THE RETURN Of the LEGENDARY KING of WAR

A Bitter Sweet Mystery

For a long moment, neither of them speaks. It was as though both were filled with uncertainty or perhaps couldn't find the right words to say at that moment.

The room is quiet, too quiet— The chandelier above throws shimmering light across Liliana’s hardened face, and Lizzy watches as her mother turns away, shoulders still tense from the shock of the news

She sighs. “Maybe…maybe someone knows something,” Lizzy offers quietly, almost to herself stuttering half of the way. “Someone who doesn’t know they’re supposed to be afraid to speak.”

Liliana’s head turns slowly, brows slightly raised. She is confused at her daughter's word that apparently was in a parable sort-of.

“What do you mean?” she questions.

Lizzy hesitates, then pulls out her own phone. “If I can’t get the answer through official channels… maybe I will go around them.”

“Lizzy—” Her voice trails.

But her daughter is already tapping, eyes flicking across her contacts. She scrolls until she finds a name: Katrina Moore.

Katrina has interned at Verizon months ago. She is barely noticed, practically invisible to the tussle of power. Regardless, that also means she might’ve seen things no one thought twice about. She most definitely knew who this new person is.

Lizzy presses call.

It rings once. Twice. Then—

“Hello?” Katrina’s voice is cautious, uncertain about who is at the other end.

“Katrina, it’s Lizzy. I need to ask you something—and it’s important.”

“Oh. Uh… okay?”

“You interned at Verizon, right? Do you remember anything about… a change in leadership? Did anyone new show up?”

Silence crackles on the line. A breath. Then—

“I… I shouldn’t talk about that.” she mutters, with an edge of fear now gripping her tone.

“Katrina, please.” Lizzy leans forward, voice low. “You know who I am. My mother is Liliana McCalls. We’re not enemies, but we’re not playing games either. I just need a name, I will pay you whatever you want for it .”

Another breath. Then:

“I think his name was—”

Before she can finish, a sudden crackling on the line ensues; it appears as though the line is tampered with.

“Katrina?” Lizzy frowns.

The voice cuts in, distorted. “—not safe—watching—”

Then silence.

And then, the call drops.

Lizzy stares at the screen in shock. “She was about to say his name…”

Liliana is already moving, striding over. “What did she say?”

“She said she thinks his name was—then the line just cut off.” Lizzy's voice is shaky. “I feel someone was listening."

Liliana exhales harshly. “Of course they are…Don't be silly, but we must find out who this new person is.”

Then, as if to confirm her fears, a notification flashes across Lizzy’s screen:

“Your device has been temporarily restricted from accessing Verizon-linked networks.”

For a moment she stands there dazed …Her eyes widened. “What, they’re blocking my phone now?”

Liliana takes the phone from her gently, her face a mask of calculating fury. “They’re not just blocking you. They’re making a statement.”

A pause.

Then the landline phone in the corner of the room begins to ring.

Both women freezes, afraid of picking the damn call.

Liliana cautiously moves to it like approaching like it might explode in her hands, or if she did pick it up… She lifts the receiver and says nothing.

A male voice, smooth but cold, speaks on the other end.

“You’ve been warned once. There won’t be a second.”

Click.

The line goes dead.

Liliana lowers the receiver slowly, her hands now visibly shaking. But it isn’t fear that burns in her eyes.

It’s rage.

Lizzy swallows. “Did he say who he was?”

“No,” Liliana replies softly. “But he just made it personal.”

Then, almost as an afterthought, her lips curl into something razor-sharp. “Good… Now, we must find out who it was.”

*********

Meanwhile Back at one of Mark Andrew's Luxurious Lounge...

He had thought his time with her has ended when he annulled his marriage and walked out of her life, yet it turns out that life had a thing for pulling twists at him, and this is just one of it.

For the second time, he was bent on hiding his identity, this time to seek, and have his revenge on a woman that has made him miserable for the past months.

He takes it all at once when he walked in—

Neon lights, the stench of alcohol and sweaty bodies grinding against each other and the overly loud rock music blaring from every corner of the room as he was led in, he had in mind about what he is going to do when he planned on coming here.

Since he received the news about how the I C T bugged a call that would have exposed his true identity, he wanted one that — To Know what exactly the caller wanted since he knew it was no more than his damn ex-wife Lizzy McCall.

"What does she want anyways?" he thinks while walking in.

He has ordered for a Scottish whiskey the very moment he walked in, and his friend had joined him only a few moments later.

