'Can't believe we're going to fucking Las Vegas. Sin City WOOOOOO!' Cook screamed when he and Effy got the news from Naomi they were going to Las Vegas, for business purposes only Naomi stressed but Cook was lost at 'Las'. Effy sat on the tatty motel bed challenging Naomi with a raised eyebrow, she knew something was up with Naomi, her mask of stone still there but Effy had known Naomi long enough to know when something was bugging her. Cook was still doing a little celebratory dance around the motel room only stopping when he reached JJ who was at in the corner tapping rapidly away at his laptop no doubt manageing their many other bank robberies, passing various amounts of cash between the many bank accounts he had set up using fake ID after fake ID until it eventually got to the people that had required their services. Naomi had only a simple knowledge on how it worked but JJ haveing a math degree from HArvard she knew that everything was in safe hands. JJ, for the first time since they got into the motel took his eyes off the computer screen as he tried to shrug off a celebrateing Cook who had wrapped the curly haired young man in a hug. Cook laughed at JJ unimpressed facial expression and ruffled his hair before finaling letting himself relax on the bed next to Effy.
'Cook we are going the Las Vegas for business only. No gambeling, no picking up girls and most importantly keep a low profile, this is serious business,' Naomi told Cook, feeling like a mother having to put him in his place.
'What? Blondie, how can you say that? You can't go to Las Vegas and not party, that's what Las Vegas is built on, and anyway why havn't we ever done a job there? I've been to every shit hole this country has on offer and now I've got a chance to actually have a peice of the high life and you're depriving me. It's like being a really horny virgin who's got this top shelf bird in front of him, who has fucking mint pair of tits by the way, and all he can do is look,' Effy smirked at Cooks simile and looked up to Naomi who, as she expected, was rolling her eyes.
'Look,' Naomi huffed pinching the bridge of her nose, 'If we get what needs to be done then I'll consider it,' Cook instantly grinned, ' but work first , alright?' Cook, looking like a kid at christmas just nodded still with his annoying grin plastered on his face. Effy shook her head at how mother and child like Naomi and Cook were.
'Anyway JJ hows the Seattle job coming along?' Naomi called over to JJ.
'W...w...well Mr Fitch has the majority now in his account b...b..but I've still got another twenty two thousand left but it shouldn't take long. It's impressive if y...you think about it considering you did that job only three months ago,' JJ's cheeks got more and more red as he continued to talk, his stuttering coming more prominent the longer he continued. He had trouble talking openly to the other three despite the amount of time he had known them and Naomi was well aware of it but she like to push him once in a while. He'd come along way from the graduate four years ago that could barely put two words together nevermind a coherant sentence. She remebered very clearly when Cook had come back from a holiday in Miami where he had met JJ who was now living back with his parents in Miami as he had found it difficult to find work with his autism. Naomi knew instantly that if they were to have JJ with his impressive skills on their side they could hit the kind of people they had to deal with where it hurts, their money. JJ jumped at the opportunity to be part of their crew, he was rearing to go even when Naomi told him the risks in being involved such a business but his reply was simply 'I've got the friends I've always wanted now, I'm happy'.
Naomi was quickly pulled back to the present day by JJ's rambeling and Naomi was quick to throw the poor guy a bone. 'Good work JJ, still on top form,' Naomi complimented and felt like a proud mother as she watched JJ project a beaming smile her way and a quiet 'thankyou' before returning back to his laptop.
'So when we popping off to viva Las Vegas, next week? Cause I need to get me come new threads if I'm gonna impress sin city's babes,' Cook asked still grinning
'I'll save you from your credit card. We leave tomorrow,' Cook's grin dropped, even Effy looked confused.
'Tomorrow? Isn't that bit soon, we normally spend like a week before the job and then a week or two after. You said it that it made airlines less suspicious that way. Naomi Campbell are messing with your own routine?' A cunning little smile touched the edge of his lips as he thought of the amount of times that he got a bollocking for not following her precious little routine, and now how the tables have turned.
'This is urgent and can't wait. We leave tomorrow, the routine still applies when flying. No business or first class and use your newly wed persona,' Cook huffed.
'I'm not flying fucking cattle class in this fucking heat all the way to Las Vegas,' He moaned
'You do as I say Cook or you stay here with JJ,' Cook folded his arms looking like a child who doesn't have their own way.'I thought as much,' Naomi finshed when she heard Cook hiss a little 'fine' back at her. Effy smirked at Naomi who smirked back knowing fine well that she was thinking that Cook's little strop was hilarious.
