Henry was grinning from ear to ear at the sound of Sarah's soft and llifluous voice, tinged with a hint of innocence and tenderness.
He could also sense the anxiety laced in her words as she scolded him fiercely for abruptly switching off his phone all night and into the morning without prior notice.
Henry didn't interrupt her, as she vented her frustration, stressing how she had been trying to contact him, Alia and even Maria to no avail.
The sound of an ignited car engine told Henry that she was probably behind the steering wheel and getting ready to leave for campus.
"I'm so sorry, Sarah. I didn't an to get you worried." Henry finally said, ignoring Maria's grinning face. He signalled Pascal to give him a few minutes to talk inside the car, which the latter conveyed to their covert military escort.
They were already within the safety of the prison facility and there was no fear of getting traced or attacked.
"That easy for you to say." Sarah hissed. "So tell , what really happened."
"Nothing serious. We were simply following security protocols."
"Really! Are you going to treat like a child?" Sarah's voice sounded hurt.
"Of course not."
"Then talk to . Tell what really happened. I think I deserve an explanation."
Henry hesitated, not wanting to lie to Sarah or scare her with the truth.
"Okay, sothing did happen. But, I can't explain it on the phone right now. Nevertheless, you need not worry. We are safe. I promise to tell you everything when I return to the city."
"When?"
"Today, probably in the evening."
"I'll be ho by then."
"I could co over and pick you up for a casual friendly dinner. Any place of your choice would be fine." Henry suggested, his heart pounding as he waited breathlessly for her reply.
There was a long pause as if she was weighing her reply.
"Fair enough. But it's not a date and don't bother coming to pick up. I'll send you an address where we can et."
"Okay." Henry punched his fist in the air triumphantly, suppressing his excitent while Maria chuckled.
"Can I please speak with my cousin?"
Henry scratched his hair, looking up at Maria as he replied.
"She's currently not here with ?"
"What do you an she's not there with you? Where are you?"
"We just arrived at the Pelican Federal prison to pick her up."
"To pick her ....ah... Did she spend the night within the prison facility?" Sarah's alard voice made Henry grin inwardly.
"Yes, she spent the night with her husband in his prison room and..." Henry cut Sarah off before she could bombard him with a follow-up question. "...yes, she's safe. Her husband made sure of that. Now I have to go. Talk to you later."
There was a deep sigh on the other end.
"Fine."
"Will you be alright?" Henry lowered his voice, his face flushed.
"I'll be fine. Just make sure you stay out of trouble and co back ho in one piece with my cousin."
"I will. I can't wait to see you."
"Bye."
The call disconnected with a click.
"You two will make such a romantic couple." Maria smiled proudly.
"Thanks, Mum. Let's go." Henry climbed out of the bulletproof Land cruiser and helped Maria do the sa.
As both pair alongside their security entourage disappeared into the building, two fighter choppers landed at two different designated helipads within the facility.
An hour later, three groups of n and won, all dressed in military regalia from head to toe, briskly made their way to the three different departure points.
While one group boarded the bulletproof Land cruiser with the covert military escort and siren blaring behind them, the other two groups boarded the fighter choppers.
All three modes of transportation departed from the prison facility at the sa ti and in different directions, taking their awaiting enemies by surprise.
Consequently, while a deadly ambush awaited the covert military escort en route to the airport, Alia and her entourage, -all disguised as soldiers in the fighter chopper- made it safely out of Pelicum city to a secret location where a private jet was waiting for them.
******
After a busy day at the state Capitol, Senator Gregory was expecting to have a quiet dinner with his daughter and mother before retiring to bed.
He wasn't aware of the changes Gwen had made in the mansion. Neither did he notice the tension in the hurried steps of the serving maids, who couldn't wait to get away from the caustic young miss.
Senator Greg simply took his place at the head of the table, while chatting calmly with his mother and daughter, trying to find out how their day went.
The grace was shared and the al was served.
However, instead of Nana Shawls dietary white bean stew, she was served the general spicy turkey stew recipes, a al that was very bad for her heart.
Also, since Gwen had intentionally banned the butler and chef from showing their faces at the dining table, the novice servants couldn't tell the al apart.
