Phantom Rider: The Aftermath | Book 1

Same Team?

"Where the fuck were you?" Tom's annoyed face stared at Bill the second we opened the doors. It was evening already, and we had lost track of time, but this attitude, seriously?

"What's wrong?" Bill asked him. "Where are Gustav and Georg?"

"They're on the plane! The same one we should be on right now!" Tom was still angry.

"What the fuck are you talking about? What plane? To where?" Bill mimicked his anger immediately.

"If you had taken your phone or at least told me where you were going, you'd know!" Tom snapped.

I looked at Taylor, who stood next to him, her eyes lingering on the expensive shopping bags in Bill's hands. I got angry too. When will she finally stop staring at us like we are some kind of aliens invading her home? Can she let us enjoy anything?

"Last night they broke into our house in Tokyo, and they blew up three weapon facilities. The car race was a bloodbath as well. We are losing people as we speak. Gustav and Georg boarded the first plane back to Japan." Tom's stress made his voice shake.

"What the fuck? Who?" Bill got intense too.

"Who?! Who... your father!" Tom looked at me. "He's looking for you and that box we stole from him."

"Is this my fault now?" I instantly switched to my old self, the cold, ruthless fighter. "What do you want me to do about it?"

Tom laughed. "What can you do? Maybe call and beg your daddy to fix it?"

"You are a complete asshole, you know that?" I said, as his remark annoyed me.

"Let's not do this! We are on the same team!" Bill was trying to be the reasonable one here.

"Mila, one of those three facilities was yours, by the way," Tom said much calmer.

"So he's coming after all of us?" I confirmed to myself yet again that my father never cared about me.

"He is trying to destroy any chance of income. He knows if we lose money, we won't be able to hide forever. We have to go to Tokyo and fix this! As soon as possible." Tom's annoyance grew into worry.

"We will go to Tokyo. It would be best if you stayed here for a while with Taylor." Bill suddenly agreed with Tom without any explanation or conversation.

"What? No! I won't stay here alone. My part of the world is on fire too..." I was extremely upset by his command.

"I won't discuss it. It's for your own safety," Bill said coldly.

"So you'll go to save your business and your world while mine crashes and burns? There are people I care about. I can't leave them alone." I was determined not to give in.

"Sergei will be fine, trust me," Bill insisted.

"And Alice? Who will protect her?" My best friend was also on my mind.

/ Tom quickly glanced at Bill, worried he might slip up, but saw Bill remain composed. /

"She will be fine too. You are more important now. I can't risk losing you," Bill said.

"I will be fine! Stop telling me what to do!" My voice grew louder.

/ Taylor, listening to all this, grew tense. She also didn't want Mila to stay but had agreed because of Tom and what was best for everyone. She pushed aside her personal opinions for everyone's good, but seeing Mila acting out and thinking only of herself was too much for her. /

"Can you stop acting out, please?" Taylor couldn't take it anymore.

"Excuse me?" I mirrored Taylor's glare, looking her up and down.