As Anton and Abigail burned rubber towards route 74, Eric was swinging an uppercut at Russ and the blow caught the man clean on his jaw. It rattled and rocked the big man's frame and left him staggering backwards. Another hook punch opened up a fresh bruise on his badly bleeding face that also has an overly stunned look written on it.

But Russ was relentless even though he had taken alot of damages, and launched another attack at Eric; the thoughts of a man half his size putting the beatdown on him, hurts more than the beatings that he was taking.

He swung his big fists at Eric, almost roaring like a lion as he did so. But to no avail. It was as if Eric had already anticipated his every move before he made it, and Russ only ended up taking more painful punishments delivered by Eric's fists.

Six more blows came at Russ and the hefty man could barely stand with a hand pressed against the rib that Eric had cracked. Then he made a desperate move to grab Eric with the face of a hurting desperate man.

Eric deflected Russ' reaching arm, side-stepped and swung a right hook that broke the big man's jaw and spilled out blood and a loud groan from his mouth. Then Eric moved behind him and threw a high kick that clobbered the back of Russ back head and sent the man landing on the T.V stand and his big weight destroying everything on it.

Russ rolled off the damaged wooden furniture and fell on the ground, gasping for breath. The he saw a handgun on the floor and wildly got hold of it. Eric saw the movement and got hold of a knife as Russ swung around with the weapon pointed. Russ let off a shot, but Eric had already deflected the weapon gripping hand from his line of sight. And then he trusted the blade of the knife into Russ neck.

Russ remained on the floor and stared at Eric as Eric stared back right into his eyes and pushed the blade deep into his meaty neck. Then Eric yanked out the blade and Russ remained still on the floor with the distant gaze of a deadman.

Eric tossed the knife away and turned his attention at Tom who was now recovering from his concussion. And headed towards the man as he moved.

Tom saw Eric approaching him. He wildly searched for any weapon close to him. He saw a knife; the only thing that was within his reach, quickly grabbed it and sprang to his feet.

Eric stood infront of Tom, and for a shortwhile, stared at the man and the weapon he was brandishing. Then he glanced at the big body that he had just killed and looked at Tom again. "Really?", he scoffed at Tom. "I just killed the biggest man in this building with my barehands and you think that sh!t gonna help your situation, especially now that you look half alive", he asked and pointed at Tom's other injured arm

Tom glanced at Russ dead body lying on the floor like a whale docked on a beach. The odds was vastly against him. But he still wants to take his chance. And with that in mind he rushed towards Eric, trusting the knife forward.

Eric remained in his position as Tom neared with the knife. And as the blade reached a few inches away from his face, Eric's right hand got hold of Tom's knife bearing arm with a blinding speed and stopping Tom short from accomplishing his aim.

Tom gasped with fear and made an attempt to move his hand. But it was like his limb was being held by a bench vice that weighed several tonnes; he couldn't move it or free it from the Eric's death grip. As Tom struggled to move his immovable arm, Eric's other hand shot forward and grabbed Tom's neck, and choked him while his right hand slowly twisted Tom's knife bearing hand till it lost the grip on the blade after the wrist got dislocated.

Tom let out a cry of pain. Eric then released him and he dropped to his knees, groaning with his hand on his hurting wrist. Then Eric picked up the knife and raised it to finish him off.

"Wait!" Tom began and looked at the man staring down at him with knife in hand. "Please let me go. I will pay you", he said.

Eric lowered the knife and smirked.

"I have alot money here with me. You can take it all. Please just let me go", Tom continued.

"And what about those people that were killed and their organs giving to the highest bidder. Did you do the same to them when they begged?" Eric asked.

Tom remained silent and stared at him.

"Anyway", Eric grunted. He roughly grabbed Tom and stood the man up. "Where is the money?" he demanded.

"In a bag...in the room", Tom replied fearfully.

"Show me", Eric said and shoved Tom towards the bedroom door.

Tom lead Eric into the room and pointed at the leather bag. Eric glanced at it and nodded. Then he got hold of the bag, grabbed Tom by his shirt and roughly lead him out of the house, crossing the livingroom filled with dead bodies.

"I'm the least of your worries my friend", Eric said to Tom as he roughly lead him through the corridor after they exited the penthouse. "The person that badly wants to see you might take your offer and go easy on you.

"Who?" Tom asked with a trembling voice as they neared the elevator door that was wide open and without the elevator cab.

Eric stood Tom infront of the elevator entry, wrapped the strap of the leather bag around his neck and glanced into the dark elevator shaft that has the cab waiting on the ground floor. Then he looked at Tom and smiled.

"He is waiting down there", Eric said and jerked his head at the elevator shaft. "You better hope that this cash will be enough to stop him from roasting you ass for eternity ", he concluded. As Tom was about to protest, Eric gave him a hard and stunning headbutt that knocked the man into the dark tunnel. Tom's screams could be heard as his body made the speedy descent down the shaft with the bag of money. And got silenced after his crashing to death echoed through the hole.

Eric pursed his lips and started descending the stairs of the building after unlocking the door leading to it.

this story de sweet for my belle abeg i need more

kudos sir.... can't wait for the final showdown

This is explosive!

