Desiree put up a fight when two men entered her room. Though it was a losing battle, she had to at least try.

They won, of course.

They carried her out of the room, through a dimly lit hallway with paintings hanging on both sides. She tried to scream even though she knew she would not be heard. They entered another room and Ms. Kane was inside, waiting for her with a smile that did not reach her eyes.

"I'm sorry if you have to arrive at such a fashion, dear," the woman said, nodding at the two men. They understood and dragged Desiree to a chair. "You have to be very calm, Desiree dear, if you wish to get through this night unharmed." Ms. Kane opened a velvet rectangular box as she spoke. "This is going to sting a bit but it will help your nerves." Desiree's eyes widened when she saw the syringe.

"Please, don't. Why are you doing this to me?" she cried out. Ms. Kane just smiled as she signaled for the two men to hold Desiree down.

She tried kicking and flailing her limbs, but the two men were too strong for her.

Ms. Kane's smile did not leave her lips as she punctured the needled into Desiree's arm.

*****

"This is all we have?" Marco asked his partner, his fingers restlessly tapping the table he was sitting on.

He and Gian were both looking at the large board before them. A horizontal line was drawn at the very center. It was the timeline of the murder. There was one problem though: it was almost empty. They correlated Khaye's and Jamaica's whereabouts on the timeline. As of the moment, the two ladies' timeline were the only ones they could make out.

The coroner placed the time of death between 11 PM and 3 AM. Desiree, the other model, was unaccounted for during that time, except when Khaye saw her running off with a stranger after the time which she claimed the murder must have happened.

One challenge they had to face was the fact that the Richard they were looking for was using an alias. There were no guests in the hotel under that name except an eighty year-old man who could barely walk. As to Petroff, he had already checked out before the police arrived at the hotel.

"All crucial CCTV angles have magically turned off from the morning of the day the girls arrived at the hotel," Gian uttered for the third time, disbelief still in his tone. "This case is getting a bit complicated, Marco."

It was true that they could not point out where each suspect was on the time the murder happened. They all had to rely on accounts they had gathered from Khaye, some hotel staff and other hotel guests. What Marco was certain of was that Richard and Petroff were in the room with Jamaica before she died. They fought over her and some money.

"Why is there just one person dead?" he asked aloud.

"What do you mean by that?" asked Gian.

Marco didn't take his eyes off the board. "If the two men fought, why did Jamaica wind up dead alone? One of them must want to kill the other if they were having a big fight over her and the money."

"Maybe she wasn't that important to them," Gian guessed. "Maybe getting the hell out of the room alive was the better option."

He considered his partner's words. "If they are who we think they are, Jamaica was just a pawn. But still, there must have been signs of struggle in that room."

"All we found are torn clothes, Desiree's phone and a broken shoe."

Marco frowned. "Shoe?"

Gian nodded. "There was just one."

"Where's the other?"

"We're looking for it. Jamaica's phone can't be found. All rooms have been searched and we are just waiting for the reports."

He looked at the photos on the top of the board. Petroff was a well-known figure in the entertainment industry so it was easy for them to get a photo. Desiree had thousands online. Khaye also had one with a label 'witness' written on top of it. Jamaica's was at the very top, staring back at him with a seductive and knowing smile. If only she knew she'd end up on top of an investigation board, Marco thought.

"Do that," he said to his partner before jumping off the table to go to the door. "For now, I want to have a picture of this Richard guy and the one Desiree was with that night. Let's see what your sister can show us with those composites. And then we'll go talk to Petroff and find this Richard guy before they disappear again."

*****

Khaye did her best to give a clear picture of Richard to the sketch artist.

"His nose is straight, a bit long. Yes, that's right. No beard. Clean face. His right jaw is a bit larger than the left. Deep-set eyes, maybe black. I'm not certain."

As the artist continued to draw, she wondered whether she made the right decision to keep the video she had taken of Jamaica and Richard. Would it do anyone any good? She trusted Gian, but she didn't know if she could trust his partner.

There was no question that Richard and Petroff were powerful. She had witnessed Petroff bring down people in the industry for smaller mistakes. She wouldn't dare make one mistake at this time as well. She had to have some leverage.

"I don't think I can give an exact definition of the other guy. I didn't see him clearly."

The sketch artist paused for a while and said, "We'll get to that later. For now, let's focus on this Richard guy."

Khaye nodded weakly.

*****

Richard threw his tablet and it came crashed against the opposite wall of the room.

Theo looked up from reading the news on his phone in the sofa and calmly asked, "What is it?"

"Didn't you see the news?" his brother almost shouted.

"Yes, I did."

"That woman must have seen something."

Theo set his phone aside, crossed one leg over the other and clashed both hands over his knee. "Why? Should you be alarmed?"

His brother turned to him sharply. "What do you mean by that?"

He shrugged. "As the star witness of this overrated murder, should she have any reason to point you as the suspect?"

