章節 23: Mission Planning

"I-Im s-sorry, Mr. Alfonzo...H-how can I help you?" The woman named Laura stammered asking as her voice broke and handed a magazine to Scott while her hands were shaking.

"Get her something to wear to the masquerade party and anything that she wants." He replied inattentively as he handed her a platinum card while his eyes were fixed to my direction.

"What about the limit of this card, signore?" She took the card, hands still trembling.

"Drain it, if you have to, I don't care." His sentence caught my attention and caused me to turn my head towards their direction and gaze at him with an open mouth and frowned.

My eyes travelled to the women who's walking excitedly towards my direction, with a big smile on their faces unlike the other one named Laura... Her expression seemed to be like a jealous girlfriend. Ew!

"Hello, Miss. I'm Amedala and this is Carla. We will be assisting your needs for today, please follow us." A woman with short red hair in her 20s introduces with a calm voice and a friendly smile. The other one looked blonde and her eyes were serious but still managed to smile. They both held my wrist as they gently pulled me excitedly into a small door.

I hesitated at first and tried my best to not be pulled from where I was standing and glanced at Scott who was sitting on the couch… I waited for him to say something… and he gestured with his hand to just go along with them, so I did.

When we were inside, the ladies asked me what I liked from the displayed gowns...but I wasn't able to answer since I am not into this kind of stuff.

So without a choice, they are the ones who choose a gown for me to wear later instead of me.

The process was all mind-blowing, it was very confusing for me to choose as everything in this place looks magnificent and absolutely stunning… and expensive. I couldn't help my eyes to pop out everytime they let me fit a certain gown and my eyes would go directly to the tags.

"Oh my God! Miss Rayzel, everything looks perfect on you! I'm definitely jealous of your beauty!" Said Amedala as she clapped into the air while giggling.

I was in awe and at the same time I felt dizzy everytime they handed me a gown and would let me fit it and walk around...they must think that I am their model. Tsk!

It took us 3 hours to fit so many gowns and choose one to wear...this is what I hate the most being a girl.

When I finally got back to the couch area, the look of a bored Scott Alfonzo met my gaze, eyes frowning and sighing at the same time.

I gave him an irritated look in return as I struggled in bringing the bags while he just stared at me and didn't dare help me.

Thankfully, his men ran over to my direction and took the bags from my hand and went straight to the car.

"Shall we?" I called out his attention as he stared at me and didn't move. I badly want to lay down or rest. I didn't know choosing something to wear at a party could be this exhausting.

"Have you chosen something comfy and an easy to move gown?" He immediately asked as we walked outside the boutique and went straight to his car.

"Duhh! There's nothing comfy in wearing a gown, Mr. Alfonzo!" My tone was sarcastic as I rolled my eyes at him...then entered the car without looking back at him.

I heard a grunt coming from his mouth and felt eyes as sharp as a blade glaring at my back...Which I didn't care about and just continued my way to the backseat.

After a while, he then followed and went inside...and sat beside me. Lorenzo is currently driving the car.

"So here's the plan for tonight." He started talking as soon as the car started moving. He faced my direction with a serious looking face. "Since this is an auction event, we have to do our best during the bidding. We will bid for the specific item which is the highlight of the auction event. The item would look like a diamond necklace, it's pendant is what I need." He paused for a moment.

I was just listening attentively and waited for him to speak again. But he opened his laptop and showed me the picture of the diamond necklace.

It had white diamonds around its chain, but what caught my attention was the pendant. A bluish diamond, close to an octagon shape pendant… was shining and very enchanting to look at even in the picture.

There were sets of letters that were engraved to the part of the pendant which is not a diamond. I stared into the pendant fixedly trying to read what was written there but it was written in a different language... different lettering styles.

"This pendant is what I am telling you... Lorenzo was right, this is one of the broken pieces of Cleopatra's Heart. I want it in my hands tonight. But the challenge doesn't stop there...There is another piece hidden in the safest place of the venue." He said firmly.

"What do you mean?" I turned my attention to him confusedly...As my interest kept building up with every word he made.

"The event will be held at Don Philippe Sevastian's Mansion. He is a former Mafia member in Spain. He originally came from Spain and just came here a few months ago. He decided to auction some of his collections. That includes the two pieces of Cleopatra's Heart. One is in the pendant of that necklace and the other one was placed in his bedroom." My eyes shifted to Lorenzo as he spoke. So he also knew about this, huh?

"Are you going to take the other piece, too?" I asked Scott absentmindedly to Scott… With a very serious looking face... more serious than usual. "Wait… are you planning on breaking into his room and stealing the other piece!?" I exclaimed with wide eyes as I gazed at him and Lorenzo.

"You mean… 'We'?" He replied as he smirked at me.

"Oh My God!" I jolted on my seat nervously.

"But it isn't that easy, Miss Rayzel." Answered by Lorenzo.

"Why? What do you mean?" I frowned as I asked him a very obvious question.

"Don Philippe's house is a heavily guarded house with security cameras and persons in full alert scattered all over the place. There is a secret safe room inside Don Philippe's bedroom where he put the other piece of Cleopatra's Heart. It has a security safe locker that needs biometrics, his fingerprint and needs to scan his eyes with the eye scanner system before you could enter. But before you could enter his bedroom...you will have to take down his bodyguards first who were looking after the room AND a security code that only him, knew. This strictly guarded house might get even stricter tonight as the event will be held there. So we need a proper plan." Lorenzo explained while he was driving, he would look fixedly into the road and would glance at the rear view mirror from time to time.

My eyes shifted to Scott who was looking very calm, you couldn't see any worry in his eyes...he is looking more confident.

"So how are we supposed to go inside that bedroom?" I looked at both of them as I asked.

"Simple…You and I will sneak into the bedroom at the same time during the auction. I'd let Lorenzo attend the bidding." He paused for a moment as glance at Lorenzo who was currently nodding his head.

"I have already asked Emma for the Mansion's map for us to know every corner and routes that we will pass through safely." He took the map from his pocket and handed it to me. Which I gladly took and examined.

"Faith, I want you to act drunk and pass through the hallway as if looking for something... it's up to you, make a story or whatever. I'll just follow you if I get the time and if needed, you can make a scene to catch the attention of the guards...But be mindful of doing it, make sure there's no other people in the area."

"Won't they recognize us... especially you? Knowing that you are a Mafia Lord?" I worriedly asked as I looked at him.

"I'll disguise myself as a waiter...while you..hmm, they won't recognize you since you aren't from Italy, they don't really have your profile." I nodded as a response.

"What about the security code to Don Philippe's bedroom and his biometrics?" I asked again as I remembered the most difficult part of this mission.

"Oh, that is not a problem. Did you forget who I am?" He smirked arrogantly...I also noticed the corner of Lorenzo's lips twitch up upon hearing his boss' arrogant words. Tsk!