Chapter 04: Toxic Dealings

“Executives for the Weapons, Enforcement and Transportation Division are in a scramble to save their clients and keep themselves out of prison as word of a scandal hit the news.”

“That’s right, Brenda, emails detailing the agency’s involvement in over a dozen assassinations were released to the public by unknown hackers.”

Alexa turned up the volume as Channel 7 News Anchors Brenda Cosgrove and Lance Winters detailed the last 48 hours of Kasper’s activities. WET’s logo appeared on the screen above the anchor’s head as they continued reporting suspicious emails and accounts he brought to light. Thanks to Jennifer, they were able to sift through the larger portion of her blackmail box and find the records that would harm the company the most.

Unfortunately, since she hadn’t been a part of the meeting concerning Travis Stark and the hiring of a hitter, Jennifer couldn’t point them in the direction they needed: the last of the men responsible. But, she had been helpful enough. WET’s back was against the wall and it was their move. With any luck, they’d send their specialist; the only other person besides the directors Alexa was dying to get her hands on.

Her phone beeped and she glanced down with a smile. “Kas, we got another one,” she replied, reading Jennifer’s latest message. “She said to check the file labeled ‘Ambrose.’” Prying herself away from the TV, Alexa moved over to Kasper’s workstation and hovered over his shoulder as he pulled up the file in question.

“Walter Ambrose is the Senior R&D manager for WET’s eastern division and a member of the company’s board of directors. He joined the company in 2005, bringing more than 30 years of industry leadership and executive management experience to his role with the company. He is responsible for WET’s global business units for industries, creating products for specific markets and trades such as WET’s health sciences and telecommunications divisions.”

“He also has a kink for young girls; generally around the ages of 12-16. Jennifer learned about Walter’s affliction when he accidentally sent her an email confirming reservations for a private party. This guy is all kinds of disgusting. Please, put him out of everyone’s misery,” Kasper said, refusing to read any further.

“Gladly, we just gotta find him first.”

“On it,” he said tapping into the city’s CCTV and traffic cameras searching for the man’s license plate. “Got him! His car is currently parked at Club Surrender, an apparent hotspot for the new millennia young adults.”

“Of course he is,” Alexa said, rolling her eyes.

“What? Not interested in shaking your groove thang with a bunch of twentysomethings?”

“Not in particular but, this guy is probably on the prowl for the teens out after curfew. I would like to stop him,” Alexa said, turning to grab the duffel from beside the desk.

“Mental images, Alexa!” Kasper said, covering his ears as though that would erase the thoughts running through his mind. “Seriously, A, hurt him a lot.”

“How about poison?” she asked, rifling through the bag on the table in front of her. “He will suffer a great deal before he keels over. Plus, I can easily slip it into his drink at the club. No need to go any further than that.”

“So you’re going then?”

“If only to watch Walter choke on his own blood before crapping himself to death.”

“Hmm, I should pin a button cam on you. I might want to see that.”

“You’re sick, Kasper,” Alexa laughed as she started for the bedroom.

“Me?! You’re the one describing a man’s bowel movements!” he shouted to her retreating back.

It took Alexa forty-five minutes to find a dress that would appease the party gods. And as Kasper drove them to Club Surrender, she thought up ways to strike up a conversation with the man. Knowing his penchant for anything under twenty, getting him to even seem interested in an almost 30-year old woman may prove to be her toughest mission yet. “Here.” Kasper wrapped a red band around Alexa’s wrist. “It’ll get you through the door and into VIP without a second look. Good luck,” Kasper said, watching her hike her skirt up another inch.

“Thanks. If all else fails, I’m gonna kick the bastard down a flight of stairs and pour the entire bottle down his throat.”

Alexa stepped up to the front of the line, ignoring the evil looks and hisses she was getting from the people that had been standing there for close to an hour. “You’re good,” the bouncer said, noticing her armband and opened the velvet rope to allow her in.

“Thank you.” She smiled, tossing a look over her shoulder at the blonde sucking her teeth.

“Ok, if I was a sick, pervy old bastard, where would I be?” Alexa scanned the crowd as she stood at the door. The place was packed with wall-to-wall people and the music was so loud she could feel her skin throb in sync with the DJ’s spinning. Moving to the side to allow a couple to approach the bar, Alexa had set herself in motion towards the VIP section to get a peek behind the curtain.

