Prologue 2 : The Iron Butler

Part 1:

That little girl, I really hope she doesn't ask ridiculous demands from her father, this theme park visit are too important to be sullied by your pouting. Then again, perhaps I shouldn't have added fuel to the fire.

There's nothing I can do but to sit and wait for the result, it's funny how my real job and my front are both adept at waiting for their master to finish their business.

Taking shelter from the sun inside a small shed designated for drivers waiting for their employer, I look at GPS map displayed on my phone screen once more, making mental image of countless routes to reach home.

It is somewhat become a habit for me, naturally this would be my other colleagues job while I stick close to our target. But since I'm the only one guarding her all duties have become my responsibility.

While nothing have happened so far, it is imperative to stay on guard all the times. For the enemy will only attack at our weakest times.

Which somehow just happen right now, an unknown man is standing beside my car. He's knocking on the window a couple times, is it possibly a theft?.

"Hey! What do you think you are doing!."

I scream while charging towards him.

That man take a few steps back and bump the other car, almost triggering the alarm.

"Whoa, hold on a moment. I just want to know if you are inside the car or not. Your window black glass is really dark." Said the man while holding his hands to the air.

His face is strangely calm, unlike a thief caught red-handed.

"And just why would you do that?. Don't you plan to break in afterwards?."

"No no no.., I swear you have the wrong idea here. I'm president Lee substitute driver for the day, I just thought maybe we can spend time together while waiting for them."

Substitute driver?, it's true that I didn't see Mr.Lee driver while picking him up at the gate, the car is different as well. Could he possibly be speaking the truth?.

"Why is Mr.Lee in need of substitute driver?, what's wrong with the usual one?.

"Ah, he have stomachache while waiting for Mr.Lee to finish his meeting, so my employer offer me to be his driver instead. I'm Research and Marketing department board member, George Lotovia's driver."

Lotovia, either this man telling the truth or he has done background check before stealing the car. The latter seems implausible, I just had to accept he's telling the truth for now.

"I'm sorry for the suspicion, it's simply occupational duties, I hope you understand."

The man seems to be overwhelmed by my sudden apologies, he looks even more flustered now.

"Ah no, it's my fault to be that suspicious as well. My name's Patrick, I hope you are willing to excuse my rude behavior.

"Same as me, I hope you can forget mine as well. I'm Kalvin Wreist, Mr.Lee private driver, although I mostly drive for his daughter."

"Alisia Lotovia, am I correct?. She's quite a celebrity in the office, although no one has seen her these days. I'm told by my associates that her mother used to bring her to work."

Used to is the perfect word for describing Alisia current situation. I was told that the office is almost like a second home for her, always clinging to her mother whenever she leave for work.

But everything changes after that day, both for her and her father, now she mostly stayed in house except for school, certainly over-protective by some people standards.

I don't know how many people have asked me about her circumstances, some of them may not have bad intention, but leaking my employer information is not my habit.

"Yes, she no longer visit the office anymore. There's nothing a middle-schooler had to do with that place at first place, right?. How about we move to the shed as well?, there's no use standing in here anymore."

Patrick seems to noticed my effort to change the conversation topics, he hurriedly reply my invitation as well.

"Uhm.., how if we go to that cafe instead?. I want to buy you a drink for all the trouble."

Part 2:

I can see the theme park from here, not all of it of course, but there's good enough vision to view half of it. Guess that's why the cafe second floor are more flocked than the ground.

While I was looking for my owner in vain, Patrick have returned from toilet, a farce of course, it almost clear as day he went to cashier instead. It seems he have paid for my drink even though I've insisted not to.

"The view from here is great, right?. I've only found this place after my third visit, certainly better than staring at your car for hours."

"It certainly seems so, the coffee is much better over here as well."

"Right!?, the coffee at the office is really worst, you would think they are using a century old coffee beans. By the way I -."

Patrick didn't seems to stop talking anytime soon, you can't call this a conversation when one's speaking non-stop and the other one is simply nodding several times.

I wonder how's Little Missy and Boss faring over there, I hope they will be able to heal each other wounds. It is time for both of them to move on and continue their lives free from old burdens.

"-And that's how I get hired by Mr.George. What's your story?, how you come to work for them?."

"~hm....??."

...Just a few second of lapse in focus and suddenly the conversation are pointed at me. There's no way to change the topic either since I didn't remember anything Patrick says.

