chapter 8

Roselyn Bell

I acted just the way Adriet had asked me to. I was playing all cool and had that I-don't-fucking-care expression on my face as we were travelling through the empty and scary streets. I wasn't really nervous or afraid, because I knew Adriet had got my back. But was it right to rely on a stranger like him?

"Don't worry. All you need to do is give the chip to Robert", he said while drumming his fingers on the steering.

"Robert?" I asked.

"He is the one who we call 'they'", he said with a smirk. I wanted to ask whether he was the one behind the attack in the mall but I didn't say anything. We soon reached a dead end. There was nothing around; not even a warehouse (like those in movies). Matthew took his phone out and dialled a number and immediately hung up. Not even a second later, there were a number of cars coming towards us.

"He is here", Matthew said and moved away from me. The cars came to a halt and men dressed in black suits came out. What have you got yourself into? I thought to myself. Just till last week, I was a normal adult who was working for a living and feeding stray dogs and puppies surrounded by happy people and now I was around people who were carrying guns and whatnot with them. Where is Adriet? Is he waiting for me to get killed? Suddenly a man came out of the black Audi. He was different from everyone. I was able to tell him apart.

He was tall. He looked way too familiar. His dark brown hair and blue eyes reminded me of Adriet. There was no way in hell he was related to Adriet.

"Matthew, my friend!" Robert said. He had a very thick Russian accent. "Why didn't you tell me our little guest was so beautiful? I would have never agreed to meet here in this isolated place" he said while bringing his gaze towards me. He was making me very uncomfortable. "Oh! So rude of me! I am Robert. Nice to meet you Roselyn!" he shook my hands. "Now, before anything happens, give me the chip," he said while patting my cheek.

"I'll give it to you but what will I get in return?" I asked boldly. It was not the part of the plan but I can't just a make a fool of myself.

"Business girl. I see", he smirked. "I'll let your father free. Now give me the chip", he replied while moving his hands towards me.

"Some warning would have been better, Robert." Thank God this person has reached here on time. Robert turned and his smirk grew even bigger.

"Brother!" he said and stretched his hand to hug Adriet.

Wait! They are brothers?!

"Here's the chip", Adriet said while giving him an envelope. Wait! Isn't the chip with me? As if understanding my question, Adriet simply shook his head at me. I quickly walked up to him. He pulled me towards him as if, if he let go of me, I would disappear.

"It would be better if we check the chip, Fedor. So stay", Robert said and gave the chip to one of his henchmen. And pulled out his gun and pointed towards me. Okay, I wasn't expecting this. I looked up at Adriet and he still had that cool expression on his face.

"Wouldn't it be okay if you put that gun down, Mr Robert?" I asked boldly, not exactly caring about the repercussions.

"Now darling, you see, I don't really trust your man here. So I need to be prepared", he said while fiddling with the revolver.

"And what if he has made a copy of that chip?" I asked while raising my eyebrow. Robert gave a hearty laugh.

"That chip can't be generated in any form darling", he said and lowered his gun. Robert shouted something in Russian and a man hurriedly came running. He said something and at that very moment, firing started. Adriet pulled me with him. He had his gun in his hand now. I wasn't able to react in any way.

"Listen Rosie you will stay here till I come back and get you", he ordered and pulled me behind a car. He made me kneel down and then went away. I was very still and all I could think of was a better hiding position. I saw Adriet few feet away from the car. Suddenly I felt someone behind me. It was Ross.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him.

"Probably following Adriet's commands", he said with a smirk. I always imagined Ross to be the coy one but now he had a gun in his hand and was firing like a mad person.

"Kitty I will just be back", he put his hand in my back and went. I didn't know what to do. So I just sat there like a dumb person. I don't know for how long I sat there but then I felt someone dragging me with them.

"Hey! What are you do..." I was frantically kicking my legs. "Adriet!!" I screamed his name. "Adriet!" I was probably looking like a madwoman. "Adriet!" I was just screaming. Adriet was just a little way away from me.

"Fedor!" It was that fucking Robert. "Guns down and I will let your little girlfriend go." He creased my cheek with his gun. My head was completely tilted over his shoulder so I wasn't able to see anything clearly. Gradually all the noise died off.

"Robert, just let her go." I think it was Ross.

"Give me the chip and I will let her go", he said while moving around, probably to check if there was anyone who might attack him from behind. My neck was hurting and the metal that he had pressed against my neck was very painful.

"Fine." It was Adriet's cold voice. "But you need to let her go. It's with her", he said. What the heck is he thinking.

"Don't play with me Fedor", he said while pressing the gun even harder.

"It's really with me", I said with much difficulty.

"Where is it?" he asked anxiously.

"It's in my back pocket", I said. He slid his hand inside the pocket and pushed me away with great force. There were a loud bang and the next thing I knew that blood was oozing out of my left leg. The pain was unbearable. Tears were streaming down my cheek. The wound was pretty bad. Adriet was beside me in an instant.

