CHAPTER ELEVEN: THE TAKE-BACK TEAM

“You are a really great actress, Serena. Name your price” Ryan told her.

“Excuse me?” Serena responded, amused.

“Tony sent you here to probably ‘win me over’, didn't he? Now name your price so I can give it to you and you drop the act. I don't need any false pity Serena” Ryan spat.

“You are totally misunderstood, Mr. Roberts. I despise Tony as much as you do right now and I just want to help…”.

“I never asked for your help, neither did I tell you I wasn't capable of handling my own problems” Ryan cut in, coldly.

His clenched jaw and distant gaze made Serena’s heart sink.

But she was determined, even if she didn't have much time.

“Why don't we have a meeting again, Ryan Roberts? Same time tomorrow, and I'll bring with me every possible proof that I'm not in any kind of alliance with Tony. Will that be enough for you?” Serena suggested.

Ryan remained mute.

He was not interested in meeting with her again, even if a small part of him wanted as much information as he could get from a well connected man like Tony.

Serena sighed, following his silence.

“Here's my card” she began, sliding a small business card onto his side of the table.

“If you…maybe change your mind, just give me a call, Roberts”.

Serena walked away slowly, with a slight look of defeat.

Ryan felt a little pity for her and his mind began to wander about whatever heinous things Tony had done to her that would make her so desperate to expose him.

Then he remembered, Tony was always going to be one step ahead of him.

He had probably sent her to him.

He was never going to win against him.

“Fuck!” Ryan yelled, banging the table.

People around whispered loudly among themselves.

Ryan stood up and immediately stormed out of the cafe.

“Mmmh! Hel…Mmmh me!” A faint scream echoed from afar.

Ryan sighed, opening his car.

He didn't have the energy to get involved in anyone's business.

“Mmmh! Pleaseee! Mmmh me!” The screams got clearer, almost as if there was a struggle.

Ryan turned sharply, following the noise into the nearby alley.

It was almost dark and he couldn't imagine why anyone would scream for help in such an open space and no one would care to help.

As he walked into the alley, the noise settled.

It was all silent, except for the faint noise from cars and other individuals moving about on the freeway.

Ryan thought he had been too stressed that he was now hearing imaginary voices.

He turned to go back to where his car was parked.

Boom! A hard blow landed on his jaw.

Ryan staggered to the floor, grunting in pain.

Before he could get up, a blow landed on his stomach.

“What the f…!”.

He caressed his jaw and blood had begun to drip onto his shirt.

He had been ambushed! The scream had probably been a trap.

He looked up to get a glance of the attackers but they were in masks, two of them.

Not giving him any advantage, one of them launched another blow but Ryan flipped to his side and his hand landed on the hard ground.

His hands moved fast and he drove a knife through Ryan's palm with his second hand.

Ryan kicked the knife away, supporting his hand with the other.

He rolled over to a corner, observing the deep cut.

The second appeared, towering over Ryan.

He seized Ryan's legs and tossed him against the wall.

Ryan felt his head spin for a few seconds and he pushed himself up, staggering again.

The second attacker was not in sight.

He went after the first attacker, dropping a hard kick in his face and watched him fall to the ground helplessly.

He clenched his stomach in pain, unaware of a kick on the head by the second attacker.

Ryan hit his head against the hard marble finish at the ground level of the wall, shattering it into pieces.

The second attacker was determined, and noticeably stronger than the first.

He went after Ryan again, pulling him by his hair and dragging him to the center of the alley.

Ryan was becoming weak and he was losing a lot of blood.

The second attacker dumped one of the heavy marble pieces on Ryan's head, breaking it.

Ryan groaned helplessly, watching with eyes that could barely open.

He came after Ryan again, this time with a silencer gun, aiming at the middle of Ryan's head.

Ryan saw his life flash before his eyes.

“I'm sure you'll learn to mind your business now, fool” the second attacker boomed.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Three bullets went off.

Ryan shut his eyes and accepted his fate.

He opened his eyes, not feeling any pain aside from the one from the fight.

Then he remembered: the gunshots had been loud.

A body dropped to the floor beside him, eyes wide open.

Ryan shivered.

It was the body of the second attacker.

“Help me” a female voice whispered.

Serena?

“You?” Ryan whispered, almost out of breath and grateful.

There were several cut marks on her skin and she dropped to the floor weakly.

She had definitely been struggling with them.

Ryan shot up from his position, with the last bit of strength in him and took up the silencer gun beside the second attacker and shot at the first attacker, watching with strange ecstasy as blood flowed freely from his victim’s neck.

He rushed to Serena, examining her body for any deep wounds.

“We have to leave immediately. These…these people are dangerous…Tony, he sent them” she muttered weakly.

“I know” Ryan heard himself say.

Tony was one step ahead of them, as he had suspected.

He had definitely gotten wind of their little meeting and sent his men after his ex-wife to shut her up so Ryan would not have any advantage over him.

He could not imagine what Tony would do to him or his mother if he would be vile enough to send killers after Serena.

Serena had been right after all.

“My kids!” Serena shrieked, out of the blue.

Kids?!

“Please, he's going to hurt them. We have to go there now, Ryan” Serena pleaded.

He couldn't abandon her after the struggle.

Not to mention the fact that she had saved his life.

He was definitely indebted to her even.

He helped her up to her feet and down to where his car was.

People around the cafe gazed endlessly at them, wondering what had happened in the past hour that they had been away from the cafe premises.

Ryan didn't care.

He had a mission to complete.