Oh well, I guess I can satiated his curiosity of thanks for buying me a coffee.

"My father is a butler in Mr.Lee house, he has worked over there for quite a while. His first employer is Alisia's grandfather, Tauvan Lotovia. I myself only start working a few years ago, replacing my Dad after that incident."

"That incident.., if I remember correctly isn't the driver was also killed together with her?. Then could that means both your father and Alisia mother was in the same incident?."

Patrick show the same response I have gotten multiple times before, people will only remember important person names in casualty list.

Why would they care about the driver who died together with his famous passenger?, the fact that he didn't recognize my surname after my introduction is the proof.

Not that I care anyway, it's enough already for Alis to be the only one consoled.

"Yeah, that's true. I was currently abroad for studies when it happened, Mr.Lee insisted for me to come back and replace my father. He say he felt responsible for the accident, and the least he could do is to give me my father job."

"...I'm sorry for your lost, and for digging up this matter."

Patrick's face clearly show his guilt for asking me about my past. There was a time when this question would bring old memories, but that time is long past.

The only way I can grieve for father is to continue his work serving Lotovia family, to protect them until the time comes to unravel all secrets.

"It's fine, Mr.Lee and his daughter are both trying their best to overcome it, naturally I had to set aside my grieve and support both of them as well."

"Ah, talk about Mr.Lee, do you know the rumors?, I only heard it myself after listen to his secretary gossiping about it. They say Mr.Lee is trying to sell his company share to outside, despite Lotovia group being a privately owned company for over 50 years. Today board meetings are supposed to be questioning Mr.Lee about it."

I tried my best to keep a straight face after hearing that rumor, not because of the selling share news, but because even a mere driver have heard about it.

There's no doubt other board member know about this as well, just what have Mr.Lee told to them?.

Instinctively I turn my face towards the theme park, once again looking for my employer with no result.

Patrick seem to noticed the meaning behind my actions, he smile sheepishly while pointing towards karaoke building rooftop across the street.

"There's no way you can see them from here ,the building has to be at least that tall in order to fully saw the whole park."

Just as Patrick finish speaking, I hear a strange sound echoing through the street.

Other customer around us began to speculate the origin of the sound. some say its a tire blowout, but I have hear it far too often to be mistaken, it was a gunshot, and the sound came from karaoke rooftop Patrick just pointed at.

I turn my face back at Patrick, but it's not him who sit in front of me anymore. the face may still be the same, but anyone could see he have changed.

"You are not a mere driver, who are you?."

"Same as you Mr.Kalvin, my employer gave me a job and I execute it. Lotovia group didn't take traitors lightly. I suggest you hurry to your employer side, else bad things may occur."

He finish his coffee and rise up, leaving me confused in his trails. I don't know what's going on, but one thing I'm sure Patrick isn't his true name. It just a mask used during an operation, getting close to your target with fake persona to exploit their weakness.

I jump out from my chair and attempted to grab his collar

"Hang on! , where do you think you are going!?."

He turn his head around and lift a single finger , a red dot flashes on it, a target marker.

The dot slowly moves away from his finger away from my field of vision, it didn't take a genius to know that the dot is in the back of my head right now. They want to show that they can kill me anytime they want.

"Mr.Kalvin, we both have our own job. I just finished mine and naturally I'm going to retreat. While you on the other hand, I believe your job has just truly began.

Part 3:

Dashing through the street, I ignore fellow pedestrian angry rant while running as fast as I can to the theme park.

My brain is still busy processing everything that just happened. Mr.Lee attempted share sell is an important part of our plan.

The money we suppose to gain will be used to fund our escape, while the new owner will force other Lotovia group board member to rethink their dirty business method in order to escape suspicion.

Who knows they will caught our tails before the plan even began.

Then there's the gunshot. I only heard it once, so it must be either Alis or Mr.Lee they shot.

Fat chance it's Mr.Lee, he didn't have direct connection with Lotovia group after his wife death, they always consider him as an outsider thorn. If something where to happen to him the share transfer will have to be cancelled.

Other board member will have additional time to create a plan to turn the situation for their advantages.

The worst thing that could happen is for Mr.Lee to be incapacitated or die. Cancelling the share transfer and possible inherits by Alis, further delaying the sell until she come of age to control it by herself.

While the guardianship and board position will fall to other Lotovia family member, allowing them to run rampage without control.

