Chapter Twenty three

*Alex pov*

We feasted, drank and were even entertained with games and more from everyone...then suddenly, my phone rang.

phone call:

Alex: Hello Alice?

Alice: Sorry to disturb you on your day off sir but there's an emergency and we need you.

Alex: I'm sure you have capable hands there, but is there a specific reason for calling me?

Alice: Yes sir, the person who was brought in to the Emergency room is listed under the 9 people to be treated by you. The list you submitted prior to your arrival. The patient has a broken arm and appears to have been poisoned, He's completely unconscious sir, but we can't begin operation without you. He's being prepped for the operation as we speak.

I looked around my table and noticed one particular empty seat.

Alex: Where was he brought from?

Alice: Beerborn Club sir, I believe his name is Malik sir?

Alex: I'm on my way.

I set down my phone and stared at the members of the table. They hushed down and stared back at me.

"I'm afraid we're celebrating too early, one of us just got caught. Maureen and Audrey, investigate the situation from the web, Jill, Kim and Madonna gear up, Willow and Chris drive me to the hospital as fast as possible.

This is the situation, Malik was attacked at Beerborn, somehow got poison and has a broken arm. Don't let the culprit get away with it!" I said as I rose and put on my coat.

They all stood up and sprung into action, Chris and Willow led me out to the car and we floored it to the hospital.

Once we got into my office, they both changed into the light green nurse uniforms and got my lab coat, mask and gloves on. I nodded to Willow and she walked out first with a note and pen. Chris on the other hand accompanied me to the ER where Malik laid unconscious.

My eyes went wide as I saw the sorry state he was in. His right arm was twisted all the way back, and an oxygen mask placed on his face.

Shaking off the shock, I sprung into action, while Chris stood at the side and watched without any expression.

**********************************************

(Back at the Mansion)

Jill poured out ammo from a sack on the iron tray where she, Kim and Madonna were gathered around.

She loaded snipers and other long range fire arms and pushed them to Kim who in turn fitted them perfectly on her suit.

Hand guns, stun guns and shock absorbent gloves were pushed to Madonna. Jill armed herself to the teeth earning her strange looks from Kim and Madonna.

"What? we don't know who we're going after yet, might as well prepare for anything" She said and walked out of the ammunition room, the other two followed.

The three walked into meeting room where Maurie and Audrey were staring at a laptop. "Any leads?" Madonna asked as she walked over to them and patted Audrey's head.

"There's sound but no visuals, it's risky" Audrey said sternly. "True, Beerborn isn't so big but there's definitely a lot of people trouping in and out. we've been checking through our security system Chris fixed in there so we're able to pick up videos and voice. I intend to match voices to identify the attacker but it's going to take time" Maurie explained while her fingers kept pressing away on her laptop.

"So we're going in blind but not deaf" Jill said. "I'll go get the sound gadgets, I'll try to see if I can pick up the sound from a height." Kim said and went back into the ammo room.

"You're still going?" Audrey asked tugging on the thick bodysuit his sister wore. Madonna patted his head and nodded "I'd be a poor excuse for an Ace if I didn't get in on this action... Don't worry okay? be my eyes from here and I'll keep my ears open too. deal?" she asked and stretched out her hand. Audrey took her hand without any hesitation. "Just so we're clear, if you come back with injuries, I forbid you from going for any unnecessary late night ice cream and you'll be on bed rest for a month!, deal?" he asked glaring. Madonna pouted and shook his hand.

"Deal".

....

*Madonna's P.O.V*

I've been riding around town for almost an hour, the gadget Jill placed on my ears before we split up is supposed to help me pick up the assassin's voice... but I haven't heard anything. Even worse, the lane I've been combing around just gets even more quiet.

I stopped my bike by a lamp post and took a deep breath... Nothing, absolute silence...so quiet that I didn't even hear myself breath.... no, that's wrong...

I took off the gadget and the guns going off in the distance and wailing flooded my ears.

I hung the gadget on my bike handle and sped back to where I heard the noises come from.

it was too dark, but I could see the silhouette of a burly man and small woman, the man kept kicking her and chuckling while she released screams after screams of pain.

I hesitated, unsure if this was really my business, until he said it...

"You're too weak to be Banks *kicks* , just like that club boy...say ... is he a friend of yours? did you track me down to get revenge for him little lady? hmmm?.... *kicks her ribs*, Tsk, you're both garbage" he said and kicked her hard enough to roll and slam against the wall.

The man only narrowly dodged my bullet to his head. He turned to my direction and paused. I stood still with my gun still aiming at him.

He chuckled and walked towards me, his footfalls loud and intimidating. halfway towards me, he picked up his pace. I quickly took out the other gun from my side and began shooting at the ground near his feet. He stopped moving and put his hands at his side.

"I would have offered you the option of just shooting yourself to make this easier for both of us... but I'm more interested in ending you myself, I mean, you're definitely the one I've come all this way looking for"

I sighed and walked towards him quietly, firing one gun at his feet and the other at his head simultaneously. He somehow kept dodging it as he stepped back to avoid the bullets by his feet.

I changed my aim from his head to his neck and slightly quickened my pace. I heard him groan and suddenly dash behind a wall.

I spared a glance at the woman by the wall, it was Jill just as I had suspected. I kept my eyes back in front of where my target was, and raised one gun upward and the other straight in front and fired at the same time.

Hopefully Kim got my signal... because my target's already moving.