slimsue:
I said it, dat Diane is the diamonds. Gud work Ironkurtain. But do us well by telling us how often u update, whether is once a week or twice so we know when to expect.

Once a week my sister.....because of my very busy schedule.

I wont be putting up another update today because i'm trying to control the craziness in a filled up club. I cant even look at my phone.

Alex cellphone rang and he reached for it immediately. He glanced at the caller i.d and pressed the answer button.

"Hey Chris", he began and glanced at Suzanne. "Are you still having the gut disagreement?", he chuckled.

"We have an emergency", Chris sounded eagerly. Your mother wants you to put the phone on speaker so that she can talk to all of you".

Alex glanced at Suzanne again and plugged the usb cable that was connected to the car dashboard to his cellphone.

"It's done......we are all listening", he said when he was done

"Gus got Vincent", Nina's voice came out of the speakers of the car. This made Eric to open his eyes.

"Stop the car", Eric suddenly blurted out

"What?",

"Stop the damn car!", Eric almost barked at Suzanne and she immediately did as she was told and brought the Range Rover to a halt beside the road.

"How did you know that?", Eric asked Nina.

"He was wise enough to call my phone when he was being picked up from his house", Nina replied. "I also listened to all the conversations.....and torture. Someone told Gus that Vincent contacted me so he is trying to make Vincent to talk".

"So what is the situation now?".

"They are still trying to beat the information of my whereabouts out of him. A few minutes ago they picked up his wife and kid. And they are being taken to where he is being held. But that's the least of our problem....".

"Why?".

"Well, Gus will kill them anyway so there is nothing we can do for him and his family. The problem is we have a new player in the game. Lucas White".

Alex sighed. "Lucas White.....", he muttered thoughtfully.

"Who is he?", Suzanne asked.

"The leader of one of the most dangerous and violent drug dealing gang called, The large team", Alex replied.

Suzanne glanced at Eric through the rearview mirror and stared at Alex.

"The large team.......Quite the befitting name for those men", Alex scoffed. "I have seen the way they roll,.....the way they operate. Those motherfuckers are more of animals than men", he continued. "I'm talking about gorillas and hyenas......and some buntry ass motherfuckers that got more muscles than the f@cking ocean".

"We have to go save Vincent", Eric then said.

"No!, you guys have to abort the mission", Nina exclaimed.

"She is right", Alex agreed. "We have to abort. The plan was to take on only Gus and his men. Now we have a very dangerous situation".

"F@ck that!", Eric bawled. "We cant let the man and his family to die like that", he retorted.

"I have to agree with Alex on this", Suzanne said. "Even if we try to save this Vincent and his family, they would probably be killed before we could even achieve our objective", she continued. "I say we abort this operation and focus on meeting Bernard to make the exchange and rescue father".

"Well if you guys wanna abort, then go ahead", Eric said irritatedly as he opened the car door. "I'm going to rescue that man, even if i have to do it alone".

Suzanne tried to get hold of Eric as she begged him not to go while Nina could be heard telling him that this wasnt the time for any dumb reckless behaviour. Eric heard Nina's words. It infuriated him. And he angrily told her that atleast it showed that he was not a heartless person like her. Then Alex calmed the situation that was about to get noisy and persuaded Eric to get back into the car, telling him that he has a plan.

"So, what is this plan?", Eric asked and slammed the car door shut.

Alex heaved a deep sigh. "Lets negotiate with Gus", he said.

Eric scoffed. "I said it before that i aint.......", he began.

"Will you please hear me out first?!", Alex interrupted and glared at Eric.

Eric remained silent.

"I have a plan in mind and it involves negotiating with Gus", Alex continued. "It could buy us some time to make a plan on how to save Vincent and his family", he said and glanced at Eric.

"So how are we gonna do this through negotiations?", Suzanne asked. "We dont have any bargaining chip. Besides, we have shared all the money we took from him to the orphanages across the country".

"We still have his money printing plates", Eric said.

"Yeah.....and he seems hell bent on getting mother", Alex added.

"Nope, we are not using mother as a bargaining chip", Eric shook his head.

"Alex, tell us what you have in mind", Nina's voice said from the car speaker.

"Mother i want you to call Gus", Alex said. "Chris are you still there?", he asked.

"Yeah i'm listening", was the reply of the voice that belonged to Chris.

"Good, you have to listen very carefully to every thing Eric says and the questions he will be asking you because he gonna ask you. And also show us why you are the best hacker in this country".

"Bring it on bro".



************************************************


Lisa swung the Lexus into one of the parking space and brought it to a halt. She killed the engine of the car and glanced around the underground parking lot of CANTONA TOWER. The place was empty. It was supposed to be because of the public holiday.

"He has really done well", Diana then said as she looked around the parking lot. "And achieved alot.......even owns a 30 floor building in one of the most expensive district in this country", she smiled.

"He is a billionaire. This is just one of the several buildings that he owns", Lisa said and unbuckled her seatbelt.

"When we were young, i always knew he was going to achieve something big", Diana continued thoughtfully, still bearing the smile on her face. "Most people doubted it. He was a man of few words. This made them think that he was just an ordinary man and in some cases, they saw him as a weak individual. But i was the only one who knew that he was extraordinary", then Diana looked at Lisa who was staring at her. "That's why i left him", she concluded.

"You loved him", Lisa said to Diana with a keen look on her face.

Diana sighed with a downcast gaze and said nothing.

"If you loved him, then why did you do what you did?", Lisa asked.

"Alot of things were going on that time", Diana sighed. "Things that he failed to see because i was with him", she muttered with a distant stare. "So it became a 'loving someone so much as to leave that person'...", she said and looked at Lisa.

"Except the part of taking something that belongs to that person", Lisa said. "Something that worth alot of money......like diamonds. Only a selfish and a shamefully greedy person does that kind of thing to someone who they claim to love", Lisa scoffed.

"Diamonds?", Diana murmured with furrowed eyebrows.

"Yeah, the diamonds that you stole before convincing Mr Andrew Philips to help you fake your own death", Lisa said in a matter of fact tone of voice.

Diana smirked and remained silent. Then their attention got diverted to the four men approaching their car. They were quite big and dressed in black suits with dark shades that made their expressionless face even more scarier. Three of them stop a few metres away and one walked towards the vehicle.

"Here they come", Lisa muttered and checked the contents in her handbag. "They were only expecting me so let me do the talking", she said and glanced at Diana.

Diana fixed her habit veil and unbuckled her seatbelt without said a word.

Then both women got out of the car while the man, who was now standing infront of the Lexus and staring at them keenly. Lisa and Diana stood infront of the big man who was towering over them and stared at him in silence. Lisa looked intimidated by the man's size and facial expression while Diana stared at him with an expressionless look on her face after running her eyes from his head to his feet.

The man stared at them for a while, especially at Lisa. "Miss Lisa Richards?", he then asked Lisa.

"Yes that's me", Lisa replied with a smile.

The man maintained the cold look on his face and looked at Diana.

"This is sister Diana", Lisa immediately introduced Diana to the man. "She is with me", she continued and smiled again.

"Good morning young man", Diana then greeted with a bright smile. "I hope you are having a blessed day?".

The man ignored Diana with a pursed lip and touched the Bluetooth earpiece on his left ear. He could be heard muttering, "she is here", and "Okay i will bring her up". Then he looked at Lisa. "Follow me", he said coldly.

Lisa obeyed and Diana did the same. But the man stopped and raised his palm at Diana.

"Not you", the man said to Diana. "You wait in the car".

"But she is with me.....", Lisa began and stopped when the man took off his dark shades and glared at her.

"You follow me and you stay here", the man said to the women.

Then Diana stepped forward. "Young man.....", she began at the big man with a smile. "Maybe you didnt hear her right.....or maybe you are ignorant of what she said to you, just as you ignored my salutation, which to me is a very rude thing to do, considering the fact that i'm old enough to be your grandmother", she continued. "This young lady said that i'm with her. Which means that i am also part of whatever business dealings she has with your boss. So if your decision is for me to wait here, then you better go tell your boss that he is about to be disappointed".

Lisa looked at Diana and sighed with a fearful and worried look on her face. The big man stared at Diana for a while with the cold look on his face fading away and being replaced by a surprised look. Then he touched the Bluetooth earpiece and paced around as he muttered something inaudible.

"Are you crazy?", Lisa whispered at Diana with alot of caution in her voice. "Do you want to ruin everything?.

"Relax young lady", Diana whispered back.

"Relax?, how can i be relaxed when i'm with someone who is trying to piss off a large dude like that", Lisa asked and jerked her head at the man who was still muttering with a finger on his earpiece.

"I have dealt with guys bigger than him during my youthful days".

"What do you mean?".

Then the man looked at them. "Both of you follow me", he said and immediately started walking away.

Lisa glanced at Diana who smiled at her and both women followed the man, trying to keep up with him. The other three men followed them behind while the first man led them towards a glass door of a well lit elevator lobby.

When they got to the glass door, two men in the lobby opened the door. They were also dressed in black suits like the men in the parking lot , much more bigger but friendly looking. One was holding a plastic bag and the other, a hand held metal detector device.

"Ladies please put your cellphones in the bag", the man with a plastic bag said to the women with a smile.

Lisa and Diana did as they were told.

"Miss, what do you have in your handbag", the man with the metal detector device asked.

"My pen, notebook, tape recorder and my make ups", Lisa replied.

The man extended his hand at Lisa and she handed her handbag to him. She stared in silence as the man emptied the content of the bag on a table beside him. When the man was done going through the bag and its content, he moved the tape recorder, pen and notebook away and put the rest in the handbag. Then he nodded at the other man who motioned at Lisa and Diana to step forward. They stepped forward and he waved the metal detector around them. And nodded at his colleague when he was done.

"We will keep your handbag and cellphones", the man said and handed the recorder and notebook to Lisa. "Sorry for the inconvenience,......it is the protocol", he apologized.

As Lisa opened her mouth to say something, Diana smiled and said, "Thank God we are not getting strip searched".

The man furrowed his eyes at Diana and gestured at the man that brought the women from the parking lot.

"Ladies, please follow me" the man said to the women. "Keep an eye out for any activity in the parking lot", he said to the other three men who were with him and started heading towards one of the elevators with Lisa and Diana following him.

Lisa stared at Diana keenly as they waited for the elevator to arrive. Diana was well aware of her stare. But she remained silent with her eyes staring at the elevator door with no expressions on her face.

"That diamond must have worth a fortune", Lisa then began and looked at the elevator indicator. "Enough to make a man like him to put his own daughter in such a hellish position".

Diana said nothing and kept staring at the elevator door.

"So, i'm kind of wondering what you did with it because you suppose to be in some country with a sweet holiday resort, lavishing your new found wealth. Instead of living like this", Lisa continued and looked at Diana from head to toe. "Did you make alot of bad investments?......or did some lover take it all, just as you took from someone else?", she asked.

Diana sighed. "You know, when you came to my office with your investigations, i saw you as a very smart girl", she began without looking at Lisa. "But the more time i spend with you and the more you talk about the.....diamonds, the more i see the dumbness and stupidity i always see in every youth i had the chance to meet".

Lisa frowned.

"But i dont blame you", Diana continued with a smirk. "These technological gadgets had made you all unable to see beyond your damn noses", then she looked at Lisa. "Have you asked yourself if the diamonds he was talking about were gemstones?", she asked.

Lisa stared at Diana and lowered her eyes with a confused look on her face.

"I guess not", Diana smirked again as the elevator arrived with a 'ding' sound. "Well i loved Cantona and he too loved me. We were madly in love with each other", she continued. "Diamonds is my nickname......nickname given to me by Cantona".

The elevator door slided open and Diana followed the man in. Lisa then entered after getting over the shock she just received.

9 am.

Bernard knocked on the door and waited. Then a voice told him to come in. He gently opened the door and looked at the old man as he walked into the dressing room.

The old man who was fully clothed in a white suit and sitting on a cushion stool in the middle of the room, didnt turn around to see who just walked into the place. He just remained silent and still with both hands resting on the handle of his walking stick as he stared at the fairly big mirror on the wall infront of him.

"Sir?", Bernard began and waited for answer, or rather questions from his boss; the Sosai.

The old man didnt respond. He just stared at his image in the mirror with a thoughtful gaze in his eyes. Bernard stood behind the old man and patiently waited for him to say something, glancing around the dressing room as he did so.

The place was quite spacious and immaculate clean. The wall to wall wadrobes and cabinet that adorned the room were made of expensive wood. And the compartments were filled with countless designer suits, shoe, shirts and accessories.

"Sir, did you ask for me?", Bernard asked again.

"Yes.....", the old man replied with a firm voice and shifted his eyes to his walking stick. "Is everything ready?", he asked.

"Yes....sir", Bernard replied and furrowed his eyebrows because the old man had asked him that same question about thirty minutes ago. "Our men have checked and re-checked the building sir", he added.

"What about the young woman?".

"We called and notified her on the time she should be in your office. And we also tracked her cellphone for security measures".

The old man nodded. "Did you notice anything unusual in her movement?", he asked Bernard.

"She just made a brief stop at some location before continuing her journey. Perhaps she stopped to pick up some things she needed", Bernard replied.

"Any information on Nina and her whereabouts?", the old man looked at Bernard.

"No sir", was Bernard's answer.

"And why the hell is that?!", the old man asked with some anger in his voice.

"But sir.....you gave the orders", Bernard began.

"What orders!", the old man almost barked.

"The orders not to look into any activities that involves Nina or the people close to her as long as she is no longer one of us", Bernard replied.

"Oh.....did i?", the old man asked with a calmer voice. "Sorry about that", he sighed, the angry look on his being replaced by the thoughtful gaze he earlier had.

