Chapter 139 Human Asset.
CHAPTER 139
Human Asset.
SCARLETT – POINT OF VIEW
Adeline rips the phone from my hand before I can answer the call.
“You can not tell him.” She declares.
“Why?” I glare at her, done with the lies and secrets.
“Why?” She scoffs, “Wake up, Scarlett. We are so close to the truth, and I will not let you jeopardise everything now because you are afraid. Roman will lose his mind when he finds out, and derail the carefully laid out plan. You shouldn’t have done a video call with him. Let’s just hope he does not recognise his hotel, or he’d think you’re cheating on him with Percy.”
I am taken aback, “Okay, that’s enough. You have gone off the rails. Give me my phone.” I snap, heat crawling through me.
“As long as you promise not to tell him anything, not now, Scarlett, not yet. Why are you so eager to make everything come undone? If you tell him, there’s no coming back from it.” She does not hold back her words.
The phone rings for the second time. I rip it from her hands and put the call on the loudspeaker.
“Scarlett,” Roman sounds exhausted, and my heart stings, because he isn’t ready for the chaos I am about to unleash on him.
“Hi, I’m sorry. I was in the restroom.”
Another lie. Another hole I’m digging. Another reason why he will never forgive me.
“I spoke to my mom’s nurse. She has a different one with her today, younger and firmer. She isn’t too pleased at the impromptu request, but I pay her salary, so she caved. I’ll send you the address now.” He explains, and I nod, “Thank you.”
“Since Adeline is going with you, I’ll need to double your security and add two cars. Do not argue. Luca wanted six.” He says flatly, and I look at Addie.
“How many hours away is it?” I ask the necessary question, calculating in my mind.
“Less than an hour without traffic. When you leave, tell the driver to bring you here. We might have to stay in one of my hotels tonight. Maybe Rivering Heights.” He murmurs, and my pulse skips a beat.
Adeline glares at me, warning me to stay silent.
“Alright, thank you. I’ll let you know how it goes, and get something to eat, please.” I mumble softly.
“I’ll wait to eat you out.”
My cheeks burn, and I roll my eyes, “Eat, Rome, or we’ll have a problem.”
“As long as we settle it in the sheets, I don’t mind.” He has a response for everything.
“Bye.” I giggle, warmth spreading through me, and I end the call.
For a moment, the smile and the warmth linger. I run my gaze over the text he sent, and look at the time. It’s barely noon, so we have enough to make it there and return.
I look at Adeline, just to find her looking at me, her brows furrowed.
“What?” I ask, defensive.
“You’re in love with him.” She sounds amazed.
I ignore her, even as my cheeks burn and my heart stings. I don’t need to hear how it can’t be possible, how he’ll never love me, how a relationship with him is impossible, how he’ll be disgusted when he finds out who I truly am.
Instead, I take the journal, which, on closer look, is actually a ledger.
The security team are getting ready, so we might as well look.
She sits beside me silently, and we flip the page.
The first couple of pages are confusing.
Ledger – Page 18
Date: 14 Dec 2015
Transaction: Human Asset – Project Aurora
Route: Mexico → Sicily → Europe
Status: Blocked by intervention
Notes: Father’s interference noted; monitoring continues.
Financial:
Shell company “Alta Vida Consulting” – $1.2M transferred 12/14/15
Bribes: Officials in Milan and Mexico City – pending
Remarks:
“Target: Rose. Watch for a behaviour shift. Age 15.”
“Supporters' family under observation – potential collateral.”
We flip the page again and stop.
Ledger – Page 24
Date: 9 Nov 2016
Transaction: Project Solaris
Status: Active
Notes: Funds routed through construction firms; partial misdirection required.
Property:
“Villa Firenze”
“La Posano Stradivum”
Annotations:
“Minors involved – keep shielded. Witnesses neutralised: 2”
“Neutralised? Children?” I whisper, horrified.
“Possibly.” Adeline's voice is empty.
Ledger – Page 31
Date: 3 Feb 2017
Transaction: Asset Monitoring
Notes: Multiple identities confirmed; must maintain control
Observation:
Frequent travel: Budapest → Oxford → Milan
Education: Intelligence / Tech/ Design/Politics – accelerated program
Security / Notes:
Double agent. Monitor loyalty.
Too close to asset 2. Consider diversion.”
Annotations:
“Witness must remain uninvolved until date X.”
“Marriage certificate to be finalised only if Diaz compliance fails.”
I get up, heart racing. My chest constricts, and panic floods my veins. The air seems to thin, and thicken at the same time.
Adeline is by my side immediately.
She hums, rubbing her hand on my back, stroking my hair, “Calm down, Scarlett. Calm down. We are almost there. This is the endgame, remember?”
I nod, breathing slowly as my whole body keeps trembling.
“I need you to calm down, Scarlett. I am sorry. I know this isn’t easy, but we are getting so close.” She assures me, and I nod, holding on to her words.
It takes almost ten minutes, and she does not rush me.
I wash my face in the restroom, and we walk out of the hotel room. We take the ledger with us, as well as the certificate. We keep our heads down, swathed in our coats and dark glasses. Our presence here needs to go unnoticed. No one can know we were here.
In the car, I turn to her.
“What does it mean? What does it all mean?” I ask, brows furrowed.
“I can make some deductions, but without accurate research, I’ll be wrong.” She says cautiously.
“Just tell me,” I whisper, heart racing as the car slows down because of traffic.
“Project Solaris and Aurora are probably trafficking shipments. You are probably the human asset they are speaking about, and Roman’s mom might be the witness. I am not sure, Scarlett, but this is huge, and we need to be careful. If Percy left this, he must have done it for a reason.” She takes my hand.
I shake my head, “Or he wanted us to find it simply because he’s a bitch whose mission is to cause chaos between us. If he let us find this, what do you think he has kept for our husbands?”