~Los Angeles~

~10 PM in the night~

~Valeria's pov~

"How on earth do we sneak into this shindig?" I whispered to Verena. 

As we huddled in the chilly darkness of the alley, the distant sound of music and laughter from the event seeped through the walls, as we kept our eyes fixed on the entrance. 

Verena glanced at me, her eyes sparkling with mischief in the dim light.

"I researched a bit about this place . Apparently, it's a secret gathering of some of the richest men in Los Angeles." Verena whispered.

"Don't we count as part of the wealthy elite too? " I asked.

"True, but we're not in their inner circle," she replied, scanning the area for possible ways to sneak in. "But I looked over their guest list, and it's invite-only. We'll have to find a way to either steal an invitation or sneak in undetected," Verena explained, her mind already working on a plan.

"Then what do we do?" Vanessa whispered, feeling a rush of excitement at the thought of infiltrating such an exclusive event. 

Verena turned to her, a sly smile playing on her lips, before her eyes landed on a mysterious figure across the alley. 

The woman was draped in a luxurious red and black fur coat, sporting oversized sunglasses, and a massive black hat adorned with sparkling red gemstones.

"That's our ticket in," Verena said confidently, with a wink that could rival a mischievous cat's. "Her name is Rosalinda de la Cruz, and she's known for her deep, sultry voice. She's one of their guest singers tonight."

"So what I'm guessing you're saying is that we get to have some action tonight?" Vanessa replied, her heart pounding with anticipation, her hands trembling with excitement. 

Verena nodded, her eyes gleaming with mischief.

"Exactly," she confirmed as she looked at me. "And Val over here is going to be the key to this operation. Val I need you to do something; you're the best at."

"Kidnapping and knocking people out," I said with a sinister grin. 

Verena nodded approvingly. 

"Exactly. Our plan is simple - we grab Rosalinda, knock her out, and drag her here to tie her to the garbage container and steal her coat, her hat, her glasses, and lastly, her invitation to the exclusive gala.

 Val, with your expertise in covert operations, you're in charge of executing the first part of the plan. Are you ready for this?"

A wide grin spread across my face as I eagerly flexed my fingers, ready for the thrilling task ahead.

"Absolutely," I replied eagerly. "Let's make this happen."

"Now for the second part of the plan. This is where you come in, Vanessa. Since Val sings like a dying squirrel on a hot summer day, we need someone with real talent to sing at the gala. 

That's where you, an international singer, come into play. You'll sing from backstage so that it looks like Val is the one singing on stage. Are you up for it?"

Vanessa's eyes lit up with excitement as she nodded eagerly, like a child in a candy store.

"I'm in," she declared confidently.

"For the last part of the plan, I'll try to locate Henry. First, I'll hide under some table or something and listen to what is going on, hopefully recording something worthy enough to be presented in court . 

Then, we can jail him for trying to kill Val. It's foolproof," Verena said with a smirk. Vanessa and I exchanged nervous glances, but we knew we had no choice but to go along with the plan.

"Ready?" Verena inquired, her gaze shifting between us with anticipation, a glint of determination in her eyes. 

Simultaneously, we drew a deep breath and nodded resolutely, our commitment unwavering. It was now or never, and we were determined to see this through to the end.

"Ready!" Vanessa and I chorused together silently, our hearts beating in sync with excitement and determination.

~Alton's pov~

We entered the gala-like event as I trailed behind Carmi and Marcus, endeavoring to seamlessly merge with the attendees. 

Clad in a sleek black suit that accentuated my frame, with my light brown hair slicked back for a polished look. 

Carmi looked stunning in a midnight cocktail dress that elegantly accentuated her figure, with her long, wavy hair cascading down her back. 

As for Marcus, he chose a classic tuxedo, exuding a dashing and sophisticated aura. 

As we walked through the crowded room, I noticed Carmi's hand subtly holding onto Marcus's bicep, a gesture of solidarity and support. 

It was a small, intimate moment that spoke volumes about their relationship.

"Wow, you guys really know how to make a man feel like a third wheel," I joked as we made our way through the crowded room. Carmi laughed, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

"Oh, don't be silly, Alton. You're an essential part of our team," she said, giving me a playful nudge.

