No more games
The moment Ali read the notification that messing with another protagonist's heroine at this point might ruin his chances of killing Kevin, he directly gave up on those thoughts and left Natasha's house. Though he was curious about who this new guy was or why even though he knew about his wife and daughter, he never bothered to contact them, but he didn't want to take any risks.
He just asked Hotel to keep a better eye on Natasha and also arranged for someone to keep Sia safe from the shadows. As for investigating the mysterious guy through Ghost or something he didn't bother.
If it's someone like those God of war or mercenary type protagonists then he might also have his team of hackers who might find something wrong, so it's better not to touch this hornets nest for now.
"Going home?" Emily asked, leaning onto the car, waiting for him in the parking lot.
"No, let's go to the hospital where that guy's getting treated." Ali replied while entering the car. "Echo and Charlie, still following him?"
"Yeah."
"The accident, they didn't leave any proof or mess up, did they?"
"Don't think so. From what I heard, it was a clean hit. Masked faces, tinted windows, fake number plates and a car that's been disposed of by now, there shouldn't be anything left to link us." Emily replied, passing him a tab which played the footage of the accident captured in a traffic cam.
"This recording has already been deleted and there's no backup left." She said before he even asked.
"This big a hit and all he got was a broken leg?" Ali said looking at how Kevin's figure literally flew tens of meters high and rolled on the road for a couple of times before stopping.
"Beats me." Emily replied and said "Keep watching next."
As her words finished Ali watched Kevin slowly stand up from the ground and even gather his belongings and trying to walk away, but was held by several people, who had the same shocked look.
'Dude's a cockroach.' Ali thought and frowned as he noticed something on the clip. He paused the video and started zooming in on the screen, trying to see something better.
"What're you looking at?" She asked.
"See this, does this look familiar?" Ali asked, pointing at a red pamphlet that Kevin was floating in air and Kevin picked from the ground along with his phone and wallet.
"Looks like …"
"A lottery ticket." Ali said and clicked his tongue. "Try and find out which company's hosting these and what's the reward?"
Hearing his words Emily looked at him weirdly and laughed "What, you think he gonna win?"
"I know he will." Ali replied in confidence, and then picked up his phone to call someone.
..
..
After a couple of rings, the other party picked the call and soon a sour voice came to Ali's ears. "You're late."
"I know. Sorry, something came up suddenly."
"Let me guess another girl who caught your attention?"
"What, no. I'm sure you heard about the heist this morning."
"And you said you won't keep me waiting this time, lied again."
"You already know it's not like that." Hearing Liv complain again, Ali tried to explain but then just gave up. I mean he did have a plan to have lunch at her house, but then everything just… happened. So he just changed the topic.
"I need your help with something."
"So that's why you called me huh, and here I thought you were gonna ask me for a dinner."
"We'll go out tomorrow, promise. It's a little sudden, little important now." Ali promised and pleaded.
"Fine, you better pay the bill this time." Liv sighed in exaggeration and added jokingly. "So what do you need, a hug, a kiss or me."
???
"Liv. I'm serious."
"Me too."
??
Hearing her voice, Ali had a blank face and turned to look at Em, who just kept driving as if she didn't hear anything.
After a few more seconds of hints and teases that made Ali rethink if he really should leave Kevin and go for their date first, before shaking his head and breaking out of those thoughts.
"I've sent you a photo, I think it's a lottery ticket with a winning prize number on it, can you…"
"Fine, I'll shut it down." Liv replied.
"You didn't even see the pic."
"Does it matter?"
"Well, kinda. The company that hosted these challenges is…"
"Let me guess, Neymar's."
"Yeah."
"Don't worry, I'll handle it."
"Thanks." Ali replied with a smile.
Neymar's, a business family that's been in the country for quite a few decades now and even has a little bit of power and political say for the city. The relationship between his Arya corp. and them, well let's just say a little complicated and competitive, so Ali didn't want to give any excuse to fate for starting any war or enmity again. That's why he asked for Liv's help.
"Anything else?" she asked.
"No, that's all." Ali shook his head and replied "I owe you one."
"Well, then why don't you show some sincerity and a little bit of interest, you know to get me a little motivated."
