BLADESTORM

10. Family Spa Showdown

Chapter 10. Aplot Fardel visits the spa to see his brother

Aplot's footsteps echoed through the corridors of the luxurious health spa as he followed the winding path to find his brother, Eddie. The spa was an oasis of relaxation, a world away from the troubles that plagued J5EL. He passed various rooms—cryotherapy chambers, red-light therapy spaces, massage rooms—all inhabited by patrons seeking solace from their daily exhaustion.

As he ventured further, he strolled through rooms adorned with yoga mats and yoga balls, and other instruments of wellness that had swept the world by storm. The exterior gardens whispered tranquility, and the gentle murmur of water reached his ears as he passed by a shimmering meditation pool. He navigated through the pristine surroundings until he reached the tennis courts, where he finally spotted Eddie.

Eddie's head slouched back in a chair, his face bathed in the warm sunlight. An ashtray with a cigarette butt lay forgotten on a nearby table, and an empty cup garnered with espresso stains untouched beside it. Aplot's arrival seemed to rouse his brother from a semi-conscious state. "What time is it?" Eddie mumbled, his voice groggy.

"We have a problem," Aplot declared, his tone stern and unforgiving.

Eddie rubbed his eyes and gathered his faculties. "My lips are sealed," he quipped, a half-hearted attempt at humor.

Aplot's patience wore thin. "Did you take out a loan through Fardel Enterprises?"

Eddie's nonchalance was infuriating. "Oh, that. Cash expands the Acquisitions Department and not the spiritual nature of your soul, dear brother."

Aplot's frustration seethed beneath his calm exterior. "To pay for the debt incurred from your GET CHARGED campaign?"

Eddie seemed to be regaining his wit. "Ran the campaign to fill the Ice Machine to make the family rich."

Aplot's memory was sharp. "I remember the advertisement," he retorted.

"'BEHIND ON BILLS? UNAFFORDABLE RENT? LIVING MONTH TO MONTH? FARDEL WILL PAY YOUR DEBT. GET CHARGED IN THE ICE MACHINE!'" Eddie recited with a grin.

Aplot's tone grew sterner. "With what? You added our clients' debt to the company's already considerable debt."

Eddie's confidence didn't waver. "Our return from what we earn on the energy by-product from the Ice Machine will more than pay for the investment."

The tension in the air was palpable. Aplot's voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. "When you secured the loan against our Crystal Inventory, you didn't expect the machine to leak, did you?" Asked Aplot. "There's a huge leak!"

Aplot held up the Crystal that contained the essential nature of Paris and scrutinized her in the light. "Three million crystals like this one are missing."

Eddie's demeanor shifted abruptly. "Where did they go?"

Aplot's gaze remained steady. "No one knows. Except for Paris and her assistant, Jason."

Eddie leaned back to give room for his arrogance. "Three million crystals gone," Eddie declared.

Aplot ignored him. "If we have a sustained breach in the crystal matrix, it's only a matter of time before the shareholders discover that the Ice Machine they invested in can no longer function. We cannot let that happen."

Eddie sighed,"Where did the crystals go?" he asked

At that moment, Paris reanimated into her physical body, her form materializing right before their very eyes, seated between Aplot & Eddie. "Oh," Eddie remarked without skipping a beat. "Employee day is on Wednesdays." He looked at his wrist watch, casually. "Was that yesterday?"

Disoriented, Paris's voice trembled. "I wanna go home."

Aplot scanned the tennis courts for any witnesses. His gaze bore into his brother's eyes. "We need to find Jason."

Another episode from Windy, the mysteries of the kung fu whistler.