At Your Service (Book Two)

Chapter 11: One Last Favor

"So, where are we going?" Vicência asked, feeling clueless and vulnerable wandering the streets.

Swift didn't stop from leading her through the crowd. They walked into an alley still trapped in the sea of Rio citizens, busy rummaging in what seems to be a small market area where traders and merchants are selling either culinary, fashion, or various kinds of Rio souvenirs. What's that amazing smell? Swift's nose sniffed wildly when it caught the scent of empanadas being fried not far from where he is.

"Somewhere safe to eat." He replied.

"Eat?"

"Look, I'm a little tired following you and your friends all the way from America to Brazil. And we just barely survived an attack involving your boss' minions and a katana-wielding biker. So, I suggest we take five before moving again. Copy?" Swift asked. Vicência only nodded at that. "That's why I'm hungry. Are you hungry?"

She wouldn't say that she's hungry, but a quick snack break is something she can't say no to. "I wouldn't mind a little snack." She shrugged.

"Great." Swift smiled.

He led her to a nearby food truck. Pinned on the truck wall was the menu and Pão de Queijo is the first meal that he eyed. He heard about Pão de Queijo and its cheesy nature once before. He liked anything cheesy and those bread rolls looked appetizing for him. When it was their turn in the queue, they walked up to the order window, where the vendor greeted them.

"Seu pedido?" The vendor asked. (Translation: Your order?)

"Pão de Queijo?" Swift said, pointing at the menu board.

"Está bem." (Translation: All right.)

As the vendor handed his workers the word, they nodded, and they went straight to work with Swift's choice of culinary. Then he and Vicência waited patiently, standing by the order window as their noses caught the marvelous scent coming from the truck's kitchen. Swift eyed his wristwatch as he waited, with Vicência standing awkwardly beside him brushing her hair.

"So, who were they?" She spoke up.

Swift raised a brow to his side, "Huh? Why did you ask that as if you've never seen people in Vanderbilt uniforms before?"

"No, no. Not that," She said. "I'm talking about the ninja biker back there. Who the hell was that?" Vicência specified.

That's odd. She said like it didn't seem the ninja was a part of Santiago's crew. "Wait, I thought they were with your kidnappers. You're saying they're not?"

"I thought so at first, but those guys were as clueless," If anything, it was nothing but a massive inconvenience that the ninja and Santiago's men to show up at the exact same time, the exact same location. One party trying to eradicate Swift and the other is to extract Vicência. It almost resulted catastrophically but thankfully it didn't. "I asked them about that biker guy, but they denied it."

"So our ninja friend is working on their own."

"Didn't you say you got many of those? People who want you dead?"

"Yes, but trust me, I took care of them before they could do the same to me," He added, making Vicência give him a bitter look. He replied as he pulled out his burgundy, calfskin-leather wallet to prepare his payment for the food.

As the two of them conversed, the vendor came back to Swift and Vicência with two plastic dishes in each hand with the notorious Pão de Queijo meal, each one with several cheese pieces of bread within. He hands it over the counter and to Swift, who gave the other dish to Vicência. He then gave one sheet of five Brazilian reals to the vendor who accepted it with a nod and smile, "Obrigado, senhor." Swift said. (Translation: Thank you, sir.)