Perception

Chapter X: Perception

After Anthony contacted Vega, Kaylie goes back to Vega's house, unknowing of what had transpired. As she goes inside, Vega smiles at her.

"Hello Love." He says in his native language and kisses her cheek. "How are you?"

"I'm fine." Kaylie responded back in the same language. "Just went to see a couple friends, that's all." She shrugged, naïve that she's blown.

"Yes, you did." Vega says in English as an evil smirk stretches across his face "You think I don't know what you've done ... Kaylie Johnson." He says her real name and Kaylie stops in her tracks.

"Alejandro, I don't understand?" Kaylie says, but Vega doesn't by it.

"I'm sure, guards." He snaps his fingers as Vega's guards grab Kaylie. She struggles to move, but they were too much for her.

"You're gonna pay for snooping in my business, you little slut." Alejandro taunts and Kaylie spits in his face. He then chuckles as he wipes his face and slaps her.

"Put her in my car ... I want her to see this." He smirks as a black bag gets put over her head and she gets dragged to a black SUV.

*Hours later*

Danny slowly opens his eyes and the sharp pain hits the back of his head. He squints and tries to move his hands, but he quickly finds out that he's restrained.

"The hell?" He looks up and sees his partner, Anthony, sipping water across from him.

"We're gonna make this quick, okay? Easy and painless." Anthony revealed.

"You knew Kaylie was down here the whole time?" Danny asked his former partner and Anthony casually nods his head.

"Duh, why you think I booked us a trip here? Oh!" Anthony snaps his fingers. "And the money? Was never wired. Used a fake hard drive bud, Vega's still rich."

"You fucked me over!" Danny yelled.

"Like I told you a long time ago Danaivius ... It's part of the game." He winks as he puts on his signature sunglasses.

"You've been a great help Anthony, but your time is over. Here's the $100 million I promised you." Vega shakes Anthony's hand as he takes the bag over Kaylie's head off.

"An-Anthony?" She says in disbelief as tears well up in her eyes. "You were like a brother to Danny!!"

"Eh, business partner if anything." Anthony takes the brief case Vega hands him and checks inside to see exactly $100 million. "You're a good man Alejandro, but I gotta go." He takes the brief case and begins to walk away.

"Now." Vega looks at Danny, who's tied down to the chair. "What was your plan, eh? To steal my money? Hmm? To put your little nose in my business and screw everything I've worked for my entire life?!" He gets in the young man's face.

"You didn't work for shit, that money was stolen." Danny fights back as Vega smiles.

".... Okay." Vega then grips Kaylie by the throat in front of Danny as he helplessly watched.

"The plan .." Vega begins as Kaylie struggled to breathe. "Tell me."

Danny's heart raced. First, his friend betrayed him, and now his cover was blown. He hadn't felt like this in years.

"I won't tell you shit." He says as Vega tightens his grip on Kaylie's throat.

"No? So you don't care if this bitch dies eh?" Alejandro asked while gripping the young woman's throat. Danny couldn't respond, all he could do was watch.

"Fuck! Alright-" he says quietly.

"Huh? I can't hear you." Alejandro taunts

"I said alright."

"One more time."

"I SAID LEAVE HER THE FUCK ALONE!!! I'LL TELL YOU!!" Danaivius snaps at Alejandro and he lets go of Kaylie's throat. The poor woman begins to cough and choke on air in the process.

"My plan ... Was to take every dime you and your sick company have and wire it to my account. I was going to make you feel powerless like the people you stole from ... Then I saw the girl." He smiles at Kaylie "A girl, I have a history with. The girl who's exactly like me, but deserves better." He explained. "I'm sorry for dragging you in this mess, I'm sorry for New York ... I'm sorry for it all, Kaylie." He admits. "That's the truth, and I don't care if you like it or not. You know who else doesn't care?" He asks Vega, who raises an eyebrow.. "My brother behind you."

As he said that, a bullet flies through Vega's head, killing him instantly. Vega falls lifeless to the ground as Anthony goes to untie both Danny and Kaylie.

"Sorry it took so long." Anthony says "Wanted to give a killer performance. Kay? You alright?" He asks Kaylie and she nods.

"Wait, you're not-"

"Nope. All part of the plan. I wired the money he had to a hard drive back at his party. Then I saw you and used you as a decoy for Danny here." He explains "Remember the money I gave you back in NY? And how it had coordinates? It was to this place."

"All about your Perception, Kaylie." Danny added on.

"How's this for my Perception?" She then goes up to Danny and kisses him passionately.

"Alright y'all come on ... I don't need to be an uncle just yet!" Anthony added on.

*2 weeks later*

The trio sit at an airport, all three heading separate ways after their job. Danny and Kaylie rekindled their relationship and Anthony remained single.

"I'm goin back home." Anthony says "Can you believe that I was actually planning on shooting you?" He jokes with his best friend

"Glad you didn't." Danny smiles.

"So! What's our next adventure?" Kaylie asks as the two best friends exchanged looks.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa Kaylie uhhh, let's hold off on the Scooby Doo adventures okay? We already have the money and-"

"Paris?" Danny raised an eyebrow at Anthony with a smile. "Never been to Paris."

"And we'll get to see the Eiffel Tower." Kaylie chimes in.

Just then, a man holding his phone bumps into Anthony by accident.

"Excuse me sir, I'm so sorry." The man says. As Anthony looks at him, Danny snags the man's flight tickets going to Paris.

"All good." And Anthony replaces his tickets to New York in the man's pocket. "Where was he going?"

Kaylie smiles at Anthony "Paris and they're First Class tickets too."

Anthony smiles back at his two friends.

"Paris it is."

The End.