Chapter 23: In Which He Is Tasked

Sora was limp in the arms of a tall, burly guard who carried her like a doll, his size making her look even more fragile than she was in the wretched fella's arms. Ashton good see how vile his gaze was on her and he did not like that one bit but what scared him the most was the fact that she was unconscious and his mind was leaping to the worst of conclusions.
"What did you do to her ?!" it was Ashton's turn to bellow as he leaped in her direction but was held back by two men who he successfully struggled against and got free only to be held back by more men, separating him from his love.
He kept going through Takahashi men like they were nothing but sacks of potatoes, driven by the need to be with his girl, to hold her.
"Calm down boy! she is just unconscious from a little something we knocked her out with, she will be up in a while, in fact, she should've been up by now but I guess the drug worked a little too well, but you take a step further and she will suffer the consequences of your actionsVincent already told me about how she is a witness to a murder scene, don't make her chances of survival beaker than they already are" Richard Takahashi said nonchalantly.
Ashton looked at him with murderous eyes and then his gaze shifted to Vincent who was smirking. It gave him great pleasure to see Ashton in this position after he had held in his jealousy for such a long time when Ashton made it into Takahashi's good graces without even trying while he was stuck behind even after trying.
His expression ticked Ashton off as he tried lunging at him.
"You mother fucker, this is all because of you, you and your obsession with this wretched organization and its leader" Ashton was livid, he didn't care what escaped his mouth at that moment.
"Stop with your dramatics now and open your laptop, my expert will take a look, and then we will decide what is to be done" Richard said and signaled his men to let go as Ashton shrugged out of their hold.
He knew he had no choice but to do as told. So with one glance at his girlfriend, he keyed in the password.
The expert took his place as soon as he stepped back.
While the expert searched and went through the files and everyone waited with tension thick in the air.
The gentle commotion caught Ashton's attention as he saw Sora, stirring and waking up.
Sora was disoriented and confused as she woke up to unfamiliar surroundings and the events before she had blacked out came rushing to her head causing her to panic when she realized she was suspended and held in a strong hold by an unfamiliar man who smelled like disgusting sweat.
She started struggling against him causing her to eventually set her down on her feet but his grip stayed wise around her arms, rendering her immobile and causing tears to glisten her eyes.
"Hey hey Sora, love, look at me baby" Ashton called to her, feeling utterly useless seeing her so distressed as she struggled against the man in vain attempts.
He yet again made an advance towards her but was blocked by guards.
She whipped her head towards Ashton as soon as she heard his familiar voice. Seeing him made her feel even more vulnerable as he was so close yet she was unable to reach him.
"Let me let, let me go please! Ashton!" her pleading only made things worse as she struggled even more.
"I am right here baby, I won't let them hurt you okay, just look at me, I'll get you out of here" Ashton tried calming her down but the girl was too disoriented and scared.
She had a right to be, she was in a room full of men who could do anything to her and even though Ashton claimed he won't let anything happen to her and Sora trusted that he would do everything in his power to not let anything happen to her, she feared he was only one man and could easily be overpowered.
Hence, all those negative thoughts and fears clouded her thoughts and senses as her breathing started coming in short pants and her struggle became weaker.
"She is hyperventilating! she can't breathe for fuck's sake let me go to her or else I swear if anything happens to her I will slaughter as many of you as I can" Ashton roared out, his eyes directed right towards Richard Takahashi were murderous and even the mafia boss knew that the young man in front of him would stay true to his word and he knew he would prove to be a dangerous enemy with motive, Richard Takahashi knew his potentials and skills, tracking his training over the years, watching the boy grow. He would make a one-man army that might end up being his downfall and Richard Takahashi didn't want to provoke that.
Hence, he gestured his guards to let him through to her.
Aston didn't even waste a millisecond as he strode towards her and snatched her out of the arms of her captor, pulling her right against him.
Sora instantly encircled her arms around Ashton as best as she could and stuffed her face in his chest, blocking out the rest of her surroundings as best as she could as well.
"I got you now, just try to calm down okay, take deep breaths baby" He held her tight, kissing the top of her head and whispering soothing words to her.
For a while they were in their own world as Sora calmed down, held safely against him.
That was interrupted when the expert finally spoke.
"Got it! he didn't make it easy all those firewalls even security on the recycling bin folder, that's where..." the computer nerd was interrupted along the way of his blabbered explanation by Richard.
