~Even more Complicated~

~Wanna-be-Marilyn~

“Dead?” Eshaal whisper yelled.

“First, I need to know where you saw my brother.”

Eshaal still confused decided to answer her question, she raised her head to spot where she saw him. “Around the stair side.”

“Alright.” Keilani nodded. “Please, I have to look for my brother. It will do a lot of good if you could stay by my si…?”

“Has someone claimed you already?” Eshaal asked.

Keilani nodded. “Yes, but please, stay with me.”

“Look, I have all intention to stay by your side actually. But you’re already claimed. We need a plan.” Eshaal put air-quotes around the word claimed.
Keilani looked around, scanning the crowd of rich sophisticated people. “She isn’t around here.” She looked up the stairs and scanned the first floor, making sure the person who claimed her wasn’t around the exquisite looking, mahogany railing. “can’t spot her.”

“And when she does spot us?” Eshaal asked.

Keilani shrugged. “I’ll tell her, I was the one following you.”

Eshaal looked her up and down, almost unruffled by her nonchalant attitude at the situation. “Alright. Let’s go.” They started towards the stairs, walking up. Eshaal looked down at the crowd and towards a silk curtain with gold embroidery. She wondered how heavy the curtain must be and just when she was about to look to her front, she saw a man pull someone by the arm. Her eyes widened as she realized it was the guy they were looking for, the one in the red suit. “Cinthia.” She called, forgetting Keilani had told her, her real name. “He’s behind those curtains. Someone pulled him in.”

“No.” Keilani wailed. “I don’t want to go in there.” Eshaal turned to see Keilani’s eyes were watering but she bit her lips to stop the tears.

“Are there bouncers?” Eshaal asked, not wanting to ask why she was tearing up.

“There are, but they’d still let me in.” Keilani said wiping off her tears. “But, walking in there is like walking into a lion’s den.” Eshaal didn’t need more explanation to understand what she meant. Was it that bad? she didn’t want to imagine what they were doing to the poor guy right now.

“Even when you’re claimed?” Eshaal asked and she nodded a response. Keilani bowed her head, shaking it from side to side. We should’ve still stayed together. She thought. “That’s the lounge, right?” Eshaal thought aloud and Keilani raised her head and responded positively.

“VIP lounge.” She answered, eyes widened in anticipation as Eshaal nodded.

“Did you see that Arab guy walk in there? What was his name?” she asked more to herself as she thought deeply.

“It started with an M. I think.” Keilani thought hard and then snapped her finger. “Mustafa!”

“I’ll try to get him out.” Eshaal took a deep breath. “Go back to the bar, okay.” Keilani nodded, doing as instructed and whispered a good-luck. Eshaal nodded watching her till she got to the bar. Taking another deep breath, she clutched her purse to herself and used the other hand to adjust her scarf.

She walked to the curtains, stood before it and murmured ‘Ya Allah, please help me.’ and used her one hand to part it. Dim blue-lights shun from the small pearl looking chandelier unto the small pathway that led to another door and a man passed out on the floor, she walked past him to it, her heels to the tiled floor were the only sound that echoes as she affirmed her earlier thought, the curtains were indeed heavy. She opened up her purse, just in case.

She placed her hand on the wooden door handle, very smooth to the touch. She thought as she braced herself and twisted it. Her ears were immediately deafened by the blasting music in the blue-lightened room. She stepped in and she cringed at what she saw. Some idiots pointing and laughing and some just smiling at the horrible sight she laid her eyes on. Pole dancers almost naked. Both men and women and… she squinted. Was that a freaking kid? She stared wide-eyed at the girl dancing, at the same time closing the door behind her.
A hand suddenly blocked her. She looked down at the huge arm covered in black sleeve with a white cuff, she looked over to the owner. It was one of the many bouncers around this party.

