The CEO's Order

Chapter 2

Underneath the beautiful starry night of Las Vegas, Amber is silently watching the dancing lights from the high rising buildings. After the successful project, Astra, Nyx and her are supposed to immediately head back home for their next one.

Driving down the long busy road up to the private club, Amber never spoke a single word. Her team seams to understand what is happening and they let her be. Nyx spent the whole ride back holding herself back from teasing her about the random guy.

"When is the next project again?" asked Amber out of nowhere.

"At about 40 hours," Astra said. "Do you want to stay here a bit more? I'll take care of the flying, no problem."

"We have our plan all set up," said Nyx. "If you want to, gamble a bit, you know."

"No, I was just wondering how much time I have to sleep."

Napailing nalang ang dalawa sa naging sagot nito. They can already tell, she doesn't what to talk about the guy.

Nyx looked out of the window, "If you're sure about that, then we're here."

Astra parked the car and instantly called someone on her phone, "Hey Eypi, it's Astra. We're outside, is everything ready?"

Sandali pa ay tinanguan niya ang dalawang kaibigan bilang hudyat na maaari na silang umakyat sa rooftop.

Up there, their sweet ride is waiting. Astra's eyes twinkled as her favorite private jet waits for them.

"Pilatus baby," she whispered, admiring the jet. "Amber, when will we stop renting jets?"

Amber threw her a questioning look while reaching for a bag of fries in the take out bag.

"You want us to stop accepting international jobs?" seryosong tanong ni Amber. "Talk to Nyx. And guys, the food is cold."

"Yeah, no sh*t. We got them an hour ago," singit ni Nyx sa usapan. "What about international jobs again?"

"Astra's saying that she doesn't want to accept international jobs anymore."

"What? Are you mad?"

"Wait, who's mad?" naguguluhang tanong ni Astra. "I'm not angry, what?"

Nyx and Amber giggled while secretly looking at each other meaningfully. They have successfully confused their poor friend once again.

"Malaki ang bayad sa international projects, why do you want to quit it?"

Amber just observed the two while still eating her cold fries with a judging look in her face.

"What? I didn't say that, I just want us to have our own jet."

Nyx started to laugh her head off while holding her tummy. While shocked with what Astra have said, Amber almost spat her food.

"Steal it then,"

"Amber! We can't steal this, it's too big!"

"Hello ladies!" Nahinto ang pagtawa ni Nyx at Amber dahil sa biglaang pagdating ng isang babae. She's dressed in a black suit and pants, waving at them.

"Eypi, how have you been?" As soon as Amber turned to talk to her, Eypi immediately bowed down to give respect to her. But Amber bitterly smiled and stopped her.

"Eypi, how many times do I have to stop you from bowing to me," she said as she tapped her by the shoulder. "Want some fries? They're cold as hell tho."

Eypi politely turned it down. Kahit na gaano katagal na ang nakalipas, hindi pa rin niya maalis ang nakagawian na pagbati kay Amber. Eypi was one of the past members of her family's mafia and she's a pilot. When she turned thirty, she met her husband and they migrated to America. She officially left the mafia, but she always lend them a hand and even Hecate's team. She's usually Astra's co-pilot

"Are you guys ready to fly?" Epyi asked.

"Yup, please. I badly need to sleep," said Amber as she tossed the empty paper bag.

As soon as they arrive to the Philippines, Astra is too tired to even speak. Amber drove them home to their base. An old apartment building in the middle of an old part of the city. It is unnoticed by people. It is a huge five story building apartment with the paint completely worn off. But from the inside, it is the most extravagant mansion.

All the doors seen from the outside, were fake. And it is all connected as a whole story once you enter it. The first floor has a big living room with huge comfortable couches next to the game room and gym. Second floor has their kitchen and dining room. Their rooms are on different floors with Amber being on the top to have the best view in case of emergency situations.

"Wake up weirdo," Nyx kicked Amber who's peacefully sleeping. Natawa siya habang galit na sumisipa sa hangin si Amber pabalik.

"Come on, you need to move. Pick up is in two hours."

"Yeah, yeah. I'm awake now," Amber sleepily said. She sat down and with her eyes still closed, she managed to directly point a finger gun towards Nyx's head, "Leave, or I'll turn your brain to soup."

"Astra, create a scene," Amber ordered. She's outside the Korean sauna, the location for her pickup job. Now she's wearing her usual all black attire, with her face covered by a black mask and her special glasses. The CCTV camera slowly moved and she watched it focus directly to her.