 Marcus chuckled, his eyes scanning the room for any signs of trouble. We were here on a mission, after all, and we needed to stay focused.

"Hello! Please don't mind me intruding, but may I see your invites?"

I glanced towards a formidable security guard positioned before us, his arms folded across his chest, exuding an aura of authority with a steely gaze. 

Carmi quickly reached into her purse and pulled out our invites, handing them over with a smile.

"Of course, here you go," she said politely.

 The security guard took them and examined them closely, only to realize they were blank pieces of paper. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he looked back up at us.

"I'm sorry, but these are clearly not valid invites," he stated firmly. Carmi smirked before responding,

 " Those are the invites. Our names, Carmi, Marcus, and Alton, are written on it. Look closer." 

Her voice was smooth and soothing, almost like a lullaby, and it seemed to have a strange effect on the security guard. 

His stern expression softened into a puzzled frown as he gazed at the blank pieces of paper in his hand, his brows furrowing in confusion, before a look of realization dawned on him, seemingly convinced that they were indeed valid invites. 

He handed them back to Carmi with a faint smile, completely under her hypnotic spell.

"Enjoy your evening," he said dreamily as he let us through the gates into the exclusive party.

The three of us smiled back at him, feeling a mixture of excitement and relief as we walked into the luxurious venue.

 The sound of music and chatter filled the air, and we were instantly enveloped in the lively atmosphere of the party.

"There he is!" Marcus whispered excitedly, nodding towards our target, who sat in the center of the room, surrounded by a group of people.

"Let's take a table near him," I whispered back, my heart racing with anticipation. 

We quickly made our way to a table that offered a clear view of our target, blending in with the other guests as we scanned the room for any signs of suspicion.

 Just as we settled into our seats, a waiter came up to us and placed glasses of champagne on the table.

"Compliments of the host," he said with a smile before disappearing into the crowd.

"So, any thoughts on the perfect moment to lead him to a more private setting?" I asked, trying to keep my voice low and casual amidst the buzz of the crowded room.

Carmi glanced around discreetly before replying, "Let's wait for the right moment, when he's alone and distracted."

We sipped our champagne slowly, keeping an eye on our target as he mingled with the other guests.

"How can we manage to isolate him from the crowd, especially without raising suspicion?" Marcus asked.

Carmi leaned in closer, her eyes narrowing in thought like a detective analyzing a clue in a quirky mystery novel.

"Here's my idea," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the chatter of the party. "We could create a diversion, something that would draw him away from the crowd."

 I agreed, intrigued by her plan.

"What did you have in mind?" I asked, eager to hear her solution. Carmi's lips curled into a mischievous smirk, her eyes sparkling with anticipation and a hint of mischief.

"I looked over the guest list, and there is this famous singer called Rosalinda de la Cruz. She's one of the guest singers today, and Henry really likes her. 

What if we somehow get Rosalinda to ask him for a private chat backstage after her performance? That should do the trick," Carmi suggested, a sly grin on her face.

"But how do we convince Rosalinda to talk to her, especially since she doesn't know us or would just agree to do it?" I pointed it out, feeling skeptical about the feasibility of Carmi's plan.

"Well, that's where I come in," Carmi responded with unwavering confidence. "Did you forget I can hypnotize people

with my voice? I can easily plant the suggestion in her mind to seek out Henry for a chat. Trust me, it'll work like a charm," Carmi said, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

"Ok, so we wait until Rosalinda finishes her song on stage, and then we make our move. Once she's off the stage, I'll approach her and start the hypnosis process," Carmi explained, her plan starting to take shape.

 "Then you and Marcus will bring Henry over to where we are, and we'll knock him out cold and interrogate him when he wakes up," Carmi said with a sly grin.

"Do you truly believe this is the most foolproof approach, Carmi?" Marcus asked, a hint of uncertainty in his voice.

"Trust me, Marcus. I've pulled off crazier stunts than this, and they've all ended up smoother than a greased pig in a mudslide." Carmi replied confidently.

"Ok then, let's pray to God that everything works out."