Odyssey

By Alfonso Tirado

Luciene, beautiful and intelligent becomes an important host of a TV-news show, thanks to the social relations of her husband, who holds a strong economic position.
Luciene is not happy in her marriage and decides to have fun on a blind date in a sophisticated party wearing masks to keep identity secret. Luciene takes the name of Odyssey and is related to a man who calls himself Zorro.
In a second date, when he wakes up, Luciene has disappeared from the bed. Three days later, he finds out from the news on TV that she has been kidnapped.
Her husband does not receive any message of rescue and does not seem suspicious in the first investigations. Luciene, in captivity, is being raped and beaten. With her sexuality manages to escape. She has her suspicions about her husband and decides to remain hidden. A taxi driver recognizes her, in a bus station as a TV star, and is kidnapped again by different people. They get in touch with Hernando asking for the reward to send Luciene free.
Luciene survives an assassination attempt and achieves revenge, kidnapping Hernando in his own home and forcing him to give her 10 million pesos, he has for money laundering. Hernando is killed by the same cartel members for having lost the money and Luciene transfers the money to a bank in the Caribbean, to enjoy it together with her lover el Zorro. This the Talion ́s law.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Alfonso Tirado
• Release date: Mar 21, 2018
• ISBN: 9781370265862

Alfonso Tirado

During my early youth, I wanted to be a writer. Instead, I became an amateur photographer and later a professional as a photojournalist and documentary filmmaker. My passion for traveling led me to write for travel magazines like México Desconocido, Automundo, Vogue, among others. Later I got into writing short stories. In the '90s a collection of short stories named Un Poeta al Paredón was published in New York. Several of those stories were published in Mexican magazines. Now I have published 4 adventure-romance-thriller novels. All written in Spanish and two translated into English, this is one of them.

Book preview

ODYSSEY

Alfonso Tirado

Odyssey

Published by Alfonso Tirado at Smashwords.

Copyright 2018 Alfonso Tirado

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The cover

Ernesto Valdés - ENZOft

This is a fiction novel, which aims to approach the reality we live in actual times. Its characters are fictitious, but they dress the reality to which we are used to in everyday life. For the legal terms, if the characters in this story can be identified with those we know through the media, it is purely coincidental, and this story is the product of the author's creativity.

Foreword

Writing has been a concern that I have dragged almost all my life. I must admit that I have not been very consistent and that for long periods I have stopped doing it to save my life with other resources, photography and other techniques. I started writing trifles and I was paid for it, which inflamed my ambitions to get closer to the higher levels of the narrative. Now that I have reached the final stage of my life is when I have the satisfaction of being able to sit down to write without restrictions of time and space and also with the indifference of not being afraid of criticism or rejection. This is my fourth novel published in the last eight years, as well as a short story collection and a book with my memories, adventures, loves, and heartbreak.

I started this novel a little before I literarily sunk in the writing and direction of two short films, one of my illusions in life, the narration at 24 frames per second. I think that is the reason why in Odyssey the cinematographic rhythm is translucent in his narration. Unconsciously the story has been structured in scenes, sequences, field, and counter-field.

Odyssey is a style and a theme different from my previous novels where the main themes were always romance, in some way historical and much in the adventure. I wanted to separate myself from the ephemeral, the subjective and putting myself at the level of the reality of the life we live. Money, violence, sex, kidnapping ... crime ... which are the talk of every day. In some cities more than in others ... in some countries less than in others, but in general, we always live with the fear of being assaulted, robbed, or killed ...

I want to show images of that world and I want to get justice done in some way, ensuring that crimes should not go unpunished. It is the principle of The Talion Law as a legal principle of own personal justice.

alTirado

Contenido

Scene 1: The opportunity. 6

Scene 1: The opportunity.

Character: Luciene Ascencio

It was impossible to believe that an intelligent woman, young and beautiful as Lucien Ascencio, had in her destiny stages marked by misery and violence.

The life between Luciene and her husband Hernando Toussaint had deteriorated step by step, but she never imagined that she had an unfathomable abyss in front of her. What began as a passionate relationship on her part and a lot of pride and power on Hernando's side, was already the past. At the time, it was easy to impress a 27-year-old woman with invitations to luxurious sites, expensive gifts, and high-level social entertainment. She was dazzled and fell in love with the industrial magnate, physically very attractive with excellent social relations that would soon be very useful in the development of her journalistic career.

Six years ago, in an event where high-level businessman met, Hernando presented his wife Luciene with Gonzalo Herrerías, the president of TV-RSA and suggested that his wife's virtues deserved a better opportunity.

- So you're a reporter. And who do you work for? - The magnate asked.

