Sitting with an injured Scar whose wounds had now been tended to, Karen Shapiro found her mind racing. She was thinking deeply, a glass of brandy in her right hand. She had given a glass to Scar, who was sipping it slowly, scratching his beard. The tiredness was on his face, the weariness and the need for sleep. But as far as he was concerned, he had sent for her, and he was to report to her no matter what. That was why he was drinking with her even though he was probably supposed to be in his bed, resting. “How many men were at the Darius residence, Scar?” Scar scratched his head, and Karen stared at him with intent, knowing that he was probably about to lie. She was ready to confront him, she was ready to point out the lies in his face and refute them. Even though Scar's reputation exceeded him, she wasn't afraid of him. In turn , they were afraid of her, a woman. They were afraid of her authority, of the power she wielded. They were afraid of how a woman seemed to command
When Brown Darius woke up, he was blinded momentarily by the bright rays of the sun that had managed to enter the room despite the edges of the shutters trying in vain to restrict it from doing so. He shut his eyes for a moment, then opened them, squinting before opening them fully. The air stank of antiseptic and bleach, and he inhaled, wondering where he was for a moment. Where was he? When he turned and found out that he could barely move, everything that had happened to him in the past few hours seemed to return to him in waves. The breakout. The race against time and for his life. Almost getting crushed by a train. Being knocked out by a man he didn't know. He shivered in fear even though it was vaguely warm, for he had just escaped the clutches of death. For him to be in the room and on the hospital bed where he was, alive, was a very big miracle. Worst of all, he knew that he didn't even deserve to be alive. That was how bad it seemed to be. He had committed so many h
Mark Darius stared at Sergei, the man who had almost given his life for his protection and safety. In Sergei, he saw a friend, a companion, a guardian and his security all in one. He looked better than he had looked yesterday, and the light in the room cast a pleasant countenance on his face. He looked genuinely happy, and Mark Darius knew that he was happy because not only had he succeeded in defending him yesterday, he was also happy because he was alive. “Good morning, Sergei. How do you feel this morning?” “Strangely good. I assure you, it'll take me only a few days to become as fit as I was a few days ago. Right now, I believe I can walk comfortably even though I'm in pain. This isn't the first time I'm taking a bullet, and I doubt it will be the last, Mr Darius.” Mark Darius scratched his chin, listening to the man that was in charge of his life and had saved him from the outstretched and impending hands of death. Even if he wanted to boast for days, Mark knew that he wa
Karen Shapiro lit a cigarette, then took a deep drag. She billowed smoke into the air, then tapped her chest. God, she had needed that. Cigarettes helped with her anxiety and her apprehension. And most times, she didn't carry them around, but she always kept at least a pack or two at home. They came in handy. Just like they were coming in handy at the moment. She wished that it was already three days time. In three days was when the Israeli mercenaries were going to arrive. In three days was when she was going to attack Mark Darius in a way that he was never going to expect. In three days, she was going to go level on points with him. She took another drag from her cigarette, savouring the menthol flavor. It tasted good, it made the cold that seemed to plague the city nonexistent. She made a mental note to buy another pack and replace it for urgent times like these. She could only imagine what she could do with the men her Israeli friends would send. They were going to be wa
“So when are you going to be free again, Karen? I truly miss you, and words cannot explain how much I do. We need to have another date, and as soon as possible.” Mark Darius was in his home, having finished his dinner. He had eaten late because he had spent the entire day with Sergei. He deserved it. He deserved his attention and more, for laying his life down for his safety and protection. As soon as he had finished eating, he had put his plans into action. Just like Sergei had advised, it was better to strike first. It was better for him to know her men and where they were located. He wanted to diminish their strength and their working force. That was going to be a huge step forward in the Shapiro game he was playing. That was why he was calling her, pretending he loved hearing the sound of her voice, pretending that he loved listening to her talk. It was all a lie. He was playing her game, and from her replies, he was certain he was finally catching up to her. If there was
Everyday, Margaret Woods stared at what her life had become and hated herself. She hated herself because in her quest for money, because in her greed, she had guided her daughter into where she was at the moment. There was no other person to be blamed apart from her. If only she had taken care of her daughter in the right way, if only she had abandoned her schemes and focused on her daughter using her photography skills to earn some money for herself instead of prancing around after Billionaires and rich men. It was too late now, she was too late. Her daughter, Elena, was in the prison while she remained at home, unable to eat, unable to sleep and unable to do anything because her subconscious was beating her, because her conscience was taking her for a ride. She hated every part she had to play in her daughter's life, and she wished she could take back the hands of time. It was impossible. It wasn't going to happen. What had happened had happened, and there was no taking it
“This is what you're going to do for me, Scar. I cannot watch insults hurled at me from a distance, when I know well that those insults cannot be said to be personally. Brown Darius knows quite a lot, and I think his elimination is imminent.” Scar stared at her, surprised. He had a cigarette in one hand, and she had decided to meet him at the park in the center of the city. The park was filled with kids and parents who watched over them, most of them flying kites as the weather permitted it. Some of them were throwing freebies, and Karen Shapiro found herself sighing. It was a weak child's sport, and she knew her children weren't going to play such. That was if she had children. The park was the perfect place for meetings. There was no suspicion in a place filled with children and watchful mothers and fathers. They were basking in the innocence of the environment, and it suited Karen Shapiro just fine. It masked her true identity, and even that of Scar which was probably a po
“My boss here has problems with enemies he knows very well. Apparently, the enemy is a woman, and she doesn't know that he knows. What he wants is clear. Protection. He needs your assistance because he is sure that the next few days are going to be quite hectic.” Gareth was the first to speak, finishing his beer and taking a drag of his cigarette before speaking. “I'm sure Sergei has briefed you on how we operate, Mr Mark Darius. We get paid upfront, and you know the standard amount. Anything below twenty grand is not acceptable.” Mark found himself nodding. Sergei hadn't told him that they were going to be this expensive, but he was willing to pay, no matter the amount. He needed quality protection just like the one Sergei offered, and if he was going to get it in the room where he was sitting at the moment, then he was going to risk it. No matter how much it was going to cost, he was going to pay for it. “This enemy of yours, who is she?” It was Bradley who seemed the most