Richard looked at him incredulously. "Of course not!"

Theo stared at him for a long time before speaking, "You followed her that night."

"That doesn't fucking mean I killed her. Are you saying I did?"

He lifted his shoulders and sighed. "I'm saying you're overreacting. You've been acting too violent since Jamaica's death."

"You and I both know what she meant to me."

He shook his head. "No, not really. I have always thought she was just someone you have sex with every time you meet."

Richard's jaws tightened. "Well, you're wrong. She was mine."

"Did you see her that night?" Theo asked as his brother stormed to the door. Richard stopped, his hand on the handle.

"No," was his brother's reply.

"You did not follow her and Petroff?" he asked again.

"No. I came straight to my room when I couldn't find them."

For a few seconds, there was just silence. "Then stop freaking out." Richard did not reply and walked out of the room, leaving Theo to wonder on his own.

*****

She felt hands working all over her body but she couldn't bring herself to brush them off. She was stripped of her clothes. They washed her clean. They dressed her into something else. Through her blurred vision she saw Ms. Kane bending over her head, putting makeup on her like Desiree was just a doll she was playing with. Her hair was softly brushed.

There was less talk, more action.

She tried to speak but couldn't utter a sound.

"She's ready," she heard Ms. Kane finally say.

Her mind was protesting, shouting for them to stop and leave her alone. It didn't work.

The two men carried her out of the room. She felt like she was floating underneath the water surface. She could breath and she was screaming for help.

But she remained unheard.

*****

"They're planning to do something about her," Richard said to Theo inside the car.

They were dressed for the occasion that evening. Both of them were sitting at the back of the car as it sped to the deepest part of the city.

He noted the calmness in his brother's tone. "She knows Petroff and if she saw something, she can easily point him out at the scene of the crime."

"We don't know if Jamaica was with him," Richard said in a deadpan voice.

Theo's eyebrow twitched. "But you don't believe that."

Richard turned his head and looked at the passing scene outside the window. "We can't leave the country for now," he said, changing the subject.

Theo sighed and leaned back against his seat. "No, we can't. Jamaica's death caused a bit of a mess. We need to sort this one out first."

He watched his brother's hand curled into a fist.

*****

Gian kicked the chair to the corner of the room in anger.

"Hey, cool down. It's been done. We just need to be more careful with our steps from now," Marco snapped at him.

"My sister's involvement in the case has just been leaked to the media and you expect me to act cool about it. We should have been more careful from the start!"

"Gian, it's impossible that kind of information won't be leaked. There were hundreds of guests in that hotel. Add the staff and you bet there will be a leak." He walked to the chair and dragged it back to its proper place. "And this can be a good thing."

Gian's head snapped at him.

"If they are who we think they are, they know that a witness will be bad for them." He looked at Gian and continued, "They will come for her." He held up his hand when Gian opened his mouth to speak. "And when they do, we'll catch them."

"Are you suggesting that we serve my sister as bait? Are you fucking out of your mind?!"

Marco shrugged. "Your sister is stronger than you think, Gian. And she's smarter than what I thought she'll be when I saw her."

"What do you mean by that?"

He let a moment of silence reign for suspense before he spoke. "I believe your sister is holding in some stuff that can be crucial to our case. And I intend to find out before she gets fucking killed."

*****

Khaye was tired. She had been under the care of the police since they left the hotel. She hadn't had a proper meal. The only change of clothes she had was his brother's oversized shirt.

"Can I go now?" she asked the officer who had been watching over her that day. "I already told you everything I know. I gave my best at those sketches. Where's Gian? I want to see him."

The officer looked at her with sympathy. "I'll go try to find him. He's been quite busy with the case."

She nodded and the officer left her alone in the room. It was a small one with a long table and a camera at one corner of the wall. It had been her sleeping quarter for two days now. Gian better take her somewhere with a bed where she'd be safe.

A lady officer came in with a paper cup in hand and a gentle smile on her face. "Your brother's on his way. You must be tired. And in my opinion, they shouldn't keep a lady in this place. Men..." she rolled her eyes as she finished her sentence. "Here, have some coffee. I promise to talk to your brother to arrange a place for you to stay tonight."

Khaye smiled at her. "Thank you," she said, taking the cup in both hands. She let the warmth travel up her arms. She brought it to her lips and slowly took a sip of the hot liquid.

The lady officer smiled at her one last time and said, "I'll leave you alone for now. Don't worry, you're safe here."

Khaye took a few more sips from the cup before placing it on the table. A few minutes later, she started to feel lightheaded. She frowned as the room began to spin before her eyes. She closed them and tried to shake her head. But the room was starting to get dark when she opened them again.

"Gian..." she managed to utter before darkness enveloped her and her head fell over the table.

*****

Richard got off the phone in haste.

"Who was that?" Theo asked.

