The Missing Ace

Chapter 16

"Wow~! We're so high up~!" Magnolia awed as soon as they were allowed to move out of their seats. Even though it was a private jet, they still had to follow the safety rules. "Don't tell me you've never flown before." Ethan commented, sitting down with a bottle of vodka in hand. "Rich kid..." Everyone else, except Camellia and Haruka, muttered. The Russian twisted the cap open as an air stewardess walked over to each of them, asking if they wanted a drink of a snack.

"So, you dad specifically wanted us," Myosotis confirmed as he gestured to everyone on board, "to go to your party in Russia in the winter, when it's frickin' cold?" He asked. Ethan nodded, drinking the liquor. "But you're not the only ones invited. Отец probably invited a number of cooperate business partners. Even my aunt and uncle that I don't remember so well." He added. "Myey, what's wrong?" Everyone turned to Myers, who sat next to Magnolia. He was looking pale.

"Astra... has air sickness..." he mumbled. "I don't feel so good.." Myers slouched in his seat. "Where's Tavian?" Jordan asked. Everyone glanced around for the said youth. "Here..." he staggered out of the toilet. "It's my first time on this thing..." he explained, cupping his mouth. "So we have two sickly people on board." Haruka commented. Suddenly, Angelina felt sick to her stomach. "Make that three..." she muttered. 'So sorry Angelina...' Cornelia whispered.

"What time will we reach?" Camellia asked an air stewardess. "We'll most likely arrive at the Sheremetyevo International Airport in Moscow around 4 in the morning, local time there." She replied with a smile, behind serving the brunette her cup of apple juice. As soon as she left, Camellia turned to Ethan. "So we still have to go to the airport?" She quizzed. "My отец doesn't have enough space for my jet at home, so he insisted that I have it in an airport." He explained. "How much land does your father own?" Jordan asked. "Enough to fit an American state." The Russian explained.

―――✕―――

Camellia was staring out of the window at an ungodly hour of the day, staring at the starry night sky as everyone else slept (or so she thought). She turned away to see Ethan on the phone, whispering. He was probably talking to his father. She turned to the window when a gunshot rang in her ears. She brushed it off, knowing that she had always had these occasionally hallucinating sounds. Then, she could feel the aircraft descending. The seat belt signs switched on, indicating that everyone had to return to their seats.

Someone came out from the bathroom and shuffled to his seat. After another ten minutes or so, the aircraft touched down on solid ground. It was white outside, even in the dark. And it wasn't long before the teens were at the immigration. Everyone got through smoothly. When they had reached the arrival hall, a butler had approached them. In the next moment, Ethan was speaking to him in Russian, making it impossible for understand what they were saying.

"My отец has got the limo for us." He explained. What do we have to expect?? Everyone else nodded, following the butler to their ride. "Ethan," Angelina called, catching up to him, "What does your father do exactly?" She quizzed. "He owns quite a number of cooperate businesses and our family business: Braginski and Vashchenko Co." He explained, adjusting his coat.

Myers's ears perked up when he heard the familiar name. "Vashchenko?" He quizzed. Ethan turned around. "Yes?" He raised a brow. "In case you're wondering, Viktor and I are indeed distant cousins." The Russian confirmed. "I was really surprised when I found out too." He added, turning to the front as they walked out of the airport.

Parked before them was a silver limousine, with two footmen hurrying over to take their luggage. One of them opened the door as Ethan walked over. Everyone else followed in, only to be awed by the tan interior. "I doubt there would be any canned drinks for us," Ethan added as he picked up a rum bottle, checking it before returning it to its original position as everyone settled in, "this is my отец's limo." Camellia threw herself next to Ethan, hugging herself. "It's fucking cold... you better have as heater or something." She grumbled. The Russian nodded as he shed his coat.

Just as Ethan increased the temperature, Magnolia glanced out of the window to see a figure in the darkness. She didn't like the feeling and sat back down. "So where is your place?" Haruka asked. "Somewhere outside of town, near the mountainous regions." The Russian explained. "About half an hour to reach," he added. But everyone seemed to have began to nap in their seats. Camellia dozed off after a while, resting her head on Ethan's shoulder. Before long, the sleeping teens awoke in a white high class garage where they saw another limousine and a few more branded cars.

"The house maids will bring all of you to your rooms. We should have enough guest rooms..." he announced to them as they awoke, even more groggy than before. "Breakfast is at 10, seeing the state you all are in." He added. They alighted the limousine and headed into the lobby. Almost everyone was led to the second floor while Camellia was led to the third floor with Ethan. "Am I really that special?" She quizzed when she noticed that her room was just a few meters away from the latter's room. "I don't know. My отец said to let you stay in that room." Ethan explained as he walked over to open the door for her.

The interior was a mix of sky and azure blue, with furniture meant for a girl who would've loved to dress up. "Make yourself at home." Ethan smiled and closed the door once Camellia was inside with her luggage. "Looks comfy..." she commented, looking around before her eyes laid on a handmade Matryoshka doll. And the design was almost, if not, identical to Camille's.

Camellia walked over and picked up the doll. It was about 9 inches tall, and heavy, most likely filled with another five dolls inside. The largest was a woman with short light blonde hair. The brunette sat on the bed and began to unnest the dolls. It was hard, probably it had not be unnested for a very long time. Either that, or it was made that way...

The second had a very striking emerald eye and blonde hair, with an intricate eye design on its left eyepatch. The third had mismatched eyes of fuchsia and olive green. The fourth was a strawberry blonde with a dark red streak on his fringe, tired lilac eyes and a matching red star on his left cheek. The fifth one looked exactly like Luciano. The sixth one had russet hair and dark red eyes. The seventh one looked exactly like Lapis. She looked at the base of the doll, noticing carved initials: CtR.

"What a strange household this is." She commented, reaching into her haversack, pulling out a black notebook. "So many mysteries and conspiracies."