Chapter 1
In a dimly lit room were the muffled cries of a man amidst the sound of a driller. The driller digging deep into the man's heart. The sound of a ringing phone sproaded through the noise. Vivian stepped out of the room, escaping the drilling noise. She answered her phone, “Bonjour Maman (hello, mom).”
Her mother's sulky voice greeted her, “do you want me to die, Vivian?”
“Why would I want you to die, mom? Stop saying things like that.” Vivian replied.
“If you don't want me to die, then come home. You haven't been home since ages.” Vivian's mom (Anne Pierre) exaggerated. She always exaggerates things.
“I'm on a business trip, I'll be back soon.” Vivian said.
“Don't your business trips get finished?” Anne said.
“They do, mom.” Vivian chuckled.
“If you're able to get in touch with Leonard, tell him to call me. I've been calling him for years, and he's refused to pick up.” Anne said
“Okay.” Vivian replied, shaking her head as she tried to swallow her chuckle. Her mother exaggerates too much.
“No matter what you do, I want you home by next week.” Anne said.
“Alright, mom.” Vivian chuckled and ended the call.
By the time she was done with the call, all she could hear was the sound of the driller, the muffled cries of the man had seized. “That's strange.” She shrugged and went back into the room to find the man already dead.
“So lazy.” She hissed and walked to the body. She picked up the driller and drilled in the uppercase letter “A” on the body's stomach and smiled at her handiwork. “Nice calligraphy, Vi.” She praised herself and turned off the driller.
She packed her torturing tools into her mini travelling bag and took off her bloodied gloves. She took off her mask and untied her hair which she packed into a ponytail and rolled up into a tiny bun. She took a look at the body one last time and left the building, straight into her car and drove off.
As she drove, she dialed a number on her phone, and after three rings, a voice answered, “what's up, she-devil?”
“Hey, moron, you're so dead today.” Vivian said cheerfully.
“Mom's been calling you.” She added.
“Oh, shit!” Vivian's immediate older brother (Leonard Pierre) cursed. “I was in a meeting with the director, so I put my phone on silent…" He tried explaining.
“Save the explanation for mom.” Vivian laughed, imagining how Anne will nag at Leonard.
“Won't you come home anymore?” He asked.
“You miss me that much?” She teased and earned a scoff.
“Don't even dare to come home, I don't wanna see you.” Leo said.
“I don't wanna see you either.” She replied and ended the call.
Vivian laughed as she reminisced her fights with Leo. Truth be told, they both miss each other and love each other, but they never admit it.
“They're all gonna be so surprised to see me at home.” She smiled.
Initially she was out of France for business for a few weeks. But she came back and has been in France for a couple of months, handling her business without telling her family that she's back. To them, she's still out of France.
At The (BRB).
Leo smiled as he finished his call with Vivian and opened his call log. “Jesus Christ!” He shouted when he saw twenty missed calls from his mom. “Oh, I'm so dead already.” He pitied himself as he imagined his mother nagging at him.
“What's wrong? Is it your mom or your sister, Vivian? Only those two make you give off such a reaction.” Dylan laughed.
Dylan Dennis, Leo's best friend, had an effortless charm. His bright blue eyes sparkled when he laughed, and his messy brown hair added to his laid-back demeanor.
“It's my mom…twenty missed calls.” Leo sighed and Dylan laughed again.
“What are you waiting for? Call her back if you wanna live.” Dylan kept laughing.
“No. If I call her now, I'll never be able to get off the phone. It's better to see her in person. I'll go home for lunch.” Leo said.
“It's lunchtime already, let's go. I'm starving.” Dylan held his stomach dramatically.
About An Hour Later.
The duo arrived at the Pierre family house. In front of it is a restaurant run by Anne and her husband Jacques. Leo sighed as he reached the entrance of the restaurant. “Don't worry, bro, you'll come out of this alive.” Dylan pat Leo's shoulder reassuringly.
The duo entered the busy restaurant filled with people. Mixed aromas of foods filled the air, the sound of cutleries and plates clicking, people chatting and laughing as they ate.
“Maman, your son is here!” Louis Pierre announced. He's the first son and first child of the Pierre family.
“Fréro (elder brother).” Leo said, almost begging.
“I hope you've got a lot of energy because mom's gonna have it with you today.”
Just as Leo was about speaking, Anne's angry voice rang, “why didn't you answer my calls?!”
“Maman, I…" Leo tried to explain but was cut short.
