bullets and bouquets

10

"Jesus Christ, he whined like a baby. I've never seen a man give in so fast," Sadie sighs, walking into her mansion at 1:30 in the morning. It has been hours since Isla disappeared. Trent has not gone in, so no one knows she is gone yet.

"Ma'am, we have a situation," Trent says still outside of the second level.

"What kind of situation? Where's Isla?" she asks.

"Still sleeping. Ten intruders, no telling where they came from," he informs her.

"Where are they?"

"In the cellar," he answers.

"Alive?"

"Negative," he answers.

"Good. Denmar, go down with Trent and search them thoroughly. I don't care if you have to be violent with them, they're dead already. Find out who they belong to," the redhead orders.

"Yes Ma'am," both men answer. The two leave the second level as Sadie walks in. Upon opening the door, she sees the broken glass door.

"Trent!" she yells, "Where the fuck is Isla?"

He starts to run back to the second level, "What do you mean? She's been asleep....... shit."

Denmar follows behind him. Sadie, furious, stomps off to the bedroom where Isla should be sleeping. She slams the door open and just as she imagined upon seeing the state of the glass door, Isla is gone.

"Fuck! You fucking idiot! Where is she?" she yells.

"I don't... I don't know! I swear, I stood out here the whole time!" he exclaims. The man becomes fearful, knowing his fate if they don't find Isla.

"Shall I?" Denmar asks, grabbing Trent by the arm.

"No," she says, "Go search those men. You better hope we find her alive."

Denmar lets go of Trent and the two resume their path to the cellar. Sadie, fists clenched, punches the wall, breaking the drywall and sending blood down her knuckles. She shakes it off and leaves the second floor.

"Vaughn, Cinna!" she shouts. The two appear out of nowhere, word spreading between all the servants that Isla is gone.

"Go find Weston, watch every second of the security footage until your eyes bleed," she orders.

"Yes Ma'am," they answer. The two scurry away. Felipé comes out of the kitchen with a cocktail. She takes the drink from his serving tray. He retreats away, knowing her state of mind.

Meanwhile, Isla remains tied up and gagged, now in a new location. She wakes up now, the chloroform wearing off.

"Mmmf... whaf ..th.. fugh!" she mumbles through the gag. Another woman turns the light on in the concrete room Isla lies in.

"Hello, little one," she smiles evilly. Isla cringes at the name and continues to pull at her binds, "You're not getting away."

"Fugh yooh," Isla mumbles. The woman laughs and kneels down in front of the brunette.

"Don't worry now, your suffering will end as soon as Sadie arrives," she says, tapping her nose with her finger.

"Who? Whosf Aadie?" Isla asks. For a second, she really has no idea what the woman is talking about. Then she figures it out. She realizes she's never known Sadie's name until now. Weird how she wants to kiss her but doesn't even know her name.

"Your lover, the one who kept you hidden away all this time," the woman explains, "See, most don't think she has anyone she loves. But I knew she did and now I have proof."

"Nuh-uh... I'm nah gauy..." Isla lies. She does like Sadie but she knows her chances of surviving are better if she denies it. She's just hoping that Sadie will come and save her, even though they fought the other day.

"Sure you aren't, little one," the woman smirks.

At the Estate, Denmar and Trent have stripped all the bodies naked, looking for gang tattoos or anything that could identify where they came from. Vaughn and Cinna still sit with Weston, watching the cameras in slow time so they don't miss anything. Sadie paced back and forth for hours while she waits. Felipé has brought out a couple of cocktails, which she appreciates but is now denying them. She has to stay sober enough to beat the shit out of whoever took Isla.

"Madame Sink?" a servant says from behind her. She turns to see Carlo, one of the medics, "Your hand."

She sighs, not wanting to freak out on him, "I'm fine."

"Let me clean it at least," he tries. She gives in and sits down in a chair to let him look at it. He kneels down in front of her and begins cleaning up the now-dried blood. He doesn't say anything, just does his job before leaving her.

Cinna comes running out into the living room, "We have something!"

Sadie springs up and follows him back to the security room. There, Weston and Vaughn sit at the control panel. Seven monitors are mounted on the wall in front of them.

"What's going on?" she asks. Weston rewinds footage from the east side of the Estate.

"Here. All ten servants plus two others," he explains. He rolls footage on another monitor outside the second-level balcony, "the two rogue servants, come in here. The other ten were a distraction."

Sadie frowns. She should have made Trent go inside the second level.

"But nothing else?" she asks.

"There's footage of them taking the girl, but ——"

"Show me," she orders. Weston complies, rolling footage on a third screen. It's the moment Isla wakes up to a chloroform rag over her mouth. Sadie watches as the brunette struggles for a moment before passing out. The two intruders then pick her up and carry her out. The footage stops. Sadie looks down, saddened and angered by the footage.

"What now?" Weston asks.

"Zoom in on the intruders and see if you can identify them," she says.

"Yes Ma'am," he answers. Cinna sits back down with the other two and they begin to work through separate monitors. Sadie retreats back to the living room.

"Madame Sink, we've identified one," Denmar says.

"Who?"

"Wren Nova. Works for Bianca Marchesi," he informs her.

"Who? I can't remember all my enemies," she says.

"Runs the gang out of Palermo, you gave her away to the police once," he explains. She rolls her eyes.

"Petty bitch," she comments, "Get rid of the bodies, I'm going to security. Meet me there after."

"Yes, Ma'am."