The Craziest Of Them All

XVI - Part 2

Just as I put the comb down from combing out my locks, I hear a small knock on the door. I look at myself in the mirror, pleased with how I look I tell whoever who is at the door to come inside. To my delight, it Ronin who comes inside.

“I came to escort you to dinner. You look beautiful by the way.” Ronin confesses and as expected there is a light blush coating his cheeks. He is too shy for his own good.

“Thank you, you are such a gentleman.” I say, taking one last look at my reflection. I don't have any make up so my face is bare tonight, and I just casually combed my long hair over my shoulders. 

I walk over to Ronin then we both exit the room. We walk quietly in the empty hallways and descend down the grand staircase. I just can't get over how beautiful this house is.

I walk behind Ronin, appreciating all the architectural details. Ronin stops abruptly in front of a step of wide double oak doors. There is a nervous jitter in his aura. He looks a bit timid.

“Ronin what’s wrong?” I ask softly with a worried look plastered on my face.

“Mr Reyes is a man with a very short temper,” Ronin starts off, “And I don't want to be rude but you have a talent of annoying people.”

A slow smile spreads across my lips, “Why thank you, I try. The secret is to watch a person’s mannerisms then it takes you less than a minute to find out what ticks them off.” I say with a cocky smile hanging loosely on my lips.

“I didn't mean it as a compliment. Just don't speak unless spoken to, I think that will at least spare you for tonight.”

From the serious look on his face, I can tell that he really fears for my safety. I am in a house full of criminals after all, I should start acting like it. How does a person in my position act though?

“Okay Ro, I promise not to speak unless spoken to.” I make a cross on my heart and hold both hands in the air, “ten fingers on the Bible.”

As if my promise was solace enough for him, he swings the large doors open and steps into the large formal dining room. From an eye sweep of the room, I can estimate that there are at least fifty men sitting at one of the longest tables I have ever seen in my life. At our entrance, all eyes gravitate to me and Ronin who are still standing at the door.

“Nice of you to finally join us.” The words come from the man sitting at the head of the grand table. It doesn't take a genius to realise that the man is the big boss. Though his facial features aren't as defined due to aging, it doesn't take away the fact that he is incredibly handsome. It makes me think about how handsome he was when he was still in his youth. Sitting to his right is Demon, who dressed in an all black suit and to the left of the man is Travis who is also clad in an all black suit, but unlike Demon who’s first two buttons are open showing a little chest, Travis is wearing a skinny tie. Travis catches me eying him and sends me a cocky wink. I roll my eyes with a feint smirk on my face.

“I apologise for the tardiness sir.” Ronin hastily apologizes. When the man dismissively nods his head, Ronin snatches my hand and drags me to the long table where there are a few open seats. Our seats are near the head, near Demon and the Big Boss guy.

To my utter dismay, Ronin indicates for me to sit in the seat next to Jay, whom I haven't seen since he dumped me at Demon’s bum ass apartment. Judging from the sneer on his face I can see that he is just as excited as me to be sitting near me.

“Bitch.” He greets me dryly.

“Asshole.” I respond with as much excitement as a corpse. A few chuckles can be heard from the guys who can hear our childish banter. A few seconds after I sit down, another set of doors open up with a slight bang and a trail of maids walk into the dining room carrying platters of food.

I instantly sit up in excitement as the wonderful smells waft around the whole room. The maids delicately place the platters on the table and quietly vanish through the door that they entered with.

I eye the array of food and listen to my stomach grumble in hunger, but I don't dare reach out for the food because nobody else is. It's as if they are waiting for something. The room is filled with a pregnant silence as we all wait. Finally, the big boss guy leans over and dishes a plate for himself.

Once he was done, it was as if there was a green light for everyone else to eat. In a matter of seconds, all the men are reaching for foods. I am so shocked as I stare at the hunger men pile their plates with food.

“You better get something now before there is nothing left.” Jay speaks to me. I eye his steaming plate filled with steak, mash and some gravy. Taking it as my cue, I also dish for myself. Before I eat, I clasp my hands out in front of me and I say grace for the food and the hands that prepared it. When I'm done, I open my eyes to find sone men looking at me with amazement, I shrug my shoulders at them and dive into my meal.

All that can be heard is the clutter of cutlery and the scraping of plates. That all changes when the man at the head of the table begins to talk. I only half listen as my sole attention is on my plate.

“So Demon, what happened earlier today at your apartment?”

“A bunch of motherfuckers decided it was a good idea rain bullets into my apartment. They definitely wanted us killed but I don't know what for.”

“We have many enemies it could be anyone of them.” Jay adds his two cents from next to me. A few grunts of agreement resonate through the dining hall. There is silence again in the hall as everyone continues eating.

“Were you at least able to retrieve the file?” Alex asks. I never noticed his presence but he is sitting next the Demon.

“Shit! My main priority at the time was staying alive, I didn’t give no fucks about a stupid file.”

“The information in the file was extremely valuable, did you at least take a look at its contents?” Alex continues in a slightly reprimanding tone, “Without that file it will be impossible to recognize The Ripper at the annual Gala.”

At the mention of ‘The Ripper’, my head snaps up from my plate. The name sounds really familiar. I've seen or heard it somewhere before. It doesn't take long for it to finally hit me.

“Wait, are we talking about that handsome guy who was in the FBI folder?” I ask out loud to no one in particular. Once more people stop mid chewing to look at me. I suddenly feel uncomfortable under the many heavy gazes.

“You went through my shit?” Demon asks me, anger flaring in his eyes. I couldn't give a crooked rat’s ass about whether he was angry or not.

“Hell yeah I did, I wanted to know who kidnapped me so I went through your stuff.” I say confidently while putting a piece of steak in my mouth and chewing it slowly.

“You son of a bi-“ Demon starts off but is abruptly cut off by Alex. That just pissed him off even more.

“Wait, so you read the folder on The Ripper?” Alex asks.

“Yeah I did, it said something about him being in Canada and him killing a bunch of innocent people and cops.” I shrug my shoulders, I can't really remember the exact details.

“You said something about him being handsome,” it is now the Big Boss that is talking to me, “How do you know how he looks?”

“A picture of him was included in the folder.” I say, recalling the grainy picture of the man wearing the leather jacket and cap.

“What else did it say?”

“Um, they did write his real name but I can't remember it properly.” I close my eyes and try to resurface the image of the words typed in the folder, “I think it was Hector something or was it Hermes?” 

“Without a last name there isn't much I can do to identify him.” Alex says disappointedly. I hate to disappoint home but I really can't remember his name right now, maybe tomorrow it will come back to me.

“You've seen him and that is more than anyone in this room can say.” Big Boss says thoughtfully, his food lying forgotten in front of him, “That means that you will have to attend this year’s annual Gala so that we can know who to attack.”