“What is it?!” My voice turned out louder and harsher than I thought it would.

“Di-Dima and M-Mia are missing” her voice felt as if it knocked my guts. I staggered a few feet behind, thrashing into Anthony’s hard chest.

“The neighbours called the cops immediately after they heard some crashing sounds and the buzzer going off at your mansion. When the cops showed up, they couldn’t find Dima and Mia ma’am and the house was complete chaos. But they found some evidence that they both were inside the house.” I couldn’t feel anything, my ears, eyes, mind all went numb.

“Liara!” I heard a faint noise enveloping me, but my body didn’t let me respond to it. I felt so paralyzed, like a jelly. 

Picking my cellphone, I dialled Dima’s number, but it went to voicemail. The same with Mia. My heartbeat sped up, stopping me from thinking straight. I did the only thing that my gut felt right. 

“Vikrant, track down Mia and Dima’s phone. Check the CCTV cameras and let me know where they were last found.” My brain about to burst didn’t help me find the proper solution. 

“What happened?” His worried voice rang through the other side.

“Dima and Mia got kidnapped,” I answered straight to the point and hung it.

****

I completely zoned out of people’s banter in front of me and glared at my phone, waiting for Vikrant’s call. Drumming my fingers on my desk, I gazed at the ceiling of my office and took a deep breath, remembering the last time I saw both of them. I saw Dima’s sleepy figure last night before heading towards my private office and did not talk with Mia for a few days. My brain screening their helpless faces, imagining them being tormented. Tears making their way from my eyes to my neck and soon drenching my shirt. 

“Ma’am! You’ve got a call from an unknown number.” I heard Aria’s delicate voice at a distance that’s trying to venture my imagination. Closing my eyes for a moment, I could have sworn on Jesus when I saw Dima’s pleading eyes looking straight at me. 

“Give me the phone,” I said raising my hand pointed towards my phone lying at the corner of my desk. 

“But ma’am, it’s an unknown number.”

“Hand me the damn phone, Aria!” I shouted angrily at her and snatched the phone.

“What do you want?” No hello or hey, because I guessed it right. It was someone I’ve known.

“Aw Liara, I guessed you would recognize my voice, darling. Missing me already?” I felt goosebumps on my skin when I heard Carter’s venomous voice chuckling from the other side.

“Don’t you dare harm my people Carter! I will make sure you die a gruesome death.” I said through gritted teeth. 

“You’ve already made my life miserable, my dear. Why not give you hell before facing the actual one myself?” I could imagine the smile plastered on his face and the evil grin right now.

“I will ask you again, what you need? You don’t want me to hunt you down and peel you layer by layer myself and feed it to the crow, now do you?” Anthony held my hands tighter and released the pen I did not even know I was holding, which dug into my palms, wounding it.

“That sounds so seductive when it comes from your luscious mouth.” He moaned at the end, making me suffocate.

“Well, jokes apart. You have thirty minutes to come to eastern Manhattan’s dumping ground. No police should be informed and no bodyguards. You alone, my dearest. I will wait!” He said, “And yeah, don’t tryna track this number sweetheart. It’s a burner phone and will not be of any help for you!” and hung up on me by making a kissing sound. Ewwww!

“Damn it!” I threw my phone on the table, but before it could contact it, Anthony yanked it, staring at me worriedly.

“I can’t let you go alone there.” He announced seriously. Headache slowly making me even more uneasy.

“Anthony I-“ 

“No! And that’s final!”

“You have no right to order me.” I pointed out.

“I’m your friend first and not a bodyguard.” He reasoned out, making me exhale the air that I did not even know I was holding.

“Please? I want nothing to happen to them. I can’t survive that.” I said, slumping down on the chair, not bothering to waste any more energy.

“I can’t bother losing you.” He whispered, but I heard it all.

“He asked me to enter inside the eastern dump yard. You stay hidden outside it and I will signal you when I think I’m in trouble.” I said, hoping he would agree.

“You are already at risk when you step foot inside that yard.” Said Vikrant when he entered my cabin along with other four.

“I brought this small piece that looks like an earring but is a camera. You wear it on your ears and we can see and hear what is happening inside. If we feel that you are in trouble then we enter.” Agnes said, bringing an earpiece into my line of sight. 

“How did you know that she was going to go solo over there?” Anthony asked to my Angelwings holding the earpiece, slowly examining it.

