"Do we have any other options?"

Angelo's eyes stayed glued on Shink's . It had been thirteen whole hours and none of them had thought of a way to rescue Anna. Maybe he'd have thought better if he had bothered to sleep the whole night, but how could he? The thought of Anna spending an extra hour at the NSS base terrified him. He was scared at the thought of all the horrible things they were probably doing to her.

Shink scratched his head for a minute glaring at the paper-filled desk in front of him. They had both been trying to find a loophole, a way to help Anna that they had forgotten the need to keep the office tidy.

Angelo exhaled

Running in circles wasn't exactly his thing. If only there was a number to call. As far as he was concerned, there were no loopholes when it came to Atian business. There was no kind of network or connection or relationship that could ever be above the law when Atians were involved. Maybe there was, he wasn't just sure who amongst the numerous people he knew, had that much power to order a move like that. As far as anyone knew, the NSS affairs were not as transparent as the world thought. They operated on a high level of secrecy and independence that other government structures didn't.

He wasn't even sure he had that much power yet. He was just an illegitimate Trusk that had a lot of money and co-owned the family's company with his wife . No one really introduced him and gave him a handbook on the kinds of people to meet in times like this, unlike the rest of his family.

Yes, a lot of powerful people had often tried to reach out to him for some sort of political relationship but all his life, he wasn't really a fan of politics and he hadn't been in the country long enough to know what buttons to push.  For all he knew, those people were just snakes after his money. They were just a bunch of old people trying to take advantage of his youth as far as business was concerned. He wasn't even sure he could trust them enough to include them in his personal business.

Well that was one side to what he thought. Even if he wanted to, he was sure that majority of the worlds population would never do a thing to help an Atian. Anna was right where she belonged as far as they, as in the majority were concerned. Angelo knew that no one was ever going to sacrifice their reputation in making a move like that , especially one he won't benefit from.

This was beyond him, this was beyond Trusk enterprise, this was beyond the amount of money he had. If he was going to save Anna, he knew the only thing that could go halfway was the law, and there was nothing about anything he was going through that was able to help. He threw the papers on the table in frustration, getting up as fast as he could.

Urgh!

He hit the table hard too.

Shink exhaled, shutting his own book .He couldn't exactly blame Angelo for throwing a fit. They were obviously stuck in an unending cycle of stagnation.

"I can't believe there's nothing at all we can do." Angelo's voice broke "I mean, all these books," he gestured at the table "All this money and company and influence and I still can't figure this out."

He hit the table again

"I'm sure there must be a loophole" Shink sat up "Something we can do, someone we can call, maybe we aren't just looking well enough."

"Yeah." Angelo scoffed "well, I can't think of Anything. We've tried everything Shink, there's nothing left, no one left."

"Not entirely everything," Shink stared at him. He knew Angelo was dying to know what he was talking about with the way he didn't move a muscle "how about we try talking to your mother. "

Angelo scoffed
So much for a good idea

"Think about it Angelo, she used to co own this company a long time ago with your father, and she is very influential. I'm sure there must be something she can do, someone she can talk to, someone in the NSS."

"Come on Shink ," he scratched his forehead. "you of all people know what mum's relationship with Anna is like. She's never going to want to help her."

"Yeah but we don't have another option. We have to try something. Talk to her, find a way to make her listen, make her see reason, because Angelo, I'm out of options. Reaching the NSS in cases like this, it is kind of a hard work."

Angelo exhaled

Was he even thinking it?
Was he really considering meeting the one woman that had refused to let her son be tested as a kidney donor? The one woman that had never for once accepted him for over thirty years talk more of his Alien wife?

"You've been up the whole night, look at you, you have bruises all over. How do you intend to find a way around this when you're looking like a half beaten piece of crap, no offense."

Angelo scoffed.

Shink was right. He had almost forgotten that he had a black eye and a burst lip from all the beating, talk more of his hurt side. It was almost like he had broken a rib but he was too busy swallowing the pain and doing all he could to save Anna to even bother about it.

"You need to see a doctor Angelo, you need to take care of yourself first. You can't save Anna if you can't save yourself from dying first."

"It's nothing, it's going to heal."

"Angelo."

Their attention got divided as Sam stormed into the office. Angelo rolled his eyes and turned back to his table. That was the last person he needed to see at that moment. Shink could notice the tension in the room. He didn't really need to be a part of it. He didn't need to increase his.

"I'd just give you two a moment."

Shink got up to leave. Not like they both cared what he did or was going to do. They didn't even notice him leave. Angelo picked up another book from the table and headed straight for the sofa

"I heard what happened man," Sam turned walking after him "Are you okay? And Anna? How is she?"