'I'll go pack,' Effy threw out in the silence and gracefully slid out of the room to her own. Cook follwed with as much grace as a tatrum child could have, his angry, heavy footsteps and slamming the door close causing the entire room to shudder making him look pathetic but Naomi didn't care cause he'd come round, he always did.
'You'll be alright here, right JJ?' JJ nodded.
'N...not quite my idea of fun u...unlike Cook,' He added before going back the key board. Naomi smiled at him working away, his face screwed up in full concentration. Naomi preceeded to pack with a constant nag of worry in her mind. Robert had been brief on the phone but Naomi could tell he was in some sort of conflict with himself and needed to talk to her so Naomi figured she'd do him favour, but she scolded herself when getting off the phone for doing a 'favour' for a client. She had been adamant from day one to never bring personal ties into business, with her job it could get her killed.
McCarren International Airport, LAS VEGAS
Naomi Campbell (or Stephannie Michaels according to her passport) felt like a bake potato as she walk through the airport, and wearing a black business suit didn't help but she couldn't exactly walk through customs as Stephannie Michaels on a business trip wearing a pair of flip flops and a bathing suit. As she walked out of the airport she saw Effy and Cook (or newly wed Shaun and Rebbeca Baker) sitting on a bench basking in the melting sun both with cigerettes hanging from their lips looking exactly how she felt, exhausted. But atleast they got to wear shorts and tee shirts that went with there honeymooning vacationers fore front and not the heavy, dark, heat absorbing cell she had to with stand. Naomi managed to catch Effy's eye and winked before turning in the opposite direction to get a cab, Effy nodded back and sent Cook the que,
'Honey, I'm tired waiting for this bus can we just go get a cab,' she said to Cook in an sickly sweet voice. They grabbed their bags and turned in the direction that Naomi had just gone previously and hailed a cab for themselves. Cook was relieved, he'd been sitting on that bloody bench for five hours waiting for Naomi's flight to get in. He saw it pretty pointless that everytime they flew they had to go on separate flights with different airlines but it was all part of Naomi's sodding routine, he swore she'd sleep with the bloody thing if she could.
'Thanks for taking your bloody time,' Cook called over to Naomi who standing outside Chris's Car Rental pretending to be an angry business woman shouting down phone about stocks or something, obviously killing time till Effy and Cook met her. Naomi shouted some quick reply and hung up on her fake conversation. She turned and gave Cook an annoying grin.
'That's for what you did yesterday and it's not my fault the flight was delayed,' Cook shook his head in annoyance.
'Well, shall we,' He said wafting the two women into the car rental. All there was inside the shack of a building was two chairs which looked like they've seen better days and a tired looking desk which had a mousy haired young man with his feet resting atop of it, a joint hanging from his smileing mouth, his eyes closed obviously enjoying the effects of his magic cigerette. When he heard the door open his eyes snapped open and his hole face lit up when he saw the familiar blonde walk in.
'Naomi! What do I owe the pleasure,' He greeted pushing himself out of his chair, his pupils the size of saucepans like eveyother time Naomi had seen him.
'The usual Chris,' She smiled as his face was anything but sober.
'Cool, cool...you're still paying the same way, right?' He asked eagerly. Naomi nodded. 'Is it them Romanian ones cause they were fucking awsome,'
'Times are hard Chris and Romania doesn't want to talk to me since my last trip but you'll like what I've got, something new,' Cook passed Naomi over a small packet containing fluorescent, orange pills and she in turn threw them onto the table that Chris had just sat back down behind. Chris chuckled, still with a completely stoned expression over his features.
'Cool,' He swiped the packet from the table top and held it up to the light, completely entraced by the them.
'I want the usual Chris,' Naomi said grabbing Chris's attention.
'Erm..well I've only got one set of wheels left,' He murmed still looking at the pills.
'What is it?' He pointed out the window to a powder blue, 1965 Rambler Convertible.
'HAHA Nice!' Cook shouted. Naomi was anything but impressed.
'Chris!' Still looking at the pills until Naomi ripped them from his grasp, 'I can't have this, I want something else, now!' Chris looked as if he was going to cry as he saw the pills in Naomi's hand.
'I can't, I havn't got anything else! It's height of tourist season, people want cars!' He reasoned never taking his gaze of the pills still in Naomi's grapsed. Naomi rolled her eyes and threw them them back to him before storming out the building.
'Nice doing business with ya Chris my boy,' Cook called back as he left the building, laughing his head off at the pissed off blonde.
'I can't fucking believe this,' Naomi moaned as she sat in the drivers seat, the burning sun not helping with her livid mood. Cook crammed their bags in the back still cackleing to himself. He jumped over the door into the front seat still smirking.