Bernard studied the expression on the old man's face for a short while. "Sir are you worried about what Nina and her sons might do?", he asked.

The old man turned his head and gave Bernard a keen look.

"Today is the deadline you gave her to bring your diamonds, sir", Bernard continued. "She hasnt called yet.....none of them have called. They have literally gone radio silent.....like they dont care what happens to Mr Barry......Like he doesn't even exist".

"Maybe she might have come to her senses after the attempt that was made on her life ", the old man said. "And realized that it was a big mistake to choose that idiot over her own father who gave her everything with alot of protection. Soon she will crawl back, begging on her knees to be accepted back into the organization", he scoffed.

"Or maybe she had realized that finding that diamonds you asked her to bring was an impossible task", Bernard said. "And probably looking for another way.....or making plans with her sons on how to set their father free".

"Well, that would be an impossible and a very foolish thing to do", the old man smirked. "Even Nina herself knows that".

"Of course sir......but Nina was one of us. And also the best hit-woman we had", Bernard noted. "She being your daughter, you must have told her alot of things", he continued.

"Nina is capable of doing alot of things, but coming after me so as to rescue her lover is not one of them", the old man muttered and got up. "Unless someone on the inside intends to give her a helping hand", he said and looked at Bernard. "Someone very very close to me", he continue staring at Bernard keenly.

"If Nina is not a problem, then why do you look so worried if i may ask sir?", Bernard demanded.

"Just some personal issues bothering me", the old man replied as he paced around the room. "And through out this week, the things going on around me somehow just doesnt feel right at all......and my....", the old man paused and thought for some moments. "Forget about it", he then said and waved his hand.

"Well.....it helps if you share some of the personal issues sir", Bernard said. "Perhaps i might be able to help out with some".

The old man glanced at Bernard and smiled. "Well this morning i woke up feeling unusually excited", he said as he continue pacing around the room.

"Because of the interview?, of course everyone feels like that when they are about to do something they had always wanted to do", Bernard smiled.

"That's the problem", the old man muttered and began his story. "The last time i had this feeling was a very very long time ago. I woke up that morning, feeling too excited and hoping that the news i heard the day before was true", he paused to take a deep breath. "That day i somehow got too complacent and let my guards down. And it led to a situation that set off a series of irreversible changes in my life. And i lost a friend very close to me", then the old man shook his head with a downcast gaze.

"And your diamonds", Bernard added.

The old man nodded. "Nina's boyfriend's father was the man responsible for all of it", he continued his story. "So i suffered my first defeat and loss. And i ended up doing two years of hard labour in a prison where three quarter of the inmates were rival gang members who wanted me dead. Even the prison corrections officers were to eager to use their baton on me, if i as much as chew my food the wrong way", he smiled and looked at Bernard.

"Sir, how did you survive in there?", Bernard asked.

"Well, the C.Os got tired of using their baton that didnt seem to have any effect on me and the prison dispensary had an acute shortage of morphines and bandages due to the number of inmates i sent to the prison clinic on a daily basis", the old man replied. Then he held up his walking stick and stared at its lion shaped handle. "Since then i have never had that feelings......until this morning", he added, still staring at his walking stick handle.

Bernard remained silent for a while with a thoughtful look on his face. Then he took out his cellphone.

"I will call the reporter sir", he began and started dialling a number.

"Why?", the old man demanded.

"To tell her that we are calling off the interview. Sir i think that's the best thing to do", Bernard replied.

"No.....", the old man waved his hand and looked at Bernard. "I'm going".

"But sir, if you feel......", Bernard protested.

"Dont worry", the old man interrupted and paced towards Bernard who was still holding his cellphone close to his ear and staring at his boss with a worried look on his face. "Perhaps it could be something good this time", the old man smiled and pat Bernard on the back. "Or maybe not. Perhaps everything have finally come to a full circle....for me. I have lived long enough to be willing to accept whatever happens to me".

Then the old man gently made his way towards the door. Bernard made a move to open it but the old man gestured at him not to do it. As he was about to leave, he paused.

"Incase anything happens to me", the old man began and looked at Bernard. "I hope you will be able to handle the affairs of the organization?", he asked.

Bernard heaved a deep sigh and nodded his head without looking at the old man. The old man gave him a weak smile and exited the room.

Bernard stared at the door for a while and his lips curved into smiled. Perhaps everything have come to a full circle for the old man, he thought as he took outhis cellphone and started dialling a number. And hoping that Nina would play her own part as he waited for the number he had dialled to be answered.


****************************************


The big fist with calcified knuckles landed on Vincent's face and the blood-chilling sound of fist meeting cheekbone filled the room. The impact of the violent blow shook Vincent and the chair he was tied to. It also sent saliva mixed with blood flying out of his mouth and threw his face to the other side, like he kissed a moving bus. The huge man unleashed three more hard punches to the guts that made Vincent groan out in agony and then stepped back.

Vincent bowed his head with alot of pain written on his battered face and spat on the floor. Then he looked up after staying in that position for a few seconds. And looked at Gus who was standing infront of him, next to another man whose slightly overweight body was covered with a blue loose-fitted Hawaiian tee shirt and brown trouser. Six other hefty looking men were in the garage like place and watching as Vincent got pummeled mercilessly.

"I thought you said he is your best friend", the man in the Hawaiian tee shirt began indifferently as he stared at Vincent. "This is not how friends treat other friends".

"Well you suppose to be saying that to him, not me", Gus replied and paced closer to Vincent. "I too thought he was my best friend until i found out that he was nothing but a f@cking canary", he scoffed and stared down at Vincent. "And he gonna sing like one", Gus smirked and glanced at the other man.

Vincent stared at Gus and spat again, this time on Gus' shoe. Gus stared at his spit stained shoe and smiled. Then he placed his hands on Vincent shoulders and bend closer to his eyes.

"It is all over for you my friend", Gus muttered into Vincent ears. "Just tell me where that woman is.......or where she is hiding, then i will make it easier for you. You can see that i want to have a very important discussion with Lucas White", Gus pointed at the man in Hawaiian tee shirt. "So please stop wasting our time".

"Well i too have something important i want to tell you", Vincent muttered and looked at Gus. "There is a Cactus plant in my house. Why dont you take it and go f@ck yourself with it......you can always use one of the rooms in my house", he sneered and looked away.

Gus straightened up and shook his head. And slowly paced around Vincent with his hands in his pockets.

"So what kind of deal did he make with you Mr Lucas?", Vincent asked the man in Hawaiian shirt. "Did he promise more supply of heroin at a cheaper price?.....I dont think it's possible because he has none".

Mr Lucas White, the name of the man wearing the Hawaiian shirt and leader of a notorious drug dealing gang, stared at Vincent with the look of indifference still on his face.

"Perhaps he didnt tell you that the manufacturing plant got burned down and the entire men running the operation, massacred", Vincent continued while Gus stared at him. "Infact the last time he checked his entire bank accounts, the balance was zippo. So Mr Lucas, is this the kind of guy you wanna deal with?, especially now that he is waging a losing war against Nina. You damn know very well who she is and what she can do. "There is always one outcome for anyone who goes against that woman".

Lucas nodded his head with a pursed lip as he listened, while Gus remained silent.

"Dealing with this man will be nothing but a very bad business for you", Vincent added and jerked his head at Gus. "A man in your position knows very well what bad business means in our world".

Lucas smiled and nodded his head again. "Thanks for the infos", he began in a rather cold tone of voice and looked at Gus. "But i have already heard all of it from Gus himself. That's why i wanna to join him in hunting down that woman because he told me what we stand to gain when all these sh!ts are over. And from the way i see it, it doesn't look like a bad business", he smiled. "Infact, this is the best business deal i have ever made", he added

Vincent sighed. "You gonna regret this", he muttered.

"The only regret i'm having is not being informed about this plan earlier", Lucas said. "We would have ended the operation long ago", then he looked at Gus. "That's why i said we should be more than just business partners. And for that to happen, you have to get rid of him", Lucas pointed at Vincent.

"Oh i intend to do that....", Vincent said with a smile and looked at Lucas. ".....When my men arrive with his wife and sweet little daughter", he looked at Vincent and laughed as the man struggled to free himself from the chair he was tied to.

Then Gus nodded at the big man to continue with the beating.


************************************************

kingphilip:
when u de give us enough updates

Saturday night my brother

Abeg make una no vex oo. I was called upon for a program last weekend so throughout friday and Saturday i was very busy....and i had to rest on sunday. Pls do bear with me.

Osaze20091:
Been a ghost reader and haven't comment before,just wanna say this write-up is just too much,it will makes a lot of sells if it make to Movie..........kip the ball rolling,Just waiting patiently for the ultimate suspence....Lot of Love

kushkingstalin:
Intriguing
Thanks for the update
Apologies for the rift and arguments

It's okay.....but you guys should make up and be friends

"Honey please do hurry up", Vincent said to his wife and picked up his three year old daughter. "We have to be there on time so as to be able to get the ticket", he continued and gave the cute little girl a peck on the cheek and smiled at her.

"Okay dear!, i'm almost done!", Vincent wife voiced out from her bedroom.

"My little angel, daddy and mummy gonna take you", Vincent said to his smiling daughter and kissed her again. "Because today gonna be a good day for daddy", he continued and smiled.

The living doorbell buzzed.

Vincent stared at the door as the bell kept buzzing. He wasn't expecting any visitor, especially on a Saturday morning. The he called their female househelp and told her to go answer the door. She opened the door and Gus stepped into the livingroom. Four big men wearing black leather jackets followed behind him.

"Hello my good friend", Gus began cheerfully when he saw Vincent and came towards the man with open arms.

Vincent stood still and stared at Gus without saying a word.

"What's the matter Vinny?", Gus asked with his arms still open. "It's like you are not glad to see me?".

"Oh.....i'm very much glad to see you Gus", Vincent forced a smile and glanced at the big men. "It's just that you kind of caught me offguard. I wasn't expecting you to pay me a visit.....especially by this time of the day", he continued and stared at Gus keenly.

"Well, you better expect this kind of visits because of alot of things that reguires me to meet my under-bosses on a short notice", Gus said and moved closer to Vincent. "Wow....", he smiled and held Vincent daughter's hand. "Ellen, you are growing up so fast.....daddy is really taking good care of you".

Vincent's daughter stared at Gus with some curiosity in her eyes. Then Vincent's wife descended down the stairs that led to the bedrooms, saying that she was ready as she put on her wristwatch. And stopped mid way in both the sentence and the stairs when she saw Gus and his four men standing in the livingroom.

"Hello Mrs Abigail", Gus greeted on seeing her. "It's like the family are going somewhere", he continued and looked at Vincent.

"Yeah we are about to go out......drive around the city and probably do some shopping", Vincent replied immediately.

"Isn't it to early for that?", Gus looked at his watch. "And considering that in 3 hours, we will be having a meeting at my place, i dont think you will be able to make it there on time", Gus continued and stared at Vincent. "Or even come there at all".

"Aww.....you know me very, Gus", Vincent smiled to hide his nervousness. "I have my own ways of keeping the family happy and at the same time, making out time for every meeting you summon".

Gus stared at Vincent for a while. "Anyway i'm here to pick you up because i want the both us to meet first before the meeting commences", he then said. "So you will have to put off the family time today".

"Honey......", Vincent's wife began.

"Come and take Ellen", he interrupted and went over to her as she descended the stairs. "Sorry honey....", he said as he handed their daughter to his wife. "The big guy needs me.....why dont you take Ellen to her favourite place today", he pulled out his platinum credit card and gave it to her and then took out his cellphone. "Honey i will make it up to you next time, i promise", he concluded as he worked his fingers on his phone.

Vincent's wife nodded and sighed deeply woth a worried look on her face. She knows what's going on. Ellen their daughter never had a favourite place. It was just his way of telling her that all is not well and she should go a far away as possible, even to another state or country. And the platinum card he gave her was for all the expenses.

Vincent gave his wife a kiss and said he will call her. Then he turned to Gus.

"Let me get the keys to the other car", he said.

"Dont worry, you are riding with me", Gus said.

"Okay then", Vincent said and slipped his cellphone back into the inner pocket of the black suit jacket he wore.

"Sorry to spoil the day for you", Gus said to Vincent's wife with a smile. "Dont worry i will make sure he makes it up to you next time", he concluded and walked out of the living room with Vincent and the four men. Vincent followed as they started a discussion and hoping that the number he had secretly dialled would be answered. It was Nina's number.


************************************************


"9 am

Lisa brought the Lexus to a halt near a bus stop and left the engine running as she glanced around the place. She seemed quite eager and unsettled. And kept glancing at her phone as she did so. Then the front passenger door opened and almost immediately an old nun sat on the seat and slammed the door shut.

Lisa stared at the old woman. She was surprised at how fast she was.

"Just drive", the old nun said without looking at Lisa.

"To where?", Lisa demanded.

"Just drive the car and stop asking too many questions, young girl!", the woman's soft voice became an irritated one.

"Well i have to know where we are going, old woman!", Lisa countered with an equally irritated voice.

The nun sighed. "Are you being followed", she asked quietly.

"No", Lisa replied.

"How do you know that?".

"Somebody made sure of that".

"Who?".

"Now you are asking too many questions".

Then a long silence settled between the two women. Lisa stared at the steering wheel of the car and stole a few glances at the nun. The nun stared ahead with no movement at all, almost like a statue sitting in the front seat of a car.

"Diane right?", Lisa began, breaking the uncomfortable silence. "You are Diane".

Then nun remained still for a few seconds and then nodded her head slowly. "By the way it is Diana", she corrected and looked at Lisa. "I hated being called Diane", she muttered and looked away.

