text: This is how it starts. For an entire decade she played the game of love and obedience. She never twice questioned who the real object of importance was. Him or her. I say twice because the moment she realized they both can’t possibly make it out of this, she-. I’d rather show you. Her name was an amalgamation of letters that spelled beauty, hope, trust, domination, and war. Venus is what they call her. A flower with a mind of its own. Upon her 21st birthday she was gifted freedom, an abundance of inheritance and her dream career. Which started with her first assignment. A single contract that would shower her in oceans of endless fulfilled desires, a protected blacklisted name, a more than sturdy brand-new identity to allow er to safely travel the world. A damn good bargain, right? You’d think. Just like se did. But she was jarred by the missions only specification: fall in love. What a gorgeous degradation. And what he didn’t know was that he was the last child to hold the helm to the Athenian slab. The most priceless item in existence. It’s said to roughly calculate the structure of black matter and give us the last known location of the routinely circulated tomb of Prince Obsidian. Wrapped within his mummification, tucked in his boney clasped hands, the bulb of the two sister Great Basin Bristlecone Pine tree’s branches twisted in a double helix. Like two snakes which make a staff, its round top is rumored to be active with dark energy. The place where both serpent mouths mangle. As an immortal being, he gave his godly properties to the remaining deities for their safe concealment of this forbidden element. Another specific to her mission: Kill and retrieve. What exactly? His CCS, or Carbon Chip Set. His set identity. The only thing that will give her access to his inheritance bunker. On her birthday it was only right she held her composure while celebrating in the dining quarters of his families most prestigious private village hotels. His main residence. It was from the extent of the ball room where he leaned against the massive pearl entrance column. A perfectly distressed five figure four-piece suit, close cut black wool beard, folds of twisted dreads to match. She in a painted on plum dress that slept lavishly on her neck and cut just above her knees. Curves of an hourglass, skin of bronze, a smile that became a spotlight when excited. Her tamed kinky hair slipped with curls that tickled her shoulders. Hazel eyes that he could pick up from a couple yards away. Lips that he swore mouthed his name. High cheek bones, red lipstick, white heels with soles that seemed stepped in pools of blood orange. He was hooked the first sight. He was drowning in her slow-motion dance circled by a group of celebrating friends. Most of them belligerent from the excessive amounts of complimentary mimosas. “Siyah.” His dear friend, the floor manager Eladio elbowed the tranced man. “Venus. And you own the place. That’s a good starter.” A firm pat on the shoulder and a single eye wink begins his departures. Siyah, still oblivious, stares with crossed arms. He nods softly, capturing the advice late. Fighting the want to approach he softly mumbles an introduction script. “Hi, I’m Siyah. This place is what I own- no.” He shakes his head, looking at the floor, rethinking. “I own here. I’m Siyah. No-“ Why can’t I get this? He thinks to himself. Scratching the side of his head. Unknown to him the distant party disperses as the group agrees to return to the infinite pool dug into the edge of the high-rise hotel. Venus unmounts from the center platform, places her empty drink on the tray of a passing waitress. She collects two filled champagne flutes of bubbly fresh squeezed orange juice with a sliver kissing the small mouths edge. As she strides towards the mouth of the doorway, her heels sounding the marble speckled floor, her increasing click stops right in front of the bow headed Siyah. His eyes crunch, head cocks as he notices her closed toed white heels. His glare shoots up, shocked by her presence he nervously looks for the words with a gape mouth. She fragments him with an alluring soft voice. “Venus,” She holds out a single flute. “and you?” Jostling the glass softly she nods, signifying him to take the drink. As he weakly grasps the crystal, she throws her drink back. Encouraging him to do the same. “It’ll calm your nerves.” He lifts his, not breaking eye contact as he guzzles the cold liquid. She takes both glasses and calls a waiter over to rid them of the cups. “Siyah,” He says with a stretch. Sour faced to the potency of sour champagne in the mixture. He forces a grin, covering up the disgust from the alcohol. “You should show me the rest of the it then Mr. owner.” She lifts a single eyebrow, a devilish smile that stretches a single side of her red lips. Without hesitation he straightens his posture, fixing his suit jacket by both lapels, spinning around with a single arm triangled that she grabs hold onto. The day was filled with comfortable conversation expression individual viewpoints on the world, their likes, dislikes, their past occupations, political stand points, investments, heritage, future goals, and current emotional standings. She essentially ditched her friends; he ignored his demands to stand in the commanding limelight for the day. Turning the role over to Eladio who milked the temporary placement with eccentric energy. His relentless act distracted the crowds enough to allow Siyah a day in peace. They laughed like children under sparkling star light and crescent moon beams. Gold crusted dark chocolate covered fruit melted beside their hot tub in waves of spilled water that would sink the cement ridden plate. As they grew quiet with the calming night, they would end in an intimate, fighting embrace. Racing from the salt water jacuzzi to the linen tucked California king. With audible yearns of endlessness fogging the mirrors cover the ceiling they sailed into the night, thrashing in a tsunami