The Secrecy✔

Chapter 45

Liz Collins

"How was yesterday?" Sam asked me when we were going to the canteen. Since Tori knows that they are after me, she strictly prohibits me from going anywhere alone or... don't go at all.

"If getting kicked out of every store and banned from entering the park is nice, then I don't know what is anymore." I grunted angrily in the lift full of sarcasms.

"Woah there sunshine! I asked how it was, not what happened!" He turned to me with an amused look on his face in which I scowled back.

"Ugh!" I groaned which earned a chuckle from the guy beside me.

"Is 'ugh' a new word to describe your day? I haven't learned it before." He was teasing and joking around with a foolish smile.

"Whatever!"

"There there, sunshine. Now it's your cue to tell me what happened."

I told him what happened to Rick and I when we were hanging out yesterday, except the part where I almost got shot in the head or mainly the whole shooting.

"Who is that selfish, big headed and mischievous guy? Doesn't he care about others at all? Who does he think he is? The world's wealthiest and most powerful guy or something?!" I rambled at him as he was trying not to slip out a big fat laugh.

"Actually he is." He expressed a goofy smile.

"What?"

"Nothing." He stated casually as if he hadn't said anything.

"What a selfish jerk! Unbelievable!"

"Maybe he had his reason when he did it. Don't blame him."

"Are you defending that guy?" I asked him in disbelief.

"I'm sure he did that with a reason."

"What do you know about the guy who got everything sold out and every store kicked us out yesterday?"

"Not too much, but enough to know that he has been told unbelievable countless of times." He smirked and I squinted my eyes.

"What?"

"Nothing. You better stop hanging out with that Rick guy. See! You didn't even have a good time yesterday." He smiled which was a bit random since last time Rick was in our conversation, he got mad and he....

No. You said that we ought to forget about it, but why are you the one who keeps remembering everything? Forget that it ever happens? Tch.

"Hmm... Can I ask you something?"

"You have already done that." He shoved his hands in his pockets when I was doing an eye roll.

"Nevermind." I flatly said and got out of the elevator as the door opened. I'm sure he is curious about what I would have asked.

I was going to ask him if he had found out anything more about Carson, but I just let it slip because I don't want to pour a string of questions in his head.

I have finished computing everything and I need to give them to my freaking boss before I leave.

"Hey!" Asher and Jack greeted me when I entered Sam's office.

"Hello!" I slightly smiled at them and handed Sam the paper. Tori was in there, too.

"Sit here, Liz." Tori patted the place next to her. "Sam wants to tell us something."

I nodded and sat near her on her right side whereas Jack was on her left.

"I want to let you know that we all need to be extra careful from now on. We don't know when Ledwell will take action, but we must be ready. They have been trying to kill our men in this week." Sam told us seriously.

"You two girls should carry weapons in case if anything happens since you don't fight or shoot guns. It's possible that we will teach you how to defend yourself in these several days." Asher suggested, not knowing who Tori and I have become after years of training.

We just nodded, so that they wouldn't suspect anything. Only if they know...

"I will have our men guard us, but we have to be able to protect ourselves, too." Sam spoke. "Jack, you better make sure Tori will always be by your side on Friday next week."

"Since Liz will be accompanying me, she's my responsibility." Sam looked at me and said. Great... From a pet to a responsibility. What an incredible achievement! "As for Asher, he will be managing all of our security system."

"Yeah. Next week Friday's event won't be safe, especially not for Tori and Liz, since we're close to them." Jack uttered and we all agreed.

"Also I have gathered some information, too." Asher spoke out and we all turned our heads to him in a gesture that said he should continue speaking.

"The gang has been able to find Ledwell's main warehouse where the illegal drugs are being stored." That sentence made my inside churn.

"But we can't locate where it is. Although we know it's in Colorado, it's in a hidden place." Asher informed us while we were listening to him intently. "They have half of their guards there."

Tori and I kept exchanging looks which indicated that we're all on the same page.

"If we can find that place, a part of our problems is solved." Jack thought out loud.

"Yeah. That's the source of their money and their illegal deals."

"We are trying to get into their security system. If possible, our private investigator will search in Ledwell's office." Asher said. "We might get some more important information from there."

"I still question why Ledwell is after my employees. What do they have to do with them?" Sam asked.

"That's still remains unanswered." Jack replied. "I have double checked all of their resumes and there's no one who is related to the Ledwell."

"It's really suspicious and odd. They have never tried hacking into our system before. I'm not surprised they tried to bring me down or kill a few of our men, but this time, it's different." Sam analyzed.

"I agree. We are rivals, but we have never gotten to the point where many men were almost killed each week." Asher nodded. "This is very mysterious."

They were talking and stating each other's point of view with me and Tori keeping our mouth shut every time. We know in our hearts that we're listening to them in guilt and we can't do anything about it.

If we tell them, they will be in more trouble than they are now. If Carson finds out I'm really the girl who used to live in Colorado, then no one can stop him from getting what he wants.

I know he had the same feelings for me, too back then. However, one thing I don't understand is why would he have to kill my whole family. Maybe my parents weren't fond of him nor they approved of our interaction, but why does he have to do such a cruel thing?

I'm aware of the nice and sweet things he did after several weeks of him attending our academy and us talking to each other. How can the nice and caring guy I loved has changed into a cruel guy I now despise with my whole heart and soul?

I remember all the cute and lovely nicknames he had for me. Not to mention, the lovely gestures he made and those pick up lines and messages that indicated his feelings for me. However, I have just noticed that it all started to change in a month. During that time, I didn't know anything about affection. I wasn't paying attention to anything.

Carson made it so subtle that I didn't realize it, except for my family I supposed.

"Actually I have one more big news. I have never heard of it before nor I have even known it was a big deal." Asher spoke and that brought me back to reality.

"What is it?" Sam asked him. Asher's next statement makes my stomach drop.

"I have found out that Ledwell... had killed a whole family in Colorado seven years ago."