Chapter 8: The Uninvited Entries
They reached the location. A tall building stood before them, fancy, royal, every inch screaming money.
The engine blurred into silence. One by one they got out of the car. Elena's grip on her expensive sleeve tightened as she scanned the place.
It was being decorated and was closed for outsiders. A larger banner of marriage, filled with flowers, written in golden, was put outside.
Men in black surrounded the place. Guns covering their chests like a second skeleton, faces carved out of steel without any expressions, postures erect like they have long forgotten how to bend. They patrolled around as if it were a restricted area.
"They turned the place upside down. It wasn't this fancy!" Kira whispered.
"You care about the place?" Elena exclaimed. "Look at the guards around! It appears less of a marriage and more of a funeral! Look at those black suits!" She pointed to a black figure moving robotically. Her finger trembled just a little, enough to say she was scared.
"Relax girl! Walk like you own this place. We have the invitation right? We're not trespassing here…" Dasha whispered into her ear as she began moving forward.
"But…" Elena stared as she followed her behind. "Didn't Kira say that the owner bent his head while talking? He had no aura in front of them! Look at them walking around like they own the place!"
"Then walk like a person without whom this wedding won't happen."
As they began to step in, a guard came across their way.
"Kids, this isn't a place to wander. Where is your invitation?" He asked, voice low but heavy and commanding. Almost threatening. He had his gun ready for anything that was about to happen.
A cold sweat ran across Elena's temple.
"Excuse me?" Dasha stepped ahead, confident. Clearing her throat she began. "Do we look like wandering kids to you?"
The guard scanned her briefly from top to bottom. His gaze lasted longer than necessary, unblinking and cold.
Though she tried her best to be confident, there was a faint tremor in her voice. Subtle, yet visible.
She handed him the card.
He scanned it. He then looked at them, confused. Something about them screamed that they didn't belong here, though they pretended well to hide it, at least tried to.
Before he could ask anything, a voice from his comm interrupted.
"What's taking you so long at the main gate?"
"Three girls are here. willing to enter." He replied, still eyes on them.
"You know the orders…" the man on the other side barked. "Prosecute the trespassers."
"They have the invitation." He replied, finally looking away.
The man on the other end froze for a second. Then, after a pause "Ask who invited them."
"Who invited you?" He asked.
"The bride," Dasha replied too quickly, acting annoyed by this delay. "Miss Roxane did." She said, folding her hands.
"Who?" He asked startled, almost in disbelief.
"Didn't you hear who?" Dasha raised her voice a little. "Confirm if you want. I doubt you'll hear it in a pleasant way. She'd be angry if we told her what delayed us…"
"Boss said she will have some additions." The man on the other side cut in. "Send them in."
The guard handed back the invitation and moved aside, giving them way.
Kira and Elena almost smiled at this victory but Dasha scoffed at the guard. "Unbelievable!" She whispered under her breath like a low curse, not too low for the guard to be left unheard.
Once inside, the atmosphere shifted from funeral to an actual wedding. Tables were being shifted. Waiters lined the trays. Chandeliers of gold reflected light. The glassware of silver added equal charisma.
"We finally did it!" Elena whispered in their ear. "Who could've thought…" Kira began but Dasha cut her off "Hush! You want the whole hall to listen to us?"
Kira grabbed their shoulders and whispered "Come, I'll show you where I found the card." They giggled and matched forward.
"This way…" Kira led them.
The ballroom stood in a state of immaculate suspension. The frantic energy of the morning had evaporated, leaving behind a cathedral of white and gold that felt vibrantly, almost unnervingly, still. The parquetry floor had been buffed to a dark, watery mirror, reflecting the hundreds of dormant candles that sat like tiny white soldiers atop the tables, their wicks waiting for the first match.
They scattered in different directions, each admiring various aspects of beautified assets. "Wow!" Dasha whispered. "This is marvellous!" Added Kira.
Their little exploration was going on well, until they heard a distant voice.
"Yeah I want that done today…"
It was a woman. Marching towards them. Her heels echoing louder with every step.
Elena and Kira quickly hid behind the door. Dasha hid behind the curtain.
She opened the door.
"What do you mean you can't take care of Dimitri?" A phone was pressed against her right ear. "If he resists, finish him! I want that factory in Moscow burned!..."
She took a few steps ahead. "Yes. The code to the main vault is 3692…"
Dasha signalled. Elena and Kira slowly walked out, not making a sound. Dasha followed.
The last step was a bit too loud. Loud enough for Roxane to turn around and have a quick glance.
She saw the retreating figures, with Elena's turned head to her to see if they were spotted. Dasha quickly said "don't turn back, she didn't see us!"
But that was already glimpsed! Before she could do anything, the three of them left the room, blending well amongst the guests who arrived.
"Who was she?" Kira asked.
"That's Roxane." Replied Dasha.
"She's the bride?" Elena asked, still glancing back. Something about her words felt familiar to her. The factory, the code, the name Dimitri… "Who's the groom?" She asked.
"Someone named Leonide Mo–Moseque…Mosqenue." Dasha stammered, unable to remember it. Then she gave up "Something like that…"
"Monesque? Leonide Monesque?" Elena asked, her eyes widened as the voice trembled beneath her breath.
"Yeah, something like that… Strange name right?"
"That's not Russian, is he…?" Kira parted her mouth to say something but Elena cut her. "French."
"French?"
"Yes he's French!" Elena said. An involuntary dilation seized her gaze, as if her vision sought to encompass the full gravity of his identity. Her breathing, once rhythmic and poised, splintered into a staccato of shallow gasps.
"What happened girl? Do you know him?" Kira asked, her voice lowering by the effect of fear.
"Show me the card!" She commanded, already snatching it. The name Leonide Monesque written in silver, refracted the golden lights, shimmering as an unnoticed warning.
"Yes I know him!" She replied with a guilty aced voice. Her fingers caught each other accusingly as she tried to calm herself. "We should not stay here. This isn't a safe place. Let's go back… let's go before it's…"
A sudden voice interrupted her. A laughing sound echoed in the silence. They turned their heads, following it.
A man in a silver suit entered. The light caught the metallic sheen of his attire, shattering into a thousand glints with every rich, resonant note of his amusement. It was Egor Creed with 6 guards around him.
"We did all this to meet him. We can't leave when he is finally standing right in front of us!" Dasha exclaimed.