9 | if the weakest survive



π’π“π€π‘πŠπ„π—ππŽ,Β 

π“π€πˆππ„πˆ, π“π€πˆπ–π€π

ELEANOR

β–ƒβ–ƒβ–ƒβ–ƒβ–ƒβ–ƒβ–ƒβ–ƒβ–ƒβ–ƒβ–ƒβ–ƒβ–ƒβ–ƒβ–ƒβ–ƒβ–ƒβ–ƒβ–ƒβ–ƒβ–ƒβ–ƒβ–ƒβ–ƒβ–ƒ



'Tony?'

'Not gonna be the trite-phrased one to freak out about if you're okay,' he chattered on into the phone with no other sounds accompanying his clear-cut voice. I tapped my foot faster against the marble impatiently. 'But, it's better to know.'

I had come up with the mainstream yet effective excuse of wanting to use the loo as my move of defiance against Zeke and contacting Tony with the phone he had slipped into my pocket. I had shuffled into one of the cubicles, keeping my voice to a low as the rest of the women murmuring in their usual tongue around me faded into nothingness.

'I'm fine,' I chirped, looking down at the faint blinking of lighted necklace over my collarbone. My breathing came out rapid, sweat beading over my upper lip. 'Listen, I'm sorry for not telling you about Zeke earlierβ€”'

'Ease up, babe. How much ever I try to understand the cognitive and emotional status of the female mind, I never will and that's not your fault,' he interrupted with a soft voice before breathily chuckling. 'You can't always steal my thunder.'

I half-laughed. 'How long until the bastards realize I'm trying to escape?'

'I'd give it a few more minutes,' he muttered and I could almost hear the roll of his eyes. 'Okay, honey, JARVIS has your six. I need you to use the second exit door at the other end.'

I unlocked the cubicle door and pushed it an inch open to sneak a look at the opposite swinging door. A sparkly-dressed woman pushed the door open to get me a clear view of the scene beyond. It was a ballroom with a masquerade party in full swing and from where I was, I caught the sight of an orchestra. I widened my eyes.Β 

'Are you sure?'Β 

'As positive as your next pregnancy test,' he piped up and making me quirk my lips. 'Follow my lead and I can steer you straight to Happy.'

I had the urge to cry out with joy into the speaker. Happy was one of my dear friends after I was introduced to Tony. Not long after that, Happy had managed to construct a passive-aggressive relationship with me but I knew I was his favourite passenger to tour along with after Tony.Β 

'By the way, you look darling in that dress.'

I searched at the ceiling knowingly. 'Can you see me right now?'

'You and that stunning tush.'

'Zeke picked the dress, you know.'

A pause. 'I rescind everything I said. You're a terrible person.'Β 

My legs instantly picked up speed, the chill air from the outside hitting myΒ scorching skin. I held the phone close to my ear, slipping on a monotonous yet keen-eyes mask and watching my surroundings as carefully as I could. The sweet melody of a harp resonated through the room, the black-tail suited waiters dispersing through the crowds like an army of ants. Most of the women in the room were dressed in the traditional attires of their nation, all of the dress colours varying from one another. I was probably the only one so poorly dressed in the room, my invisibility range narrowing.

'I'm here. What now?'Β 

'The kitchen door on your left,' he commanded. I reeled my gaze to the signalled door, my eyes zooming into the multiple waiters who poured out front. 'Couple of gates down and you should reach the back alley.'

'What if I get caught?' I whispered, taking in my bright red bandage red dress that failed to make things covert. 'I'm pitching you in because I am not going to a Taiwan prison unit.'

'I feel so loved, Elle,' he said drily. 'Focus, please?'

I rolled myΒ eyes, working fast and moving to the buffet table that was arranged beside the vast doors. I used the opposite side of the table, behind the long-line of servers and kept my head down as I swiftly pushed the door open and glided in.Β 

The kitchen wafted off brilliant smells, stainless steel appliances reflecting light off the tube lights above. I spotted the door on the long opposite end, shuffling past commanding maitre d's and sous chefs as the loud sizzle of the wine meeting hot-plates reverberated through the room. I was fast to pull through the mess around the chefs, grunting as I slipped past the last set of obstacles to reach the swinging doors.

'Hang on,' he said, making me root on spot. 'You've got a bogey.'

I snapped my gaze to my collarbone in distress, knowing that it was strap-on death necklace Zeke fashioned me with. 'Can I just hook it off?'

'It's not some claw machine at Coney Island,' he jostled out in an irritated tone. 'Do you see anything pointy? A screwdriver or aβ€”'

'I'm in a kitchen, love.'

'You are not helping!'

'Then, the next time you need help, feel free to fuck off.'

'Really mature, Ellie, can we please just focus, relax,Β focus,' he repeated and drawing deep breaths, his voice falling to a whisper. 'Shears. Kitchen shearsβ€”d'you see any of those?'

'Alright, let's see,' I hummed under my breath, my hands blindly patting the metal tables near the chefs to see if I could find the instrument he was looking for. I spotted the gleaming pair of shears next to a chopping board, grabbing it like it was my last life. 'Yes, shears! I've got them!'

'Great,' he commented. 'Now, I want you to carefully snip off the line that connects to the integrated circuitry on the frontal part of the system.'

'... English, please?'

'The wire, Elle,' he said, exasperated. 'Just cut the wire.'

I followed his instructions and watched the red glow on the necklace flicker to extinction. I rolled my eyes, unfastening the hook at the back with a single clip, tossing the god forbid chain into a forgotten corner on the shiny kitchen counter. I waved bashfully at one of the sous chefs who gauged my actions intently, speaking rapid Mandarin.

Β Behind him, the door to the hall swung open with a bang and making the both of us jump. Two of the same chaps who had escorted me outside the party and who I had tricked into a break, had their guns locked in their hands. They started to scan the room, my heart racing with panic.

'Shit,' I said under my breath and pushed my way out the next set of doors without throwing another glance behind my back. The stilettos were a major pain in the ass as I clack-clack-clacked my way to through the storeroom door and finally catching a glimpse to the outside through the vertical peepholes that were fitted in the access. When the warm air of the city hit my skin, I inhaled deeply and placed my hands over my knees.

'Honey, you gotta step on it,' he said quickly. 'Can you spot Happy?'

'No, I don't see him or any cars,' I breathed out, searching the empty alleyway with a flickering lampost overhead and a long line of traditional shophouses that was decorated in reds and yellows on the opposite side of the street. No sign of our trusty chauffeur.Β 

A quick flurry of footsteps resounded from behind me, Zeke's suited bodyguards already finding their way out the door. I kicked off running, with the phone still clamped to my ear.

'Over there,' I heard one of them say, a bit too far away. 'Hey!'

'Elle?' I heard Tony's voice ring loudly in my ear. 'Keep up with meβ€”'

A gunshot reverberated through the air, colliding with a bang into the pavement beside me. I screamed on instinct, bringing my hand to my ears and clamping it close. Another shot, nearly missed my leg by an inch,Β  wedged itself into the pavement once more and halting me in my race to safety.

'Say somethingβ€”Elle? Ellie!'

'They're shooting,' I cried out, clutching the phone closer as they held their guns aimed in the air and walking towards me. 'Tonyβ€”hey, don't touch meβ€”ow!'

The line was cut. One of the men smirked as he pressed down on his ear, contacting someone. Another bound my wrist once again, making me drop my shoulders with the lost effort.Β 

'Yeah, boss. We found her.'



∞



[ w/n: oh fucking hell, come on. someone give this woman a break! she's finally been reunited with her one and only - UGH. so, how did you like this chapter and what was your favourite part? ]


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