"So.....what about Diviana Cruz?", asked.

Diana scoffed and shook her head. "Diana.....Diane.....Diviana. they are all the same name. The last one being the full pronunciation", she smirked.

"So......",

"There is no Diviana Cruz. All those documents i showed you were forged".

Lisa thought for a while. "And the story about you being pregnant?", she asked.

"No", Diana smile. "That's the only thing that is true about everything", she said.

"What about the baby?", Lisa asked.

"Look, there are alot of things to tell you", Diana began impatiently. "And we could sit in this car all day.....even two days, if you want to here it all. You told me that Mr Cantona Brown a.k.a the Sosai wants to kill Mr Andrew's son, and according to you, you said it will happen today. So why dont we sort that problem first".

"How?", Lisa asked.

"You said you are doing a biography on Cantona?".

"Yeah.....infact i suppose to meet him this morning by 10 am".

"Okay then, drive.....i'm going there with you".

Lisa immediately hit the pedal and guided the car into the traffic, heading to her destination. Her face lit up with a bright smile as she accelerated the car.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

6 am........Saturday morning.

Eric buttoned up his shirt and readjusted its collar as he stared at himself in the mirror. He slowly ran his fingers back and forth on his low cut hair and went over to the bed where Lisa laid and still sleeping. Eric stood beside the bed and stared at her as she slept and snored silently, her n@de body partly covered with the white down blanket.

Eric stood there with a faint smile on his face as he stared at Lisa sleeping peacefully. He kept wondering how he ended up having such kind of girl. A girl so beautiful. And with that body of hers, she could have any man she wants and probably make them do whatever she wants. It took six dreadfully violent bar-room brawls that landed several guys in the hospital intensive unit, and three dead stalking rapists for him to understand. To understand what some men were willing to do to have a girl like Lisa. Or to have a taste of her.

But he was yet to comprehend why she was trying so hard for them to be together. Despite telling her several times that their relationship wont last long and could unexpectedly end anytime. And even letting her know the dangers she faces, if the both of them are together. A girl in her position can easily get another man. Any man with a normal life and much more better.

Perhaps there is something about him that makes it quite impossible for her to let go of him. "I wont let you go", was the last words she uttered in her sleepy voice before she dozed off. Those words made him to believe that there's definitely something about him that got a tight hold on her.

Eric bent over the Lisa and gave her a peck on her forehead. Lisa moaned quietly and turned her head abit as Eric straightened up and properly covered her with the blanket. Then he went over to the table. He picked up his handgun lying on it and held it close his right ear. He cocked it several times and listened to the clicking sound as he did so.

Eric pursed his lips with a look of satisfaction on his face and picked up the bullet magazine on the table. He loaded it in, cocked the gun and took an aim. After a few seconds, he lowered the weapon. He tucked it in his waist belt and looked at Lisa as she moaned again and turned her head with a weak smile on her face. She was probably having sweet dreams about last night's hot lovemaking, while he was getting ready to go bring nightmares to reality.

Then Eric dug his hand inside his pocket of his trouser and took out the keys to the Lexus. He dropped it beside a note he had written and left on the table. He headed to the door and glanced at Lisa one last time before he exited the hotel room.


***********************************************


"Mama knew a change wouldn't come, she taught me how to kill a man.
She knew that hard times, will make it hard to smile.
If you didnt live for money, you wouldnt understand.
Now her flowers blooms, from the grave......"


The hook from Yung-Tae's rap song, "Hard to smile", thumped out of the speakers of the black 2014 Range Rover sports that rolled into the hotel premises and grinded to a halt infront of Eric. The front passenger glass winded down and Alex looked at his twin brother.

"What's up brother?.....did you have fun last night?", he asked Eric with a mischievous smile.

Eric ignored him and slided into the backseat of Suv. He glanced at Suzanne who was in the driver seat with dark sunglasses on her expressionless face and slammed the door shut.

"Did you bring everything i asked you to get?", Eric asked as Suzanne hit the gas pedal and drove the car into the main street.

"We have a trunk load of heats......and your special occasion matchetes", Alex replied.

"Good", Eric muttered. He rested his head backwards on the seat cushion and closed his eyes, after gesturing at Suzanne to lower the volume of the hardcore music.

"What about my Lexus?.....i hope it's not wrecked like the Genesis?", Alex asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

"It is still in a good condition", Eric sighed. "I left it to Lisa for her transportation to her workplace",

"So.....", Alex began and looked at Eric through the rearview mirror. ".......how did it go last night?", he asked intently.

"How did what go?", Eric asked him with his eyes still closed.

"Between you and your beautiful ex-girlfriend".

"Everything went well".

"Oh really?......you mean everything went well as in...you guys managed to stay alive after what you guys must have done last night?".

Suzanne shook her head and pursed her lips with a sigh as she smoothly worked the steering wheel. Eric slowly opened his eyes and looked at Alex.

"I mean......eight months is a long f@cking time bro", Alex continued, looking over his shoulder to look at Eric. "A long time not to get laid. To me that's one hell of an unwanted tragic situation. But i gotta give it to you bro..cos this is the definition of having balls of steel.....Your balls are literally made of steel. One month is the longest time i have ever stayed without getting some, when mother ordered me to go on a field training. The unfortunate chick that hooked up with me after that forced monk-mode, called me 'Lex gorilla' after barely surviving an all night hardcore bedframe demolition pounding", he laughed.

Suzanne scoffed and muttered something inaudible while Eric stared at Alex as he ranted about his sex life.

"So, any plans on how to gain entrance into Gus' mansion?", Eric asked Suzanne, trying to bring up a relevant discussion.

"Well, some were presented by 'Lame gorilla'.....", Suzanne replied and jerked her head at Alex. ".....but rushing head-first to a machine gunfire, made more sense than what he suggested we should do".

"What about mother?".

"Aunty Esther?".

"No...Nina".

"She locked herself in her bedroom all night.....probably because of her finding out that it was the Sosai that is behind all these mess", Suzanne sighed and made a smooth right turn after sighting a police patrol vehicle. The car trunk was packed with unlicensed high calibre weapons. Attracting the attention of the authorities was the last thing she wanted.

"Why does she want me to bring the diamonds?", Eric asked.

"She made a deal", Alex answered.

"Deal?.....what kind of deal?".

"Mother intends to buy dad's freedom......with your diamonds".

"How?"

"Our grandfather's number two man, Bernard, seems to be having a change of heart", Alex said as he stared at the scenery in the street. "He has finally noticed that our grandfather, his boss, is really crazy", he continued. "So he wants out.....and he is willing to give us dad for half of the diamonds you got from Congo",

"Mother said she gonna give him half of the diamonds or he said he wanted half?", Eric asked.

"His words are we should give him half of the diamonds you got from Congo", Alex replied. "And mother agreed....which i think is a very good bargain, considering who we are up against", then he looked at Eric. "If this deal goes through then no need to risk your life going after the old-man", Alex said calmly.

Eric thought for a while and nodded with a weak smile on his face. "What about Chris?", he then asked. "I thought he would have wanted to ride with us".

"He is home", Suzanne replied and hit the replay button of the car stereo to repeat the rap music that just finished.

"And very sick", Alex added.

"Sick?......why is he sick?", Eric asked and glanced at Alex.

"Why dont you tell him what you did", Alex said to Suzanne.

Suzanne ignored him and started nodding her head to the hardcore rap song she put on replay.

"What did she do to Chris?", Eric demanded.

"It's rather what she did, that got the poor dude puking all night".

"What did she do?".

"Hector".

"Hector?, i thought you guys have taken care of him".

"Of course", Alex smirked and looked out of the car window with a thoughtful gaze.

Eric saw the distant gaze in Alex eyes and wondered what happened.

"Suzanne not only took care of Hector, she also took her time in taking care of that man", Alex then said after about a minute of staring ahead thoughtfully. "She quartered the man with a hacksaw", he sighed. "But what made Chris to get sick is he went to the basement to have some of the chicken she had ordered and saw her eating the chicken infront of all that human multilated limbs, guts and sh!t", Alex looked at Eric with a sick look on his face. "Dude......seriously.....who the f@ck does that kind of thing?".

"The kind of person you dont mess with", Eric replied and reached for his cellphone in his pocket.

"Oh really?", Alex looked at Suzanne. "So if she is not the kind of person to be messed with, then i guess she has a better plan on how to take down Gus".

Then Alex leaned closer to Suzanne. "So, beast woman, what plans do you have in that brain of yours?", he asked.

"Mama said f@ck niggaz.
So what it is nigga, it's f@ck niggaz.
I can't trust a soul cos niggaz is hos.......".

Suzanne started rapping out a verse in the rap music that played out of the speakers and accelerated the Range Rover when they hit they hit freeway.





https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htCzHAl9Ttk

************************************************


7 am

"Of course i'm very disappointed that you didn't show up", Dante spoke coolly to the mouthpiece of his cellphone as he dried his wet body with a towel. He dropped the towel on the floor and listened to the voice coming from the earpiece for a while with a conceited smile on his face, and said, "Okay i understand, but you should have called to tell me what happened", then he listened again. "It's okay, apology accepted.......anyway it didnt turn out to be a bad evening because i ran into an old friend of mine", he continued and sat on the bed, beside woman lying on it. "Anyway....i will see you soon.....you take care my dear.....bye", he ended the phone conversation.

Dante dropped his cellphone on the bed and listened to the sound.....a muffled groan without looking at where it was coming from. He was staring at the woman who was staring back at him. She was stark n@ked and lying on her side. Her hands were tightly bound together behind her back with a rope, her mouth was duct taped and her teary face showed signs of beatings. Beatings that left her with a swollen black eye and one side of her face badly swollen.

Dante bent over her and the woman quivered with fear as he caressed her thigh, moving his fingers closer to her bloodstained private part. Then the muffled groan and a shuffling sound made him turn to where it was coming from. His eyes met the helpless look in the eyes of burly man who was heavily bounded to a chair, naked.

The burly man struggled on the chair he was tied to. But only succeeded in making a shuffling sound and his duct taped mouth uttering a muffled groan. He watched as Dante's fingers touched his female companion's private organ and looked away and sobbed with a downcast gaze. He had seen enough.

Hours ago burly man was about to have some good time with his female friend after what seemed to be a nice dinner date. As they prepared for it, they heard a knock on the door of their hotel room. Burly man opened the door to see who was rudely interrupting their lovemaking because a "No disturb" sign was on their door knob. He saw the guy he had earlier met in the restaurant. The the same guy whom he had some minor confrontation with, because of his woman. Before he could ask the man how he got to know the hotel and the room where they lodged, the man knocked him out with a single punch. Later he woke up and saw himself heavily bounded to a chair with his girlfriend tied up on the bed and taking a severe beating from the guy. Then he watched helplessly as the guy brutally r@ped his female friend with ruthless and reckless abandon for hours, almost all night.

"Sir, you....'wife is not only beautiful but she tastes good", Dante began and got up. "Probably the tastiest woman i have had so far", he continued as he crossed the hotel delux bedroom and went over to where the man kept his luggages that were ransacked. "But i'm sorry to say that no amount of sex with her is worth my five thousand dollar suit you damaged with the two hundred dollar wine i bought with my own money".

Dante picked up the burly man's wallet and searched it. "A man in your position knows very well that nothing goes for nothing", he muttered as he took out the man's i.d card and a picture hidden in the wallet. "So i just collected some of payments for the damages you caused.....for now", he studied the man's i.d and the picture he saw in the wallet. "And i might drop by your house....Mr Bruno Johnson....to collect the rest of my payment from Mrs Johnson", Dante smiled and showed burly man the picture that has the image of the man and another woman in his arms.

Burly man saw the picture and sobbed louder. Then Dante went over to the bed and roughly dragged the woman from it. He brought her to burly man and started choking her infront of the man. Burly man watched as life slipped away from the woman as she put up a futile struggle.

Soon the woman's struggling ceased. And Dante gently laid her lifeless body on the floor.

"I want you to look at her", Dante said to the man and paced towards his suit that was on a hanger. "Because that's exactly what i'm gonna do to your real wife when i see her", he pulled out a pistol fitted with a silencer and shot burly man twice on his chest. And one more shot to the man's dome.




************************************************


7 am.

Lisa glanced at her cellphone after line clicked and dropped it on the bed she was lying in. She yawned as she stretched and pulled the blanket over her body. With her head resting on the white pillow, she stared into space with a thoughtful gaze. She was thinking about Kevin and the dinner date she had missed. And hoped that he wasnt that mad at her for not showing up or even calling to inform him that she wont make it. But kevin had reassured her that it was okay and that he wasnt mad at her.

Lisa heaved a deep sigh and turned her eyes to the side of the bed where Eric had laid last night. It had gotten cold and the bedspread rumpled up. Lisa lips curved into a smile as she moved her arm and rested her hand there. Her mind wondered away as the thoughts of what they did last night filled her head. And almost laughed when she remembered the things she had uttered out loud when the pleasuring got to a climax.

Then Lisa's cellphone ranged and brought her back to reality. She sighed and reached for it. And saw a number she was not familiar with. Lisa stared at the number curiously and decided to answer the call.

"Hello?", she began with some curiosity in her tone of voice.

"Hello, is this.....Lisa Richards?", it was a female voice.

"Yeah....this is Lisa Richards", Lisa replied and sat up. The voice sounded abit familiar.

"This is Sister Diviana Cruz".


************************************************

I am on a 28 hours work shift for the weekends through out the month of may.

Fellow Nairalanders i'm still working on the updates but it is not long enough but if you guys insist then i will put up what i have written so far.

