章節 6: Step one,identify your enemy.

" First step ,Identify your enemy".

Arctic narrowed his blue eyes at her. He was seriously starting to doubt her again despite the speech she just gave.

"Why would I want to waste my time looking for an enemy?" He asked his voice filled with suspicion. Acacia still wore the face of confidence she had when she arrived at their hotel. Her choice of clothing!He agreed the woman had power over him. What was the purpose of those many buttons if not giving him signals that they should be unbuttoned to pave way for what lay inside,the legs.....Damn it! And her lips...how they rounded when she talked . Was she as sweet as her spaghetti squash?But the woman was scowling and he wished to see her smile even if it would kill him. Her voice alone was doing things inside him.

"Yes Arctic,you need to know who your enemy is so as not to make the same mistake again".

The way his name rolled out of her mouth made Arctic go blank for a moment, he was glad Berlah was with them because grasping information was becoming difficult. Was she a witch? Because he was bewitching him. He had so many questions to ask. Why was she frowning all the time,why was she crying at the river? Why was she so beautiful? But those had to wait. Instead he asked,

"How are we even supposed to know them anyway?"

"It's quite easy but it is dangerous, someone who did this to you is just near,I mean they even tampered with your cookers just under your nose. We need to be careful,you don't know what they are capable of considering the fact that they almost killed you even after draining everything from you".

Arctic relied on the girl. She was flawless,so far she had done nothing but hope began to form and something stirred inside him. Revenge? Maybe. He was now realising that they had been easily destroyed. Easily, and he had been so stupid to think that everything that had happened was an accident.

His eyes travelled to Berlah and they shared a knowing look,they were going to fight this time and they had to be careful. He turned to Acacia again,with a determined look on his face.

"So this is the first step to finding your enemy,track your ex-employees,especially your very best employees,Berlah explained to me that your predicaments started when one of your top Chefs quit right?" They both nodded with curious stares.

"We find him or her...."

"Him,his name was Trevis".

"Okay,we find Trevis,track his movements ,especially his new work place,it's likely that one of your competitors poached him and that might be our enemy. "She finished and Arctic felt he was ready to go down on one knee ,First she could cook,she was a good athlete,had a running business and was this intelligent? He was not even adding the beautiful features she had ,he was done,he had found himself a wife and he was going to be the reason that would make her smile and happy again,but he had to tread carefully. Acacia was obviously loaded with her own problems,he had witnessed one of her breakdowns,her cold nature was worrying too but he was a patient man and it was still way too much early.

'Baby steps,baby steps.' He smiled.

Berlah halted his fleeting thoughts by standing up,she was literally shaking with excitement .

"I am going to fetch my laptop, we might get his details there. I still have employees details."She announced with so much enthusiasm and before they could reply,she left the room,her sandals tapping slowly on the floor.

Arctic offered Acacia another bright smile as Berlah's footsteps faded .

"So,uum,where do you stay?" The question was out before he could realise it and Acacia narrowed her eyes at him.

"Nearby".

"In a hotel?Apartment, where?You don't look like someone who is from around here".

"What do you mean?"

"Your eyes...your features ".

Arctic could tell she was getting irritated with his questions. To him,this was a simple question and he really wanted to know her more. But looking at her expression, it would be a wonder if he would get a response from her.

"It's none of your business ".

Yeah,it was really going to be difficult to crack this nut. He opened his mouth to ask another question but Berlah appeared and she heard her sigh in relief. Well,this was going to be alot of fun. He could be really persistent .

Her sister switched on the laptop and placed it in an angle that both of them could see. They found the Chef's details. His phone number and an address.

"Should we just call him and ask him where he works?" Berlah asked as she wrote the details on a notebook she had also brought.

"This is his personal number,he obviously won't answer a stranger asking him where he works,and we have to tread carefully, we don't know who the enemy is and who he is working with." Arctic replied as he looked at Acacia who nodded in agreement.

