June 9th 9pm

Location: Wark's Blood Party

"Athena what you're about to do is fucking loca." Jose yelled in my ear causing the earpiece to crackle. I had one shot and this was my shot.

Chapter 18

June 9th 8pm (1 hour before Wark's Blood Party)

Athena

Location: Bay's Home in Chino

"Chica you look hot as hell." Camila finished the last touches of my makeup. Bay had sent her down here to help me get ready since Jose leaked the information to Bay that I was having second thoughts about being able to pull this off and he sent her down, and it did work.

"Yeah, yeah." I muttered pulling down the dress, it was a cute dress but it stopped mid-thigh and since it was silk it made me feel as though I was wearing nothing.

"The next thing we gon' work on is your self-esteem chica, because you're too sexy for that." She wagged a finger placing all the makeup back in its rightful place. I didn't think that I had self-esteem issues, I just thought that I was never going to be the best-looking person in the room.

"You look good Athena." Jose whistled.

"You don't have to say that, Jose." I smoothed down the dress and turned out the lights to the bathroom. Walking into the room I grabbed the clutch from the bed, my mind was still racing from what I was thinking last night, when Jose left I continued to try and brain-storm about everything and I still came up with nothing, hell my hand was still cramping from all that writing I did.

"Here, this is an ear piece it isn't noticeable, I will be talking to you the entire time." He handed me the tiny ear piece. "When you put it in your ear you're going to hear a little bit of crackling and it is going to bother your ear but that crackling tones down and you get used to the feeling, but I hear everything you hear and you can hear everything I tell you."

I recognized the ear piece I remembered seeing it somewhere in a magazine, it was top of the line and from what I heard CIA and FBI agents use this for when they go under, "How could you even get this only the FEDS have this, I heard this had to be the best of the best the microphone chi-" My words faded off as I saw the look on Camila's and Jose's face. Clearing my throat, "I have to go uhm-get a drink of water and we can leave," I side-hugged Camila, "It was nice seeing you."

"You to chica." She kissed my cheek.

I walked downstairs, slowly and carefully, these heels were like a walking death trap. I let out a breath when I made it down successfully, walking into the kitchen I stopped in the opening as Bay stood there shirtless back turned to me the same tattoos that I was just scratching at not even two days ago. He had me no matter what he said or what he did he had me, he had me from the beginning and I was pissed for that.

"What are you doing babygirl?" He turned around to face me and leaned against the counter. His eyes raked me from up to down with the same look that could turn my legs into jelly and my core to mush.

"I just came to get some water before we leave." I muttered smoothing the dress again it was starting to become a habit.

"You look beautiful." He licked his lips, the same lips that have kissed me in so many places that it made me dizzy.

"Thank you, Bay." Just as I was brushing past him his hand wrapped around my arm and stopped me, my breath caught in my throat. This was the closest we had been in the past two days, and I would be a liar if I said it didn't drive me crazy. "Yes?" I looked at him through my lashes.

He looked as though he wanted to say something, but he held back and his jaw clenched and he settled for saying, "Be careful tonight aight'?"

"I will." I nodded and he let go, I felt him leave the kitchen and my breathing returned back to normal. I pulled out the water bottle and took a gulp of it.

Hands encircled around me and sat me on the counter, his eyes burned a hole into mine. I was damn near panting at the adrenaline that was going through me, my hands itched to wrap around his neck and kiss him until I couldn't breathe. "I have to do this Athena." He put his hands squeezed my thighs. Just this little action he did made me throb.

"Do what?" I tried to keep the trimmer in my voice to a medium.

"Keep my distance from you." His voice was barely above whisper. I understood when he said he wanted distance, hell we all needed distance but I didn't want it, I wanted to be underneath him all day long, I just wanted to have his only attention, but that's what I wanted not what I needed.

"I understand Bay." I tried to keep my focus on his eyes and not his lips, "Like I said you're the oil and I'm the match type shit." It pained me to say it but it was true, we were just never compatible.

He gave me a kiss on the forehead, "Just wait."

That damn line was starting to get on my nerves and just as I was going to give him a piece of my mind Jose called, "We better get going the party started an hour ago."

I placed a hand on his chest and got off the counter, I was tempted to kiss him but I pushed that down and smoothed the dress and moved from around him, I ignored the pain in my heart and waited for him to come down the stairs. "Let's go." He opened the door for me.

Leaving I got into the passenger side and buckled my seat belt, I stared straight ahead and tried to clear my mind.

----

Location: 9pm Wark's Blood Party

"Are we good?" Jose's voice came through the earpiece and leaving an annoying crackling sound, this thing is supposed to be top of the line you wouldn't think that it would leave a crackle.

I nodded, "Everything is fine."
"What's your safe word?" He asked glancing at the crowded house.

"Blue."

"And why is it blue?"

"Because it sticks out and you would know immediately if I needed help."

"If anything happens and I do mean anything, you say your safe word and I will be in there in just a few minutes."