'I like to see you're finding this so funny. Where the fucks the low key in this?' She motioned to the car.
'Ah stop getting ya knickers in a twist and just deal with it,' Cook replied turning to a smirking Effy in the back. He winked at her and Naomi rolled her eyes for what felt like the thousandth time today before driving off.
Fitches Casino, Down Town Las Vegas.
'Mr Fitch, Miss Daniels is here to see you,' Came through the loud speaker. Robert took in a huge gulp of air before telling his secretary to let her on through. Robert hadn't slept at all last night and the fact that he hadn't had a single thing to eat today as his stomach wouldn't stop doing somersaults wasn't helping him stay calm. Robert didn't know whether to be relieved or worried to the bone when Naomi had agreed to have an actual formal meeting within the confines of his own Casino, so close to his personal and business life. He couldn't quite tell through Naomi's monotone voice whether she was surpised at the request or had been expecting it all along. It didn't matter whichever it was because she was here and Robert was as jittery as a drug addict going through withdrawl. With a wipe his moist brow and a quick gathering together of himself he tried look ready for what was probably the most pain staking thing he's ever had to do, his insides felt like he was on the brink of breakdown. The grand mahogany door opened and there stood a tall, slim built brunette stareing at him with an emtionless expression. Before Rob had time to greet her the young women she cut in,
'I hope everything's in order as I requested?' Her face of stone never faultering. Rob didn't like it as he was so used to people squirming under his gaze as result of his wealth and power and to have it all knocked a side by some enigma of a young women was definitely a stab to his ego but he knew better than to fuck with these kind of people.
'Yes, all cameras have been disconnected from this area, told the boys I needed some time to myself. I've only one thing to do,' He smiled in an attempt to make the situation light hearted but the women was not having any of it.
'Er...Debbie I think it's time to take a much needed break, you have my permission to have an early lunch,' Rob spoke into the speaker.
'Mr Fitch are you sure?' the woman replied.
'I'm sure, you work too hard and besides Miss Daniels and myself have a lot of business to tackle and I'll be lacking in jobs to give you, so please,'
'Alright Mr Fitch but I'll have my cell phone if you need me,' The poor woman obviously measureing up whether this was a joke or Mr Fitch was actually letting her have a much needed break.
'Okay Debbie, bye' Robert took his finger away from the speaker button and motioned the brunette to sit, she did.
'So you have decided to come on your own Naomi?' He asked as she removed the chocolate wig letting her waves of blonde free.
'No, they'll be here but I figured you'd rather tell me by myself why you have requested such a meeting in a place so close to your own family, even I thought it odd that your going against your own rules of our agreement. That, and I only want my employers coming into contact with yours unless it is absolutely necassary. They'll be here in fithteen minutes so you better make it quick, their never late,' Robert swallowed and leant forward in his chair before starting.
'Alright, listen. I'm not going to be here much longer,' Naomi narrowed her eyes in confusion. 'I...I have recently been diagnosed with lung cancer, there's nothing they can do, they predict I've another six months maximum,' The blonde's expression was still that of stone even though inside there were alarm bells going off but she knew never to let her emotions get the better of her, especially after being so close when agreeing to come here. Rob continued, 'I'm well aware of the bind that this will put us in, not only your own services but my as well. Like I've said since the start I won't stop till I've got the bastard who did this horrific act to my family, even in death. I know this is going to go against my wishes, but when I die the company, as you know, will be handed down to Emily along the with responsibilities ,' He drew in a long breath and his shakeing hands did not go unnoticed by Naomi. 'Emily will continue what I can't. I know it will put a massive strain on our relationship after finding out the truth, but I havn't got long and she needs to be prepared,' Rob went silent. Naomi shifted in her seat and decided to take control.
'Mr Fitch if I am correct in what I think you are asking me to do then my answer is as follows. I will still work for you underneath Emily's name but my side of the agreement still stands and only Emily must know of our exsistance, and you must make her very aware of what my people and I are capable of if she were to go against our wishes, ' Robert gulped at the thought that popped into his mind but nodded never the less.
'Oi blondie tell Mr Money bags we're outside and I've put the bug out 'ere too,' Naomi heard through her ear peice.
'My collegues are here,' Naomi stated and Rob took in another breath before nodding again.
'Naomi I have Emly here and I wish for you to meet, I will explain everything but like I said she needs to be prepared for when I'm not here and getting this done now will save the proper goodbyes for when it is nesscary. Are you willing to meet?' Naomi stayed silent. It's alot to take in and even more so the risks have now been bumped up to red alert but as much as Naomi wishes not to look at this through emotional eyes she knew it would save a lot for Robert and his family and her future client. Naomi nodded.
