The ashes we left behind

Chapter 7

Having a conversation all night with Connor has helped me a little bit. I succeed in sleeping for two hours which is good enough.

Today's plan is the last before we can finally find evidences about where Asher is hiding Hailey. Helene and I put on our waitresses' uniforms and hide in the restrooms in order to see if each of us remembers the plan.

"Ready?" she asks after we've talked about it. I nod, my heart beating faster than it has to. Helene doesn't show any sign of fear. She's lucky...

As Helene starts to the man posted in front of the stairs. The one she tried to seduce last time. This time, she has another plan. Let's see if it's going to work.

I hide just behind the wall that faces the man and watch Helene play her first card. She smiles and plays with her hair until she arrives to the man. He first doesn't pay attention to her until she gets too close; he has no choice but to put his eyes on Helene's face.

"Hey", she says. "Can you do me a favor?"

"No, get off my way!"

She doesn't obey. In contrary, she stays still in front of him.

"What are you waiting for?" he asks with his usual bored voice.

"Oh! Just for you to look at this", she replies while opening the top of her uniform's jacket under what there's nothing but her bare breasts.

He looks down at the show she offers before his mouth starts to form a perfect circle of either shock or wonder.

"So?" Helen continues, giggling.

It takes long seconds for him to finally realizes what she said. He looks back at Helene and says, "If you don't leave now, I'll call the boss. He has no mercy."

"Really?" She bites her lip. "Then tell him to join. I would like to see his mercy in bed."

"What a-

She doesn't let him finish his sentence. Indeed, she's close enough to take a phone from his pocket. Then she runs away. The man follows her.

It's now or never! My only chance to get to the stairs. So I take a deep breath, I count to three and hurry to their direction. I climb them as fast as I can before running to Asher's desk room. According to the gang, he's out of town.

I use the double of his key to open the door. I don't have time to observe the room. I rush to the desk. A computer is settled on it with many papers around it. While putting my backpack on the floor, I take a look at the papers. However, nothing interests me: it's all about businesses and numbers I don't understand. It's not what the gang wants unless, between those endless lines, there's an evidence. I doubt it's the case.

I open the computer that's already on. No password required. What a stupid man!

The first page that comes to the screen is a document on which is written 'Transfer plan'. I don't have the time to read the rest since a noise makes me raise my eyes to the door. The man Helene tried to distract has just opened the door. We stare at each other for a long moment before he decides to approach me.

"You want me to go crazy or what's your problem?" he complains before grabbing my arm. "It's not good to steal from the boss, girl. You're going to pay for it."

Even though I'm scared to death, I notice the boredom i n his voice. He acts as if I were just a bee to get easily ride of.

I don't move. I can't. Something is retaining me. Something called: fear. My whole body is shaking. I want to cry and beg him to let me go. I'm ready to get on one knee so he can have mercy on me.

Surprisingly, my body reacts differently. My hand finds the computer. I grab it and hit the man's face. He steps back, panting at the pain. He puts both his hands on his hurt nose. I don't wait for him to get himself straight. I directly bump my feet into his belly making him step back again but this time against the wall. Its contact with his head creates a huge noise. I close my eyes, not wanting to see what happened to him. If he's dead because of me I would never forgive myself. I'm not a killer. I'm not a killer. I'm not a killer. I don't want to become a killer. I don't want to-

The moment I hear him groan, I open my eyes. What faces me isn't very pretty. He may not be dead but blood can't stop running from his nose and tears from his eyes. His body is sliding slowly against the wall until reaching the ground.

My lips tremble as well as my hands. The vison of the man suffering starts to blur because of my tears. I don't know what to do. Should I help him? Or should I leave him there?

The image of Hailey comes to my mind. What would she do in that kind of situation?

I don't need to questions myself twice. In fact, Hailey would have acted wisely. She would have let him continue to suffer and leave because she already has what she needs. Just like I do.

I put the computer in my bag and walk toward the door.

"Please", I suddenly hear the man mumble. I turn my head to him. He's staring at me. "Please help me."

"I-

I stop myself from saying anything. If I stay one more minute here, I would only make bad choices. So I turn back to the door, ready to leave.

And of course, nothing ends as I wish. Of course, luck is not my thing.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" he asks in a cold tone, sparkles of anger in his eyes.