Kudos ironkurtain.

Meanwhile,
Feed me more!
Feed me more!!
Feed me more!!!

Ironkutain
You da best

The Toyota sedan rode through the highway in the middle of the vast desert land and approached Route 74. After they passed the road sign that showed that they have reached their destination,  Anton then decelerated the car till he brought the vehicle to a stop beside the road. Then he unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of the car. Abigail did the same and watched as Anton opened the car trunk and took out a high power binoculars.

Anton walked a few metres away from the vehicle and stared at the badlands that was quite far away. He looked carefully and his eyes caught a dark object. Then he used the binoculars to get a closer view at it and saw it was a black SUV,  similar to the ones he saw at the farmhouse.

Anton smiled. He looked at his wristwatch and saw that they still have about forty minutes before Donnie expects to see him. Then he took out his cellphone.

"What next?",  Abigail asked after she came over and stood beside him. "Is he here?".

"Yeah",  Anton muttered as he dialled the Tech-man's number. "But he is not aware that we are here".

"Then let's go kill him",  Abigail said eagerly.

Anton glanced at her, smiled and held the cellphone to his ear, waiting for the Tech-man to answer the phonecall.

"Hello",  the Tech-mans voice rasped out of the phone earpiece.

"Yeah, I want you to hook me up to a particular radio signal that i'm about to give you",  Anton began and monitored Donnie's SUV with the binocular. "Can you make that happen?",  he asked.

"Which one are we talking about",  The Tech-man asked.

"Today being wednesday, the guys at the Air Force base will be conducting their endless flight training drills",  Anton replied.

The Tech-man remained silent for a shortwhile. "And?",  he then said.

"A particular bird, an A-10 Warthog fighter jet always conducts its drill several miles away from my present location".

"So?".

"So i want you to hook me up with the pilot flying the bird".

The Tech-man sighed uncomfortably and then said,  "Okay give me a few minutes and keep the line open".

Anton looked at Abigail smiled again as he waited with the cellphone pressed against his ear.

After about a minute the silence in the phone speaker turned into a static sound. "Yeah go ahead with your request, over". The voice of the jet fighter pilot rasped out of the cellphone speaker.

Anton chuckled. And knew that the Tech-man must have tricked the pilot into believing that he was communicating with Air Force base officials.

"Hey! Seagram my man! Longtime i havent heard from you",  Anton began with a friendly voice.

The pilot remained silent for a while. "Anton? You are one sneaky bastard! How the hell did you get into my frequency?",  he then said.

"You know me. I'm still the guy with alot of ways and means",  Anton laughed.

"Yeah yeah, but tell me the reason for this sh!t cos i'm very busy right now",  the pilot demand.

"Just calling in a favour".

"What kind of favour can i do for you when i'm thousands of feet above the ground?".

"I know, that's why i want you to do me this favour and it should remain just between you and me".

"Aww for christ sake...just spill it out".

Anton then viewed at Donnie's vehicle with the binocular. "There is a track from the road at Route 74 and this track leads to a valley between two moderately elevated hills in the badlands. There is black SUV parked in that valley and inbetween the hills",  he stated to the pilot.

"So what about that?",  the pilot demanded.

"There is an enemy in that vehicle. So i want you to make a quick detour from your flight path and help me take out this son-of-a-bitch, completely",  Anton replied. Abigail regarded him with furrowed eyebrows.

"Wait, let me get this right, you want me to fly an A-10 jet to this location and shoot up some guy in his expensive clown car?"  the pilot asked. He sounded flabbergasted.

"Yep and fast"

"With a GAU-8 cannon?"

"You heard me right".

"Dude, how long have your ass been working behind that fancy desk of yours?"

"Why ask?"

"This is a f@cking GAU-8 gun that we are talking about you idiot! Have you forgotten what this gatling jack-hammer can do to a f@cking armoured tank?"

"I know, and that's the reason why i wanna hit his ass with that winged iron. Any problem with my request?",

"Well no one deserves that kind of over-kill. What did this guy do to you? R@pe you in the ass?".

Anton sighed. "No. I just busted a dangerous gang that do alot of bad sh!ts",  he then said. "Illegal human organ trafficking is one of them and i also found out that most of their victims were wide awake while they were being butchered for their vital organs",  Anton continued and looked at Abigail. "The leader of this gang is in that car and he is well connected. You and i wouldn't want the government to waste taxpayers money taking care of this motherfucker in prison",  he added.

The pilot remained silent again. And then he said,  "Well, i know that you some crazy ass motherfucker, but you are always right". Again the pilot paused for a shortwhile and then said, "Roger that! Let's go tear this motherfucker's head off and save the government alot of money".

"Good...and thou shall be rewarded properly my friend",  Anton said with a smile of satisfaction and heard "F@ck you" as the pilot's final words before the phone conversation ended.

Then Anton glanced at Abigail who was standing still and staring at him with her arms around the shirt that covered her top and abit of her thighs. Her face, was the look of someone with alot of deep thoughts. She's wondering who he really was.

"Vengence is mine says the lord",  Anton began and dialled Donnie's number. "But, some of that job, He out-sources. That's why men built war weapons",  he continued and waited for Donnie to answer the phonecall.


