ENTANGLED STRINGS OF PAST

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Aiden Williamson

"Have a seat Hazel" I pointed towards the chair lying in the middle of the control center of our warehouse.

I brought her here to tell her about the mission and her role in it.

Our control center is situated in the basement of the warehouse. It's fully secured with armed men, ready to fire anyone, just on one command. A huge hall that has two cabins separated by glass, an open area with walls covered with monitors and screens connected to cameras spread all over the warehouse and my company.

"So this is the place from where we keep an eye on everything happening in the city" I started explaining to her in one of the cabins with a huge screen. "As we are running out of time, I'll jump straight on the topic" The presentation that I prepared started playing on the screen. "This is Dmitry Volkov, the current head of the Russian mafia who is currently trying to establish his power here in the USA. He has some alliance with an anonymous gang in Los Angeles. He tried to ally with us but we rejected the offer now he is being a pain in the ass. It's not that difficult to take him down but he has something that everyone trying to get including us." I changed the slide to next. "This is GrAce, the file rather the most dangerous thing present in this world. It contains enough information to destroy any mafia. After searching for this file for years finally got a lead a few months back." I took a pause, Hazel was listening very attentively but suddenly something changed in the last few seconds.

"A few months back the file was opened on the internet, maybe Dmitry was trying to open it but failed" Terry continued, " we tried to track its IP address but this file contains a special function that shows its real location for the first few minutes then changes its address to random locations. From those first few minutes, we got to know that it is in LA"

"So we are going to LA with two motives, first to get that file and second to destroy Dmitry and his alliance" I completed.

"Who made that file?" she asked I was expecting questions but this was not on my list.

"There are many theories behind this file. However, according to my research, it was made for the goodwill but turned into a weapon. It was by two persons, Ace is the only name I could find on the dark web with a user name @Aceofyourgame. No one knows who they are or where they came from, some say they are even dead." Terry answered it.

"Do you know its passcode? I mean if it is that dangerous then it must be secured by a password or something" she said, I felt something different about her today.

"No, but as soon as the file is on our hands we'll try to decode it," Terry said.

"When we are going to LA?" she asked her voice filled with an unknown heaviness.

"Day after tomorrow," I said.

"How will we start our mission in LA?" her eyes were lit with fire again. "Firstly this mission will be done undercover, if any other gang knows about then this will turn into a gang war which will be a disaster."

"So we will be stealing the file?" "Yes exactly" "Me and Terry will be going to find out about that anonymous gang that is working with Dmitry while you and Mary" I stared at Mary, "will be going to the clubs owned by Dmitry to have new information about him as he and his men don't know about you both." "After having the right location of the file we will plan the theft" "This is the basic structure of our mission." I completed. "Any doubt?"

"No," everyone said. "OK, so start packing your bags then." I smiled.

"Let's get back to our training," I told everyone and we went back to the warehouse.

Hazel and Mary went to their space while Terry and I walked toward our gym.

"Let's fight, buddy," Terry asked for fighting. "Want to lose again?" I laughed. "Let's see who loses this time" he glared.

After fighting nonstop for more than an hour we both took the break. "It's a draw," he said panting, I laughed.

I went to take a look at Hazel.

I found her punching the boxing bag vigorously with her bare hands covered with a bandage. She was so concentrated on it that she didn't feel my presence so I took time to glance at her. Sweat was dripping from her face her moves as sharp as a knife. I wonder from where she learned all this.

"Where did you learn this from?" I asked her when she took a pause; she jumped on my sudden question.

"Will you believe me if I say a stranger?" she asked. "I'll try" I smiled.

"Want to try your moves on me?" I offered. For a moment she studied me then said yes.

We both entered the ring. She attacked first but I ducked. It was a friendly fight so I tried playing defensive, I'm not going to lie but her punches were hard.

It took her fifteen minutes to take me down. I was impressed. We ended with her above me pinning my hands with her knees ready to punch but stopped. "Why are you not attacking" she asked sternly. "I don't want to end up in hospital" I joked. She got up from me and walked out of the ring.

"Are you done with the training?" Mary asked as she walked towards Hazel.

"Yes," Hazel said. "Here you go, drink some water and gather your things we are going home" Mary passed a water bottle to Hazel.

"Why are you going home?" I asked her. "Oh! I was searching for you to tell you that one of Dmitry's men is going to make a drug deal in your secret club, so I and Hazel are going to get some information" she told me. "Are you sure it's happening in our club?" I inquired.

"Yes the tip is from my trusted agent"

"Okay, go home and get ready. I'll check further about it" I said.

I went straight to the control room after Mary and Hazel went home. "Check the cameras of our secret club," I told Terry who was already present there. "Already on it" he confirmed.

"All okay!" he stated. "Keep an eye on it"

"Did you check on him?" I asked him. We have been looking for that file; I told Hazel about it and the second person who made it. I never believed he was dead. After viewing all the crimes done by him, it's hard to believe that he died in the fire. All I knew is that just in one year his name was on every gang's hit list. He ruled the underworld for a few years but disappeared in thin air one day.

"No information yet," terry said.

No trace he left behind except a name, GREY

"I'm going to find you soon GREY"