There were three groups of women, one couple making out in a booth and a group of fresh-faced college men making their approach to the loudest group of young ladies. With a sigh, she stepped away from the door and back into the sea of sweaty dancers and boozy partiers. “Find him?” Kasper’s voice was like a whisper compared to everything else going on around her and Alexa turned up her earpiece volume slightly.

“Not yet. He wasn’t in VIP and he’s not at the bar, is his car still in the lot?”

“Yep, I’m staring at it as we speak.”

“Well in that case, there’s one last place I can check. I heard there’s a poker game going on in back, maybe he’s there.”

“I wasn’t able to get you back room access but, I’m sure you can figure something out.”

“Of course. Leave it to me, K,” she replied, scanning the room for an idea. “Shit,” she paused at the sight of the raven haired young woman and quickly turned from view.

“What is it?”

“Just a small hiccup. Nothing I can’t handle.” Melissa Stark and another teenage girl pushed closer to the VIP section. Alexa watched as they argued over how to sneak passed the velvet ropes and inched closer towards the curtain. 

“Excuse me,” she smiled at a security guard posted on the door to the back rooms. He turned with a none-too-pleased expression and she ignored the scowl that crossed his lips and casually twirled a finger in her hair. “I don’t mean to be a bother and I certainly wouldn’t want you or your bosses to get into any trouble but, those girls over there are under 18,” she said, pointing towards Stark’s daughter.

“How do you know that?” he asked, sizing up the teens.

“Oh well I’m sure you recognize her from her many appearances beside her father, Governor Stark. It would be a real shame if the Governor learned about your rather lax ID policy which allowed his only daughter to become shitfaced drunk.”

The guard again glared at Alexa and she shrugged. “Just saying,” she smiled and took a step back. “Do what you want with that information.”

She took another step towards the corner, giving the man the room he needed to make the call. She wasn’t waiting long before he motioned to another security guard and together they started over to VIP. With their attention otherwise engaged, Alexa took the opportunity to sneak into the back room.

Deep, throaty laughter guided her down the dark hallway towards a room with a cracked door. Light peeked out through the opening, illuminating the small area and she could make out the shadows of at least four people. Inching closer, Alexa took a look inside. Bingo! Walter Ambrose was seated at a table with a stack of chips towering in front of him. “Seriously though, who comes to a nightclub to play poker?” Alexa whispered.

“Apparently sick, pervy, old bastards,” Kasper replied to the rhetorical question.

While the men dealt a new hand, Alexa busied herself with figuring out how she could get close without arousing too much suspicion. Just then the perfect opportunity arose. Seeing Walter down his drink in one last gulp, she lowered her hair from its tight ponytail and hiked the bottom of her dress higher over her thighs. Alexa put on her best ‘come fuck me’ smile and started into the room.

“Hey there, boys! Looks like we can use some refreshers.”

“What happened to Kimberly?” One man asked, apparently upset over Alexa’s appearance.

“Who cares?” Another responded, eyeing Alexa as he lasciviously licked his tongue out at her, flicking it a few times to get his point across. She winked at him while she collected their glasses and it made the smile on his face grow wider. 

“We have three Jacks on the rock and one…um, sorry, what can I get for you?” she asked of the man with the dancing tongue.

“A Blowjob, if you’re offering. The drink I mean, unless…”

“Lee, for God’s sake play your damn hand and let the girl get back to work.”

“Relax, Walt, I’m just giving you a little extra time to bond with your money before I take it,” the man growled in response before redirecting his attention to Alexa. “I’ll take a scotch neat, please.”

“One scotch coming up.” She turned to the bar and the man followed her hips with his eyes before his impatient poker buddies cleared their throats, returning him to the game.

Alexa quickly made up the drinks, adding the special ingredient to Walter’s before placing them back in front of the men. Not wanting to linger for too long, she excused herself and stepped back out into the hallway, watching. Moments later, Walter picked up his glass and drank a big gulp.

“Excuse me?” she heard a woman behind her; Kimberly she presumed. “You’re not supposed to be back here.”