“She is outside still being questioned. What do you plan doing with her?” he urges.

Andrew, at that moment is so self absorbed. He needs the drinks to keep his mind from blurring into the past.

In an attempt to get his attention, the other man reaches for his glass, and in an attempt to push away the glass cup, he gets Andrew's attention, which earns him a hard swat on his hand.

“Don”t,” he chides, “you can fucking talk to me without touching my drink.”

It isn't a reasonable idea but regardless he had to go with it. If there is even the slightest chance that he is going to be able to talk his friend out of making what could easily be the fate of the woman that is lurking outside, what does he persist on keeping his identity even after all was set and done?

Why had he made him warn his ex-wife?

All of this thought crept through Baron's mind, yet only Andrew knew the answers.

“Alright, alright,” he says finally, lifting his hands off the table entirely, and straight up into the air pretending to agree with Andew.

“We would talk, without me touching your drink, but you have to promise that you are going to take this very seriously.”

With a groan and a mouthful of his drink Andrew obliged.

Baron could sense that his plan is failing before it even started.

“We should talk, why are you doing all of this?” he presses further. “Why did you make me threaten your ex -wife?"

Andrew knows the question is going to be this before he asked but he still frowns at it regardless.

The fire that had been there, warm in his chest suddenly received a fresh dose of fuel that ignites a fury deep in his soul.

“Of course, I knew you were going to ask… it is not as if talking would make this any better, but it is my freaking decision.“ He swears and furiously waves the bartender over for a refill of his drink.

The bartender understands him without words.

“Of course I am not saying that man, but it could stop you from making a truly good decision. You are still holding on to the grudges…”

“Let’s. Not . Talk. About this,” He hammers in his fury, punctuating the words so it could drive its meaning into Baron's's thick skull that is probing through all of the matter.

“Alright, alright,” Baron agrees with a sigh.

“Lizzy is a freaking cheat, and deserve whatever is coming to her. Get that to your wackjob head.” He curses yet again.

“You have made that quite clear over and over again. The declarations are gradually becoming endless. Would you mind telling me what you plan to do to the intern?” Baron asks, and Andrew stares at him like he had lost a few brain cells.

“You know what to do yet you keep asking. Do you want to get me angry on purpose?”

“I know, what I meant to know is, if you will be fine, if I make any random decisions on your behalf.”

“Okay,” Andrew agrees, and lean towards his friend.

Just when he was about to give his instructions, the bartender returns with his drink.

His attention deviates from his friend to his drink, and got enraptured instantly in the clear glass again.

“Christ,” Baron murmurs, rubbing a frustrated and tired palm over his eyes.

“Man!” he snaps his fingers.

“We don't need to worry about Lizzy, do we?” Andrew points out instead.

“We've blocked her from calling, and threatened her not to." Baron answers.

“Right, but would that be enough?” He asked. “Lizzy can easily get across to her without using a phone."

Andrew reaches for his drink again, unable to hold back any longer, and took a sip and returned the glass to the table.

“What are you suggesting we do to her?" Baron asks and then continues.

“I’m not going to lie, I’m pretty unimpressed with all of how we are handling this. First, you don't want her to know you are the one heading Verizon and now this, what do you really want?” He presses, and Andrew shrugs more in acceptance than in ignorance.

“You know what?” Baron asks.

“No, tell me…?”

“I think you should take her out of town, pay her off and warn her never to come back …That seems more comfortable.” he said, causing the world around him to stop. Even the music seemed to hush a bit.

“It's probably the best thing we can do.” Baron agrees.

“My fear is Lizzy finding another loop hole." Andrew chimes in.

Baron seems to be of a very different opinion as he shook his head in disagreement. “No man, she isn’t that type of person that would linger over something in that manner.” he argues.

“Oh, you know so much about her that you’re willing to defend her… Or should I say you think you know her.” Andrew questions, and his friend sighs.

“I’ve known you two for quite some time, and I’m certain she would give up sooner than later.“

At Baron's words, Andrew throws his head backwards and breaks into a laughing fit.

“You have no idea, Lizzy is a damn snake."

“Let’s head home man, I’ll drive, you've had enough.” Baron says instead.

He stands up and watch as two of his guards walked up to his side to help him. All through that whole while, Andrew's mind still remains unsettled.

What does Lizzy McCall really want?

What is her true aim and objective for his Verizon company? It didn't look obvious, but something didn't just seem right, and he'd find out what it was.