"Nyx, you got all the cameras right?"

"Yeah, I hacked the whole establishment," Nyx Ann answered through their earbuds.

"Then why is this one directly focuses on me?" Amber asked.

"Ah! That's me," Nyx responded and giggled silently. "I'm just watching you, chill out."

"There are a lot of civilians in here, what a terrible spot."

"Hecate, just do it. Thirty million upon completion. Ano pa ang problema natin 'di ba?"

"Nyx is right and that's why I'm here. I'll clear the path," Astra said over the call. Mabilis na pumunta ito sa labas ng locker room habang umiiyak nang malakas. She's crying so loud that the elderly women inside the locker room rushed outside to see what's happening.

"Ineng, bakit ka umiiyak?" A sweet old lady asked while rubbing her back. Another one was moving her hair from her face and the other one is hurrying to give her a bottled water.

"Si Armando po kasi," panimula ng dalaga at humagulgol na naman habang itinuturo ang isang pintuan papunta sa sauna. Hindi na niya matuloy ang sinasabi dahil sa sunod-sunod na pagtulo ng luha niya.

Kaagad na nabahala ang mga lola dahil sa dating ng mga sinasabi ng dalaga. Naguguluhan na lumapit na rin ang receptionist na hindi alam kung ano ang pinagmumulan ng ingay.

"Ano'ng ginawa sayo Neng?" Tanong na naman ng isang Lola. Hindi makapagsalita si Astra na umiiyak lang.

The women surrounding Astra talked in a dialect that she did not understand. But she could see them slowly getting angrier and more pumped then they all left her to rush to the room that she pointed at. When the women were a little bit far from her she whispered.

"I don't know what the hell happened guys but it's cleared. I think two minutes," Astra wiped her fake tears and told Hecate the progress. She then rushed to the door and stood beside it while Hecate rushed in to do her thing.

Hecate's quick movements made it possible to open the right locker in less than a minute but she was surprised with what she saw.

"There's nothing in here." Halos malaglag ang puso ni Nyx at Astra dahil sa narinig nilang sabi ni Hecate.

"Are you sure? The client confirmed that the package was left here. Locker 71, pass code is 8990. Is that the-" Crystal's sentence was cut off.

"Nyx?" Hecate called.

"Leave now Hecate. Run!" There's panic in her voice. "I don't know what happened but we just got the payment for completing the job. Leave!"

As soon as Hecate and Astra heard Nyx screaming, they rushed to get out of the building. But instead of going through the front door, Hecate ran to the back, climbed up the stairs to get to the 3rd floor. She ran as fast as she could to the edge of the railings and swiftly jumped out of it to the 2nd floor balcony of a shop from the next building. From there, she just casually jumped down to the parking lot on the ground floor. Waiting for her is a big black motorbike that they have planted beforehand in case of emergencies like this.

She wore her helmet and rode away. Astra is still inside the spa, taking her time to check around with her hand inside her bag, ready to pull out her gun anytime.

"Astra, Hex is out. You can leave."

Tumango lang si Astra sa narinig niya at lumabas siya sa building na parang walang nangyari.

"This is so strange. Are you sure that it's not a trap?" She heard Amber ask.

"I checked inside, nothing suspicious," Astra answered before driving away in her car.

"I didn't get any alarms, no one could ever interfere with my hacks unless it's Hecate herself or-" Nyx stopped talking once again.

"Or what?"

"Or Mister S huh?" Amber's voice sounded sad. As if she's remembering a dark past.

"Yes. Other than you, only him can do it without me catching on."

"Got it," Amber pulled out her earbud to stop talking to her partners for a while. She parked her bike beside a tree near a cliff. It is around 6 pm. and she decided to relax in her favorite spot after the stressful event.

All of the clues points to one thing, her parents. They all know that Nyx's programs would never be breached by anyone else that easily other than Mister S. The man who thought them himself. Mister S is one of her parent's best friends. He calls him as her Uncle, and he was their best hacker in the Empire before. And now, it seems that they were given a fake task to receive this easy money without being suspicious.

Amber thought twice before grabbing her phone from the pocket of her jacket. She slowly pressed the buttons to dial a number that is engraved in her brain. Her hand trembled as she heard the familiar tone from her phone.

"It didn't even ring."

She forced a little giggle. Leaning against the trunk of the tall tree, she closed her eyes and whispered, "Mom, when can I hear your voice again?"