Red Hourglass

by Scarlet Risqué

  “Janet, there’s something very important I want you to remember.”

  “What Mama?”

  “I saved your life and made you who you are today. You owe everything to me.”

  “Yes … I do.”

  “Goodbye my darling. Until we meet again,” she said softly as she held out her hand.

  I reluctantly shook her hand and the butler showed me out. I got in the car and stared at the envelope as we drove away from the mansion.

  I thought about all the agents who left one day and never returned, all the missions, all the killing. Our handiwork was always covered up by the media. They’d report the death of a CEO, mobster, or politician as due to a heart attack, car crash, plane crash, or unfortunate accident, but we knew the truth. I guess she can’t risk keeping agents around after she’s finished with us.

  I stayed on the Wilmar mission so I could find my mother, but I was no closer than when I first arrived in the city. I’ve failed my own mission. I still dreamt about my mother. Sometimes she was a sun rising over my bloody massacres, the metallic sounds of blades striking each other the soundtrack of my dream. Would my mother love me if she knew I was a seductress and assassin?

  I took the letter out of the envelope.

  Dearest Janet:

  We have your beloved Conan. We will not hesitate to kill him if you interfere with our plans.

  You were always special to me, my dear Janet. I’m giving you this chance to start anew. If you cross me, I will not be forgiving.

  You are on your own now.

  The White Queen

  The thought of never seeing Conan again was too much to bear. He mattered more to me now than finding my mother. I couldn’t let my sisters kill him. He was in the White Queen’s sights because of me. I’d never forgive myself if anything happened to him.

  I had to come up with a plan to save him. If it’s the last thing I do, I’ll die trying to save him.

  Emergency

  It was early afternoon by the time I got back to my apartment. I bolted out of the car and up the stairs.

  I threw open my packed luggage and quickly changed into my leather catsuit and knee-high leather boots. I tucked a pair of leather gloves into the boots. This was my killing outfit. The catsuit was designed with eight hidden sheaths that allowed easy deployment of blades. The boots had secret compartments in the soles for switchblades, and I could carry two more blades in the uppers. I loaded up my blades and tied my long hair in a ponytail, tucking it down the back of the suit.

  I grabbed my phone and ran down the fire escape. I called Conan but his phone was off. I pulled up Kelvin’s number and began walking.

  “Kelvin it’s Scarlet. Is Conan at work?”

  “Hi Scarlet,” said Kelvin. “No. I thought he was with you.”

  “Kelvin, listen to me very closely. Conan’s been taken hostage.”

  “What?! Fuck!” Kelvin roared. “I told him not to go off on that little romantic getaway without his bodyguards! What the hell is going on?!”

  “White Holdings is hell-bent on stopping the merger with Zhong Yuan and they’ll do whatever it takes. They’re planning to kill the Eagle at the meeting … to scare off Zhong Yuan. If they can’t do that, they’ll kill Conan.”

  “How the fuck do you know all this?!”

  “Kelvin, that doesn’t matter. All that matters right now is that you understand that Wilmar’s under attack and you need to do what I tell you to do. I’ll explain later.”

  “Okay, okay. What do I need to do?”

  “Where’s the Eagle?”

  “He’s in the boardroom with the rest of the board and the Chinese guys,” said Kelvin. “They’re having lunch before the meeting.”

  “Get up there immediately with your toughest men. Take as many as you can, and they better be armed. You need to evacuate the floor, but keep the board and the Zhong Yuan executives in the boardroom.”

  “Scarlet, this sounds crazy. What’s really going on? Is this some sort of security drill?”

  “NO! Mrs. White’s agents are going to try to get into the boardroom. You can’t let that happen. They don’t carry firearms, but they’ll have other weapons. If they get in the building, I need your guys to hold them for me. I have to talk to them.”

  “Oh fuck. I’ve heard rumors about that old hag and her killer Amazons, but I never believed them.”

  “Well you better believe.”

  “What about Conan?”

