Chapter 9 (Adjudicator: First Warning)

*Hey guys, please be reminded that every single event, place, and character remained fictional in this story.

"What is it Aubrey, I can't hear you?" Eric leaned a bit nearer to Aubrey.

Aubrey stretched an infectious smile to Eric and said, "nothing, but I didn't expect our Mr. Alessio over there to have such pleasant accompany he had tonight."

"Yeah, I agree though but you are far more pretty than her, that's for sure" Eric complimented her whereas Aubrey giggled amused by his praised. In returned, Eric grinned back at Aubrey's sassy act.

On the other side, Alessio who has his eyes on Aubrey, wrinkled his eyebrows, detest at what he saw, finished his champagne and placed it hard on the table. Cindy on the other hand, whispered her anonymous plan silently to a servers.

It was going to be a long night.

The evening passed so quickly and it's time for the main events to begin, auctioning.

Aubrey watched the auctioning program with a dull expressions plastered on her face, silently she was praying that it will end quickly. As if she could not stand at the boring occasions anymore, she excused herself to the ladies.

In the washroom she encountered with another figure who looks exactly like her.

That woman who stands in front of her are her doppelganger, Kristen. Aubrey hurriedly locked the door behind her and stared at Kristen.

"Is he here?"

"Yes, F. Everything is under prepared."

Aubrey nodded her head, in a swift move she changed into her formal clothes that indicates her sacred identity.

It is a customed made black oversized coat with her customary symbol embroidered on her upper left chest side. A symbol only people underworld knew about its power.

"Be careful of Aldo, K, he might tried to make contact on you. Also, have fun tonight." Aubrey showed her a somethings-going-to-happen-later-good-luck look, and left.

As soon as, 'Aubrey' arrived at the auctions hall, she realised the trouble Aubrey drags her into.

"Damn you, A" Kristen muttered under her breath.

… … …

"What?! Dr. P is missing?!" Sebastian shouted angrily at the phone.

"I don't care if the devil himself was there, all I want is Dr. P" He continued, not noticing his life is at the edge of the cliff.

Like a shadow, also like a ghost itself, no sounds and footsteps, a figure walked towards him. Like a wind itself, in a swift move, his head has left its body.

The figure tilted her head to aside and smirk savagely at her artwork. She threw a golden card near the body and left.

… … …

'Aubrey' stands still behind the stages waiting for her turns to walk at the T-stage, unlike the other candidates she looks calmed and ready. However, in her mind, she was cursing Aubrey with all the cursed words she could think.

'Who would have thought that I, a bloody assassin, became a stupid model, auctioning themselves to other men. Hell, this is humiliating.'

No matter how hard, she hates her boss for putting her into this positions, she needs to make perfect. She walks gracefully along the aisle and turn to left and right, then stand beside the auctioneer.

After waiting impatiently for the her challenger to finish her posing at the stage, 'finally' she thought she can left the stage. However, as if sensing her restlessness, the blonde girl besides the host, suddenly speak up.

"How about we compete, Miss…"

"Callum. Aubrey Callum." Kristen said in annoyance. She did not understood this blonde girl sudden hatred towards her or to be exact to her boss.

"Miss Callum." Cindy repeated after her which Kristen responded her with a raise of her eyebrow.

Aubrey who came back to the auctions hall, smirk naughtily watching Kristen and Cindy. Well, let's says she has expected this incident to happen before she went off for her business but it is more fun to look at Alessio partner fight with the wrong person and lose.

Maybe Aubrey's stare was too obvious that caught Kristen attentions from the stage. When she noticed the smug look Aubrey's had on her, she knew she was being tricked by her boss. She sighed and said,

"What is it Miss blonde, can we straight to the point because I have plane to catch" Kristen asked, a bit rude.

"How about a challenge to keep the audience entertain, if the audience find it's amusing show, they can give us huge sums of tips." Cindy said in confidence, where the audience supports her idea.

"This is a good show, do you take the dare, Miss Callum?" asked the MC in manners.

"I will take it with a condition you will lend me your partner for a dance tonight" Kristen said without knowing that she's playing with fire.

"Deal, by the way it's Miss Jefferson." Cindy replied a bit harshly, controlled her temper.

"So, ladies and gentleman, let's begin the show" The MC announced.

Cindy started her performance first where she will played one of the hardest piano sheets ever written, Chopin – Étude Op. 10 No.4.

Aubrey couldn't deny that Cindy is surely talented, unfortunately she is just messing with the wrong person. Aubrey shakes her head sympathetically at Cindy for the consequences later.

Before, the fake 'Aubrey' could put on her show, Alessio left the hall after Carlos whispered something at his ear.

Aubrey's eyes darken at the incident, and quickly adverted her gazed before Alessio caught her. Just assumed, everyone called him the Devil for reasons.

After Cindy's amazing performance, she had $500 000 in her bid and flashed a victorious smile to 'Aubrey'. But then, as expected, Kristen did not disappoint her when she spilled a whole bottle of wine to Cindy which left her in trauma.

Every audience clapped, and even whistled at 'Aubrey' brave acts. 'Aubrey' smirked towards Cindy and bowed, walking joyously down the stage and left the hall.

At last, no doubt 'Aubrey' earns the highest bid through the night. That's why people said a jealousy woman is a danger creature.

… … …

"Boss" every black suited man bowed at the figured appeared behind the door.

"What happened?" Alessio asked and glance at the Sebastian's head.

"Situations uncleared boss. The minutes we've arrived, he was dead." Dominic report.

"But we found this instead." Dominic added.

"It's the golden card." Carlos said in terrified. Alessio takes the card and observed it.

"The adjudicator. Clean up his body and throw it to the dumpster, no need further investigations." Alessio instructed and left his men clueless.

"Boss, it's the first warning." Carlos said firmly and serious tone once they were inside the car.

"Why would they send us one?" Dominic asked.

"12th of May, The Incidence" Alessio replied while playing with the golden card. He rubs his thumb at the crown symbol and smirk. Not realising the impact he had left on Dominic and Carlos face.

'Who are you, adjudicator?'

… … …

Somewhere at the corner in the hotel, a servers was crying for helped, pathetically. By the time he was found, he was left nothing with his naked body. His hands and legs were both tied up and his mouth was stocked with his socks.

This is the servers Cindy paid before the auctions started. Her plans was to let the server to spill the wine at Aubrey's dress and tripped her to make her fall.

However, obviously, Cindy has underestimated Aubrey.

… … …

"Did you see her face, F?" Kristen asked, cracking her laughed at the end of her sentence.

"I did, told'ya you're going to have fun"

"How about the man you left behind" Kristen asked and taking off the skin masked on her face.

"I've left a message for him" Aubrey said.

"Indeed, what are you going to do next, F?"

"Dealing with the Devil himself" Aubrey reply with a mysterious smile.