"I know Jose, now is that all?"

"Be safe Athena don't go rogue, don't get information if it means your ass is on the line."

"Ok." I got out of the car and looked at the house before me, it was a beautiful house but it seemed like a house that I imagined for Wark to live in. Blaring music came from the inside and you could see the party going on inside.

Walking inside I was met with four security guards who was stone-facing anyone who entered, I walked past them and looked around. I couldn't believe that he would have decorated this place, it was so elegant that it wasn't possible. Not only did I feel out of place because this was foreign grounds but because I had to be the only black girl here, hell the only black person, and I could tell that everyone noticed.

"You're here for Wark aren't you?" A white guy asked, I couldn't help the frown that formed across my features.

"Yes, do you know where he is?" I turned to look around.

"He has been expecting you, follow me." He gestured for me to follow him, I let him go a few steps ahead and I trailed behind, I tried to ignore the people getting off of which I assume to be Wark's cocaine. I wondered if they had to pay for it or did he just give it to them. I wouldn't have been shocked if he just gave it to them, he was the type to have over a hundred thousand dollars in his house.

"Remember how everything looks, the people, the furniture, hell even the type of drink he drinks."

"Athena, I moved to the place, do you remember how it looks?" Jose's voice came in.

"Yes." I barely said.

He didn't respond and I continued to follow him, the man had a big muscly build, he had brunette hair and a tattoo on his left wrist. He didn't look like the type to be riding with Wark's people, he actually seemed professional.

"How do you know Wark?" I asked.

"Isn't it obvious I work for him, I guess you could call me his right-hand man." I heard him say.

I needed to know his name, "Oh well I'm Nicki."

"I know who you are, everyone does." He looked at me over his shoulder.

I want to give him my best unit but I sucked it in, "So do you have a name or did your mom skip over that process."

"Smart ass." Jose chipped in.

I ignored him and waited for his response, "Nathan, Nathan Rider." He stopped in front of a pair of security guards and in one head nod they moved out of the way.

"Sounds like a serial killer name to me." I brushed past him.

Wark met me with a flood of other girls by his side, Athena wouldn't have given two flying fucks but Nicki was the one who had something going on with him.

"Suck it up."

"Hey, am I interrupting anything." I smiled flicking my gaze over the girls, in my eyes they looked the same, blonde hair and blue eyes.

"Of course, not princess, I was waiting for you." He got up and pecked me on the lips. I was beginning to get used to the disgusted feeling.

I hooked my arms in his and said, "Sorry I just couldn't find anything to wear, you know I had to look perfect for you."

"You don't need to try very hard then." He kissed my temple and he told the girls to go away and it was just his people and us, "I want you to meet some very important people Nicki, people who are going to help me take down Bay ass."

I looked around the group to see that these men looked similar to the ones that came for Bay and me, but one looked like he came straight out of the movies and Wark and him shared many traits, no one told me he had a brother.

"It's nice to meet you all." I nodded ignoring Nathan's penetrating gaze.

They grunted and turned their attention back to what they were doing previous to me, Nathan was the only one to say something, "What are your intentions with Wark, I mean I can tell he hasn't hit it yet so it must be something else."
I crossed my legs and placed a hand on Wark's bicep, "I mean I guess you have to ask Wark, we just went out on our first date I guess you could say."

"We're just going with the flow." He smiled and did a line of cocaine. I tried my best to keep my smile but it was so hard, I never understood the needing to get high off of cocaine.

Nathan raised a brow, "Do-"

One of the security guards cut him off, "Bean and Dean are here there in your office."

"Bean and Dean?"

Sniffling he said, "Right now, I have a guest."

"They said it's important."

I needed to know who in the hell was Bean and Dean, were they apart of his shipment that he got from Florida, did they run his cash house. "You can wait here, this shouldn't take too long." He rolled his shoulders before getting up.

I nodded and everyone got up but one person caught my eye, it was one of his men, he had the same tattoo on his neck that, that man had when they came to the house in Chino. I knew this because when I killed him the tattoo on his neck was of a dream catcher and I knew that tattoo was etched into my mind.

They filed away and I made sure to remember the direction they went in, I was going to listen to that conversation no matter if I got caught or what. I waited a minute or two before getting up and asking the security guards, "Do you know where the bathroom is?"

"Go straight and turn left the bathroom is two doors down, do you need me to show you?" He pointed towards the opposite of where they went, how in the hell was I going to follow him with them noticing me, it wasn't like there was many people here.

"No thank you." I shook my head, I brushed past them and walked towards the direction he pointed me in, I looked over my shoulder to see them returning back to their positions looking straight ahead with no expression.

"Go in the direction of the bathroom, even though you don't see it their watching you."

I continued to the bathroom looking around the room, yes there wasn't a lot of people but there still was people and I they were all wearing red, an idea flashed in my mind. I walked into the bathroom and took off my heels, the height difference comparison was surprising. Heels in one hand I poked my head out of the door and saw two girls were coming down the hallway.

