"Um Axky," said Jack sounding slightly scared. "I know you've figured out where Paula is, but for the love of God slow the hell down."

"Can't." said Axky immediately. "If you're not up for it I can drop you off at the nearest bus stop."

Jack cursed very colourfully. Since there were no buses at this hour of the night, he had no choice to stick with Axky. When he had brought out his bike, he had anticipated that he himself would be driving it. But now he was stuck riding pinion behind Axky, who was speeding like a maniac.

He took an acute turn and Jack could only pray that they would not die that day.

"Damn it Leslie we need to get there alive!" Shouted Jack over the roar of the engine as Axky narrowly avoided a massive truck. He cursed inwardly where was the ruddy traffic police when you needed them?

"Calm down Jackie. I won't kill us. You think Brielle will forgive me if I did? She probably hates me right now anyway." Axky shouted back loudly.

"You can explain your good reasons for doing so satisfactorily when we get back, right?" Asked Jack sighing with relief as Axky slowed down.

"Of course." said Axky merrily turning the bike into a well maintained drive way.

"I think you're going the wrong way." started Jack as they neared what looked like a handsome mansion surrounded by a rose garden.

Axky ignored him as he skided to a halt on the pitch road.

Jack's eyes widened as he took note of the large letters on top of the mansion.

"Leslie this is the British Embassy. Why the hell are we here?" demanded Jack.

***

Brielle got goosebumps all over her skin as she opened the envelope containing Paula's medical records.

Was it the right thing to do? To pry on her friend?

Brielle shook her head. No, no she wouldn't open it. It was a betrayal of trust, an overstepping of boundaries, a treason of friendship...but damn it she was curious.

What if it held the true reason for Paula's departure? What if she was suffering from a fatal disease, Brielle chastised herself for even thinking of such a thing. But here was no denying that it was a possibility.

"Forgive me Paula," she whispered as she pulled out the worn out pages and read.

There were detailed tests and studies and numbers that Brielle didn't understand. So she skipped to the bottom of the last page that said :

Accident induced hemorrhage on stomach, four years prior to visit. No pain or notable scarring.

Patient suffers from anxiety regarding condition.

Ultrasonography test shows uterus largely deformed as result from injury. Some benign cysts noted.

Severe pregnancy complications predicted.

Avoid pregnancy. Suggested tubectomy.

Hot compresses, rest, exercises as advised.

See with repeat ultrasonography in 6 months

This page had little blobs of discolourations on several parts of it. It seemed as though someone had shed tears over it. At this point Brielle wanted to cry herself.

Was this why Paula left Axky? Because she thought he deserved better? Simply because she couldn't be the mother of his children?

Did she really think that Axky would not love her if she couldn't give him a family? Did she think that Brielle and Paula would consider her medical records as a prerequisite for her friendship?

"That stupid stupid woman." cursed Brielle under her breath. She wanted to throw stuff around and scream, but controlled herself. The house staff and Vicky were all asleep so she needed to be careful.

Brielle was so angry at that moment, she knew that even if Paula showed up right now, she would never forgive her for bailing on them all.

Paula had a man she loved, who unconditionally loved her back, a home and Vicky, Jack and herself, yet she chose to leave it all behind and go wallow in her self pity?

"Maybe she's right...she doesn't deserve us," thought Brielle harshly as she replaced the documents in the cupboard. "I hate her so much right now."

She sat down on Paula's bed and punched the pillow with all her strength. She couldn't even begin to think how all this was going to affect Axky if he found out. He'd be devastated, not because Paula had kept the truth from him, but because she thought it easier to leave than to be honest with him.

Brielle loved Axky, she loved their banter, his cheery nature, his constant teasing of her, his protests when she stole his cereal...she held it all dear to her. He was like her younger brother and she could read Axky like a book. It helped that he didn't try to hide anything from her.

She loved Paula too, her bluntness, her amazing driving skills, her wizardry with baking, her fun fights with Axky...and ... and ....she couldn't think of anything else.

Brielle realized at that moment just how superficially she had known Paula. She didn't know a single thing about the woman that everyone else didn't know. How the hell were they supposed to be friends when she barely knew anything about Paula?

What was her favourite colour? What was her ambition, her biggest dream? If she was angry, what did she do? And if she were sad did she always cry alone?

Brielle felt a choking in her throat and comprehended that she was holding back sobs. She herself was equally to blame for Paula's departure. She hadn't made any attempt to befriend Paula whatsoever. She had been so selfish in the little conversations that they had. Brielle spoke of University, Jack and Vicky and Paula had been content to just listen.