- I write for the magazine Mujer de Hoy*. - Luciene said proudly.

Mujer de Hoy > Today´s woman

Gonzalo Herrerías did not miss the opportunity to immediately throw the hook, as was his habit, to look for new talents, especially clad with feminine beauty for the TV station.

Luciene perceived it, not because of the words but because the old flirtatious penetrated her with looks meaning: -"I can give you what you anything you want.

- It's nothing you have not heard a million times before. - said Herrerías, when Hernando left to greet

other acquaintances. - But baby ... You're beautiful!

Herrerias did not think about it for ten seconds. He offered her the opportunity to move from reporter to host of one of the news programs.

- But, you'll have to undergo a long training. You know, diction, presentation ... although I'm sure, just seeing you, - and withdrawing two steps he swept it with his eyes up and down. - that you know how to dress perfectly and that you have an intense personality. Precisely that of a program anchor.

A month later, Luciene gave herself completely to her training as a news host. From the beginning, she managed to dodge the flirtations of several executives, and manage without promising anything and easily climbed the steps of her training for news host. She maintained her position based on talent (and because she projected her beauty through the cameras, which fascinated all the producers.)

Three months later, Luciene was already running an evening news program with a personality and style that made her reach a good popularity rating soon.

Scene 2: Hernando's mansion

Character: Hernando Toussaint

Hernando was ignoring his wife. She was still the beautiful frame with which he was accompanied by social events and nothing else. Sentimentally they were distant for two years, there were no longer sexual relations and they had separate bedrooms. They led a life in which everyone enjoyed what suited them.

Luciene could not help suspecting that Hernando was cheating on her. He was out for two or three days without any warning. Often, he arrived at dawn and never gave her an explanation, and Luciene did not expect it or ask for it.

On several occasions, Luciene asked him to reconstruct their marriage. She offered him her body, adorned with negligees of fantasy, brushing his face with the tops of her wonderful breasts. Nothing moved him and she felt shamefully despised. There were never answers, nor the slightest attempt to return to married life by Hernando. The time came when Luciene exploded and asked for a divorce. They argued. They cursed each other.

-There is nothing left between us, Hernando. Surely you already have someone you are in love with and you only have me to cover your appearances.

- My appearances are the ones that have given you everything ... EVERYTHING! ... You would be nothing without me!

- I've lived alone TWO YEARS ... I cannot go on like this!

- Well then go away- Hernando shouted, losing control.

- The one who must get away is you. Half of the house is mine and I stay. I can destroy you if I feel like it!

- Do not even try, miserable bitch! - Roared the tycoon raising energetically a threatening fist that stopped a few centimeters from the beautiful face.

-DON´T TO TOUCH ME!

Hernando left the room slamming the door that made the whole house shake and surely the future of Lucien Ascencio.

Scene 3: Divorce lawsuit

The following week, the lawyer Landa Nájera, of the law firm Landa, Landa y Asociados, appeared at Hernando's office to inform him that the divorce request made by his wife was already in court and that he was there, first, to communicate it to him, and second, to make the proposal of a fair agreement for both.

- We'll have to talk to my lawyer. - Hernando answered and took the phone. - Find me my lawyer Llorente immediately and tell him ... -

- Just entering ... - interrupted the secretary.

- Send him directly. – and hung up the phone with a bang.

Seconds later Roberto Llorente entered the office. Hernando introduced him as his legal advisor and informed him of the situation.

-We are listening. - Llorente said curtly.

-Mrs. Ascencio has asked me to find a way to facilitate the divorce with a sensible agreement.

- What do you mean by sensible - asked Llorente remarking the word with the fingers?

-The señora* leaves her part of the house to you... - Said the lawyer as if he was doing Hernando a favor.

*The señora > The lady

-And ... she requests ten million pesos in cash to settle the divorce.

- WHAT?! TEN MILLION??? - Hernando roared. - You and Luciene are crazy if they think ...

Roberto Llorente raised his hand to reassure his client. Hernando was perplexed. He never believed that Luciene can act so ambitiously. He regained his poise, unable to hide the tension that came out from the tip of his flattened fingers against the desk, to avoid betraying the tremor of anger.

- I do not think so, Mr. Toussaint. -The lawyer continued without getting upset. - You are united in marriage under the law of shared property. She gives up her part of the house. And the money is simply compensation for the years of life she gave to you. There will be no monthly pension charge. And that amount is much less than we would ask if we did not reach an agreement now.

Luciene's lawyer paused, reviewing his papers.

- It seems like a crazy request! - Hernando expressed abruptly, ignoring the mediation of his lawyer.

