Stand By Me Darling
Chapter 80: Escaping

Chapter 80: Escaping

Talia felt light-headed as she realised the trouble she is in. Rebecca didn’t even realise what happened just then and was surprised as there was commotion heard from downstairs.

Talia on the other hand rubbed her hands together and patted her cheeks to compose herself, like she was preparing for battle. She might be wrong about everything, but still she just wanted to be prepared.

She squatted down and pulled Rebecca down too and picked up her phone to check it once more. And as she expected,her phone still had no signal.

And that’s when she noticed another odd thing... Her Wi-Fi was turned on and it was connected to the shop’s free connection.

Talia could confirm her doubts now. She’d never use Wi-Fi connections, especially those public ones, ever!

’I’m not in control of my phone now. My phone’s being hacked! But how? Who’d do..? Never mind!’

Talia stopped herself from thinking useless stuff then and switched off her phone. But then she decided to leave it on so not to alert the hacker, to track the person who dared to hack her.

She didn’t know how much she was being hacked so she decided to be careful with what she says. She looked around and was glad to see she was actually in the perfect blind spot of the cameras inside the shop. If her phone is connected to the shop’s Wi-Fi, their cameras could be hacked too.

I’m not going to be sitting duck!

She removed the grey coat she wore putting her phone in the pocket and placed it safely under the rack, in between two big Teddy bears.

Talia looked around to search for her bodyguards who were in the same floor till then. But she couldn’t find them anymore.

’Did they go downstairs to check?’ Talia wondered.

They should be checking why there is a rally in these streets now too and maybe they’d guard the door.

Or could they be taken down already?

’Well! Time to protect myself!’ Talia knew she cannot be depending on the missing bodyguards now that everything has started. Cyrus has prepared her well enough to handle these kind of situations by herself.

She needs to get out this building, no matter what.

Rebecca was stunned seeing Talia removing her coat in the middle of the shop. There weren’t many around them, but still... She thought she was wearing a coat dress.

But Rebecca was more shocked to see the crimson embroidered bolero jacket Talia was wearing and together with the deep navy blue A-line dress she wore inside, once she removed the outer coat she looked like an entirely different person.

Rebecca was stupefied by Talia’s transformation. The grey coat dress she wore before was simple and elegant and was not eye-catching. It was more like her. Different, unique and classy.

But Talia now is wearing the most popular and bestselling brand this season. She saw a couple of women dressed in almost similar designs in this shop itself.

’Just how many layers was she wearing? And why is she transforming to another person?’ Rebecca was stupefied.

Talia placed her finger on her lips to stop Rebecca from speaking and pulled out a scrunchie and tied her free flowing hair to a low ,tight ponytail.

She pulled out a small purse from the purse she already was holding and threw the bigger purse to the side and she entirely became unrecognisable. With no hair falling on her forehead and cheeks, even her facial structure seemed different.

Even if she was being watched through the cameras, they’d be looking for a woman wearing grey coat and loose hair and it would take sometime before they realise she had already left.

Talia knew she had to get out and the only way to go out without any suspicion is going through the proper exit. But there is the rally outside and she didn’t know how to get past.

She knew even if the rally would be the cover for the assassins to kill her, there would be chaos first since the others are just regular people. The assassins won’t just kill her but some other people to make it seem like she was one of the many victims of a peaceful protest turning violent.

So as long as the mercenaries doesn’t recognise her, she’d escape unscathed if she moved fast enough. She had already made a calculations in her mind as to which path she should take to avoid damage.

There seems to be a sniper on the other building and with her phone unusable, it’s going to be a bit hard to contact anyone. She wasn’t sure if Rebecca’s phone is safe either.

Talia changed her clothes and her mind calculated all these within the span of a couple of minutes and at the same time...

They could hear the glass shattering followed by...

*Bang*Bang*

Talia sighed in exasperation. It seems like she was late already and she really cannot use the exit in the first floor now.

Rebecca’s eyes widened in fear.

"Are those fireworks?"

A woman standing beside her asked Talia and all Talia could do was roll her eyes.

The customers in the shop were all confused and they all were trying to get down and go out. The stairs got crowded and the situation got worse Toa knew there is going to be a stampede.

There were stones and molotov cocktails thrown out that reached even the windows of the second floor.

"Run away!" Talia told the woman still looking confused and as she saw, that woman fell on the floor getting hit with a baton thrown from someone getting up the stairs through the fire exit.

She could see it had turned into a full on riot now and everyone started hitting everyone as they got up the stairs.

Some people ran towards the elevators and others tried to jump through the window and everything got more worse.

Talia pulled Rebecca with all her might and ran towards the fire exit stairs leading upstairs. While everyone tried to get down, there weren’t much people getting up and it was easy for them. The first floor is entirely compromised and she really should find a way out.

While running through the stairs, Talia pulled Rebecca’s phone from her hand and dialled Joe’s number.

Talia knew she cannot drag Rebecca with her.

"Don’t!"

Rebecca tried to grab the phone but Talia protested and in the end, the phone dropped and they really didn’t have time to pick it up.

Both of them ran with all their might and they couldn’t even run five floors up before they were panting like dogs. Talia wasn’t wearing heels but Rebecca was wearing pumps and it was hard for her to move. Also... Both of them weren’t athletic.

Both of them exited the stairs and walked through the hallways. That floor had a jewellery store and their security system was activated already and the locks were about to close by itself while the customers opted to get locked inside.

Talia knew it won’t be long for the cops to arrive and yet she knew she is not out of danger if those people are coming for her.

She noticed through the window to see a man on the other building with a rifle pointed at her and was stunned.

Those two buildings were so close together, she could even make out the mole on his ear.

"Rebecca, stay in here with the guards," Talia pushed her to one of the security guards of the jewellery shop.

*Ping*

The bullet lodged in the wall as Talia took a step back. She wondered how she’s being followed this good.

Technically, she shouldn’t be made. She stared at the camera and ran back towards the stairs.

Seriously who keeps cameras in the fire exit?

Talia could now confirm she’s being watched. And that too by someone who knew her well!

If they were following her using her appearance, they wouldn’t be able to find her. Everyone in her floor were running down. So they would be checking the camera downstairs and would have lost her.

If they could follow her upstairs through the camera and inform the assassin, it should be someone who knows her face.

Who might that be?

She knew if Rebecca stuck together with her, she’d be in danger too. She’d be safe inside this reinforced store. She needs to find some other safe place.

"Talia...."

Rebecca didn’t expect Talia would push her inside and she tried to get out. Her face was pale and she tried to get Talia inside.

"For your child...."

Talia reminded her freezing Rebecca in the place. The thick metal door rolled down slowly and Talia ran towards the stairs once more as she could see the guy taking aim once again.

"Tallie... Take this...."

Rebecca’s voice came from behind her and she saw the firearm Rebecca carries sliding through the floor towards her.