Chase Me, Empires Down Duology Book 1

Chapter Ten: London

Bellona

The plane landed around 1 in the afternoon and I was met with London's raging wind and rain.

Great.

With one hand over my carry-on, and the other desperately holding my backpack, I struggled over to a bus stop, dropping onto the bench. I was shivering. I check my watch, then look over when a bus approaches. I quickly got up, thanking the Gods that they decided to show me pity, and got onto the bus. A big two-tier bus. We wouldn't get anything like this in the States. The driver looked over his shoulder.

"Where to, ma'am?"

I leaned back into my seat. "Where is the nearest hotel?"

. . .

The building was clean and the ceiling was high. With couches and a bar placed around the lobby, it seemed very odd for me to be standing here. But when I checked in and entered my room, things began to soften in my head. I dropped my bags and fell onto the bed, breathing deeply. I ran my hands through my hair.

Then I remembered.

I quickly stood and made my way to the bathroom. When I looked in the mirror, I visibly cringed. No. I looked too much like her. Too similar. I rummaged through the drawers until I found a pair of scissors, then began cutting.

Taking my hair in front of my face, I cut. I kept cutting until some semblance of bangs showed up. They weren't the best but were okay.

I felt too shaken. Too nervous and scared. My hands were visibly trembling, and so was my mouth. I clamped a hand over my mouth but I was just too scared. Too terrified and overwhelmed.

I needed a shower. I needed a drink. I needed to relax. Because now was just the beginning of my plan. I couldn't afford to be shaken and fearful. I had a person to hunt.

Amo

1:00 PM:

Lucas barged into my office and I stood. "Did you find him?"

Lucas nodded then pointed behind him. "It took a while, but he's here. Downstairs."

I adjusted my sleeves and then headed after Lucas. We headed down the stairs and towards a black door at the back of the Maeve Mansion. This man was the last person to have seen Bellona before she left. And the fact that he had leered made something stir in me.

We entered and saw that he had already been roughed up by a few men, Nex being one of them. Nex wiped his bloody knuckles with a cloth, then came over to me. "Fucker doesn't stir. Only smiles and laughs." Nex turned to look at him and cringed. "I don't know what the hell is wrong with him. But I know he isn't a normal guy."

I rolled up my sleeves. "I want everyone out except for Nex and Lucas."

They complied. The Brown-Hat man was seated in his chair, blood splattered on his clothes and leaking from his left eye and the corner of his mouth. When he saw me he grinned. "There's the man I was looking for."

I straightened, slightly confused but not showing it. I jutted my chin out towards him. "Who are you?"

He spat blood onto my shoes, then leaned back and sighed. "You know. Just look harder."

I'd do that later. Right now, I took off my shoe and wiped it on his face, cleaning it of blood. I put it back on and stared directly at the man. He had ruffled up muddy hair, and his eye that wasn't swollen gleamed in a way. He grinned broadly and that's when I saw the light from an overhead bulb flash off of his back tooth.