"I'll see you tomorrow, Liv. Tell uncle and aunt a little sorry for me." Ali said with a chuckle and cut the call.
..
"What?" He asked as he stopped smiling and turned his head to notice Emily just staring at him.
"Nothing."
"Then why're you giving me that look?"
"What look?"
"This _ see this angry, sour, a little sad plus jealous look."
"Whatever." Em sneered and looked away. "So you both_ umm together now?" She asked hesitatingly and focused on the road ahead.
"Kinda." Ali replied, "Liv's ready to rush things every chance she gets, but I was thinking of fixing the damage first, before we, you know.."
Emily nodded her head and started speaking "Well, good for you. You seem happy and she loves you too."
"And you?" (Ali subconsciously asked without thinking.)
"What?"
"No, nothing. Sorry." Ali shook his head and shunned that topic for now. Stupid brain, jumping to level 10 all of a sudden.
"Did you find out about those robbers and the money?" He asked, remembering another important matter.
According to his guesses and arrangements, Kevin must've wished for money, so tracking that stolen cash was very important.
Emily shook her head and replied. "No luck. Our team's still looking into it. Those guys seem to have disappeared in thin air."
"Keep an eye on it, and inform me as soon as you get the news. You can also contact Ghost or ask her to help." Ali replied and Em just nodded her head.
He closed his eyes and thought for some time about where the robbers could go or how Kevin could get the money easily but couldn't think of anything.
"Wait here, I'll be back soon." Ali said, once they reached the hospital and left the car.
After reaching the staff at reception, he asked about the doctors who operated on Kevin. From what he got through his reports, Kevin's surgery went perfectly and he just needs a couple of weeks for rest and then he can walk again. Though the limp and stuck up dogwalk poses would be there for a month or two, but no long lasting or life threatening damage was found.
"Mr Arya, are you here for the checkup? You should've just called us?" After hearing that Ali was looking for him, a chief doctor hurriedly came forward to meet him and asked.
"No, I'm here to meet you actually." Ali replied as he sat down and motioned him to sit in his chair too.
"Is everything okay? I heard you were injured, if there's anything I can do?"
"I'm fine." Ali replied, not caring which circle of people this guy got the news of his injury. Though the reports were buried, some rumors would always slip out and shared amongst people.
"Then.."
"But there is something that you can help me with."
"Anything." Hearing the young Arya needed something the doctor hurriedly agreed with a flattering expression. After all, even though his reputation was a little 'questionable' but for ordinary people he was still a giant they needed to please and avoid, lest be crushed under his command.
"Kevin Harper." Ali mentioned a name and the doctor furrowed his brows in confusion. "He's a patient at your hospital. A hit and run case victim that came around this afternoon."
"Argh, the guy with a broken leg, yeah I just gave his details to the police some time ago." The doctor added as he remembered the person. "Is he your friend? I'll just transfer him to the VIP ward and arrange a team of specialists to monitor his condition 24×7."
"Yeah, you do that. After .. you put this inside his body." Ali said, sliding a square box which held a small black chip inside a glass cube.
???
The doctor had big question marks over his head as he took the chip and kept looking it up and down in confusion. Hesitating about what to reply.
"Don't worry, it's not anything dangerous. He won't be affected or even notice it. So you know, just open his stitches and drop this in or whatever."
"Mr Arya…"
"My mom's hosting a charity event next month. I see your hospital can use a few new things, so what do you say?"
"D_done. Don't worry at all, I'll_ I'll do it myself." As soon as the doctor heard his words, his face became excited and he hurriedly nodded his head and agreed without any hesitation. After all, everyone in the upper circle knew how big a donor Mrs Arya is and how many NGOs and others are funded by her. Even if their hospital gets a little support from her, it may be more than their yearly budget, not to mention the popularity and crowd that came with her recognition.
"If there's anything else, you can tell me and I'll do it."
"Good, just remember to press the tiny pin in the corner when you're doing it." Ali said as he smiled and left the room.
'With this, he won't be going in smoke like those thieves. Forever marked in the palm of my hand.' Ali said in his heart while looking at his phone and smiled happily.