Donnie immediately reached into his pocket to get his cellphone that was vibrating an incoming call. He saw the number and snapped his finger at the driver and the other man in the front seat. Both of them immediately grabbed their weapons and put it in business mode.

"You are quite punctual when it come to keeping time",  Donnie began after pressing the answer button. "I like that. So where are you?",  he asked and looked out of the car window.

"Well you dont have to worry about where am at cos i have already found you",  Anton replied.

"Good. Then why dont you show up and let us conduct our business",  Donnie suggested.

"Oh that business",  Anton's grunt rasped out of the phone earpiece. "I dont think it will be happening, especially now that i have her with me",  he continued. "Am i not right my dear?".

"He is right".  Abigail's voice rasped out of the earpiece. Donnie remained still with a shell-shocked look on his face on hearing her voice.

"And she made herself alot of money after killing your business friend cos the guy had a price on his head",  Anton voice continued. "The rest, including that fat surgeon, are all dead too. And my friend at you place is probably done killing Tom and the men with him cos he doesn't waste his time on guys like them".

Donnie held his cellphone away from his ear and bit his lips with alot of anger in his eyes. The men in front gazed at him through the rearview mirror and knew that something terrible has happened. Then Donnie glared at his cellphone and wished that crushing the device would get rid of this outrageous man that has completely destroyed his business and ruined him.

After a shortwhile of fuming angrily and regretting some of his actions. Donnie brought his cellphone close to his ear. "You are one hell of a piece of work you f@cking bastard!",  he then bawled into the cellphone mouthpiece. "I'm gonna get you! I swear i'm gonna kill you and all the f@cking people that you know!".

"I have heard that threat alot of times",  Anton voice said calmly. "Especially when the person making it is yet to realize that he is dealing with a dangerous man",  he continued. "And you know what they say about a dangerous man with alot of 'f@ck-you' money, cos you are about to get the middle-finger, big time".

"Oh yeah?!, why dont you come over and give it to me you f@cking prick!!", Donnie almost screamed.

Then Anton heard the distant roaring sound of an aircraft that kept getting louder and louder. He smiled. "I dont have to do it myself",  he said to Donnie as he sighted the jet-fighter built for ground attack. "Infact, the middle finger is about to be delivered to you sir. And it's nice getting to know you",  Anton concluded and ended the phone conversation.


"Hello!...hello!!",  Donnie desperately barked at his cellphone and tossed it to the floor of his seat when he saw that the phonecall had ended. Then he looked out of the window to frown at the loud roaring aircraft. And then noticed something odd about it. It was flying quite low and heading straight to their position. And he didn't know that it was his death that was approaching. And it's going to be very loud.

Anton and Abigail watched as the A-10 Warthog jet made the dive and then ventilated Donnie's SUV with multiple rounds of depleted uranium bullets the size of a Redbull can.

"Wooow!!",  Anton howled ecstatically to the loud rumble of the gatling gun that echoed with a frightening loud groan in the sky after the 30mm bullets had hit their target .

Boom! boom! boom! boom! boom! boom! boom!.....Brrrrrrrrrrrrt!!

The jet fighter made another dive and the big bullets turned the SUV into a pile of scrap metals in the desert, its entire occupants, left in an unrecognizable pieces or vaporized, including Donnie.

Then the jet fighter shoot off some flares, the pilot's way of telling Anton that he was done. Anton threw a salute at the plane that climbed up the sky and flew away. And then headed back to the car with Abigail following behind him. As he was about to open the door, Abigail got hold of him by his waist, made him to face her. Then she pushed him against the car and pushed her body against his.

Anton tried to protest but got silenced by Abigail lips that crushed against his. For a while Anton responded well as they kissed passionately and then he withdrew.

"We have to go clean you up my dear",  he said to Abigail. "Besides, all these drama probably got you still in shock and in need of recovery. And i'm kind of tired after spending all day killing people",  he continued.

Abigail kissed him again and then went over to the front passenger seat while Anton dropped his weight on the driver's seat. Soon the car was on its way back to the city with the sun setting in the horizon.



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

EPILOGUE.


  Four months later.

Anton swung his white Mercedes benz into the parking lot of the Marriot hotel and killed the engine. He stole a quick glance at his wristwatch that showed it was half past six in the evening and hurriedly exited his car.

He made a careful glance around the area for anything suspicious as he briskly headed towards the revolving door of the lobby and nodded at the car attendant standing near the door.

Abigail had earlier called him. She sounded abit troubled and asked if he could meet her on a short notice.

After everything that went down between them and Donnie, Anton wasn't taking any chances. And it had him racing over to the place where she had requested for the meet.

They were still communicating with each other. But not on a call-girl and client basis because Abigail had quit the job and used the large amount of money that she earned from killing Don Gucci to start her own company; what she had always dreamed of. Even though it was still at its early stages, the future of the business looked bright, especially it being affiliated to a bigger successful company; Anton's family's business empire. And business deals was the reason for their communications, though they do engaged in the activity that brought them together.

The elevator transported Anton to the tenth floor of the hotel building and he quickly stepped out of the cab after the door slided open. He located the room and rapped a quick knock on the  door.