Please do bear with me. Thanks for the coments and have a nice weekend.

preetypam:
bin a ghost reader for a while sincerely bloodline made me sign up hia..
Ironkurtain u r one hell of a writer I aspire to be u like one day more inks to ur pens should I say more data to ur cell.hope am welcomed hia

You are more than welcomed here just like every other readers.......i am sincerely sorry i didnt post the other updates i intended to post today. Like i said earlier, my stuff got stolen so i have being at police station for hours scanning through thr CCTV and filing reports.

Yeah......i'm in some kind of a dilemma. Some dude stole my battery bank and phone battery is damn too low. I have been searching for that motherfucker to murder his ass. These middle eastern guys just come this country dey steal like rats.

Eric tapped the 'End' button and dropped his cellphone on the table. He slowly reclined in his seat and drummed his fingers on the table with a thoughtful gaze.

He just had a phone conversation with Alex and was told that the Sosai, his grandfather, was indeed the man behind the attempts made on the life of his mother and brother. But that wasnt the reason why Alex called him. The call was to inform him that Nina has given the go ahead for him to make his move on the Sosai; to kill his grandfather. To take out one of the most powerful man in the country.

Eric reached for the Smith and Wesson semi auto handgun lying next to his cellphone and loosely gripped the cold black steel handle of the weapon. He stared at the pistol, sighing at the thoughts of the weapon's next victim.

His grandfather.

Eric wanted the oldman dead. To him, it was the only way to ensure the safety of every other members of his family, especially his biological father and both mothers. But carrying out the task of ending the oldman's life himself wasnt what he had in mind. And deep down in his heart, he doesn't want to be the person to do it. He never wanted to be the person to do it. He has his reasons.

Eric is well aware of how almost impossible it is to accomplish the task. Many men had tried. Most of them were highly experienced killers with a long list of successful hits and body counts. But they all failed and quite miserably. And none of them lived to tell the tales of their misadventure in trying to eliminate the Sosai. Even the families of some of the men who made the attempt, were not spared from the oldman's wrath. The wrath was one of Eric's reasons for not wanting to be the guy to go after his grandfather. And from the stories he had heard about the oldman from Nina, he doesnt want the people very close to him to suffer that wrath, if he happens to fail in the mission.

But the situation at hand with the limited time available, left him with no other choice but to take on a man who was being regarded as a force of nature.

Eric gently placed the handgun on the table and slowly slided it an arm length away from him. He reclined in the chair he was sitting on, rested an elbow on the table and turned his attention to the documentary program being shown on the T.V. Then he glanced at Lisa's cellphone that was lying on the bed and noticed it's lamp was blinking; probably a missed call or text message. Eric turned his attention back to the T.V. He watched it for a while and looked at Lisa's cellphone again. The sound of the water running in the bathroom meant that she wasnt done taking her shower. So he could just take a look at the phone. Perhaps take a quick sneak peak.

Eric stared at the phone. "Aww...to hell with that, man", he muttered to himself, waving off the thoughts about engaging in that adventure and turned his attention back to the T.V program.

A few minutes later, Lisa stepped out of the bathroom. Wrapped in a white towel that barely covered her thighs, she paced into the room, gently rubbing her long hair with another towel. She gave Eric a smile and glanced at the program being shown on the t.v.

"Please hand me the hairdryer", Lisa said to Eric without looking at him. "And stop staring at my legs", she smiled.

"How do you know i was staring at your legs", Eric said as he got up and picked up the hairdryer on the table.

"I have been learning some of your moves. Knowing what's going on without looking".

"I see.....", Eric nodded and stood infront of Lisa with the dryer held up. "I guess you were learning it in the shower, that's why you were in there longer than usual".

"Really?".

"Yep.... five minutes more than the average time you spend taking a shower".

"Hm....", Lisa stared at him keenly. "Are you always calculative of everything going on around you", she asked and moved abit closer to him.

"Most of the time", Eric replied, still holding up the hairdryer and waiting for her to take it.

"Then......", Lisa moved away his hand that held hairdryer inbetween them and got abit more closer. ".....can you tell me how many men you have killed so far?", she asked and stared into his eyes

"A hundred and fifty five",

"That's alot of men".

"There are alot of bad guys and groups out there".

"And....who were these guys....or groups ?".

"One was a rebel commander and sixty-two were his men".

"Hm....what about the rest?".

"Six dangerous serial killers, ten professional assasins, eight member kidnap gang, one drug cartel boss and his six bodyguards.......",

Lisa stared at Eric with her hand caressing his chest as he gave her a run-down on the stats of the jobs he had done and the resulting human wreckages. But she wasnt interested in the battlefield stories of the killer standing before her, or his unfortunate victims. She just wanted to enjoy every moment she is having with him. Especially now that everything seems to be right and she being in the mood for some quality time.

".....ten member armed robbery gang and several terrorist organizations", Eric concluded.

Lisa stared at him with a weak smile on her face. "So how many times have we made love since we met", she asked and slowly caressed his chest.

Eric thought for a while. "I'm sorry.....i dont know", was his reply.

"Why?", Lisa asked with furrowed eyebrows

"Because i wasnt counting"

"Why?",

Eric sighed with a downcast gaze. Then he looked at Lisa in her face. "Whenever we are together,.......you in my arms, nothing else matters......that's why", he replied.

"I see", Lisa rested her head on his chest. "Well.....you can still start all over again", she muttered.

"Okay....but you have to know that I'm very poor at counting when it comes to that", Eric said.

"Really?", Lisa looked at him. "Then i will have to meet you to remind you".

Eric stared at her for a while and smiled. He opened his mouth to say something but Lisa placed her finger inbetween his lip. A way to tell him not to say anything. Then she leaned forward and gave him a long kiss.

As the kissing got longer, Eric withdrew his head and turned his face away from Lisa.

"Lisa", he began quietly. "This wont change our situation", he said without looking at Lisa. "You have to know that".

"I know", Lisa whispered and kissed him on his nape. "Let's just pretend like there is no situation between us", she whispered into his ears.

As if those last words flipped a switch inside him, Eric grabbed a handful of Lisa's hair and pulled her head back. Then he planted his lips on hers and kissed her. Lisa responded with alot of passion, frenziedly crushing her lips against his. She wrapped her arms around his broad steely muscled shoulder and pushing her waist against his. Eric slided the other hand under the towel, grabbed her behind and pressed her against his body.

After about a minute of tongue kissing that got more ecstatic by the seconds, Lisa moved her hand to the towel she was wrapped in. She untied it and it slipped from her body and dropped on the floor. Her breath quickened and soft moans escaped from her lips as Eric's lips moved to her neck. Her fingernails dug deeper into Eric's shoulder and her body trembled as Eric's lips teased her erogenous zone. Then Lisa ecstatically grabbed her bossom and pushed Eric's face on it. His lips made contact with it's tip and it drove her wild. And had her whispering words........dirty words into Eric's ear as she caressed his low cut 360 waved hair.

Soon Eric's cloths was lying on the floor next to the bathroom towel and two n@de bodies lying on the bed. Eric was on his back and Lisa on top of him; her favourite position because she likes being incharge. After more passionate tongue kissings, Lisa brushed her long hair aside and stared at Eric. Then she bit her lips and moved her hand inbetween his legs. She moved her hip closer as she did so, giving Eric a seductive look that says it's about to go down.

It has been long since the both of them had sex. And Lisa knows it's going to be a long intense night filled with her moans that might disturb the other guests in the other hotel rooms. But what she didnt know, as she let Eric's manhood slide inside her that made her gasp out loud, was her hand had accidentally touched the "Answer" button of her cellphone that was ringing. And the name in the caller i.d was Kevin.


*****************************************

Dante tightened his grip on the cellphone and clenched his teeth as he listened to the sound rasping out of the phone's earpiece. His face had the expression of a man who heard something highly insultive. He listened to the sound for a while and slowly moved the cellphone away from his ear and held it infront of his face. He stared at it and then hit the end button. He dropped the device on the table and recline in his seat with his eyes closed.

After staying like that for a short while, he face brightened up abit with a weak smile and he opened his eyes. Then Dante reached for the bottle of wine infront of him. He poured the little amount that was left in the bottle in his glass, smirking with a deep sigh and slightly shaking his head as he poured the wine in his glass. After emptying the content, he stared at the empty bottle for a while before setting it on the table slowly with his lips pursed.

The pianist finished his performance and bowed as the guests applauded him. Then he left the stage for a jazz group to take over the entertainment for the evening. Dante nodded at the pianist who glanced at him with a delightful smile as he left the stage and took a sip from his glass. The man had been told that Dante was the one who requested the piano song he had just played. And the generous tips he gave.

"Sir, are you ready to take your orders?".

Dante finished the wine in his glass and looked at the cheerful looking waiter standing beside him. He was angered by the question. But he didnt show it and didnt blame the waiter for asking it. He had earlier told the man that he would take his orders later. That was three hours ago.

"Sir do you need any other thing?", the waiter asked again as the thoughts of why Dante was just staring at him and saying nothing, made the superficial smile on his face to start fading slowly.

"Oh.....", Dante began with a smile on his face and reminding himself to stay focused. "I was just about to leave", he continued and took his cellphone. "I'm feeling abit nervous....and you know what it does to the appetite".

"Oh is it because of that unfortunate incident you had earlier with one of our guests", the waiter asked as Dante got up. "Sir we are sincerely sorry for the inconvenience", he apologised.

"It's okay", Dante glanced at the empty table where the burly man and woman had their dinner. He saw them leave the restaurant about two hours ago. "Is he a regular here?", he asked and picked up his tab.

"No sir.......but the woman is,......with different guys", the waiter replied with a mischievous smile.

"Okay", Dante muttered and took out a hundred dollar bill from his wallet. "Thanks for the information", he said and handed the bill to the waiter.

"Thank you very much sir", the waiter said cheerfully and accepted the tip.

Then Dante nodded at him and headed towards the receptionist desk to pay his bill.

The taxi slowed down and grinded to a halt infront of Dante. Dante neatly folded his suit jacket around his arm and slided into the backseat.

"Where are we heading to sir?", the driver asked after Dante slammed the door shut.

"The Ritz hotel at Johnson boulevard", Dante replied.

"Okay sir".

The driver hit the gas pedal and steadily guided the car into the traffic. Dante stole a quick glance at the driver's face through the rearview mirror and laid his suit jacket beside him.

"A lovely weekend evening......", the driver began as he worked the steering wheel and accelerated the vehicle. ".....with a moderate cool breeze and temperature. A perfect evening to go on a date. Dont you think so sir?", he smiled and glanced at his passenger through the rearview mirror. He was trying to start a conversation with Dante.

Dante didnt respond. He was staring at his suit jacket and slowly running his left fingers back and forth on the part of the cloth that was soaked. The part that took most of the wine that burly man dumped on him.

After a short while of doing that for with an expressionless thoughtful gaze, Dante looked at the driver. The man was still trying to have some conversations.

"I want you to somewhere else", Dante said to the driver and reached for his wallet in his back pocket.

"Where sir?", the driver asked.

"I want you to take me to the Presidential hotel", Dante replied and pulled out a fifty dollar bill. "But before you take me there, i want you to take me to a shop that sells hardwares", he said and dangled the note at the driver who stared at him curiously through the rearview mirror.

The driver extended his hand backwards and Dante handed him the money. Then he worked the steering wheel and the taxi made a sharp U-turn.

"Changed your mind on which hotel you intend to spend the night huh", the driver smiled and slipped the money into his breast pocket.

"I prefer you just keep quiet and drive", Dante said firmly to the man and turned his eyes to the well lit street and the activities that flashed by as the taxi headed towards the new destination. The expressionless look on his face turning into smirk as he thought about one thing; Burly man and his 'wife'.

segsbenks:
ooohhhh!! myyy jeezzz!! am fidgeting, really felt sorry for Hector,waow! but lik seriously ironkurtain u ar doin a Wonderful job... am sure der is still goin to be a lot of viewer discretion or rather readers discretion on d run..... seriously bros keep dem cumiiiiiiiinnnnnng!!!!!!! #teameric&lisa#

Thanx bro.....you are right though. More viewers discretion coming

Then the door open and Alex and Chris stepped into the room with Chris carrying his laptop.

"I think we got something", Chris began as they stepped into the room. "There is a.......", Chris paused with his mouth wide open when his eyes met Hector's face. "Mother of God...", he managed to utter as he stared at the man with a horrified look on his face.

"Wow......what the hell happened to you?", Alex chuckled at Hector. "Is my kid sister too hot for you to handle, big man?", he asked and placed his hand on Hector's shoulder.

Hector's body trembled when the hand touched him and he groaned out with alot of pain. This made Alex to surprisingly and immediately withdraw his hand.

"Hm.....it's like someone came with the thunder in this less than....20 minutes orgy", Alex sneered and looked at Suzanne.

Suzanne wiped the sweat on her forehead with the back of her hand and eyed Alex.

"So what were you saying?", Nina demanded and looked at Chris who was still staring at Hector with his mouth open.

Chris went over to where Nina was seated and showed her the laptop screen. "Do you recognize this phone number?", he asked.

Nina stared at the number for a few seconds. "Where did you get this number?, she asked Chris.

"From Gus cellphone", Chris replied.

"Gus cellphone?", Nina furrowed her eyebrows and glanced at Alex.

"Yeah.....i hacked into his cellphone and got it from his call list".

Nina nodded her head slowly and stared at the number thoughtfully.

"Chris tried to hack into the cellphone of that number and encountered a 'never seen before' type of security", Alex added. "We are talking about a high level security.......something possibly beyond the federal government".

Nina sighed. "What day is it today?", she asked.

"Friday", Suzanne replied.

"Give me your cellphone", Nina demanded from Alex.

