The Story of Blood and Roses

The man called me at half past one in the morning. I didn't mind being called late, but a text message pleading me to relieve the Boss of the anarchy that was currently taking place at the mansion was uncalled for after the weeks I had spent getting little to no sleep, trying to solve the mystery of the location of the cargo. I think I deserved the rest.

The funny thing was that, my squinted eyes jolted open when I read the message. All signs of sleep fled. My previously dazed brain suddenly received all the blood it needed to make my senses sharp. I pushed the covers from over my body and contemplated the consequences of dashing the cell phone against the floor to get over my irritation. Huffing, I helped myself to a cup of coffee before I responded to the text.

[How do you take your coffee? –Mia.]

I breathed out the irritation and concentrated on the burning sensation in my throat. I suppose I understood why he needed help. He'd been working as hard as everyone else, if not more and he needed some time to recuperate before he is thrown to the dogs again; the dogs being his hyperactive and troublemaking employees.

[Black and bitter. –Anthony.]

Holding back a laugh, I texted back a reply awkwardly with one hand.

[Like your heart? –Mia.]

[The coffee is less black, I suppose. I can't believe I'm saying this, but save me. –Anthony.]

I choked on my coffee as I hurried to take a screenshot of the message so that I could always remember this. The invincible Anthony Murray had asked someone for help, and as it turned out, it was me. I would have been overwhelmed if I hadn't found the whole situation amusing.

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[I'll be there before the light reaches your doorstep. Faster than sound, faster than light: me. –Mia.]

I fetch out a flask from the cabinet which I remember someone from the organization had given me as a gift a few years back. This was probably the first time I was going to use it. Anyways, it took me quite a while to locate it and then a few more minutes to proceed and make Anthony's coffee. I made his extra strong and sneaked some for myself, as well.

The bitter coffee washed away whatever little hesitance I had. I packed myself some food, too, just to be on the safe side. I donned on a worn out t-shirt and cut up jeans and left the apartment in hope that the gate to the mansion would be open when I reach.

The moment I reached the gate, I looked around. The night was cold, and I could see that the guards were all covered in warm sheets... sleeping. A bit disappointed, I sighed and did what I had dreaded doing when I left the building. I tried to open the locked gate.

My fears had proven right. The guards had chosen that day to fall asleep on the job. They were probably exhausted of constantly being alert from the past couple of weeks without proper sleep.

So, I took pity on them and tried to figure out a way I could get in. I checked the lock on the gate and realized that it was one of those automated locks that only opened when someone from inside would log in the password and open it. Of course, one could break in, literally, but that was not what I was going to do.

Realizing that trying to open the gate was futile, I did the next best thing that came to my mind.

Call Anthony.

Why hadn't I thought about that earlier? Because I liked complex things and calling Anthony would have been easy. I had to learn the ways of being an opportunist.

"Could you please open the gate? I'm getting cold," I said as soon as he picked up the phone.

"What?"

"Open the gate. The guards have fallen asleep." And I could hear him take a surprised breath.

"You really came?" he sounded delighted, but I wanted none of that.

"Yes, now can you let me enter your castle, your majesty? It's dark and cold out here." I heard him guffaw before he broke into a laugh. The phone went dead, then. I realized that he must have been running down the stairs to get the gate open.

I could see him emerge from the front door a few moments later. He was wearing the same clothes as he had been when I left him, and he was jogging towards the gate. He approached the guards who slept soundly inside the room with the glass window. I saw him shake one awake and speak to him with an angry expression on his face. He pointed at me once and I saw the other man peek a glance at me, too. I tapped my foot on the ground and waited for Anthony to finally get to the point where the gate opens.

After what seemed like an hour of Anthony lecturing the poor man (while his colleagues were still fast asleep), the gate slowly slid open. I breathed a sigh of relief as I walked over to my car. I could hear the sound of his foot against the ground as he jogged in my direction.

"You okay?" I heard Anthony say as I unlocked the door. I turned around and nodded at him with a smile on my face. He smiled back. "You go sit down, I'll park the car," he offered, politely. I was half suspicious that he was only doing it because I had come to save him, but I took the opportunity of him being nice to me. I felt triumph in being able to use someone's weaknesses for myself. It was a small victory, but it was a beginning.

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