     "Come in".  Abigail voice replied.

Anton adjusted his suit, felt the handgun concealed under his suit jacket and opened the door. He cautiously stepped into the room and saw Abigail sitting on the bed and laughing at the comedy show being shown on the TV. She looked in Anton's direction and gestured at him to come over.

Seeing no danger at all, Anton lowered and relaxed his hand that was close to his handgun. He stared at Abigail with furrowed brows and wondered what her phonecall was all about.

    "Come on in",  Abigail beckoned at him again.

     "What's going on?",  Anton asked as he crossed the bedroom floor and stood infront of Abigail with his hands in his pockets.

   "Nothing",  Abigail murmured without looking at him. Her attention still focused on the Tv program.

Then the flushing sound in the bathroom drew Anton's to its door. The door opened. And Olivia stepped out of the room. She regarded Anton with a smile, as if she was expecting to see him and very glad that he showed up.

     "Hi big boy",  Olivia began and sat next to Abigail. "Longtime no see",  she continued and crossed her legs.

Anton haven't seen Olivia for several months now. The last time he heard about her from Abigail, she had checked herself into a drug rehab center to clean up her addiction. Now she was even more beautiful than she was the last time he set his eyes on her. And the black night-gown that she was wearing made Anton heart to skip beats.

"How is business going?",  Abigail asked Anton, making him to remember that she was also present in the room.

"Well....",  Anton stole a quick glance at Olivia. "I thought we already had that discussion before",  he noted. Then he looked at Olivia again. "I thought you were in the rehab",  he asked her.

"Yeah...and i got discharged last week",  Olivia replied. "Now i'm clean. Hundred percent drug free",  she smiled.

"Okay",  Anton nodded and sighed. "What about your friend...Katie?",  he asked and glanced around the hotel room.

"She is in the rehab too...and will be out in a month",  Olivia replied.

Anton sighed again and rubbed his forehead. "So what's the reason for my presence being required here?",  he asked Abigail with a confused look.

"Well",  Abigail began with a playful smile and got to her feet. "It's about my friend here",  she said and stood closer to Anton.

Anton glanced at Olivia. "What about her?",  he asked and looked at Abigail.

"You see, her being in the rehab for that long have left her with another problem",  Abigail began softly and gently walked around Anton, her hand caressing his strong chest till she was standing behind him.

"So what does that gotta do with me",  he asked suspiciously.

"Well she told me about it....and i found out that all she needs is a very big attention from a guy without any short coming", Abigail replied and wrapped her arms around Anton's waist. "So that's why your presence is required here, soldier", she whispered softly into his ears. "And i will be right here to make sure that it is a job done well".

Anton sighed and looked at Olivia. Well, his has no important schedule tomorrow and the rest of the week, he thought to himself. Besides he had be dying for some hard action. Hard enough for the requirement of two beautiful women to sort it out.

"Do you happen to have some red wine", he asked Abigail.

"I brought your favourite", Abigail replied. "And enough to last for a couple of days".

"Okay then", Anton began as Olivia got up and paced closer to him. "Let the party begin".




THE END

This is one of the best stories I have read on NL...

Kudos Ironkurtain!

Please can you draw my attention to your other stories herein on NL?

Episode Two - The Goddaughter.

Coming up soon....i hope u enjoy ur weekends. Thanks for the comments.

Best action novel ever in NL

Ironkurtain always delivering master piece.

Waiting for episode 2- The Goddaughter

wow. you are good bro. thanks for this wonderful story.

See raw action film.... Bros I cut cap for you

Nobody comes close to you in this writing game @ironkurtain I have read bloodline over 50 times from beginning to the end,waited for months for this story and I am ready to wait for even years as long as you promise you will drop another. I am always so happy when I see any update from this story. Thanks for this master piece.

Best action novel
Bless up bro

EPISODE TWO. [The Goddaughter.]


CHAPTER ONE.


The black Hyundai Sonata HG300 sedan made a quick diversion from the busy traffic, its wheels running through a puddle on the wet road and splashing rain water at the curb as the vehicle grinded to a halt beside it. The windshield wipers made one last back and forth swipe on the wet windshields and then remained dormant. Some pedestrians on the sidewalk escaped being soiled by the dirty rain water thrown in their direction. One of them, a lady, gave the vehicle a quick angry glance before continuing to her destination with both hands holding a mid-size umbrella that partly shielded her from the downpour.

The driver behind the wheel killed the engine and stared ahead for a short while before his hand reached for the inner pocket of his dark grey suit jacket. He stole a quick glance at the luminous digital clock on the dashboard as the hand slipped out of the pocket and holding a pack of cigarette. He took one out with a scowl in his face and moved his hand to the window button to lower it down abit.

It's exactly 6 pm of a cold and gloomy evening. The sky was covered with dense rain clouds that seems unrelenting as it continued to unpack one of the mid-wet season heavy punch.

The man let out a deep sigh of frustration as he quietly took out a lighter from another pocket and lit a cigarette for himself.

For while, as he took the drags and exhaled the smoke from his lungs, he stared at the heavy raindrops battering the car windshield. And observed the activities going on around him.

