The Four Mafia Men and Their Prize

Chapter 41

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41 Secret Passage

Aurora POV

The small cramped cemented space was pitch black once the hidden panel was sealed once again.

The only illumination was from the small torch in my hand, pointed straight at the support pillar of spiral

staircase that had no support banister and many large cobwebs littered the empty spaces.

I could still hear whistles and shouts of my name but they were distant, muffled by the thick concrete

walls. Knowing that I couldn’t actually escape this hell hole right now, I decided to just explore and

curiously began to ascend the stairs to the upper level. Holding onto the cold damp wall for support, I

took each step gently for fear I would trip and fall. I climbed for three spirals until I came to a landing

platform and there was a small unfinished hallway of sorts. It was just large enough for one person to fit

through.

The stairs continued upwards but I was curious as to this hallway so I decided to explore it. I followed

the path and it turned into a single hallway to the left. I followed it for a few moments until I came to a

dead end and saw a large new wooden panel sat in front of me.

The wood was unfinished and full of dust. Cobwebs were heavy around the edges. A small wooden

handle much like the one downstairs jutted out, no doubt to help the panel close. Almost level with my

height was a small wooden flap like a micro speakeasy door. I cautiously tiptoed over to the door and

listened closely for any noise. I could hear faint noises and my breath caught. Even though curiosity

constantly got me in trouble, I couldn’t help the temptation.

I gently lifted the flap, careful to keep my flashlight low to the ground. A small light peeked through a

small drilled hole no larger than a quarter. Peering through the hole with my right eye, I tried to get a

good look around.

It was the room. The large office that I was brought to all the time. I could see the outline of books

around the edges of the hole and realized I was looking through the corner bookshelf I was able to

stifle my gasp at the sight. Jason and Ben were in the office. I could see Ben on his computer, typing

away ferociously and his face looked so stern like he was constipated and needed to desperately use

the restroom. Jason was pacing and on the phone, screaming in a foreign language. He had a slight

Irish accent when he got all flustered. It made me want to giggle. “FIND HER” was the last thing I heard

Jason scream before a crash sounded close to the panel. My breath certainly hitched but I luckily

didn’t scream.

“Did you find anything?” Jason had asked Ben..

“No. I can’t find her on any of our cameras. Last footage I found of her, she was stomping over to the

forest line. She was definitely crying.” Ben was sad, a look of concern covered his face.

“I swear that girl gives us more trouble than our worst enemies.” Jason said exhaustingly.

“Yeah, but she is worth it.” Ben said matter–of–factly. Jason took a deep breath and nodded.

“Yeah, you’re right! We are so whipped.” He said more to himself and it made me scrunch my face in

disgust. Ew. They may be dastardly magnificent and beautiful specimens on the male population but

looks are not everything. I mean come on! These jerks are crazy and so bad. I mean who KILLS

THREE PEOPLE BEFORE FUCKING BREAKFAST? And they were unphased by it too.

Jason began walking closer to the far wall near the bookshelf. His eyes trained on the wall and I felt like

he was staring

41 Secret Passage Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

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right at me. My heart started to race faster. He had a curious look on his face. I subconsciously took a

small step back in the closed dark space behind me.

A ding on Ben’s phone turned Jason’s attention away from the wall. Ben mumbled something to Jason

before they both quickly exited out of the room. A soft click of the door was the final sound. A sigh of

relief left my body and I only then did I realize I had been holding my breath. A few tears began to run

down my face. I have always tried to keep a brave face but I am so scared right now.

Returning to the enclosed space around me, I notice there was a small wooden button on the far–left

side of the panel. Only thing missing was a neon “push me” sign. I pushed it and there was a small

click and the door moved a small amount. Years of collected dust and the hanging cobwebs were

disturbed and a small puff of dust and dander wafted in the air, making me cough and my eyes water

even more.

I gently pushed on the panel and found it a lot heavier than the first door. I continued to push the panel

until there was a large enough gap for me to slip by, taking one last look around the door, making sure

the coast was clear. I stepped out of the hidden panel and closed the door behind me gently, eventually

hearing the soft click of the lock. I pulled on the panel for good measure and it was stuck like glue. The

old books on the bookshelf held new meaning to

me now.

A wave of tiredness flooded through my body and my legs somehow managed to trudge me over to the

very comfortable leather sofa that my gluteus maximus was already great acquaintances with. My body

sunk into the cushions and my eyes closed rapidly, a lone tear escaping and dropping on the throw

pillow that my head was resting

upon.

Charlie POV

We were headed back to the strategy room. We searched every inch of this mansion and the guards

searched the property. She was no where to be found. Vanished but we knew she didn’t leave the

property.

Ben and Jason came to find us when they got a message from one of Ben’s hackers who said they

were delivering new footage at the front door. We had met his teammate Chris and we were handed an

IPAD.

was

Chris had found an old solar powered camera near the forest line, right where we lost sight of Aurora.

We watched the choppy footage with bated breath. You could make out Aurora’s figure slumped behind

the big Magnolia tree; she shaking for a few minutes before calming down. The next set of images had

her sneaking along the tree line and she passed the old camera. It caught her fleeting image going

back into the house! She made sure to avoid the known cameras. Smart girl.

She’s here! We knew it. We marched up to the office and called our most trusted men to meet us in ten

minutes. She was playing hide and seek apparently and was getting really good.

Jason opens the door ahead of us and stops in his tracks. Ben, Kai, and I almost all bumped into each

other but quickly looked at what stopped our fearless leader. On the sofa was our princess. She was

fast asleep, her eyes closed but they were puffy and red from crying. Her chest was gently rising and

falling while she was in her peaceful slumber.

We all let out a small chuckle and Ben crossed to her, picking up a blanket we kept on the back and

placed it gently on her body, kissing her forehead before returning to his laptop. We all follow suit, each

approaching her gently, like a sleeping lioness in her den, taking a moment to kiss her before sitting

down at our desks.

41 – Secret Passage

Draco, Thomas, and a few of our guards knock on the door before coming in harshly. Jason halts their

movements with a simple hand raise. He then raises a finger to his lips signaling everyone to be quiet

and then points to our sleeping beauty snuggled in the blanket on the sofa.

Their eyes widen when the notice her sweet figure and then just like us, the questioning looks on their

face grow while looking back at us.

Draco and Thomas are the first to move close to Jason and I’s desks. Draco whispers rapidly “What?

How? When? What happened?” Jason just chuckles and then says softly.

“No idea. When we came back from downstairs a few minutes ago, she was already over there and

sleeping. We will wake her in about an hour.”

The guys all nod in agreement.

Draco and Thomas take a seat in the red upholstered chairs in front of Jason’s massive desk and

Jason begins to talk softly about training for the week. I try to pay attention, but my eyes keep

wandering over to Aurora. This morning. she had true fear in her eyes and that is what we wanted to

see.

She was supposed to see what she did. It wasn’t planned originally but it was quick thinking on Kai’s

part when we got the call this morning about them. We had all been talking the night before that it was

good for her to be reminded of the monsters we are. It will keep her in her place. Those three arrogant

bastards tried to run from us and take our money without paying us back. That is just bad business,

trying to flee from us. So we had to send a message and one message was for our lovely sleeping

beauty. No runs from us and gets away without consequences. Not even Aurora.

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