Chapter 18

"You what?!" Sasha exclaimed, Daniela and Azima shushed her as the people around them in the cafe had turned to see what was going on. Sasha pressed a hand to her face. "Gambling is illegal in Virginia." she told them in a quiet tone as the people around them went back to their conversations.

"I know that now." Daniela grumbled, she knew the club she and Azima went to was illegal but it was a grey area for her to earn cash. But how else was she going to clear the debt or live? looking by the judgement Sasha had written on her face; it was clear to Daniela that Meylan wouldn't approve. That left her with an unsettling feeling as she didn't want to lose him.

"I can't believe you're upset about us gambling when she gave back half to the house." Azima told her, they'd left with just under 40 grand which Daniela and Azima shared between themselves. It wasn't much but it was enough for now.

"Trust me, if I hadn't; we would've been mugged on the way out. Now they will believe I'll be back and meet a bad streak of luck." Daniela said with a shrug.

"But you won't." Sasha told her.

"We won't." Daniela promised. "But aren't there any legal gambling establishments?" she asked.

"Atlantic City is the closest. Are you ok?" Sasha asked, she couldn't put her finger on it but there was something going on with Daniela. There was a nervous energy about her, but her veneer was the usual laid back confidence.

"Yeah, I'm ok. I just had fun last night." Daniela replied.

"You should ask her; how things are with Meylan." Azima told Sasha.

"Meylan?" Sasha asked, she frowned and then smiled as she realised that Daniela's secret lover was Meylan.

She had to admit she hadn't expected that one but then on second thoughts. She could kind of see it working out for them. Meylan was in need of cutting loose and actually learning to relax, while Daniela needed someone to help her learn meaningful relationships and how to trust people. But she also knew Meylan was selective about who he spent his time with; so he obviously felt Daniela was worth his time.

"He sent her some very beautiful flowers, expressing how much he enjoyed their time together and that he's looking forward to next weekend. I took a photo." Azima said, pulling her iphone up and opening a picture of said flowers. It was a rather elaborate arrangement.

"Oh, wow, those are gorgeous." Sasha said with a smile as Daniela looked a little embarrassed and shy instead of her usual confidence. She really liked Meylan and Sasha thought it was adorable.

"And Expensive. She obviously gave him sex." Azima said as she flicked to a picture of what was written on the card.

"Not in my dress." Sasha teased, Daniela reached across the table and laid a hand on top of Sasha's. She wore a serious expression as she spoke.

"Sasha, no one can have sex in that dress. It's physically impossible without ripping a seam. And I dry cleaned it." Daniela reminded her, a slow grin making it's way onto her face.

"Thanks." Sasha replied in amusement.

"So how are things with Tom?" Daniela asked.

"He's ok." Sasha said, a light blush gracing her cheeks. She couldn't help it as her mind went straight back to being in bed with him, running her hands through his hair. "We're going away this weekend." she added.

"Oh, where?" Azima asked.

"St Louis." Sasha said with a grin, she was excited to go with him but nervous to see the kids again. She was no longer the woman made a promise. She in the running to being their possible stepmother. That thought made her a little lightheaded as she had no clue what that meant.

"Romantic getaway?" Daniela asked.

"We're seeing his kids." Sasha said, the two women nodded as they understood the gravity of it.

"Ah, that should be good for him. Tough, but good." Daniela surmised, she didn't envy Tom. The first few months of sobriety were tough. But he was lucky, he was surrounded by people who loved and cared for him. She was only just learning what that felt like.

"Have you spoken to your Mom?" Sasha asked.

"No, I don't see why I should. Nor do I get why everyone is obsessed with it." Daniela said uncomfortably.

"I guess we just feel sentimental. Family is important." Sasha told her.

Tom picked up the envelope and gave his thanks to the travel agent before he left the shop. All the arrangements were made. He and Sasha would leave Friday afternoon and be back Sunday night. He felt he should try for longer visit but the rest of him couldn't do it.

He wasn't ready, he wanted to see his kids but it was too overwhelming to commit more than a weekend until he survived the first visit.

Daniela smiled as she read the text message from Meylan. She put the keys into the door and opened it as she typed a reply back. But as she stepped inside, the door slammed behind her. She snapped her head up and she realised she wasn't alone.

Two men stood by the door flanking her, there on the lounge was Yasmin. She lounged back looking extremely bored in her expensive clothes. Daniela exited the message she had been writing and tossed the phone back into her purse.