The wet and gloomy weather didn't seem to slow the activities in Ember-park Boulevard. The hustle and bustle of the financial and shopping district of the city was still in full swing with the usual traffic jam on the street and the sea of pedestrians trying to make their way to their various destination on the sidewalks.

The man took one last drag and stubbed the burnt out cigarette in a clean ashtray. He leaned towards the rearview mirror to check on his suit, made some adjustments to his hurriedly made-up black necktie and gave a faint smirk at what he saw in mirror. He wasn't used to the 'corporate fashion' style and it took a lot of time, after a frustrating rummage through his wardrobe, to pick out something reasonable....to him.

Feeling quite satisfied with what he saw, despite the necktie not being well made, he let out a deep sigh again, leaned back into the car seat and gazed at the face in the mirror infront him. He studied the set of cold sinister eyes that stared back at him and the two inches thin scar that ran across the right cheek; one of the many grim reminders of his past life.

He stared at the image in the mirror thoughtfully for a while before reaching inside his suit. He took out a cellphone. It was vibrating an incoming call. He stared at the number and slipped the device back into his pocket as it continued vibrating and glanced at the dashboard clock again as he unbuckled his seatbelt. Then he grabbed the umbrella that was lying on the front passenger seat and exited the car with a bit of urgency. He hurriedly joined the pedestrians on the sidewalk, dodging through the crowd and making his way towards a three storey building with a sign on the first floor that says, "DAMMY DINERS", an upper middle class italian pasta restaurant.


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

"Good day sir". The doorman greeted politely with a nod as he opened the door. The man nodded back with indifference. He carelessly dropped the wet umbrella in an umbrella stand near the door and headed straight towards the female receptionist desk.

The plain looking woman who seems to be in her mid twenties was behind the desk. she gave the man a brief smile when he came over and continue attending to an old couple paying their bill. The man waited with both hands in his pockets while the receptionist billed the couple's credit card. He made a casual glance around the upper mid-class restaurant, taking note of its European style design and some of the guests as they enjoyed the best pasta in the city.

"Good evening sir". The receptionist said politely with a bright smile as the old couples walked away. The man stared at the old guests as they walked out of the place and then turned his attention to the receptionist. She was staring at him, the bright smile still on her face and waiting for him to say something......or make his booking.

The man studied the woman for a short while and moved his hard eyes to the mounds on her chest. And then to the name tag pinned on the receptionist right chest.

"I'm here to meet someone", The man began coldly with his eyes still on the name tag.

"Oh i see", the receptionist began, trying hard to maintain the smile on her face after seeing the scar on the man's face. "And may i know who......".

"He is in one of your private rooms", the man interrupted and looked at the screen of the monitor on the desk. "Private room six", he added.

The woman nodded and faced the monitor, mechanical in her movement. There was some nervousness in her movement as she worked her fingers on the buttons in screen.

"Mr Frank......", the receptionist squinted her eyes and took a closer look at the screen. "Mr Frank Dee..cah..",

"Decatur", the man corrected. "Frank Decatur".

"Oh", the woman smiled at the strange man with a strange surname and motioned at a waitress. "Please take Mr......", she looked at the man. "Take this gentleman to the table in room six. The customer there is expecting him", she said to the waitress quietly.

The waitress nodded and politely told the man to follow her. The man took his hands out of his pocket with a sigh and quietly followed the waitress without said a word to the receptionist. He took another look around the restaurant and one last glance at the receptionist and saw her curious gaze at him as the waitress lead him towards a corridor.


"Excuse me sir your friend is here". The waitress said to the man sitting at the table and ushered Frank into the room. The man didnt bother to look up and remained focused on the newspaper he was reading.

Frank glanced at the waitress as she left and looked around the moderately lighted room. Then he turned his attention to the other figure in private restaurant room, a stoutly built man in dark coloured suit with a red necktie. He's in his early forties and looked like a man of authority.

Frank knew the man very well. Zack Burns is the man's name. A high ranked special agent in the National Secret Service. A seemingly friendly fellow but in reality, a no nonsense man with a hard character.

The first time they had met was in a judge's private chamber. And on that day, Frank was still trying to come to terms with the events that transpired after he turned himself in to the authorities, after months of violence, bloodletting and dodging endless manhunt.

At first, Frank thought that he was being transfered to another detention facility, or perhaps a super max prison where the likes of him were being housed. Only to see himself being taken to a judge's private chamber and made to stand in chains and prison wear, and listen to an ancient looking man who talked about the best possible way of how to get rid of "a psychopathic killer", whose only intent in life is to commit mass homicide. A hundred life sentences in solitary confinement or the electric chair was the judge's suggestion. Frank was about to tell the old man to pick one and go f@ck himself before the "Big man" stepped into the office and introduced himself as Zack Burns, a federal government special agent.

Several questions from both the judge and the agent were thrown at him; a few he answered and some he just laughed at. Then what followed was alot of unexplainable events that happened so fast that it left Frank still wondering how he went from being the country's most wanted killer to a free man living under an assumed name and in a government witness protection program in a space of just one week.

He was now in the sixth month of protection program that was orchestrated by Zack Burns. A program he never requested......or ever wanted because he had sworn to rather be a dead man than cooperate with the authorities. He was still yet to cooperated, and had never been asked to do so.

