THE KEY (book one)

|fourteen|

We arrive at the Cage estate at seven thirty sharp. "Luke did you get us in?" Levi asks tapping his fingers anxiously against the wheel.  We're almost to the front of the line for the valet parking. "Still working on it." Luke replies; he sounds a bit nervous. Levi drives up a little; there's two more mobiles before us. "Work faster." He says placing his head in the wheel. Both of them being anxious isn't helping right now.
"Hey... relax. Drive up we're next." I say as calm as possible. We pull up in front of two guards and I roll my window down.
"Names?" One asks holding a tab. I really fucking hope Luke worked fast enough.
"Axel Jonz and Genesis Reed ." Levi answers before I can say a word.
"Sorry you're not listed on here."
I'm gonna throw up.
"Guys ask again." Luke says through the walkie-talkie.
"Check again sir." I say forcing a smile and he does.
"Axel and Genesis." He mumbles then looks at us then back at his tab.
"Okay...you can come outside we'll park the mobile, fourteenth floor and leave all weapon out front." I wait for Levi to walk around so we can walk in together.
"No weapons?" How will we defend ourselves? "Don't worry." Is all he says to me as we enter the grand building.
"Thanks for waiting guys." Drew says sarcastically through the walkie-talkie.
"Don't want to raise suspicion." I reply. We walk into a large lobby with gold furniture, dark brown walls beautifully detailed with art work and paintings, and extremely large chandeliers hanging from the ceiling radiating warm light. Levi walks straight ahead to the three elevators and presses the upwards arrow. Not a second later the middle elevator opens and we walk in. I click the fourteenth button and press my back against the wall. All four sides are mirrors except for the ceiling; it's just a bunch of small orange lights. Levi reaches in his pocket and pulls out the blade that I used at the club. He looks at me and holds it out for me to take it.
"Thanks." I mumble. I killed a man with this. Last week I would've never thought I'd kill anyone.
"I forgot to give this to you." Levi pulls me from my thoughts and hands me a black strap with a small pouch on the side.
"It's for the blade. You put it around your leg." I smile at the kind gesture and take it from his hand. The elevator opens to a penthouse filled with rich bastards. I quickly slide the strap on my right leg, and stick the blade in the pouch. Levi walks out first and I follow before the doors close. The sound of Orchestra music and irrelevant conversations fill my ears. On the north side of the room an extremely large wooden stair case that leads to upstairs. At the very top sits a black pedestal with what I'm sure is The West Key in a glass box.
"Hey I'm gonna go to the bathroom." I say tapping on Levi's shoulder. He tenses up for a moment but nods once he realizes its just me. If I didn't know any better I'd think he's more nervous than I am. I don't blame him. We're in the house of a psychopath.
"Meet me back at the stairs." Levi says through the ear piece.
"Okay." I walk past the crowd and find my way through a hallway to start exploring.
I see two women stumbling from out of a room and without hesitation I retrace their steps to find myself in the biggest bathroom i've seen in my life. The lights are dim in here. The floors and sink are brown and marble as well as the walls. I walk over to the mirror above the sink and begin to wash my hands. Inhaling deeply I look up and run my wet fingers through my hair.
"Erra where are you?" Phoebe asks. I jump forgetting that the walkie-talkie is still in my ear.
"Coming now." I say and walk out of the bathroom. I walk back down the hall admiring the paintings of gods on the wall, then the sudden sound of a female scream fills my ears. I quickly snap my head forward and try my best to follow the sound. It's coming from one of the rooms.
I slow my pace down and hide behind one of the columns once the screaming stops. The sound of a door swings open and a man begins to cough. "Let's go!" He demands. I peek my head out to see  the one and only Cole Cage in the flesh. I'm not shocked. He's tall like I excepted, wearing full on purple tux and smoking a cigar. A moment later a women with short blonde hair limps out behind him. He lives for that shit. Something I'll never understand.
I step out and follow them back to the crowd. "Where have you been?" I turn my head to see Phoebe. She looks both worried and angry. "Bathroom." I explain scanning the crowd for Cage.
"Mhm any plan?" She asks.
"I feel like Cage is an easy target when it comes to seducing." I explain turning to her, and press on the walkie so the boys can hear. My own words shock me. I forgot to take into account that I would probably be the one doing the seducing.
"Yep so is every other man on this planet." Phoebe states shaking her head.
"Um okay. I guess since it's my plan I'll do it. Once I get him in I'll poison him with the blade and find any access to the case with The Key." I explain.
"No." Levi cute in quickly and I frown.
"No? Yes." I argue.
"Okay it's done, it's done." Phoebe jumps in before he can say anything back.
"Where are you guys? I think Cole is about to speak." Drew says. I look up at the stairs to see Cole holding a microphone.
"Me and Phoebe are close by the west wing."
