Ayshe
Without anything better to do, I followed my sister upstairs.
I suppose I should get used to that, having offered myself as her assistant.
But I wanted to be close to her and help. Also, a steady paycheck would be nice.
Here's the thing.
Marie never even had to carry money anymore. Everything was paid for her by a single black card she carried.
I myself moved here, into her husband's house, instead of staying with my parents' new one.
Meaning I was left without my own money.
Of course, we never spent more than we did lately, but still, that's not the same.
"Do you have your own bank account?" I asked Marie.
"Umm... I'm on Asin's account. Why?"
"Hmm... nothing."
Asin's account is the never-ending fountain of currency. I checked mine this morning, and it was the same... couldn't afford a burger and fries from there.
"When do we get paid after we start?" I asked.
"I have no idea... weekly or monthly, I guess. Why? Do you need money?" She asked, looking back.
"Not your money..." I murmured.
"I heard that! Stop being childish, Ayshe. I'm your big sister."
We arrived, and she walked in without knocking.
So I guess finding Asin naked was really her fault.
"Oyy! Hello Privacy!?"
He yelled, pulling the cover from the bed.
Marie was comatose from the scene, and the scene even affected me as a young, impressionable girl, but I woke up way before my sister.
"O-our bad... but why didn't you change in the shower?" I asked.
I had to push Marie aside to come in.
"Well... it's a... Why am I explaining myself? And why did you come in. Go out so I can change!"
He pointed behind us.
"I'm sorry, but Marie is still loading," I snapped my finger in front of her. "Wake up, damn you! You'll probably see an awful lot of that in the future."
He ended up changing on the balcony facing the ocean.
"That was intense, huh!?" Marie laughed.
"Sure was... Are you okay? You... you're sweating a little." I pointed at her face.
"I'm fine... something to look forward to."
I would rather not have seen her face right now.
Asin came back fully clothed, and for the first time, I saw... a little red in the face.
He shook his head, disproving, as he took a seat and laced his shoes.
"Sorry... my bad," Marie apologized.
"...People who feel sorry won't smile as much, but I take it as a compliment. You don't say a word."
He added the last bit for me when I was about to say something.
I was going to compliment the guy...
"What are you two doing today?" He asked.
That was just it. I wanted us to go with him. Not feel so out of the loop with their comings and goings, or get little bits of information Marie was provided.
Also wanted to see Oliver.
"What are you doing, my love?" Marie asked him.
He wore a smug smile.
"My one and only, I can't explain every facet of my day; it would defeat my life's purpose, to be fast and efficient."
I snorted. "You fast and efficient is your..."
"I am the fastest man alive." He cut me off.
"In a car!" Marie added.
He looked at her.
"What else is there?"
"Umm, running? Olympics?" I counted.
"Have you seen their recent views and one of my single clips? Let's not embarrass yourself any further. Besides, it's not my problem that you two are bored."
We couldn't say much to that.
I had a feeling Marie felt the same way... wanted to be part of their exciting world but too afraid to look interested or actually ask.
"Seriously... what are you doing?" Marie tried again.
I expected more witty banter, like he usually gave, but to my surprise, he just looked at me.
"You admit your wrongdoing?"
"W-what wro..."
"Don't play dumb." He asked.
I exchanged a look with Marie about her husband's attack, but she was helpless as well.
Did I do something wrong?
No. I pointed out their awful end of this road. Or at least one of the outcomes. Maybe I can get him off my back with a half answer.
"I... admit that I was harsh."
"Fair enough. But know this. My boy is stoic. He loves and believes in what we are doing. If you don't open for him... you guys are done."
His seriousness scared me a little. My sister tried to defend me.
"Asin... I don't think it's fair..."
He looked at Marie, and it was enough for her to abandon my defense.
After my prolonged silence, he sighed and walked over.
"You do as you like. I won't interfere, but if you are at a crossroads and you are unwilling to make a decision... that's a pretty big decision as well. If you guys want to join me today, be downstairs in ten minutes."
He tapped my shoulder and left us alone.
"Hmm... hmm..."
My sister humming made my mind snap back.
"So he says the only way forward for me and Oliver is to apologize to him?" I asked her.
"I believe he said... open to him. Make the first move towards reconciliation. Hate to say this, but Oliver is too proud to come to you... After..."
"I get it... okay."
Whether I agreed with them or not was neither here nor there. If last night was a preview of what's to come... I hated it.
His indifference was worse than any kind of insults he could cook up.
Not making a decision... is a decision as well.
~
We were sitting in a luxurious minibus his family had dozens of. Comfortable, top-of-the-line, driven by a driver who kept saluting Asin.
