Head of The Table

The Ambush

“How many minutes left?” Ben questioned, “Just five boss, we’ll be there in five.” answered the diver. Shipment had just docked in Korea, they were down the south coast to pick up the payment.

Reuben seemed tensed and Ben noticed. “ feel something isn’t right, like why the south? We never made payments there.” Reuben retorted, letting his worries get to his head. But Ben thought, why the south, it could be an ambush?

Recently, the Koreans have tried to take them out of the market by buying shipment twice more than others and reselling with a different label. Be cautious! A stern warning ringed in his head.

Taking caution they corked their mini guns, and stashed right in the middle of the waist and the hips gripped by their trousers. Breath in, breath out, there they were Lin and Wu, the Tang brothers of the Tang dynasty. They were their buyers from the beginning and invested a fortune in this business.

“There, five million in cash,” handing two black, leather briefcases, “the rest 15 million will be sent as soon as we land in Korea” retorted Wu. But something was off, Li was too glued to the right briefcase, his hand was pocketed like he was holding something.

What’s that blinking thing, wait is that a… “Bomb!”, Reuben screamed. Ben immediately threw the briefcase and just then Li pressed the detonator. Boom! An explosion followed throwing everyone close as far as 5 meters from where they were.

“Aaaah! Shit this Koreans trying to kill us…Damn!” Reuben screeched. Ben sensed something was off, what in the world! Reuben was bleeding, a stray glass had pierced his chest.

Cross fires were exchanged as Ben tried to drag Reuben into the car. “Kill them and burn the car.”, the Tang brothers ordered, as they drove off in a Black, German made Bentley.

They were outnumbered, five to one, Ben knew one misstep game over, his six feet under. First was saving his brother, he was bleeding, and a lot. “Where are the keys?” He cursed searching his dead driver, slaughtered by a stray glass through his neck. “Cling! Here they are,” the keys were on the torso of the driver, opening the door Ben pushed the driver out and just then a grenade fell two feet close.

“Grenade!” Reuben cried out, out of instinct Ben threw the drivers’ body on the grenade and then, splat! The corpse was sent flying across with it’s insides blown out. Vroom! “Yes!” Ben sighed glad the engine started and foot on the gas and hand on the gear Ben drove for dear life.

“Stay down! Reuben, they’re shooting like maniacs.” Ben authoritatively commanded Reuben whose white shirt was soaking with blood. “Shoot them!” Henchmen shouted at each other shooting stray bullets right through Ben’s car. Flee now or die trying, like some psychopath race driver, Ben drove maniacally through the commotion and into the oblique.

After around a km, they lost the commotion and chaos. “No! Hold on brother!” Ben cried as he saw his brother fighting for his life, hurry Ben or his dead, this daunted him. Five minutes later, Ben screeched as he drove recklessly into the hospital.

Onto a stretcher, a dripper in his arm, the nurses and doctors rushed Reuben to the intensive care unit. And tick tock, the race was on to save his life. “Sorry sir you have to stay out.” The head nurse retorted kindly, Ben who seemed frightened, afraid, will he die?. Why didn’t you listen, he told you, he dies it is all you, you hear, you killed Reuben! This guilt gnawed his consciousness.

He broke down in tears, it’s true, his ignorance brought this to him, it’s all Ben. Fingers crossed Ben prayed and just then the doctor came out his gloves soaked in blood. “You are lucky you brought him on time, a minute late he would have been a dead man.” The doctor thanked Ben.

Hugging the doctor, kneeling down, Ben broke down in tears of joy, he will make it, he consoled himself. After an hour, his brother was stable, relieved of the daunting guilt, Ben sought for a breather. What better palace than the top, the soothing breeze the beautiful view, it’s all he needed.

Up the roof, Ben was letting his thoughts out, smoking his cigarette with gladness. But what was that, was he going to jump? Ben neared and saw a male like figure nearing the edge of the building.

“Hey you, what are you doing?” Ben asked as he neared and the man neared the edge. “Hey stop, No don’t do it, hey, no! Don’t ju…