Brielle guiltily thought she shouldn't have been so narcissistic. She ought to have had meaningful conversations with Paula, they should have had girl nights where they let their insecurities out in the open. She was lonely in a new country and the only thing Brielle had done for her was snoop around in her room, which she doubted was noble.

"I'm such a bitch." she said covering her face in her hands and sobbing into the pillow she'd punched. Thankfully the pillow held no grudges and supported her as she dried her tears on it.

***

"My lawyer should be here." said Axky looking around at the British Embassy's lobby. Jack was following close behind, feeling terribly deprived of information. He hated not knowing what was going on.

As he was sulking, he spotted a familiar silhouette carrying a suitcase hurrying up towards them.

"About time." muttered Axky irritably, though he looked slightly relieved.

"Sorry I got a bit late." said Ted Wilson sarcastically. "You know at 2 o' clock at night people are usually asleep and self-respecting clients don't usually call. Now then, you promised..."

"Yes, I suppose its good then that I don't have any self respect." said Axky suddenly falling on his knees in front of Wilson and clasping his hands in front of his chest.

"Please Ted Wilson, you're my hero. I wrongly implicated you in the case back in 2014. I'm so sorry. You really are the best in the business." said Axky in a loud and pathetic voice. He really looked like he was sorry.

Damn if he wasn't a convincing actor.

"Is that enough?" asked Axky in a whisper as he looked around. It seemed that the entire embassy was looking at them. Ted Wilson was revered greatly in Britain, but after the unfortunate case a few years ago, he'd been hated by the public. A reporter was sure to have picked this little scene up by now. His eye caught that of a brunette woman sitting in the waiting room, holding up her phone. Yup, she was recording it all right.

"No. Not enough." said Ted Wilson enjoying his moment. "You didn't give me credit."

"Oh yes. I forgot." muttered Axky to himself before adapting his fake soprano voice. "Ted Wilson is a genius! He solved the Martin and Penta case all with his own brains, while all I did was trudge through scores of protected data. He is a human computer, gathering and tracking all the information even my computer has difficulty keeping. I made a mistake when I hacked his data, I'm very sorry. Forgive me?"

"Yeah yeah. I forgive ya." said Ted merrily holding out his hand for Axky. Man that had been fun. "Now tell me why you called me here. It must be really important if you agreed to do all that."

"It is." said Axky his voice returned to normal, but sounding desperate. "Please, please, you have to save her. Here, I have most of her documents."

He handed a folder to Ted.

"Ah, the young lady you are courting? I already know her details," said Ted with a sigh.

"You do?" asked Axky in surprise.

"Yes. I know her personally." said Ted as Jack and Axky looked shocked. "I'll explain later. Now please excuse me while I go find the lovely Miss Fannigan. I'm afraid only lawyers are allowed to enter where she is being held, so you'll have to wait here."

Axky nodded in understanding. "Do you---can you---?" his voice was hoarse, with pain, tiredness and ill-disguised fear.

"I'll do everything I can." said Ted firmly. With that he hurried up to the cluster of cubicles in the west end of the embassy.

The people around stopped staring at them and returned to there work slowly. The fluorescent tube lights dimmed and brightened as the voltage fluctuated slightly, before stabilizing. Gusts of wind rattled the windows as the trees outside swayed with the sudden downpour. The newspaper had said that a storm was due in the next twenty four hours.

"What on earth was that all about?" demanded Jack, finally coming out of his stupor.

Axky looked dazed as he clutched Jack's shoulder to steady himself. "I don't even know." he said sadly. "But if Ted can't help me, I'll lose Paula."

Jack sighed. It was futile to ask questions like why Paula was at the British Embassy and how Ted knew her and why she needed a lawyer in the first place. No one had the time to answer him anyway.

So he wisely decided to shut up and let Axky and Ted do their work. He'd just have to be content sticking around as the support guy, even though it did nothing for his ego.

"Why don't you go sit at the waiting room? I'll get us some coffee." he charitably offered. Axky raised his eyebrows but nodded gratefully.

"You're a great friend Jack." said Axky as he went to find the brunette and ask her to edit the last bit.

Jack sighed for the fourth time that night. As he filled the Styrofoam cups with black coffee, he couldn't help but worry if Axky really knew what he was doing.

Thank you so much everybody for reading and all your support!

You make me so happy. It's cloudy and gloomy weather here today. Send me some lovely comments? I'll update faster...

lots of love,

Andy