  “I couldn’t get him on his phone. I’ll head over to his apartment after I talk to Christophe. I’m pretty sure the killer Amazons were waiting for him last night. I tried to warn him, but he laughed.”

  “Why do you need to talk to Christophe?”

  “We don’t have time for more questions Kelvin. If we all get out of this alive, I’ll explain later. Just do it … please.”

  “Okay.”

  I hung up and called Christophe.

  “Christophe, it’s Scarlet.”

  “Hey Scarlet. How’s it going? We haven’t had a pizza in a long time.”

  “Christophe, we have an emergency. Where are you?”

  “I took the morning off. I just got to my desk.”

  “I need you to look at the live cameras around the building.”

  “Okay. Hold on a minute. Let me get into them …”

  “Christophe hurry up!”

  “I am. Okay, I’m looking at the live feeds from around the building.”

  “Does anything look suspicious?”

  “What do you mean?” Christophe asked.

  “Does anything look off? Is anyone staking the place out? Is there a white van parked close to the building.”

  “Um … let’s see … uh, yeah. There’s a girl in a green shirt in a white van along the side of the main building. She’s frantically pounding away on a laptop.”

  “Shit! She’s hacking into the system.”

  “Very funny Scarlet. You know my system is secure.”

  “Christophe, just humor me and check to see if you still have access to the system.”

  “Okay … merde!” Christophe screamed.

  “What’s going on?”

  “That bitch is hacking my system! She’s put the internal cameras on loops and locked me out of the building controls. What the hell is going on?”

  “We’re under attack. I don’t have time to explain. Just try to lock her out and get control back. If you can do that, change all the access codes and seal the building.”

  “What about you Scarlet? Where are you?”

  “I’m trying to save Conan,” I said and hung up.

  I flagged a taxi.

  * * *

  When I got to Conan’s building, nothing was right. All the CCTV cameras had been blown out with darts and the security guards were nowhere in sight.

  I checked my blades and put on my gloves before I got in the elevator. I entered the security code and the little green light came on.

  Conan’s front door had been kicked in. I went inside and the place was a mess. It looked like there’d been a bar brawl in the living room. The glass coffee table was smashed to smithereens, half of his books were scattered around the living room floor, and his desk was overturned.

  I rushed into the bedroom. Conan was gagged and bound to his office chair with black duct tape. Mimi and Liza were standing in front of him. There were superficial wounds on his arms and a bloody slash in his right leg.

  “Scarlet, you’re here,” Mimi squealed. “We were told you weren’t coming, but we knew you would!”

  They think I’m here to help. Perfect.

  “You do the honors,” said Liza as she handed me her knife.

  “I thought he was only supposed to be killed if we don’t get his father,” I said. “Have you got the kill order yet?”

  “Not yet,” Liza said. “We’re supposed to call Vanus at three. But as you can see, he was very uncooperative and he forced us to hurt him.” She turned to Conan and backhanded him across t
he face. “This right here is an injured pig. We have to kill him. We have no choice. He’s too dangerous.”

  “You stupid, stupid man,” said Mimi. “I don’t like having to kill people and now you’re making us do something that didn’t have to happen.”

  “I know he’s hurt,” I said. “But don’t you think we should still wait for the order? What if we need him alive for something?”

  “What the hell is wrong with you two fools?!” Liza screamed. “The White Queen only told you that we wouldn’t have to kill anyone so you wouldn’t freak out and blow the mission. Everyone knows that mobster job fucked you both up. And you both know that this pig was never going to get out of this alive. He’s the goddamn heir to Wilmar and the White Queen wants him taken care of. I’m not wasting my time waiting for an order that I know is coming. So Janet, either you take care of this pig right now, or give me back my knife and I’ll do it myself.” Liza walked toward me and held out her hand.

  “Liza’s right,” said Mimi. “Anyway, just remember that he’s a filthy liar like all men. Go for it Scar … for the White Queen.”

  “Sisters, you’re right,” I said. “I’ll take care of this pig for the White Queen.”