"Athena what you're about to do is fucking loca." Jose yelled in my ear causing the earpiece to crackle. I had one shot and this was my shot, I needed to find out who the hell Bean and Dean was and I knew that if I leave here without knowing who they are I probably will never know.

"These girls love to party, there not going to want to believe you if you come up looking like a square."

I put a wide smile on my face and wiped my nose, "Poppin' party right." I said as I passed the girls.

They stopped and one of the girls said, "I know right, I mean we tried to score some guys to take home, but it's like their all boring."

"The security guards."

"Well they don't call me Party Nicki for nothing, you know, come I think I have some guys for you, but I can't introduce you because Party Nicki has some other things to tend to." I waved a dismissive hand and gestured for them to follow me.

"It's nice to meet you Party Nicki, my name is Paris and her name is London." Paris twirled her hair.

"Are you guys twins?" I tried to be interested in the two but my anxiety was quickly taking my attention away from them.

"Fraternal, I am the oldest by two minutes." London popped on her bubblegum.

I giggled, "Oh, they are going to love you two, their they are I know they may look boring but trust me feel them up a little bit and their putty in your hands." I pretended to wipe my nose again.

"Thanks Party Nicki." Paris gushed.

"Girl it's no problem, but don't tell them I sent you, I want it to be a surprise." I shifted.

They nodded and walked towards the security guards, this was a long shot but if it worked it could give me enough time to run in the direction Wark went in, they approached them and the plan worked like magic their attention wasn't on everyone else anymore it was on them.

I ran across the room, trying to make myself seem as less noticeable as possible, I hurried down the hallway and slowed my run to a quick walk. Doors occupied the hallway and all of them seemed to be closed. I only had a few minutes to find them before the security guards found out that I was gone for a while. I placed my ear to each door and came up with nothing until I got to the end of the hallway and the door was cracked.

My breathing became shallow and I looked to Wark and two very big men with beards having a conversation, Wark was sitting behind a desk and they were sitting across from him drink in hand. I could barely make out what they were saying.

"You seem to have too much shit going on with Bay to look out for the shipment." One of the men said, I moved my head to that the voice belonged to the man with the brunette hair and a bandanna wrapped around his head, they looked like they belonged on Duck Dynasty.

"Trust me Bay is going to be taken care of I have someone helping me from his side, and also, we are in pursuit of Tre's girl." Wark explained.

"Make sure you provide us evidence when Bay is 'taken care of' because if this pig shit gets back to Renaldo and your pappy, we're dead." The man with the ginger red hair and beard said this time.

"They're not going to know a damn thing, they have bigger shit to focus on Dean." Wark chuckled.

"Are you still coming down to Jacksonville?" Dean refilled his glass.

Wark nodded, "Yes, is the ton still coming in?"

"It's going to be dangerous but yes, it is." Bean had this mask but I could easily read him, I could tell that he was nervous.

"You need to leave, you know who they are now."

I looked at them before walking quickly back to the spot he left me at, I had so much new information it felt like my head was going to explode. I put back on the heels and I saw that security guards were still being occupied by the girls.

I walked in the direction where I was supposed to be coming from and strolled over to them, "So what did I miss."

----

June 9th 12 am

Location: On the way, back to Bay's Home in Chino

I was able to escape from Wark's grasp by admitting something that I completely pulled from my ass, I told him that I was a celibate. He looked shocked at my claim, so shock that I was able to just leave. My feet were done and I was close to punching Paris in the jaw if she kept offering for me to do coke with her.

When I got to the car Jose was furious, "Qué demonios pensabas que podrías haber ido-"

"English Jose."

He exhaled before he continued, "Athena Luck, what in the hell were you thinking you could have gotten yourself killed and you know what I could have gotten killed because you got killed!"

I took the earpiece out and said, "Jose I know who Bean and Dean are."

He scrunched his eyebrows, "Yeah they are in charge of getting the shipment to Chino."

"No Jose, they're not in charge of the shipment, they run the shipment, these are the people who Wark go to for his shit." I let out a humorless laugh, "They're from Jacksonville, Florida, and I remember Tre telling me something about them. From what I heard they run Florida, when I say Florida I mean all of it, and I guess there trying to broaden their horizons."

"Do they belong to a cartel?"

I fiddled with my earring, "Cartel? What's that?"

"Their suppliers and there usually are not in America."

"Oh no, they don't at least I think so, I mean they're from Jacksonville."

"So, they're probably going to be carrying at least ten million dollars, do these men have some type of death wish, no one sells by the ton."

"Pigs get fat while hogs get slaughtered." I crossed my legs.

"What?"

"It's a saying my m-I mean someone told me, it basically means that if you don't take the helping you get and you continue to eat, you get eaten." I ignored my slip up and continued, "So are you going to tell Bay?"

"I have it all recorded."

"Good now I am exhausted and I have a headache."

----

1:39 AM

9.3.2017

--A.A.