YOU DON'T PLAY FAIR "You have to make appearances at the conference if you must establish contact with the high and mighty in the Mafia world," emphasized Mr Ramirez to Caleb. They were together at the training center after the close of work that evening. "I cannot do it alone," he argued for the umpteenth time. "At least go with me this first time and maybe subsequently, I can go alone," Caleb pleaded. "You are braver than you give yourself credit for. And you will make a good leader someday - that much I can tell. All you have to do is believe in yourself." Caleb did not know the part of making a good leader. What he however knew was his determination to see to the end of his number one enemy - Don El-Zaki. The thought of revenge had overtaken him lately, like a cancerous cell, spreading rapidly into every fabric of his being. "I will be like a fish out of water," he gabbled and then stood up to stand behind his chair. "What you're asking me to do is walk into a hall filled wi
THE JOKE IS ON YOU El-Zaki got a call from Mr Ramirez. He was going to schedule their meeting to hold on the day El-Zaki had set to meet with him. But not without giving him a good dose of his bitter medicine. "Mr John told me you wanted an audience with me," he said. "Yes, please. There are urgent matters I feel only you can help me to sort out," the Don replied eagerly. "You know I am a businessman and I'm usually busy during morning hours till late in the afternoon..."El-Zaki didn't wait for him to finish, he chipped in, "I do not intend to take your time. Perhaps thirty minutes or thereabouts.""If that is the case, why don't you go ahead and say what you want over the phone?" Antonio said in a clipped tone, baiting him in. He knew what El-Zaki was trying to do. What he didn't realise was that he had his own plans. "That's not possible. A matter of this magnitude cannot be casually discussed over the phone," countered El-Zaki. "I crave your presence by all means." "Five o'
THE PENALTY Mr Ramirez turned to El-Zaki, his eyes shooting daggers at him. "What have you done to my family?" he roared. El-Zaki chuckled in a tone that mimicked Antonio's own. "Now it seems the tables have turned." Mr Ramirez narrowed his gaze quizzically. El-Zaki jerked his head prompting him to sit down but the puzzled man remained standing. "I haven't done anything - yet," he said slowly, then paused to let the warning in the last part of his word sink in. "You can trust that I have no intention of hurting them. Although that much will depend on you; if you're willing to oblige to my request."Antonio became crestfallen. He could easily work out of the room and order his men standing outside to manhandle the Don until he gives off the location his family is being held. But that might further endanger their lives. Especially his precious Katherine. She was his only daughter. The bright spot in the dark water of his chaotic world. He sat down again and tried to compose himse
THE GRAND PLAN Hart quickly dialled his father's line, the Don answered."Father, there's trouble. Big trouble," he said shaking."What kind of trouble?""I am just arriving at the venue of the meeting, but it appears the meeting is already over.""What do you mean already over? What time did the circular say?""I'm not sure father. I couldn't locate the place on time and your line could not get through when I tried to call.""But that's not all," he went on."If you have anything to say, say it quickly. I want to call the director and explain your foolishness to him," El-Zaki yelled. Hart wanted to argue that it wasn't his fault, but he knew that was a lie. He got drunk with some girl he met at the airport after taking her to a club last night. The two of them ended up in bed and before he could get over his hangover and manage to escape back to his hotel to get ready for the event, it was nearly noon. His father's angry tone would turn to a war cry after he hears what he's about
AN EYE FOR AN EYECaleb ended the call with Mr Ramirez and turned to Fab, "I have a job for you tonight. Do you think you can do it?" "Any kind of job, rich kid. I'm here at your service," he said. "Call me Cab going forward, especially when we're together." Fabian nodded and waited expectantly for him to tell him the type of job he needed him to do. "I want you to kidnap someone." Fab jerked his head up sharply. "Here in Rome, I mean." He raised his eyebrows, "Tonight?" "Right away if possible. We don't have much time," he said and went to open his luggage to remove the small Mauser he had purchased the first week he arrived in Madrid. "And I'm going with you to do it." "No! No, you can't be mixed up in something like that. Mr Ramirez asked me to accompany you for a reason." Caleb was staring at Fabian with curiosity. He hadn't met someone so eager to serve him. Perhaps Mr Ramirez was right when he said he saw a good leader in him. And Mr Felipe Santino repeated the same ea
HE WHO LAUGHS LAST The time was 6:00 am, the chiming sound of the clock indicated as much. Hart stirred and opened his eyes to a nagging headache.He stretched to clutch his head and realised he could not move his hand past a certain point. He groped for his phone to use the flashlight because everywhere was pitch black, but his wrist twisted with the effort. He didn't understand what was happening to him. "Where am I?" he mumbled and tried to sit up. Then it occurred to him that his hands were tied to something like a chain because it kept clanking with each effort he made.He opened his mouth to scream for help, but that only made the piece of cotton wool stuffed in his mouth migrate to his throat.Cold fear gripped him and his eyeballs popped out from their sockets."What is happening to me?" he wondered. Then he tried to remember the last place he was. It began and ended with him dancing in the club. From that point till now, he didn't remember anything else. A growling sound e
THE NEW DAWNIt was not often that a don was deposed. Maybe for newbies, it was a well-deserved punishment to effect discipline within the Mafia organisation, but for a man like Miguel El-Zaki, he considered it a personal vendetta."Seventeen years I have been accorded this honour. And I've lived up to the tenets of the title. I never missed the annual conference for once; not even in the year my only brother, your uncle, died - which coincided with the date of the general annual meeting." He was talking with Hart after his release. The outrageous conditions he was forced to consent to just to have his son back weren't terms he could have imagined himself bowing to if it wasn't for Hart's foolishness and reckless behaviour. He had never stopped berating him every moment he got the chance since that day. El-Zaki had aged by a decade in the last couple of days that followed the incident. But nothing prepared him for the announcement that was to follow later that evening.Hart sat idly
NEMESIS"Your father needs to see a specialist," Doctor Robinson said as he removed his stethoscope from El-Zaki's chest and hung it back against his neck."What is his condition like, doctor?" an apprehensive Hart asked. His mother, Madam Rebecca, was sitting by the foot of the bed. She was beside herself with worry."Well, like I suggested earlier, your father needs to undergo some pathological examinations. It appears he has a defect around his chest region. A scan and an x-ray will tell us what the actual problem is.""Then recommend one specialist right away. Money is not the problem as you know it!" Madam Rebecca said, her olive eyes flashing with impatience.Doctor Robinson, an advanced man; averagely built, round face with a bald head and thick moustache smiled nervously. "We have one renounced pathologist who works at Parklane Hospital but she has been sent to Spain on a special course." "And that's the only one in all of Mexico City?" Hart cut in tersely. "I didn't say so