Chapter 28: Masquerade Play Night

Mail arrived to Heathergate's offices, amongst the usual mail, utility bills, registrations, pamphlets and paraphernalia, a light purple envelope stood up from the pile spread on the reception desk. Still preserving the lilac and jasmine refreshing odour, it look it contained more than just a card.

It had a key tied to a heart and a mask.

In French written language:

———————————————————

C'est Mon

Anniversaire

Venez célébré mes 50 ans

Quand?

Le Samedi 26 septembre 3022

de 20h30 jusqu'au bout de la nuit

Qú?

Å Le Châteaux d'Barleaux

- Venice Carnival Masquerade

———————————————————

Inside the violet coloured envelope, once opened it released a delicate aroma of jasmine and lavender flowers. As soon as you pulled the invitation out, a couple of masks attached to the invitation dropped to the floor. Black lace and feathers stressed the sensuality of the celebration to happen.

Some glitter came out as the invitation continued to be taken out.

20:30 ….

September 26

The place - Le Châteaux d'Barleaux

One of the most well known as one of the largest French castle where all the Barlow family lived. Well known for their winery produce all over that side of the hemisphere. Located in the best land producing land, also produced Rose and organic wines.

50 anniversary! Lovely!

-Ada said as she skimmed the invitation. Her immediate look towards Cree, looking for acknowledgement did not take long.

-are we still on time to attend?

Replied Cree

-of course hun! It has been a couple of years we have not seen the B family.

It's high time we should be!

This is a great occasion, don't you think?

Ada nodded and smiled at Cree

It sounds like a new assignment for Ada's and Cree team!

-Cree replied, finishing it with a blink of an eye…. We still have time to get ready.

In two weeks we should be ready and in our way to Châteaux d'Barleaux!

Ada reply's with raising her glass of rose wine, blowing a kiss to Cree to the other side of the office, sealed their pact.

-I guess that means we are going…. Right hun?

A mischievous vivacious eye blink crossed the room where Cree confirmed the acceptance of the invitation.

The party theme, convenient fir everyone to hide their true personality was great - a mask theme party. Just the way both Ada and Cree loved. Hugo Fonte and Florence May, the organizers were a well known couple in the area for organizing lavish stylish parties, to support the biggest charities in the world. Dignitaries, celebrities, all important people attended the parties organized by these couple.

Ada and Cree looked gorgeous as always. Ada's royal dark blue accentuated her deep dark brown eyes framed by a feathery mystical embroidery beads. Her satin colour matching long dress, accentuated her slim tall figure. Her long black hair moved as her sensual walking through the room called the attention of the gentleman and women attending the party.

Cree knew this was a great opportunity to meet more recruiters to his cause and join his philanthropists long list of contributors. This party will gather more new contacts and key people Cree could not get a hold of.

Animosity towards as the perfect excuse to create new liaisons for his cause.

The brass Philharmonic orchestra started as the last invitee crossed the main door.

Carefully music pieces curated for this party were selected, to which the invitees enjoyed dancing and cheering as the selected songs were being played.acrobatic

Hugo Fonte, the organizer of the party spotted Ada, and quickly invited her to join the other couples on the dance floor. They both enjoyed the musical piece, and the usual appreciation bow contributed to the thanksgiving gesture of just danced the played musical piece. At the end of the musical piece, the speed increased and it turned the spirits of the Russian delegation to cheer up. Hugo Fonte, second generation Russian policing, started his acrobatic Russian dance, to which his Russian fellows followed. Other dignitaries joined clapping, cheering and tossing with their wine and champagne glasses up.

It must've been too much energy reflected from this Russian dance, the power went out and total darkness invaded the room. Only the fast crazy running waters of the natural cascade waterfall could be heard. The splashing of the water down to the base of the fall seemed to roar to the air, making the bottom of the fall vibrate announcing its intimidating supremacy over the invites.