Theme park gate is in my view now. I can only pray that my worst fear didn't come true.

"Ah Sir!, please swipe your bracelet before entering the theme park!."

Yell the locket clerk as she saw me jumping over the machine.

As if I have time for that, just call your security if you want. It will save time trying to convince them of shooting within the theme park.

Running while looking at GPS marker in my handphone, it seems Alis hasn't move from her position a few minutes ago. Could it meant something has happen to her as well?

As I got even closer to her position, I can see a group of people encircling in the park. There's no mistaking it , that must be where Mr.Lee and Alis are.

"Move! move! , get out the way!."

The crowd gave way for me with scorning eye, I think they expect someone with police uniform instead of butler.

Not that I care anyway, my full attention are focused on two figures currently sat at the bench.

There's Alisia, and Mr.Lee who's currently sleeping at her lap. She didn't raise her head upon hearing my voice, keeping her sight only at her father.

I quickly put my hand on Mr.Lee neck and nose, there is neither pulse nor breath. The shooting happen more than 15 minutes ago, even if somehow I can revive him his brain would be long dead.

Mr.Lee is dead, there's no mistaking it, and it is my fault. If only I didn't follow that guy to the cafe, I could reach them much faster.

My gullibility have brought the worst disaster possible.

I look at my employer face for one last time, the one who I've spent countless day scheming and simulating everything for the sake of justice. And of all that conversation, there's one which have emerge from the depth of my mind.

["Kalvin, if you have to choose between saving me or Alisia. Don't even second guess it, your only job is to keep Alisia safe. As long as she alive I can die without regret, and you still have a way to execute our revenge. Isn't that killing two bird with one stone?."]

Of course the reality isn't that nice.

With Mr.Lee now dead, our plan will be hold indefinitely, and who knows how well Alis can take this ordeal.

A sixteen years old girl who've lost both of her parents within four years span.

If simply losing her mother in an accident manage to make her become a shut-in for two years, what will happen after watching her own father murdered in front of her eyes?.

Lifting my head to see her face, I can see tears trail from her red eyes. She still haven't said a single word  to me, simply keeping vigilance on his father face, never to see him smiling again.

But there's no time for grievance, we have to leave this place as soon as possible

"...Alis, listen to me. They might be attempting your life next, your father have given me orders to prioritize your safety.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

We shall leave the theme park and head into a safe house, I will order my friend to take your father body away from here, but first I want you to stay calm and don't ever strand away for me."

Alis show no signs of listening to me, her eyes have become cold and staring at nothingness.

It is understandable that she's currently in a state of shock, but there's no time to waste in this situation. I have to get her away from this place immediately.

I forcefully pull her away from her father corpse.

She began to scream after her father's head is no longer at her laps.

Kicking and screaming is all she can do to express her disapproval of leaving his body alone.

I had no choice but to lift her on my shoulder and ran at full speed, knocking down encircling bystander who've began to block my path after watching Alis resistance.

"Hey!, Where do you think you are taking her!?."

"Get back here and wait for park's security!."

"Is he a kidnapper?."

What a bunch of fools, none of them dare to examine Mr.Lee condition and possibly saving him.

Yet now they want to play heroes by blocking our escape?, it's truly easier to speak rather than taking action.

Grazing through the park visitor, we finally reach its gate. It won't be as easy as before to pass this time however, there's at least 5 security guards already forming a wall in front of exit gate.

Thankfully Alis is no longer attempting to break free from me, perhaps because her father's body is no longer in her field of vision.

"Halt!, put the girl down and lift your hands in the air!."

"Open the path!, this girl have to be evacuated from here immediately, she's an assassination target!. Just ask one of your friends to check the park, her father's body should be there!."

Those guards began to mumble to each other, probably they have already been informed of a body in the park.

They still haven't shown any signs of breaking the defense wall, instead becoming even more suspicious of me, a kidnapper who will go to such length as killing his target father.

I don't think I can took my ID Card out in this situation before being swarmed by bullets either.

Just then a woman come out from staff building across the ticket locket, it was the same woman me and Alis met an hour ago when we bought our ticket.

There's a surprise expression on her face when she recognize me and Alis.

"Ah, I knew it was you!. It's not often we had a visitor wearing butler outfit, so your face stuck on my mind. Although the security footage are not good enough to clearly see your face. Mr.Kalvin Wreist from MTB, correct?.

