"Slowly turn around to see what's behind you", Maverick whispered to Bernard as he poured some ice into his drink.
Bernard did as instructed and he had to remove his shades to have a perfect picture of what was behind him.
"Wow, I have heard there are beautiful ladies in this city and it is my first time seeing one."
The guys burst into laughter with his reaction and he was reminded how he said the same thing about two weeks ago.
Bernard called the waiter and demanded that the charming lady sitting behind him should be given anything she wants. The waiter approached the lady and told her what Bernard said.
She walked up to him and said "thank you", with a big smile.
"I am Bernard and these are my friends", he introduced everyone to her.
"Nice meeting you guys, I am Ella", she responded sharply.
The introduction was short and Ella was about to turn around when Bernard suggested that she joined their table.
She was reluctant at first but couldn't say no to the guys who looked like they will cry if she turned down their request.
Ella reached for her bag and joined them. They had a lot to eat and drink, her presence spiced up the atmosphere as they joke and shared experiences.
Bernard wished Ella would spend more time with them but she had to go and he was glad she gave him her contact.
They got close and communicated often but Ella wasn't giving him a green light to his proposal. Bernard is a flirt and easily gets what he wants but things aren't as easy as they use to be with Ella. He promised his friend that he wouldn't give up on her until he got what he wants.
Ella arrived at work on a Friday and her superior called her team for a short briefing. She worked with a private security company that was somehow connected to the government and they had a very crucial task ahead.
A Halloween party plus a historical artifact auction would hold in a hotel and there will be influential people there so her company got the job of ensuring the safety of everyone present at the party.
She got home that night and got a text from Bernard who wanted them to hang out. Ella agreed to go since she had the intention of eating out that night.
They met at a big eatery and they got to know more about each other while eating. Ella's phone alarm sounded and she told Bernard it was time for her to go.
"We could do this at my place next weekend or what do you think", Bernard asked.
"I will think about it but don't be hopeful about it", Ella replied.
Bernard stretch out his hand for a hug as they bid goodbyes, Ella took it and he was happy.
The event day came and she was off to work very early. She got her gears and drove out of the company with her team.
They arrived at the hotel and settled into their respective position. Ella was in the camera room to oversee everything since she was the team captain.
The event began and people started getting into the hall in their Halloween costumes. Everything was smooth and Ella felt great because successful jobs like that attract bigger ones.
The artifacts auctioning started and biddings were going on in the hall.
One of the hotel cameras went blank and Ella quickly told her guys to check it out. They found nothing and it was quickly overlooked since the camera came up by itself again.
She concentrated back on the auctioning and notice something was right about the camera's feed.
Ella tried alerting her boys but it failed, it looked like the network was jammed with a device. She quickly left the camera room to alert her boys and before she got down, havoc had struck. The majority of her boys had been disarmed and locked in a room.
Some guys robbed the hotel and spirited away some artifacts worth millions of dollars.
Ella couldn't explain what happened and they got to know that the robbers hacked into the company system. The cameras were showing playback and Ella didn't figure it out early.
The issue escalated and her company's reputation crumbled immediately. She was dismissed a few days after and was very sad about it.
Bernard's efforts to reach her failed, she wouldn't even pick up calls. Ella was indoor for days before she decided to step out again.
She finally picked up Bernard's call and after discussing for some time, he begged her to come visiting which she agreed.
Bernard came to pick her up that weekend and Ella managed to wear a smile all through the trip. He lives in a mansion with his friends and they look richer than they appear.
They went in and she was given royal hospitality. Ella had a great time with Bernard and she had a genuine smile for the first time since she lost her job.
"I have a gift for you", Bernard said as he stood up to go get it.
Ella was wondering what it could be but couldn't come up with something.
"I will just wait instead of guessing", she said to herself.
Bernard's phone vibrated continuously and Ella took it with aim of calling him out but she didn't when the notification says, "artifact 1 sold".
Her mind went back to the hotel incident and she quickly dropped the phone when she heard Bernard's footsteps approaching.
Ella tried to be calm and she left immediately after Bernard gave her the gift.
She started her investigation immediately on Bernard with the aid of her friend in the FBI who was also investigating the case. Ella got closer to Bernard and exposed him after getting solid proof against him.
He and his friends have been responsible for some big robbery stories in the state but they were never caught until their evil act affected Ella. Bernard didn't believe Ella gave him a false identity of herself, it was too late and he faced the wrath of the law with his friends.