'Alright, I'll let your people in and you can get them caught, I'm going to get Emily,' He made his way to the door and on opening it. He waved a strawberry blonde Effy and a dark haired Cook into his office before he left himself quickly explain to the newly arrived that he had to go get something. They both sat down in their awaiting seats.
'Jesus this is swanky, aint it?' Cook gasped as he looked around at the grand decor. 'So what did Robbie wants us for then,' Cook asked after he'd given the office his seal of approval. Naomi told them.
'Bloody hell,' Cook breathed once Naomi had finished, 'poor little sod,' referring to Mr Fitch. Effy's reaction wasn't quite on the same wave length as Cook's.
'Are you sure this is a good idea? This girl,'
'Emily,' Naomi interjected.
'Well, Emily then,' Effy resumed, 'she could rat us out and once the goverment knows our names we're just an easy meal,'
'She'll only know our first names. I stressed that to Mr Fitch when we first met and he is going to make sure that she knows what we can do if she were to do anything,' Naomi pointed out but listening to Effy point out the obvious wasn't exactly doing much for her confidence about the whole situation.
'Listen Naomi, I know it's gonna be a kick to the money bags when Rob goes but I'm with Effy on this one, it's too risky, let's just blow out now before the inevitable happens,' Cook added. Naomi rubbed a delicate hand over her tired face, this just wasn't her day. She was about to reply to Cook but was quickly cut off by the openning of the solid office entrance. The three of them turned in unison.
'Emily this is Naomi, er...,' Rob hesitated when pointing to Cook.
'Er...James and Elizabeth,' Naomi finished for him, for the first time since meeting Robert Fitch she was letting her true emotions creep through and all because the young, seemingly harmless, stunning girl who had just entered their lives. Stunning? Where the fuck did that come from Naomi internally freaked out on herself.
The woman beamed back at the three.
'I'm Emily Fitch, assitant director of Fitch Games,' She introduced as she extended her hand to the dumb struck blonde. Naomi quickly put her head in the game and smiled back before reaching out to take her hand. When Naomi's hand encased the womans tiny one she felt shockwaves radiate across her entire body, every hair on the back of her neck stood to attention as she looked straight into the most hypnotic, chocolate she ever encountered, her irises reminded her of never ending swirls of delicate velvet. Naomi had never been so frightened in all her life. Although Naomi noticed Emily's smiled slowly fade as she shook her own hand, probably because your acting like a moron Naomi told herself before letting go of her hand and mustering a half arsed smile. Naomi turned noticeing Effy's blue orbs burning into her.
'Right, erm I think we better get down to business, take a seat Emily,' Emily looked over at the others with slight confusion but did as her father requested. Robert pinched the bridge of his nose and murmured a nearly unaudiable 'Lord help me' to himself before beginning what would be the breaking of him.
'Emily you are most likely wondering why you've been brought here to meet these people,' He motioned to the three. 'There's no way to say this easy so I'm just going to come out with it,' Naomi instantly saw Emily's face cloud over with worry and Naomi couldn't quite understand why she had this want to do whatever she humanly could to see the smile she had been first greeted with.
'Emily, since your mother's passing I have been hireing these three individuals in secret to find out who was behind it,' Emily furrowed her eyebrows at the three, she couldn't quite see why her father was making such a deal of hireing some private detectives in finding out who had been behind the incident which had crushed the entire family, if anything she'd find it odd if her father hadn't gone to such lengths for her mother.
'Oh..right. Well, thankyou for your help but I don't see what I've got to do with this,' Rob sighed again, he really was getting to the point where he didn't think he could do this despite the constant reciting he had done infront of the mirror this morning which he hadn't actully gone by at all so far. Emily looked at the three and back to her dad. 'What's going on dad?' The seriousness of whatever situation her father seemed to be tearing at him making it important enough for her to call her father dad infront of his own clients. Robert pushed himself out of his vintage leather office chair and stood faceing the midday, down town Las Vegas scene that could be witnessed out of his huge office window.
'Four years ago you remember the sudden increase of money being fed into our business,' Rob's gruff voice echoed through the silence of the office had inhabited.
'I was at university at the time, I wasn't a part of the company then, but I remember you mentioned it,' Emily's gaze never left the back of Robert who was still looking intently at the over flow of Las Vegas buildings.
'Those three people sitting next you are responsible for bringing such a significant raise in our worth,' Emilly turned to the three. The man and the strawberry blonde both looking upon her with furrowed brows, the remaining woman with the ice blue eyes that had grabbed her attention from first glance stared straight ahead at the urban view that her father was looking at too.