The security guards are taken aback after hearing I'm from MTB -/Military Trained Bodyguards/-.

A special branch from military to specifically bodyguard important person such as the government top brass or state-owned corporation's CEO, albeit occasionally we also provide service for anyone interested or is in great danger.

I took this slight chance to quickly draw my ID Card, tossing it to the guards feet before they can yell at me to stop moving.

"That's my ID Card, either you check my authenticity on your computer as that lady do a few hours ago and waste precious time, or you can let me go now and evade the possibility of second assassination in your theme park and official complaint for disturbing evacuation."

The guards pick the card up and start ogling all over it, then asking the clerk lady once again about my story.

The lady yelled back at them and said that she didn't want to take any responsibility in case of complaints.

It seems the threat is pretty effective, as they start to loose their formation. I took that as permission to pass through the gates, dashing once more while snatching my ID Card from the guards as I passed them.

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Part 4:

A few hours have pass since we left the theme park.

We circled around the town a few times to avoid any possibility of another assassin tailing us,

It's not safe to return to our mansion for now, there's a chance they have prepared an ambush there.

We've spend time while waiting for my colleagues to prepare a safe house for us.

I've also entrusted Mr.Lee to them, his body should already be escorted to a hospital by now.

I shift my eyes towards driver mirror to observe my passenger status, a red haired girl who's currently laid down on the back seats.

Alis still haven't said a word at all, although I can hear a few sobs every now and then.

I don't know what to say to her, would she even listen to the words of a failure bodyguard?.

Doesn't matter.

For now her safety should be my utmost priority.

Only after that can I wander my thought to other things.

The mastermind of Mr.Lee assassination for example, It's clear Lotovia family member have a hands in this.

Still, I don't know other participants except George Lotovia.

Just how many people behind this?, how far will they chase us?.

.........

It is nightfall when we leave the downtown, my reduced field of vision is not helped by falling snow either.

The safe house they prepared is located in the old town, not many people lived there anymore, a good place for hiding.

It is somewhat quite far away from our previous location, I could have used the highway to arrive there as fast as possible.

But it is best not leave any trace which could expose our destination.

Hence I decided to use the mountain road instead.

Although I call it mountain road, this used to be the main road before the highway construction.

The road are wide enough for four cars to pass with excellent illumination from recently repaired road lamp.

Internal city transport also use this route to move between downtown and old town.

Or I should say, only the city transportations are still using this route.

It seems the city council prefer an extra half hour of travel rather than creating a new route over the privately-owned highway and paying the enormous fee.

Unnecessary to say, the highway is owned by Lotovia group.

We are halfway through the mountain road now. closing in to the mountain tunnel separating downtown and oldtown.

A five hundred meters tunnel inside the mountain, relic of city expansion a few decades ago.

The tunnel itself is properly maintained, there's emergency sprinklers newly installed together with road lamps repair.

We are the only one using the tunnel at the moment.

At least that's what I think until I notice a light at the other end of the tunnel.

My body become tense all of a sudden, probably because I haven't seen other cars in a while.

To meet each other in a tunnel without any other witnesses, a perfect place for stealth.

But my suspicion turn out to be baseless worry after all.

After further examination, the source of the light turn out to be a city transport.

In other words, a minibus.

It would be even stranger if I don't met one of these on this mountain road.

Once again I glance behind me towards the back seat, where my passenger seems to be asleep.

It is okay, I won't let anything happen to her anymore.

Soon we will reach our safe house and staying there until everything cooled down.

Then I will head towards the police station and file an official report about Patrick and Lotovia Group underhanded activity.

This may not be the best course of action, but there's no time to think it over anymore.

They will cover everything and hide this under the rug before anyone even notice what have happened.

Returning my sight to the front, the distance between us and the bus is only a few meters now.

The bus seems to be nearly empty. Only a driver and front seat passenger is inside it.

Suddenly, and out of sheer luck.

Only because I was looking at the bus that I notice it.

The driver suddenly make a sharp turn towards us, breaking the barrier between the lane road.

I step on the brake pedal as hard as I can while attempting to evade the clash.

Yet that is futile, the bus make an even sharper turn with greater speed. Clearly the driver doesn't even tried to evade us.

The bus crashed on the car right side, barely miss the backseat door.

But it didn't stop there, the bus still dragging us and slam into the tunnel wall.

The recoil is so great, I can feel the bones in my hands before losing my grip on the steering wheel.