"Welcome everyone!" Cole yells on the mic and everyone goes quiet.
"Thank you for joining me tonight in auctioning off this rare and highly expensive stone, along with other fine jewels and art pieces."
The crowd claps.
"You know supposedly there's five of them." A random man whispers to me.
"Oh really? I guess it's not that rare after all." He nods as if he's thinking about what to say next but then looks back to Cage.
"A link has been sent to your coms you may place your bids through there. May the richest win!" He drops the mic and continues on his way.
"There's a key around his neck." She says. How obvious can he be?
"It's the key to the glass case I'm sure of it...he's an idiot."
"I'm gonna get it okay?" I say putting my hand on her shoulder.
"Yea...I know. It's just I have a bad feeling about tonight."
"Oh your intuition again?"
"Ye-"
"Tell it to shut up." I cut her off and she laughs. "I'm serious." The guys are taking forever. With that thought a hand slides on my back but I quickly grab it and turn to see Drew. "Damn it." I exhale with relief and hug him.
"You sure about this?" He asks and I nod.
We're already here. I honestly don't know how this is gonna go. What happens if we don't get the key?
"He's by the food." Luke says pointing over to the stairs.
"Alright." I say about to walk off but Levi grabs my hand.
"You understand this man is insane right? It's not going to be as easy as you think. Trust me he has eyes everywhere." He talks down to me.
"Well do you have anything better? If you do spit because we don't have all night." I rip my hand away from his. We don't have time for him to play protecter right now.
He moves his lips as if he's going to say something, but he doesn't so I walk away. Pushing through the crowd I spot the food table but Cage isn't there.
Not even a second later someone grabs my hand and spins me around. My heart jolts at the sight of him; Cole Cage up close and personal. He has an uneasy grin on his face; he's drunk. Pulling me on the floor and closer to his body.
"Your name?" He whispers in my ear swaying me to the music. I look into his intimidating dark green eyes and try my best not to crumble. "Not Cole Cage that's for sure." I say and he chuckles.
"Okay no name. I don't think I've ever seen you before."
"One of a kind I guess." I place my hand on his chest.
"I'm sure of it." He spins me around stumbling a little.
"What's your name?" He asks again this time slurring his words. I chuckle nervously  and run my hands down his chest.
"Mhmm how about you guess." I challenge releasing his hand and slowly walking away. I turn around to see Levi standing in the crowd close to the open floor. He's drinking and making conversation with Luke. I turn my head slightly to see Cages eyes burning into mine.  Levi spots me walking over to him and meets me half way. "Is he-" He starts but shuts up when I grab his hand and pull him out on the floor.
"Errana." He says with uncertainty in his voice. I snap my head up to look at him and glare. I don't like when people say my full name.
"Erra." I correct him.
"He wants you." He says grabbing my waist.
"Is he still looking?"
"Yes." Levi huffs out and I chuckle. I intertwine my hand with his, and place the other on his chest. Maybe Phoebe was onto something. "Just stay here with me please. It won't be long until he comes to take me away again." I explain resting my head on his chest and moving to the music in the back. He slowly but surely wraps his arms around my back and for a moment I feel this sense of relief and contentment, but it all slips away when my I'm pulled back into reality by Cage. He says nothing but holds out his right hand expecting me to take it; I do. He pulls me away from Levi and leads me away from the crowd. I refuse look back at Levi but I know he's looking out for me. Cage leads me down the same hall of the bathroom. When we turn a corner and he doesn't hesitate to push me up against the wall. "What?" I ask gripping onto his coat. My heart is beating uncontrollably. He chuckles whipping the white dust from his nose.
"What's your name?" He asks once again grabbing onto my shoulders. I wince and try to pull his hands off but he doesn't budge. "Take your hands off me." I demand. He shakes his and whine mocking me then begins to laugh.
"You think I'm stupid... do you? Who do you work for?" He glues his eyes to mine.
"Cole Cage I think the drugs are getting to you." I try to keep my calm but he slams his hand on the wall.
"Do you think I'm stupid? I do this shit for a living. So it's either you're trying to steal the stone or they're watching me again. I don't know if you've caught on but neither is good. So I'm going to ask one... m-more. Time. Who do you work for?" He gives me a second to answer but I don't.
"Who do you work for!" He yells wrapping his hand around my throat.
"I don't know what you're talking about." I manage to say grabbing onto his hand with both of mine.
"Errana I'll kill him." Levi blurts through the walkie-talkie; he's watching.
I glance to the left to see two tall built tan men all dressed in black walk towards me and Cage.
"Let me go." I grunt kicking my legs, but he presses harder on my neck.
"My hit men have no mercy they will kill you and you're friends. Give me a name." I slide my right hand down to my blade and slowly pull it out.
"Not Cole Cage." I spit and shove the blade right below his chest.
