The Grand Mistress

Feather laid unconscious in Hawk's arms, even Simione stepped back a bit seeing it. She knew it was a serious breakdown and needed to be taken care of immediately.

"Feather!" Hawk shook the girl again but she wasn't responding and when he tried to check her breathing, it went so slow and weak. Knowing that it was a serious case, Hawk took the girl in his arms. "Call the driver! I'll bring her to the hospital,"

Hawk's men started moving and Simione just watched as Hawk left the door with the ballerina in his arms. He was in a hurry, he didn't have time to look at her and it gave her so much relief.

She had thought she'd never had the chance to escape him yet now that he left leaving no instructions for her nor his men about her, she had grown a hope that perhaps she didn't have to die under Hawk's hands today.

  Seeing this chance of escape, she took no time to waste. She instantly headed for the door, full of hope.

"Unfortunately Miss you can't go," A man of not so big of a build came to her view. His face wasn't that threatening like Haw had earlier, but his aura screams dominance. 

"You are?" Simione asked.

"Mr. Blue," He replied and proceeded to block her way.

"You work for Hawk Monsanto?"

"Not sure if that's what I do for him, but yes," The man answered. "Lets just say I work for him,"

"You don't look like his employee and I haven't seen you before," Simione felt like saying it because there was something about the guy that hit different. 

"All I can tell you is that you cannot leave this place," Mr. Blue replied and gave her a smirk.

"You think you can stop me?" Simione blurted and even when the man had not yet given a response, she moved quickly out of the door. It was too sudden that she thought Mr. Blue was not prepared for it but she was wrong, the guy had read her eyes and before she could successfully leave, the man was already in front of her again, blocking her way.

"Hmmm…you're so quick ,Missm even with that high heel of yours," he complimented her. "But not too quick for me,"

Simione staggered a bit. She knew some self-defense skills because Lucy had trained her before but judging by the aura the man was displaying and how quickly he caught her, it seemed like she was no match for him. 

"I didn't remember Hawk saying you are not to allow me to leave," Simione reasoned, trying to confuse the guy.

"He didn't need to tell me, I acted on my own," He politely gave her a reply even when it was too unnecessary. Aside from that, the man also looked at Simione from head to foot as if assessing her.

"I thought you were his employee…"

"I thought I made it clear I am not his employee, it just appears so that I am,"

"What do you get then for stopping me?"

"Peace…"

"Peace?" Simione was surprised by his answer as it seemed out of nowhere.

"Yes, no need to ask why. I'm afraid I don't have an answer—ugh!"

There was in instant blackout that Mr. Blue had never thought of happening at such a crucial moment. When he had his full guards up and strengthened his other senses,he felt many men around him, waiting to attack . He immediately readied himself until the first fist was thrown at him.

"Who are you guys?" Mr. Blue asked as he was dodging the attacks and at the same time defended himself. It was really dark at that corner of the theater as it had no windows and so fought blindly. Good thing he had gone through a thorough training so even when almost ten people alternately fought him, he was able to stand his ground.

"I repeat who are you?" He asked again but received no reply. Knowing that they were definitely enemies, he tried to rummage his head for possible reasons why he had been attacked. It had been a long time since there was no incident like this as many were too afraid to fought with the Monsanto's so Mr. Blue was wondering who was behind this chaos and why they were here.

Are they perhaps here for the girl?

That thought came to Mr. Blue late and so when he tried to sense Simione in the darkness, he realized she wasn't there anymore.

"Where's the girl?" Mr. Blue's attackers started blabbering as they too noticed that the girl went missing. Immediately too, the lights came back on and what Mr. Blue saw a bunch of big men in black suits and black masks. 

"She was here just a second ago," Someone retaliated when their group became aware of Simione's sudden disappearance. "Perhaps she went on her own while we were fighting this man," He pointed at Mr. Blue.

Hearing their exchanges, Mr. Blue realized that the other group indeed was after Simione but they too lost her just like he did. Now that he can see his opponents, he realized there were many of them, at least two dozen. 

All in black suits with half of their faces covered like bandits. They were all well built as if they had been training everyday all their lives. Their moves were calculated and very organized that he suspects were from the military. Even if they were wearing bandits suits, only military men would be this organized.

"How serious is this kidnapping plan that you guys had to bring many men with you?" Mr. Blue asked them, almost mocking. 

"Retreat…find the girl!" The leader of the other party ignored Mr. Blue and his one instruction cause his men to spread everywhere. 

So, Simione was really their concern and this made Mr. Blue raised some eyebrows at it. The girl seemed to be a very ordinary woman. How come men like this were after her? Perhaps they had understated her connections at all.

Mr. Blue finds it intriguing but just like a smart man as he always was, he suspects in no less than a minute that Simione intentionally fled from them so it means they weren't her men, nor were they her lovers. If not, then they should have not panicked when they too lost her.

Who are they then?

He was really curious but knowing he too had things to take care of, he raised his wrist watch to his face to look at it and noticed  the bruises in his hands. Well he had a good fight tonight but he shouldn't linger in that room any longer, afterall, he too had a girl to find. Tsk! That girl seemed to be so good at escaping all the time!

Hawk would surely ask where she was and expected him to give some answers so he had to remedy the fact of her escape before Hawk could cook him in the oven. Hawk Monsanto was always careless with women but he certainly knew who he wanted this time, it is hard to ignore his affiliation with his mistress.

Knowing that he had no more time to spare, he took his phone and dialed some numbers. "Hey…. are you busy?.... track down the Hawk Monsanto's woman …she escaped my grip….also.. There were men who attacked me in the theater while she was with me, find out who they are,"

Just after he said all his instructions clearly, the call stopped and Mr. Blue calmly exited the door as if he was very certain he could find her.

At the end of the night however, two groups of men were cursing for failing their missions. 

El Tigre was screaming at the top of his office, demanding where Simione went while Hawk's head security was preparing himself to take Hawk's fury.

****

At the Imperial Hospital

Four  hours after

Feather was lying idly on the white bed, she had been awake for a while but was too scared to open her eyes. She heard Hawk's voice earlier talking to the doctor and left the room after but she was certain he left some men to look after her at the door. Inside the room, a nurse was still moving around and since Feather wanted not to bear Hawk's confrontation then, as she was sure he had many questions prepared for her, she dared not to open her eyes.

In a minute though, she heard the room open and Madam Fara's voice asking the nurse to leave and so when the latter did, Feather immediately raised from her bed and clung to her mother.

"Mother!"

"Feather what happened? Where have you been?" Madam Fara asked right away. She was there at the concert and saw her own daughter fall from her routine and the scandalous moment of Hawk Monsanto kissing his mistress in the box, but that's all she knew and nothing else.

"You assured me before that Simione died! How was she still alive?" Feather blurted miserably.