All or Nothing

/One/

Music pumped through the club, making the walls and floors vibrate as the red and blue strobe lights repeatedly shocked the air. The first level of the club was packed with sweaty, claustrophobic chaos, scantily-clad bodies writhing against each other as alcohol swam through their bloodstreams. Hands were reaching everywhere and grasping nothing, and the crowd seemed to pulse to the beat of the EDM song the DJ was spinning from his booth above the crowd. The atmosphere was frantic and sluggish at the same time, a vortex sucking in the energy from the entire club.

I felt completely out of place here, amidst the darkness and sinful spontaneity. Pressing my back against one of the walls on the first floor, my hands tightened around the backpack in my hands, and my eyes scanned the crowd. When my contact told me we were to rendezvous in not only a club, but the most popular one in the city, I thought they were kidding. But, I guess it made sense. Popular club meant there would be a big crowd, which in turn meant no one would notice us. It also meant that if I was followed here, which was currently my biggest concern, I would be able to lose them. In fact, I pushed through the dance floor for a good twenty minutes, taking sharp turns and doubling back on my trail, before settling on the agreed upon spot on the wall. Maybe I was being paranoid, but I couldn't be too careful. By this point, my father would know I was gone, and he would be looking for me.

"Sasha, can you go get your father? The police commissioner just arrived."

My mother whispers out of the corner of her dark red lips, waving at the commissioner as he enters across the living room.

"Yes ma'am," I say, giving her a mock salute.

Smiling, she gives my shoulder a squeeze before making her way through the crowd of people. I watch her go for a moment, admiring the elegance in her walk, and the sophistication in her choice of a black, satin dress that accentuates her waist. My mother is a graceful host, murmuring warm words into faceless partygoers as she makes her way through the crowd of people. This is an important party for my family, and they'd really released all the stops. Our penthouse is packed with all the notable families of the city, including many government officials and other businessmen with empires of their own.

My mother glances over her shoulder at me, and I take the hint. Putting my glass of champagne down on the nearest table, I turn and make my way out of the room. After greeting a few people myself, I emerge in the mostly vacant back hallway, and I let out a sigh of relief. The whole penthouse was starting to feel claustrophobic as more and more people arrived, and I am happy for the excuse to take a break from smiling and making small talk with people I barely know.

I don't have to think too much to know where my father would be, and I set off down the hallway. I step up a back staircase, the click of my heels muffled by the carpet, and I come out in front of my father's office at the top of the stairs. The door is open slightly ajar, and I move to open it until I heard my name.

"What about Sasha? She has one year left at the University."

I frown at my brother, Heath's, voice. I hadn't expected him to be in the office with my father. I hesitate at the door, and strain to listen.

"Sasha will join when I deem her ready," my father says, and I hear the clink of glass as he probably pours a glass of his favorite scotch. "She will be a valuable asset, I believe."

"What if she doesn't want to?" Heath asks, "Once she knows what's required of her, she may rebel against it. You and I both know that. She could try and sabotage us."

There is a moment of silence before I hear my father sigh.

"Then we will take care of her like the rest of the obstacles that have stood in our way."