  I turned around to face Conan. He was looking at me with a pained expression. I walked toward him very slowly as I swung the knife around in the air and slipped another one out of my catsuit. I was motioning with my eyes for him to look at my boot uppers and hoped he understood. He gave a long blink.

  With two swift motions, I cut the tape around Conan’s torso and wrists, and he grabbed a knife out of my boot. I swung around and ran at Liza, plunging a knife into her stomach as Conan rushed Mimi and pinned her to the ground.

  “Don’t hurt her,” I called to Conan.

  Liza collapsed in a heap, but I knew the cut wouldn’t kill her. She held her midsection, trying to stop the bleeding.

  I took a few ties out of Conan’s closet. “Tie her up,” I said as I tossed them at him. I grabbed a few more and tied Liza’s hands behind her back, then I tied one around her wound.

  “You’ll never get away with this Janet! Never!” Mimi screamed. “How could you choose your target over your own sisters!”

  “HOW DARE YOU!” I screamed at Mimi. “You chose Vargen over us and it nearly cost me my life!”

  “I’ll get you you traitor!” yelled Mimi. “If it’s the last thing I do, I swear I’ll get you!

  “Gag her,” I said.

  Conan stuffed a tie in her mouth and ripped the duct tape off his. Then he tied a tie around the gash in his leg.

  “Sisters, I never wanted to betray you,” I said. “But the White Queen is a dangerous woman. She convinces us that we’re working for the greater good, but in reality we risk our lives to increase her power and grow her empire. And as for you Mimi, I took a knife for you and saved your life. Remember that. Conan, we have to go. When they don’t hear from these two at three they’ll send more agents.”

  Conan gave me a passionate kiss. “Let’s move. My car’s in the garage.”

  “Can you drive?” I asked. “I mean your leg is hurt.”

  “I’ll drive. It looks worse than it is, and if a taxi driver noticed we’d probably be taken straight to a hospital. More importantly, it sounds like my father’s in trouble. We need to get to the office, fast.”

  Revelations

  It was chaos outside the Wilmar complex. People were pouring out of all the buildings like crazed rats.

  Conan parked in front of the main building and limped toward the large glass doors as quickly as he could.

  “What’s happening?” Conan asked the guards on the door.

  “Something’s going on in the boardroom. Kelvin ordered us to evacuate the building.”

  Conan grabbed my hand and we fought our way through the crowd of people scrambling to get out. We took an elevator up to the top floor.

  We stepped into the large lobby outside the boardroom and found an armed security team holding my sisters at gunpoint. My sisters were outnumbered four to one.

  I pushed through the security guys and put myself in the middle of the action.

  “Scarlet!” Conan yelled. “What are you doing?”

  “No one has to die today. Conan, please, let’s negotiate.”

  “Only if they give up their weapons,” said Conan.

  “Vanus, do you want to try to fight your way out, or do you want to go home tonight?”

  “Sisters, put down your weapons,” Vanus ordered.

  Kelvin and a few of his team collected everything and herded my sisters into a group in the middle of the lobby.

  “At ease boys,” Conan ordered his men.

  “I’ll take over from here.” Johnson Wilmar stepped out from behind the security team. He walked toward me with his arms outstretched and cupped my face in his hands.

  Something about his touch felt familiar. I was overwhelmed with confusion.

  “My darling girl. I knew you were a born leader the moment I met you. How do you wish to handle this?”

  “Let my sisters go.”

  “Very well,” said Johnson. “Do you have anything to say to them before they’re escorted out of the building?”

  “Vanus, tell your mother that I’ve spared your lives and my debt to her is repaid.”

  “I will Janet,” said Vanus. “I’m sorry it ended this way, but I have a feeling we’ll meet again. You shouldn’t have betrayed us.”

  “Kelvin, get these ladies out of here,” said Johnson.

  The Zhong Yuan executives filed out of the boardroom. They were frowning and speaking in Mandarin. They definitely sounded angry. I guessed that the merger didn’t go through. At least the White Queen will be happy about that.

  “Conan, please see our guests out. Everyone else, clear the floor,” said Johnson. “Scarlet, I have to introduce you to someone.”

