Chapter 5: You Can Run But Can't Hide

Adira woke up to a screaming alarm clock. She stretched and yawned before getting up. The sun shone through the window and gave out that good-morning feeling. The tired woman hit the snooze button, silencing it's cries.

Time to get up, Adira thought. She couldn't help but smile as she prepared for work. She danced as she cooked breakfast, sang as she brushed her teeth, and listening to rock-and-roll on her mp3 player. Today felt like nothing would bad could get in the way. The walk was perfect. Sun shining, birds chirping, and strange men standing in from of the newspaper press.

Wait, what, Adira thought. She immediatly hid behind the brick building, staring from a distance. It was obvious that they were not from around here. The men had black suits on along with a black tie. Citizens stared at them with curosity. They stuck out like a sore thumb.

Quincy was talking to one of the men, and it was the man who was with the mafia boss when she first saw them come out of their room. Her friend was ovioysly scared and nervous. The man in front of her was smiling with such innocence, but in Adira's eyes, it was wicked and mischevious.

Damn b******s! What the hell do they want, Adira thought. Although she was afraid, she was mostly worried for Quincy. Being withing five feet of a mafia man has no safe zone in any situation, even if you're surrounded by thousands of people.

Quincy, trying to avoid eye contact with the mafia man, averted her eyes in Adira's direction. They made eye contact, this caused Quincy to make a sound of shock and her eyes went wide. This meant trouble knocking on Adira's front door. The mafia man looked where Quincy looked off to and caught the woman he was looking in view.

"After her!" He yelled to his men as he pointed at Adira from afar. Adira heard his order loud and clear.

Quincy instinctly yelled, "Run, Adira!"

Adira did it without needing to be told. She knew very well that her home wasn't safe and she couldn't go to areas she usually visits. There was one area that, even though she hates it very deeply from the bottom of her heart, she could hide; the red zone.

For the old geezers who want to find a good time, a young girl looking to find happiness in money and pleasure, gangs and mafia, or illegal acts such as selling children, the red zone is the perfect place to be. But for Adira's case, she was more of a target then someone who knows their way around these streets.

Besides the mafia men, a group of men slowly followed at a short distance. They tried there best to stay unnoticed. Wearing shady sunglasses, long coats, and hats makes them completely suspicious. Adira - of course - noticed and quickly slipped through the cracks in the crowd of people. Soon she was out of sight. The men then stopped where they last saw her, and ran farther away leaving behind their target.

Adira hid in a rusty, old trash can. Luckily, there was no trash inside so she fit perfectly inside, but the smell was a different story. It smelled of rotten milk, meat, and anything you could name. Adira slowly rose her head up to check the small crack between the can and lid. The coast was clear and she got out as quick as she could. Wiping off her hoodie and smelling her cloths, she immediately made a face of discust. 

When she was about to continue her journey of hide and seek, a little tug came from her left sleeve. She looked behind her to see no one until she looked down. A little girl who couldn't be more than five years old sttod beside Adira and stared at her with big, round, baby blue eyes. Her curly blonde hair was put up into pig-tails with red ribbons. Her skin was pale and she was so small. Her dress was red with white pokadots and lace sown at the bottom edge. Her socks went up to her knees and she had black dress up shoes on her tiny feet. In her skinny, twig arms was a little brown teddy bear with a red bow made of a ribbon tied around its neck.

Adira knelt down in front of the small child. She noticed dry tears on her puffy cheeks and her eyes were a little bit puffy and pink. She looked at the girl with a smile and said, "Hello, what's your name?"

With a sweet gentle voice, the little girl spoke softly, "Tina."

"Well, Tina, what's the matter? Where is your mommy and daddy?"

Tina began to cry, tears falling like a waterfall down her cheeks. Near by padestrians stared and curiosity slowly filled the air as some got closer. Adira wouldn't mind, but drawing a crowd might bring the attention of an unwelcomed witness - mafia men. So she scooped Tina up in her arms and carried her off farther away. They didn't stop till they reached a deserted street. It wasn't the safest so Adira had to take a look around. Soon the tense atmosphere became relaxed. No one was hiding or sitting around to catch a helpless victim so it was sage to do as you please.

"Now tell me what's wrong Tina, and don't cry," Adira wiped away a tear from Tina's cheek," You'll be okay."

Tina sniffled and wiped her tears away. She looked at the stranger, holding in her in their arms, and giving comfort to her sadness. She spoke up feeling that Adira was like her close friend, "I was walking with mama when a man came running and picked me up. Mama tried to catch up but the man was fast. I try to tell him to let me go but he only yelled 'shut up' and did not stop. When we did stop, I waited for him to turn around. There was a box that I hid in so the man could not see me because I knew he would catch me if I ran away. When he could not find me, he left. I went to go find mama but I could not find her."

Adira held Tina tighter in her arms as she patted her on the back. She spoke in a gentle voice, "It's okay. I will help you find your mama."

Tina's head sprunk up in a flash. A big smile spread from cheek to cheek, her eyes sparkled wtih happiness, and her face shined like the sun. "Really!?" she screeched.

Adira nodded and placed Tina back on the ground. The little girl twirled around humming a small tune. Although Tina was happy, Adira had a troublesome expression on her face. She thought to herself, first the mafia, then having to enter the red zone, and now helping a little girl find her mom. She sighed but knew that she couldn't up and leave a lost child behind. She would regret it for the rest of her life and think of herself as a pathetic and heartless human being.