She smiled as she let go of the gun in her purse. “Hi.” She smiled but totally judging his sun-glasses. There’s no sun or maybe he’s affected by the blue lights.
“How did you get in?” he asked looking like he’s ready to throw her out.
“Through the curtains?” She answered wondering if to tell him his second was taking a nap on the floor.
He rolled his eyes and murmured ‘f*cker’ but she heard. “Pass?” he asked.
“I’m looking for Mustafa.” A smile still stretched on her face.
He nodded and put his hand down. “By the corner, the booth.” He pointed with his head and she looked to the direction he pointed. She spotted Mustafa smoking shisha and laughing with his friends from a glass surrounding them, she scrunched her nose in disgust as they laughed and pervertedly looked at the people dancing on the intensely white-lightened stage, dancing on pole.
Was that a girl or a short woman? She wondered trying to avoid looking at the pole dancing men.

This is PG 25+. She thought as she walked over to Mustafa.
“Hi, Mustafa.” She stopped just before him.

“Pretty lady!” He exclaimed, “come, sit.” He tapped a space between him and his grinning, bald friend in a thobe. You could see the aftermath of cigar on his teeth.
She smiled and took a space on the small short table just beside the fancy couch. She had picked up an empty glass and kept it on the floor and the other with a clear as day liquid in it in her hand. “What is this?” She asked.
“Water,” he answered with a small grin, “You thirsty?”
She squinted playfully, playing along. “I am but I don’t trust you.” She stretched her hand to the front and dropped the glass on the bigger table with the rest of the expensive looking bottle of wine.
“You do not drink?” He asked.
“I don’t want to drink today.” She quickly responded. He nodded, “So it wasn’t water?” she asked with a teasing smile.
“No,” he admitted, “I thought you will drink it.”
She laughed along. “See why I don’t trust you.” She shook her head with a small smile playing on her lips, thinking of ways she could bust the man’s head on a wall. Calm down, Esh. Her subconsciousness said to her.
“I’m a bad boy,” She cringed watching he and his friends cackle, obviously feeling proud of what he said. Hyena.
“You really are. Aren’t you?” Eshaal said, her eyes going from one side of the room to another trying to spot a guy with a black and blonde stripe, pixie cut.
“Where is the girl that was with you?”
“Trying to steal my investments?” She asked sarcastically.
“No, No,” he denied taking a sip from his glass. “You mistake me. I mean to just have fun, you know.” He explained shamelessly.
“I’m keeping her for me.” I turned to the group of men seemed to be looking at me with a long look.
“You spoil the fun.” Hi smile turned upside down.

She rolled her eyes and stood up and immediately spotted the guy with the black hair and strikes of blonde through the glass, across the room. He was serving a group of men with a lady in their mist, she had on an elegant dress and very dark lip-stick, her hair looked to be like the classic bob cut, the type Marilyn Monroe wore. As he served them some of the men looked at him with a sinister smile. Eshaal saw how uncomfortable the guy looked. He wasn’t even wearing his suit-jacket anymore. He was basically shirtless. A man grabbed his hands, the guy didn’t flinch as he dragged him to sit between him and the other woman. The man was looking at him like he was some kind of snack, the woman saved him by swatting his hands from wherever they were travelling to but then she whispered something in his ears with a bit of a smirk and the guy was quite indifferent.

Eshaal scrunched her nose in disgust but then, the guy looked up and made a second eye contact before she averted her eyes. What could she do? She thought. Suddenly, she felt someone’s hands grab her wrist. She looked down and saw Mustafa looking up at her. “I calling you.” He said, Eshaal was too in her thought to quickly react. “Where you going?”

Eshaal finally snapping out of it dragged her hands from his. “Don’t touch me.” She warned, wanting to walk away but he grabbed her hand again. Eshaal closed her eyes in frustration and just as she turned to hit him with her purse, a shot erupted in the room erupting a gasp from some who heard with the music still blasting in the background. Mustafa looked confused and then suddenly she felt his hand slip off her wrist and dropped on the floor with a thud. There was a sudden shrill, she raised her eyes. It was Mustafa screaming, wide-eyed at his handless wrist spilling out blood and then suddenly he passed out. Eshaal turned around still speechless to see Zach with a small gun in hand. How in the world did he get here before me? She thought.

He walked towards her while the other men on the couch had their hand’s up in surrender. “How did you…” she was cut off when Zach sent a glare over her shoulder.

“Give it.” Commanded Zach and then stretched over to collect a gun, “Anyone else?” he asked and she could hear them all reply a ‘no’ and imagined they’d be shaking their heads.

