Handler XX: Stock Maestro-Chapter 23: Bang

Raymond’s pulse quickened.

"Y–Y–You..." He fell to the floor, shifting backwards.

"You’ve got a fine place— A handsome butler too. I think Marcus likes me" Scarlet chuckled, walking towards him.

"Don’t you find me attractive?" She smiled tapping a knife against her palm.

"Sorry... I know you find Marcus attractive— he doesn’t seem to think that of you" she chuckled.

"W–Why are you here?"

"Really? That’s the question?" Scarlet shook her head, disappointed.

"Was that our friend Nico on the line?"

"I don’t know what you’re talking about" he straightened up as his back hit the chair.

"Don’t play with me, you dumb fuck"

She looked around the room, "I don’t even care... Here"

She threw a file towards him, "Dear old Bucky gave this to me as a gift— such a nice friend, bless his soul"

"Sign it— it’s a letter of property transfer" she commanded, tossing him a pen.

"What?" He opened the file, staring at the documents.

"My employer has been traumatized by the little show you pulled— this should heal his sore heart"

She turned the volume of the music down slowly,

"You’ve got a shitty taste in music, Ray— just as shitty as your face"

"Why do I have to sign this?" He shouted at her, "I almost got killed today too, shouldn’t I be getting a compensation?"

"Wow. So shameless... Sign the goddamn thing if you don’t want your brain juice all over this room. My rules— I hold the weapon, you obey" she pulled a gun from beneath her clothes.

Raymond shrieked as he saw the weapon. He picked the pen from the floor and quickly signed his name on it.

Better than dying— 5 million dollars to his account and his head intact. He placed the papers inside the file and handed it back.

She collected the file and clicked her tongue, "Such a greedy dumb fuck. Did you read through it?"

He looked at her, surprised.

"Of course you didn’t. You just signed all your properties to a secret child... who’ll then sell it to us for dirt cheap" she laughed looking at the expression on his face.

His face— fear, surprise and despair. How beautiful. Her smile widened as she looked at him. This heat blooming... Fuck.

She stretched her hand forward for a handshake and withdrew it,

"Sorry, I forgot about your hygiene" she chuckled.

"Suicide—"

He flinched as soon as he heard her. Has she been wearing a glove? He shifted away.

"It’s common these days" she squatted besides him. She placed the gun on the side of his head as he pleaded, crying and begging for his life.

"Such a turn off" she muttered as he pulled the trigger.

"Bang"

"Let’s hope he likes your gift, Rich ass..." She chuckled as she walked away.

"You... Follow me"

____________

+1500%— 30 million dollars in profit. He exhaled, tightening his grip on the wheels. Ave hasn’t assigned him a mission since. Was there a problem?

"Negative" Ave responded to his thought.

He almost blurted the name out as soon as he heard the voice. Ave...

He lost his grip on the wheel for a moment before he composed himself

"Are you alright?" Marie asked, worried.

"What?" He turned to her, snapping back from his thoughts, "Yeah— Yeah, I am. Is there a problem?"

She stared at him for a while,

"I just don’t want an accident. You should focus"

"Yeah..." he chuckled, "I will"

Was there a problem? He’d come back to the hotel and asked her on a date. Surprising, but he did cook up a solid reason.

They have to keep appearances even if it’s a fake marriage. She clenched her fist and exhaled.

"Don’t get me killed" she muttered.

__________

"Welcome, Sir" the receptionist greeted them as they walked in.

"Trent Ackerman. Premium— for two" he replied sharply.

The receptionist snapped his fingers, calling a waiter over.

"He’ll lead you to your seats. Have a lovely night, Mr. Ackerman"

"Thank you" Marie said to the receptionist as they walked away.

"I see some people following us already..." Trent whispered, pulling her closer.

"You’re enjoying this a bit too much, don’t you think?" She chuckled, shifting her waist away.

Trent turned his face away immediately as their eyes met.

"What’s there to not enjoy" he muttered, clearing his throat.

She looked at him, drawing closer,

"Are you alright now?"

He turned to her— she looked worried. No need to lie.

"Yeah— I was a bit shaken. We were taken hostage when I went to meet S–Serta this morning"

"What?" She gasped.

