Chapter 8: The Plan

After my sudden burst out last night, I didn't leave my room for a minute. I was mad at them for taking that jerk's side.

How can they actually compliment and say sweet words about him, knowing very well what he did to kelly? maybe I'm overreacting but the last time I was too careless I ended up losing someone really close to me.

I can't even begin to explain what it feels like to lose someone who you once thought would be by your side for the rest of your life. Finding that person is nowhere around you is the most painful feeling I've ever felt.

All those nights, that I cried myself to sleep wishing this nightmare would end but it never did. Every morning I search for my father's laughter around the breakfast table that now has turned into a morgue. No laughter, no fun, no happiness, they just left.

After that, I distanced myself from the world, just me and my mom is enough. I never had any friends neither intended to make one before Kelly pushed her way inside my little grey world coloring it with emotions that I once forgot.

I smiled after 12 years, the warmth I felt that day was enough for me to realize I needed to protect this person. She lit a light inside my dark shell and broke me from this pain. I started smiling, I started making friends, I started finding myself and the dreams I once carried, she enlightened hope for me once again.

And now, when the time actually came, I'm more than ready to protect her like, she did. We just need to return the chip and end this whole thing right? That's easy but I still need to be careful.

I was tossing and turning in my bed all night, I couldn't sleep. I kept recalling that douche's file trying to figure out a way but just end up scratching my brains out.

I kept staring at my window while lost in my thoughts when I heard a knock.I checked the time and saw it's five in the morning, what the heck do they want? I dragged my body tirelessly across the room and opened the door,

"What?" I said folding my hands, 

It was Ed at the door, "Lexi, she's calling everyone at the living room" he yawned, his clothes and hair were messy like someone who just woke from a sleep,

"Do you realize what time it is?"

He didn't say anything just took my hand and dragged me to the living room. Everyone looked tired and sleepy except Lexi. Didn't she sleep or what? and why the sudden gathering at five in the morning???

"What the heck is going on?" Turner groaned as he took a pillow from the couch and tucked his face.

Aiden looked up from the kitchen counter while sipping some water "She probably got her period or something"

"Seriously Lexi it's too early to deal with this shit now," I took a spot next to Turner, Ed joining me as well, resting his head at the tip of the couch.

She rolled her eyes and threw the files I gave her last night on the coffee table "I thought you wanted a plan?"

I look up, what did she mean by that exactly? did she find out a way or is it another one of her lame joke sessions, "what exactly are you trying to say?"

The boys turned their attention to her as well,

"I know how to return the chip to that hot stuff"

Just call him Leonard jeez, you don't even know how he looks, if only we knew he could be a retired eighty-year-old living in fantasies of banging young chicks. I roll my eyes, but wait a second did she just say she knows how to return the chip? or am I freakin' dreaming.

I shake my head and pat my cheeks waking myself up a little, Lexi has a plan? I did hear this right,

"Okay that's new but go on.." I said

By now, I can say all of us have woken up. Hearing Lexi has a plan has woken our sleeping drums and landed us on a boat which now we can use to escape this hurricane called Leonard King.

"I looked over his profile countless times to find a loop or something we can use to buy his time and return the chip you know, that's when I came across this part," she said pointing to the part she mentioned,

We all came closer and looked at the part that was marked with two red stars on the file,

"19th Galaxy party, by Leonard King celebrating the year-end anniversary to prosperity and success?" I look at her in confusion, so what he's arranging a party nothing new.

"Where you going with this?" Aiden asks her,

She folds her hand in disbelief and slightly hits our head,

"Hey," we all rhymed

"Are you kidding me? can't you see the loop??? or are you people still asleep?"

"Where the fuck do you want us to see the loop?" I groaned,

"ugh, he's arranging the party at his villa," she said taking a seat down at the coffee table that was placed in the middle of the couch settings.

"So? what does that have to do with the drive?" Ed asks

"That's the place! He hid the drive at his villa before it got stolen"

Okay, now I'm more confused, how the heck does she know about this? not even I was aware he hid the drive in his private villa, it wasn't even mentioned in any of the files.

I scratch my head and move a little forward, "and why do you know this exactly?"

"Yeah, how in the hell do you know he hid it there?" Aiden supported

Lexi got up and took her phone out from her back pocket, "here" she said while handing us the phone.

We took the phone and watch the photo she has on her screen,

"Isn't this your brother?" I ask,

She nods

"Why are we looking at his picture?" Ed looks at her in confusion,

She gives us a tired smile like she is done explaining to us, "He is my brother Andrew, do you not remember?" she said massaging her temples.

"Jeez I don't know, you have like six fucking brothers," I said frustratedly.

"Don't remind me, the puzzle between her brother still continues" Ed said as he remember the time when he met her brothers for the first time.

"Did you know Brian, again opened a new bar in Chinatown" Aiden speaks while playing with his phone, "want me to book a reservation?"

Brian is Lexi's third brother. He is the owner of three casinos in Vegas and a few restaurants chains across Europe so opening a new bar again is nothing new for all of us since Lexi always hooks us up with better discounts and free meals.

"No need, Lexi will hook us up with better bidding," Ed commented,

Soon, we all got lost in our own conversation regarding Lexi's brother and how we all use to think about them as a group of assassinations, completely forgetting about Lexi,

"You guys done?" 

She whispers in her famous neck chilling voice, knocking us off from her conversation, shit she was here" Ed whispers and we quickly end the topic of her brothers and focus our attention on her and her god know's plan.

"So moving on, my brother "Andrew" focusing his name a little harder to us she continued " he works for king enterprise."

Wha-? "your brother works with Leonard?" I ask dumbfounded

She nods proudly,

"Why didn't you tell us?" I continued 

She slowly got up from the coffee table and walked through the kitchen, trying to find some food inside the fridge,

"What are you planning to do?" I turn my face 

She folds her arms again and takes a cocky step forward towards me, "I wanted to tell you yesterday that I found a loop and we can actually carry a plan but you're really hot-tempered Veronica, you just left after hearing just one side"

"I mean, yeah we all were enchanted by his profile. Common he's wealthy, maintains a good diet chart, and his properties are damn good but that doesn't mean we are favoring him. It just he knows how to use money, cause I know some people who don't"

"Like your brother?" I furrowed my eyebrows,

She raises her shoulder and presses her lips agreeing with me but seemingly wants to drop the topic, she's quite sensitive when it comes to her family.

"The fact is Veronica, I also am angry that he hurt her but actually seeing the right use of money did stuff to me. You know how firm-handed my family is-,"

"Yep but that still doesn't mean you can admire that jerk" 

She sighs and nods her head not stretching the subject, "but just think" she continues,

" if his profile is so darn intimidating, then his looks would be" she raised her eyebrow giving us the hint of what exactly she will fantasize about him, 

"I bet he has a beard" Turner laid his own imagination of Leonard's look, joining him is Aiden who is busy filling his thoughts about his body. 

It seems only Ed and me are the sane ones not fantasizing about that douche's looks or body, but if I were to try then I wouldn't mind him having ocean blue eyes,