"Frankie you are late", Zack began coldly with his eyes still on the paper. Frank made a quick glance around the private room and dropped his weight on the chair infront of the agent. Then the agent left the paper on the table and looked at Frank. "Care to explain why you are......". Zack stole a quick glance at his wristwatch. ".....why you are an hour late?", he demanded and rested his elbows on the table with a stern look on his face.

Frank picked up the menu book infront of him and flipped through the pages quietly while Zack steepled his fingers and waited for a reply.

"You very well know that i hate being called Frankie", Frank then began quietly after almost a minute of going through the pages of the menu book.

"And you very well know that i dont give a sh!t", Zack said almost immediately. "Hell, i might wake up one morning and decide to start calling you a dog's name...or even a cat's name. I can call you whatever the f@ck i want Mr Frankie Decatur. And you are in no position to say otherwise", he continued irritatedly.

Frank sighed and dropped the menu book on the table. "So, why this meeting on a short notice", he asked. "And if it's so important as you earlier said, why didnt you just come to my place...as usual?", Frank asked with an unblinking stare at Zack.

A faint smiled formed on Zack's thick lips. "Well, i just wanted us to meet in a environment. You know, somewhere nice", he replied and gestured both hands around the private room. "And i also want to buy you dinner", he added.

"This is unlike you.....and i hate free dinner", Frank countered, still maintaining the look on his face. He was suspicious and Zack noticed it.

"So what?", Zack asked with a smirk.

"So i wanna know the reason why we are here. The real reason", Frank demanded.

Zack looked at Frank with furrowed brows. "You sound quite sinister my friend. What's the matter, are you getting suspicious of me?", he asked.

"I'm a very careful man. You already know that", Frank replied. "And there is always a reason for a change of attitude, perhaps a hidden intention".

"So what are you say?, that this might be....a set up?".

"I don't know, or is it?". Frank folded his arms and tilted his head to the side. "But i know very well that we are not here for you to buy me dinner in a nice place".

Zack chuckled and picked up his newspaper. "Relax my friend", he began with a reassuring smile as he riffled through the pages. "If i wanted to do you, i wouldn't have to go through the trouble of bringing you here". Then he stopped at a particular page and brought the paper closer to his face. "You wont even see it coming my friend, especially for someone who is always within a hair's breadth of doing life in a supermax slammer", he continued as he read the paper. "Not to talk of the wolves that are still waiting to leave you dead in a ditch full of sh!t if they find out that you are still alive".

Frank sneered and looked away. Zack's words was just his usual show of power, something he already knew. This wasnt the first time the agent had reminded him that he was the "Big man in charge"; the guy that run things and the "Person that owns him", no matter what. And this was the umpteenth time the agent have mentioned having him thrown back into jail at will or leaving him for the "wolves".

But Frank knows better. No one, not even the district attorney, has any evidence to put him away for life. And the "wolves" that had come for him so far are the ones lying dead in a pool of sh!t, or worse. All of them.

For the past five months he has been playing along, just like he had always done with any percieved enemy before he strikes. But in Zack's case, he only wanted to know why the federal agent had put him in witness protection that was done against his will.

"By the way, how long you have being in the witness protection program?", Zack asked with eyes still on the paper.

"You mean how long i have being in a forced witness protection program", Frank rephrased the question.

"Just answer my question", Zack muttered.

"Five months and sixteen days", Frank answered the question nonchalantly and looked to his side.

"And how are things going for you? Any changes so far in your situation and in you as a man?".

"Yeah, there's been quite a lot of changes. But the problem is, i can't say if it's an improvement, or things going from bad to worse for me".

Zack moved his keen eyes from the newspaper and rested them on Frank.

"You see, for the first time in a very very longtime, i neither get to sleep at night with loaded guns under the mattress nor go through the plan on how get an opposition at day", Frank continued. "Despite the greater chances of always living to see the next day, i kind of find it a bit boring cos i was so used to a life of calculated moves and actions. And this new life, no matter how it made things calm and peaceful, seems to have made me appear to be something that i despised the most. Which is being a rat bastard and a snitch".

Zack smirk with a pursed lips. Without saying any word, he turned his attention back to the newspaper. Frank remained silent too, waiting for the agent to say something, to tell him why he wanted to meet.

"So are we done with the questions or are they the reason for you wanting to see me", Frank then asked.

"No", Zack replied with a faint smile, but he was smiling at something he had just read from the paper. This irritated Frank a bit.

"So can we get down to business cos we all have other things to do", Frank said trying to control his emotions.

"Patience my friend", Zack said and gave Frank a quick glance. Then he lowered the newspaper after about a minute of running his eyes on the prints. "Before we begin, i have another question for you my friend".

Frank hissed with frustration.

"What do you know about police corruption in this country?", Zack asked with a steady gaze at Frank.

Frank scoffed and reclined in his seat. He stared at Zack for a while, head tilted to one side with a funny smile. He was wondering what was up with the man in front of him.

"Well", he sighed, deciding to answer the question. "From what i know....and what i have seen so far, the Cankerworm seems to be running out of fabrics", Frank chuckled. "It has gotten quite terrible", he chuckled again with his eyes on Zack

Zack smiled. "That's a good answer, i like that", he muttered.

