Sweet dreams

" Your reports from the recent contracts, that's very much unlike you, Spider. But I must say, congratulations! You've become quite infamous. "

Aletta stood stiff as she processed his words. She did wonder how thin his patience would run and it seemed like this was the day.

" My apologies Sir Rodriguez. I would keep these in mind. I plead for a chance to prove my worth. "

She bowed excusing herself and neared the door without waiting for his answer.

" Don't plead, my love. I know you will correct yourself else you know what happens. Just consider this as a friendly remainder and get to work. "

Aletta did bother to respond and closed the doors exiting his office. A sigh of relief left her soul leaning behind.

She was tired....tired of the deeds she's been doing. Slaughtering people like they are nothing and mourning as if she felt guilty.

She never understood the meaning behind this act. Slowing picking up the photo of her parents from her pocket, she stared at it with empty eyes.

𝘑𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩? 𝘐'𝘮 𝘵𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨... 𝘛𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘮. 𝘐𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘰𝘥𝘳𝘪 𝘐'𝘮 𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 ? 𝘖𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦.

𝘋𝘰 𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥?

She left place and went towards her mansion. Entering her room she found a letter on the table.

It had been quite a long since she ever received a letter other than from the organization.

' 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘺𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘙𝘰𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘶𝘦𝘻. 𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦, 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦. 𝘒𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘦'𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳'𝘴 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯'𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘐 𝘢𝘮.

- 𝘕𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘉𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 '

A frown occupied her face. Her last investigation had cleared her thoughts that Rodriguez's father was dead, but now after receiving a letter from Bates her thoughts twitched.

Aletta found noting about Norman on the city records, as if he never existed. His findings about Rodriguez's father Genki was far more suspicious.

𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘎𝘦𝘯𝘬𝘪 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩? 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘩𝘺𝘴𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘣𝘶𝘵.... 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨?

On the other hand, Weber and Nori were trying to complete their works like there was no tomorrow.

If it wasn't for their colleague Keith Forrester, they would've bolt for freedom.

" That's it! I'm heading home. I intend to sleep like a log for the rest of the night. "

Nori stood up in the middle of her paper work and looked around only to find empty office with two workaholic criminals.

" Of course you can, after paying for my precious coffee cup that you broke this morning, Schwartz. "

Keith's sarcastic smile tensed up the entire office. Nori changed herself into a forceful laugh along with Weber who gulped hard.

" For heaven's sake, Nori. You ain't pulling this on that grumpy cat !! " Weber whispered pulling her back to her seat.

" Going? Who's going ? What's home? I'm determined to finished this paper work. Another cup of coffee please ! " She screeched going towards the counter.

Another night spent with tons of works and worries passed as dawn broke out once again with greeting of Aletta as she entered their base.

Their one and only sweetest secretary , Celeste Woods greeted with a cheerful smile as always upon seeing Aletta.

" I swear on the heavens, if I have to greet another human on this morning, there shall be a death. "

The Grumpy Keith's warning sent chills down her spine. Instead she turned towards her best friends who were sleep deprived.

" Al !!! Helpeth me, milady....I can't...anymore. My soul aches from lack of sleep ! " Nori ran towards Aletta staring at Keith.

" Stop whining, kid. Get you bones to work. None of us have slept. " Weber said smacking her head.

Aletta simply shrugged at Nori who was now showing her puppy eyes and went back to her desk keeping her coat draped on one of the hangers.

" Ayy.. Don't you think it's a good day for a stroll. We don't have new players plus we get to rejoice our popularity."

" Stroll ? What about you pending work on those records?"

Weber's question triggered the inner queen of Nori who was about to walk off the door.

" Ow...Ow... My !! I have a terrible headache ! I'm going to faint. "

" Have you ever considered a career change Nori? You are better at it than being an assassin. "

His question only received a glare from her.

" Adorable, aren't they? "

Aletta said as she stood near Keith sipping her coffee. Indeed the morning in thier base would like any other normally functioning offices rather than a underworld base.

" I would like to ban being energetic early in the morning.

We have a meeting in few minutes. Ya'll better be there before becoming my next targets. "

Keith spoke as he went out while others followed him.

.

.

" We don't have to wait anymore, Rodri. Finish her before Norman finds her.....I don't want troubles tailing us again. This empire that I built isn't meant to be collapsed this soon."

" But father- "

" I don't remember permitting you to speak, dear son. "

Rodriguez closed his eyes recalling everything as he laid down on his bed. There was frustration filled in him. He wanted to scream but he was afraid.

" What are you hiding from me, Aletta ? "

His silent whisper echoed throughout the silent room as he slowly drifted to his world recalling one of his sweet memories.....

" Al, Where are you? I promise I won't show that to uncle. "

Little Rodriguez's screams where filled in the garden in the process of finding Aletta.

He jumped over vertical garden with all his might only to find her sitting between the bushes. A smile appeared his face. She looked up at his voice with a glare.

" I won't buy that like always."

Rodriguez couldn't help but laugh at her pout. He was planning to show the tiny clay model she made to their uncle instead he threw his dearest stuffed toy on top of her.

" You should casually stop around your toys. I won't help you mend it, if it tears. "

" It won't just tear, you made it after all. Yaaaah ! I know what you need now."

He pulled her up the bushes and led her to a cave near them. It wasn't an obvious place yet it was known only to them. Aletta's jaws dropped seeing the place.

The dark cave they used to play every time had turned into a fairytale with lights and flowers all over.

Before she could realize, he placed a wreath on her head surprising her.

" I was right ! It does suit you well. "

" Y-You made this? Nah ... Rodri, you don't have to lie just to lighten my mood. "

Rodriguez was stunned to speak. It was true that he never tried anything on his to an extent that he was shocked when he made a wreath.

" Seriously, Al ? I may haven't done anything but see I did this garland on my own."

Aletta laughed at his desperate trial for innocence. " I know, I know. You made this and it's very beautiful. Thanks Rodri."

" You don't think it ends here, do you? "

Rodriguez question made her even more confused but in the next moment she found herself being dragged by him to the shore nearest to them.

Ear-deafening bustle of music and dance, dolls, woodworks, earthen pots and jars, bamboo-made baskets, fancy goods, and sweetmeats arranged in sequential stalls.

Magic and puppet shows were being the chief attraction of the two.

Looking and buying different things for themselves and for their dear and near ones. But as they moved forward in rush Aletta found herself going alone with his memories....

A tear escaped Rodriguez eyes who felt as if he was back in those times again.

𝘈𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘢, 𝘐'𝘮 𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘺.... 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧𝘪𝘴𝘩, 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘐 ?