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aiorevelations · 4 years ago

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A Number, Not a Name: part five

Chapter 5: Collision Course

Three months earlier:

Norvan clenched his fists as he struggled to control his growing anger. Thoughts raced through his mind. Not even one week ago the pieces of the puzzle were continuing to fall in place. Everything was going according to plan. But now in light of recent events, he couldn’t help but feel that everything they had worked toward was beginning to slip away. Success is certain. That had always been his motto in life. A saying he had always stood by. But now he had been given a rude awakening. Reminded that nothing in life is assured, least of all, power. He passed through an iron gate, beyond which a BMW was parked, and walked a few more feet until he reached the car. Norvan opened the right rear passenger door and quickly climbed in.

“Where to sir?” his driver Aren asked.

“Home Aren.” Norvan quietly replied.

“Of course sir.”

Aren turned the key in the ignition and the BMW roared to life. He then pressed down on the gas pedal and they began making their way from the large mansion and down the wooded mountainside.

For several minutes Norvan and Aren rode in silence, Norvan completely lost in his thoughts about the events of the last few days.

Aren glanced in his boss’ direction and noticed the pensive uneasy expression spread across his face as Norvan peered through the passenger window.

“Sir?” Aren asked, interrupting Norvan’s thoughts.

Norvan turned his head toward Aren. “Yes, what is it?” He asked, not much in the mood for conversation.

“Forgive me for asking,” he spoke somewhat hesitantly “but are you, all right? Pardon me for saying this sir but you don’t look well.”

“I’m fine Aren. Just a little tired is all. I haven’t been able to get much sleep lately.”

He glanced momentarily at his reflection in the window. His hair was disheveled and large dark circles had formed under his eyes. On the outside, it looked as though he hadn’t slept for months which was probably true. He couldn’t remember the last time he had slept. The stress and constant worry of the past few months had heavily weighed on him through all hours of the day and try as he might he couldn’t shake them.

Aren spoke again, “Well, we have a long drive ahead of us sir. Perhaps you can get some rest on the way.”

“I believe I wi—”

Norvan was suddenly cut off as a bullet shattered the rear windshield sending shards of glass flying toward him and Aren.

Norvan quickly turned his head and saw three vehicles following behind them.

“Hold on sir!” Aren flattened the accelerator to the floor, pushing them each back in their seats as the car accelerated forward.

Aren drove the car as fast as he could, mindful of the winding road, and the steep embankment on one side of them. Afraid they might drive off the road to their certain deaths. After a few moments, Norvan carefully looked behind him again and saw the line of cars still in hot pursuit. Drawing closer to the BMW with every passing second. It was clear they would soon catch up to them.

“Shoot!” Norvan muttered under his breath as he bent down and grabbed a gun from under his seat. It was something that he had always kept hidden there for situations like this. In his line of work, one could never be too prepared. For a brief moment, he stared down at the gleaming pistol and then cocked back the safety. He turned around and aimed the gun through the shattered rear windshield. Norvan could feel his heart beating rapidly and drops of sweat trickling down his face. He struggled to keep his aim steady as his hands were shaking profusely. He swallowed hard and pulled back the trigger. He fired off a rapid succession of shots which sent one car careening to the side. He assumed he’d hit the driver.

Within seconds the BMW was hit by another barrage of bullets. Norvan sharply inhaled as he felt a searing pain shoot through his side. The sudden agonizing pain caused him to drop the gun beside him on the back seat. He could feel a wet, sticky liquid dripping down his chest. Looking down he saw the whole side of his blazer and shirt stained red with blood. He quickly dug a handkerchief from his pocket and stuffed it up under his coat, pressing it tight against the bleeding wound. An involuntary gasp escaped his lips as he reacted to the pain unleashed by the slight contact. Even with his high pain threshold, he was in agony. Aren, hearing his boss’ distress, called out to him.

“Sir! Sir are you all right?!”

“I—” he took a deep breath “I’m fine. Just ge—aaahhhh!” Another sudden jolt of pain racked Norvan’s body, sending him crumpling to the car floor.

“Sir! Sir!!” Aren called out desperately to Norvan after hearing him violently collapse.

As Norvan lay there on the carpeted floor he could make out the muffled sounds of Aren calling out to him over and over. No matter how hard he tried no sound or response came from his lips. As time passed he could feel himself slipping further into unconsciousness. The once overwhelming sounds of gunfire and tires skidding were now mere echoes in the distance. The previously distinguishable form of Aren was now a blackened shadow. He tried to fight it, telling himself to stay awake. That this wasn’t how it was supposed to end. However, he knew the writing was on the wall. In his nearly unconscious state, he heard a muffled yet eerily distinct noise that sounded like an explosion. This was followed by another indistinct yet terrorizing sound. Was it a cry of pain, a shriek, or the sound of wailing? He couldn’t tell. Only one thing was certain, time was up. He saw lapses of flames engulfing the sides of the BMW and could feel himself being lifted off the car floor. It was as if he was suspended in the air for a moment. Frozen in time, floating in mid-air, defying the laws of gravity. For a brief second, he saw the grey of the carpet, then everything faded to black.

…..

Present-day:

Thunder rumbled overhead and lightning streaked across the sky as Adrian drove carefully to the hotel where Tasha and Jason would be staying. A heavy torrent of rain enveloped the Mercedes, the windshield wipers swiping back and forth furiously to wipe the drops of rain off the glass. For Tasha and Jason, the sudden weather change was unexpected as it was bright and sunny out that morning when they first arrived. They learned from Tarek that unexpected rain showers were something to be expected here in Krudia. After driving for over an hour they finally arrived at their destination.

They pulled up in front of the marble stone building. The exterior of the hotel was very beautiful with iron balconies attached to each suite. The building was also heavily detailed with stone carvings and columns. There were also two Ravenna fountains on either side of the portes-cochère, each one surrounded by a colorful assortment of flowers such as carnations, chrysanthemums, and hydrangeas. Tarek, Jason, and Tasha stepped out of the car. Tarek retrieved their belongings from the back and set them on the sidewalk next to Tasha and Jason.

“Thanks for driving us here,” Jason said.

“And for getting our luggage,” Tasha added.

“Certainly, anything for Dalmar’s associates. We’ll be seeing you Saturday evening. Good afternoon.”

“Good afternoon,” Tasha and Jason each replied in succession.

Tarek climbed in the car and the Mercedes pulled away.

“Let’s get out of this rain before we get soaked,” Jason said as he picked up their bags and headed for the entrance.

“I think it may be a little too late for that,” Tasha stated as she glanced at their drenched clothes.

Jason and Tasha both laughed and made a dash for the front door. They stepped into the lobby and walked over to the front desk, where they were greeted with a receptionist’s cheery welcome.

“Good evening Madam, Monsieur. Welcome to The Chardell”

“Hello, I’m Melinda Tylerson and this is Edward Delucas. We have reservations.”

The hotel clerk opened the hotel’s registry on the computer and scanned the list of names.

“Let me see, Tylerson...Delucas….Ah yes, you have booked rooms 202 and 204.” The clerk retrieved the keys and handed them to Tasha and Jason.

“Here are your keys.”

“Thanks” Jason responded as he took both of them. “Here you go, Melinda.”

“Thank you, Edward.”

“The bell boy will bring your luggage up to your rooms.” The receptionist pressed down on the service bell.

A young teenage boy emerged from the curtains behind the desk.

“Yes, Mr. Perot.”

“Henrie, take Mr. Delucas’ and Ms. Tylerson’s luggage to their quarters. It’s rooms 202 and 204.”

“Of course sir.” Henrie bent down and grabbed their suitcases.

“Right this way.”

“Thanks,” Jason replied.

“Thank you.”

Tasha, Jason, and Henrie began making their way to the elevator. As they walked Tasha and Jason took in the sights around them. The inside of the hotel was breathtaking, even more lovely than the outside of the establishment. The floors were made of stunning Carrara marble and along the walls striking paintings of various styles hung. Ornate gold carvings lined the windows and doors. Beautifully carved marble statues were also placed throughout the hotel. In the lobby, there was a fireplace in front of which a walnut victorian sofa, two-hand carved chairs, and side tables were placed. The hotel even had a spa, restaurant, exercise room, and pool.

Once on the second floor, the three of them first made their way to room 202.

“Here is your suite Ms. Tylerson,” Henrie said as he opened the door for her.

“Thank you,” she replied as she entered the room. Henrie followed behind and placed her suitcases on the luggage rack. He then exited the room and opened the suite next to it which was room 204.

“And here is your room Mr. Delucas.”

“Thanks,” Jason responded as went into the suite. Henrie entered and then also placed Jason’s belongings on the baggage rack.

“Will that be all?” Henrie asked as he turned to Jason.

“Yes, that’s everything.”

“Of course sir. I hope you have a wonderful stay here. If you ever need anything don’t hesitate to ask.”

“Thanks,” Jason replied.

“I’ll be off then” Henrie turned to leave.

“Wait, before you go,” Jason said as he reached into his pocket to grab his wallet.

Henrie turned back around. “Yes sir?”

Jason pulled out several dollars. “This is for you,” he said as he placed the money in the boy’s hand.

Henrie’s face lit up. “Thank you so much,” he replied, his voice full of gratitude.

“Don’t mention it” Jason responded as he placed his wallet back in his pocket.

“Thanks again,” Henrie said before turning and making his way out the door.

As he passed her room Tasha, who was standing in her room’s doorway, called out to Henrie.

“Henrie!”

“Yes, Ms. Tylerson.”

“A little something for you,” Tasha spoke as she held out some money.

“Thank you. You both are so generous” Henrie replied, taking the money, his smile even wider.

“Thank you. You’re very sweet. I hope you have a wonderful rest of your day.”

“And you as well.”

Henrie walked down the hall toward the elevator leaving Tasha and Jason alone. Tasha walked over to Jason’s suite.

“I must say these suites are lovely.” Tasha said as she entered the room, “They’re definitely much better than most places I’ve stayed. And believe me, I’ve stayed in quite a few places over the last couple of years.”

“I know right. This suite is incredible!” He said, looking about the room which had a large window that overlooked the skyline of the city with mountains in the distance. There was a large mahogany bed with tufted bedding and a crystal chandelier that hung from the ceiling. The walls were lined with ornate wooden panels and expensive impressionist paintings. Jason continued, “It’s not every day you get to stay in a hotel room with such fine works of impressionism.”

“So you know your art?” Tasha said playfully.

Jason shrugged. “Somewhat I suppose. My mother loves art. She pretty much knows all the styles and artists. Everything I know I got from her,” he paused remembering, “and from the two of us visiting art galleries together.”

“That’s very sweet,” Tasha smiled.

Jason smiled as well. “Yeah, my mom, she’s really amazing.”

Jason stood there for a moment, as he suddenly realized just how much he missed her. Her smile, her laugh, the feeling of her warm hugs, nothing compared to them. It had been quite some time since he had last seen his mom and dad. He quickly snapped out of his reverie. There would be time to see them later for now he had to focus his whole attention on completing this assignment. Right now he couldn’t afford to have any distractions.

“Well, I better go unpack and then get some rest. I’m exhausted.” Tasha spoke.

“Sure. I was planning on doing the same myself. A seventeen-hour flight can really wear a person out.”

“Yes, it certainly can. Sleep well, Edward.”

“You too Melinda.”

Tasha exited the room and closed the door behind her, leaving Jason to unpack his luggage.

…..

Outside The Chardell, a man sat in a dark car with tinted windows, listening to a woman speaking over his comms.

“Black Hawk, this is Red Sparrow. Do you copy”

“Coming in loud and clear” he responded as he glanced outside his car window.

“Do you have eyes on the targets?”

“Affirmative. The man and woman are now in The Chardell. I have eyes on them through the second-story windows.”

“Very good. Continue monitoring their movements. If anything significant happens contact me immediately.”

“Will do.”

The woman ended the call and sat back in her leather chair. She glanced down at the photo on her oak desk. It was a picture of her and her father. She smiled as she thought of all the wonderful times they had shared together. Her favorite memory was of the two of them in his office playing chess. Every day she’d go there around noon. The chessboard and pieces would be all set up on a table in the center of the office, and they would play there for hours. He taught her everything he knew. He showed her that the game was not about luck but strategy. When to advance and when to hold back. How to know your opponents and anticipate their moves. When she was eight she thought he was only talking about the game but now she knew he was also talking about life. She shifted her gaze to the chessboard displayed on a bookcase to the left side of the room. She smirked. All the pieces were falling in place; it was just a matter of continuing to make the right moves. Whatever happened she still held the queen; she knew the players from the pawns.

@btv-grace @theaiofancaster

#fanfic #aio fanfic #jason whittaker #tasha forbes

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medinainternational · 4 years ago

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(Motif-Radio)

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divineknowing2021 · 4 years ago

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press release

divine knowing is a group art exhibition on view March 25 - April 17, 2021, at City Lights Gallery, located at 265 Golden Hill Street in downtown Bridgeport, CT. Gallery hours are Wednesday - Friday, 12 - 5 pm and Saturday 12 - 4 pm. Curated by Natasha Kuranko, in recognition of Women’s Month, divine knowing hopes to instill confidence in all its visitors’ familiarity with their intuition, empathy, and emotional intelligence.

Biased assessments of women made through the modern western male gaze in disciplines such as cinema, art, medicine, anthropology, and psychology have included perceiving instances of hormonal shifts, emotional expression and passion as bouts of insanity. The word hysterical has been and is still used as a derogation. It is a term rooted in the now disavowed psychological disorder of hysteria, once believed to stem from a medical condition of the uterus. In the 2020 democratic presidential primary race, Andrew Yang and Marianne Williamson both ran for election although neither previously held an elected office. While the media praised Andrew Yang for his experience as a tech entrepreneur, Marianne Williamson was criticized for her lack of qualifications despite her lifelong career as a writer, political activist and spiritual advisor.

Intuition, more specifically “a women’s intuition,” are terms often used to label and diminish forms of knowledge gained outside logical reasoning, or the collection of supporting empirical evidence, as information that is illegitimate and not to be respected. divine knowing hopes to counteract the dominant social narrative by celebrating intuition’s role in the creative process. This exhibition features artists working in a variety of media from sculpture, painting, photography, digital collage, decoupage, drawing, performance, musical composition, and stop-motion, to name a few.

Some questions to ponder after or while viewing divine knowing... How does intuition weave its way throughout these sexist narratives?

How do artists of all genders employ intuition as they access information beyond the material five senses? How can not only artists, but we as a society, benefit from more commonly thinking at an intuitive and emotional level?

How does viewing the work of artists encourage us to trust our intuition and connect with aspects of our own embodied experiences?

Exhibition programming will include a live musical performance by Violet Hetson of Power Violets.

Exhibiting artists: Sierra Bagish, Chariot Birthday Wish, Rachel Brown, Kimberly Consroe, Anabelle Declement, Jes the Jem, Gla5, Gladys Harlow, Phoebe Hart, Violet Hetson, Mary Hunt, Pamela Kivi, Kendall Kolenik, Lucy Loffredo, Whitney Lorenze, Ellie Messa, Mari Ogihara, Ames Valaitis, Chardel Williams.

To request a viewing reservation email clgallerybpt@gmail.com Walk-ins may experience wait time due to pandemic capacity restrictions. divine knowing exhibition includes several sound pieces. The gallery asks you bring your own aux cord headphones if possible. Limited use of gallery headphones is available.

City Lights Gallery is a wheelchair-accessible building, in downtown Bridgeport, easily accessible by Metro-North, Port Jeff Ferry, I-95 and the Merritt Parkway. For any specific questions regarding accessibility, you may contact Suzanne Kachmar, clgallerybpt@gmail.com

City Lights & Company is a community based, nonprofit arts organization that serves the community through art. This takes on many forms, including outreach programs for youth and adults, and facilitating a downtown arts venue, hosting free exhibits, workshops and programs such as: spoken word, music, film. It is a goal to present relevant content and celebrate the rich culture and diversity of the greater Bridgeport area. Programs and exhibits reflect the full spectrum of artistic expression, featuring artists of all levels of experience and backgrounds, including local artists and artisans and those from around the world. A signature City Lights program is the Bridgeport Art Trail.

Admission to City Lights Gallery is free and open to the public.

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nailsonblackwomen · 6 years ago

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#_LinaDoll WERK on J. Chardell 💙💎💜

#nobw #nails on black women #beauty #mid length nails #middies #summer design #summer nails #pretty nails #pretty colors #mani #manicure #black nail blog #nail blog #cute nails #cute

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youngdelegatebryan-blog · 6 years ago

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tsaxjones247 · 3 years ago

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one-blaze-of--glory · 2 years ago

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ship bingo chardel

it's fucking canon idk what to tell you

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doux-doux-dahlin · 3 years ago

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#Spotify

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riddimworld2021 · 3 years ago

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Queen Majesty Riddim - Stingray Records

Queen Majesty Riddim – Stingray Records

Queen Majesty Riddim – Stingray Records 2022 Tracklist: Delly Ranx – Modern Flex Chardel Rhoden – Couldn’t Ask For More Medisun – Glory Sandra Cross – 24 Yashema Mcleod – Guide Me The Blackstones – Queen Majesty George Dekker – Dynamite AMAZON MUSIC APPLE MUSIC SPOTIFY STREAMING JUNODOWNLOAD COMING SOON: 29 JULY 2022

View On WordPress

#Delly Ranx #George Dekker #Stingray Records

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barjasworld · 3 years ago

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Les monologues de mon coeur - DANS L'INNOCENCE DE SES VÊTEMENTS L'époque des lettres d'amour était déjà révolue, dit-on; Et donc, je n'osais pas envoyer une missive À cette femme que je convoitais tant. Et pourtant, tout ce que j'avais à lui dire, Je ne pouvais le lui en parler face à face. Tellement je manquais de phrases Lorsqu'elle se trouvait à un mètre de moi; Bien que les mots se bousculaient dans ma bouche, Mais je ne savais plus lesquels employer pour m'exprimer; Car je me sentais hypnotisé par son regard captivant. Devant elle, j'étais comme médusé par sa beauté, Et en entendant sa voix suave, je devenais comme un muet. Dans ces conditions, comment pouvais-je m'exprimer ?! Et en plus, cette femme avait tout pour me rendre fou, Elle était carrément le prototype d'une femme idéale. Puisque entre autres merveilleuses qualités et critères, C'était une intellectuelle, une femme cultivée. Je la trouvais vraiment exceptionnelle, extraordinaire. J'avais le béguin pour elle, et je "fantasmais" grave. J'étais fan de toute les beautés qu'elle professait. Des orteils jusqu'aux cheveux, elle était splendide. J'adorais la mater par dessus le textile de ses vêtements. Ainsi, dans l'innocence de ses vêtements, Je devinais les proportions de ses courbes Et j'imaginais les diamètres de ses rondeurs. Elle me plaisait tellement que j'avais envie d'elle au quotidien. Car elle me faisait un effet jamais ressenti auparavant; Sa taille magnifique m'excitait gravement, Et sa corpulence merveilleuse me faisait bondé comme un cerf. Quel est cet homme qui pouvait résister à la splendeur de Manille ? Chardel Aisance Ganga, St.Vénus (+242) 069585875 noblesseroyal84@gmail.com | Facebook

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aiorevelations · 4 years ago

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A Number, Not a Name: Chapter 13

We hope you all enjoy. We have a few more chapters coming tonight! ; - )

Present-day:

Scarlett stood in the ballroom of Dalmar’s house directing where the delivery men should hang some paintings Dalmar had ordered specially for the gala that evening.

“Where should we place this piece ma'am?” One of the delivery men asked as he held a portrait of Tigran Hakobyan, a famous Krudian general.

“Place the portrait on the right side of the fireplace.” She pointed in its direction.

“So is everything set for tonight.” She heard a male voice come from behind her.

Scarlett turned toward Dalmar. “Nearly done Dalmar. The works by Sargayan were just delivered.”

“Excellent. I want everything to be perfect for tonight.”

“And it will be.” Scarlett stepped closer towards him. “I must say I have never felt such a great feeling of anticipation for anything before. To know that we are on the eve of a new Krudia, a different world. You can’t help but feel the excitement in the air.”

“I must confess that after all the time, energy, and resources I have put into this project, I find it hard to believe that I am so close to accomplishing my goal.”

“I’m just grateful to be by your side and to have played a small part in making your goal a reality. Your tuxedo is tailored, pressed, and ready for this evening. I laid it out on your bed.”

“Very good. I best get ready for the gala. See you later this evening.” Dalmar began walking to his bedroom.

“Of course.” As she saw Dalmar leave the room Scarlett smirked to herself. All the pieces of her plan were falling into place; it was just a matter of letting things naturally run their course. That was until it was time for her to interfere with that course.

As Dalmar slipped on his shawl lapel tuxedo jacket he wasn’t even the slightest bit aware of the tiny voice-activated recorder carefully placed in the left pocket of his suit.

…..

Jason stood in front of the mirror in his hotel room, adjusting his bow tie. Once he was finished he picked up the diamond cufflinks he’d placed on a table by the dresser and attached them to the cuffs of his white dress shirt. He then slipped on his notch lapel tuxedo jacket and did up the front bottoms. He glanced down and up at his reflection, checking his entire outfit, and took a deep breath. Jason wasn’t one to be nervous but even he would admit that the thought of attending a Gala with a wanted criminal was jarring. He knew that the success of his and Tasha’s mission depended on the outcome of this evening. They needed to get the necessary information tonight, otherwise, most likely his first field mission would be a failure. After all the time he had waited to prove himself as an agent on the field, he was going to do whatever it took to make sure that didn’t happen.

He heard a knock at his room door and walked over to open the door. He opened it and saw Tasha. Jason was taken aback by how gorgeous she looked. She was wearing a dark blue off-the-shoulder gown. The dress had a draped ruffle cascading down the left side. All over the gown was embellished and embroidered with sequins. Her shoes were dark blue suede pumps. Her hair was pulled back and twisted in a crown braid. She also wore a pair of diamond halo earrings and held a navy clutch. He always thought she was breathtakingly beautiful but her evening attire seemed to accentuate her stunning features even more.

As Tasha looked at Jason standing in front of her she couldn’t help but think about how good he looked. He was wearing a black notch lapel tuxedo suit, emerald-cut white diamond octagon cufflinks, and black Oxford dress shoes. From the time they met she thought he was very handsome but now, standing there in his suit, she found him even more good-looking. Though of course, she’d never admit it.

“Melinda, hey”

“I thought I’d stop by, see if you were almost ready,” Tasha said as she entered the room.

“Funny, I was just about to go over to your place and make sure you were at least out of the shower” he teased.

“Well,” Tasha glanced down at her outfit “I’m not wearing a bathrobe” she playfully replied.

“No, you definitely aren't,” Jason smiled, causing Tasha to smile as well.

“Speaking of the shower, let’s go in there.”

“The…shower?” he asked, an expression of confusion on his face.

“The bathroom actually, just for a moment.”

“Okay.” he responded, still confused by Tasha’s statement. Jason followed Tasha into the bathroom. After they entered she quickly turned on the shower.

“I thought you already had one of these.” Jason joked.

“We need to talk.” Tasha responded, a serious look in her eyes

“Oh and to talk you need the shower on?”

“Unless you want to be covered with bugs.”

“Bugs?” Jason repeated, still confused. After a second it dawned on him what Tasha meant. “Oh bugs, right. Too bad I forgot to pack my insect repellent.”

Tasha kiddingly rolled her eyes and gave a slight smile. “As I was trying to say, I know technically you’ve been undercover already since we’ve met Dalmar and secured the deal. But tonight is going to be—“

“Hard. Difficult. Demanding.” Jason crossed his arms.

“Let’s just say not a walk in the park.” Jason nodded his head. Tasha continued, “in my experience at these events, where you have to remain undercover for a long period of time, new agents tend to slip up or lose focus. We already have a good deal of intel on Dalmar. From what we’ve seen, with his massive base of followers and speech about radical change, I suspect he’s planning on staging a coup.”

“Either that or win power first by legitimate means and then seize control of the entire country.”

“The how doesn’t matter, we just have to ensure that he doesn’t take over this country. And the only way to do that is to find out where the weapons are located. As of now the only way we have of learning this information is from Dalmar directly.”

“And who knows if we’ll see him again before Wednesday, when the weapons are supposed to be delivered.”

“Exactly, which makes tonight our only shot at getting the information we need, which means that you and I have to bring our ‘A’ game.”

“Understood.”

“Good.” Tasha smiled and turned off the shower. She then remembered something. “Oh, sorry I almost forgot but would you give me a hand with this necklace? For some reason, I can’t get it to clasp.” She held the sapphire bar drop necklace out to him that she’d been holding for the past few minutes.

“Sure.” He took the necklace from her and clasped it around her neck.

“Thanks.”

“It sure is a beautiful necklace,” Jason remarked.

“Thank you. It belonged to my grandmother.”

“Well, it looks wonderful on you. You look great by the way.”

“Thanks. Though I’ve worn this dress to a million other parties.” Tasha laughed. “You don’t look too bad yourself.”

“Why thank you. I try my best.” Jason gave a boyish grin.

“Just don’t let it go to your head.”

“Okey-dokey.” They both smiled again.

“We’d best get downstairs. The last thing we need is to be late.” Tasha began to head for the door.

“Right behind you.”

…..

The older man reached for the microphone that was placed in the car and spoke into it. "This is White Falcon. The targets have just left The Chardell.”

Red Sparrow’s voice echoed in response through the car speaker system. “Affirmative. Do not take action. Stay in your current position until further notice.”

“Understood.”

…..

As Tasha and Jason made their way to Dalmar’s house they each noted the drastic change in scenery. The vehicle traveled through the sprawling city, a large grassy plain dotted by small farms and villages, and up a windy road on Mt. Karanaj. Finally, the BMW pulled up in front of a mansion which was located about halfway up the mountain in the middle of a forest. The house was four stories tall with a basement as well. The house was in the style of a modern mountain home as parts of its walls were made of redwoods with the other large sections being made out of stone as well as cutouts and windows of glass. It also had sloped and flat rooflines, timber and steel details, and a massive porch and deck situated in the front of the house.

A doorman walked up to the car and opened the right passenger door. Tasha and Jason each said “Thank you” to the gentleman as they exited the BMW and headed for the entrance to the house. They entered through the arched doorway into the entryway and were greeted with a crowd of people gathered in the house, the women dressed in the finest designer dresses and jewelry and the men wearing their best tuxedos.

The inside of Dalmar’s home was even more elaborate than the outside. It had high vaulted ceilings, redwood beams that stretched from one end of the room to the other, ornate gold and onyx carvings in the walls, murals, and paintings from world-renown artists hung on the walls. The floors were made of the finest marble and numerous crystal chandeliers hung throughout the mansion.

Almost as soon as they entered the home Tasha and Jason were greeted by Tarek.

“Melinda, Edward. Welcome.”

“Hello Tarek” Tasha responded.

“It’s good to see you again,” Jason added.

“Dalmar’s been anticipating your arrival. I’ll take you to him.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Jason replied. Tarek led Tasha and Jason through the crowd to a gold-plated bifurcated staircase. They walked up a couple of flights of stairs and arrived at the second floor of the house. Tarek led them down a hall past several rooms and into a grand ballroom. The ceiling was adorned with frescoes that depicted famous moments in history. The walls and ceilings were overlaid with gold trimmings and carvings. A marble stone fireplace was in the center of the room and three gold and Swarovski clear crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling. The three of them made their way over to Dalmar who was standing by the fireplace, holding a glass of champagne in his hand. Tarek withdrew himself and headed downstairs to greet more arriving guests.

“Mr. Delucas, Ms. Tylerson” Dalmar greeted them.

“Dalmar” Jason acknowledged him.

“It’s a pleasure to see you again Dalmar,” Tasha added.

“Davit. You can call me Davit” he smiled.

“Only if you call Melinda.”

“For you my dear, that I can do.” He outstretched his arms “So what do you think of the place?”

“It’s amazing…Davit. Certainly one of the most elaborate and beautiful homes I’ve ever seen.”

“A man that can do this well for himself…it shows even more that we partnered with the right guy.”

Dalmar smirked and took a sip of his champagne. “Who am I to argue with that?”

Jason sensed an opportunity and spoke. “Speaking of our partnership. Melinda and I have been giving our deal a great amount of thought and we feel since we’ve supplied you with firepower we are entitled to be given some more information.”

“Information?” Dalmar furrowed his brow.

“Yes,” Tasha responded. “You’ve kept your plans for this operation rather close to the vest. Overall strategy. Location or locations of your armaments. We’re not in the habit of partnering in operations we know close to nothing about.”

“Trust me, for the sake of our success I can’t divulge much. My secrecy has been the only way I’ve gotten this far. What I will say is that you will be handsomely compensated. Whatever money you want. Whatever position you want. It will be yours” Dalmar took another swig from his glass.

“What do you mean by position?” Tasha pressed for more details. “A high position in society? To be honest we had our eye on a little more than that.”

Dalmar chuckled to himself. “I must say Melinda you are quite—”

“Determined? Resolute?”

“Very persistent.”

“It’s how I’ve survived in this business as long as I have.”

“That I can respect. Likewise, I think you and your associate can understand my hesitancy to disclose sensitive information.”

Before either Tasha or Jason could respond Adrian came up to Dalmar and whispered in his ear. Dalmar whispered something to Adrian in reply and then turned back toward Tasha and Jason.

“If you’ll excuse me for a moment there is an urgent matter I must attend to.”

“Of course,” Tasha replied. Dalmar exited the ballroom with Adrian by his side, leaving Tasha and Jason alone. Tasha slightly shook her head and sighed. “I should have known a man like Dalmar would try as far as possible to keep things close to his vest.”

“At least you tried.”

“Thankfully, we have the rest of the evening. Though I have a feeling it’s going to be a very long one.”

“I’m going to go get some sparkling water to drink. Do you want any?”

