The Encounter
Selena's POV
Something about tonight's exchange made my skin crawl.
“Is something wrong?” Mr. Aldric asked. His voice pulled me out of my thoughts. “You're not yourself today, so I'll send Jackson to close the deal for today."
"No, Boss. I'm fine. Besides, I'm a better closer than Jackson.” The men erupted in laughter.
Aldric always says, paranoia keeps people alive. Tonight, mine wouldn't shut up.
The warehouse buzzed with conversation. The men laughed. Cigarette smoke drifted through the air. Money changed hands. Everything looked normal. But normal never made my stomach twist like this.
“Here take.” He gestured handing a pack over to me. "I need this deal to go smoothly. No mistakes, Selena.” Like he already knew how I operate.
"Come on, Mr. Aldric. You know I can't let you have all the fun.” But anyways I'd try my best not to entertain him more than the required time. I collected the pack and was already heading towards the room the customer was in.
That's how things were here. Men rarely looked at the merchandise first. They always looked at me.
"You're late," said the already seated customer.
"Traffic," I said.
The buyer's gaze swept across the room before stopping on me. And just for a second, our eyes locked. His expression didn't change, neither did mine.
Still, something passed between us. Recognition. Curiosity. Danger.
I looked away first.
"You seem distracted,” the buyer asked.
"I am okay,” I said.
"You've been watching the exits since I walked in," he said calmly. "Either you're expecting trouble... or you already know it's coming.”
"You ask a lot of questions for a buyer.”
"Careful." His smile disappeared. "That mouth of yours is going to get you in trouble one day."
I stepped closer, lowering my voice. "The day I'm scared of trouble is the day you should start worrying.”
Ring….ring.
I picked up the cell phone, placing it towards my ear. “Hello, hello who's there,” trying to find the voice as it was an unknown caller.
“Run, run they are here.”
Before I could even review what had happened, the call was already disconnected. The person on the other side seemed tense and was already staggering with his words.
I jerked towards the window, and suddenly my face turned pale. "Ohh f**k! We've got company!"
In the distance, the faint wail of sirens cut through the night. "Tell me that's not for us," I said, murmuring out words only I could hear.
The sirens grew louder. My eyes were locked on the buyer because he wasn't running or panicking. He reached inside his jacket, and a bright golden metal flashed through my eyes.
Detective Marcus Rogers.
