Chapter 916 - After fashion show (1)

~ Chicago ~

Wednesday, 6:43 PM

The fashion show ended, and everyone is moving around the dressing room while trying to wrap up things and head out.

Aiden is the only stationary in the middle of chaos, looking more like a prop than a person. He spaced out while looking at the screen of his phone. Dot in the middle of the forest close to the border of China with Kazakhstan represents Sarah.

Aiden reminded himself that they talked about this. They can't be together all the time, and this makes sense.

On Tuesday morning, Mr. Patel called to inform them that he narrowed down possibilities to seven women and three graves. His men are following up and he expects results within 48 hours.

Aiden sighed. 48 hours… With one day passed since he signed the agreement, that means that he will need to do for Mr. Patel at least four jobs. No questions asked and no option to reject. Four is less than seven, but it's still a lot. Even one job with such shady conditions is a lot, but he has no choice. He will do it because that is the price to bring Sarah and him closer to freedom.

Aiden can't imagine how it will be when it happens: two of them, together, without that shadow lurking after them. And he does not want to think of the future where they don't find a way to live their lives without fear that one of them will be targeted and pulled into that world they don't want anything to do with.

With knowledge that information on Tashi is so close, Sarah decided to start her quest to reach Master Hollow and get his guidance while Aiden helps Ellie with her fashion show. Aiden can't join Sarah anyway. Based on the information they collected, she needs to reach Master Hollow with her own efforts and to pass the trial.

But that does not mean that he is not missing her. It is more than 24 hours since he saw her last time.

Since they got together, they were never apart for this long.

To make sure she is not by herself (mostly to give a piece of mind to Aiden), Sarah accepted that Jesse goes with her. But because he can't join her for that final stretch of 20km hike through the forest to reach her destination, Jesse will wait in the inn of the closest town.

Based on their estimations, it will take her at minimum three days to accomplish her task, so there is no point for Aiden to join her before Friday. Until then, he will help Ellie and use high-speed internet that modern civilization provides to work on his backlog for White corp. Jeffrey is still not back from his four weeks long honeymoon, and Aiden accepted to help Oscar when needed in addition to his regular work.

Three days for Sarah to finish her task: to reach Master Hollow, complete trial, get his guidance and come back. And that is an optimistic timeline. They found information that some trials took days to complete. And after Sarah passes the trial she will need to make Master Hollow actually help her out. Who knows how long will that take? But Aiden doesn't want to think about all that uncertainty. One day passed. Two more to go and then he will head to join Jesse in that inn and wait for Sarah to return. By then he should get results of search for Tashi from Mr. Patel.

Aiden can only hope that all this works out and that Sarah and he are not wasting time by being apart. Because for him, this is the most difficult part: being away from Sarah. And he hopes that she is not suffering hardships.

"Hey, do you want to join us for dinner?", Ellie's voice pulled Aiden out of his thoughts.

"No, thanks.", he mumbled. "I would just be the third wheel."

Aiden looked up at Ellie and saw her concerned expression. He forced a smile. "I am fine. Really. Don't worry about me… I'm just missing Sarah.", he admitted at the end.

"I would not worry if you stop staring at your phone… is that dot Sarah?" Ellie had to ask. He is staring at that dot for a long time.

"Yes."

"Didn't you say that she is in the middle of nowhere? How come she has a signal?" Ellie assumed that he is tracking location of her phone.

Aiden showed the ring which all members of our team-of-six have. "This one has a GPS tracker. Works even when phones don't."

Ellie made a face. "Useful when you are in the middle of nowhere."

"You might not believe it, but we used this more than once. In addition to location tracking, it can send some simple signals, like when you are in danger and need help."

"OK. I will take your word for it. If you are done spacing out and you don't want to join for dinner, you can head out." Ellie gestured toward the door.

Aiden glanced around and realized that besides Ellie and her three assistants, everyone else left. He did space out.

Aiden exited the dressing room while thinking how he will get a cab and head to Ellie's villa where he is staying. He will grab some food from the kitchen, a sandwich maybe, and work. It will keep him busy until he sleeps off. And when he wakes up, he will be one day closer to joining Jesse in the wait for Sarah.

He got on the street, looking left and right to spot a cab. None nearby. He will wait a minute or two… just enough to look at dot representing Sarah on his phone a little bit longer. Somehow, looking at that dot gives him peace. 

Aiden observed five men enter the building's event entrance and thought how it's strange. Wasn't EY's show the last one? Why would anyone go in now? Hmm… maybe a cleaning crew? He was distracted: a cab!

Aiden raised his arm and the cab stopped in front of him.

"Do you mind if we share a ride?"

Aiden turned toward the voice and saw Ellie's assistant Paulette followed by two young women, which he identified as other Ellie's assistants.

"Where is Ellie?", Aiden asked.

"She said that she will finish last few bits until Jasper arrives and that we can head out first.", Paulette explained.

Aiden paused. He remembered those five men and decided to go and make sure Ellie is fine. No lady should be left alone. When Jasper arrives, Aiden can go to the villa.

"Feel free to take this cab. I will take the next one." Aiden left the cab door open and made his way inside.

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