Questions for Answers

Chapter Twenty

"I-I don't know who that is, sorry", he said as he turned back around and began walking away again.

"I know that's your real name. Look, we're not the feds, okay? We're just kids who want some answers. You may have known or worked with my parents. Their names were Richard and Vivian Ashton", I admitted.

He turned around and gave me a confused look while shaking his head, "I don't know who those people are."

Natalia rolled her eyes, "Cut the crap, we know that an assassin was hired to kill you, but somehow, you managed to slip away from him. So tell us what you know or we'll go to the police and let them know exactly who you are."

He then pulled a gun from his pockets and aimed it at the both of us, "You think a couple of kids are gonna threaten me? I've dealt with worse than you. You two have no idea what or who you're messing around with. Whatever you think you know, forget about it. I don't know how you found me, but you better not show your faces around here again because next time, I'll pull the trigger."

"Luca, please-"

"It's Oliver!" He screamed.

"Oliver, sorry. But please help us out here. The same job my parents worked for and devoted their whole lives to was the same job that ended up killing them. And I need to know why. You have to know something otherwise you wouldn't have been a target. I know Eylias Bec is the mastermind behind the whole operation, but I need to know how I can find him. If you have any information on him at all, it would help a lot", I said pleading with him.

He took a minute before he said anything, but then spoke up, "Do it."

Both Natalia and I were confused about what he meant until someone came up behind us and covered our faces with a chloroform-filled rag. I tried fighting back against them, but it was no use. In a matter of seconds, I was out like a light...

~*~

My eyes slowly opened as I regained consciousness and found myself tied to a chair. I looked around my environment and noticed that I was in a basement. When I didn't see Natalia with me, anxiety flowed through my mind as I questioned Luca, who had been standing in front of me. "Natalia! What did you do with her?"

"She's upstairs, don't worry", he said calmly.

He seemed like he was telling the truth, but I wasn't sure that I could trust him, seeing as I was bound to a chair still. He cleared his throat and walked around, "You know...I did a background on the both of you. Your identity was the only one I could confirm, so I feel more comfortable talking with you. I hope you don't mind. You being tied up is for my own safety."

"You really think I could hurt you?" I asked bitterly.

"I don't put violence past anyone; not anymore", he said. "Now here's the deal with your parents. I knew them—vaguely, but we didn't work in the same field. I was an accountant and worked at one of Eylias's businesses for years. Several years ago, I remember Richard, your dad, coming up to me and asking me to look carefully at the numbers. I ignored him and took offense because I thought he was telling me how to do my job. But what he said remained in the back of my mind until the next time I looked."

"Did he ever...say anything else to you? Was that the only time you guys spoke to each other?" I inquired.

He shook his head, "That's the only thing he ever said to me, kid. Sorry. But as I was saying, the next time I came to work, I triple-checked the numbers and sure enough, things just weren't looking right. It seemed like someone went in and switched all the numbers around. I would know because I knew on average where everything should be. I brought it to my boss's attention, and he mentioned it to Eylias. The very next day, I got a direct email from Eylias which told me to do as I'm told and mind my business."