The Race

"$450 000!!". Patricia was brought back to the present after hearing someone shouting their bid. She quickly realized that she must have zoned out too long for the price to have reached so high. " My...my...I can't believe how much people are willing to pay for a dead racer's horse. Well hell!! He was one of the world's best after all. Too bad he got himself tangled up with 'El Plateado diablo' otherwise he will still be alive and kicking today. Tsk..." Remarked Jethro whilst looking at the screen where Lightningbolt was displayed.

When Patricia heard what Jethro said, she felt her whole body heating up in anger but also curious about the information that the blatant idiot beside her just revealed. 'So he definitely knows something. I better find ways to make him talk and also try to get my hands on Lightningbolt before somebody else does'.  Patricia then gently lifted up her right leg and let it rest on top of the other and she asked in a sweet voice, "'El plateado diablo'? 'The silver devil', mmm...I never heard of anyone holding such name before? Who is it?" "Hell woman!! From which world do you come from that you don't know anything about the 'silver devil'. He is the greatest champion Derby racer in the world and he is still undefeated. Many have tried but still failed. That man tsk... Is truly the devil himself...." Replied Jethro. "And why do you say that?" Asked Patricia in a sweet voice. Jethro then turned and looked at Patricia and replied, "You shall know soon enough...you shall know". And he smirked at her and took hold of his wine glass and drank from it.

Patricia felt a cold shiver running down her spine as soon as Jethro finished saying those words. Although she wanted to know more she still felt those words held a much deeper and perhaps even darker meaning to what they presume. Patricia felt that what she was going to uncover was much more graver and deeper than she anticipated and she felt a great unease creeping up her stomach and for the first time she felt a little bit afraid of what she was going to face in the future.

" $480 000!!! Is there anyone who wishes to bid higher!!" The voice of the auctioneer brought Patricia out of her thoughts and without thinking she stood up and said, "Wait!!!" And she turned and faced Jethro. "I want that horse as my guarantee!"

"Pfft....what!!?" Asked Jethro after spitting out some of his drink because of what Patricia just asked. "What did you just say?" He asked again, this time a bit composed. "I said...I want you to give me that horse as a guarantee for my services. You did say...I can have anything I want as a guarantee right...?" Asked Patricia and she slowly walked towards Jethro and leared over him and asked again, this time in a low sweet voice, "Right...?" "Of course I did baby...but...that horse is very costly...I mean....the damn thing even costs almost half a million dollars!...I couldn't possibly...." Replied Jethro. "So you were lying to me then....is that it... Urrgg!! I should have known that even a handsome TriStar like you is not even worth my services. I guess you are just the same as those low life scums that don't even know how to treat a lady right!" Said Patricia and she pouted her lips, and puffed out her chest pretending to be upset, and she hastily moved away from Jethro and quickly took hold her handbag and said, "Goodbye Mr Morales. This was fun while still lasted but too bad you never got to experience my services. So without further ado I bid you adue." And she started working towards the door to exit the booth and she made sure to move her hips seductively in a way to show Jethro what he has just missed.

After watching Patricia seductively swaying her hips whilst walking towards the door to exit the room, Jethro looked away and hissed out loudly due to the effect that it caused to him. He could even feel a slight throbbing between his legs and he knew that he should never let his sweet prey go even if it meant losing a half a million dollars. Well only for a little while...he is sure that one day the she will get tired of the damn horse and finally let it go. Only then will he have the joy of selling it again. Deep down he was curious as to know why a city girl like Patricia would want a horse instead of a fancy car. This beauty of his really is something else. Jethro heaved a heavy sigh and decided to tell Patricia that he has relented to her request. But when he lifted up his eyes...there was no one. His beauty was already gone....

.....