"I’ll tell you about it when we take our seat" he whispered.

__________

"Really?" She sighed,

"He planned to double down on you, huh?"

"Yeah" he chuckled slicing through the steak.

"Scarlet will take care of it"

"Who?"

He coughed, wiping his mouth with the hand towel.

"My Scary Serta says she’ll take care of it"

She stared at him for a while. Not going to tell me everything, huh?

"MY Serta... How nice." She leaned forward, chuckling.

"Does she make you nice coffee and call you MY Trent too?"

He almost choked on the food.

"I–It’s nothing like that— far from it even" he explained, panicking as he reached for the glass of wine.

She shifted his glass away,

"You sound like it’s a secret relationship though..."

He snatched the glass and drank immediately. "Fuck... You’re going to kill me with the cameras watching?"

"Thought you’d love if I suffered after killing you— there’ll be so much proof to jail such a frail woman" she laughed.

"You have your situation..." she muttered picking her glass.

"Get killed and I’ll take your millions"

"What a cruel thing to say, WIFE!" he chuckled

______________

She stretched as she sat on the bed... Her head still ached from last night— they decided to play a game on the Paparazzi so they went to a club and a karaoke studio.

"You’re up, thank the universe" He laughed as he stepped out of the bathroom.

"You read a sermon in your sleep— where did you learn the prayers like that?"

"Fuck you..." She groaned, pulling herself up.

"How do you drink like that and still have so much energy?"

He watched as she got up from the bed. Ave’s strength and stamina boosts? He couldn’t say that.

"Be careful..." He supported her with his arms as she staggered.

"I’m just a natural"

"A natural alcoholic?" She scoffed,

"That’s not tough, Man"

She rushed into the bathroom as she was about to vomit.

"That was fun by the way" he laughed as he sat on the bed.

A Night Club and a Karaoke studio— places he never thought he’d be going that night. They had so much to drink— a little bit too much.

His phone’s notification rang.

"Come Home, Twerp"

He exhaled as he read the message,

"Anton says to come to base"

"Shit..." she groaned, walking out of the bathroom

"Wanna drive?"

"Fuck you"

___________

"The atmosphere’s tense" Trent said, looking around at the agents.

"Yeah... Anton would be receiving us with that old man smirk usually" Marie replied as they walked towards the briefing room.

"Hi, Cisco" Trent greeted Cisco as he walked towards them.

He flinched, nervous as he walked forward, "H–Hi, guys..."

"Uhmm... There’s something I want to tell you"

Marie walked into the room, leaving them alone.

"What’s it, Man?" Trent asked, confused.

Cisco bowed his head immediately, "I didn’t know the branch chief was a traitor— I just planted the chip on the car because he said it’s for your safety"

Trent exhaled, laughing softly "It’s not a problem, Man— He was the branch Chief"

Cisco scratched his head and laughed as they walked in.

"... gratulations"

"What’s the congratulations?" Trent asked Marie as he shut the door behind.

"They just made him Branch Chief"

"Congratulations, Chief" Cisco bowed.

"Oh... Congratulations, Chief" Trent walked towards Anton, excited.

"So... do we get promoted too?" He asked, breaking the hug.

"No— all field Handlers are the same" Anton replied, "You just get more responsibilities and more care"

"And more danger" Marie scoffed.

"Is there a dangerous task that you called us for?" Trent blinked, raising a brow.

"No— Papa’s called you to come celebrate" Anton laughed, picking the bottle from the table.

"Right... I fear for the Branch’s future"

_____________

That old man— calling him so early in the morning. It’s a good thing that he became Branch Chief, but seriously?

"If you need anything, call me" Theo said placing the laptop on the table, before walking off.

Trent exhaled. He’d told Marie that he’d be visiting Theo so she dropped him off.

Time to view the content of this drive... Such a bad feeling.

He connected the drive to the laptop and checked through the files— designs for every area of the house. Well arranged.

Was this really just some designs?

A small file hidden amidst design photos caught his attention.

"What’s this?" He muttered as he clicked on it.

"If you’re seeing this..." The recording played.

Oh, for fuck’s sake.

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