"What is he doing there?"
"I am not certain, Boss. I haven't investigated further, but it appears she is attending a meeting with several of the businessmen present at the event."
Raymond fell silent for a moment, his mind racing. "Is your access secure?" he asked, ensuring the feed remained undetected.
"Completely, Boss. This is a clean lane; I'm not touching the 'Red Zone' over there."
"The Red zone?"
"Yes Boss. As expected, this isn't exactly a 'clean' party."
It was just as he suspected. An event of this magnitude could never be purely for legitimate businessmen. Yet, a shadow of doubt crossed Raymond's mind, was it possible that Phoebe was involved? Was she secretly one of the black-market players in that room?
"Enlarge the feed. I want to know where she is now."
"Understood, Boss."
Raymond watched Phoebe intently until a warning signal flashed on the console. "Boss, the Lady is moving into the alert perimeter. There's a high probability she'll enter the area with a red signal."
"Damn it! I should have been there," Raymond growled. "But I refused to step foot in that place, even with an invitation in my hand!" There was a darker reason lurking behind his decision to shun such a massive event.
"Do you want to head there immediately, Boss? I can grant you access to the guest list right now."
"I have the invitation, but I won't deign to attend such a cheap, filthy affair."
"Very well, Boss."
Raymond had no desire to go, yet his eyes never left the monitor as Phoebe drifted further into the shadows. Even the operator grew restless, watching her footsteps, knowing the horrors Phoebe would witness if she crossed the line of safety.
"She has no business being there!" Raymond spat, his fists clenching in a surge of fury. He scrambled to think before finally grabbing his phone.
"Boss, where are you going?" the man asked, his curiosity piqued.
****
On the other hand, Phoebe continued to wander deeper into the corridor, her curiosity leading the way until she overheard a conversation so intense it made her stop dead in her tracks.
"The flight is cleared, and the access is clean. In less than thirty minutes, they will all be airborne and reach their destination safely."
"Good! Ensure all deliveries pass through the priority line. Do not make a single mistake!"
"Understood, Sir!"
Phoebe shrugged it off. In the world of high-stakes corporate logistics, 'priority delivery' and 'zero-error' protocols were standard. She didn't think much of it.
This time, what she heard next was drastically different. Her legs felt sluggish, anchored by a sudden, chilling dread as the tone behind the door shifted.
"He is not to be forgiven. That was no small mistake."
"Prepare everything. Bring him in, and don't forget to sterilize the place afterward."
Phoebe shivered. The word 'sterile' didn't sound like it had anything to do with health or hygiene; it sounded like a cold cleanup of something unnatural. Before she could process the fear, another sentence sent her mind reeling.
"The target has been successfully eliminated. The weapons delivery was smooth; we're just waiting for the 'sterile storm' to pass."
"Excellent. And our cargo? Did it make it?"
"Yes, it worked! The net weight exceeded the target we discussed."
The more Phoebe heard, the deeper her mind spiraled into a dark realization. This wasn't business; it was something lethal. She decided to flee, but in her frantic hurry to turn around, she stepped on an object that made a loud, resonant crack.
Reflexively, Phoebe clamped both hands over her mouth, her heart hammering against her ribs. Oh my God! Let me disappear right now! Terrified that they had heard her, she cast a frantic glance back and sprinted away as quietly as she could.
"Huft! What on earth are they talking about?" Phoebe whispered to herself, trying to neutralize the panic. "Why can't I think of a single positive explanation for any of that?" She tried to steady her breathing as she hurried toward the light of the main hall.
"Where are you going, Miss?"
"Oh My Ghost!"
Phoebe nearly jumped out of her skin. At the far end of the hallway stood a man in a long brown coat. His gaze was fixed on her, unnervingly steady. She forced herself to take a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart.
"I'm sorry if my presence startled you, Miss," the man said his voice surprisingly soft.
"Ah… no, it's fine."
"May I ask where you were headed? Or what business brings you to this part of the palace?"
"I... I just followed my curiosity. The main hall was so grand, but this wing … everything feels creepy. It's quite dark."
The man nodded understandingly. "Indeed. This section was previously abandoned and is currently undergoing repairs. We kept the lights low so as not to disturb the other guests."