Alex took out his cellphone and handed it to Nina and she dialled the number.

"Mom we called the number, but the response was it doesnt exist", Alex said to Nina.

"I know.....", Nina muttered as she dialled the number. Then she pressed the send button and put the phone on speaker mode so that everyone in the room can hear it.

The automated voice informed them that the number doesnt exist, just as Alex had said. But Nina waited until five seconds ticked away in the call time. Then she punch in a series of numbers and waited. After about five seconds, an automatic voice told her to press the caller identification number. Nina thought for about a few seconds and punched in a series of numbers.

Then the line ringed.

Alex and Chris glanced at each other surprisingly as the line rang five times before it was answered.

"Hello?", a voice answered from the cellphone speakers.

Nina heard the voice and immediately end the call. She heaved a deep sigh with her face in her palms. Alex who also recognized the voice rubbed the back of his neck. Then he cursed under his breath and he paced around the room with a troubled look on his face.

"What's wrong?", Chris asked Suzanne with a whisper. "Is it the.....",

"Yeah it's him......it's the Sosai", Suzanne replied before he could finish. "That's his voice", then she looked at Nina. "So he is the invisible man huh?", she asked.

Nina nodded her head.

"What do you mean by the invisible man?", Alex asked and looked at Suzanne.

"Well our good friend here.....", Suzanne pointed at Hector. "......said that Gus is getting his orders from someone called the invisible man".

"That was what your grandfather was called a very long time ago", Nina muttered and looked at Alex. "Because no one really knew his real name, his identity.....or where he could be found. But he never liked that nickname.....and stopped people from calling him that", she continued. "But as the Family organization grew bigger and bigger, he decided to take the title, 'The Sosai'....".

Alex sighed with a downcast gaze. "I f@cking knew it", Alex began irritatedly. "That crazy oldman is the one behind all these sh!ts", he said and glanced at the others. "But why didnt he just come out and boldly say that he is the one behind it.....than be a....a smooving lying motherf@cker?", he asked angrily.

"What the hell is 'smooving'?", Suzanne snorted.

"He meant to say smooth moving", Chris replied.

Then Nina's cellphone ringed and interrupted the conversation. Everyone in the room, including Alex who took the cellphone out from his pocket, stared at the cellphone as it kept ringing and glanced at the others as he held the phone away from his body. Then Nina gestured at him to bring the cellphone to her. Alex did so and Nina stared at the number after the phone was handed to her.

"Bernard?", she muttered with a furrowed her eyebrows. Then she looked at Chris.

"Dont worry.....they can no longer track us through that phone", Chris said to Nina.

Then Nina put the phone on speaker mode and answered the call. "Hello Bernard.....", she began coolly.

"Nina?.......my God is that you?", Bernard's voice came out of the phone speakers. "I heard you were in a coma after what happened......when did you wake up?", he asked.

"I woke up when you were busy being my father's lapdog......as usual", Nina replied.

"Still having problems with my loyalty to your father?".

"I never had any problem with your rather extreme 'loyalty to a fault' to my father. But the reasons for it.....which seems kind of suspicious to me".

"Aw come on Nina.....you are making it sound like we are having some kind of a sibling rivalry.

"Well to me it feels more like hatred because you had in many occasions tried to convince the Sosai to bring me down".

Bernard deep sigh was heard and he paused for a few seconds. "Nina all these years i worked for your father, i always did my best to give him the best advice on how to handles situations, especially like the one you are having with him", he then said.

Nina scoffed and looked away.

"That's the truth", Bernard continued. "And we all know you have this nasty habit of doing things not approved by him or the family. Things that if someone else did, he would eliminate the person, no questions asked. Nina your father already knew of your meetings with that man before you even started thinking of him catching you two. He asked you several times about it didnt he?. But you denied it. Being the man he is, he had wanted to take a quick action and bring down the sledgehammer on you and that man. But i was the one who convinced him not to go that hard on you. And in order to make him not to think that i am in support of what you are doing, i had to recommend a punishment. A punishment though severe but also gave you some time to decide on what you gonna do".

"And what was your recommendation?, to have me go look for something that probably dont exist while he orders ordinary criminals to hunt me and my loved ones like animals?", Nina asked indifferently.

"Well......that's why i'm calling you", Bernard replied. "So are you willing to listen to me or keep talking about your distaste for me?", he asked.

Nina stole quick glances at the others in the room. "Go ahead.....i'm listening", she then said.

Bernard sighed. "Nina, i dont know where to begin.....but all i can say is the Sosai is losing it", he began quietly. "He is into something crazy",

"Well he had been into crazy things from day one", Nina chuckled. "So why are you surprised?".

"No.....i mean....way off the map crazy things",

"Well.....enlighten me on this new crazy things?".

"I think he intends to bring down the president of this country. You know the Sosai had been complaining how the man seems to be disregarding him".

"Well he had done that before".

"Yeah but it is the way he intends to do it this time. I havent been able to get the full plan yet, but his recent moves and people his is in contact with suggests something bad. I'm not a supporter of politicians but the last thing i want is this country been plunged into turmoil".

Nina remained silent as she listened with alot of interest.

"These days he is having secret meetings with strange individuals and figures he forbade us to meet", Bernard continued. "None of the other members are aware of this. Nina, your father is becoming something else and i personally dont like it. I also found out another thing", Bernard sighed again. "Your are right. He sent ordinary criminals to have you eliminated......some leader of a killer squad named.......".

"Yeah i already know that", Nina interrupted and looked at Hector. "His name is Hector. But it's okay because my sons had been thinning the herds in the so called killer squad", she continued. "Infact we have Hector here with us and he did say something quite interesting".

"Good to hear they are being taken care of".

"So why did you call?, it cant be about this new level of my father's craziness".

"It's your boyfriend. The truth is the Sosai will still kill him, no matter what you do. You and i know that very well. That's why i called".

Nina looked at Alex and he nodded at her. "So what do you have in mind?", she asked.

"I can get him out for you..... safe and sound, no hassles and gunfights involved. But i want something in return", Bernard replied.

"What do you want?".

"The diamonds.....i want some of it....like half".

"What diamonds?", Nina asked and stared at Alex with a confused look on her face.

"The one you got from that operation in Congo", Bernard replied. "The diamonds one of your sons offered to the Sosai for their father's release".

Nina looked at Alex with a more confused look on her face. Alex immediately gestured at her to continue.

"Oh those diamonds......", Nina said as she tried to continue the conversation without letting Bernard to find out that she knows nothing about the diamonds he is talking about. "Hm......even the most loyal member is willing to take a bribe to go against the family", she chuckled.

"I dont see it as a bribe", Bernard differed. "Lets just call it my retirement money. Especially now that the Sosai is making moves that will eventually make the organization to implode at some point".

"Retirement?, do you intend to leave the organization?", Nina asked.

"Well you referred to me as your father's lapdog......and i'm done being in that position", Bernard replied. "I have been doing alot of savings and the diamonds will greatly help me in achieving the dream vacation i intend to take".

"So what's the deal?".

"Good. Your son said that there was enough diamonds to buy your freedom and that of your man. So i want the half that will buy your man's freedom. You bring it to me and i will bring your man. It's just a simple exchange".

"How can i trust you?, how will i know that this isnt another sick plan of my father to get me", Nina asked.

"Maybe you dont like me, but after years of working with me, you already know that i'm a man of my words", Bernard replied.

"So.....when do you want this exchange to happen?", Nina asked.

"Tomorrow your father will be going for an interview with some writer who will be writing a book about him.....autobiography", Bernard replied.

"So?".

"So this gives us a window of opportunity for me to get your man out of his holding cell and deliver him to you. And after the deal is done, you can do whatever you want, while i will be on the next available flight leaving the country".

"Where and what time do you want the exchange to happen?", Nina asked.

"Twelve noon....at the processing plant in Renard industrial estate", Bernard replied.

"Okay then......but Bernard, dont try anything funny", Nina warned.

"Aw come on Nina, you know me better than that", Bernard laughed. "Anyway i will call you tomorrow. Oh one more thing.....it's about the interview", he added.

"Yeah what about it?", Nina asked.

"It gonna happen in the executive office of your father's building located in Ivory square", Bernard informed her. "The security wont be tight as usual because tomorrow a national holiday and the building will be empty".

"So why are you telling me this?".

"I just want to let you know.....you take care of yourself my dear".

The call ended.

Nina sighed and shook her head with a weak smile.

"Do you think we can trust him?", Alex asked her intently.

"I don't know", Nina replied. "But if this is the only way to save your father, then i am willing to take the risk. By the way.....", she looked at Alex. ".......what diamonds is he talking about?", she asked him with a furrowed eyebrow.

"The day we met grandfather, Eric brought a pouch of diamonds with him", Alex replied. "He offered it to the oldman and.....".

"Did he say where he got the diamonds?", Nina interrupted him.

"He didn't say.....and neither did i ask him", Alex replied.

Nina pursed her lips with a thoughtful gaze. She remained like that for about a minute and looked at Alex. "Where is Eric?", she demanded.

"He is with his girlfriend", Alex replied.

"With all these thing going on, he chose to stay with his girlfriend?", Nina asked irritatedly.

"Actually he went to save her from Gus men.....and also the one who got Hector's location", Suzanne said.

Nina heaved a deep sigh. She quietly got up and headed towards the door in silence. The she stopped as she was about to open it and looked at Alex.

"Tell you brother about the new plan and also tell him to bring the diamonds", she said to him.

"What about this thing we just found out about Sosai?", Alex asked. "Is it a go ahead for Eric?".

Nina stared at her son for a while and gave him a nod. And then left the room.

"Well.....", Alex took out his cellphone and glanced at Chris.

"Well what?", Chris asked.

"Gotta call the butcher-man....", Alex replied as he dialed a number. ".....To tell him that it's time to take his beef straight to the Man", he muttered and started heading towards the door.

Chris glanced at his wristwatch and followed Alex behind.

"Guys where are you going?", Suzanne asked them as they were about to leave.

"Somewhere not meant for girls like you", Alex replied and Chris laughed.

"What about him?", Suzanne asked and pointed at Hector.

"Finish what you started", was the last response before they left, shutting the door quietly. Suzanne stared at Hector as the man moved his head with a painful moan. Then she pursed her lips and took off the metal knuckle brace. She dropped it on the floor and quietly paced towards the handy tools that were neatly hanged on the wall. She stared at all the tools for a while as she hummed quietly.

"I kind of liked you better when you talked tough", Suzanne began as she stared at the hammers, drilling machines and hacksaws. "Especially when you boasted about how you killed Rogers, our chauffeur.....", she picked a hacksaw with a rusty blade. "......what you gonna do to my young ass......", she felt the rusty blades that was abit blunt with her fingers. "......and what you did to some young girl while her father watched", she smiled.

Then Suzanne went over to Hector with the hacksaw and stood infront of him. Hector slowly raised his head and looked at Suzanne. He stole a few glances at the hacksaw she was holding and his lips began to tremble.

"It's like you enjoy seeing others getting hurt, enjoy seeing them in pain huh?", she asked and slowly caressed Hectors right arm. "I used to ask myself what kind of a sick f@ck would enjoy seeing others undergo alot of pain", she continued. "Until i myself made another person go through alot of pain", she smiled and touched the veins in the arm. "The guy wasnt the baddest of the bads, he was just a sick pervert who raped a twelve years old girl. I jammed a metal chopstick in his pee hole and heated the other end with a lighter. But it wasnt the genital check up that got to me, it was the way he screamed when the metal rod started heating up. Quite addictive i must confess", she smiled again and looked at Hector. "Seeing a guy like you all tied up in a place like this makes me feel like a drug addict locked in a room with a ton of heroin", then the smile on her face faded. "So that means we gonna have alot of fun".

Hector stared at her with his lips still trembling. He was trying to say something, but the great pain he was undergoing made it difficult for the words to come out. Then Suzanne bent over and held down his right arm that was tied to the arm of the chair. She made some measurments on his arm and positioned the blade of the hacksaw on it. Hector saw it and started shaking his body violently.

"No.....please", he managed to mutter out.

"Ah ah......stay still will you", Suzanne held down the arm firmly and looked at him. "And let me know if it hurts", she said with a cold look on her face.

Hector's bloodcurdling scream could be heard as Suzanne started working with the hacksaw to chop his arm off. And other limbs.

Suzanne wiped the sweat on her body and armpits with her shirt and dropped it on the floor.

"That's one hell of a strong fist you got there", Nina said and glanced at Suzanne's bloodstained knuckles as she handed the plastic bottle of water to her. "I'm impressed".

"Impressed?", Suzanne accepted the bottle of water and raised it to her lips. "I'm just warming up", she said after a few gulps.

"Warming up?", Nina snorted with a furrowed eyebrow and then chuckled. "Well your warm up seems to have left him half dead", she said and jerked her head at Hector.

Hector looked terrible. There's alot blood on his shirt and trouser. His right face that took most of the blows from Suzanne's powerful left fist was totally destroyed. The other part was covered with horrible bruises and massive lumps that rendered him unrecognizable. His head tilted to the side with blood and saliva dripping from his mouth that hung open due to the multiple factures he had sustained in his jaw.

Suzanne corked the bottle and dropped it on the floor. She unwrapped the bloodstained piece of cloth wrapped around her right fist and looked at Hector.

"Sir, are you sure you wanna keep holding out till we begin the main event", she asked him and dropped the piece of cloth. "You have to know that the longer i do this, the higher the level of my rage", she muttered and slipped the metal knuckle brace she took out from her pocket, on her left hand. "So if you have anything to say.......especially the answer to that question we asked you, then you better spill it out", she concluded and balled the left hand into a fist with metal knuckles.