'What are you talking about?' Emily asked praying that the reason behind her fathers out of character darkness was just her father's idea of a joke to cheer up after the whole business with Katie going to Australia instead of her, but then again when did her father ever joke about money?
'They stole it for me,' Rob finished refuseing to even turn to the hurt that no doubt was clouding his daughter's features.
'W...what?' She gasped, a sting of up and coming tears coming to her eyes.
'I gave them permission to find evidence in any way they can,' Rob felt his lip tremble as he heard his daughters tone of defeat.
'Y..you gave them permission, what the fuck do you mean you gave them permission? It's not even yours to fucking give permission!' Rob finally turned to see his daughter stood out of her chair, tears streaming down her porcelin cheeks. 'How in the hell did you think it was okay to hire these people? These scum,'
'Woah! Hold on a minute,' Cook flew out of his chair.
'Don't woah me. You heard what I said, your scum,' Emily shoved her finger in Cook's face, 'I've worked my ass off everyday of my life for this company, I've gave up my dreams for this company, I've lost my own mother because of this company and I still work as god damn hard as I always did despite all of that. People like you cheat and use other's people's hard earned money just to keep yourself finanically sound, you cheat the system and what do you leave the rest with?' Emily switched her gaze to blonde known as Naomi, at least she had the decency to actually look at her now Emily thought. Those hypnotic orbs looking at her through her platinum bangs. Emily didn't care how entracing she found them they were still the eyes of a crimminal. Emily may have been sucked into the gambleing world but she stood by the law and couldn't stand that people like the ones in front of her went out of their way to abuse it just because they felt there was no where else to turn.
'Emily, please just calm down,' Rob pleaded. Emily looked at her dad with disbelief, how could somebody she loved so much be so evil?
Meanwhile outside Robert Fitch's office the reflective gold elavator doors openned, out stepped a pair of black millitery boots that moved without a sound which was impressive considering the marble floor, following the odd footwear in such heat was a pair of dark eyes that could only just be seen in the the small eye holes of the full, black face mask,a MP5 pointed at the rich wood office door. Another, indentical figure followed behind the preceeding gunman.
'Damn it's hot in here,' The second man complained.
'Shut up,' The other man growled, 'We get in their, take out the target and go, no hanging about. If you see you girl take her out too,'
'Take her out too,' Naomi's head shot up, the unrecognisable voices she heard through her ear peice dragging her away from Miss Fitch and her father's now quite distressing argument. Naomi suddenly went into action mode, immediately nudgeing Effy getting her to look down at her thumb and middle finger pressed together,signal for outside danger, an action gone completely unoticed by the two Fitches. Naomi watched Effy pass the message along to Cook who in turn nodded at them both.
'I can't take this anymore, I'm going to my office don't follow,' Emily hissed throwing her hands up in defeat, her father sat behind his desk with his head in his hands, his tears evident. Emily spun toward the door.
'On my count,' Naomi watched in panic as she saw the young Fitch make what would be a normal, safe few steps toward the office door now made deadly at the outside knowledge that Naomi was being fed from the hidden microphone Cook had placed only thrity minutes earlier in the waiting area.
'Five,' came in unison with Emily'steps.
'Four,' Naomi's breathing became heavier as the distance lessened. She took lives not savedo them Naomi thought, the insidf e her head filled with torn emotions.
'Three,' The echo of Emily's office heels sending Naomi's mind into over drive.
'Two,' Emily's hand now reaching for the pristine, gold door handle.
'One,' Shit was all that ran through Naomi's mind before bolting out of her seat and with one swift move looped her arm around Emily's waist, a wave of goosebumps over came her body as she felt the peite frame against her own.
'What th...' Naomi cut her off by clamping her mouth with her hand flinging the two of them in perfect timeing with the door that had just been smashed openned.
'Wh...' A barrage of bullets cutting Robert's words short. Naomi had Emily's shakeing form faceing the wall, her own body a human shield even though to two had been tucked away from the metal fragments being sprayed across the room by the recently torn open door. Naomi, even with her eyes closed as tight as they possibly could, could see the whole room being lit up by the wave of fire. The blasting of fire arms pounding against her ear drums, Naomi made sure to try and spare the Emily the ear beating by haveing one side of her head glued against her shoulder and a protective hand clamped to the other side of her shivering head. The constant rattleing finally stopped, the click of empty barrels being a relief to Naomi's ears.
'Let's get out of here,' Naomi heard one of the men say to the other she didn't know which, she didn't care after hearing not even a hint of unease in his tone. The two women stood behind the battered door even after the clear signal of the elevator descend. Emily didn't want to leave Naomi's protective embrace and Naomi didn't want to let her go.