Escape

After reaching the parking area, Dana immediately stepped inside the car and drove quickly. As she was rushing to get to Chantilly as soon as possible, Dana ignored her hungry stomach. She did not care for lunch. She already lost her appetite. She focused on the road while trying to call someone thru the car tab screen. After a few rings, the call went connected.

"Hmm? What is it?" A tired voice greeted Dana.

"Brother, can you tell me how the base amount of the deal was leaked?" Dana did not waste any time and directly asked.

"I heard, one of my assigned employees was the one to leaked it to the other party, since an employee from Nexus was her lover and she was trying to help him. Why? Did you find something?" Jace asked in a concern tone.

"Yes. It's Jacques. He's the perpetrator of this. The accusations against you are fake. He used that situation as a shield to conduct his illegal activity. He and the managing director of Nexus are in cahoots. My team found out about a share transfer agreement after the initial stages of the deal was signed." Dana explained as she rushed towards her destination, Chantilly.

"I knew it! Fuck that old man!" Jace cussed loudly, making Dana smirked.

"So, what are you going to do? the evidence tells you have nothing to do with the Malfeasance."

"I don't know yet. What about you? What are you trying to do with all this?" Jace inquired.

"I'm currently heading towards the deal location to intercept and capture them. If you're curious by all of it. Go and ask my assistant, Marie, she'll tell you everything."

"Are you crazy!? It's too dangerous. Who's with you? Don't tell me, you're alone?" Jace roared with a hint of panic in his voice. Dana smiled with his reaction.

"You are such a fickle minded person, my dear brother. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. Back-up is on the way. Better yet, ready yourself for the live conference later. À plus tard, Mon frère!" Dana hastily ended the call as she reached the city of Chantilly. Looking for a place to park her car, Dana went into a less crowded place. As she parked her car, Dana took a pepper spray in her car booth, turned on her phone GPS, and alighted the car.

She went into the crowd, searching for the café on the information given by her team. As she was looking left and right, she accidentally bumps into someone. Fortunately, the man catches her before she could fell to the ground. Looking at the person in front of her, Dana was astonished.

"It's you again."

"Yes, It's me again." Alexei responded as he helps her stand up. Dana nodded indicating she was fine.

"What are you doing here? Business?" Alexei asked.

"Kind of." Dana kept looking left and right as she answered Alexei. Intrigue by her actions, Alexei spoke again.

"Are you looking for someone? Let me help you. I'm free this afternoon."

"I'm fine. Got to go. Thanks for earlier." Dana vanished swiftly after saying her piece. Alexei was stunned as he felt a sense of déjà vu. Looking at the crowd in front of him, and thinking back to the woman who suddenly vanished, Alexei decided to look for her, out of curiosity, and help her, out of goodwill.

In the meantime, Dana finally reached the place. Although it was announced that the building was a café, in fact, it was only the exterior of the building looks like one. In a careful manner, Dana went to the side alley and looked around to see if there was a guard or CCTV in the areas before she entered in a single door at the side building.

"What are you doing here? Are you trying to catch someone?" A baritone voice echoed in Dana's right ear. Shocked, she turned hurriedly to look at the person as she pointed her pepper spray. Seeing that it was Alexei, she put down her hand and angrily questions the man.

"What are you doing here!? Did you follow me here? Don't you know it's dangerous to be in this place…"

"If it's dangerous, then why are you here? Besides, I'm here to render my help. Thank me later." Alexei smiled as he looked around cautiously.

"Your shamelessness are out of bounds. Never mind. What's done is done. Since you're here, do me a favor and keep quite." Dana rolled her eyes at him and continued to spy around.

"Hush! Look!" Alexei pointed to the armed men who just entered the building. They were at least 20 bulky men with guns in a holster in their hips. And in the middle of the crowd, an old man with a cane sat down arrogantly. It was their leader, Jacques Pierre.

"It seems they are waiting for someone…" Alexei commented while looking at the entirety of the building.

"The other party of the deal." Dana answered as she searches the video recorder in her phone.

Alexei silently observed Dana as she fiddled around for a safe place to record. He looked at her side profile in admiration. Her long eyelashes, soft small lips, the sharp line of her jaw and the subtle arch of her brows. He was captivated by her beauty despite the Minuscule light from a small window illuminating her face. Alexei was unaware of what he has been doing until Dana called him silently to come to her side.

"Hey! Stop staring, you fool! Come here and help me take a video." Dana raised her brow in curiosity and looked at Alexei in a scrutinizing glare. Alexei smiled apologetically before scooting over to her side. He mouthed sorry before he helped her take a video.

At that moment, the Director from Nexus arrived, holding a big envelope. He went to the table and nodded to Jacques before sitting down. Gulping his drink, he spoke in a joyful tone.

"Finally. We are at the last stage of the deal. That old coffin-dodger Albert! Who would have thought we'll be able to kick out that bastard Jace out, but then he had to bring that bitchy slut now. It was very hard to plan of framing that playboy for a Malfeasant, and now, he wants a little girl to take care of the mess. Huh! How would she clean it up? Don't tell me, she'll sleep with every director? Tch! Never mind, everything is finalized after all. Here are the proposal documents we submitted to Crowns." The Director spewed out profanities as he cussed Albert, Jace, and Dana.

The people around the table could not help but frown at the vocabulary used. Even Alexei felt a surge of emotion and urge to just punch the man there and then. Jacques sighed as he takes the envelope and opened it.

"Thanks to this, Nexus Pharmaceutical will finally be mine. I think it's just right if I take this from Crowns. Afterall, Eves Bio-Pharmaceutical was rightfully mine to begin with. If that old fart Vilhelm did not take it from us, I would be a CEO of a Medical corporation right this moment." Jacques continued reminiscing his childhood memories when the reflection of the phone camera lens flashed in his eyes.

Alerted by the shine of light reflecting him, he turned to look at the source and found two silhouettes. He then ordered his men to eliminate the eavesdropper.

Dana, who sensed that they've alerted the enemy, notices the men coming their way. She then shouted to Alexei quickly.

"Run. They've known we're here." Dana grabbed Alexei's wrist and ran. Alexei also followed suit and ran fast while giving cover to Dana. He scanned the area and found a hallway in the east side.

"This way. Hurry!"

Dana followed suit and ran fast. They've managed to hide in a box of crates with unknown contents. Dana closely held her phone and heave a breath of relief.

"Are they gone?" Dana mouthed to Alexei who's beside her, also gasping for air.

"Shh. I'll take a look!" Alexei signalled to keep quite as he slowly looked behind the crate. He saw at least four men up ahead. Two were guarding the door leading outside, while the other two were rounding the area.

He then signalled 4 to Dana to indicate there are 4 people guarding the room. Dana nodded at understanding before taking out her pepper spray. He throws it at Alexei, whom he manages to catch it.

"What for?"

"Pull the red handle and throw it at them. Trust me." Despite being confused by her command, Alexei nonetheless did what he was told.