"So, what does police corruption gotta do with me? I'm not a dirty cop", Frank asked.

Zack smacked lips. "Well, the new man at the top seems to also shares your opinion about the corruption in the police force", he then said. "He thinks it is way too rife and wants to make alot of changes, to do alot of clean-up. He even passed down an order for a total and immediate reorganisation of every goddamn department. But you can see that instead of me carrying out his "balls massaging" orders, i'm sitting here, in this lovely pasta restaurant with your sorry ass sitting right across the table",

"Meaning that you dont give a f@ck about your superior's orders", Frank muttered.

Zack nodded approvingly.

Then Frank moved from his reclined position and rested an elbow on the table with a curious stare at Zack. "I still dont see what all these that you just said gotta do with me cos i'm not a dirty cop", Frank seriously stated, thumping an index finger on the table.

"Yep, it doesnt", Zack nodded again. "Anyway, have you made up your mind on what you are having?", he asked and jerked his head at the menu book in front of Frank. "Why dont you try the shrimp pasta. This restaurant cooks the best i have had so far", he suggest.

"I'm only interested in the reason for you wanting to see me", Frank said firmly and impatiently. "Your free dinner can wait".

"Oh that", Zack muttered and riffled the newspaper to the next page. "Well, it's just a job i want you to do for me".

"I already have a job", Frank said.

"I know. But this is a temporary job. Just something i want you to sort out, consider it a favour that i'm asking cos you owe me one.....or probably a lot".

"I dont owe you any favours and i dont remember asking you for any".

Zack heaved a sigh and folded the newspaper. "Look, all i just want from you is to just run an errand for me", he said coolly and looked at Frank. "Is that too much to ask?, especially for someone who got you out from a total sh!t-storm situation?",

"Yeah, a sh!tstorm situation i'm always being reminded that i could easily be thrown back into", Frank scoffed.

"Are you up for it or not?", Zack asked with a firm tone of voice. "Remember, some compliance could get you a good report in your file and also better your situation cos you as still far from being a free man", he added.

Frank sighed and stared at the menu book for a while. "So what is this 'something' that you want me to do?", he then asked, eyes still on the book.

Zack smile. "Its just a simple job, depending on how you approach it", he began.

"Just tell me what it is", Frank demanded.

Zack shifted his weight abit on his chair. "Someone that is very close to someone that i know will be having a birthday tomorrow. And the someone that i know wants me to keep this person entertained". Then Zack paused and stared at Frank.

"So?", Frank muttered with an intent look at Zack.

"So your job is to go pick up and entertain this person. You know, drive around town and go to the places that this person wants to go", Zack continued with a smile.

Frank snorted. "So you want me to go do a babysitting job", he said to Zack.

"It also involve doing what you are very good at", Zack added

Frank furrowed eyebrows and regarded Zack for a shortwhile. "You want me to go kill people", he asked.

"No, i mean what you used to do before switching careers. To act as a bodyguard", Zack corrected.

Frank thought again. "And why would this person want a bodyguard?", he asked.

"This person is not the type that hangs around town....without a family member or someone very close".

"What happened to family members?".

"You already know that you are in no position to get an answer to that question".

"And you think sending....a guy like me is the best option? There are alot of boys in your department that can do this job very well...with no worries", Frank sneered. "Have you suddenly forgotten who i am...or rather who i was?".

Zack smiled and dipped his hand inside the inner pocket of his suit jacket. "Every other cops and most people see you as the bad guy who suppose to be locked in a hole and have the key thrown away", he said. "But i know better, and also very well know the reason for doing all the things that you did. Moreover, a man in your situation gotta do what he gotta do", he shrugged. Then he slipped out a cellphone from his pocket. "Besides, all your victims were also bad guys like you if not worse. To me, justice was being served, though in a horrible way".

Then Zack placed the cellphone on the table and slided it towards Frank. With one quick reflex, Frank got hold of the cellphone. He stared at Zack and studied the new looking mobile smart device in his hand. It was switched off.

"As long as i wont get into trouble with the authorities", Frank warned and waved the cellphone at Zack.

Zack laughed and quietly got up from his seat. He went over to where Frank was sitting and slipped out a piece of paper from his pocket. "This is where i want you to go and the address of the place you will be meeting your...new boss", Zack said and handed the paper to Frank. "You have to be there by exactly 10 am tomorrow morning. When you get there, you call the number written on the paper. And you know very well that i dont take any disappointment lightly", he warned.

Frank looked at what was written on the paper and the number. "Is that all?", he asked and looked at Zack.

"Yes, for now", Zack replied and then looked at his wristwatch. "Now get the hell out of here. Someone else that i'm expecting is probably on her way now", he said and jerked his thumb at the door with a faint smile.

Frank got up quietly. He straightened up his suit jacket and headed towards the door.

"Hey Frankie", Zack began as Frank opened the door. "Concerning your answer to my question about police corruption".

"What about it?", Frank asked and looked over his shoulder.

"Well i want you to always bear that in mind from now on", Zack said, and then motioned at Frank to leave the place.