“Sorry, I got a little turned around looking for the ladies room,” Alexa said, stepping around the angry brunette. As she started for the exit, she could hear the rough, guttural coughing that signified the beginning of the end for Walter Ambrose. Kimberly screamed and the last sound she heard before walking back into the main floor of the club was the heavyset man hitting the floor.

“It’s done,” she announced to Kasper. “I’m on the way out.”

“Ok. I’ll meet you out front.” Rushing through the doors, Alexa took a deep breath, filling her lungs with air not polluted with an overuse of perfume, sweat and testosterone before starting towards the corner and Kasper.

“Fuck off!” Alexa heard a slurred voice yell out around the corner. A voice she quickly recognized.

“Now what?” Kasper asked, watching Alexa walk in the opposite direction of the car.

“Another small hiccup. Just keep the engine running, this shouldn’t take long.” Stepping around the side of the building, she watched as Melissa Stark swatted at a group of male college students that had crowded around her. The men were laughing and tugging at her barely there shirt, trying their best to undress her right there in the alley.

“HEY!” Alexa yelled, startling the men who promptly turned in her direction. “Is this how you guys get your jollies? Sexually assaulting teenagers?” 

“Mind your business, bitch. We’ve invested the money for the booze and we’re getting our reward.”

“I’ll give you two seconds to walk away before I make you regret it.”

“Yeah? You and what army?” One of the men laughed, stepping in front of the group.

“Wait your turn. There’s plenty of us to go around,” another said, tossing his empty beer bottle to the ground. Keeping her eyes on Melissa who’d passed out against the club’s backdoor, Alexa smiled and, with slow, calculated steps, moved closer.

“You know, it’s times like these I REALLY enjoy my job.”

“Yeah?” the man asked, eyeing her up and down.

“Yeah,” she said, flashing him a flirty look which worked well in lowering the man’s guard.

“You gonna take us all on?”

“It would be my pleasure.”

“Mmm. Just so we’re clear, we’re not paying for this. You offered,” the man smiled, brushing a tress of Alexa’s hair over her shoulder before sliding his hand down her waist.

“Oh you’re definitely gonna pay.” Grabbing his arm, she jerked him forward and, before he could register it, sent a spinning heel kick into his solar plexus. The man fell back with the wind knocked out of him, gasping for air. 

Another rushed towards her, brandishing a broken beer bottle. Alexa grabbed his wrist, feeling his pulse throbbing beneath her thumb. She gave it a violent tug and forcefully yanked him forward into a vicious elbow that connected with his jaw. She felt it pop and watched as a mouthful of blood splattered the ground.

The last of the group ran off, leaving their buddies lying face down on the ground. Alexa turned towards Melissa again and sighed. She approached, snapping her fingers to make sure she was out before heaving the girl over her shoulders and sliding her into the backseat of the car. “What the hell, A? What are we supposed to do with her?”

“Oh I don’t know, K, take her home?”

“You being serious right now? Call her a cab! We can’t go back to St. Claire.”

“Listen to yourself, Kas! I’m not leaving Gavin’s little sister out here to be preyed upon by the likes of those assholes and please, don’t get me started on Uber drivers!”

“So what are we supposed to do? Drive her up to the Stark’s front door and say ‘here you go, one missing daughter.’ Think, A! You’re supposed to be dead. We can’t afford this complication! If she’s old enough to decide to drink then her consequences are her own.”

“What the hell is wrong with you? She’s only 16 years old! And, I don’t know about you but, I don’t want the gang rape of an innocent teen girl on my conscience. Now shut up and drive the damn car!”

Kasper waited beside the door for a resident to enter or leave. Pacing back and forth, he felt exposed to every home with a street-facing window. Finally, the door pushed open as a couple exited, walking hand-in-hand and laughing as they started out for the evening. He rushed up the stairs and swiftly grabbed the handle before it shut completely. Motioning for Alexa, he gave their surroundings one last look and waited while she lugged Melissa past a sleeping Phil and up the flight of stairs.

She sat Melissa against the wall beside Gavin’s door, but before she had a chance to knock it started opening. Alexa looked up and gasped. In a minute, she was going to be face-to-face with someone who thought she was dead!

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