Hector battered lips muttered something inaudible and coughed with alot of pain.

Suzanne glanced at Nina and looked at Hector. "What did you just say?", she asked him.

Hector raised his head weakly and looked at Suzanne. "The.......invisible one", he muttered.

"The invisible one?, is that a name or a password?", Suzanne asked.

"The name.....of the man", Hector gasped and bowed his head.

"What did he just say?", Nina asked Suzanne.



"The invisible one", Suzanne replied.

"What?", Nina furrowed her eyebrows.

"The invisible one", Suzanne said again and looked at Nina. "He said the name of man who put the hit on you and Alex is 'The invisible one'....".

Nina stared at Hector for a while and slowly got up from her chair. She sighed and quietly paced around the room thoughtfully with a downcast gaze.

"Does it mean anything to you?", Suzanne asked when she saw the look on Nina's face. Nina looked at her and nodded.

That name......nickname, meant alot to her. The name that so much got her interest when she was a teenager, that it ended up changing the course of her life. And like most delinquents of that time that had a very rough and dirty childhood, the name made her have dreams. Dreams to have the triple beams of life; money, power and fame. Dreams to be someone who controls and puts fear in the hearts and mind of others. Dreams that soon became reality when she found out that the man called "the invisible one", was her father. Her biological father.

"Do you want me to make him give us an excellent description of what this 'invisible fucker' look like?", Suzanne asked, interrupting Nina in her thoughts and raising the fist with a metal knuckle brace to pound Hector's already damaged face.

"No", Nina replied with a sigh and slowly dropped her weight on the chair, still bearing the thoughtful look on her face.

Detective Allen stopped staring at the papers and numerous photographs on his desk and rubbed the bridge of his nose with some uneasiness. The swivelling he was sitting on made a low squeaking sound as he reclined in it and folded his arms. Heaving a deep sigh, he pursed his lips and looked at the photographs again.

For over an hour, he had been going through the documents. The police reports brought to his desk. Reports about the recent dead bodies discovered in an alley and shopping mall; victims of a violent death. The photographs on his desk were the pictures of the gruesome killings. They were all men who are believed to be members of a gang......or mafian foot soldiers.

Allen leaned forward and picked up one of the pictures that seems to get his attention more than the rest. He held the picture up to his face and gazed at it for a while.

"Damn you Eric", Allen muttered under his breath and dropped the picture on the table. "What kind of a man are you?....never had a problem taking a butcher knife or an axe to the bad guys and leaving one hell of a gory scene", he sighed.

"One hell of massacre going on huh".

Allen looked over his shoulder and saw his partner Zack, leaning on the door post of their office and staring at him. He also held a copy of the police report.

"Yeah", Allen replied and looked at the pictures on the table, wondering how long he had been standing there. "One hell of a gang massacre", he muttered and looked at the picture he had dropped. The picture of a dead man with an axe imbedded in his skull.

"And that's one hell of a stunt you pulled in the conference room", Zack snorted and walked into the cozy and well lit office that has two separate desk facing each other. And a fairly big pin up board on the front wall with alot of papers and coloured thumb tacks.

"Haven't spent a week in the job and you are already walking out of a meeting called by the state police commissioner", Zack continued.

"You guys have an imbec!le running the affairs of the police in this city. That's why i had to leave", Allen said coolly and looked at Zack. "The man was too busy looking for someone to take the blame for his balls not being properly massaged than listen to what we have to say about this case.....or what we think should be done".

Allen's words amused Zack as he stood infront of the pin up board. "What do you expect from the superiors?", he said and stared at the pictures and clues both he and Allen had pinned on the board. "We are dealing with a serious case of gang related killings and murders. They want us to put an end to it as soon as possible", he muttered.

"Then he should have listened to me when i said he should issue an order to bring in some persons of interest to the police department for questioning", Allen protested.

"And who are these persons of interest huh?.......Gus?", Zack asked indifferently as he kept staring at the pin up board. "We have nothing on him. And i personally dont see how he is connected to all the killings going on".

Allen opened his mouth to say something but closed it on a second thought. He knows that Gus is connected to the killings, if not the guy ordering it. And very sure because one of the dead men in the picture was in Gus place when he paid the man a visit.......an unofficial visit. A visit the police department and Zack are not aware of because he didnt put it in his report.

"According to the police report, the man seems to be running a legitimate business", Zack continued, interrupting Allen in his thoughts. "Even though he is suspected to be the leader of the mafias in Easthill".

"He IS the leader of one of Easthill mafias", Allen corrected and picked up one of the papers of the police report on his desk. "This dead guy named Santos, is the right hand man of another guy called Hector", he continued and waved the paper at Zack. "Hector is one of Gus closest friend and affiliate. And since this Hector is nowhere to be found, then Gus is the guy we need to bring in for questioning because he might have some informations or heard something about this.....gang war or whatever the f@ck is going on and the reason for it", Allen stated. "If we can get something...anything from him, then we might be able to know what we are dealing with and where to begin".

Zack turned and looked at Allen.

"As of now we have nothing", Allen continued as he got up and gathered the papers on his desk. "I have to know how and why these thugs were killed in a shopping mall", Allen muttered to himself. Then he glanced at his wristwatch and started walking out of the office.

"Is there something that you are not telling me?", Zack then asked as Allen headed towards the door.

Allen paused. "Something like what", he asked intently and looked at Zack.

"Well.....", Zack sighed and casually paced towards his desk. "Anything that has to do with this case we are trying to solve", he said and leaned on the edge of the desk. "Like informations you might have stumbled upon.....".

Allen gazed at Zack.

"....Perhaps informations given to you by a unanimous source......or someone you know very well. Informations you are yet to share with the police department and me your partner", Zack continued with an inquisitive look on his face.

"What makes you think i have other informations about this 'Easthill gangs gone out of control' killings?", Allen asked. "Even if i do, what makes you think that i will withhold from the department?", he asked again and then smirked.

Zack thought for a while with his hands in his pockets. "You know.....", he began and walked around his desk. ".....You seem so convinced that this Gus got something to do with the killings going on in this city", he dropped his weight on his chair and rested his elbows on the desk. "So i'm wondering if you might have come across any info.....or know something",

"Well i'm still in the dark.....just like you", Allen smiled and took out his cellphone. "It's just my instincts that i'm following", he concluded and walked out of the office.


**************************************


The automated voice told Dante for the fourth time that the recipient of the number he was calling is not answering after the line rang for over a minute. He pressed the End button and slipped the cellphone inside the inner pocket of his suit jacket. Heaving a sigh, Dante raised the wine glass to his lips and gulped down its content. He gently set the glass back to its former position beside the bottle of Barbaresco red wine he had ordered and rested his elbows on the table, clasping his hands together.

The guests in the restaurant applauded as pianist bowed gracefully at them. He then took a seat and gently placed his fingers on the piano keyboard to entertain the guests again with another tune.
He started playing a romantic piano song called "Liebestraume", also known as Dreams of love. A song that Dante had requested to be played because he had hoped it would be a perfect night. But with the dull expression on his face and the incessant checking of his phone, he was having a somewhat bad night. And even though the pianist seemed to play the song quite well, he didnt play it to Dante's taste and this made Dante to stare at the man with some distaste.

Dante sighed again. He picked up the half empty bottle of wine and refilled his glass. As he raised the glass to lips, he looked at burly man's table and saw the woman the man was talking to, staring at him. Dante smiled and winked at her. Then he glanced around the restaurant for a while as he sipped his wine and noticed that the girl was still staring at him when he turned his eyes in her direction. He winked again and waved at her.

The woman stared at Dante for a while after seeing his gesture at her and gave him a smile. She gave the burly man a brief stare as he continued with his rants and then looked at Dante with a mischievous smirk on her lips. Then she leaned forward and whispered something into the man ear and pointed at Dante.

"Not only an overpriced hooker, but also a Delilah", Dante murmured quietly when the burly man looked over his shoulder and stared at him.

One moment the burly man was staring at Dante curiously. The next moment his face turned into a frown when he recognized him. Dante took a sip from his glass and relaxed on his seat as the burly man got up and threw his napkin on the floor. The man adjusted the collar of his shirt and came over to Dante's table with a mean look on his face.

"You again.....", the man began and pointed at Dante's face.

"Nice to meet you too sir", Dante replied coolly with a smile on his face.

"So what is your f@cking problem?.....are you trying to f@cking ruin my evening or what?".

"Sir i dont know what you are talking about?".

"You f@cking well know what i'm talking about you asshole!", the man blurted out loud at Dante, startling some of the customers and attracting the attentions of the waiters. "You were flirting with my wife!".

Dante glanced at the customers that are staring at him. And at the waiter that were now coming towards his table. Then he looked at the burly man, slowly running his eyes from his expensive shirt to his angry face.

"Sir dont take it the wrong way", he said to the man, maintaining his smile and positive attitude. "Your.....'wife' is a very beautiful woman and i was just complementing her beauty", Dante gestured his hand at the woman who was staring at him with a condescending sneer.

"Well thank you very much. But she doesnt like the way you are staring at her", the man said sarcastically. "And if you turn that dog face of yours in her direction again, then you and i gonna have a big f@cking problem right here!", he warned and poked his fat right index finger on Dante's chest.

Dante looked at the burly man's finger and hairy hand. "My apologies sir", he apologized.

"Sir is there any problem?", the waiter politely asked Dante and glanced at the burly man.

"Oh no.....it's just a slight misunderstanding", Dante said to the waiter.
0
"Yeah he is right", the man began quietly and picked up the bottle of wine Dante was drinking. "He can never have a problem with me", he continued and spilled its entire content on Dante's laps. "Try that sh!t again and i will whack you right here, right now".

The burly man smirk at Dante and dropped the empty bottle on his table. The waiter protested but Dante gestured at him to stop. Then burly man went over to his table while the waiter hurriedly picked up a table napkin to help Dante wipe his suit and trouser.

Dante glanced at the other guests who gave him a curious and a somewhat awkward stare. He nodded at them with an "everything is okay" look on his face and stared at the burly man as the man went over to his table.

The woman was now staring at Dante mockingly and laughing. The burly man dropped his weight on his seat and she got up and gave him a long kiss.

"What a bad evening", Dante muttered to himself and looked at his wet trouser and suit jacket. "Please get me another bottle", he said to the waiter who had left and came back with more napkins for Dante.

"Okay sir", the waiter replied. "Please do accept my apologies for that guy's unruly behaviour", he added.

"Oh its okay......things like this do tend to happen sometimes", Dante smiled at the waiter.

But Dante failed to tell the man the kind of repercussions that comes if that kind of behaviour is exhibited towards him.

****************************************


"So what did you find out?", Alex asked as he glanced at Hector's cellphone and glanced at screen of Chris laptop.

"Well......", Chris began as he worked his fingers on the keyboard. "I got Gus cellphone number from his phone......and did a little trick of mine", he continued with a smile and looked at Alex.

"And?",

"I sent a spam alert message to Gus cellphone.......and as what people usually do when they get alerts, he opened it and therefore enabling me to hack into his phone".

Then Chris clicked on a window in laptop screen and showed Alex Gus entire cellphone call history and numbers stored in the contact list. Alex stared at it with a smile and scrolled through the list.

"But it doesn't prove anything though", Alex muttered as he glanced through the numbers and the names.

"That's not all......there is something else", Chris muttered. He moved Alex hand away from his laptop and worked his fingers on the keyboard and opened another window on the screen. "I was able to hack into the cellphones of the numbers in Gus contact list", he said and opened another window in the screen. "All.......except one", he continued and looked at Alex. "Your mother's cellphone is the only phone i couldn't hack into......but.....", he pointed at a number in the screen. ".......this is not the number of your mom's cellphone.....unless she is using two cellphones.

Alex stared at number with a thoughtful gaze.

"After that debacle of trying to hack into your mom's phone, i wrote some kind of computer program", Chris said. "A program that gives me feedbacks on the security level and loopholes of any computer or cellphone i intend to hack into. Just like checking how high a wall is before deciding whether it is possible to scale over it", he smiled and looked at Alex.

"So the program told you that the cellphone of this number cannot be hacked", Alex said with his eyes still staring at the number on computer screen.

"Cannot be hacked is an understatement man", Chris said. "Hacking into that phone is like trying to empty the Atlantic ocean with a teaspoon. I thought your mom's cellphone got the best security. But the one in this cellphone is a freaking nightmare to a god hacker. I'm talking about something even......the federal government cant penetrate".

Then Chris sighed and reclined in his seat. He rubbed his eyes with his index fingers and shook his head.

"The owner of this cellphone is definitely someone heavy", he muttered. "Like the president of this country", he muttered.

"Or someone more powerful than the president of this country", Alex said.

Then silence settled between them.

"I thought you said your grandfather is not behind all these sh!ts?", Chris then asked with some concern in his voice after a few minutes of them staring at the laptop screen in silence.

"Maybe he wants us to believe that he is not the one behind all the sh!ts", Alex replied. "Are you sure of what you just told me about this number?", he asked.

"Very positive".

"Then lets go ask mother and see if Hector is willing to talk".

Alex roughly took off the blindfold from Hector's face and dropped it on the floor. Hector's eyes squint to the bright light of fluorescent bulb and bowed his head to let them adjusted to it. After a few seconds, he slowly looked up and stared at Alex who was standing infront of him. He glanced at his arms that was firmly tied to the arms of the metal chair he was sitting on and at his feet were bound together. He made an attempt to move the chair but it was bolted firmly to the floor. Heaving a sigh of desperation he bowed his head and remained like that for a while. Then he looked up and turn his gaze at Nina who was sitting on a chair and staring him. He recognized her face and smirked. And looked at Suzanne who was standing near a table, facing away and eating quietly.

