BEYOND TOMORROW

Chapter 2

She gets in her car and heads to the hospital to see Penny. Anna is telling Penny what to expect going forward. Anna tells her they are now going after Nick’s friends. She tells Penny that another worker from her firm will take over the case from here on out. They work out a plan and set a goal. She changes into her workout clothes, and Anna heads to the gym to do her daily workout. She starts with weights, and as she works out, she listens to "The Bone Tree " by Greg Isles. She then heads to the treadmill and runs for an hour. Then she hits the boxing ring, and before she hits the ring, it starts.

Flashback

Anna is being pinned down, and her clothes are being ripped off her; her mouth is being covered as she tries to scream for help. Anna can still feel the man's breath on her breast and then on her neck, and being stabbed and left to die; that's how she got Penny to press charges by telling some of what happened to her. Anna is lost in the memory, but she tells herself she is not that weak anymore. She will stand and fight for those who can not.

Anna comes back to herself and enters the ring, and in less than five moves, she has her opponent on his ass. She then heads to the gun range as she shoots; that memory starts to play again; she can feel it trying to come to the surface. She then spots a strange man working out vigorously. She thinks to herself, he looks very good, very handsome, very sexy, and very successful. I wonder if he's married, she thinks to herself. But that's a question for another day. She takes a shower and heads to the store to get something to cook. She thinks of cooking steak with mashed potatoes, a salad, mixed vegetables, and a roll with some red wine. While in the store, she thinks about her next case and, more importantly, the gala in a few days. She already knows what she'll wear: a green dress that fits and hugs her body, with a low front and backless, with a high slit, with 7’ high heels in the same shade of green, and how she'll do her hair in an updo bun with the front part in waves, but she isn't sure about the hair yet; that's just a thought. While driving to the store, she also gets her nails done in green. After that, she gets in her car and heads home to cook. She pulls into her driveway when she gets a call from her dad asking about the case she was working on and whether she is alright. Anna tells her dad that she is fine and that if anyone wants an ass-kicking, they should try her. She parks her 2027 limited-edition Porsche in green with a green interior. It has a sunroof and all the bells and whistles. She gets out and heads to the house; it's a 4-bedroom, 4-bathroom home in a gated community. She got it as a gift to herself after her first big case. She also got her dad a house and an energy-efficient truck. It was one of the newest models at the time, and she got it in a custom color and with a custom interior, just for him. Anna thinks she remembers growing up with nothing; her mom and dad worked so hard to provide for her. Anna's mom, Sophia Long, died of breast cancer ten years ago, but she was of Greek and Sicilian descent. Anna's father, Asami Long, is of Chinese and Black descent. He has never moved on or remarried. Anna heads in to start cooking. As she does, she thinks about The Hope and Harmony Charity Gala and how, this year, she unwillingly gave 20,000. She asks herself why she doesn't even like this one, but reputation demands it.