"No one. Just a pissed off client. He saw the news and he's thinking of backing out of the deal." His brother's response was a bit too polished for his taste but he chose to ignore it.

"It's starting," he said, leading the way down the tunnel.

The city was big and it had a lot of things hidden underneath the streets. Only a handful of people knew of their existence and they were one of those few. They could hear the traffic above them as they walked, their steps echoing around them. The two men behind them walked with more guarded steps. It was their job to keep the two brothers safe.

An iron door blocked their path. It was guarded by two armed men. Theo and Richard patiently waited as their eyes were scanned for identification. And after a quick scan for weapons of any kinds, one of the guards turned the iron door lock and opened the door.

The brothers stepped inside the elegant room full of people dressed in suits and glittering dresses.

Gone was the sound of the streets and the world above them. They had entered a different kind, one that emanated power and money people on the streets above their secret world could only imagine.

*****

Her senses had somehow returned but she still felt weak. She could hardly move her fingers. They had strapped her on a chair. Her hands were clasped with golden cusps on the armrests.

Desiree looked down and realized that they had dressed her in a sequined silver dress. Her breasts were hardly covered. She tried to move her legs but discovered that they too were bound to the feet of the chair.

She tried to speak and call out for help but only managed a moan.

She thought she heard a man speaking from the opposite side of the wall behind her. The room she in was dimly lit and she was surrounded by elegant paintings and fragile artifacts, all arranged in proper order.

Claps suddenly erupted from the other side of the wall. Then she heard that familiar clicking of heels coming toward her. Ms. Kane's face was excited.

"You're next, my dear. Just be patient."

Two men came in with her and they went straight to a big gold-framed painting. They carefully lifted it with white gloved hands and walked out of the room without a word.

Desiree's heart began to hammer against her chest.

She was next.

*****

Theo was patiently waiting for the auction to be over. His eyes were on the back of the head of the man he wanted to speak with. But he had to wait.

Richard was getting restless as well. He had left his seat twice to make a call. Theo knew he was up to something.

When the last of the paintings was sold to the highest bidder, the room grew quiet.

"Now, ladies and gentlemen, we have one last piece to sell," announced the host with a mysterious tone. "We haven't had such a nice piece like this for a while. I hope that your pockets are ready because tonight, we saved the best for last."

Somehow, he knew what was coming but he was still shocked when they wheeled the said artifact to the center of the small stage.

She was strapped to the chair and her head was down. Her hair served as a curtain, veiling her beautiful face. A collection of excited murmurs erupted from the guests. The women started to whisper to each other and the men straightened to their seats, ready for battle.

Theo watched as the host approached Desiree and lifted her head by her chin. Her eyes looked frightened and for a moment Theo felt something nudge inside him.

He looked over his shoulder to find Richard.

"Now, since this precious girl is obviously not an ordinary find, why don't we set the price at one million?"

"Two!" a man's voice at the back called even before the bidding started.

Theo's jaw tightened when he recognized his brother's voice.

"Okay, someone's excited!" the host said with a laugh. "We have two million. Anyone—"

"Three-point-five!" another shouted.

"Five!"

"Seven!"

The host could barely utter his own amazement but he acknowledged each call with a wave of his hand. Theo saw the desperate look on Desiree's face as she blindly looked for anyone's help from the audience.

"Ten!" Richard's voice grew stronger this time. Theo turned and saw his brother striding back to his chair beside him, his face angry and determined.

"Eleven!" another voice contested.

Richard's jaw tightened as he raised his hand and shouted, "Fifteen!"

"Thirty," the man Theo had been waiting for suddenly called out.

"Forty," Richard cried out, his eyes not leaving Desiree.

"Forty-five," the same man challenged Richard's call.

"Fifty," Richard called back.

The room was getting excited as the guests watched in amazement.

Richard's phone began to ring.

"We have fifty. Going once, going twice—"

"Sixty," Theo called out, his eyes on his brother's shocked face.

The phone kept on ringing.

"Sixty-five," Richard gritted out. His eyes went to his ringing phone.

"Answer the call, brother," Theo uttered before shouting, "Seventy!"

Richard flashed him brother a murderous look. "Seventy-five!" He then he said to Theo, "She's mine"

"I can go on all day, Richard," he whispered to his brother before crying out, "Eighty!" He then pointed at Richard's ringing phone. "That's Petroff calling. I suggest you answer the call now."

Richard gritted his teeth, torn between answer the call and fighting for the ownership of the woman he wanted to kill.

"Eighty going once...going twice..." the host began to count.

But Richard was already standing up to answer the call.

As the host shouted, "Sold to eighty million!" Theo was convinced that his brother was up to something. He wouldn't have passed up the chance to get Desiree if he was not planning anything more important.

Claps erupted around the room and Theo just nodded his head in response to the awe of the audience.

His eyes left his brother's retreating back and went straight to Desiree. He just fucking bought her for eighty million and she better be worth it.