Strange.
"Now you tell us where are we going?"
That was Marie's third attempt.
"If you have something on your mind, just tell me, and I can drop you off..." He smiled.
She let it go. I couldn't believe we still didn't get a word out of him.
Seeing the city was nowhere near the magic we used to experience.
Like when we used to come, everything felt bigger, brighter, and more brilliant. Now that we spent some time and started to consider it home, it looked like Konore or any other place.
Just people of all kinds going around their daily lives, following a routine that kept them alive.
I looked ahead and saw my sister snuggled up to the guy who actually deserves her. She looked complete like that.
Ayshe... admit your wrongdoings, and you can be there soon.
But some things can't be explained, like my stubbornness that refused to accept to apologize for simply pointing out the danger ahead.
Instead of a thank you... or maybe some soul searching... Oliver closed his heart.
Let him suffer a little more.
---
Asin
I got the text after a shower from Leyla.
Today, I claim the best young husband award.
I feel like it's an award already. I will look into it later.
"Asin... I'm done. Are you taking us abroad?"
Marie was getting impatient waiting at the Arrival area.
"You start working on Monday," I reminded her.
I checked the time, and we still had a few minutes, I guess.
"Are someone important arriving?" She asked.
"Um... yeah, sure."
"Hmm... overseas?"
"No."
"Are they..."
"Babe... it's no good like this. Let us just get a divorce."
My eyes were pulsing inside my skull, and no amount of aspirin seemed to handle it. Paint cans always did this to me. Maybe I developed an allergy.
We spent too much time drawing genitals last night.
"Fine... print the papers, we'll see if you have working hands to sign with. Who the hell are you looking at!?"
She gave a piece of her mind to a bunch of teen girls who ran away from our group.
Her threats and violence always made me smile.
Thankfully...
"MARIE!!!"
She ran into the arms of her girlfriends and managed to take the three of them down on the floor.
"You brought Lilly and Henny here?" Ayshe asked.
"Disapprove?"
"I would've preferred a heads up," she complained.
"I would've preferred a sister-in-law with more clarity or critical thinking, but we can't have our cake and eat it too."
"Pardon... Are you mad at me because of Oliver or something?"
"..."
My silence was my answer, and her attempts at stomping on the floor in frustration was her response to it.
The girls' wrestling was interrupted by our security detail, who stepped in collecting people's phones who made videos of them.
She grabbed their hands and brought them to us.
"You..."
She was red in the face and her hair in disarray... and I'm not going to lie, it turned me on a little bit.
Couldn't think anymore because she attacked me. Our public display of affection drew the howling of her friends.
Hmm... girls did that, too.
"Thank you," she whispered.
"Now you won't be bored with only... Uhum here to entertain you."
I nodded towards my furious sister-in-law.
"Ayshe... you're looking well."
The strawberry blonde girl... Lilly, something, put her arm around her.
"The color gray looks good on her," I said only to Marie.
She was too happy to even defend Ayshe. Maybe she just agreed.
"Thanks, Lilly. Henny, welcome. How long are you guys staying?" Ayshe asked them.
Marie actually looked at me.
"Oh... just hire them at the company. They live in our house as guests as long as they need," I shrugged.
My plan was working well. I had never seen her happier. I bet she was turned on as well.
"W-what's that... what job?"
The other one asked Marie. Henny... something or other.
Ayshe was still being hugged by Lilly, my sister-in-law looked annoyed, and my wife explained her new adventure to her friend, looking absolutely brilliant to my eyes.
Did I do this out of some faint guilt I felt for tricking her?
Who cares?
Marie should be happy like this by default.
Everything was going as planned.
My time of answering a never-ending line of questions seemed to be at an end.
Marie was immersed in chitchat with her friends about what she had missed... what they did.
Ayshe kept staring at me, but I was immune.
Besides, despite her seemingly unending hostility towards them, I did catch her listening to everything they said and answered when included.
Looks like she benefits from their arrival as well.
Oliver texted me on his lunch... well, it was just an emoji of a turd but it might as well be a full page.
Maybe that's why I didn't look forward to being stuck in some stuffy place like her mother's law firm.
I promised Dede I would find my own way into our family business, meaning now I had to think of something we could do under their umbrella.
But honestly... how zesty do I look to them to think of me when they are about to open the cosmetics division?
Maybe a beard would do me good.
I checked the time and... for 20 minutes, I didn't need to do or say a word.
The longest in our marriage.
"...as marketing manager, I can provide you with the determination and passion only the poor truly possess."
I couldn't help but chuckle and give a thumbs up to the short-haired one called Henny.
