Chapter 25: In Which He Plays His Cards Right

"Sora, sweetheart put on your coat and shoes, we're gonna head out for a while, we have to meet up with someone important" Ashton said pulling her up from the couch by her gently and handing her the real coat along with a furry muffler.
There was no way he was leaving her alone again and he didn't think she'd be keen on the idea this early either.
"Who?" She asked while putting on the coat.
"A detective, he can help us with our situation"
"Oh... but Ashy there are those people parked outside the house, they'll follow us" she voiced her concerns.
"I know doll, just follow me and you'll see" he told her assisting her with her boots to which she responded with a polite thanks.
She didn't question him further as he took a hold of her hand and guided her to his office all to her confusion.
However, that confusion was cleared when he pulled a green book out and the shelf opened to a passage like some Y/A fantasy novel Sora read.
Her eyes and mouth were both wide open as Ashton guided her inside and pushed the door close as LED lights turned on automatically when they stepped in.
"Whoa, what is this place? How come I never knew of it" she questioned.
"This leads right outside to the back side of the house, the other street, keeping us out of sight. I had it made for emergencies, perhaps I should have let you know about it, would have helped you escape when they raided, it just never crossed my mind, I am sorry"
"What's done is done but no secrets from now on mister. This is so cool though" she grinned.
He smiled a little seeing her all smiley again.
They were soon out the passage as Ashton closed the camouflaged door behind them which basically was a brick wall that was a part of the house and no way anyone could tell there was a door once it was closed, not even an outline.
"I feel like I am James Bond" she said making him chuckle lightly.
"We'll see how you feel after an hour-long walk love" he said and her eyes widened but she didn't complain, just held onto his arm.
They couldn't use the car cause they could be spotted and they had to meet the detective at Dane's diner considering that was the closest restaurant because the area Ashton lived in was private and not commercialized.
They both took a seat at a booth once they reached Dane's at a far-right corner.
Sora let out a relieved sigh once she settled down and Ashton took a seat beside her instead of across her for when the detective would arrive he could take a seat across.
"Can I please get something to drink, I am parched" Sora asked him since she didn't have money in her at the moment.
"Yea, sure get whatever you like love" he replied.
They called a waitress and ordered a watermelon mocktail for Sora and he got a water for himself.
Ten or fifteen minutes later, the bells to the diner jingled and in walked detective Seo Jin, just the man they were waiting for.
Ashton signalled him to the table and he made his way towards them.
Sofa looked at the man in the beige trench coat, tall and lean with a briefcase take a seat at their table.
"God, I shouldn't be here meeting with you. This better be good Hayes. Who is the girl?" That was his way of greeting.
Rude. Sora thought.
"You won't regret it, this is my girlfriend Sora, I couldn't leave her alone at home it would be dangerous. Look, I need your word that you won't do anything rash without completely listening to me"
"Jeez, what are you getting me into Hayes?"
The detective didn't look comfortable with the conversation at all, Sora just quietly watched their interaction because even she had no clue what her boyfriend had in mind.
"Just... say you won't freak out"
"Fine, spill"
Ashton then went on and told detective Seo Jin about the mess they were in from the start to the end. The detective had sought Ashton's help in catching a local gang a few years back and he very well knew of Ashton's occupation and who he worked for, hiring him as a spy and using his technical skill, the detective wouldn't have been able to solve the case without his help and wouldn't have been able to get that fancy ass promotion. It was now Ashton's turn to call in a favor.
"Don't tell me you're gonna kill him Ashton!" Detective whisper yelled once Ashton was done speaking.
"I don't want to and I won't if my plan works. I will lead you to never-ending evidence against Takahashi's, you will be able to take him down for good"
"Yeah but the risk, he is very powerful"
"Think about the wonders this would do for your career, you will basically be a hero and I am sure the FBI has been struggling to find evidence against the Takahashi"s for a while now"
"How can I trust you on this?"
"Really, even after what you hired me to do several years ago, you have trust issues with me?" Ashton rolled his eyes.
"Well you can't blame me, you're still a criminal" Detective Seo Jin said incredulously.
"Fine, do you have a pen and paper?" Ashton asked and the detective pulled out a pocket sized notepad and a pen.
Ashton wrote down something and returned it to the detective who raised a questioning brow at the number scribbled down.
"These are co ordinates to a deep lake in the middle of the woods. Take a team of forensics and equipment and search the bottom of the lake. If what you're gonna find at the bottom of the lake isn't gonna convince you then I don't know what will. You give me a call when you get what I am talking about, you have my contact. I am gonna take my leave now, be quick with your decision, I am on a clock"
With that said Ashton put a twenty dollar bill on the table and took a hold of Sora's hand who had stayed quiet and made sense of what was going on, she had to say her boyfriend was playing the right cards.
Ashton pulled her along with him and out of the diner leaving a confuse and curious detective behind.