"We have to go to this address to make sure he still stays there then tomorrow we track his movements. "

They discussed for a moment and decided they will all go later in the evening when the working hours were almost over. They sat at the table each of them lost in their thoughts, probably anticipating the evening. Remembering her previous meal,Arctic decided it was time to work on his other project. He cleared his throat and both the ladies looked at him.

"So,I was wondering if you could uum...you know,it's totally okay if you don't want to, but I was wondering if you could make us another meal , it's almost lunch and yesterday i tasted the spaghetti you made and...."

"I am not hungry ",she interrupted his speech. Berlah looked at him and stuffed up a giggle and he glared at her.

"Their is a step we can work on right now. I saw a restaurant afew blocks from here,you can go there to have lunch".

"Are you kidding me!You want us to go to Marina? Our biggest competitor?I'd rather order pizza from downtown". Berlah answered her and for the first time since she met them Acacia offered a little smile which made Arctic gape at her,it was a very tiny smile,the corners of her mouth curved just a little bit and the scowl disappeared from her face .She was adorable that he wondered how her real happy smile looked like.

"People don't need to forget you, if you dissapear from the limelight, you will be forgotten quickly and despite all the efforts you make,less people will come back".

"Step two;Make appearances ,leave an impact."

"Girl, I don't know where you got this ideas from,but you are good, how come I never heard about you before?" Berlah asked and Arctic mirrored her expression, "How come".

Acacia shrugged her shoulders and stood up ,not offering a reply to their questions.

"The media loved you,I am sure people will recognise you ,give them something to talk about will you? I will meet you here after an hour". She was already turning to leave.

"Wait,you are not coming with us?"

"No,I have some things to take care of".

She then turned and hurriedly left,her heels clacking on the pavement, Berlah stood too and patted his shoulder.

"We should get going".

He followed her silently. Acacia was already in her car as they reached the parking lot,she lowered her windows and gestured to them.

"Don't drive,just walk. That way more people will see you". She then drove off. He was never going to understand her,was he?

As Acacia had predicted, as soon as they walked out, people who recognised them started to whisper,across the road held a cooperate building ,hundreds of workers who worked there usually spent their lunch break at their restaurant. They supplied the offices with Coffee and Tea every working hour . As it was typically lunch time,most of them streamed out and as soon as they saw them ,they started talking,some looked at them with pity stares.

One of the workers Arctic was acquitted with saw them and rushed towards them. She was plumpy and Arctic had loved the fact that she always didn't bother what people said about her. She also loved fries,very much.

"Hey guys,I heard what happened, I am sorry".

"Don't be, we are managing ".

"It's really difficult to walk this far for lunch,and their coffee is shitty",she winked and they all laughed . They chatted as they walked and the girl plus other people realised where they were heading to.

"Are you guys going to the Marina too?"She asked in a curious voice. Everyone knew Marina and Pacific were rivals. Rivals who didn't like each other.

They had arrived at the gates and Arctic supported his sister by holding her hands. They had attracted a crowd ,which made them to be denied entry. The security came and immediately recognised them,ofcourse you have to know your enemy.

"I am sorry but you have to leave,you are interrupting our normal schedule and disturbing people". He said immediately.

"What?we did nothing wrong. "Berlah answered and Arctic felt the smile on her voice,she was enjoying this.

" Your crowd of followers are creating a commotion". The security man replied gesturing to the people who had gathered.

"But they are your customers, and we are also here to experience your esteemed services which seem to be poor from the way you are treating us". Arctic replied.

"I am sorry but you have to leave ".

Figuring they won't be let in and not wanting to be humiliated, they left. But not before Berlah gave the man a lecture on their services which the man replied with if she had advices on how to run their restaurant she should have used them on their sinking hotel to prevent it from drowning. Arctic had to pull Berlah before she could hit the man with her shoes. Her sister knew how to cause a scene.

Their assignment was completed anyway. He had to admit that Acacia was brilliant, she knew what she was doing. They decided to order food to eat as they walked back,more people greeted them and as they walked back. A journalist they recognised also asked them a few questions. Excited,they rushed back,a new hope bubbling. Acacia had really built up a hope in them.