Returning his attention Eshaal, his gaze softened as he cupped her cheek, “Are you okay, my love?”

“I was perfectly fine. You did not have to do that?” She whisper-yelled.

“He was about to touch you inappropriately.” He shrugged.

“I could’ve handled it better than this.” Her eyes snapped to the entrance as she noticed the booth door opening. She took out her gun and shot the body guard entering from behind Zach.

He smiled, feeling giddy that she protected him even though she didn’t look to be happy with him. “I’m sure you would have.” He gave a single nod in affirmation. “But I’m here, so I did my job as your husband.” He then squatted beside the passed-out man and put two fingers on the side of his neck.

“Protect me?”

He raised his head briefly with an amused smile. “That too,” then he turned back to the man with a scowl, “How dare he try to lay a hand on you.”

She folded her arms and scoffed, but a small smile was playing on her lips. “Well, Goodnews.” Zach announced as he stood back up. “he’s alive, just passed out and probably would wake up with a broken neck.” He diagnosed and gave a quick smile to Eshaal and then looked at the men, “He is your problem now.” He told them and took a hold of Eshaal’s hand and dragged her to the door.

“Oh, and thanks for saving me,” he laughed referring to the security guy Eshaal shot on the arm before he could shoot Zach.

“Anytime, man in distress.” She gave a wink making him chuckle.

“He’s still alive.” Zach murmured looking at the man who was on the floor clutching his arm. “You hit a vein, Moya milaya(my sweetheart)!”

“Really?” Eshaal exclaimed in excitement looking at the man who was profusely bleeding. “The training is paying off.” She said with a satisfied smile and then turned back to see one of the men knelt beside the man on the floor with a distressed look on the rest of their faces. “If you don’t mind guys, take care of him too.” Zach smiled down at Eshaal's adorableness and saw the man nod his head in urgency. “Okay, bye bye” She waved and then she was the one dragging Zach out of the door. “You there,” she pointed at the boy with the black hair, sitting between wanna-be-Marilyn and is he gay. They couldn’t say a thing after what they pulled. “come, let’s go.” He stood up with a stoic face, grabbed his jacket and followed.

People were staring at them till they got out with the black-haired guy tailing them.

Keilani who had abandoned station at the bar out of anxiety, breathed out a sigh of relief. Eshaal spotted her and smiled as they walked into the crowd, but then her smile turned a full 180, Eshaal followed Keilani’s trail of sight to see a woman, wanna-be-Marilyn walked out going in the direction of the bar with a huge scowl on her face. Eshaal looked back at Keilani to see her up the stairs in a flash and disappeared into the crowd then Eshaal looked back down to see the woman enraged as she got to bar. She turned back, her eyes scanning everywhere.

She had no idea what the woman was looking for so she called the turned to the boy in burgundy. “There was a woman with you. Did she say anything?”

He squeezed his face in confusion. “Anything?”

“Yes, did you hear her say anything suspicious?”

“Not really, she was quite open about her capturing two red flags.”

“For the finders keepers’ game, right?” Eshaal questioned and he nodded like it’s the most obvious thing ever.

“Eshaal, what are talking about?” Zach interjected after hearing Eshaal’s question.

“Its a game, Zach. R is more out if it than we thought.” She relayed. “But we have no time. She might be in Danger.”

Zach wanted to ask ‘who?” But decided to just follow Eshaal but she had told him not to and that one of them had to stay with the guy and find an exit. He agreed hesitantly and let her go.

“How well do you know this walls?” Zach questioned the guy.

“Not as well as the back of my hand.” He replied. “Look, I don’t know who you people are but, if you’re trying to get me out. It won’t work and you’re gonna get caught.” His face was still stoic.

“What do you mean?” Zach asked.

“He saw what you did in there.” The guy relayed.

“Yes and?” Zach answered as he already knew of the fact.

“My point is, you can go out but nobody leaves with his goods, you’ll get yourself and I killed. You can’t be sneaky, he sees all.”

