Strong For Too Long Trilogy ✔️

16. Near Death

CHAPTER 16: Near Death

The shower head switched off just after dinner arrived, while I situate myself on the stool at the kitchen island, inserting the USB and opening the files the waiter I paid to lean against Roman's table, where I knew he'd have his phone and tablet, while the lights and almost all eyes were strictly on me. I grin slowly as the door opens, along with another knock at the front door. Aaron eyes me before stepping towards the door, half naked, with only a pair of trousers on, pitch black strands slicked back.

He opens the door, before whacking it closed.

Branson's face pops in after his shoe caught the door, "Now, that's no way to invite your best friends in, Aaron." He says to him as Madison slides in next. Following Samsara next. Her strawberry blonde curls bounce as she snaps her still wide eyes to me.

"You can sing?" Is the first thing she says.

I stare at my screen, "I looked through my own file. It took a while to find, apparently I had singing lessons with a Cora Middleton. A close friend of Cassandra Crane's, similar height and build to her phenotype. Speaking of..." I trail off as my phone rings.

"Pierce, what do you have for me?" I say, slowly as I move off the kitchen island.

"That waiter is dead." He says, slowly.

I purse my lips, "Excuse me? I paid him in full."

The room channels to silence.

"The woman in red was in the room when you sung, up on the second floor, eight guards, both female and male. She would have been able to see everything. We've tracked her to the airport, we're taking one of Aaron's jets now, her flight plan is set for a location we all know. Guess where?" He says to me.

I narrow my eyes, "London."

"I think they're planning something, Olive." Fern says over the phone.

I stare out the window, "Evacuate all personnel at the Phoenix building. All candidates, every single one. I sabotaged this woman's plans at killing Candidate One's wife and child. Oh, and I have access to Colton's Manufacturing, no offence to Aaron's planes, but you need to get to London a lot fucking faster than tailing the witch of the west. Access her planes coordinates. It's time to level the playing field. I want every location in which that plane has landed and for how long. Don't trust Alexander, trust Celeste and Meira. That Goldstein may be a bitch, but her trust is in Phoenix. Every individual of that company, I want moved in exactly thirty minutes. Get Reed and Silas on it, straight to the other side of the city at the Grayson Enterprises. He's there waiting." I say, turning back slowly as Thirteen and Eight study me. Aaron glares at the name. Again.

I clench my jaw, Pierce continues, "Affirmative. I'll speak to Reed immediately. But that is not the only thing. Candidate Zero was at the restaurant too, but there's something off about him." He says to me.

I narrow my eyes, "Was he still masked?" I ask him, whilst I'm scrutinised by everyone in the room.

"He was, but he reacted differently when you started singing." He murmurs.

I close my eyes, "Different like he wanted to protect me, yet knew she would be there. He's with her, yet not against me. Tell me, does that remind you of someone?" I ask him, sliding my fingers against the rose-gold metal band around my waist.

"Daniel Monroe." Pierce murmurs.

"Where is the evidence that my apparent, biological father is in fact still in his grave?" I say, slowly. Aaron steps up to me, I raise a hand, he slides his arms around me, stepping closer so my shoulder rests between his bare pecs. He rubs my back gently.