22 CHAPTER 22: PREPARE FOR WAR 1

"Bangggggggg!" A gunshot echoed around the hall. People were screaming and running for their lives. The women who were well dressed are fleeing leaving their heels around the hall.

"S-Sta-cy!" She heard Ethan grasp for air. He was kneeling while holding on to his side. He was standing in front of the pulpit earlier, giving an encouraging speech. He was outstanding. He was the star of the night. He was bloomingly handsome. And he was smiling at her from time to time. It made her heart skip a beat. But from a snap of a finger, he was kneeling, holding on to his side, grasping for air. He was trying to stand up but he couldn't. He looked at her with worry, but his eyes---- it's beaming with unbelief. Suddenly he coughed an amount of blood. Blood was oozing on his side. He was shot! Aisha's eyes widened. Tears started to flow.

"DADDY!!!!!" Aisha heard a little boy scream. He saw the little boy run in front and embraced Ethan. The boy was crying. It was Eli…!!! She was about to approach them but Eli looked at her with fear------ and full of contempt!! Ethan held her son tightly as they looked at her in unbelief … She was shocked. She didn't know why.

"I hate you! Go away!!" Eli yelled at her.

"E-Eli...!" She tried to get close to them.

"I hate you! You killed my father!" Eli shouted in disdain. Ethan suddenly collapsed. He was covered with blood.

"I-I... It's not me… Eli, sweetheart… believe me it's not m------" She tried to lift her hands to embrace Eli, but she suddenly saw her hand holding a gun. "Did I shoot Ethan?!" She dropped the gun. No! She didn't do it. She could never kill the man she loved!

She shivered in fear. Tears flowed from her eyes. She saw Ethan breathlessly lying on the floor. She kept convincing herself. She didn't do it. Suddenly, she crawled near Ethan. She picked him up and embraced him. She cried for help.

"Please, somebody help … help!!" She was screaming at the top of her voice but no one seemed to care. Her eyes were already clouded with tears. She tried to yell for more help. Then she raised her head to see the people inside the hall. There were people looking at them… some with pity, some with judgment, some with hate---- towards her??? But why??

"She killed her own husband." She heard them whispering at each other.

"Poor Mr. Williams. It must been hard to see your own wife shoot you." Others were murmuring.

"Murderer… Murderer... Murderer…" She kept hearing them.

"No, No… I didn't. Please believe me…"

"Good job Aisha!" A man behind her spoke as he tapped her shoulder. He was laughing continuously. Was he crazy? She thought.

"Now, it's time to kill the son… He's not your son anyway…" The guy pulled her hands and placed the gun on her palm. He guided her as she glided her fingers on her gun. The man held her hands with the gun as they pointed out to Eli.

"M-mom? " Eli looked pitiful.

"No, Eli..." She cried.

"BANGGGGGG....!" She heard another gunshot. She opened her eyes. She pulled the trigger! Eli was already lying on the floor with his father.

"No!!!! Eli...!!!!!" She screamed.

***" Stacy... Stacy!!! She heard a man's voice but her body went numb.

"Stacy! Wake up!" The man shook her hard. Stacy grasped for some air as she woke up. She looked at the man sitting beside her, holding onto her shoulders. Worry was written all over his face.

"E-Ethan!" She hastily embraced him. She sobbed.

"It's okay. Your okay… it's just a dream…" He comforted her as he caressed her hair. Ethan opened the lampstand beside him. Aisha was wet with sweat. She looked very exhausted. Whatever her dream was earlier, it was surely a very bad one.

Earlier, Ethan told her to sleep first since he had to finish some papers for tomorrow's signing ceremony, for their newly acquired hotel project. It was already 1 am when he came out from his study room. When he finished his bath, he went to bed. But he noticed that Stacy was sweating profusely. She was struggling. She kept wiggling. Then he heard her whispered, "No… No… please don't…" Then a tear escaped from her closed eyes. She was having a nightmare! So Ethan woke her up. He's been shaking her for more than a minute.

"E-ethan..." She kept repeating his name while hugging him tightly. She didn't let him go for at least 5 minutes.

"Shhh… it's okay… it was just a nightmare. Don't worry, I'm here…" Ethan assured her. After a while, she released him. Ethan looked her in the eyes.

"Tell me what happened?" Ethan asked. Aisha looked away. She didn't know if she should tell him or not.

"It's okay. Just tell me what happened." He probed.

"I-I had a bad dream. A very bad dream." She said with her head bowed. "I-- you... You were shot. I saw you died,.." She sobbed. She couldn't continue anymore. Ethan didn't ask further.

"Ssshhhh... Don't worry, look at me. I'm alive. Everything is just a dream. Okay. Dreams are meant to be the opposite. So don't worry too much." He caressed her hair and kissed her forehead. Ethan wiped away her tears then he kissed her lips.

"It's just a dream. Go back to sleep. I'll be here when you wake up." Aisha nodded. Ethan cuddled her as she pushed herself closer to his chest. Then they both closed their eyes to sleep.

** Aisha got up early in the morning. She looked at Ethan who was sleeping soundly. She took her phone and dialed Hunter's number. She had to act before its too late.

Ethan woke up late. Anyway, it's weekend. He made sure to clear his schedules on weekend as per Stacy's request.

"Have you seen Stacy?" He asked Eli who was sitting at the dining table munching his pancake. Eli shook his head giving him an idea that his son hadn't seen her yet.

"She went out the mansion at 6am. She said she will visit a friend and she will be coming home late." One of their maids answered.

"Dad, are we going to great paps today?" Eli asked.

"Not now son. Daddy will be going somewhere today and mom will be coming home late. Next time, I promise." Ethan explained.

"Okay dad." Eli nodded in understanding.

***Aisha was in the pet shop with Hunter at 6:30am. They went down and entered a secret door were armors and weapons were well hidden.

"I never expected to use these weapons in this city. I thought I will live a normal life. Good thing I bought some with me." Aisha said while looking at the different kinds of firearms displayed. She only brought her personalized handgun. But she needed more so she asked Hunter to show her an AR 15 rifle and a .50 Caliber Sniper Rifle.

Aisha roamed around the room looking for possible hand carry weapons. She came across some types of Damascus steel knife.

"I need this." She pointed out the custom hand made Damascus steel hunting knife. Hunter reached it for her and handed her the knife carefully.

"The blade is very sharp. Just so be careful because it can penetrate someone's body easily." He warned her. She nodded.

"Did you trace the call history of the phone I gave you?" She asked seriously.

"Yes. But there's nothing unusual on it. I think the client is not directly in contact with the bounty hunters." Hunter sighed as well as Aisha.

"I have to get them as quickly as possible!" She was frustrated. She hit the wall beside her.

"Easy… they will show their selves sooner or later." He assured her.

"Hunter, I need to ask you a favor." Hunter nodded, "I need some tracking devices...make sure to connect it to my phone as well as on your computer. I might need your help sooner."

Hunter looked at her intriguingly. He didn't know why, but she might have a good reason for it.

"Okay… you can get it as early as tomorrow." Hunter answered.