"Yasmin. Can I get you anything? Tea, Coffee?" Daniela offered as she placed her handbag on the ground.

"No, I'm good." Yasmin drawled as she looked around the room in a bored manner.

"Then what do I for this invasion of my privacy." Daniela asked, Yasmin's eyes landed on her. She waited a few moments before she spoke.

"Where is it?" Yasmin asked calmly.

"Where is what?" Daniela asked as she had no idea what Yasmin was talking about.

"Don't be coy. Where is the money you won at Choi's last night." Yasmin said, she gave a bland wave of her hand and before Daniela could react, one of the two men grabbed her fast. The next thing she knew her face was slammed into the coffee table; the glass top cracked and splintered from the force as her arm was twisted painfully behind her back.

Daniela gave a groan as pain reverberated through her skull, a knee dug into her back; pinning her to the table. So much for her Muay Thai skills as she could barely breathe.

"You owe me a lot of money." Yasmin drawled playfully as she moved up the lounge and leaned in close to Daniela's face.

"I owe the bank." Daniela said through gritted teeth.

"I own the gambling den. I don't like it when someone tries to repay me with my own money. It's double dipping." Yasmin drawled disapprovingly. Daniela muffled a cry of pain behind her closed lips as Goon number one twisted her arm to emphasise his boss' point.

"How am I supposed to know that? The establishment is outside your territory. The Koreans run the gambling dens." Daniela argued.

"They guard and operate my establishments for a generous cut. So where are you hiding the money in this shit hole?" Yasmin asked her in a calm, patronising manner.

"Under the bottom drawer in my bedroom." Daniela told her, she knew there was no point in dragging out. Yasmin signalled the other goon and he stomped off. Daniela winced as the sound of furniture and glass breaking sounded. A few minutes later, he came back out with the paper envelope Daniela had used to keep the money safe.

He handed it to Yasmin. She peered inside, and didn't look pleased. "Where's the rest?" she asked in a light tone but Daniela knew the woman was pissed.

"I spent it. I owed a smuggler for my passage here." Daniela told her. Yasmin's features grew dark as she did not like that answer.

"How inconvenient for you." Yasmin told her darkly. She rose from the lounge and dusted invisible lint off her clothes. She took the envelope and held it to her person. "I do hope you understand that this isn't personal, it's business and in business; I don't tolerate thieves lightly." she said to her, Daniela would have said a scathing remark but what came out was a scream of pain as the goon snapped the bones in her right forearm with one swift move.

"I swear, if you check your phone one more time, I will throw it out the window." Mike told Meylan as they were working on the huge pile of personnel files of sailors to see who would be good candidates to bring onto the Nathan James. Except Meylan was a little distracted.

"I'm focused on the task at hand. I want Ella Ruiz for engineering. Her aptitude test scores are off the charts and has steady record with nothing but praise from her commanders." Meylan told him, proving he was on top of his work but inwardly he was a little concerned.

Daniela hadn't replied to his last text asking for a dinner date tonight. He knew it was 'yes' but he was surprised she hadn't replied right away. She usually had about 5 second response time when she wasn't working. Then it was a ten minute response time to texts. It had been half an hour, he had a bad feeling in his bones.

"Why don't you just call her, lover boy." Mike drawled mockingly as he looked over yet another file. They were all starting to look the same. Unlike Meylan he hadn't found anyone who really shone as they were all fairly on par with one another.

"Fine, I will but not because you told me too." Meylan told him, taking the chance to step away.

"Right, stick to that." Mike told him with a grin as Meylan stepped out the office.

Daniela slowly came to, she was laying on the floor surrounded by broken glass and splintered wood. Her whole body screamed in agony. Her ears begged for the shrill ringtone to stop. It took her a moment to realise there were two annoying ringing noises one was in her ears while the other was her mobile. She could just see said annoyance under the lounge. She groaned in pain as she shifted towards it and gave a strangled cry as she inadvertently sliced her arm on broken glass to grab said noisy phone.

The screen was cracked and her vision blurry that she could barely make out the name. She rolled onto her back and answered the phone. Her brain was completely scrambled but it was relieved the noise has stopped. She lost grip of the phone, it smacked her in the face.

"Daniela?" Meylan asked, as the other side of the phone Daniela made an annoyed groan like she had just woken up and not liked the hour. It was also the same noise she made when she didn't want to get out of bed.