"Oh … I see. It's just weird. The rest of the event is so bright and lively, but this hallway is so … deathly quiet." Phoebe voiced the suspicion lingering in her head.
The man tilted his head slightly. "Did you hear anything earlier?"
Phoebe frowned, her pulse quickening again. "Heard something?"
"Yes. Usually, in dark, hollow places like this, people hear the scurrying of rats or their own fear makes them imagine all sorts of noises." He spoke casually, his logic sounding perfectly reasonable. Phoebe hesitated for a moment. What she remembered wasn't the sound of rats; it was a cold-blooded report of an 'elimination'.
"No," she lied, her voice steady. "I didn't hear anything."
"You are a brave woman, Miss. Perhaps it is better to return to the Hall now, rather than getting lost in these shadows?"
"Yes, that would be for the best."
"Very well. Allow me to escort you."
"Thank you."
They walked back together, the silence between them filled with a polite, artificial grace. Once they reached the safety of the hall, they parted ways. However, from the opposite side of the room, a tall figure was watching. His jaw tightened, his hands balling into white-knuckled fists as he recognized the face of the man walking away from Phoebe.
****
"What are you doing here?"
Hearing that hoarse voice made Phoebe avert her eyes. Her eyebrows furrowed, she wondered why this man was suddenly standing in front of her. The events of the previous night swirled in her mind as she stared at him.
"Why are you here? You're following me?!"
Raymond shook his head. "No one is following you. In fact, I didn't even know you were here."
Phoebe didn't believe him. She didn't want to linger near a man she considered dangerous. Even if she wasn't sure if he was a mercenary, she felt a 'danger signal' every time she was close to Raymond.
"Hey, where do you think you are going?" Raymond caught Phoebe's hand, forcing her to turn around. Her gaze was sharp with displeasure.
"Wherever I go, it's none of your business!" she snapped.
Raymond sighed. He knew she was stubborn, but he couldn't let her stay in this danger zone.
"Stop acting as if we know each other, let alone that we're close, just because of what happened that night!" Phoebe insisted, before wrenching her arm away and walking quickly away from him.
"Damn!" Raymond hissed.
*****
"Sir ... excuse me, did you see Miss Phoebe?" Zara asked, her voice trembling slightly.
Raymond merely frowned, his gaze sharp and unwelcoming. An impatient Celia immediately thrust her Phone forward. "This is Phoebe. She was wearing this dress. We lost track of her."
Raymond glanced at the photo for a split second before shifting his gaze to the dark corridor on the right. "She went that way," he said curtly.
"Oh, thank God! Come on, Zara!" Celia started to run, but Raymond stepped forward, blocking their path.
"Don't go there."
Zara gasped. "But Miss Phoebe is there, Sir!"
"That area is dangerous. It is no place for you," Raymond commanded in a authoritative tone that brook no argument. "Returnt to the hall, now. I'll find her."
"But—
"Return now," Raymond cut her off, his voice so cold that Zara and Celia didn't dare to argue further. They looked to each other in confusion, feeling they had no choice but to obey this man who looked dangerous yet strangely convincing.
-
Meanwhile, Phoebe stood right in front of a pair of double wooden doors that were slightly ajar. A dim light and a musty smell wafted from within. She heard the metallic click of a weapon and a low chilling laugh. Her curiosity peaked; she had to know what was truly happening.
Just as Phoebe's fingers brushed against the door handle, moments before she could pull it open, a powerful hand suddenly snatched her wrist.
"Ah!" Phoebe gasped, her body jerked back with a forceful tug until she collided with a hard, broad chest behind her. She was about to scream when another hand firmly covered her mouth.
"Shh be silent," the whisper came right against her ear. Cold and sharp.
Phoebe looked up, and her eyes instantly locked onto Raymond's dark gaze. Under the dim corridor lights, Raymond's face was so close, intense and filled with suppressed fury.
At that exact moment, the doors in front of them swung wide open. Two grim-faced men stepped out, slinging automatic weapons over their shoulders. Phoebe froze, her heart hammering wildly against the back of Raymond's hand. They stood pinned against each other behind a massive pillar, breaths held tight, and their gazes locked in a deadly silence.