"Shut up you idiot, just tell me what you found, I am not interested in how you found it"
"Th... there i... is a file w... with the consignment details that you are looking for in the deleted folder"
And there it was, the truth came out and it only made Ashton tighten his grip on his girl in fear that someone would snatch her from him, he would be damned if he let that happen again.
"Since the truth is out, Let me tell you the whole of it. It was the fucker Vincent who blackmailed me into giving him the information which he passed on to the serpents using my girlfriend's safety saying he'd let you know about her being a witness,I have no idea what this idiot was thinking when he formulated this stupid plan of his that I wouldn't take him down along with me?" Ashton sneeredpinning Vincent with his glare.
"Don't listen to this traitor boss, he is lying to save his ass, you saw the evidence it's all right here" Vincent said pointing incriminatingly at Ashton and then the laptop.
"Why would I say anything like this in the first place about you prick if there wasn't truth to it, I am pretty sure with just a bit of investigation or even just by going through your phone I can find incriminating evidence against you, proving me right" Ashton said.
Sora was still attached to him against his strong hold but now she looked at the scene, sideways with her cheek pressed against his warm chest.
"Unlock your phone and hand it over to the computer kid" Takahashi commandedVincent who looked shocked.
He had not expected the tables to turn on him like this. The Conversation he had with Ashton was deleted but there was still evidence on his phone connecting him to the serpents.
"I will do no such thing, I am innocent and won't let my privacy be violated like this for no reason"
"Don't be a pussy do as I say or I'll put a bullet in between your eyes" Richard threatened.
Vincent gulped and did as told.
"There are no text messages or photos but there are a number of calls made back and forth to the same unknown number, let me run it through and check where there are ongoing, it will only take a minute" Richard nodded to that and the expert got to work.
"Denomount road, maple creek, that's the incoming location" he gave the answer after a while.
"Well well well, you little sewer rat, that's the exact location of one of the serpent's warehouses. Guards, take him to the cells, string him upside down and make a human piñata out of him till you can see his insides, then end him" Richard gave out the vile order making Sora flinch at the imagery as she couldn't help the small whimper that escaped her. This was all too terrifying.
Ashton smoothed her hairs down and gave her a reassuring squeeze to calm her nerves.
"All I wanted was to be with you as your right! I would have served you well, he doesn't even want to be here!" Vincent bellowed as he was dragged out by the guards to his painful death.
"Now that that nuisance is gone let's decide your fate"
"You let her go, she has nothing to do with this and I will do anything that you want without question" Ashton proposed.
"No No No,I am not going anywhere without you" Sora protested, tightening her grip around him.
"Shh love, I'll be fine but my priority is getting you out of here"
"But I am not leaving without you" she said stubbornly.
"Oh you are gonna do what I ask of you considering that I am about to be very merciful which is rare as you know it, I am gonna let you and your girlfriend go since you wore blackmailed into betraying me but nonetheless You betrayed me that too, just for the sake of a girl" Richard Takahashi said.
"I know there is a catch to this, there is no way that you would Let us off no strings attached"
"Of course there is a catch. You have to murder somebody for me,the hitman I was planning to hire for the job is quite expensive but with you doing the job, it would save me the trouble and you your girlfriend 's life" Takakeshi proposed, his expression smug.
His statement gave Ashton basically no choice.
"Fine. I'll do it" he agreed.
Sora didn't say anything at the moment because all she wanted was to get out safely with her boyfriend from this god forsaken place that she was dragged to and at the moment, agreeing to it seemed like the only option, they could deal with it once they were out of here.
"Good, your assignment's name is Dominic Massimino, the billionaire with the winery enterprise he has been stealing billions of dollars worth of business from me since his winery business expanded, hence, I need you to kill him. You have ten days to do it and just because I am Letting you go, doesn't mean I won't know about your whereabouts every second and in case you decide on making the foolish mistake of running away don't do that, I will have you shot dead on sight. I am going to let staff at the airport now and any route out of the city will be alerted and in case you get away, you are going to have to spend your whole life on the run because I wil not give up till I see you with a gaping bullet hole between your eyes" Richard's expression was deadly as he game out the warnings, it had sora shuddering but Ashton wasn't phased, he wanted to get out of here.
"Fine.Let us go now"
"Further details will be send over to you, you can leave now"
Ashton didn't waste a second as he hoisted sora up with her legs aloud his waist and started making his way out.
He had a Lot to do.