there is going to be a grand ball.

Its taking place at the tower of London.  The Queen isnt going to be present that night. But the crown jewel will be presented as a sign of her presence."

"What are you driving at Marco. What has that got to do with us." Aisha questions.

"Silence!!!" He shuts her down. "Listen to what im telling you. I want you to retrieve the crown and meet me at cuba.

"WHAT???" Aisha questions with her eyes totally widened.
"You want me to steal the crown jewel?"

"Keep your voice down kiwa!!!" He retorts.
"Now listen. You are going to do exactly as I say. Do you understand?"

"Do you have any idea what you're pushing me into? What if I get caught?"
"You getting caught will be of your own stupidity. But ive trained you better than that."

"And what exactly do you intend to do with that crown? Make yourself king?"
"Dont question me. You will do as you are told. Prepare yourself. You leave in two days.

But beware kiwa, of him." He says, pointing to duke and anna who sit a little distance away from them.

"He's Detective Duke Hammond of the NYPD.  He's currently investigating the case of the missing artwork. Keep your eyes on him."

He says and gets off the bench in attempt to leave but he stops and turns around.

"And kiwa, I will entertain no mistakes." He finally turns and leaves.