- Calm down, Hernando. Yes, it is an absurd request, but it does not mean anything, they will have our answer.

- I only suggest you do it within 60 days that the judge is marking. - assured the plaintiff, calmly placing his papers inside the briefcase and directed a smile of security in the face of the irritated Hernando.

- Tell the señora ... she will not get away with it! - exclaimed Hernando, shaking his fist.

- Mr. Toussaint ... - said the lawyer when arriving at the door. - I'm not here to run errands, I'm sorry. - And he left the office strutting as if he had scored the triumph from the first interview.

Hernando remained in one piece behind his desk. Roberto Llorente did not dare to break the silence that had a lot of storms.

- Fuck! - Hernando exclaimed finally. - How the hell does she dare?

- Well, you know that women have her character.

- I don´t give a damn for her character ... I have the power!

- Of course. But we have to accept that in some way she is right.

- And what ... Are you going to put yourself on her side?

- Of course not, but you cannot avoid demanding more than what is fair. You're a millionaire, fuck, how are you going to hide it!

- I'll find the way! So, I must ... - and the words were drowned in a whirlwind of hatred.

Scene 4: Cafeteria of the television station.

Luciene and Rebeca took a break to get away from the stress and urgency of work for a few minutes.

- I'm telling you because you're my best friend and because I can trust you. - Luciene said to Rebeca, her assistant and dear friend of many years.

- I cannot stand this situation anymore. It's been almost two years since we've lived separated. I already asked for a divorce.

- Rebeca!

- Yes, I prefer to face all the inconveniences and bitterness of the lawsuit to continue with that life full of hatreds and threats. Yesterday he was about to hit me when he got home. The divorce papers are already in court.

- He has a lover, there's no doubt about that. -Rebeca affirmed, pointing firmly with her index finger.

- I do not know ... it's likely, but I do not have any proof. But yes ... it can be because he leads a hidden life from me. There is something very strange about his rhythm of life.

- Listen out. – Said Rebeca tapping her finger on the table. -It is not bad advice but to great evils ... great remedies. You must look for a lover.

- Are you crazy? - Luciene answered with wide eyes. Do you think that is the solution?

- Of course! Look, take advantage of what you have and enjoy life on your side. What's wrong with that? He on his side and you on yours: Each one its own life. - She used her own experiences to convince her that she could not necessarily have a full-time lover. That was not good either and it can also become problems. But there were many ways to enjoy life without risks or compromises. She confessed that she did it from time to time and that she had fun without problems because she did not want to indulge in a romance in which stupid men would always pay badly.

- Look- she said, and her look shone as if she was enjoying herself. - There are ways to meet men, have fun with them and then you just leave them. You especially are very attractive. I've noticed.

- Shut up, you're crazy! - Luciene said, displaying a smile full of coquetry.

- Crazy? ... Ha! What do you say about Roberto Indalecio ... the producer? He is crazy for you, but you do not give him a dash.

- Well, he's a partner ... he's a friend and that's it. I do not want to mix relations with work.

- That's one. And that other ... the soap opera actor ... that very handsome...

- Javier Larraya. - She said hiding a smile.

- That one! ... Don´t you like him? You just have to throw a peek at him and you'll have it at your feet.

- Enough, I tell you that I'm not interested. -She took the last sip of her coffee cup and stood up.

- No friend like that. Thanks, I do not think I'm interested. - She thought for a moment and replied with a malicious smile. - For now…

Scene 5: The erotic bath

That night when Luciene arrived home, Hernando was not there. It was not strange at all. He was a high-ranking industrial magnate, and his arrival at home could never be predicted. She went thoughtfully to her bedroom. She began to undress while filling the bathtub with hot water, and as in a ritual of magic, she began to light the candles that surrounded the oval tub. The atmosphere became mystical, with the golden light of the candles, the vapors of the hot water covered with white foam and the deep silence of uncertain nights. With her movements of a tropical bird, she approached the edge of the tub and with the tip of her foot, she perceived the temperature of the water. She wanted it hot enough as if it were the Onsén, the bathroom to the Japanese style she learned in one of her trips, that the hotter the water in the tub can stand, it makes more resting.

She knelt at the bottom of the enchanted pond of her imagination and felt as if a liquid fire penetrated her. She leaned back, and her breasts emerged like two paradisiacal islands crowned by the small dark promontory of her nipples that stood up with joy. Her beautiful body acquired fantasy dimensions between the reflections of the water and the subtle foam. She bathed her face in shovels with both hands wanting to wash, to chase away the tensions of the moments, the hours and the days that she was living in her sentimental life. She would have liked to erase them in time, or she would like that time to speed up to leave behind