"Now!" I shout and gun shots go off. Cage falls to his knees gasping for air and I just stare at him.
"Erra Paxton." I whisper in his ear before ripping the key to the glass case off of his neck. I walk away putting the blade back in the pouch. I just killed him.
I killed him.
Levi and Luke are fighting off the two guards.
"Drew where are you guys?" I ask.
"Main hall." He blurts.
"We need a little help out here." Phoebe adds. Two gun shots go off and I snap my head to look at Levi.
He's holding a gun to the guards stomach and pulls the trigger.
"Erra go help!" He demands. I yank off my shoes and run pass them.
I killed Cole Cage.
In the main hall everyone is screaming and running every which way. The gun shots continue to go off.  Bodies drop one by one fall fall over and get trampled on.
I need to get the key.
Staying close to the corner I duck down and run for the stairs clutching onto Cages key. Without a thought I dash up the stairs. Bullets hit the stair case chipping the wood. I try my best to dodge them nearly getting hit in the process. Quickly I duck behind the pedestal, scans the key and unlock the case. The case opens by itself and with it a blaring alarm goes off. I spot three guards sprinting up the stairs but are quickly shot down by Levi.
"Let's go, let's go!" He shouts from the bottom. I grab the third Key and sprint down the stairs stumbling over myself in the process. I don't know how many times I fall but-
The key I dropped the key.
"Erra!" Levi runs over to me and helps me up. "Hey! Hey look at me! Wake up!"
There's too much going on.
"The ke.. I dropped the key." I cough up my own blood before searching for it on my own. It takes me a while but I find it next to a dead body and pick it up.
"I got-" Pain shoots through my arm and holler out in pain. I've been shot.
"Levi!" I cry out and in an instant he's by my side. "Shit!" He repeats the word over and over holding me up with his arm.
" We need to get out of here! She got shot!"He shout through the walkie-talkie and pulls me closer. We shuffle through the crowd of people running for the elevator or the stairs. "We... we have to wait for them." I stand back holding my stomach. Levi pulls my arm but I pull away.
"Erra we have to go! I'd you stay you'll die!" He's angry but I don't care.
I'm not leaving anyone behind.
"Levi! Erra!" I turn to see Drew running towards the door.
"Hurry up before police show up!" I yell. He speeds up and the gun shots continue. As I take a glimpse behind me I notice that Drew's no longer running. His are eyes wide and he has this sort of confused look on his face. Soon enough blood starts seeping through his tux and spreads across his chest. They shot him.
"Drew!" I yell running over to him. I look at the stairs to see the last guard aiming at me but Levi shoots him down. Drew falls to the floor without a word.
"Drew!" I fall to the floor and crawl to him.
"Hey Drew, hey look at me!" I panic grabbing his face he's unresponsive though.
He was shot prior to this this time being the third. One in the shoulder, leg and now in the chest. "Drew talk to me!" My voice comes out hoarse. What's happening?
He slowly blinks a few times opening and closing his mouth. "What?" I ask, he takes another breath and tries again.
"Go." Is the only words that comes out before he starts to cough up blood. "Drew!" I scream holding him up, but he stops breathing and his head falls to the side.
This can't be real.
I look up to Levi but can barely see him through my tear. He falls to his knees and slowly stands me up. "W-we... fuck... we have to go I... come on." The pain in his voice is clear as day. I don't fight back; I can't. I place a kiss on Drew's forehead before following Levi a foreign part of the estate. "You're... bleeding a lot." He mumbles. "We... uh.. we need to get you help."
"Levi w-"
Drew is dead.
This isn't real. Phoebe's gonna have a break down. "Come climb in here. It's an escape exit. W-we can both fit... come on." He points to a hidden corridor behind the wall. I comply and we ride down in silence. He holds me close to him and helps me apply pressure to my wound. "I... I can't to this."
"Shh hang in there... please we're almost there I promise." It's so stuffy and dark in here. How will we even get out?
"Luke bring the car around back. Erra got shot... she's...bleeding a lot."
Drew is dead. He's gone.
The box thuds and in a second the wall is opened by Phoebe and Luke.
"Oh my God!" Phoebe yells and pulls me out. "Get her to the car! Come on Levi." Luke helps him up and we make our way to the-
"We got the key." Luke pulls a box from his  jacket and hands it to Levi.
"But we-"
"It was a decoy. We caught them carrying out the real one during the shit show."
"Where's Drew?" Phoebe stops walking and looks back. Levi and I exchange looks then look at the both of them.
Luke doesn't say a word, but when I catch the hurt in his eyes he looks away.
"I'm sorry." Are the first words out of my mouth. She says nothing and it kills me more. "It's... okay...it's okay." She sighs.
It's not okay.
"Let's go home." She wraps her arm around my waist, and we make our way out of the car.