Clara's car was gone so she had to go by motorcycle. She wore a full face helmet in order to keep people from recognizing her. On her way to the pawn shop, she sees the news come on a couple of TVs around the city, but nothing about her.

Clara parks her bike next to the shop and gets off, leaving her helmet on the seat. The place was empty when she walked in. The lights were still on, but there was nobody behind the counter. Clara could hear chatter coming from the hideout below. She goes behind the counter and opens the door.

Going downstairs, she sees blood splattered against Alex's door, which was wide open. Clara feared the worst as she moved closer towards his office. She stops once she hears Alex raise his voice. He was still alive. Clara didn't want to go directly in because who knows what might be going on in there?

She creaks open an office door beside her and hides behind it. At this angle, she gets a better look. Clara could see Alex standing in front of a man tied up in a chair. The man's face looked bloodyand his left eye was surrounded by a dark shade of purple.

"I'm not a cop," the tied up man exclaims.

"Really?" Alex starts, "Explain this."

Clara could see him pick up a piece of paper off of his desk. He displays it in front of the man and reads, "Henry Dofflin, which was not the name you gave us, 38 years old and works for the Chicago Police Department. So you, Henry, are an undercover cop. It says it right here. Why?"

She could hear his accent come out more through each sentence. She knew that he was angry.

"T-That isn't right. I swear it isn't."

"Save your whining, Henry. You can brag all about it in the afterlife."

Alex picks up a gun that was resting on his desk.

"No, wait!" The man shouts.

Her father points the gun towards the man's face and without hesitation, he shoots. Clara gasps and her eyes widen. Alex must have heard her gasp. He turns his head towards Clara's direction, but she was quick to pull her head back into the room she was in.

Clara slowly walk backwards and hides behind the door.

"Clean this mess up," he says to one of his employees.

Clara couldn't believe she had just witnessed her father killing someone. He was always so gentle, but this was way too different. A childhood figure to Clara has turned into a killer. Has he done this more than once?

Clara could hear her father's footsteps heading towards the office she was in.

"This door shouldn't be open," he says while looking around the room in search of anyone, unbeknownst to him, his daughter was right behind the door.

Alex takes one last look before closing the door. Clara releases a breath she didn't realize she was holding. She needed to get out of there, but she didn't see any kind of exit inside the office. She decides to wait and listen for anyone that leaves.

Clara hears footsteps heading back upstairs and she didn't hear anything else outside. She opens the door and peeks her head out to see if anyone was there, but there wasn't anyone in sight. Shutting the door, she heads towards the stairs.

"Clara, you showed up just in time. I need to talk to you," Alex says not too happily from behind her.

Clara takes a deep breath before turning to face him. She felt like she couldn't even look at him, so her eyes move towards his office door. There was no blood on it like there was before.

"Come here," he gestured her towards his office.

Clara follows him in his office and he shuts the door as soon as they're inside.

"Listen, Clara, I know about you getting arrested, which is sloppy work for a Black Dragon. What in God's name were you even doing?"

Clara sighs from the disappointment in her father's voice before replying, "I was shopping."

"Also why did you help Dedsec? You know they can expose us."

Clara could hear the edge in his voice.

"I know, but they were saying that someone from the Chicago South Club had data on me."

"Oh they're a bunch of liars Always trying to lure new members in with poetic words. Is that how you got with them in the first place?"

Clara knew the reason was not because of their messages, but to forget about her mother's death. She looks down at the floor and says, "No, I didn't."

"Clara, you shouldn't get arrested. Do you know how much that puts the Black Dragon at risk?"

"Aren't you even going to ask me if I'm okay?" Clara blurts out, "Do you know what I had to put up with in there? Also Dedsec was right about the club having data on me, so how are they going to hurt us?"

"Don't get smart with me. You have become stubborn and bull headed. This effects your work."

"Oh that's what this is about, work? It's always about work to you isn't it?"

"I'm focusing on this business to keep us afloat! I keep up with it so you can have a place to live in! In return, you should help out rather than complain!"

"I've been helping out, and I'm sorry that I just wanted a chance to feel normal again and get punished for it," she starts to raise her voice, "I'm sorry that I disappointed you, but I need a break from all of this! I don't think I can live like this anymore!"

Her father grew quiet. Clara sighs heavily.

"By the way, make sure people aren't around before you go shooting someone."

Alexandre's mouth drops open. Without another word, Clara opens the door and storms out of his office. She gets back on her motorcycle and takes off.

Hiding her sorrow beneath her helmet, she returns her motorcycle to the car valet and walks back to her apartment. Going inside, she looks down at her reflection on her helmet.

"Like father like daughter," she thought.

She shakes her head and places the helmet on the kitchen counter. Clara struggled to sleep that night. A night of tossing, turning, and images of her father has left her restless. Only getting three hours of sleep, she wakes up to her phone ringing. Wiping her eyes, she reads the caller ID. It was Shaun.

She answers, "Hello?"

"Hey, I need to talk to you about something. You got a minute?"

"Yeah. What's up?"

Clara could hear him sigh over the phone before replying, "Ok, I know I'm not normally serious with you, but it's about my daughter."

"What about her?"

"Well she turning 6 this week, and her birthday party is going to be on the fourth of July. I've told her about you and she really wants you to come."

"What do you mean you've told her about me?"

"Let's just say she knows about your lifestyle."

"You tell your five year old daughter about what I do?"

"Yeah," he says as if it were normal, "Anyway, she was hpoing that you could go and I'll make sure it's a private party and only people we know show up. I'll make sure the kids leave you alone too."

"Hm...I don't know."

"Oh come on. We'll have a large, in ground pool and a hot tub. When was the last time you've ever been in a pool or a hot tub?"

Clara thought about it. Last time she went swimming was at a hotel in Quebec with her mother and father when she was 8. She couldn't remember much of what the water felt like because it was so long ago.

"I mean you do need some time to relax after all the shit you've had to put up with right?"

"I'm being chased by fixers, I just arrested yesterday, and you want me to relax?"

"Why not?"

Clara was silent for a moment before replying, "Ok, I'll go."

"Great!" He sounded happy, "I'll give you directions to our house. All you need is a swimsuit and whatever you're going to wear over it."

Clara has never heard such a bright tone from Shaun before.

"I'll tell her you're coming. Wait, no. I'll make it a surprise. Make sure you show up early at 1. Okay?"

"Okay?" She laughs a little.

"Alright, I'll see you soon."

With that, he hangs up. Clara extends her legs out underneath the covers and rests her head against her black silk pillow. For the first time, she could actually get her mind off of what happened with her father. Maybe this birthday will help her calm down.

Journal #10

I don't know what to think of my father anymore. I caught him killing someone. He shot someone who he thought was an undercover cop. Maybe he was a cop, but Papa didn't show any remorse at all. I just wonder if back in Quebec, he killed people for his business.

That cop could have had a family and he was only doing his job. Although, I did the same thing whenever I stole that bracelet for Lena and escaping prison. I shot thise cops and they must have had families too.

Maybe I'm just like my father. I always thought of myself as a father's daughter, but not like this. I don't think he cares for me anymore either. Perhaps I'm wrong, but he's so caught up in this business that all he talked about was how me getting arrested affected my work. He didn't ask if I was alright at least. I guess he's mixed up in his own web of stress.

I got a call from Shaun today. He asked me if I could go to his daughter's birthday party. Of course, i said yes because he mentioned a pool and hot tub. He said he'll keep the party private and I hope he's right. I don't want to put up with anymore fixers or police.

I'm buying a swimsuit and I was thinking of getting a bikini. Let's just hope I don't run into any fixers when I get to the store.