"You are hired!" Marie accepted dramatically.
"I can provide you with knowledge about style, having my own beauty brand since the age of 21. The most important aspect in beauty products," Lilly said her piece.
Impressive. Maybe... Unless her dad bought it.
"Yeah, that is 100% true... you are hired as well!"
I quickly covered my ears when they hugged and avoided crying from the pain behind my eyes. Closed my eyes until it was back to faintly pulsing again.
"Asin?... Are you okay?"
Marie climbed over to my side and put her hand all over me, checking my temperature.
"You're burning up... what happened?"
Before she started to worry, I stopped the momentum.
"I'm fine, dear... happens when I..." I almost said while working with paint. "...am at the airports."
She raised an eyebrow.
"Allergic to airports? Fever from airports!?"
Her voice is like a knife sometimes.
"Marie... enough. I'm okay, but if it makes you feel better, I'll go sleep some," I promised.
She wasn't convinced.
I forgot how much girlfriends are supposed to worry. Fck you, Anna.
"Fine... we are going home as well."
"Uh huh."
"Nonsense... you take your girls and spend some money." I tapped her hand.
"Asin..."
"What? You never buy anything for yourself. Go and do some damage. Make my mother happy."
"Why? She said something?" She asked looking worried.
"Hmm?"
"She just wants you to feel like you're part of the family. So please? W-what is happening there?" I pointed across.
Her friends kept making ad-lib sounds.
"Girls!!"
They quickly dropped it and started annoying Ayshe instead.
"Fine... I'll buy something for you as well." She smiled.
For me? As in... something for her but for me? As in...
I had to bite my own tongue to stop my imagination running wild.
"As you wish... but as far as preference... think about fishing... get it? Fish in nets? Babe?"
I had to make sure with the delicate stuff like that.
She leaned over and covertly locked onto my lips.
"I understand... Trust me."
If not for the extras in the car, I would've danced. Hell, I might do that later.
"Guys... Eww..."
I leaned to the left and saw Ayshe making faces.
"Eww?... Eeewww you!"
Against that kind of sophisticated comeback she got nothing to say.
Is she sure being a doctor is for her?
---
Marie
Asin insisted we go and have fun so after he stepped out at a random luxury hotel, that turned out they owned, we were ready to leave.
"Tell the chauffeur where you want to go if you want privacy and shop alone. Otherwise, never leave their sight and call me if..."
I leaned out the car, kissed him to shut him up.
"Sleep... okay? Rest then come home."
"Promises, promises..."
He gave me a signature grin and slid the door gently in place.
We were off to the heart of the city.
"Marie, the change in you. It's great to see you guys getting along so well."
I smiled at Henny.
"Thank you... it wasn't without bad bits but we did eventually arrived here."
Ayshe smiled knowingly.
"But still. Insisting on spending money on yourself? You sure tamed him, my dear apprentice. Well done," Lilly joked.
"I know," I shrugged with a sly smile.
Ayshe rolled her eyes, but so what?
We tamed each other. We're still doing it.
Having my friends near was an incredible relief both inside and out of work.
I kept smiling to myself when I thought how much he cared for my happiness. The lengths he was willing to go to make sure I felt safe.
Ayshe being with me Monday was a great comfort, but having Lilly and Henny will let me relax and actually have some fun while at it.
Asin... how to thank you?
"Marie, you're smiling creepy again."
Ayshe was like the voice of reality. Although I can't fault my reality right now.
~
We arrived at the department store.
I never liked the idea of shutting down a store so we could shop in a horror movie setting.
But having a dozen guards keeping normal people away, who gave you these disgusted looks, turned out even worse.
My friends enjoyed it.
They kept showing off to the bystanders, they were discussing prices out loud... and kept calling me Mrs. Martell.
Ayshe finally showed some of her old self. She acted like Henny and Lilly annoyed her but they got along in a weird way.
We spent a lot. As in, the shop owner came out and made sure everything was to our liking.
I was thinking of his present... fish, huh... fish...
"Marie, come and see this."
Henny was holding something that resembled a camera.
"You know I'm an avid fan of G.O.D.... ohh, you okay?"
I tumbled a little when she brought them up.
"I'm okay, go on..."
"...anyway. I was thinking of becoming proficient in editing and filmmaking..."
"Wait, wait... you want to make videos of them with that?" I pointed at the thing.
"Well yeah and no... first, it's called creating... but I happen to found someone online who actually knows them and can recommend me."
What is happening? She took my silence as a need for more and continued.
"...Well with these here, I can make killer footage and I promise it won't interfere with work."
"Um... yeah, sure, buy it. But who is that mystery man who can get you on the inside?"