Hector smirked again and looked around the room. The place looked like some kind of a workshop with a work table that has alot of tools on it and some handy electric equipments hanging on the wall. The place was probably a basement because it had no windows.

"Hm......", Hector began and looked at Nina. "....We finally meet face to face huh?", he said with a smile. "So did you all bring me here so as to watch while i finish the job?", he asked and glanced at the others. Then he looked at the bullet wound in his shoulder and thigh. "Why dont you guys give me a fighting chance by untying me, so that i can go have some proper rest after i'm done killing you all", he said.

Suzanne made and audible scoff and continue eating in silence. Then Hector's eyes turned to her position.

"I kind of liked you better when you wore that mini skirt", he said to her as he stared. "Because those legs of yours reminds me of one b!tch i nailed a long time ago", he smiled mischievously. "Probably the sweetest piece of ass i have ever tasted. The little b!tch screamed while her father watched helplessly and cried like a baby. That's why you gonna be the last person i will kill.......after i'm done f@cking your young ass to my heart desire", he sneered.

Suzanne heard it and paused for a few seconds with the fork carrying the fruit salad she was eating, held close to her mouth. She shook her head and continue eating without saying a word.

"What about those house-helps and the chauffeur", Alex began coolly and resisting the urge to bash in Hector's face. "Did you and your men give them any fighting chance?", he asked.

Hector looked at Alex and smiled. "We were so much in a hurry that we didnt think about that", he said. "Not that they even mattered anyway.....but i gotta say the chauffeur impressed me. The old fool was bold enough to disarm one of my men and even put up a good fight. But you should have seen how he reacted when the bullets hit him", then Hector laughed. "And the way he stared at the fat lady that held him when he was hit", he continued. "I could have finished him and that wailing cow of a woman. But the cops always have a rude way of showing up whenever the show start getting interesting", he laughed again.

Alex sighed and looked at Nina. Nina glanced at him indifferently and looked away. Then he looked at Suzanne who had her back on him and didnt seem bothered at all. Alex sighed again and wished that Eric was there with them.

"Anyway we have some questions for you", Alex continued coolly as he walked around Hector.

Hector scoffed and pursed his lips.

"I want you to......".

Alex got interrupted by Esther footsteps as she descended into the basement room of the house. She was carrying a First aid box as she stepped into the place.

Esther closed the door and glanced at everyone in the room with and inquisitive look on her face. Then she looked at Hector and furrowed her eyebrows when she saw the wound on his shoulder and the bloodstain on his shirt.

"What are you doing here?", Nina began irritatedly at Esther. "I told you to stay in your room till Eric come back".

"Well i have been waiting in that room for long and Eric is yet to be back from where ever he had gone to", Esther replied and dropped the First-aid kit box on the work table. "And i have to check on you". She went over to Nina to check her bandages. "Is he one of them?", Esther asked Nina with a whisper as she inspected her bandaged arm.

Nina nodded. "But you dont have to be here", she whispered back. "Things could get really ugly and someone like you shouldn't be around to see it happen".

"I have seen enough already", Esther sighed. "So i don't think there is any other thing else too horrifying for me to watch", she murmured and nodded her head after checking the bandages.

"Not this one", Nina muttered and looked at Hector with a determined look on her face. "It's a pity i'm too incapacitated to do it myself", she continued.

"Well, being a nurse who had worked in a hospital for a long time, i wouldn't mind watching the ugly things that will happen to the man who sent a gang of killers to shoot up a hospital", Esther said and looked at Hector too.

"Anyway, like i was saying......", Alex continued. "......I want you to tell us what you know about the man paying Gus to have us killed".

Hector sighed and bowed his head for a while and then looked up at Alex. "I will tell you everything you want to know", he said.

Alex glanced at Nina and got closer to Hector.

"But i have a request", Hector added.

"What is it?", Alex asked.

"Well.....", Hector relaxed on the chair and looked at Alex who listened attentively. "Since i'm being tied up and cant make use of my hands, i want you to help me unzip my trouser. You will see a hard good looking meat in my pants", he smiled. "Take it out and suck on it", he continued and sneered at Alex. "If you are very good at it, maybe i might decide to tell you what you want".

Alex took a deep breath and gently exhaled the fire of anger in his chest as he tried to maintain his calm composure.

"Well.....you know that can't happen", he said to Hector and forced a smile as he paced around the bounded man.

"Well, then tell your young wh@re friend to do it", Hector jerked his head at Suzanne.

"Will you shut your mouth!", Esther suddenly barked at Hector, startling the others in the room. "Dont you ever feel remorse for those poor people you killed?", she asked angrily. "What kind of a man gives an order to go to a hospital and shoot someone who is in a coma?......what kind of a man are you?".

Nina smirked at the question. "He had already answered the question from the way he is proudly flaunting that 'murderers hatchet face' despite the situation he is in", she muttered.

Hector turned his cold eyes to Esther. "Oh we also have a loud mouth here", he smile. "Do you know how easy i kill weak people like you?", he asked. "But in your own case.....", Hector lustfully ran his eyes from her head to her waist. "......it's gonna be a long honey moon for me", he smiled and looked away.

Esther stared at him for a while and shook her head. "Well.....", she began and quietly paced toward Hector. ".....I have a son....who kills people like you for fun". She tapped Alex on the shoulder and he stepped aside. "Infact, i was there when he killed two of your men in an elevator", she continued and stood infront of Hector. "And also witnessed how the others got turned into a beautiful work of art on the freeway by a truck".

The smile in Hector's face starts to fade.

"I heard he did something after that", Esther looked at Suzanne. "Suzi dear, could you please remind me", she said to Suzanne.

"He hit a massage palour that night and killed eight more men", Suzanne replied as she munched her fruit salad.

Esther smiled and looked at Hector. "I also heard that one man in particular, who always thought he was a very dangerous and fearless man because he had men with guns, was beaten to death", she said and slightly tilted her head to the side as she stared at Hector. "Well i hope it ended quickly for that poor man because my son is very good with his hands. It would be unwise for anyone at the receiving end of those fists to try to survive it for long".

Hector's smiling face turned into a frown. "You better hope that i dont leave this place", he said quietly to Esther with alot of anger in his voice. "Because if i do, i'm gonna f@cking kill everyone you cared for.....even your kids and that f@cking son of yours. Then i will cut your f@cking head off and f@ck your corpse till it starts to rot", he almost barked.

"Wow", Nina chuckled and looked at Esther. "You must have touched some nerves......You really do know how to piss someone off for sure".

Esther didn't respond to what Nina said. Infact she didn't even hear those words. She was staring at Hector with the anger that was welling up inside her, visibly seen on her face after hearing Hector's threat.

Hector stared back at her and smirked. "So what the f@ck you gonna do b!tch?", he scoffed. "Call that f@cking son of yours to come help mama?".

Then Alex reached into his pocket for his cellphone that just notified him of a new text message. "Hm....Chris just found something in his cellphone.......and wants me to come see it", he said after checking the message.

Then he slipped the phone back into his pocket and rubbed his palms together. "My job here is done so i gotta take me leave", he said to the others with a smile and start heading towards the door.

"Wait..what?....what do you mean your job is done here?", Nina asked him. "Arent you suppose to make him talk?", she asked again and pointed at Hector.

Alex looked over his shoulder as he reached for the door handle. "Mom, i'm a negotiation guy.......i negotiate and that's my specialty. I dont know how to make people talk", he replied to Nina. "Besides you all heard what he said. He wants Suzanne to....work on him before he will tell us anything. So let her do it", he concluded and left the room, telling them that he had had a long day and wanted to go catch some sleep.

Nina sighed and looked at Esther who was still staring at Hector. "So what are we gonna do with him?", Nina asked her.

Esther turned her face away after giving Hector a long and unblinking hateful stare. She took a deep breath and exhaled gently as she bit her lips. Then she quietly went over to the First-aid kit box she left on the work table opened it. Nina watched her as she noisily dumped the contents on the table.

"Suzanne, when will Eric be back", Esther asked Suzanne and ripped out a cloth covering and revealed a secret compartment in the box.

"Aunty i don't know", Suzanne replied quietly.

"Did he give any specific instructions on what to do to this...animal if you get him?", Esther asked again as she took out the syringe and vial of injection stored in the secret compartment.

"Nope", Suzanne replied. "As a matter of fact, we were suppose to kill him where we got him",

Esther took the vial and syringe and went over to Hector. She stood infront him and pushed the syringe needle into the vial rubber cap. And began to draw the pink coloured liquid in the vial. Esther filled the syringe halfway, stared at Hector for a few seconds and then filled it up. Then she walked behind Hector and stabbed the needle of the syringe into the back of his neck.

"What the f@ck did you just inject me with", Hector growled after Esther emptied the content of the syringe inside him.

"Oh it's just something my son helped me to create....He also works as a chemist", Esther said coolly and dropped the syringe on the floor. "We are yet to give it a name so i will just call it.......'Esther's cure'...", she smiled.

"Esther's cure?", Nina snorted with furrowed eyebrows. "So what does this....'Esther's cure' do?", she asked.

"Well.....", Esther stood infront of Hector who stared at her with a confused look on his face. "It is some kind of a chemical inhibitor", she said with a faint smile. "When it gets into your bloodstream.....", she placed a hand on Hector's shoulder. ".....it will travel to your brain and hit your pituitary gland......", she slide the hand from his shoulder to head. "There it will interfere with the endorphins secretion and re-wire your entire opiate receptors", she concluded and tapped Hector on his forehead.

Hector cursed Esther under his breath and shook his head angrily to get her hand off him. Esther smiled at him again and stared at her wristwatch for a while; for almost two minute. Then she slapped Hector across his cheek. Hector's entire body shook like a jolt of electric current passed through his body.

Seeing Hector reaction to the slap, Esther nodded with satisfaction. "It elevates your perception of pain by a thousand times", she then said. "Even a slap from a 'weak person' will make you feel like you got hit by a hammer".

Beads of sweat started forming on Hector's forehead as the effects of what Esther had injected in him start taking over his body. Then he gasped and looked at the bullet wound on his thigh, and then at the one on his right shoulder. He stared at the wound like it was his first time of seeing it as the throbbing pain he felt there started becoming something else. Like he was being cut with a chainsaw with blunt blades. Within a minute, the boldness on his face turned into the look of a man with alot of excruciating pain.

Nina was short of words. She just stared at what was happening to Hector in amazement. Suzanne continue chewing her food like she was oblivious of what was going on.

"I knew it", Nina then said to Esther with smile. "I knew deep down inside that heart of yours, there is something cold.

Esther ignored her and went over to the table to packed First-Aid kit box. "One ml of that stuff is required", she said as she closed the box. "Anything above that dosage and your body temperature will start to rise after one hour. It will keep on rising and rising, till your internal organs start to get cooked. I hope you are aware that i used a ten ml syringe".

Then Esther picked up the box and glanced at Hector as she headed towards the door. "Suzanne you have an hour with him.....i hope you guys enjoy yourselves", she said and left.

Suzanne stopped eating and gently dropped the fork on the plate. She heaved sigh and slowly turned and look at Hector for the first time. After staring at the man for a while, she glanced at Nina and unbuttoned her shirt. Taking the shirt off and dropping it on the floor, she quietly went over to Hector, taking the plate of salad with her.

"My dear, are you sure you can handle this one?", Nina chuckled at Suzanne.

"We will soon find out", Suzanne murmured.

Hector raised his sweaty face and ran his eye from Suzanne's black jeans covered legs to the black sport bra she wore on top. He stared at her impressive tight abs she had gotten from years of hard training and only managed to smirk after trying hard to laugh.

Suzanne stared down at him as she shoved the salad into her mouth with the fork and chewed noisily. Then she bent over Hector.

"This salad tastes so good", she began, staring at the forkful of salad she held infront of Hector's face. "The woman that just walked out of here made it", she gestured at the door with the fork.

Despite the burning pain in his shoulder and thigh, Hector stared at Suzanne with a disgusted look on his face. He glanced at the fork and managed to smirk again, making his thick lips like he was about to spit at Suzanne.

"I wanted to ask her if she could make another one for me", Suzanne continued. "Too bad i can't do that because you have spoilt her mood".

Then Suzanne shoved the salad in her mouth and viciously stabbed the fork into Hector's shoulder wound. Hector screamed in agony as she sanked it deep inside his flesh and twisted it. Then Suzanne stepped back and watched Hector's body tremble from the overwhelming spasm of pain.

"You f@cking b!tch!", Hector managed to whimper and bowed his head.

"Yeah i'm b!tch", Suzanne muttered indifferently as she took out a piece of cloth from her pocket and wrapped it around her left fist. "And you are about to get started with this b!tch".

Nina smiled and made herself comfortable in her chair. And watched delightfully. Soon the room was filled with Hector's painful gasps, groans and squeals. And unending rhythmic sound of Suzanne's fists landing ferocious blows on his face. The chemical injected in his system was working hard on him. But Suzanne's fists worked harder.



***********************************************

"Dude, this places gives me the f@cking creeps", the driver of the parked black suv muttered to the man sitting in the front passenger seat.

"Yeah me too", the man muttered as he looked around the abandoned dock yard and the rusts that have taken over the desolate place. "You should have told them to bring her somewhere else other than this rotten place", the man said and looked at another man sitting at the backseat of the car through the rearview mirror.

The man at the back seat gave him a quick glance and ignored him. Dangling a toothpick inbetween his lips, he keenly stared at the dusty road ahead of them. The only road leading in and out of the old dockyard.

"What is taking them so long?", the driver asked impatiently after taking a quick glance at his wristwatch. "They suppose to be here by now", he sighed.

