The Ben-Zvi Residence

[Isaiah]

[Isaiah]

Changing into a simple white collar shirt and white jeans, Isaiah pulled over a v-neck sweater and slipped into his shoes before heading out the door. "Yes, I'm on my way..." he muttered on his earpiece of his cellphone, strolling down the stairs to his car waiting in the driveway. There was a party downtown at a dance club and he knew Thompson would be there, parading his illegal money and goods. It was time to catch him, no hesitation. "Hold the fort. I'm be there," he instructed and disconnected the call, putting his car in reverse and toward Club Amethyst.

[Isaiah]

Isaiah entered his home and immediately walked to his living room, lounging on the couch closest to the large bay window, revealing his lakeview backyard where the sun reflected its bright rays on the polished floor of the room. He frowned, barely noticing the beautiful sight and snorted. "Who does that kid think she is? Touching my phone... Who---"

Just then, his phone rang again and Isaiah slid it open, pressing it to his ears but quickly wrenched it back when he heard the screaming and scolding on the other end. "Auntie..." he started to say and then frowned. "No, I didn't hear all of it. Something happened and I had to disconnect the call. I apolog--" He sat up. "Grandfa is coming here? When?"

His doorbell suddenly rang and Isaiah lifted his head, ears perked. "I'll call you back..." Sighing, he slid the phone close and rose to his feet when the doorbell rang again. Why was Grandfather visiting and unannounced? His heart skipped a beat when it rang again and Isaiah sprinted to the door, opening it to see a crouched man dressed in simple olive-toned garb and a small plaid suitcase standing on its own beside his feet. "Grandfa," Isaiah greeted him with a slight bow over the waist.

The man with gray hair rose to his feet slowly and studied his grandson with probing light-green eyes. "You were asleep?" his voice was hoarse from old age and a long time cigar user. Leaving the suitcase outside, he shuffled to the door and Isaiah stepped aside to let his grandfather enter.

"No..." Isaiah muttered, peering outside for his uncle Asa. But all he saw was an empty street and his own car parked in the driveway. Frowning, he picked up the suitcase and closed the door. "Grandfa," he started, taking note of his paternal grandfather's slight frame and bent back. Was he getting older by the day? "Where is Uncle Asa?"

Grandfather Ben-Zvi turned slowly to Isaiah, mirth brimming in his eyes and chuckled. "You are worried that I ran away? Don't worry, your uncle is going to meet with someone downtown. You and I will go meet with them later this week."

"Who?" Isaiah placed the suitcase by the couch and gestured to the cushion for his grandfather to sit. The elder man shook his head, shuffling his feet. "Who are we going to meet, Grandfa?"

"You will see when we get there. In the meantime, let me have kosher tea," his grandfather answered and on his own, shuffled to sit on the cushion.

Frowning, Isaiah nodded obsequiously and walked to the kitchen, deciding to wait until Uncle Asa came back before drilling him about the mystery meeting. For some reason though, Isaiah felt a wave of anxiety and trepidation hit him. Somehow, this didn't sound too good. Shaking his head, he prepared for the kosher tea.

[Liabelle]

"What makes you think I'd want to stay at your house with you anyway," she teased. "If no one answers I'll just stay with my friends Georgi and Carly. And I can't get punished for going out with them because some old lady stole my keys."

[Isaiah]

"Some old lady..." Isaiah chuckled. "I'd get rapped behind the head if my Grandfa heard me say that about any of his friends..." He shrugged, maneuvering the car into the driveway and peeked out the windshield. His house was also dark. "Yep. They have to be planning this together."

[Liabelle]

"Evil. They'd do anything to get their ways. Our job is to always be one step ahead of them and unfoil their plans." As Liabelle laid on her eyes on the marvelous structure before her, her mouth parted with a wow coming right after. "Your house. It's beautiful ..." she said, opening the door and standing in awe at the place before her. The architecture was amazing and the greenery around it just made it more exceptional "You live here by yourself?"

[Isaiah]

Isaiah shrugged, turning off the ignition to his car and sliding out of the car. "I did until my family surprised me with their extended visit... And thanks." He didn't mention that he'd designed it himself and waited for her to exit so he could lock the car.

[Liabelle]

"This place is really cool Isaiah. You have good taste." She closed the car door and patiently waited at the foot of the pathway to the front door.

[Isaiah]

Isaiah nodded his gratitude to her, a bit surprised at her compliments that she hardly gave so freely. He turned the key into the door and sighed with relief when it pushed open without trouble. At least they hadn't changed the locks on him as he expected. Sneaky... Blindly reaching to his left, he waved his hand over a sensor and lights flooded the room.

Stepping aside, he allowed her to enter. "Welcome to my humble abode."

[Liabelle]

She was still in awe, never having seen something so modern and extravagant. "You have to show me around. Come," she grabbed his hand and pulled him into one of the adjoining rooms.

[Isaiah]

Isaiah rolled his eyes but made no move to jerk his hand from hers. "There's nothing much for me to say. Three bedrooms, three baths... A backyard, a kitchen, a lake outside, a study and whatever else." He shrugged. "I have been too busy with work to really explore it myself..." he admitted.

[Liabelle]

"Are you serious? What a waste! If I had a house like this, I would so be here all day just relaxing in the tranquility." Their hands were still joined but she didn't notice she hadn't let go. "You work too hard Isaiah. You need to sit back and enjoy what's around you."

[Isaiah]

"I cannot do that..." Isaiah muttered and once they stopped, he slid his hand from hers and shoved it in his pockets, staring out the window where the moonlight casts beams on the sparkling lake. "There's not much time."

[Liabelle]

"Time? Time for what?" she questioned, sliding open the door and feeling the breeze tickler her skin.

[Isaiah]

"I have a criminal to catch," he said with a resolute tone that betrayed the hate he had for the man he'd been working more than five years to catch. "That means I have no room for errors, time wasted or any kind of marriage plans to be set." The wind brushed over Liabelle's head and slapped his cheek gently.