The Phantom's Game | 18+

Chapter 10

The limousine slowed down as it approached a restaurant on the outskirts of the city. The exterior of the restaurant seemed nondescript enough to anyone except for the neon sign above the window which depicted a cocktail glass. The restaurant itself was almost completely surrounded by trees and bushes, giving the illusion of being secluded.

The interior, however, consisted of three floors: a dining area that was situated in the middle; a bar in front; and a small dance floor in the corner of the restaurant. There was a stage at one end of the room, occupied by several people who were either sitting at tables or dancing around. The place seemed like the type to attract people who wished to hang out instead of a proper dinner. 

This restaurant, however, didn't seem to have the same effect on its patrons, and most of them were rather young adults.

Even the elderly customers, especially, were drinking rather leisurely as they waited for their meals. One such customer even ordered some appetizers alone.

After Isadora arrived at the venue, she waited for Vincent instead. She watched as he appeared a few minutes later with his silver Audi. Exiting the car, she took notice how he looked dashing in his dark red coat with its gold trim, light colored trousers, a white shirt underneath and his hair neatly combed with gel, giving him a neat look.

"Ms. Moretti, right on time." He offered a polite smile before gesturing to a waiter to lead them inside.

When the two reached the table, Vincent pulled out a chair for Isadora, helping her get comfortable. He sat opposite to her, folding his hands on the surface of the table as he gazed at her intently, awaiting his cue. Isadora raised her perfectly arched eyebrows but didn't utter a single word. Her gaze remained locked on Vincent, silently sizing him up; however, after a long moment, she broke the silence.

"So, what exactly does our arrangement entail?" She inquired casually.

He let out an amused chuckle. "Right, about the plans for the ball... but first, shall we take a look at the menu? We don't want to starve first, do we?"

She rolled her eyes in response. "Of course, whatever suits you, Mr. Falcone."

"Vincent..." He corrected her gently, earning a small smile from Isadora. "If that makes you feel better."

"Thank you."

They decided on their main course first; a plate of Beef Wellington served with mashed potatoes and carrots and peas alongside with red wine for the occasion. The waiter also brought two glasses of wine along, as well as a basket with cheeses, bread and some fresh fruit.

They ate quietly, occasionally exchanging glances every so often, mostly focusing on the food, until after their plates were empty, they turned their attention to the dessert. Vincent leaned forward slightly and rested his elbow against the table.

"Back to the topic at hand..." He trailed off, his eyes fixed on her. They were staring deeply into each other, searching through them, trying to read what they could perceive in the other person's eyes. After a moment, he continued to speak, "What I'm proposing isn't as simple as I initially made it sound."

Isadora could only wonder what he had planned for the upcoming ball, placing both elbows on the table and tilted her head slightly, "Well, I did wonder what you have in mind."

Vincent simply nodded before continuing, "The Phantom has been plaguing this city for quite a while now, since many years ago, I believe," He paused for a moment. "... but recently something strange started happening, namely the disappearances of many of the criminals that we've apprehended. We have been investigating it nonstop, but the Phantom always manages to evade all our efforts."

"How curious..." She remarked thoughtfully.

"Indeed."

"But why would you choose me to work with?"

"Why, indeed. I must confess that you're quite an interesting woman, Ms. Moretti." He observed, leaning across the table, a faint smile gracing his lips. "A mystery, a puzzle and a beautiful woman. Why would I not make use of you?"

Isadora narrowed her eyes slightly when she heard this.

"And yet," Vincent continued, his gaze flickering towards her for a second, "your cooperation is not required. You do not have to accept this offer if you do not wish. However... I need someone to ensure that my plan will succeed, and you are more than capable of handling the job."

The brunette went quiet for a while as she pondered the thought of being his partner and investigating the mysterious figure. It was a wise decision to accept his offer, but what if she refused? Vincent took notice of Isadora's expression and spoke up.

"Look, I'm not forcing you to accept this deal quickly. If you do decide to accept, we can proceed with the plans. But you should know that I am very much in charge of the situation and the information gathered. You simply have to keep everything confidential, especially those regarding the Phantom," He explained. "This is the reason I chose you to be the liaison."

"Alright then," Isadora replied firmly, nodding. "I accept this offer of yours. Let us go through your plan, if you will."

"Great." Vincent replied with an impressed smile, his eyes darting across the table for a moment before his attention settled on hers once more. "My goal is to eliminate all of Phantom's operations, locally and internationally. But you don't have to do all of that. What you can do for me is to gather information about the Phantom when the ball commences." He instructed. "Do you understand that?"

"Yes, I see... and why is it that you're so desperate to catch the Phantom?" She asked.

"We are desperate because he's already taken one step ahead of us and have been messing with our operations." Vincent replied in seriousness.

"What would I gain from all of these?" The brunette inquired with squinted eyes.

"Hm, an excellent question. For the first time ever, we really don't know what exactly the Phantom is planning," He admitted.

"However, given that the police have no clue what exactly he intends to do and the people he targets are all highly skilled individuals, I fear that they will find themselves in deep trouble sooner or later. This means that they'll have to face him, one way or another."

"And how would you suggest that I help you?"

"Simply put, I need you to watch over everyone that attends the gala. Don't be conspicuous, and try to blend in. And if you see anyone suspicious at all, report it immediately to me."

Isadora contemplated for a moment.

"Very well, I'll do my best."

"Wonderful. I will be there as well to watch, in case the situation escalates. You and I will have our own roles to commit. I'd like to think we have worked together very well, Ms. Moretti, but we need to trust each other and rely on each other." Vincent stated with a hint of sincerity in his tone, causing Isadora to nod slightly in acknowledgement.

"I suppose that means I will need to keep an eye on you too." She responded with a brief nod.

"As fate intended," He replied with a faint smirk. "Now, shall we depart, Ms. Moretti?" He suggested, getting up from his seat and extending a hand toward her, his eyes never leaving hers for a single second.

The brunette looked briefly at his hand, then back up to his face. She knew she would not be able to refuse his genuine offer. With a smile, Isadora simply stood up from her chair without Vincent's help, "Very well. I have a feeling we'd meet again right before the gala."

"Perhaps you're correct, Isadora."