275: THROUGH THE ALLEY ARIEL’S POV So, it had been quite an exhausting and stressful day. It’s not stressful; I just said that because of the scene at Luke’s mansion a while ago. All good now cause I was already ‘making my way out of there, along with Janice. I had promised her earlier that we would go on a mother–daughter trip. I had the perfect place in mind – a salt lake I had stumbled upon during one of my morning runs a year ago. The location just pooped up in my head, and I was like, ‘Okay, we gotta go, right?”. It was a hidden gem, with crystal clear water and stunning views. Getting ready, we both packed a small picnic basket with snacks and a camera. Janice. insisted on bringing a stuffed bunny, which she called Floppy, along for the trip. Randy gave it to her as a sign of their new friendship. We got into the car, and Randy and Ethan soon wished us safe journeys. They were so sweet, no lie about that. So now, we were on our way to our little adventure. While I was driving, Janice chattered non–stop, excitedly pointing out every tree and bird. we passed by. With beautiful trees and ravishing locations, New Haven was just wonderful. After a short drive, we reached the salt lake, and Janice’s eyes widened in amazement as she took in the breathtaking view. “Wow, mommy, this place is beautiful!“She tugged my hand. I smiled and led her towards the water. We took off our shoes and felt the cool, salty water on our feet. Janice squealed in delight and started running around, chasing after the small fish that swam near the shore. “Why is the water so salty, Mommy?” she asked, her curiosity piqued. “Well, this lake is called a salt lake because it has a high concentration of salt in it. That’s what makes the water so clear and blue,” I explained, trying my best to sound like a science teacher. Janice nodded, taking in the information before running off again to explore. I took out my camera and started taking pictures of her, capturing every moment of her happiness. “Mommy, come play with me!” She called out, holding Floppy up in the air. I couldn’t resist her infectious energy and joined in on the fun. We splashed around in the water, played tag, and built sandcastles. It was the perfect day. The sun started setting, and we sat on a nearby rock, enjoying our snacks. Janice munched on her favorite chocolate chip cookies while I sipped on some lemonade. We watched as the sky turned into shades of pink and orange, the water reflecting the colors like a mirror. “Mommy, can we come back here again?” Janice asked, snuggling into my side. “Of course, sweetie. We can make this our special place,” I replied, kissing the top of her head. We stayed until the sun completely disappeared behind the mountains and then returned to the car, happy and content. “So, where are we going now? Daddy’s house?” Janice quizzed. “No, we’re heading back home, not Daddy’s house,” I replied, staring at the car. Driving home, Janice fell asleep with Floppy in her arms, a big smile still on her face. I couldn’t wait to print out the pictures I took and frame them to always remind us of this beautiful day we spent together. If only Lukel had been here, he would have really loved this place. LUKE’S POV I walked into the restaurant, the smell of sizzling steaks and garlic bread filling my nostrils. I scanned the room, looking for the man I was supposed to meet. I spotted him sitting at a table near the back, his large frame almost spilling over the chair. I approached him, dodging waiters carrying trays of food and couples chatting over glasses of wine. “Leonardo?” I said, extending my hand for a shake. “That’s me,” he replied, his voice deep and booming. “Luke, right? Take a seat.” I sat down across from him, and we exchanged pleasantries. Then, I got straight to the point. “So, why did you terminate our project, Leonardo? We had a good thing going.” His face turned serious. “You were just messing with me, Luke. Giving me no response in the past few days. I couldn’t work with someone like that.” I felt a pang of guilt. “I’m sorry. I’ve been really busy with different stuff. I didn’t mean to ignore you.” He sighed. “Well, it’s too late now. I’ve already found someone else to partner with. But let’s forget about that. How about we order some food and catch up?” Before I could respond, the sound of gunshots rang out, causing chaos in the restaurant. I looked around, trying to make sense of what was happening. Two men had entered the restaurant, their faces covered with masks, and they were shooting at anyone in sight. “Get down!” I yelled, pulling Leonardo under the table with me. We huddled together, trying to stay out of sight. The sound of screams and breaking glass filled the air. I spotted a waiter running in another direction, and I nudged Leonardo. “We should follow him,” I said, pointing toward the waiter. “He might know a way out.” He nodded, and we crawled out from under the table, staying low to the ground. We followed the waiter through a back door into a dark alley behind the restaurant. When the waiter noticed us following him, he turned around, fear evident in his eyes. “What are you doing?” he asked. “Why are you following me?” “We’re just trying to get out of here,” I replied, trying to calm him down. “Do you know a way out of this alley?” “No, please leave me alone,” he answered, but his voice was shaking. So apparently, he was frightened. But goddamn, this man shouldn’t be scared of us. “Look, we’re the good guys, okay? We just want to find a way out. And I believe you know that. If not, why are we here?” I told him. He was still staring at us, not knowing what to do, and Leonardo spoke, “He already told you everything. Do we look like criminals to you? Or haven’t you heard of Luke Reynold and the great Leonardo?” “The great Leonardo?” I gave him a puzzled face right away. “Yeah, just a title I gave myself. I’m not that famous, but it’s cool,” he whispered. I turned to the waiter. “So, are you going to help us out?” He hesitated for a moment before nodding. There’s a door at the end of this alley. It leads to the street. But be careful; those guys are still in the restaurant.” “Thanks, won’t you be coming with us?” I queried. “No, I have other things to do.” “Okay,” I nodded and walked away, with Leonardo moving behind me. We followed his directions, keeping a lookout for the masked men. As we reached the door, we heard police sirens approaching. We quickly opened the door and stepped out onto the street, glad to be out of harm’s way. “That was too close,” Leonardo said, taking a deep breath. “I never expected something like this to happen in a quiet restaurant.” I I nodded in agreement. “Yeah, it’s quite fucked up that these things keep on happening day by day.” “New Haven needs to improve in their security.” “Okay,” I said, turning to him. “Aren’t we going to talk about this project?”