“We’ve got some traces of the tires through the CCTV footage of the streets from where they took Dima and Mia. We knew it had something to do with that Carter guy. And as we already know how Liara deals with things, so we came up with something that will at least keep us in touch with her.” Aaliyah said glancing at Shan Li and Chloe whose faces were void of emotions. They kept on glancing at their cellphone now and then. 

“What’s wrong?” I asked, concerned about them. My voice is a lot calmer than it was before.

“No, it’s nothing. Your Lykan still needs to be dealt with, so we’ve got your other car ready. Shall we leave?” Shan Li said glancing at me directly contacting my eyes making me uncomfortable. Not bothering to look at his intense gaze, I stumbled with the earring. I realized he was worried about me, but I cannot think of anything else at this moment.

“Before leaving, I have some work for you guys. I need this to be done before I enter that dump yard. I know what they are up to and wouldn’t let them win. Not this time.” I said, confident by the way I was dealing with the things at this moment. I had to think straight, my family and business are in danger and I wouldn’t lose any of them.

“We are with you in this, Liara.” Said Vikrant giving me a confident look. Others sure were looking at me as I’ve grown horns. 

 “Let’s get going then,” I added and walked past all my employee’s cum friends who were worried about me. A smile on my face to boost their confidence but my heart beating at a faster rate making me nausea.

*****

I drove past my office and entire Manhattan city aimlessly worrying about the condition of my people, who were caged because of me.

Soon after I looked at a higher wall of dumped cars standing surrounding an old building looking like a dungeon. The cars covered the entire boundary of the building, piled one on another. I stopped my car at the entrance. A loosely tied metal door that hung for its dear life, but I could see tiny invisible wires wrapped around them. “It’s electricity wires. Don’t touch.” I heard Agnes from the earring I wore.

“Anybody there?” I asked as I could see only a desolate house with the scraps dumped around it. The air emitting a metallic smell. 

“Aye Hot Bun! This way.” Someone in all black said from the farthest left corner of the dump yard. “He is holding guns. Be careful.” Agnes said again. I have my damn eyes. I can see that. I thought to retort but kept quiet.

“Master is been itching to feel ya, lady. Such an enchanting smell!” He said bringing his nose near my body and breathing in my scent. I kicked his sin so hard that he stayed scooted on the ground for a few minutes. Another black mask guy came laughing his ass towards me by handcuffing both my hands. Damn him.

“Tigress, huh? Such a wildflower.” He added and pushed me towards a small gate. I had to bow down a little and then follow him as the doors were half-crippled. An awful stench of decomposed iron and chemicals hitting my nostrils, making me vomit. 

I scanned all my surrounding to find a passageway but found none. They locked the doors and windows with steel binders, disallowing even the slightest space for the sunrays to peep through it. The floor looked rusty as if someone rode heavy metals on it many times. Small cracks in the nearby walls and paint falling off of it. I just prayed to God that everything should go as per my plan. “Move faster, baby.” His breath fanning my face as he came closer and spoke. The horrible stench of cigar and stew blew on my face, making it harder for me to breathe. 

Just then I found a passageway through the lobby where two heavily guarded men were standing. I could see sunlight lighting up the path and few men walking past it. “Gotcha,” I thought. “Don’t worry, we also noticed that. We will take care of this. You stay safe.” Shan Li whispered through the earpiece. I sighed content that I have such a magnificent team. 

“Liara, this is The Luchellies Dungeon. Here they perform their dirty jobs. Look up.” He said. Luchellies are the Mafia who rules the black market of New York City.

“Master, she is here.” The black-hooded guy said and unlocked a doorway. Damn, the door looked so heavy. A large metal gate with nothing but an L symbol crafted beautifully in the middle. I just stayed baffled by the scene in front of me.

Dima and Mia sat on a chair, their hands and legs tied tightly, and I could see blood dripping out of it. Few black men standing as guards at either side of the room, a heavy metallic L shaped chandelier hanging at the centre of the room giving the entire decor of the room a dangerous creepy look. My insides crawled with uneasiness.

“Awww, Liara baby.” Then I heard Carter who strode towards me with Johnson in wheelchairs.

“I suggest you complete your agreement quickly so we can get this over with. Master’s orders” Spoke the man who was in the middle of the room and then strode outside, halting a bit when he came near me. His eyes were hidden behind black goggles and his all-black outfit giving me jittery intuition.