A rumbling sound emerged from teh silence. It wasn't a rumble of construction, but a rumble of hunger. Tina wrapped her arms as soon as it happened and she turned around. Her face went red in embarassment.

Adira giggled and said, "You want to go grab something to eat?" Tina nodded but didn't look up. She didn't want her new friend to see her bright red face. Tina gripped Adira's hand so she wouldn't get lost again. There was a restraunt near by called "Chang's Fortune Cookie". They went on seeking a delicious meal to satisfy there stomach.

 

At La La Cafe, a woman weeps at her husband's side at the incident of their child being swept away when the mother was right there. The owner of the cafe gave them refreshments on the house. Police wouldn't help much in this situation. The red zone is an area where all crime cannot be stopped and never solved; especially missing children. 

"Tina!" The mother yelled out. Tears flowed down her face and onto her hands. Her husband cried at her side. 

Suddenly, a group of suited men came inside the small cafe. Their appearance was intimidating and fearful. Even when the owner went up to welcom the new costumer, his head looked down the the cold, hard floor. Stepping aside, the men soon filled the cafe. This situation frightened the dejected couple as they watched all the seats being filled around them. Neither of them dared to move. Then from the distance two men approuched dressed differently, but still in a suit.  

One of the men was serious yet good looking, and the other was handsome and gave a warm smile. The handsome one swayed his hand to the chair in front of the weeping mother as he asked in a seductive voice, "May my assistant and I sit here with you?" The couple did hesitate to nod at his request. As he sat down, he noticed the fresh tears on the woman's face, "May I ask what is wrong?" The couple looked at each other nervous and unsure. The man reassured them as he said, "I may be able to help."

The couple examined the man in front of them. His appearance clearly said "rich" and "powerful". With such an offer placed in their hands, they could not pass the chance. The chances are slim as to how this man may find their lost child in such a large region, and the man could have already have innocent Tina taken to a far away area. But even with that in mind, the mother explained what happened.

The handsome man sat emotionless, but he suddenly gave a small smile. He stood up and the suited men quickly stopped what they were doing and waited carfully for their leader to speak. He pointed  to the couple as he spoke,"This couple's child was taken away by a man today. I need you to find her," - he points to three groups, each with at least five to seven well built men - "Her name is Tina and is wearing a red dress with white pokadots. She has blonde hair put in pigtails, and she should be carrying a teddy bear. She is five years old so you will be looking for a small girl. Head out, now!" The three groups got up and left immediately. The man sat back down and picked up the menu.

"Why are you helping us?" The mother asked unsure if she should have even asked.

"'why?' Well, I am looking for someone anyways. So while I look for my friend, I can look for your child," the handsome man smiled and continued to look at the menu setting aside the couple thanking him. 

 

Adira and Tina sat a table eating the same meal: sesame chicken and fried rice with a fortune cookie on the side. The waitress with a name tag saying "Cindy" came up with the bill.

"I wanted to tell you, your daughter is so cute," Cindy said with a smile. 

Adira almost choked on her water. Tina was confused on why the waitress would say such a thing. Adira laughed and wiped away the water  on her chin before saying, "I'm sorry but you are mistaken. I'm helping her find her mother. She's lost."

"Oh!" the waitress gasped, "Do you know where her mother might be?"

Adira looked at tina and asked, "Do you know where your mama might be?"

Tina finished chewing and swallowing the mouthfull of chicken and rice as she says, "Mama and I were going to go meet daddy at a place called 'La La Cafe'"

"I know where that is!" Cindy announced. Adira had her write down the directions as she paid the bill. "Have a nice day and good luck!" The waitress watched the two young girls walk out. And within a few minutes, a suspicious looking man in a suit came in with some buddies. They seemed to be looking for someone. Cindy approuched them with her cherry red lip smile. "Can I help you gentlemen?"

The dirty blonde man stepped forward and said, "Hello, ma'am, my name is George. I have been sent to find a little girl wearing a red dress with pokadots."

"She was just here a minute ago with a woman helping her find her mom. I believe the woman's name was Adira," The waitress noticed George's eyes widen.

"Did you say 'Adira'?" The dirty blonde asked frantically with a desperate voice.

Cindy nodded and said, "Yes, and I gave her the directions to the cafe her mom and dad are supposed to be at.

George thanked her and rushed out of the building with the rest of the men following. He quickly pulled out his phone and called the boss.

"Hello?" the boss said.

"Sir, we got information on the girl," George said energenically.

"So why are you calling me? Find her and get her," The boss said obviously annoyed.

"But sir," - the boss interupted with a "what?"- "The child is with Adira. I believe it's the woman we are searching for.

Silence filled the space between George and the boss. Finally the boss said to break the silence, "Come back to the cafe." The call ended and the men headed back.

 

Back at the cafe, the handsome man giggled. The mother sitting across from him waited patiently to say what the conversation was about on the phone. With a smile the young man said, "Lucky us. Not only do we know where your daughter is, but it seems that the friend I am looking for is with her and on their way here to bring her back to you.

Relief came to the couple as they hugged each other in joy. And it was not just the couple enjoying the news, but the handsome man before them as well was enjoying more then anyone can imagine.

He laughed silently and thought to himself with an evil grin hidden behind the hands covering his face, you can run but you can't hide. He ordered a small coffee and a little muffin. Soon he could see his prey once more, and this time he was sure to catch. But what he had planned for her was unsure. But he knew very well, he would make her join him willingly or by force. Either way will work. This game of hide and seek was soon to end.