"I'll be there in the afternoon." Daniela slurred into the line. Meylan frowned a little confused as they hadn't confirmed anything yet. She also sounded a little strange.

"Ok," He said.

"But I'm going to miss Mandarin classes...My ears are still ringing." She babbled in Spanish something about too much alcohol, a night club and a donkey.

"Daniela?" he asked, the line was silent except for the sounds of her breathing. "Daniela, can you hear me?" he asked, but still no response. He started to worry as she wasn't one to drink to the state of blackout drunk. She said as much to him the first night they met in the bar. She liked the zing of tipsy drunk but never drank past that state.

"Mmm Joseph." she murmured.

"Where are you?" he asked.

"Home, but the ringing is so loud." she replied, he could hear the pain in her voice and the jagged breathing which wasn't comforting at all.

He moved into the office and Mike looked up. "You know Taylor's phone number?" he asked him.

"Everything ok?" Mike asked him with concern as he sensed the tension in Meylan.

"I don't know. I want to see if Taylor is close to his place." Meylan said to him.

"No, he's out helping Green oversee training of the new trainees. They are about half an hour down the coastline." Mike reminded him. Meylan closed his eyes as it had completely slipped his mind.

"I think something is wrong with Daniela." Meylan told him.

"Go, it's not like we're getting anywhere here." Mike told him.

"Thank you." he told him, he lifted the phone to his ear. "Daniela, I'm on my way." he told her.

15 minutes later, Meylan arrived at Daniela's apartment. Luckily for him, a neighbour had been leaving as he had arrived so he managed to bypass front door security.

He took the stairs and slowed his pace as he neared her apartment. He stopped at the frame and listened for signs of trouble as he noticed the door was slightly ajar. He wished he carried his firearm as there was something unsettling quiet. He pushed the door slowly open and paused at the sheer mess.

He'd never been inside her apartment before but he knew it wasn't supposed to be like it was. It was completely destroyed; glass and splintered wood was everywhere.

The TV was smashed and furniture shredded and pushed over. There in the middle of what appeared to be the leftovers of a glass coffee table was Daniela. She was struggling to push herself up, but she couldn't seem to unhook her leg from the frame.

Meylan moved towards her; his boots crunched on the broken glass. He kept his eyes on his surrounding as he crouched down and barely touched her foot to help her, when she flinched away and tumbled. Landing herself into more broken glass and knocking the back of her head against the frame.

"Daniela, it's me." He said, holding his hands in surrender. She was worse than the apartment. Her face was half swollen and bloody, she was covered in bruises, nicks and slices from the glass; blood smeared across her skin. She cradled her right arm, her fingers looked unnaturally stiff which told him it was broken.

"Joseph." She breathed, she gave a sigh of relief and fresh tears rolled down her face. "What are you doing here?" she asked, she looked genuinely confused and dazed. She pressed her left shoulder up her left ear as if trying to block out noise.

"I'm here to help you. Is anyone else here?" he asked, he could see she was focussing hard on his face trying to understand what he was saying.

"I- I don't know. I can't hear properly." she mumbled as she looked at her legs, she closed her eyes and her face grew taut with pain. She made a low ungodly noise as she breathed through the pain. Meylan just wanted to hold her but knew right now, he'd do more damage than good.

"Just stay where you are." he told her, he knew she would stay because she was in too much pain to anything else. Not wasting time, he straightened up and moved cautiously to the other rooms. They were just as trashed as the rest of the apartment.

Once he checked them and knew he was alone; he moved back to Daniela, he crouched down next to her. She looked to him, her face pale and tense with pain. He reached out and gently touched the side of her face that wasn't swollen.

"It's going to be ok." he told her, his heart twisted painfully to see her in so much pain and yet he was touched at the show of trust as she leaned into it and closed her eyes. He wanted to pick her up and take her out of the room but he didn't know the extent of her injuries. So instead, he erred on the side of caution and pulled out his mobile phone and dialled '911'.

"911 operator, what is your emergency?" a woman asked on the other end.

"You're Daniela's emergency contact?" Tom asked Sasha as he drove them to the hospital. This was not how he wanted to spend his afternoon with Sasha.

"She likes me and she said that she'd prefer to have someone with the balls to pull the plug if the scenario ever came up. Her words not mine." Sasha told Tom with an amused smile but underneath it she was concerned for her friend.

