Chapter 4. Decision
Beach House, Rio De Janeiro
Severa's mind had been stuck on one thing all night long.
Dom was in Rio.
And after all these years, she had a chance to see him again, to talk to him. She wondered how much he had changed from the little 12-year-old boy she remembered; he would be 35 now, a grown man.
It was all becoming too much. She had stayed up all night wondering what to do, trying to make sense of how she was going to explain this to the girls, The entire reason she was even on this trip.
But there was more to it than just the reunion. There were unanswered questions and unresolved feelings that had lingered in the depths of her heart for years. Would seeing him again reignite those emotions? Or had time truly healed the wounds of the past?
Severa sighed as she glanced at the clock, its hands ticking relentlessly forward. The sun would rise soon, casting its light on a decision she had to make. Did she dare take the leap and reach out to Dom? Or was it safer to let the past remain buried, untouched by the present?
Her fingers tapped anxiously on the edge of the paper, contemplating whether to make the decision that could potentially change everything. Deep down, she knew there was only one way to find out.
"Morning," She turned around to find Edith walking down the stairs. "Did you make breakfast?" She asked as she made her way to the kitchen table where Severa was sitting.
"Uh, yeah," Severa replied, her voice betraying her inner turmoil. She pushed the paper aside, hoping to conceal her conflicted thoughts.
Edith raised an eyebrow, noticing Severa's distracted demeanor. "Is everything alright?" she inquired, concern lacing her words.
Severa forced a smirk, masking her uncertainty. "Yeah, just had a rough night, that's all."
Edith nodded understandingly, though the worry in her eyes remained. "Well, if you need to talk about anything, I'm here," she offered, placing a comforting hand on Severa's shoulder the sound of footsteps drew her attention away.
Severa took a glance back at the stairs as Narcissa and Theodosia made their way into the kitchen.
"Morning my amazing friends!" Narccisa's voice was laced with happiness as she opened her arms wide and spun around the kitchen.
"And what's up with you, Miss Sunshine?" Edith said with a playful smile.
"my handsome husband sent me a letter." she waved a dark green letter around in the air only for it to get snatched out of her hand by Edith. "Oi!, give it back!" The two ran around the kitchen one giggling and the other yelling.
Severa sat there, her eyes watching the two while her mind fought itself trying to make the right decision.
"Hey! it's too damn early for all that." She raised her voice as she spoke, causing everyone in the kitchen to freeze.
Theodosia hopped on top of the counter, grabbing a piece of bacon as she went. "What's up with you?"
Severa cursed, she always broke her cool when Dom was involved. "Nothing," She tried to hide the paper more, hoping they didn't see it.
But Narcissa had already caught sight of it. With a curious glance, she reached for the paper, her brow furrowing as she scanned the words written upon it.
"What's this?" Edith's tone was gentle, yet probing.
Severa's heart raced as she struggled to come up with an explanation. She couldn't bear to admit the truth, not yet. "Just some old notes," she mumbled, avoiding their gaze.
Theodosia, ever perceptive, raised an eyebrow. "Old notes, huh? Looks like more than that to me," she remarked, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.
"This is an address," she flipped the paper over checking for anything else. "Where is this to?" All their eyes fell on her.
Severa was frozen, she had no idea what to say or do. She didn't need this right now; her mind felt like it was going to explode.
"To a....Food stand." The lie rolled off her tongue like butter as she regained her calm. She grabbed the paper back from Narcissa and stuffed it in her pocket.
"A food stand?" Theodosia flicked a bit of bacon her way. "And why on earth do you have the address to a food stand?" she tilted her head to the side, eyes challenging Severa to lie.
She knew this game; she used it on her students all the time, but now? It felt like she was the student, and Severa did not like that one bit. "Why I have what I have is none of your business, Theodosia."
The tension in the kitchen thickened, the unspoken truth hanging heavy in the air. Severa could feel the weight of their scrutiny, their curiosity probing at the walls she had carefully erected around her heart.
But as much as she longed to confide in her friends, to unburden herself of the secrets that threatened to consume her, Severa knew she couldn't risk it. Some things were better left unsaid, locked away in the recesses of her mind where they couldn't hurt anyone.
With a forced smile, Severa pushed her chair back from the table, the clatter echoing in the stillness of the kitchen. "I think I'll take a walk," she announced, her voice betraying none of the turmoil raging within her.
Narcissa reached out, her expression filled with concern. "Are you sure you're okay?"
Severa nodded, though the lie tasted bitter on her tongue. "I'll be fine," she assured them, her steps faltering as she made her way to the door. "Don't wait up for me, I'll be gone all day."
"Sev-" She did get to hear who called after her as she acioed her bag and slammed the door.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Somewhere in Rio
Three figures occupied the balcony of the towering edifice, their gazes fixed upon the sprawling expanse of Rio. Among them were two men and a woman.
"Alright, let's go over the plan real quick," the middle figure initiated the conversation. "What are we working with?" He directed his attention to the man positioned beside him, who leaned casually against the railing.
The man returned his gaze, briefly acknowledging the woman beside him. "First, we're gonna need a chameleon," he paused, allowing his words to hang in the air as he glanced out at the vista. "Someone who can blend in anywhere."
The woman stepped forward eagerly. "And what else?" Her voice tinged with a blend of excitement and apprehension.
"A fast talker," the man continued, still lounging against the railing. "Someone who can bullshit their way out of anything." He shot a knowing look at the man next to him, who responded with a grin. "I've got that covered."
The woman rolled her eyes before chiming in. "This guy's gonna have lots of surveillance; we'll require someone who's good with circuits." She shook her head slightly, directing her gaze at the other two.
The main man nodded in agreement. "And with those circuits, Reyes will have walls. We're gonna need guys to punch through those walls" He paused briefly. "Men who aren't afraid to get their hands dirty."
"Anything else?"
He turned back to the pair. "Utilities and weaponry," they all nodded in understanding.
"Someone who ain't afraid to throw down."
The second man crossed his arms. "Yeah, what else do we need?" he inquired, fully pivoting to face the other man.
"Most importantly," he raised two fingers. "We'll require two precision drivers." The other man's grin widened. "guys who don't crack under pressure."
"You know we've got that covered, Dom."
Dom turned to face them both, a grin playing on his lips. He glanced at Mia, who was lost in thought, her eyes fixed on the Rio skyline.
"What's on your mind, Mia?" he moved closer, placing a hand on her shoulder.
She glanced at Brian then back at Dom, exhaling softly. "There's one more thing we need." Brian and Dom exchanged looks before focusing on her. "What's that?"
She sighed, her gaze drifting to the sunrise. "Someone who's crazy enough to take on Reyes in a fistfight but composed enough to keep us all alive."
"Do you have someone in mind?"
She placed a hand over her heart, her gaze fixed on the horizon. "I can only hope she shows up."