“I don't want to hear anything.” Anne hissed.
“In cases of emergency, one should never call you. You're not reliable!” She continued.
“Pardon him, love. If you keep up with him like this, he won't survive.” Jacques chipped in.
“Merci, Papa, merci (Thank you, dad, thank you).” Leo was grateful to his father for saving his ass.
“I'm not done with you yet, Leo.” Anne sneered at him and he swallowed.
“Bonjour, maman.” Dylan greeted.
“Comment ça va (how are you)?” She asked.
“Ça va bien, merci (I'm fine, thank you).” He smiled.
“What would you like to eat, child?” She asked.
“Hot noodles.” Leo replied.
“I wasn't asking you.” She glared at Leo.
“Marie! Please get a plate of hot noodles.” Anne said.
“Soeur (elder sister) is here too? Is this a family get-together?” Leo reasoned.
“Are you against the get-together?” Vivian chipped in from behind Leo.
Hearing the familiar voice, Leo looked behind him. “Oh, my God, Vi, it's you!” He pulled her into a tight hug.
“When did you arrive?” He asked, still hugging her.
“Not long ago.” She replied.
“So you were on your way when you called?” He asked as Vivian broke free from his hug and nodded as a reply to his question.
All the while when the siblings greeted each other, Dylan just stared at Vivian, unable to look away from her. Vivian noticed him and asked Leo while pointing at Dylan, “he is…?”
“He's Dylan Dennis, my best friend.” Leo smiled.
“Your best friend? How come I don't know him?” She gazed at Dylan, as if assessing him.
“How will you know him when you don't come home regularly? Can you remember the last time you hang out with your siblings?” Leo hissed and she hissed in return.
“I'm Vivian Pierre, your best friend's immediate younger sister, fourth child and second daughter of the Pierre family.” She extended a handshake to Dylan.
“Although I haven't met you in person, I know about you. Leo has told me a lot about you.” Dylan accepted her handshake with a smile.
“I'm sure he told you bad things about me.” She said.
“Just a little bad things.” He chuckled.
Marie, the first daughter and second child of the Pierre family, brought food for everyone and the four siblings sat around a table with Dylan and ate, discussing happily. Vivian noticed Dylan's lingering stare on her and, “you've been staring at me for quite a long time. Do you like me?” She winked at him.
What she didn't know is that Dylan's been crushing on her before he even met her. He's seen her photos a lot from Leo and has heard her voice many times when she speaks with Leo on the phone, coupled with the stories he's heard about her.
Dylan laughed, “I must confess, you're more beautiful in person.”
“You didn't know? She's the goddess of beauty of the Pierre family.” Marie nudged Vivian's arm as she spoke.
Vivian is a light skinned young woman, tall, and got the perfect curves everyone desires in a woman. She's got black hair, a round face, black almond-shaped eyes, long eyelashes, a high nose, beautiful dimples on both sides of her cheeks and plump lips.
“Soeur Vivian!” A young masculine voice called. Vivian turned to the direction the voice came from and saw a young man. “Lucas.” She smiled at him, and he rushed to her, engulfing her in a tight hug.
"Tu m'as tellement manqué (I've missed you so much)." He snuggled himself more in Vivian's embrace.
“Me too, baby of the house.” Vivian laughed. Lucas is the third son and last child of the Pierre family.
“Is Vi the only one here?” Leo glared at Lucas.
“Fréro Leo, I see you often, but who knows when next I'll see soeur Vi?” Lucas said.
Leo scoffed, “you all don't value me because I show my face too regularly. From now on, you'll all beg me to come home!”
“Hey, Leo, eat up, we have to go back to work.” Dylan reminded him, and he sighed.
“Breaking News!!!" They all heard and their noise quieted down.
"A man was found dead in his apartment this afternoon. There's a deep hole in the upper part of his chest, the hole deep into his heart. Bruises all over him and a letter “A” carved on his stomach." The newscaster on the television said. The picture of the man Vivian killed a while ago was displayed on the screen.
“This is suspected to be the work of Ange de la Mort.” The newscaster added.
N.B: The Brigade de Répression du Banditisme (BRB) is an elite French law enforcement agency responsible for investigating and prosecuting serious crimes.
Key Responsibilities:
1. Investigate and dismantle organized crime networks.
2. Combat human trafficking, money laundering, and terrorism.
3. Fight against serious crimes: murder, kidnapping, extortion and armed robbery.