I tried moving away from sticky man’s hold and looked around to locate a path that would help my mates to rescue my Dima and Mia. I scrutinised every possibility but couldn’t find one. When I was feeling desperate, Agnes’s voice boomed inside the earpiece, “Liara, look at your right-hand side. There is a staircase which is rusty but it’s an emergency exit passing through the roof that I and Vikrant can easily see through outside. The doors have been blocked by woods, but we can remove it if you can buy us some time. And yeah, Anthony is on his way.” Her confident voice encouraged me as we can get past it and I have to buy some time. 

“Liara, I’m so overjoyed that you showed up, today is my birthday and Carter uncle told me he will bring you to celebrate along with us!” Johnson said clapping his hands like a kid breaking my trail of thoughts. I furrowed my brows at his childish nature.

“Oh, his mind is of a child now, schizophrenia is killing him from inside. Thanks to you.” Spat Carter taking big steps towards me. 

“He deserved it.” Even if the inner self was panicking. I kept my best poker face, not displaying any emotion. He grew even furious.

“Just let them go,” I said through gritted teeth when I noticed a redhead girl tightening the grip of Mia’s rope, making her yelp in pain. “Keep those assholes away from Mia and Dima,” Vikrant informed. “And how do you expect me to do that with my hands tied, huh?” Inner me thought out.

“With those beautiful and luscious lips baby!” Vikrant’s faded laughter made me furious but soon Carter’s voice trailed through my ears.

“Return whatever you took from us along with interest and take the lady and the girl home,” Carter spat bitterly, his face along with the hideous mark on his chin expressing a dangerous aura.

“Liara princess, you don’t have to do this! Ouch!” 

“Stop it! Don’t you dare hurt them!” I said to the redhead who slapped my Dima on her cheeks harder and then winked at me. Two guards grabbed my hands, stopping me from charging ahead. “I will rip your head off, woman!” I screamed angrily, demanding to get her hands away from my Dima.

“She is hot, isn’t she?” Carter pointed at me and then spoke to Johnson.

I stood there near the enormous iron door in front of ten black uniform guys, a redhead, Carter, and Johnson.

“Liara, stay put! Anthony is on his way and his associates are five minutes away.” I heard Vikrant’s voice through the earpiece.

I chuckled, looking at the ratio of men. “You certainly are scared of me, aren’t you, huh? Look at the people in the room and who are they standing against after all? Only me.” I said pointing at me. 

“Shut the fuck up Bitch! Force her to sign them!” Redhead barked orders to the black-hooded guy who held my hands. He suddenly shoved me towards the table, but before he could withdraw his hands, I flipped him over so hard, mustering all my energy so he fell stumbling on the ground. “Yey, Liara 1 point!” Giggled Johnson. 

“How dare you!” Redhead strode towards me and yanked my hair tightly. I yelped in pain, my skull throbbing with the intensity of her pull. Taking a deep breath, I held her hand and twisted it, dislocating her wrist bone. She stumbled a few feet back and withered towards me but Carter held her, “Let her sign first and then you can do whatever you want to.”

I snickered at him and read the papers thoroughly. All my assets were penned down clearly, along with my recently gained shares. The last page of the agreement comprised a marriage agreement between me and Johnson?! That too I can’t remarry if he dies?. How dumb is this!. “You want me to marry this guy?” I asked, pointing at Johnson. “Take all my assets you want and let us go.”

“You are the reason he is what he is now. Take responsibility for your sins.” Carter strode towards me, gripped my shoulder, and then pushed me to sign them.

 “Ma’am don’t! Anthony is on his way. Don’t sign the documents.”  Chloe pleaded through the earpiece.

I peeked up and found a two pair of shoes tiptoeing towards Dima through the staircase. They wore the same uniform as other guards. I had to drag their attention towards me. I thought.

“I’m not marrying this asshole!” I announced that even if my heart was thumping so fast that I had to take a few breaths to tame it down.

“He is my family. You’ve done this to him so you have to take care of him. Sign it already!” Carter said, pointing a revolver at Mia. 

“I’m signing! I’m signing!” I felt so helpless at the moment. I could do nothing. My properties, my life, my struggle, all went in vain. I can’t risk it. I have to call for Plan B and get this over with. But then I will endanger the lives of others who entered this dungeon already! 

“Liara baby, don’t do this, please!” 

“Sign it already!”

I exhaled and put the pen on the paper, but within a flicker of my eye; I hugged a broad shoulder that soothed my agitated heart.

“Darling, you cheating on your husband?” 

I looked up at the source, blinked once, twice, thrice, but couldn’t wrap my head around what I heard. Zearo gazing at my eyes with a mischievous glint. 

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