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As Akilah starts back toward the ceremony, he clasps his hand over her mouth and drags her back into the shadows of the vestibule. "Don't move, Akilah. Don't move a single muscle."
Having been on the receiving end of a kidnapping more than once in her recent life, she ignores his demands. She tries to kick and squirm her way out of his grasp, but once she realizes the futility of it all, Akilah bites his hand. She shoves him into the wall and spins around to see that her attacker is...
"Oh my God," Akilah gasps. "Alec... you're... oh my God..."
"Stop talking so loud," Billy hisses, attempting to draw her back into the corner.
"You're supposed to be dead! You're supposed to be dead!"
"Well, I'm not," he says, grabbing her by the arm.
"You're a vampire!" Akilah says, realization dawning on her face. "You got bit in South Africa, didn't you? You're a vampire! You're a..."
Realizing he won't be able to shut her up, Billy balls his hand into a fist and socks Akilah in the jaw. The blow causes her to fall unconscious into his arms.
Billy sighs. "Looks like we'll have to do this the hard way."
"Sorry Tyler," Kyle says, whispering to himself. "I know that Aaron has already taken you to hell and back, but I can't help it."
He drives along a dirt road, just between Chicago and Marquette Cove, in an area that used to be Marquette Cove's warehouse district. As he reaches an abandoned warehouse at the end of the road, he turns off the car ignition.
A quick survey of the warehouse is necessary to make sure that he can use all of the chains and handcuffs from his hotel suite to lock up Tyler and keep him as far away from Aaron as possible.
Sure, it would be easier to leave him in the car... but there are too many possibilities that he could escape.
And Kyle can't have that.
Tyler wants to expose Aaron... which would ruin Kyle's plans for revenge. And after waiting for so long, and enduring the loss of his sister throughout it all, Kyle will not lose this chance.
As Kyle peers into the warehouse window, he is surprised by what appears to be movement inside. He looks closer and realizes that there is a woman bound and gagged on the floor of the warehouse... someone he recognizes all too well.
"Leslie Moore?" Kyle wonders aloud, realizing that the woman everyone thinks has run off to Paris is currently being held hostage by a man she doesn't recognize. "Well... this is none of my business."
Kyle frowns and returns to the car. Keeping Tyler in the trunk will have to do.
MATA HARI'S
Aaron Maddock examines his ring finger, allowing the gold band on his left hand to shimmer under the restaurant's bright lights. Even with Rebecca Li... now Rebecca Maddock... on his arm, he's an exceptional earner of the resounding claps that ensue from his entrance.
With the wedding over, the worst part has yet to come. Aaron now needs to parade around the wedding reception with a huge smile plastered on his face. He has to pretend to care about this union. Pretend that today has been the happiest day of his life.
"Keep smiling," Rebecca whispers, pulling him past the throng of guests. "Don't let anyone know how much we hate this."
"Just lead me to the bar," Aaron says.
He and Rebecca head toward the open bar and quickly order themselves matching shots of whiskey. They toast one another and knock back the shots before slamming their glasses down on the bar and ordering more.
"Careful, you don't want to get too out of control."
Aaron turns to find Robert Bale standing a few feet away from him, with Vince and Darren in tow. He forces a smile and half waves at them. "Hello Bale family. And guest."
"Thank you for coming," Rebecca says. "Excuse me."
As she hurries off, Aaron pats Robert on the arm. "Yes... thank you. I'm sure Felicia will appreciate it."
"Felicia's not the reason I came," Robert answers.
Aaron laughs. "Oh, are you saying we're friends now?"
"No, I'm not saying that either," Robert says ominously. He excuses himself and wanders to find something to eat, leaving Aaron alone with Vince and Darren.
"Well boys, enjoy your..."
"I know you've been sleeping with Blake," Darren cuts in.
Vince tenses up at the mention of this. Darren doesn't know the entire story, but he knows it's not his place to tell Darren. But he doesn't know how long he can let Darren go on thinking the worst of Blake.
"I don't know where this is..."
"He told me," Darren says.
"That's our cue to leave," Vince says, dragging Darren away from Aaron. "Dude, are you crazy?"
"No, I'm done being crazy over Blake," Darren insists. "He and Aaron? They can both go to hell as far as I'm concerned."
Akilah opens her eyes, slowly realizing she is now lying in the garden outside Mata Hari's. She glances up and sees that Alec Bale is standing over her, which makes her think she is still dreaming.
He can't be alive. He died in the hospital cave-in months ago. They had a funeral for him, she grieved. He died.
"Sorry I hit you," Alec says. "Are you okay?"
"I'm... I don't know... am I?" Akilah asks weakly. "Because you should be dead."
"I'm not. It's a really long story I can't get into, but... right now I need your help. You're the only one who can help me," Alec whispers.
"Help you with what?"
"Killing Aaron Maddock."
