Fated Retribution

05 [Target Alpha]

12th September, Friday 11:13 pm, 2028

I should not have taken that trip to Maldives.

My head pounded with exhaustion as I threw the last file on the desk. Huffing in annoyance, I rubbed my eyes, took off my blazer and rolled up my shirt sleeves as I picked up another file from my third pile of the day. Today had been very tiring and mentally draining for me. First, an employee of mine dropped coffee on my pants and I didn't really think it was her fault, but no one likes to go into a board meeting with a coffee stain on beige pants. My bad mood had resulted in the meeting being an absolute shit show with an incomplete strategy and a shortage in supply of five orders.

Second, I had two weeks of paperwork pending. Sanctions, approvals, dismissals, and whatnot. After the meeting, my whole day had gone in signing all those files without even reading half of them, just blindly scribbling my signature on them.

I really should not have taken that trip to Maldives.

Massaging my temples, I clicked my pen and decided to read at least one file, maybe that would distract me from all the fatigue. My eyes widened slightly as they wandered on the words of the page, the order coming from Evenra Exporters, a trade group which had tampered with our goods in the past and I had specifically told my employees to not send any file pertaining to them to me.

With my jaw clenching in anger, I rang the bell on my desk to alert my P.A whose office was right outside mine. He came rushing in and I must be looking quite menacing the way he gulped as he looked at me. I asked him to sit and he did as told.

"What is this, Ken?" I questioned as I threw the file towards him and crossed my legs. He picked up the file with shaky hands and read it, eyes widening with every line read.

"Ma'am, I must have accidentally missed it, it won't happen again." He said meekly and I rolled my eyes.

"It better not happen again. I swear to god, if these mistakes keep happening-" I was cut off by the loud ringing of my phone.

"Fucking hell." I held my finger up, signalling Ken to wait as I swore in my native tongue while taking out my phone. I blindly swiped across the screen accepting the call.

"What?" I spoke sharply into the microphone.

"Hey, hon. Are you busy?"

My finger dropped and my shoulders relaxed as my lips pulled in a dazed smile at Amelia's voice. "No, not at all, love. What's up?" I said and from my peripheral vision I could see Ken scoff lightly with his jaw going to the floor at the sudden change in my demeanour.

"Can you pick me up from the mall? Ivory and I met up and she took the kids. She insisted on meeting you, I was thinking we could go home together. If that's okay?" She said and I immediately nodded, not thinking twice that she couldn't see me.

"Yeah Mel, sure. I'll be over in ten." I replied quickly and she bid me goodbye from the other side with a quick "I love you" which I returned and hung up.

Taking a deep breath, I threw my phone on my desk and leaned on it, all my attention on Ken again. "Listen, I am clocking out early, cancel all my appointments for today and make sure this slip-up doesn't happen again." I said sternly, packing my stuff and he nodded animatedly. As I started to leave, he shuffled clumsily after me, calling out from behind, "Hey, boss, wait! You were supposed to meet the lawyer for the robbery-"

"Okay, buddy but did I ask?" I deadpanned. "Cancel all my appointments. You want me to say it in Russian? Oh wait, I forgot you don't understand that language too." Ken turned pink at the insult as he shook his head and nodded it at the same time.

As I was headed out of the office, I put on my blazer and called out to him behind me, "Also, you can take a day off tomorrow." I said, glancing behind at the boy whose face lit up at my words. I could almost hear his grin as he spoke, "Thanks, boss."

"Enjoy yourself, kid." I replied, walking out of my office towards the elevator as he followed behind, carrying my coffee and briefcase. I stepped into the elevator and took my stuff from him, pressing the button for the first floor.

"You really are the best." He spoke in awe, making my lips turn into a small, smug smile. Putting my glasses on I spoke as the doors of the elevator shut in front of me,

"I know."

* * *

Am I paranoid if I think every car is following mine?

Okay, maybe not every car but this one particular black Ford Figo was making me look into the rear-view mirror again and again. A thousand thoughts surged in my head as I kept driving down the expressway, passing the core of the city towards my house. It had gotten dark and I had driven towards Phoenix mall, getting some sushi from Amelia's favourite continental drive-in on my way. At first, the presence of the car didn't really bother me or strike me as strange but as I continued to drive, I couldn't help but notice that it was right at our tail.

"Daph? Sweetheart? Are you listening?" I snapped out of my lingering trail of suspicion as my head turned towards Amelia. She was looking at me with part concern and part irritation. I cleared my throat before speaking, "Yes, love. Of Course." I replied, not wanting to have her alarmed with my paranoia.

She gave me one last sceptic glance before continuing her story about some movie she watched about an international criminal and bank receptionist's love story. I would have found the story quite intriguing if I didn't suspect a stalker to be hot on my trail.

When the car still stayed behind me after the fourth turn, I had had enough. It was going to keep following me and I wasn't willing to lead it to my house where my children and all belongings were kept. So, instead of making a right turn as I was supposed to, I made a sharp left one towards my farmhouse which was usually locked and just outside the city but in the complete opposite direction of my house.

"My sushi!" Amelia whined as the one piece of sushi fell from her chopsticks at the sharp turn. I chuckled lightly as I noticed her bottom lip jutting out in a pout.

"Daph, where are we going?" She asked, looking around in confusion.

I hesitated as I heard the question and kept my eyes on the road, knowing I won't be able to lie looking at her.

"You know, I thought about taking a short detour at the farmhouse. We haven't been able to spend time together in a long while." I said, offering a sweet smile her way but she did not seem to buy the facade as she looked back at the road behind and then at me again.

"You know, I get to know when you're lying right?" She asked rhetorically, narrowing her eyes and crossing her arms over her chest.

Glancing at the rear-view mirror once again and finding the car still right behind mine, I sighed deeply and mumbled, "I think that car is following us."

"Come again?"

"I think, uh, that car is following us." I stuttered out, rubbing my neck.

Amelia's eyes widened as she turned her head to see the car to confirm my words, "What do you mean following us? Why is it following us? How- how long have you noticed? Why didn't you alert the police-" She started speaking breathlessly and I put my hand on her thigh to calm her down.

"Hey, don't worry, sweetheart. It's okay." I tried but she cut me off almost immediately.

"No, the fuck it's not! And don't you dare use your Russian tongue at me right now."

I sighed and squeezed her thigh slightly. "Mel, relax. I am probably just imagining. Besides, it's not like they're going to start shooting at us." I joked but I only got a glimpse of a straw hat of the driver of that car when the first gunshot rang out.