They weren't accustod to serving the family their al. Neither did they know what each individual ate. So they wrongly assud everyone was eating the sa thing and served in that knowledge.
"What is this?" Nana Shawls pointed to the steaming spicy food before her while looking up at the trembling maid, confused.
"It's your food, madam." The maid bowed, lowering her gaze while moving two steps backwards knowing she must have made a mistake.
"My food!" Nana Shawls' eyes widened in shock.
"Since when did you start eating spicy turkey stew, Grandma." Gwen masked the devilish grin in her eyes with an alard look. "I thought the doctor said this kind of food is not good for you."
Senator Gregory who was in the process of taking a second spoon of his own al, paused midway, her dumbfounded gaze darting to his mother's dish.
"What is the aning of this." The senator barked at the defaulting maid, his eyes scanning the room in search of the butler who usually served them.
"I'm sorry sir, I'll quickly change it." The trembling young maid briskly removed the al, and served another general dish, overlooking the white beans stew, which was specifically ant for the old woman.
"H...here is your f...food, madam." The maid stuttered a little, moving backwards again while the old woman kept staring at her in bewildernt.
Gwen chuckled wickedly in her heart as she watched her father's face slowly turn red with fury.
"Are you retarded? Don't you what my mother eats anymore?" Senator Gregory barked.
"I'm very sorry, sir." The confused servant looked up at her colleague for help.
But neither of them knew the right al for the old woman.
"Who are you?" Nana Shawls finally asked. Even though she was old with a forgetful mory, she didn't recognize this maid as soone who worked inside the mansion or served her al.
"I...I...I"
"Get out of here this instant, you brainless fool." Gwen barked at the maid before the latter could ss up her plan.
"I'm so sorry, ma'am."
The maid lowered her head and scurried away from the table. But the senator wasn't about to let her go so easily. He didn't recognize her face either as one of the maids who usually waited at the dining table.
"Stop right there!"
The maid froze on the spot, fidgeting as the senator pushed back his chair and rose to his feet.
"Dad, eat your food and let handle this. I'll serve grandma her food and take care of the maid..."
"Be quiet, Gwen." The senator silenced his daughter, causing her face to scrunch like a rumpled tissue paper.
Nana Shawls frowned at her son's harsh tone. But didn't interrupt him. She was interested to know who this maid was and what happened to the old one.
"Turn around and look at ." The senator commanded while picking up his phone on the dining table and dialling the house security number. He could sll a rat as he thoroughly assessed the maid who was about to flee from the dining room after trying to serve his mother the wrong food.
The line clicked.
"Good evening senator."
"Send two security n up to the dining room and get Sam wherever he is." The senator spoke into the phone before ending the call.
When the maid slowly faced the senator, he imdiately confird his suspicion. He didn't recognise her as a staff that worked inside the mansion.
This instantly put him on red alert.
"Who are you and how did you get into this house?"
"I'm very sorry, sir." The maid fell on her knees, her hands clasped together. "I am one of the..."
"Dad, don't make a fuss. She's one of the outdoor staff that I recently..."
"I said keep quiet Gwen and let handle this." The senator shunned his daughter for the second ti, his gaze sharp and narrowed at her. He didn't appreciate the fact that she was intruding when she barely knew any of the house workers.
Gwen was slightly taken aback by her father's hostile reaction. She wasn't expecting him to react this way and she instantly knew that she may have underestimated him.
"I'm listening..." The senator turned his attention back to the maid. "I work as the gardener in this mansion, sir. I do not know anything about the kitchen but I am willing to learn."
"What! A gardener serving my mother her al." The senator growled.
At that very mont, Sam, -who had been banished to his quarters by Gwen - and two security n entered the dining room.
"Good evening senator." Sam greeted politely with a slight bow of his head.
"Sam, what is the aning of this rubbish? Why haven't I seen you since I arrived from work today and what is a gardener doing in my dining room?" The senator bellowed at the top of his voice.
"Forgive , senator. But Madam Gwen made so pivotal changes this morning after you left for work."
All eyes in the room turned to Gwen, who was already trembling in her seat.
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