502 A Secret to Keep

The room went still except for Senator Jones's ragged breathing. She was truly terrified as Gus held her tightly that she couldn't move. She dared not give him any reason to pull the trigger of the gun that's pointed on her head. And with each passing second, she got more and more nervous.

"Don't make a sound," Gus said above her head. "If you do, I'll make sure your daughter suffers the same fate as you. She's just down the hall, isn't she?"

"Please, don't." She gasped when Gus pressed the silencer's muzzle of the gun on her head, and then she closed her mouth.

There was another series of knocks on the door—three knocks that were: one knock, a pause, and two quick knocks—a sign that he and Felix agreed.

"Sit," he ordered the senator and as soon as she did, he quickly tied her hands to the back of the chair using large zip ties and covered her mouth with duct tape so she wouldn't scream. Gus was so fluid as he worked that it only took less than a minute to do everything—truly a Gazelle. 

Just as he finished, the door swung open. He got on his feet and pointed the gun to the man who just entered the door—it was Felix, wearing a suit with a dirty blond wig and blue contact lenses. There was a wire attached to his ear, making him look like part of the senator's guards except his earpiece was connected to Styles and the rest of the team. He immediately drew his gun from his holster and pointed it to Gus, playing his part very well.

The senator groaned as soon as she saw Felix, thinking that he's one of her hired security detail. 

"Nah-ah. Drop your weapon," said Gus as he pointed the gun back to the senator's head.

Felix darted his look between the senator and Gus as though he was contemplating his next move. And when he attempted to bring his hand up to his ear as though he was trying to call for backup, Gus released the safety notch of the gun that was pointed to the senator saying, "Don't."

Felix stilled at Gus's warning. The latter seemed as though he was a different person that even though Felix knew that it was Gus under the mask and an unloaded gun that was pointed at him, he was still feeling slightly anxious. 

"Drop your gun and close the door slowly. If you call for backup, I will blow her head off," Gus muttered, his voice was muffled from speaking beneath the balaclava mask.

Clenching his jaw, Felix did as he was told and put his gun down, raising his hands as he stood up before closing the door.

As the door clicked to a close, Gus ordered, "Kick the gun towards me."

Felix kept his eyes leveled with Gus's and as he kicked the gun, he took the chance and lunged towards Gus. In a matter of seconds, the two started fighting inside the small space.

Their 'fight' didn't last long when Felix and Gus fell to the floor behind the bed in a thud where the senator couldn't see. Felix got ahold of the gun that Gus was using earlier and in an instant, he slapped on a magazine that was loaded with blanks.

Then, Felix kicked Gus off him, and when the latter fell on his back to the floor, he pulled the trigger. Gus laid unconscious on the floor looking dead just as red liquid oozed out of his chest and onto the tiles. 

The senator's eyes widened in horror. She paled when she saw the man who was trying to make her kill herself earlier was now dead before her. She made a muffled shriek with the duct tape on her mouth.

Staring at the lifeless body on the floor, Felix's chest heaved up and down as he panted from their exchange of blows earlier. His hands that were holding the gun slightly trembled.

When he came to his senses, he shifted his gaze to the woman on the chair. He walked over to her side and slowly peeled off the tape that was on her mouth and cut the zip ties on her wrist. She was still speechless from everything that happened before her.

"Madam Senator, are you okay? I'll call for backup—"

"No, don't!" she stopped Felix abruptly. She was ghostly pale and she was still shaking from what happened.

He looked at her weirdly, wondering why she stopped him. He was just about to call Noah over, but this woman didn't want him to call for help?

Seeing Felix's stare, she quickly explained herself. "This can't be on the news!"

He glanced at Gus on the floor. "But he was here to hurt you…"

"It doesn't matter! The people behind this are more powerful than the police! Listen, you…"

"Smith, ma'am. I just started tonight," Felix answered.

Because of what just happened, Senator Jones was too distressed to notice the details too much, so she could only nod. "Right. Smith. Deal with this quietly. I… I will give you money! Just don't tell anyone else!"

She scrambled towards her closet and he watched as she stuffed a small bag with bundles of cash that she got from her safe. When she came back, she handed the bag to Felix who gingerly received the bag.

This wasn't supposed to happen. He was bewildered that he didn't know what to say at the moment. How did he end up getting paid for the set up they just did?

Felix snapped out of his trance when the senator's cold hands covered his. She looked at him in the eye and told him, "No one can know about this."