Zach took a deep breath in and out, he knew R was playing his game and obviously this man knew more of them than they knew of him. They had to play his game, if R wanted to get rid of them, he would have months ago. Zach understood that much and looking at the guy who had his eyes covered with his hair, he knew he’s seen more of the dark side of life, just like himself. It made it almost impossible for Zach to be angry at the guy who gave attitude as he spoke. “What’s this game about?” He changed subject referring to what Eshaal talked about before.
The guy relayed it just as Keilani did to Eshaal.
Zach nodded. “So, you mean everyone here is in on this?”
“A select few are playing but, yeah, they all know about it. That’s why I keep telling you whatever you’re trying to do won’t work.” He folded his arms with a roll of his eyes.
Zach squinted at him and asked, “What’s your name?”
“Scar.” He eyed Zach in suspicion. “Why?”
“You won’t mind adding an ‘s’ to really live up to your name if you don’t lead me to an exit and unfold those arms?” Zach threatened and scar’s face was still stoic looking at him. “You saw what I did in there, rest assured I’m very capable of worse and you know no one will come to your aid if I start right now.” Scar still with a dead*ss face dropped his hands to his sides, he looked away from Zach. “It’s this way.” He said and started to walk and Zach followed. Why do teens lack manners these days?

Eshaal had followed Keilani into a door that led to a spirally constructed stair-way leading down. She was too focused on getting Keilani to notice the elegancy of the space and the glass ceiling. “Keilani!” she yelled as she ran down the stairs and finally stopped when she saw her sitting on the stairs with her legs hugged to herself. “Hey, what happened? why’d you suddenly take off.” Eshaal asked.

“Remember I said I have a claimer?” She turned to Eshaal who nodded. “She was searching for me. She looked pissed and it isn’t just me who isn’t there. The man she told to watch me isn’t too.”

“Who’s that?” Eshaal asked.

“He’s like you, he also didn’t know what was happening. He went to check on Hadizah, I-I think he knew her.” She stuttered. “He hasn’t come back since.” Keilani shook her head in regret, tears threatened to spill but she swallowed it, “I don’t know, he might be dead. I hope he isn’t. he was unsuspecting, he was supposed to go back home…t-to a family, alive and well, maybe he has sisters o-or brothers…”

“Keilani!” Eshaal cupped her face with both hands. “Snap out of it, honey! Where did they go?”

Keilani nodded a bit dazed. “Yes, yes. I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine.” Eshaal gave her a reassuring smile. “Where did they go?” She repeated.

“The library there’s a door right next to this one, on the right.”

Eshaal nodded in response. “Would you be safe here?” she asked in concern.

“As long as I’m away from those people, I’ll be fine.” She responded with a small smile.

“No one will find you?”

“I hope not.”

Eshaal got up with a sigh. She looked up the spiral stairs. “I think you better stay by the door.”

They climbed the stairs and Eshaal situated her at the back of the door. “Anyone who goes through this door will go down stairs unsuspecting. You can quickly exit if you feel you have to.”

Keilani nodded. “Thank you.”

“I’ll get going.” Eshaal was held the knob, opening the door.

“Wait,” Keilani quickly said and Eshaal stopped to look at her. “Maybe you shouldn’t go. Please, I don’t want to be the cause of...”

“It’s fine,” Eshaal reassured with a smile. “It’ll be alright.”

Keilani bit her lips, unsure but nodded and Eshaal got going. Closing the door behind her She immediately saw Sienna walking by, she was about to call but didn’t want to bring attention to herself since she was mixed in the crowd.

She located her right and then walked over. She debated whether to go over to tell Zach, but what if she’s too late, she thought.

She opened the door and entered the library. It was dark and it scared the heck out of her. Again, why can’t rich people afford bright Lights! She yelled in her head, but decided to face her fears and make use of the dim orange lights, highlighting the expensive-looking, wooden shelves.

She held the handle, guiding with her other hand and slowly closed it shut but it still gave a click that echoed in the room still. Suddenly, a voice echoed far off in the dark library. She quickly ran, her heels clicked silently through the shiny wooden floor as she hid behind a shelf.

She looked down at her heels in frustration and had decided to pull it off and was about to when she heard footsteps coming. She took a book and pretended to read it.

A man revealed himself in a black suit, his hair slicked back with a frown and she noticed a gun in his hands.


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Finally updated guys!!!!!

I know it's late🥲
Forgive meeeee!😭

Pls🫠

Anyway, enjoy!

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