Meylan had called her when the Hospital staff hadn't allowed him to stay with Daniela. He wanted someone who had unfettered access to her current status. Sasha wasn't going to say 'no' in helping him or Daniela.

"We're coming up, I'll drop you off close to the entry and the go find a parking spot." Tom told her.

"Thanks for driving." Sasha told him.

"Anytime, I'll let you out here." he told her as he pulled the car off to the side of the road in a 'no parking zone'. Sasha leaned over and gave him a quick kiss and got out the car.

She headed straight for the ER; when she walked in she was not surprised at the mayhem as people in various states of illness and injuries sat in the waiting room. She walked up to the front desk.

"Hi," she said to the receptionist. The man looked up at her with an expectant look. "I'm the emergency contact for Daniela Soto. Sasha Cooper, I was wondering if there was any information you can provide me." she said, she pulled out her military I.D. and driver's licence for identification.

She knew she only needed one but thanks to the Nathan James and it's hard work- Anyone in the service tended to get preferential treatment. The man looked at the I.D.s and passed them back and looked something up on his computer.

"She's in with the doctors, a nurse came out and made some noise that they might be keeping her for a few hours observation. Do you know if she has medical insurance?" He asked her.

"No, not that i'm aware of. Is there anything else you can tell me?" Sasha asked politely, he shook his head and placed a round buzzer on the desk.

"Just take that, when we have more information this will set off." he told her.

"Ok, thank you." Sasha said, she picked up the buzzer and turned to the crowd. It only took her two seconds to spot Meylan. She walked straight over to where he was. He looked pissed. "Hey, what happened?" she asked him.

"I don't know, I rang Daniela and she was acting weird. So I went over to place and it was trashed. She was beaten to a pulp. I'd say she has a broken eye socket, broken arm and ribs. She's a mess of bruises and cuts. She was pretty out of it when I found her. So add in concussion. She'll live but it's not pretty." He told her in a low voice.

"Do she say who did it?" Sasha asked speaking a low voice, as she couldn't believe this was happening and she didn't like how the hospital security were eyeing them.

"No, but everyone I've encountered so far thinks it's me; who hurt her." he told her.

"What?" Sasha asked incredulously.

"Welcome to America, not even a pandemic can wipe out racism." Meylan remarked drily. He gave an exasperated sigh. "They saw her, she wouldn't say who did it to her, defended me but as she listed out her past injuries which by the way is disgustingly long. They started thinking she's under some kind of Stockholm syndrome. That I'm the perpetrator which is impossible given I haven't got a nick on me." he added.

"I'm so sorry Joseph." Sasha told him, she rested a hand on his arm and gave it a squeeze as she felt for him. It was a horrible situation to be in.

"Whoever trashed Daniela and Wolf's place was looking for something. Daniela had a run in with a 'friend' when we were out last weekend. I think it's got something to do with that." he told her, Sasha pressed her lips together as he was probably right. She knew she was putting her friendship at risk but she felt for Joseph. If they could solve this by pooling their resources to keep Daniela safe; then it was worth it.

"You're not going to like this, Daniela and Azima went to an underground gambling den. They didn't piss anyone off. They returned more than half of their winnings but crime syndicates tend to overlap and have relationships with one another that are mutually beneficial."

"In South Norfolk?" Meylan asked, he knew he should be annoyed at hearing that Daniela had broken the law but on the other side of the coin; she most likely didn't know it was illegal. Or she and Azima were just swayed by the amusement. He would be a hypocrite for telling her off when he'd played many an illegal hand of poker in his time.

"No, Little Korea. How pissed is this friend of hers?" Sasha asked him with frown.

"I'd say enough given she told Daniela to stay out of her part of town and business. There has to be something we're missing. What happened today was a message." Meylan told her, Sasha gave a nod as they lapsed into silence. But in doing so, it opened her senses. She looked Meylan.

"Is that Daniela?" She asked as she could hear Daniela talking loudly enough for the whole ward to hear; if they listened carefully enough.

"I think she has a ruptured eardrum on her left side. She complained about ringing noise. I think the ambient noise of the hospital is making it worse." Meylan told her with a wry smile as he felt for the doctors and hospital staff. Daniela wasn't the easiest of patients given she was stressed and injured. He wanted to be by her side but hospital protocol and the assumption he had abused Daniela had forced him into the waiting room.