Thankfully my body was stopped by airbag, else there could be additional injury as well.

From the corner of my eyes I can see the bus driver running away from the scene.

What, he will just left us here to die?.

You don't have the guts to see the result of your own actions?.

"Hah..., what a joke..."

Damn, what a nice mess I gotten myself into.

It felts like I'm playing around their hands all along.

Is there nowhere to run?.

"~Ah.., This is not good."

Then I hear the sound of glass breaking.

I turn my head to see a silhouette I recognize, it's the front seat passenger.

He unlock the backside door and extract Alis from the backseat.

"Unconscious hm?, do you hit your head during the crash?. That's not good you know, I want you to see the face of your savior."

Ignoring the pain all over my body, I hurriedly flatten the airbag and removing my seatbelt.

My hand is on the door handle when that man face show up at the window, grinning from ear to ear.

Water slowly fall from the ceiling, probably the reason why this man wet hair is blocking his face.

It seems the bus engine produce smoke after the crash and ignite sprinkler emergency system.

Holding Alis on the shoulder with his left hand while the right hand pointing a gun towards me.

He gestures his hand as to tell me not to touch the door handle or the dashboard.

"Sorry, but I'm not allowed to let you get out from the car. It will be suspicious you know, after all most people who died in a traffic incident normally didn't make it out from their vehicle.

"...Who are you?."

"A hero I guess, at least that's what they will call me on tomorrow morning newspaper. Saving Lotovia Group princess from traffic accident which took his bodyguard life."

...Traffic accident is it?.

What a meticulous way to kill someone, although I should've known they have a preference for this method.

They've done the same thing four years ago after all.

"..You said you are the hero who saves Alis, does that mean you have no intention to kill her?."

"Yeah?, at least I'm not instructed to kill her right now. Not that I can say the same about you, my employer can't let you off the hook this time."

This time.

So they purposely let me live at the cafe.

For what reason?, so that I can take Alis and run into a traffic accident here?.

None of this makes any sense, I'm playing right into their hands all along.

And now I finally run towards my own end, I am indeed a failure.

"Hm?, giving up are you?, I guess that works as well. A bullet hole will be out of place in a traffic accident after all."

Shut up, what else you want me to do.

Hurry up and take Alis away from here.

I don't want her to see my death as well, at least that's the last thing I could do for her.

"Let's see, It seems your wounds is quite heavy. But that's not good, this is not nearly enough for sure death. How if I added a few more extra?, you can never be too sure in this line of work."

Do whatever you want, just make sure you finish it before Alis woke up.

"You don't mind if I'm using a bit of explosives right?. Don't worry, it just a tiny bit to trigger car's engine to explode. Your body might get burn to charcoal though."

He put Alis down and start to open my car hood, probably putting an explosive there.

But that's not where I put my attention.

I could see her making an eye contact with me just after that guy put her down.

She's awake.

"Put this over here, this one over there..-"

That guy seems to be occupied with his work, I make another eye contact with Alis while glancing to the other ends of the tunnel.

She understand the meaning of my action and start running as fast as she can towards the tunnel end.

Hearing the sound of splashing water, that guy simply close the hood and look at fleeing Alis.

"Oh?,  the princess already awake?. It's not good to do heavy activities just after you wake up you know."

He slowly walk to chase her, there's no way he can chase her like this. Alis might be able to escape.

But just after I think of that, Alis speed start to slow down and slowly fall to the asphalt.

"I told you not to force your body, the drug will circulate much faster that way."

Drug?, so he have made proper preparations in case Alis attempted to escape.

But it's good enough, now that his attention is on Alis, I manage to take my gun out of the dashboard.

I quickly turn the door handle and rushed outside.

I only managed to walk a few steps before falling as well.

That's when I noticed that my leg is twisted a bit weird, probably because I step on the brake pedal as hard as I can during the impact.

The gun also slip away from my hand, I no longer have any strength to hold the pain.

That guy pick Alis on his shoulder once again and return towards me, a displeasure expression is on his face.

His feet landed in my bowels in full force after picking up my gun.

"~My.., both of you really know how to betray other people expectations. Cant both of you just stay still?."

My head's all fuzzy.

The last thing I could hear are Alis scream, followed by a roaring thunder.

With the thunder come a swarm of fireflies.

I felt as if my brain attempting to pull a trickery on me.

Then everything become bright.