In the leeways of the evening, a taxi cab is seen pulling up at the gate of a cemetery in far country a couple of miles away from the city. A young woman wearing a red glittering shoulder to floor dress with red stilettoes and a hat covering the top of her long wavy black hair, boarded out of the taxi and gently instructed the driver to wait for her. She then took hold of her hand bag in one hand and the other she took hold of the flowers. She then slowly and gently walked up to the gate of the cemetery and trailed the path along the eerie looking graves in the deafening silence until she arrived at a grave with a big tombstone outstanding the rest. The tombstone was carved in the shape of a horse and a lot of dried flowers and pictures were surrounding it. 'In loving memory of Simon Milton, our world's most beloved Champion derby racer and his lovely wife Nicolette Ryans, they shall be forever remembered'.

Patricia gently traced her fingers across the tombstone's engravings and she gently placed the flowers on top and said in a broken voice, "Oh dad....how I wish you were still here....you could...you could have seen Lightningbolt....yes Dad. Lightningbolt is still alive....and he is still looking magnificent as he always did. Don't worry Dad....I promise to take care of him for you....but can you please forgive him....he didn't mean you any harm....but its that bastard!! That monster Ricardo Montenegra!!! Who is responsible for all this!! I hate him!! I swear that I hate him with all my being!! And swear to you...that I am going to make him pay for everything that he did to us everything!! And I also promise to get Lightningbolt out of the hands of that pig!! I swear that they are all going to pay!" And she collapsed on the ground and started crying. After a while she calmed down and said, "Oh mom...I am so sorry...I am so very sorry...I have been a bad daughter... and mostly a bad sister...Alisha and I have grown further more apart...and Zach doesn't even want to talk to me....and we...we have lost everything. Oh mom....Oh Dad....what am I gonna do.....what am I gonna do now....I can't do this on my own....I really need you....Dad I need your encouragement and Mom...I need your support... because I can't do this alone...(sobbing)....I can't. Dad....what am I going to do....I am not as brave and courageous as I used to be....I am completely lost...I really need your help right about now.....I really need you." And she continued to cry a little bit more.

After another while, she then stood up and decided to leave since it was already dark. "Goodbye Dad...goodbye Mom. I will be sure to visit again next time. And next time I'll make sure that Lightningbolt comes visiting with me. I promise." And she turned to leave. But as she was leaving she saw something shining near the grave under the light of the moonlight. She knelt down to observe and she saw that beside the tombstone there was a small tiny compartment. As she investigated further she saw that the compartment was slightly open and something shiny was stored inside. Patricia gently lifted the compartment's lid and she saw a small golden rectangular box with a picture of a golden horse engraved on it. She gently lifted the box from the compartment and showed it up to the moonlight. The box was locked and at the edge there were small engraved words. Patricia took out her phone and turned on the flashlight to look at what the words say. 'it started with a race and it will end with a race'.  Patricia could vaguely make out her father's words that day before he went out to race but she didn't know what he meant. 'Could it be that..this was what he meant. But what's inside this box and how am I going to open it' thought Patricia as she inspected the box further.

"Drop that box lady and nobody will get hurt!" Patricia was startled as she heard a low rusty voice behind her. She felt something cold pressed against her back and she didn't need to guess what it was,  a knife. "Didn't you hear what I said! I said drop the golden box on the ground alongside all your other valuables, your phone, your purse and all your jewelry now!!" Before Patricia could react another low husky male voice said, "How about you drop your weapon instead! And nobody gets hurt!"

Patricia felt the man behind her stiffen, and the hand holding the knife starting to shake. "Do it now!!" After the other man shouted the order, the man with the knife dropped it on the ground. "Get on your knees now!! And put your hands behind your back!!" And the man complied. "Are you alright Miss?" Asked the other man that came to Patricia's rescue. Before Patricia could turn around and look at her knight in shining armor and thank him for his help. 'Bang! Bang! Bang!" gunshots were fired at them and Patricia saw three more men wearing black hoods and masks emerging from the graves and firing at them. 'What hell is happening!!" Screamed Patricia in her thoughts.