Chương 18: Chapter 19: Blue Lagoon

Adam was standing in the run-down garden area behind the cheap hotel he had stayed at before. Yesterday, after observing Amanda Smithers collect the laptop, he returned to the hotel for some much-needed rest. While parts of his body had been enhanced with cybernetics by Spector, he was essentially still human and therefore needed to sleep, and after the hectic day he had, he fell asleep as soon as he hit the cheap mattress and didn't wake up until midday the next day.

After waking up, he decided to go out behind the hotel in order to exercise and train. While he had trained in and was proficient with all the skills that Spector had loaded into his neurolink, after spending so long in the holo chamber and doing nothing but intense training, it had become a kind of habit for him, and it felt wrong if he didn't train even a little.

So he now stood motionless in the garden with what appeared to be some sort of metal pole around six to seven feet in length with a leather-looking grip in his grasp. This was another one of the pieces of equipment Spector had given him that had several interesting features. As he started to move, he spun the pole around himself and started to launch attacks with it as if he were facing an enemy. Over time, the attacks got sharper, faster and came from all sorts of different angles.

Eventually, as his body poured with sweat, he made his last attack with the metal pole before he stopped and took a moment to rest. As he did so, his stomach grumbled, indicating the need for food, so he pressed a small button on the side of the pole, and it miraculously shrank until it was around thirty centimetres in length with the metal parts just showing from the ends of the leather grip.

After that, he slid the now small staff into a trouser pocket down the side of his right leg as he went inside the hotel to grab a shower before going to get some breakfast somewhere. … Adam spent most of the day going over the information Spector had gathered regarding the party tonight and the five families.

He had wondered if he shouldn't take this opportunity to eliminate Viktor or his father; however, asking Spector about their locations, he learned that both of them were currently out of the city, and their calendars only showed them returning tonight. Though he could have travelled to the city they were currently in it would have made it impossible to attend tonight's party, which was his only real shot to get close to Donald Simmons before the man returned to his military unit.

Since that was the case and the father and son pair were due back in the city tonight anyway, he decided to just focus on preparing for tonight. It was late evening, and the night sky had turned dark as many expensive and flashy cars started arriving outside the Blue Lagoon club. The Blue Lagoon club was located in the very heart of Alamo City on the corner of two of the city's busiest roads where they intersected.

It was such a high-profile location for the city's elite that Emma Hopkins, the club's owner, had managed to convince the city council to install the club's very own traffic light, allowing for easier access when entering and exiting the club's driveway. The short driveway led up to the main entrance, where people alighted from their cars before a valet driver safely parked the car in an underground car park.

The guests then entered the Blue Lagoon club through its large, impressive front doors before arriving at an entrance desk where the staff collected any coats the guests wished to leave with them before asking which service they wanted to use, taking payment and directing them. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Many paparazzi stood outside the club tonight because it was known to be James Flemming's birthday, and that he had hired out the entire VIP area for him and his associates. As they were taking photos of the guests arriving, a red Ferrari that looked brand new came up the driveway with its exhaust roaring before stopping outside the main entrance. As soon as the driver stepped out, the paparazzi went nuts, aiming their cameras at the driver as camera flashes bathed him in light.

James Flemming looked towards the paparazzi and gave them a wave and smile before he entered the club and approached the entrance desk.

"Mr Flemming, I'm glad you made it." A sweet woman's voice said before the staff member at the entrance desk could speak. James turned to see a woman in an ocean blue one-piece dress walking over to him after she shooed away some staff members she had been speaking to.

"Miss Hopkins, it's a pleasure as always, and I thank you again for agreeing to allow me and my guests exclusive access to the VIP section," James said with a smile.

"Hehe." Emma giggled before saying, "Not at all, and you are paying for the exclusivity, so there is no need to thank me."

"Haha, true true, still I hope you will grace us with your presence this evening and join my celebration," James replied.

"How could I dare refuse such a gracious offer? I do have to make sure things are operating smoothly first, but I will be sure to join you and the others later if that's agreeable?" Emma replied while smiling.

"Of course, I look forward to having a drink with you later."

"Then I will let you enjoy yourself; you already know the way to the VIP section," Emma said before turning and walking away while swaying her hips. James couldn't help but admire her form for a moment before he headed for a special elevator that would take him straight to the VIP section. As he approached the elevator, he found two guards in suits standing next to it who bowed slightly towards him before one of them pressed the call button.

Soon after, the elevator doors opened and James stepped inside before pressing the top of the two available buttons. The doors closed, and the elevator rose up for a few moments before arriving at the VIP area with a ding as the doors opened again. James stepped out and saw two more guards next to the elevator, who gave him a brief glance before looking away as they recognised him.

"Mr Flemming." A cold voice called out as a man walked towards him down the hallway he had just stepped into.

"Ah, Captain Simmons, it's good to see you again. Thank you again for accepting this protection job, as I know how busy you are." James said with a smile.

"No problem, sir, it just so happened that a previous job fell through, and so I was available." Donald Simmons replied professionally.

"Well, I guess luck was on my side then since you and your team are well regarded in your field." James replied before asking, "So how do things look?"

"Everything appears fine, sir." Donald Simmons replied as he began to give James a brief overview of the security arrangement.

"First off, a small five-man squad, including myself, will operate from here on the VIP floor to minimise any impact towards you and your guests."

"There are two men at the elevator that you just passed and two more based at the staff access, while I will be roaming the floor between them."

"Then we have other members of our unit based in other parts of the club, along with the Blue Lagoons' own security personnel."

"Very good, Captain," James said with a nod before adding as an afterthought.

"I heard you had to act as security for Viktor Morose a few months back. I hope it wasn't too inconvenient having to deal with an idiot like him."

"I'm afraid I can't speak about such things, sir, as you know I'm obliged to keep quiet about such things as per contract." Donald Simmons replied without change.

"Of course, of course, I was just making conversation. Anyway, I should head on in and make sure everything's perfect before my first guests arrive." James replied before walking away towards a large door.

"Have a good evening, sir."