of satisfaction. Venus rose as Siyah snored. Tucking a velvet robe under her crossed arms as she fits herself within. She leans from the penthouse railing. The lights below, the speckles of flame from citronella candles dug into the beach, the widespread resort lighting that was glowing around the building, the comparable clear night, the sound of running water from the infinite pool. She soaked in the comfortably cool breeze. Siyah woke, laid on his back, half his limbs dangling from the lifted platform bed as the sun broke into the open back glass wall. With a heavy groggy voice, he exclaims pain as he awakens. “Oh man...” He strains to roll over. Bringing his numb limbs flat onto the bed. “Shit.” He rubs his temple, blocking the refracting glare of the rising sun. In his squint he pats the bumps under the comforter next to him. “Venus?” His soft voice breaks. He exhales deeply as he peels the sheets back to notice a line of pillows. “Over here.” A jolly voice reaches from the cross-room chair behind a still steaming platter on top of a refreshment cart. “I told them for you, your usual. I took the liberty of ordering myself a special treat.” She raises a bellini. He grins, a relieving laugh that ends with a quick “Ouch.” He lays back down. He stumbles back into a heavy sleep. Chasing the sun into lunch. He woke from a knock on the front door. “Siyah!” Eladio was on the other side banging on the door like a police officer. “Man get down here! I’m not being another pawn today! We got a retirement party today and the Legacy Board Meeting today! I swear these old women won’t leave me alone and you know how these people be man! Get your ass to the ball room immediately!” Siyah stumbled to the cross-room cart. His food still untouched. Venus missing. A folded hotel note sat on the covered plate. “If you want me, come find me. \-Venus <3” He bites his lip, cheerful, placing the note within his nightstand drawer. “On my way buddy!” He joyfully yelled through the hang over and soreness ravishing his body. “I’m serious man! I expect you down there in 15-minute man! Don’t do this to me today!” The water breaks open, the pressured hot water silencing any incoming noise. As he breached his room, the race was on. Starting in the lobby Siyah stood at the podium, greeting the incoming party as they piled in. His usual morning, but now afternoon announcement was filled with a scripted introduction and short description of his family’s legacy, the party goer’s importance to their mission and an overall appreciation with a bid of enjoyment. “Here in paradise, you don’t need to pinch yourself. You’re not dreaming. You’re living the dream!” As he executes an energetic finale the crowd of mid age woman woo and roar. A line of staff and waiters flood in as he runs out. Siyah moved from floor to floor, room to room, side of the building to side, beach to peach, parking lot to the sky loft looking for a hint of this mysterious woman. He began cursing under his breathe, kicking himself for not asking for her contact. He did everything alone. Refusing to ask his own staff to identify a one-night fling. But he finds himself rapping his four fingers on the service desk corner, bent over, sipping a bellini. “Mr-“ desk worker becomes agitated by the rapping. Before she can finish, he shyly waves her over with a single flexing finger. “You can keep a secret?” Confused and intrigued she nods in agreement. “I need to find this woman I was- saw yesterday. Can you do that?” “ I can try sir.” For what seemed like an hour he raffled keen details, the part, the guest list name was pulled onto her smart slate. With only superficial information they would try to put the name to the description. Eliminating almost all of the attendees. With no luck, four glasses piled next to him, he depressed. Thanking the desk woman, he returned to himself bent over the corner of the desk. It’s nearing dinner. The glow from the sun has hours left to shine. Another clear day with a muddy mind Siyah thought. “Are you sure she signed in with her legal name?” She asked. “I- I don’t know.” He replied defeated. “Siyah.” The distant call becomes clearer, closer. “Siyah! It’s almost meeting time- is that a 5th glass of- man put that shit down!” Eladio waves over a waiter to discard the glasses. “Sparkling water, a lot.” He directs himself back to a wobbly Siyah. “Today’s the Legacy Board Meeting man! Get your shit together!” he whispers sternly. Eladio proceeds to touch up his sloppy suit. Removing a small can of hair palm, a brush, fixing his facial appearance. Once more put together, forced to guzzle two bottles of sparkling water that made him burp between bottles, he checks him off. “Okay, some breathe mints and some vocal exercises, and you’ll be- good enough. Now, lets go.” As they head to the elevator, weaving through seas of staff, security, residence, vacationers and janitors they arrive to an incoming elevator car. As they golden doors split open, an older woman stood in the middle of two husky black suited guards. “Ah! Siyah Starr.” The woman opens her arms in a warm embrace. Kissing the tall man on either cheek, forcing him to stoop over. “And you must be Eladio Nestres.” Eladio smiles with confirmation. “I am Natasha Iroke. Head of the Legacy Board Legal Team. And this is my daughter, Venus Iroke, Assistant present to the legal division. And as she moved to introduce her daughter, Siyahs jaw drops. Astounded. He’s left nonverbal. With an extended hand Venus clutched a black purse, fitted in a skintight strapless dress in blackened heels. Her glow breaking the incandescent lights bathing her within the elevator car. “Nice to finally meet you Siyah. I’ve heard a lot about you.” Her lips mouthed a friendly greeting, her eyes brought into mind hours of aggressive sexual combat. Being nudged out of his daydream by Eladio he grasps her still hands with his shaky sweaty palm. “Hi- \*clears throat\* Good evening ma’am. Siyah Starr. And the pleasures mine.