Chapter 5 SECRET PROPOSAL

First period Biology. The teacher Jovi Winchester, 24, pretty and slender, radiating with an innocent beauty sat in front of a table teaching a class at school. She was Dylan's sister and sole guardian. Had a subtle wave dark hair. She was wearing a red short sleeve and black tights. It was her first time back after spring break, and she knew deep down, it gets better and better.

Vince sat in the middle of the same table, looking through a microscope as Aimee who is at his right side watches closely. They were in the front row seat.

Jovi begins her lecture. "Through microscopic, cells consisting of complicated structures are capable of growing and dividing. They provide the foundation for all living things. Cells can differ from each other. Can you see it?"

"Yeah. I can see it. Tiny little bastards," said Vince.

"Amazing huh?," said Jovi.

She stands and walks up to the blackboard in in front of the class and begins to write "SINGLE CELLED ORGANISMS AND THEIR HIERARCHICAL STRUCTURE OF MULTI CELLULAR ORGANISM."

Then she turns back to one of the students; a platinum blonde teenage girl, 16, with blue eyes and olive skin. She's sleeping. After a moment, gasps in class. Everyone stares at her, including Aimee sitting next to her.

"Turn around. What are you staring at?," she said.

When she turns around to realize that Jovi is looking at her and speaks.

"Ms. Maury. Detention."

Meanwhile, Aimee distracts herself from the lecture and listens to Vince beside.

"So what are you doing after school?," Vince whispered into her ear.

"Probably gonna hang out with some friends... Why?" Aimee answered.

"Uhm...I was actually thinking...maybe we could go see a movie together tonight, 8:16, county road."

"What movie?," asks Aimee.

"No time to die."

"I would really love that," said Aimee, smiling.

"Yeah?"

"Of course."

"Then I guess I'll see you."

"Don't be late."

"I won't. Punctual is my middle name."

Aimee smiles briefly. Jovi continues her lecture as they look up.

"Cellular processes enable life through means such as photosynthesis, chemosynthesis, cellular respiration, cell division and differentiation."

The school bell rings.

"All right. That's it for today. Don't forget to summit your Biology research papers on Heredity and Genetics," said Jovi.

Everybody leaves the classroom. Jovi walks over to her desk, traps a lock of hair behind her ear. Then turns around and notices a young man in a suit, 27, tall, slim, had hazel green eyes and brown hair standing and waiting for her. This is Mark Russell. He is a man of few words. A college grad smart. Brainy and also a shy type. Not too good with crowds.

Jovi smiles vaguely at him. "Mark. Hey, you're just in time."

************************************

Just then, Leo the male worker from the FedEx office has been chained to a chair in the same storage room at the back earlier. Inside the room is a tall muscular black guy in black long sleeve, Thomas. He punches Leo in the face as he groans in pain. Leo's eyes are swollen up as he spits blood.

Thomas was a hired thug for the notorious drug dealer; Centineo Gomez. He owned half of the strip clubs in Vegas. Even the Feds couldn't touch him because of his connections in high places. Who said crime doesn't pay.

Sometime ago Centineo Gomez was arrested by Las Vegas Metro police department - LVMPD. On the day of trial, the courthouse was shot up by Thomas and his goons. Substantial evidence from the lockup room at the station was destroyed and burnt to crisp. Who or how it happened remains a mystery till date. Centineo was acquitted of all charges and set free.

Right now, Leo looks up at his captor who crouches down to look at him more closely.

"Start talking!"

"I swear to you man," Leo panted heavily. His heart was pounding like a drum. Even though he was on Gomez payroll and his job was to safeguard the gold. He was only doing it to make ends meet for him and his younger brother Randy who was paralyzed from the waist below by some gangbangers.

"I didn't see them coming. It's like they knew when to hit. They took all of the gold," Leo remarkably stated.

Thomas shrugs. "All of it? Who took the gold?"

"I don't know. "

Thomas points his finger at Leo briefly. "That was Centineo Gomez's gold. Worth $46.5 million dollars on the black market. Care to elaborate how your ugly fat ass lost our shit?"

Still unamused, Thomas tries to grab something behind his back which seems to be a gun. A desert eagle to be exact. It's shiny silver hammer was a dead giveaway. Leo hyperventilates and speaks up in a desperate attempt to save his life.

"I saw one of them!"

"Speak up. I can't hear you," said Thomas.

"I said, I saw one of their faces. Said his name was Harris."

"Man, there's gotta be like a million Harris out there in the city. You've gotta give me something more than that to go on."

"There was a fine broad chick he was talking to."

"What's her name?!"

"Melissa! Melissa Bryan. W - w - we can trail her. See what she knows. Harris is gonna make a move on her. Then we turn up. "

Thomas puts his hands on Leo's forehead, yanking his head backward painfully.

"Man, shut the hell up. There's no 'we'," said Thomas.

Thomas lets go of Leo and stands to his feet. He walks toward a bald, plump man in his early thirties with tattoos up his neck and sleeve standing near the door, Joe. A gold chain hung around his neck. In black and black, wearing designer shoes. This was his partner. One of the dirtiest thugs who had done high end jobs on several occasions for Centineo Gomez.

"Get eyes on the street," Thomas said in a low tone. "I want this girl found before midnight. I don't care if you turn the whole damn city upside down, find her."

Joe nods. "I got you. What about him?"

"What am I gonna do about you Leo?" Thomas clicks his tongue and turns to Joe. "See what he knows. Report back to me."

"Consider it done Tom."

"My man."

Thomas pats Joe on his shoulder and chuckles before walking out of the room, saying, "You better pray this be true Leo. Scream, even the lord himself won't hear you."

Joe walks over to Leo, cracking his knuckles as Leo whimpers in fear in preparation of what's to come.

"Oh, not again. Please, please. Not the nose. Please. Not the nose. Oh, shit!"

Joe lunch s Leo in the face so hard, he blacks out....