Jasper walked down the hall, Mike behind him.
"Sir, you have a business trip to attend this weekend," Mike said.
Jasper turned in shock.
"What?" he said.
"Well, yes, sir. There is fire on the mountain," Mike replied, handing him a file.
Jasper opened it. A frown appeared on his face, and he squeezed the file.
"When did this shit happen?" Jasper said in an authoritative voice.
"Well, the night before," Mike replied.
"Shit... Make sure they find the bastard who did this." Jasper slammed the paper on Mike's chest.
Mike nodded.
"Well, sir, it is—"
"JASPER!" a woman shouted, walking toward them. Her high heels clicked against the floor with heavy steps. Several men followed behind her; she looked like a gangster ready to kill and destroy.
"Auntie," Jasper said, looking up at the woman, his mouth wide open.
Her black hair, streaked lightly with silver, fell in soft waves around her shoulders. Her eyes were a calm shade of hazel—gentle yet sharp enough to see through anyone's lies. She had a slender figure and smooth, pale skin that still held traces of youthful beauty. Even in a navy-blue suit, there was an elegance to her—the kind that came from dignity and wealth.
Jasper widened his eyes in shock. His palms became sweaty as he looked around, searching for an escape. But there was no quick place to hide except the elevator that was a little far from him. Jasper looked in the direction of the woman and then at the elevator. He could risk it.
"Tell her I'm in a meeting or that I travelled," Jasper said and quickly ran to the elevator.
"Wait, but—" Mike mumbled, as he too was looking for his escape.
The woman got to Mike, who was cursing himself for not running away.
"Where is that punk?" the woman asked, looking around for Jasper.
Mike scoffed. "Auntie, good morning—"
"Keep your morning to yourself! Where is Jasper? Where is that boy?" the woman said, hitting her foot on the ground.
"He is out of town," Mike said, smiling.
"What do you mean? I saw him here just now. Where is he?" the woman questioned.
"I'm telling you, Auntie, he is not here. You must have seen me and, emmm—"
"What are you saying? Are you saying I'm blind?"
"No... no... no, of course not, Auntie," Mike swallowed as he racked his head for what to say.
"I'm saying you had it confused. It was me you saw and thought you saw Jasper beside me," Mike replied.
"I know what I saw. I did see him with you," the woman said with a confused look.
Mike smiled. "Auntie, you know as we grow older, we lose eyesight and our brain begins to deceive us," he said, holding the woman—but she found his words upsetting.
"Are you saying I'm old?" the woman questioned. She raised her brows, demanding his reply.
Mike swallowed hard. "Of course... of course not," he stammered.
"Well, Mike, for your information—"
"Madam, there he is," one of the men behind her pointed at the elevator. The woman's eyes followed his point and saw Jasper entering the elevator.
Mike widened his mouth. "Oh oh," he chuckled. The woman hit Mike's chest and shook her head. Mike winced in pain as he pressed his chest with his hand.
"Get him!" the woman shouted, and all the men ran to the elevator.
Jasper sighed as he entered the elevator. He had gotten away. He was still enjoying his moment of triumph when he heard the woman from the other end of the hall shout to her guards to get him. They rushed to the elevator at full speed. He quickly pressed the elevator buttons repeatedly as they grew closer.
"Come on," he said, biting his lip. The elevator door slowly began to close.
Just as the men got to the elevator, the door closed. Jasper sighed as he wiped the sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand.
Meanwhile, the woman frowned as she got to the elevator.
"Follow the stairs. We'll get to him on the other elevator," the woman said to the men. The men nodded and ran to the stairs close to the elevator.
Mike dashed up the other stairs, which were closer to him.
Jasper sighed as he calmed his nerves.
Click!
The door of the elevator gradually opened. Jasper was about to come out when Mike jumped into the elevator.
"Go, go, go, go!" Mike said, breathing heavily. Jasper then saw the men coming. He once again pressed the buttons, and the door closed.
The woman signaled for the men to go up the stairs again. The men nodded and did as ordered.
"Sir, what do we do? Madam won't rest until she catches us. They'll be waiting for us at the next stop," Mike said, heaving.
Jasper nodded. "That's true. Let's go down and quickly make our way out," Jasper said.
"But sir, you already pressed the buttons. We're heading to the highest floor," Mike said.
"Oh shit, we just have to be quick and get down fast," Jasper sighed. "How did that woman know I'd be at the office today?" Jasper sighed again. "She's like a witch."
It took a while, but the door clicked again. Jasper quickly pressed the button to the lowest floor as he saw the men running toward them, breathing heavily.
The door closed.
"What are they, sir? How can they run so fast to reach us? Don't they get tired?" Mike exclaimed. Jasper shook his head in disbelief.
"I don't know, but they're beasts," he sighed.
Once again, the door clicked. Jasper and Mike quickly prepared themselves to run out. As they jumped out, they met the angry gaze of the woman. Her eyes were like fire. Jasper and Mike fell back as they swallowed hard. The men were already behind them.
Do they fly? Jasper thought. He and Mike stood up, straightening themselves.
He smiled. "Auntie... you look beautiful. I see you, you're rocking the suit, girl," Jasper said, trying to ease the woman's anger.
The woman sighed as she grabbed his ear. "Out of town, boy? I see this looks like out of town!"
Jasper winced in pain. "Auntie, sorry! It won't happen again!" Jasper begged.
The woman frowned as she looked at Mike and also grabbed his ear.
"How dare you two make me feel old! This one said my brain is deceiving me!" the woman frowned.
"Mike," Jasper frowned. "How dare you lie to Auntie that I was out of town and tell her she's old?"
Mike widened his eyes in shock. "But you said—"
The woman tightened her hands on their ears. They cried out.
"Sorry! Sorry!" they begged. She then let go of their ears.
They smiled. "Thank you," they chorused.
Jasper then straightened himself. "Auntie, so what do you want today?" he asked.
The woman sighed. "I need to see my daughter. Now," she ordered.
Jasper sighed, his eyes widening as his mind reeled.