“No, thanks. I’m fine.”

“Okay, then. I’ll be right back.” Jason made his way out of the ballroom and down to the first floor of the house. He walked through several rooms trying to find the bar. He then heard a voice from behind him. “Lost?” He turned to see Scarlett.

“Is it that obvious?” Jason laughed.

“Don’t feel bad it happens all the time to first-time guests. It is a pretty big house.”

“I was just looking for the bar.”

“Walk to the entryway, pass the staircase and go all the way to the back of the house, turn left and you’ll find it next to the kitchen.”

“Thanks, Ms…”

“Scarlett is fine.”

“Thanks, Scarlett.”

“Of course.”

Jason then left, followed Scarlett’s directions, and arrived at the bar. As he waited in line to get his drink something caught his attention out of the corner of his eye. Through a window in the back of the room, he spotted two of Dalmar’s security guards, talking to each other in hushed tones. Jason walked closer to the window to get a better look, careful not to draw any attention to himself. He saw the two guards talk for a few more moments before they started heading towards the woods. As they walked they stopped every so often to look back towards the mansion, He assumed to make sure no one was following them. Jason stood there going over in his mind what he should do.

Tasha said we should get the info from Dalmar but so far he’s been nothing but…cagey. It’s not like we have a guarantee he’ll give us the necessary info. This could be our only opportunity to get the intel we need. I could also prove myself to Tasha, to Donovan, to the Agency. Show them I actually have what it takes as an agent. The last thing I want is my first mission to be a failure. Sure, it’s a bit risky, but this is a great opportunity. Who knows it might be our only chance of getting the information we need.

Jason saw the two men walk farther and farther away in the distance and knew it was now or never. Pushing all remaining doubts out of his mind, Jason glanced around the room to make sure no one had noticed him watching the two guards. No one had. Jason quickly exited the room and walked back to the entryway. He discreetly slipped through the crowd and made his way outside.

…..

Tasha leaned against the railing of the wooden deck, taking in the majestic view of the mountainside and night sky all around. The views reminded her of the times she and her parents used to go camping in the woods together when she was a little girl. They’d all snuggle up by the fire, tell scary stories, and roast marshmallows. At night she and her parents would lie on the ground and gaze at all the stars. Tasha would point out to them and name all the constellations and stars she knew, which was a significant amount. Her parents would laugh and joke that she spent all the time they stargazed talking her head off. Tasha smiled to herself as she thought of the memory. Suddenly, she saw two men walking in the distance near the edge of the woods. She then spotted another man sneaking behind them. Tasha recognized the outfit the first men were wearing as the uniform Dalmar’s security wore. The other man wasn’t wearing a uniform, rather a tuxedo. Tasha soon realized the man was Jason.

“Enjoying the view,” Dalmar remarked. Startled, Tasha quickly turned around and saw Dalmar standing on the deck. “Sorry I didn’t mean to startle you.”

Tasha forced a smile. “No, it’s all right.” Dalmar walked closer to her. “The views here are…stunning,” she said as she looked over the landscape.

“Yes, they certainly are,” Dalmar replied, though Tasha noticed that he wasn't looking at the view but at her.

“In the ballroom, I couldn’t help but admire the portrait of Tigran Hakobyan above the fireplace. It truly was a lovely piece of art.”

“General Hakobyan huh? So you know your Krudian History.”

“Some, though I’d be the first to admit that I’m no expert.”

“That portrait is actually part of a collection by the famous Krudian artist Garine Sargayan that depicts famous Krudian generals and leaders. I just acquired the collection for tonight.”

“I would love it if you could show me the other portraits. You could tell me more about the men and women depicted. Their lives and conquests. I’ve always been fascinated by history. Besides I have no doubt that one day we’ll be adding your portrait to that collection.”

“I think I can manage that.” He offered her his arm. Tasha took it and the two of them began making their way back inside the ballroom.

As Tasha and Dalmar walked through the doorway she quickly glanced behind her and saw Jason disappear in the distance. She was relieved Dalmar hadn’t spotted him while on the balcony yet she still had an uneasy feeling she couldn’t shake. All she could do now was stick to her plan and hope for the best, though she expected the worst.

#aio #aio fanfic #AIO Fanfiction #jason and tasha #jason whittaker #tasha forbes #Jason #Tasha #Adventures in odyssey #adventuresinodyssey #It's time for the gala #the gala scenes are some of our most favorite moments we've written

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