"What do you care?" Angelo picked up his jacket. "You should have asked that before you snitched to the NSS."

Angelo turned to look at him. Sam stood still for a moment, lost and speechless

"Snitched?" He scoffed, he couldn't believe it. "Angelo what on earth are you talking about man?"

Angelo scoffed. He was honestly tired of everyone trying to play dumb the entire day

"So you're just going to come into my office, look me in the face and lie?"

"What?" Sam really wished he understood what he was being accused of.

"I know it was you Sam, I know you sent those tapes to the NSS." Angelo snorted "to think I trusted you. "

"Angelo, what are you talking about ? What tapes?"

"You were supposed to be my brother!" Angelo raised his voice "but you stabbed me in the back. I should never have trusted you and I don't think I can ever forgive you."

"Come on man," Sam took a step closer to him, he was confused. "it wasn't me."

"Do you have any idea what they are going to do to her? What they are already doing to her? They are going to kill her. That's what they are going to do and it's all because you couldn't keep your damn mouth shut."

"It wasn't me!" Sam raised his voice, he was getting really frustrated.

"Then who was it?" Angelo yelled back "who else knew about the damn tapes Sam! There's no one else. You're the only one that knew about them, it can't be Shink most definitely, and Veronica and Bill know better than to put their lives on the line by snitching,

"I don't know." Sam took deep breaths after muttering those words in a whisper. He didn't understand a thing that was going on and nothing made sense. Did Angelo really think it was him?

Angelo scoffed.

He was so upset. He wasn't sure what to believe or think anymore. Sam was like a brother to him, the brother he never had. There had to be a reason , a reason for him to betray him that way and lie about it.

Angelo didn't even care. He didn't want to even think about it anymore

"Wait a minute." Sam was done thinking "Darn it." He scoffed and raised his fingers to give his nose bridge a massage. It was starting to hurt. "I can't believe this."

Angelo turned back to Sam .
Sam exhaled. He looked so disappointed and regretful

"I might have mentioned the tapes to Patricia days ago."

"You what?"

"We were both talking and it just slipped out. I didn't even think she was going to do anything about it because you know, she could never hurt you. Plus she was drunk and I thought she'd not remember."

Angelo scoffed, turning around to hide his shock and disappointment.

"I had no idea she'd try to look for the tapes or send them to the NSS."

"I can't believe this." Angelo turned back to leave

"Angelo wait, let me help you."

"No!" He turned back "you've done enough Sam. You can sit this one out."

"Mr Trusk!"

Angelo turned at the sound of Timothy's voice. They both did as the young man came rushing in right behind Juliana who stormed into the office like she owned the place.

She had her shawl wrapped around her shoulders while her Versace handbag swung right under it. Her jimmy cho heels, they did the most, as they filled the entire room with their knocking sound

Juliana wore a solid frown right beneath her red lipstick and her eyes were glued to Angelo. And there they were, her two bodyguards walking in right behind her. Of course Michael was the second one

Talk about surprises

"Sir I tried to tell her you weren't receiving visitors." Timothy tried to defend himself

Angelo exhaled

He wasn't going to blame him at all. He knew for a fact that Timothy didn't have the power to stop Juliana from doing what Juliana wanted to do

"It's okay Tim, you can excuse us."

Angelo slowly turned back to Juliana

"Good morning mum ."

He took a step forward to kiss her on the cheek before she stopped him halfway. Of course, he was used to her hands showing up in front of him every single time he ever tried to.

"You've been ignoring my calls and declining all my requests to have lunch together."

Really? Was this all she had come all the way to tell him?

"I'm really sorry mum. I've just been really busy ."

"Hmm"

Juliana took a step towards him, and then walked past him, taking a good look at the room corner by corner. It was like she was trying to figure out what was really going on without having to actually hear anyone say it. Angelo and Sam turned right after her. 

What on earth was she even doing there?

Angelo wasn't sure he needed all that distraction. He had somewhere he really needed to be.

"Is there anything you need me to help you with mom?"

Juliana slowly turned to them. The frown on her face didn't falter for a second. She slowly turned to her bodyguard. She nodded

"I just need you to sign some papers Angelo."

She told him as she walked to Angelo holding a file. Angelo was curious to know what it was at first so he collected it and turned the first page over

"We don't have much time. We need to act as soon as possible."

Angelo scoffed. He couldn't control the extent of surprise he felt, he was trying so hard to understand what he had just read

"Mum, " he turned to Juliana "mum these are divorce letters." He has the most confused look on his face.

Juliana folded her arms and raised her left brow slightly,

"I know"