**を*えるものは*もありません

Xavier

My father-in-law, Brandon, is a thorn in my side. He helped me with one little thing, and now I owe him. I gather the papers he is waiting for. When he calls, I come. I get into my fully loaded Rolls-Royce. It's a bit too much for my taste, but it projects the image I must keep. My baby is my all-black inside-and-out Corvette Stingray. Sometimes I go to the countryside with the top down to cruise; I sigh. I'll have to take a trip soon. I start heading to Brandon's restaurant. I have to give credit where credit is due. Brandon is smart, and he owns several businesses. From the outside, he looks like a regular, successful businessman. You couldn't even tell he's the most ruthless mafia boss in the state. He launders money through each of his businesses. As his own personal accounting. The government won't suspect a thing. In front of his customers and restaurant partners, he's a nice, confident man. He's a nice, confident man. He also has a reputation in the streets. Let's say he isn't someone you want to make an enemy. I park in my designated spot. My father-in-law built this restaurant from the ground up. Walking in. The sweet aroma pulls you in, and you stick around for the delicious food. I walk up to the bar and order a drink: double Bourbon neat. I'm going to need it. I finish my drink and start to head to the hidden part of the restaurant. When Brandon built it, he added a secret basement. Underneath it. That's where the monster comes out to play, and he does his real business. I go to the back of the room and press the hidden button. If you didn't know where to look, you wouldn't find it. I head through the long hallway that opens up once I make it to the door at the end of the hall. I give a special knock. My father-in-law's right-hand man, Patrick, opens the door. He gives me the usual pat-down; even after all these years, he still pats me down. In the center of the room, Brandon is treating a man's body like his own personal punching bag. Why? Why would you steal from me? Don't I pay you quite nicely? He asks. I would never steal from you. I would never betray you, the man states. Come here, Xavier. Please go through these numbers for me. This man clearly thinks I'm stupid. This is one of those businesses my father-in-law owns, but he prefers to be a silent partner. You report earning $35,000 less this month. Compared to last month, even with expenses increasing, that was a huge loss. I checked your client list, and I see you have increased your client base. My report shows that you take a certain amount of money out every week. You labeled it as takeout expenses. I handed it to Brandon. So, are you calling my son-in-law a liar? He's lying. I wouldn't steal from you. Me. You hear that, Xavier? This man is calling you a liar. What are you gonna do about that? He's saying your math is wrong. I know what Brandon is trying to do. He wants to anger me and unleash the darkness that I buried inside. I cannot and will not give him that satisfaction, even though I really want to. I especially hate when people say my math is wrong. I know what the f**k I am doing. I recite my mantra. You are safe and in control. You are safe and in control, I repeat to myself. And I let his words roll off my skin as I have done so many times before. I am done here. Not quite. You need to be here for this. Brandon looks around the room and asks, "What do you do to thieves?" Everyone is silent. He looks at the man, now tied to the chair. Do you remember what I did to the last thief? Please, I'm sorry. Please, don't do this. My father-in-law walks to his special table. He grabs his favorite knife. Anyone who steals from me doesn't deserve a hand. The man already knows what's about to come. He starts squirming in the chair, pleading, begging, "Please, don't do this. It was a mistake. I won't do it again. Please, I beg of you. Think of all the friendship and the time we spent together. I have covered you many times over before," but Brandon is not listening. He is thirsty for blood. Brandon grabs his left hand and begins cutting his hand off at the wrist. He could make it easy and quick, but he doesn't. Where's the fun in that? He wants this man to feel everything he's doing to him and remember. Never betray him. He takes his time, slicing through the flesh. Once he gets to the bone, he stops, sharpens his knife, and begins cutting through the bone as well. The man's screams are deafening, his pleading, his begging for it to stop, but Brandy does not listen. Good thing this room is soundproof. My father-in-law continues with the other hand, and the man passes out from pain. Brandon rinses off his favorite knife and places it back on the table. Brandon then instructs Patrick to let the man bleed out and die, and then dispose of him. Patrick complies. I stare at the tied-up man. I want to feel sorry for him. My only feeling is anger because I didn't get to hurt the man myself. I'm trying to clear my head. So I don't let the darkness win. Again, I repeat my mantra: I am safe, and I am in control. I have to keep saying it to keep myself under control. My father-in-law walks to the door. Why do you put your demons on a leash? Wouldn't it feel good just to let go again? I tell him. I know why you tell yourself you can't. You need to be ready for when I die. Why must I take over? You could just let Chase take over. That little whiny drug addict would ruin what I've built. I still can't believe he's my son. If I hadn't attested it, I wouldn't believe it myself. You can't choose your family. You got that f*****g right. Think about it. You will make a great leader. You're smart and ruthless; if you stop holding back and let go. Good, bribery, Brandon, and I will unleash the man you want to keep hidden one day. Let's hope you don't do it for both our sakes. I stop by the bathroom to make sure I didn't get any of the blood on me. You are not that man. Looking in the mirror, I see him. I close my eyes. I count down from ten. When I open my eyes, I don't see that man anymore. I head out of the restaurant, seeing all the smiling faces who have no idea what just happened downstairs. I need to release this frustration, so I'm going to go to the gym. You are not him. Each day, I am unsure whether I even believe that anymore.