"It's fine don't worry" he quickly scooped me from the ground. "Don't bend your leg" he quickly made me sit on the back seat. But the problem was, I still wasn't unconscious. He quickly came to the other side and told the driver to drive to the hospital.

"It will be just fine." He held my hand and gave it a squeeze.

"I hate you. Really. A lot!" My voice cracked. I was crying a lot.

"Trust me, you don't", he chuckled. I buried my face into his chest. I was feeling very weak. I was sure my face was red by now from all that crying. Adriet was stroking my hair constantly and was saying all the soothing words. It was all foreign for me.

"How long will it take?" I asked. The pain was unbearable now. I couldn't take it anymore. I started panicking.

"Roselyn Roselyn", Adriet tried to calm me down. "Look at me. Just keep looking at me " I did as he had asked. I kept looking at him. "Now forget about the pain. You are just fine. Think about something happy", he said. He was holding me by my forearm. My leg was resting on his lap. I started thinking about my good memories. But it wasn't really helping.

"I am not able to get my mind off the pain Adriet", I said while looking straight in his eyes.

"Okay. Tell me about that memory." He was talking to me as if I was a little girl.

"The time I got Lila." I wanted to state it but it came out as a question.

"Tell me more about it", he said with a genuine smile.

"She is my dog - German Shepherd." I don't know but whenever I thought about her, I'd get happy; really happy. "She was eight months old when we bought her." I could feel that big smile on my face. I wasn't looking at Adriet now. "But when I moved to New York with Chloe, I had to leave her. That was really very painful. But she keeps mom entertained. She is an amazing dog. You know my mom used to say it was because of Lila that she didn't miss me", I said with a giggle. "You know, I sometimes think if Lila was the reason that mom was still happy." Maybe.

"I am sure." He looked at me and smiled. "Come on. We are here." Adriet was right. I had totally forgotten about my pain but now, it had again started paining like hell. Probably, he was about to go bridal style on me again but I stopped him.

"Adriet! No, you are not gonna do that!", I said while backing away from him on the seat.

"You can't walk. Come on." Within a second, he had scooped me in his arms like a baby and took me to the emergency services. They laid me down on a stretcher and I saw a lot many people running around me. I saw Adriet was still holding my hand. I felt a piercing sensation on my left wrist. And then everything went black.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I woke up to the sound of beeping machines. My head was throbbing. I saw Adriet still sitting beside me. He had changed his clothes. He was sleeping with his one hand resting on his head and the other was still clutching mine. Unknowingly a small smile crept up on my face. I stirred a little bit just to wake him up and as expected, he woke up.

"You are up!" His voice was hoarse. "Let me call the doctor." He pressed a button beside my bed and a doctor in his late thirties came in. He had those wild blue eyes and light brown hair which are generally adorned by people with mature minds.

"Hello, Roselyn! I am Dr Ed. Let's see how much you have recovered." He had a deep voice which sent shivers down my spine.

"I guess you are completely fine now. I'll get your discharge papers ready. Take care Roselyn!", he said with a charming smile and went out.

"Are you fine?", Adriet asked, pulling me out of my daydream.

"I guess so", I said while giving him a subtle smile. "For how long had I been out?" I asked while re-adjusting my position.

"Eighteen hours", he said with a sigh. "Apparently your body couldn't handle even that much of anaesthesia", he said with a chuckle, earning a glare from me. "Okay fine. Now go and change your clothes. They are right there in that bag", he said while pointing at a black bag sitting on the couch.

"Adriet..." I really wanted to ask him about the chip but I felt a little hesitant.

"Yes?" he asked while turning towards me.

"What happened to that chip?" I asked.

"You don't worry", he chuckled. "There was nothing in that chip. Now go and change and stop giving me that look. You make me feel guilty", he said with a smile. But I wasn't yet satisfied.

"If you are guilty, then can I ask you for something?" I asked while raising my eyebrow.

"What?" he looked at me with suspicion.

"Can you teach me how to shoot-" he cut me off before I could even finish.

"NO!" it came out so firmly.

"Why?" I whined like a baby.

"Because you can't! Now go and change!" Why is he being such an ass? I decided to play my blackmail bait.

"You listen to me, Mister! It's because of you, that I am here in this condition and my leg is still hurting!" I said while rubbing my right leg "So please teach me!" I gave him my best puppy-eyes look and pouted. It was working a little bit but he still gave a straight 'no'.

"Fine!" I said and got off the bed. Adriet was on my side in a jiffy. "Now, why are you concerned?" I mocked him rudely. But he looked at me with amazement.

We were almost near the door when he whispered in my ear, "Just for the record, he had shot you on the left leg", he smirked and went out of the room.

Argh!!! Dang him!!