  Mrs. Wilmar walked out of the boardroom as the elevators closed.

  “We’ve met,” I said. “Hello Mrs. Wilmar. How’s your breathing?”

  “Mary!” She ran toward me and threw her arms around me.

  Her melodic voice saying my name pulled old, familiar memories from the recesses of my mind. Is she really my mother? I was filled with a mixture of love and hate. I didn’t know how to respond and I froze.

  “My sweet, sweet Mary,” said Mrs. Wilmar. “I’m fine, I’m absolutely fine now. My darling daughter. I’d given up all hope of ever seeing you again.”

  “Really?” I stepped back from her. “You knew where I was. I was right where you left me … with that horrible monster. Why didn’t you take me with you, or come back for me?” Tears began flowing from my eyes, burning my cheeks.

  “Oh my sweetheart.” Mrs. Wilmar began to cry. “I should have taken you with me when I left. I’m so, so sorry. I wanted to, but I didn’t have enough money to support us. I was terrified that I wouldn’t be able to provide for you and that you’d be taken from me and put into an orphanage. I’d learned of your father’s divorce and I came here to find him, but I was afraid to tell him that I’d had you in secret. I got very sick after we reconciled, and I’ve been in and out of hospitals ever since. When I finally went back to the farm it was abandoned and you were gone. That’s when I told Johnson the truth. We’ve been looking for you ever since, but you’d disappeared into thin air.”

  “I ran away because no one was there to protect me.” I started to sob. “You left me with that disgusting drunk to live a life of drudgery and pain. I had to cook and clean and take all his abuse. And then I came here to look for you and I would’ve died on the streets if Mrs. White hadn’t taken me in. I hate you. I hate you so much.”

  “Hush, hush. We’re together now. I’ve never stopped loving you.” Susanne put her arms around me and stroked my hair. “I deserve your hatred my darling daughter. I’m a bad mother, but I’m going to spend the rest of my life making it up to you … protecting you. Can you ever forgive me?”

  The anger in my veins was repla
ced by a tranquility I hadn’t felt in years. I was in my mother’s arms again, wrapped in her love. I was returned to that blissful time in childhood when a mother’s love is everything. My happy memories came flooding back and I pictured her perfectly in my mind—her blond hair, her hazel eyes, her smile. I saw us holding hands and running through the sunflower fields. Am I dreaming?

  “All right girls,” said Johnson. “It’s my turn to talk to my daughter. Let’s sit down.” He took me by the arm and led me into the boardroom. “Scarlet Walters, my dear. Look at you. A secretary by day and an assassin by night, the alpha female, the apex huntress. You are your father’s daughter. It’s in your genes to be at the top of the heap.”

  “How do you know I’m your daughter?” I asked.

  “As Matilda … Susanne said, we’ve been looking for you for years. When the new health insurance company insisted on DNA testing, it just made sense to find out if anyone matched our DNA. They told us this morning that there was a perfect match and it’s you! BINGO!” He leaned forward and took my hand. “We could hardly contain our joy. I liked you the minute Conan brought you home, and I couldn’t be happier.” He picked up my hand and kissed it.

  “I … I don’t know what to say,” I said. I carefully touched his face and peered into his dark eagle eyes. They were like mine, but older. Is he my real father? Is he good or bad? The eagle was the apex predator of the skies. I’d inherited his lust for dominance. It all made sense now. I was a reflection of my father.

  “Princess, you don’t have to say anything right now,” said Johnson. “We know this must be overwhelming.”

  “But how can you forgive me for working for your enemy?”

  “How can you ever forgive us for abandoning you? Mary, we let you down so, so badly. You had no choice but to go with that wretched woman. As it is, I’m thankful to her. She rescued you, protected you, and sent you back to us. Not to mention, you saved my life today. If you hadn’t contacted Kelvin and Christophe, Mrs. White’s little army would’ve made it into the boardroom and I’d be lying on a slab in the morgue right now.”

  “I guess you’re right.”