The Game [Ongoing]

Chapter 3

A.N.
11/29/2022
Okay so I've edited this chapter and new chapters will be coming shortly!

Janelle sat in the middle of the floor in the living room of an almost empty apartment. She had stripped down to a pair of black panties and a matching bra. The clothes she had worn hours before were burning in the trunk of an old Honda Accord. The old car was currently in a junkyard, the body of Malcolm Holmes sitting in the driver's seat. She lit a Newport and crossed his name off a list in a small notebook with a black permanent marker. Right above his name was the name of Brandon Hayes, also crossed out. Once upon a time, both men had been her protectors alongside Eli and Maria. They had been her closest friends and allies. They had helped her run from Damien, and they had also been the ones to betray her secrets. A long time ago, in another life, when she was a different woman when she had just been a girl, she would have spared them. She would have understood what Damien had used to flip them. A man could be very persuasive when your families when your kids were on the line. And because of that, their families would be protected and taken care of. She had already decided she would make sure of that. But she couldn't spare them. They had not only endangered her but her family as well. They had helped him take away everything from her. In this world, she could forgive many things, but not betrayal. Her burner phone lit up.  As it began to dance across the floor. She answered it without looking at the caller ID.

"Eli," she said softly.

There was a short silence before he responded, "You're back...you came back."

"I did" She liked the ash from her Newport into a small black ashtray, "But only for one purpose."

She heard him sigh sadly, "Why didn't you tell me; I would've helped you..."

"Brandon and Malcolm helped me; you see where it got them." She responded softly.

There was another pause then Eli asked, "Malcolm?"
Janelle smiled, "Oh?" There was a short pause for dramatic effect, "You don't know, so he must not have gotten my gift yet." She took another long drag of the Newport before switching the subject, "So that's not why you called me."

"No." He hesitated."Would you mind meeting me at our old spot?"

Janelle stared into the distance for a while as she thought. She thought about; how Eli bringing up their old spot brought back memories of when she had been happy. It also made her think about how those produced recollections of when she had been naive, "Sure....why not."

"Will midnight be okay with you, I might have a little job to take care of, but I should be done by then."

"Okay...and Eli?

"Yes?"

"I never did make it to the white sands."

She hung up and closed her eyes. 'White sands.' A familiar face appeared in her mind alongside it; an image of a woman with bronze skin, and smokey gray eyes with specks of green in them. As well as full lips and long dark hair that cascaded around an oval-shaped face. An unwanted memory followed the image. Despite it being a happy memory, it was an unwanted memory. They had taken her on a trip to Myrtle Beach. Brandon, Malcolm, Eli, and Maria.

It was the last day before they were to return to their home. They sat on the beach laughing at Malcolm, who had just lost his lunch to a band of seagulls.

"If you'd been more focused on your food and not red bikini you wouldn't have that look on your face." Ei had joked.

Janelle smiled at Malcolm, who wore a sour expression.

"Thank you all," Janelle said, "This is a beautiful place. I'm glad my first trip to a beach was here with all of you."

"Ahhh, if you think this is impressive, you should see the beaches in my county. White sands and blue waters." Maria had reminisced.

"Well, maybe that will be our next trip." Janelle had said, a warm smile on her face.

Her four bodyguards grew silent after a while. Maria stood dusting the sand off her as she said, "Maybe. We should get going."

That Morning had been one of the best mornings of her life. What came after, was the beginning to the end of the farce of the life she had been living.

Janelle opened her eyes and checked her phone once more for the time. She lit another cigarette as she hummed a song. Janelle didn't know the name of the song, nor did Janelle know the words. But she remembered the tune and the voice that used to sing it to her. Casting one last look at her notebook Janelle stood. She had an errand to run before she met with Eli.

Eli handed the phone to Damien, who regarded Eli with interest. "White sands?"

"Maria." That was all Eli said. It was all he had to say, so he changed the subject. "So what now?"

Damien stood from his leather seat with a broad smile on his face. He put on his suit jacket and walked towards Eli, placing a hand on his shoulder when he stood in front of the man.

"You can take the rest of the day off. You did the right thing."

Eli hesitated and then asked, "And Janelle?"

"Don't worry about her. Very soon you will have your job back. Your loyalty will be rewarded." Damien put his hands on Eli's shoulders before leaving.

As Damien exited; Eli frowned. He hoped he had done the right thing, but at this point, it was too late to go back.