A dead silence reigned, until a chilling scream of a woman disturbed the incredible silence also broken by the broken waves of the water falling down the cascade. Whatever that could've gone through down the fall, the chances of survival was none to zero.

Rumours started as the power took some time to come back to The Châteaux d'Barleaux.

Suspicious dead silence….

The chilling scared scream of a woman startled the party, just the exact moment the power came back on.

Awes quickly changed to deadly screams, as one group of the invites noticed something remained lifeless on the floor. A body, with no signs of trauma, laid sitting on the French red velvety sofa. A garrote wire, still left on the party organizer, the castle's owner Hugo Fonte, made evident the strangulation was what it prompted this killing. Still sitting at his French sofa, did not had a chance to call for help. His eyes blacked out as the oxygen to his lungs diminished and the orchestra muffled his call for help. The struggle was so hard and violent, the metal cord cut a couple of his fingers in an attempt to stop the strangulation.

The last breath of life left him as his open mouth grasped for air.

His opened wide opened eyes, pupils fixated, right just when the last breath of life left his lifeless body.

More confusion added to the chaotic scene, where some scuffle could be heard in the farther corner of the room. Others just criticized the horrific scene, as others just looked puzzled and surprised.

Cree spotted 2msn running towards the back door…

-stop the running couple!!

Cree yelled

Cree pushed his way in as he moved amongst the confused crowd.

The suspected person turned around the corner at the very end of the walkway. Cree hurried up, worrying he might loose him out of sight.

At the end of the long corridor, a familiar way of walking seemed to be recognized by Cree. That shadowy person looked like Benjamin.

-impossible what my eyes just witnessed

Murmured Cree to himself.

It took just a moment of hesitation where Cree got knocked out vm from behind. This shadowy figure, carried Cree on his shoulder like a puppet, unconscious unable to move nor react. This tall of a figure was determined to get rid of Cree, taking a faster pace to throw his impediment to the end of the water falls.

Cree, a stranger to his surroundings, was unable to gain consciousness…..

A slow wake up, not matching the already sped up walking of this shadowy figure, made Cree unaware of how close to his the end of his fate was approaching…. Fast and steady.

Cree just slowly regained consciousness when he noticed he was about to be thrown to the never ending length of the water fall. He had to think fast, no room for hesitation.

A call to improvise - im·promp·tu was urgently called, but no one was around to provide such assistance. The slow pace, now a fast pace didn't seemed to stop this killing train.

An incredible envy disturbed look on the face of this shadowy killer, driven by hate and fate, made his eyes get even brighter as his frustration of not accomplishing his final plans to destroy the man that frustrated his malevolent ways, just a fraction of hesitation that interpreted his accomplishment of his killing plans, all of the sudden got truncated by Cree's reaction.

Cree, thinking fast, as this sinister figure lifted his body to be thrown down the water fall, Cree only quick reaction got to do was to hit him by the ears, with palms closed to make his equilibrium unstable, achieving his purpose, a momentary distraction, Cree took the opportunity to quickly pull him gown to the floor, as his legs lifted this figure over the fragile improvised veranda to his death…..

This shadowy figure did not even had a chance to pronounce nor claim his refusal to die.

As the shadowy figure plummeted to its dead, Cree found himself loosing his balance, given only one more chance to safe himself, Cree quickly noticed some overgrown tree branches pointing out through the fencing under the balcony he hold onto for dear life.

Luckily, Cree was light weight man, his endurance trained to quick react to trouble situations and muscle strength, helped him not to be taken along the deadly fall of this shady person.

Tired and muscle stricken, found his way up the balcony.

Just as Cree found himself in a safe position up in the balcony, Ada just caught up with him. Her look almost tearful, comforted Cree, to what he hold her tightly and strong kissing her.

A little stop to make Cree aware was still alive, made Ada tear up, to what Cree kissed her back passionately.

After many kisses, passionate kisses, the couple slowly realized the flame that still refused to die off, relived once again.

A strong, long hug followed by a mother passionate kiss, refreshed their everlasting love…..