The Mafia's Truce

Doctor Nadia Gilbert glowed with pride as she emerged from the ICU, having just done successful surgery. With five years of experience as the city's top neurosurgeon, she had saved countless lives, and the thrill never got old. Her stunning features radiated excitement; her dark hair was hidden inside the surgical cap that she was putting on; and her curves were concealed beneath her lab coat, yet her beauty shone through. Getting to the hospital corridor, she removed her gloves, tucked them into her pocket, and strode confidently to her office. Her smile reflected the joy of another life saved. As she approached the door, her eyes widened, she was astonished to see it slightly open. Slowly, she slit her hand into the waist pocket of her lab coat, her fingers closing around the familiar shape of her keys. The keys jingled as she drew them out. Fear crept in, her hands began shaking, and she struggled to comprehend who could have unlocked her door. “Did I make the careless mistake of leaving it unlocked?” she asked in her thoughts. She entered her office, moving cautiously. Her eyes scanned around in search of anything out of place. But everything seemed normal; nothing seemed to be missing. She breathed a sigh of relief, and at that moment of feeling safe, Bella appeared in the doorway, looking exhausted. “I've been waiting for you,” Bella said softly. “You were in here?” She asked, hoping to get a positive reply. “No, of course not; I can't be in a locked office,” Bella replied and found herself a seat. The certainty of her locking her door crept in; it made her more anxious than she was. Bella was her best friend, and she was certain she wouldn't joke about meeting an unlocked door. The tiresomeness in Bella's eyes made it evident that that wasn't the first time she had come to her office in the past four hours. Nadia had been in the ICU with other doctors and nurses for the past four hours; whoever unlocked her door did it within that interval, and that person wanted her to notice the abnormality. Nadia was still in thought when Bella stood and walked to the fridge to get some cold water. Bella's eyes and cheeks widened the moment she saw a sealed envelope on top of the fridge. She took it up, smiling. “Is this a love letter?” Nadia gazed at her and saw the envelope in her hands. She hurriedly collected the envelope from her and gazed at it. It had a blue-inked seal that contained a dove drawing. Her heart began to beat faster the moment she recognized the seal. “I've seen this seal before,” She said, her hands and feet shaking. "Girl, you're scaring me,” Bella said as she tried to open the fridge. Nadia held the fridge, preventing it from opening. “Forget the water!! We need to leave now!!” She suggested it in a way that created panic. Bella struggled to swallow her saliva in fear; her feet froze. In her seven years of friendship with Nadia, she had never encountered her being this tense, nor had she seen such fear in her eyes. She gazed at Nadia as she moved to her table and dropped the envelope on it. Nadia gazed through the window to be certain that going outside would be safe. “You didn't even open the envelope,” said Bella, who managed to move a step closer to Nadia. “I don't need to; I know what it says.” She said, picking some necessities into her handbag in a hurry. “OK, what does it say? I mean, what's going on?” Nadia hurriedly moved to Bella and dragged her out of the office. “My mother got one right before they killed her,” Nadia disclosed. “Who are they?” Bella asked, running down the stairs with Nadia. She fixed her gaze intently on Bella and saw the fear lingering in Bella's eyes. Nadia recognized the terror that lingered there. It was a fear she knew to be justified, a fear that echoed her own. Nadia and Bella ran out of the building, and while they were still inside the compound and about to walk out, they heard a nurse call out Doctor Nadia's name. They both paused and looked at the building. “It's a trap!” Said Nadia, who dragged Bella out of the compound. Nadia stopped moving as soon as she beheld her car; its tinted windows failed to conceal the presence of another within. Her heart raced as she froze, her gaze fixed on her Mercedes-Benz. Bella sensed her unease and trembled beside her. "Why are we stopping?" Bella asked, her voice filled with fear. Nadia's response was barely audible, her eyes still fixed on the car: "There's someone inside." The words hung in the air like a dark omen, casting a shadow. “What?! Who?! ” Bella asked, confused, as she threw her gaze at Nadia's car. “What was in the envelope?” Bella asked with her hands shaking. Just as Nadia hailed a taxi, a man in a lab coat appeared beside her; his disguise as a medical doctor was convincing. With a subtle movement, he positioned the gun hidden beneath his coat, the cold metal pressing against Nadia's spine. The man whispered to her, “Your friend looks beautiful; I bet her beauty will be complimented with a splash of red if you don't come with us.” Bella noticed that the fear in Nadia's eyes had amplified. The man standing beside Nadia was one she couldn't recognize; a stranger. Nadia wouldn't have been looking so scared if he were a colleague to her. Bella's instincts screamed that something was wrong. Nadia's paralyzed stillness and the way the man's body loomed over hers told a story of coercion. "Shhhhhh," Nadia whispered to her. Her eyes darted to the man's exposed hand, and her heart skipped a beat as she spotted the tiny dove tattoo on his palm; it was the same as the one on the blue seal. Nadia quietly walked with him as tears dropped from Bella's eyes. Paralyzed with fear, Bella was powerless to intervene, knowing that any misstep could seal Nadia's fate. As they approached the Mercedes-Benz, the man courteously opened the door, expecting her to enter. Nadia hesitated and gazed at Bella as she said urgently, "Find my diary!! You will get your answers.” Nadia was dragged into the vehicle, leaving Bella shaken and determined to uncover the secrets within the diary.