I had a bad feeling. This guy was either some traitor or... a perv who targeted my friend.
"I promise he is legitimate. Like he sent things only people from the inside knew." She chatted happily.
Seeing her playing with her new toy, I made a mental note to find out more about this career maker and if need be... let Asin deal with him.
Ayshe was happily trying some necklaces.
Oh sister, how can I tell you that bloodbaths are sometimes inevitable and often necessary.
---
Oliver
Asin texted me and I went straight to the Balton, one of their hotels.
Didn't bother with reception since we both had a copy of the master key card.
Inside 309 there he was. Drooling on the hotel bedsheets.
I took a deep breath.
"FIRE!!!!"
He jumped up and kicked the standing lamp and started shadow boxing immediately.
"Hahaha... priceless."
"Damn you... I'm going to attack you now," he stumbled.
"Yeah, but first drink this." I threw him a soda.
For a man with killer instinct, seeing him fumble that catch was comical.
He cooled off by the end of the can.
"How was the day of the working man?" He asked sarcastically.
"Same high-octane action... we're barely keeping up with the work from Uncle Erwing. We need to hire more staff, but people are incompetent..."
"Yeah, well, heavy heads, heavy crowns... etc. etc." He yawned. "...we gotta put a rush on our own event."
I leaned back, letting out the air of my lungs.
"Turns out it's not as easy as we thought, there is a queue and we are fifth in line."
The situation was that some of the heads of the council had great fun and even greater profits planning and private betting.
Private betting... where one bet equaled the entire public. We needed some of that, but we were still... proving ourselves.
"Fifth... meaning next year at best." He did the math.
"Unfortunately, our plan of joining this year might be put on hold. There is a lot going on for making plans for the future."
He wasn't happy... neither was I.
But with the new police measures, the council's petty jealousies, a potential traitor in our midst... the girls getting involved and Asin potentially starting to work...
There was a lot. Joining an organized crime syndicate was... a full-time job.
"Next time," Asin said to the ceiling.
"Next time."
~
We were on our way to the warehouse when he dropped the news.
"The girls arrived, from Konore..."
"Lilly and Henny." I nodded.
"...yes. They quickly improved Marie's mood. Ayshe says hi..."
"Haha... what else?" I asked.
"They will join Marie at the company doing something marketing maybe? I'm not sure... but it's good. Uu uu... Marie will buy me something." He smiled.
"Okay..."
"No... I mean, buy ME something. Huh?"
"I'm happy for you, brother."
I barely held back a laugh seeing him counting to five.
We haven't seen our people since before the race and just like everyone they've been taking it easy and laying low the last few days.
Kol Sanilmaz... son of Mehmet Sanilmaz was cleaning the warehouse.
"Why?" asked Asin.
"Oh right. I was... well, no one cares about cleaning... right!... Obviously." He let go the mop and stepped backwards into the crowd.
"He's still doing these things," he said keeping an eye on him.
"He was always strange." I walked past and addressed the lot. "Friends, thank you for coming, those who could. We are officially back in business but... with increased security."
Asin was suspiciously looking at Kol until I nudged him.
"Right... People, listen. From this point on, you will all be undergoing a minor surgery..."
He had to stop for a minute because of the murmuring of 60-plus people drowned him out.
I stepped forward.
"SHUT UP!!"
I stepped back.
"Thank you... you didn't let me finish, kids. It's painless, and it takes a minute. It's a tracking device... that's right! You'll never be lost again."
They didn't understood his smile. But I remembered his expression when I surprised him with this.
It wasn't painless and it took more than a minute.
"Boss?"
"Metin." He nodded.
"Is this necessary?"
"It's a tracking device, Ume," he used his nickname. "I'm not going to peek on you. It's not capable of that. But we need it... there is a rat in the gang."
Instead of noise, the silence was palpable.
I stepped forward.
"You all know about the attack on the 9th... well, we have enemies everywhere but we are not equipped to deal with traitors!"
We built this on trust... losing that would mean our end. But if it truly happened... if the rat is one of ours...
"Please understand this isn't some trust fall issue..." Asin took over. "I myself was privileged to get this device, and it's a great comfort knowing my family can always find me."
The people seemed to calm down and starting to accept their new reality.
"Of course you may refuse... you might lean on things like... fear of needles or pain, or you missing your fucking share bear!" I raised my voice. "Well, you lot will be under surveillance 24/7 until we can trust them again. If ever."
Didn't wanna hurt the crew, but this had to be done.
Asin, in the meantime, disappeared and came back with our doctors and nurses.
"Alright... who's first?" He smiled ear to ear.
Villain.