"St Mary convent is about an hour and half from here......probably still on their way coming here", the man in the front passenger seat replied.

"Well it is almost two hours now for f@ck sake".

"Dude chill out, they will be here. Maybe it is the traffics......and the guys wouldn't wanna be in a rush and end up attracting the cops attention",

The driver sighed and made an inaudible mutter. Then he look at the rearview mirror.

"Mr Hector.....any words yet?, have any of your boys called you?", he asked.

Hector turned his head away from the road and stared at the driver. The man behind the wheel could see the cold look and anger in Hectors eyes through the rearview mirror. But he was unfazed, and even scoffed at the facial expression.

"Did you hear my f@cking phone ring or have you suddenly gone deaf?", Hector asked the driver irritatedly .

The driver looked at the man beside him and chuckled. Then he turned and looked at Hector.

"Hey assh@le, first of all, wipe away that look on your f@ckface......you dont scare me at all", the driver scoffed. "And be reminded that i dont take any motherf@cking orders from you because you are not Gus. Maybe you are his friend, but you are not him....i'm here because he said we should come here", he pointed at the man in the front passenger seat.

"Do you even know who the f@ck you are talking to?", Hector blurted out and gave the driver a murderous glare.

"Do i look like i give a flying f@ck?", the driver blurted back at him.

"Guys.....", the man in the front passenger seat interrupted their heated word exchange. "Check that out", he pointed a car that just drove into the dockyard.

Hector and the driver glared at each other for a few seconds and then turned their eyes at the car as it approached slowly.

"Thats not Jay and the crew", the driver muttered as they studied the vehicle. "Are we expecting someone else apart from them?", he asked and looked at the man beside him.

"Nope", the man replied with a curious look on his face.

Then the driver looked at Hector.

"Why the hell are you looking at me?", Hector scoffed at the driver.

"Then who the f@ck is that?", the driver muttered and turned his gaze at the car.

The car parked several metres away from their Suv. The three men glanced at each other and slowly reached for their guns. They cocked it as they watched the car and waited.

After a few minutes of them watching and nothing happening, the car driver door suddenly opened and a masked man stepped out. He glanced around the place as he hurriedly went over to the backdoor and opened it. He paused when he saw the Suv and stared at it for a short while. Then with alot of eagerness, he pulled a girl out of the car back seat and dragged her body away from the car.

The men in the Suv saw what masked man was doing and exchanged baffled glances. The driver opened the car compartment box and grabbed the binoculars.

"What the f@ck is going on there?", Hector asked as the driver took a closer look at the activity with the binoculars.

"It's like someone is getting rid of a dead girl's body here", the driver muttered as he watched the masked man drag the girl away from the car. "Or maybe not.......i think she is still alive", he continued when he saw the girl's legs and arms move abit.

The masked man roughly left the girl on the ground and dropped a handbag that probably belonged to the girl beside her body. Then he rushed back into the car, hit the gas pedal and screeched out of the dockyard. The three men in the Suv glanced at each other again and stared at the girl lying on the dirty ground.

"You said she is still alive?", the man in the front seat asked driver.

"Yeah.....", the driver raised the binoculars to his face again to take another look at the girl. ".....very alive and......", he viewed the girl's torn blouse that slightly exposed her bossom and her tight mini skirt.

"And what?", the man asked when he saw the driver's lips curve into a mischievous smile.

"Good looking", the driver muttered as he slowly lowered the binoculars.

But he wasnt answering the man beside him. All his attention was focused on the girl. He handed the binoculars to the man who took a look at the girl and told Hector what he saw. Then the driver glanced at his wristwatch again and intently stared at the girl as she moved her body slowly and started making a weak attempt to get up.

"I'm gonna go check it out", the driver muttered under his breath and tucked his handgun in his waist belt. Then he unbuckled his seatbelt and opened the door.

"Hey!", the man in the front seat grabbed the driver's arm.

"What?", the driver demanded.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?".

"I wanna go check her out".

"Yeah.....you wanna go check if her ass is tappable".

"Whatever man",

"Boss said we should be very careful......and always be on the lookout for anything unusual", the man reminded him.

"Yeah.......so?", the driver asked with indifference.

"What the hell do you think that is?", the man jerked his head at the girl who was still trying to get up.

"What the f@ck is unusual about that scene over there?", the driver asked irritatedly. "She could be some club b!tch whose drink got spiked.....and dumped here after the boys are done with her", he chuckled.

"So.....what do you wanna do?......go give her a helping hand huh?"

"Perhaps".

Hector scoffed. "The guy thinks with his f@cking d!ck", he muttered and looked away.

"Says the man who brought us to this f@cking rotten place because he wants to run a train on some b!tch", the driver responded to Hector with a sneer. "Maybe we should tell Gus what you intend to do to that girl", he added with a murmur.

Then the driver stepped out of the car and took a careful glance around the place. Keeping his hand close to the handgun tucked in his waist belt, he cautiously headed towards the girl.

"Give me one reason not to blow his f@cking brains out", Hector said to the man in the front seat.

"What do expect?", the man smirked. "He is one of Gus' cousins.....and they all have this shitty f@cked up attitude. Being a member of his family make them think that Gus got their back", he chuckled. "But they dont know that Gus doesnt give a shit about anybody", he sighed

Hector sighed too.

"So is it true?", the man then asked and stared at Hector through the rearview mirror.

"True about what?", Hector asked as he reached for his cellphone in the right pocket of his jacket.

"About what happened to your man and the rest of the other guys who were with him in the massage parlour?", the man asked.

"Hector sighed again. "It was just an unfortunate situation", he replied indifferently.

"Unfortunate situation.....", the man muttered thoughtfully. "But what i heard says otherwise", he said and glanced at Hector. "Seven.......eight big men. Three of them had guns. Yet, not a single shot was fired when they were being taken out".

"Like i said, it was an unfortunate situation", Hector said with some anger in his voice. "And those guys that attacked them were lucky".

"Guys?", again the man stared at Hector through the rearview mirror. "Words are,......one of the masseuse in that massage parlour said that an individual stepped into the place and everyone else ended up having a very bad night".

Hector slipped his hand out of his pocket and looked at the man.

"Just one individual", the man sigh. "If it is true, then whoever he is.....or rather whatever it is, is not normal.....and definitely some kind of a killing machine", he continued. "One that is rolling around with an evil state of mind", he added with a bit of worry.

"So what are you saying?, that some f@cking rumours and gibberings of a massage wh@re got you scared and your ass all shook up?", Hector scoffed.

The man turned and looked at Hector with a 'dead serious' look on his face. "I aint scared", he said with a cold sinister tone of voice. "And i fear no fucking man", then he turned away and watch the driver pick up the girl's handbag. "All i'm saying is, i hope who we are looking for is a man, and not the f@cking......Predator creature".

"They are men like us, not beasts. And we gonna get them", Hector said and also looked at the driver. "We gonna f@cking get them", he muttered slowly and nodded with a cold look on his face.

"Do you think the girl will talk?", the man asked.

"Oh yeah she gonna talk", Hector replied with an evil smirk. "When i show her the kind of hot daddy i am, she gonna spill every goddamn words about that f@cking woman and everyone rolling with her".

"And then what?,.....kill her?".

"That's up to you boys".

The man chuckled with a mischievous look on his face as he stared at the driver who was now bending over the body on the ground.

Hector also stared at the driver as he did so. Thinking of why Gus would let fools work for him because they are his cousins, he remembered how one of them got killed. The incident in the night club. This made Hector to get suspicious of the girl lying on the ground. He made a careful glance around the empty dockyard, checking for anything unusual.

"Just look at him", the man in the front passenger seat smirked as the driver bent over the girl. "That b!tch on ground would probably be thinking how lucky she is that some white knight happens to be in this junkyard to save her. After whoever it is in that car, dumped her wh@re ass here", he chuckled and glanced at Hector. "What she doesnt know is she is about to encounter a psycho sex maniac".

Hector scoffed. But he still had the suspicious look written on his face as he kept a steady gaze at the girl on the ground. Then he leaned forward.

"Give me the binoculars", he said to the man in the front seat and the man handed it to him.

Hector took a closer look at the girl as the driver moved her body. Then he got interrupted by a beeping sound coming out from his pocket.

The man in the front seat heard the sound and where it was coming from. "At last", he smiled and glanced at Hector. "I told you that Joe would be here soon", he said.

Hector sighed and dropped the binoculars. He reached for the cellphone inside the right pocket of his trench coat. Then he paused with a confused look on his face. His right pocket contained his cellphone. But the beeping sound was coming out from the left one. Then he dipped his hand in the left pocket and took out an electronic device; a tracking device. And on its screen, a red dot was blinking and moving towards a green dot; the green dot being their present location.

"What the f@ck....?", Hector muttered and stared at device screen with his mouth open.

Hector held up the device and glanced ahead and at both sides. "This is not possible" he muttered again as the red dot keep moving closer and closer to the green dot. Then he quickly looked over his shoulder and saw a man approaching the suv from behind, carrying something. An automatic assault rifle.

"It's a f@cking setup!", he bawled at the man in the front seat and docked down as the assailant raised the weapon and took an aim at the car.

The man stroked the trigger and unleashed gunfire from the Ak47. The tinted back screen of the suv shattered as the bullets rattled the vehicle.

Hector docked with his hands shielding his head as shards of glass rained all over his body, bullets whizzing in and ricocheting inside the car. The man in the front seat got hit as the bullets penetrated the back of his seat, leaving holes in his chest and shredding some ligaments in his shoulders as they made their exit.

The sudden explosive situation startled the driver as he was busy checking on the girl lying on the ground. He looked over his shoulder and immediately reached for the handgun tucked in his waist belt. But a hand grabbed his arm as he was about to do so, preventing him from reaching the weapon. The driver turned and saw himself staring into the cold eyes of the girl.

The girl swung her right leg and stunned the man with a hard kick to the face. Then with a quick move, she yanked out the gun in the man's waist belt, cocked and jabbed the barrel into the man's guts. And pulled the trigger.

Bullets ripped holes on the back of the driver's jacket as they made their exits from his back. The impact of multiple bullets going into him as the girl blasted the gun, knocked him backwards. The girl got up and made sure he was dead with two slugs to his dome.

With his eyes shut tight as pieces glasses and fragments rained on him, Hector managed to pull out the glock 19 tucked inside his coat. More bullets from the assault rifle whizzed in and destroyed the interior of the Suv. His eyes caught the slumped body of the man in the front seat when he opened them. Then he raised his hand without moving his body from its position and let off shots through what was left of the car back screen, growling out loud as he did so.

When the gun magazine got spent, Hector immediately withdrew his arm. Dislodging the empty magazine, Hector frantically slapped in a fresh one with shaky hands and remained in his position.

And waited.

Then a creepy silence took over the once loud situation. Everywhere remained quiet like nothing had happened. Except for the gun smoke and strong smell of gunpowder in the air.

Hector could hear the sound of his heartbeat that was racing and thumping hard against his chest. He held his weapon tight as he tried to control his quick breath. He glanced at the dead man in the front seat again, wondering whether to move from his docking position to take a look or remain like that a little bit longer. He decided to do the former, and with the handgun held close to his chest and pointed, he slowly raised his head. He cautiously looked through the shattered back windscreen of the car. He saw nothing and nobody. He turned his head to the front screen and saw the body of the driver on the ground. And that of the girl missing.

"Son of b!tch!", he cursed under his breath and began to make a quick exit out of the Suv.

Hector got out of the car and made a run towards one of the dilapidated buildings to take cover. He had made a few steps before something hit him on his thigh; like a blow from a sledgehammer. Then followed the echo of a gunshot as Hector wobbled. He groaned and immediately spun around to point his handgun at the direction where the bullet came from. But another one hit him again. The slug ripped into his right shoulder and knocked him to the ground, making his right arm to go out of action and the handgun to slip out of his sudden weak grip.

Gasping with alot of anxiety, Hector crawled to the fallen weapon and reached for it with his left hand. Then he saw the girl he had earlier seen lying on the ground approaching him with a gun in her hand.

The girl saw his desperate move. She pulled the trigger again and sent a slug that knocked Hector's handgun a few feet away from his reach. Then she stood over the man on the ground with the gun pointed at his head. Hector ran his eyes from her thighs that was half covered by her mini skirt to her expressionless face. He gave her a weak smile and spat on the ground. Then he heard a sound behind him. He turned around and the butt of an assault rifle gave him a hard and brutal kiss on his jaw. And knocked him into oblivion.

"Why dont we just blow his f@cking brains out", Suzanne's voice said.

"Nope......", Alex voice said and the sound of the rifle being reloaded and put on safety mode followed. "I dont want him to go so easy".

Then a car rolled over and screeched to a halt. "Guys, hurry up!......this place feels like zombie land", it was Chris' voice.



************************************************

Holysin, omotalkie

Emmyphey

TemitopeMercy

Niwdog

Asco9ty5

Labaski

Dhavido

Omotayelolu

Mutaino7


I have decided to just continue with my weekly updates

Due to the numerous pleadings by my fellow Nairalanders to update, i think i will shelf the plan of making a mega update after completing the story and continue with the weekly updates.

Bb4u, Ollyfad, SPDAZZY, iAreMozelle.

Segsbenks, kingphilip, Ashiat39.

I earlier said that i would wait till am done with the story and then post updates. But alot of complaints from my fellow Nairalanders got me thinking of reconsidering my plan.

olarhtunji:
ironkurtain I love your story permit me to upload on my blog...I will give full credit to you

Go ahead my brother, i give you full permission

I made front page??

Omoakin5:
singing --all we are saying ooooo give us update oooooooooooo

All we are saying.....give us updates!!!!......wait ooo no be my post be this??