This made Frank to regard Zack with a thoughtful gaze and then he left the private room, quietly closing the door after him.

Zack stared at the door for about a minute and then slipped out another cellphone from his pocket; his own. He dialled a number and held it close to his ear as the line ringed.

"Hello", he began and looked at the chair that Frank had vacated as he listened to the brief rasp from the device earpiece. "It's done. So you know what to do", he said quietly and ended the call with a faint smile.

Always a pleasure to read your stories

Thanks for the update

bloodline is still my best story till now...Good work ironkurtain your stories are always magnetizing me to literature section

Nice jab

WoW Ironkurtain na back to back.

Following[color=#990000][/color]

Ironkurtain just so you know, I've been following this thread right from before the beginning. Great job, excellent story line. Kudos

CHAPTER TWO.


Reggie watched the Gulfstream G550 jet taxi towards the hangar and reached for the Cuban cigar in tucked in the inner pocket of his black suit jacket. He stood flanked by two men. They were both heavyset, fearsome and his bodyguards. One of them immediately took out a lighter and held the flame close to the clipped end of the cigar till it was fired up.

Reggie blew a cloud of cigar smoke and ran his tongue over his thick lips with a satisfying smirk as the aircraft approached. Aboard the private jet was his overseas connect, with a deal that would firmly cement his position as the top Don in the entire southern part of the country. Something he had always envisioned and worked towards achieving, using any and every means. Some were negotiations and most were through violence. This wasnt the first time his business associate had come into the country for business deals. But this time the man was coming for a different purpose other than the cocaine shipment and the payments.

The private jet came to a halt several metres away with its roaring engine dying down and the morning sunlight gleaming on its white coloured streamlined body. Reggie glanced at the other bodyguard and motioned at the man to stay ready. Then he filled his lungs with cigar smoke and turned his attention to the several vehicles parked a few meters away from their position, five black Chevy SUVs with about ten men in black wears standing around the vehicles. Those were the rest of the men he had brought with him.

Reggie took another drag from the cigar and motioned at his bodyguards. And they followed him as he walked towards the aircraft. As they approached the Gulfstream jet, the cabin door opened. A white man came out and stood at the doorway. He seems to be in his mid thirties and wore a dark shade sunglasses. He was expensively dressed in a mob outfit with a well cut and clean hair.

The man stared at Reggie as he approached and then glanced around the hangar and that the SUVs. He made a gesture in the air with his right hand started descending the stairs of the plane. Then eight other men emerged from the plane. They were all thicksets; quite bigger than Reggie's bodyguards and all dressed in black suits. Six were black and two of Mexican origin. Four of them following the white men as he headed towards Reggie while two waited near the plane.

The white man came a few meters closer to Reggie as he approached with the men and paused. He took another look around the hangar again and continued in his steps.

"Mr Hadampson i presume", Reggie began when the two men met.

"Mr Reggie", Hadampson smiled. Both men shook hands. Everything ready?", he asked.

"A hundred percent ready", Reggie replied.

Then Hadampson looked at the aircraft and gestured at the other two men. It was an "all clear" signal. One of the men hurriedly entered the aircraft and emerged with another white man. The man was older and dressed in a white suit with a white fedora hat. He stood at the doorway and took a casual look around the place, adjusting his suit with some air of authority as he did so and came down.

"Mr Peluzzini!", Reggie beamed with a smile as the white man came over. "Good to see you again sir".

"Reggie....my man!", Peluzzini began and spread his arms. "Good to see you too my good friend". He gave Reggie a hug and pat the man's back after breaking away.

"How was your flight?", Reggie asked.

"A long ass one as usual", Peluzzini took off his shades and smacked his lips. "And i need alot of rest. I hope there are some goodies to calm nerves down in this country?".

Reggie smiled. "Just say what you want and we will get you the best", he assured.

Peluzzini smiled and looked at Hadampson. "That's one thing about this guy that i like. Prompt service my friend!", he boomed with a smile. Hadampson remained silence with an expressionless look on his face. "Anyway.....", Peluzzini continued and looked at Reggie. ".....What about the other....thing that we discussed?", he asked, his tone of voice suddenly becoming serious.

Reggie took off his shades", "when we get to your suite, we talk about it", he replied.

Peluzzini motioned at Hadampson and his right hand man immediately gestured at the men who then followed him to the SUV that will be transporting them.

"You and i gonna ride together so that we can talk about it in the car", Peluzzini said to Reggie, patting him on his back.

Reggie agreed and told one of his bodyguard to follow him. Then he led Peluzzini to the several black SUVs as both men discussed business. Hadampson followed with one of Peluzzini bodyguard walking behind with a hard keen look on his face.


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


"So like i said, the shipment will arrive next tomorrow at the loading dock", Peluzzini said as Reggie refilled his glass. "So the ball in now in your court my friend".

Reggie nodded as he left the half-empty bottle of St-Remy brandy on the glass surface of the center table.

"I hope your man at the customs wont be a problem...as you had earlier say", Peluzzini asked and took a drag from the burning cuban cigar inbetween his middle and index fingers.

"He is the least of our concern", Reggie replied as he crossed the livingroom of the hotel penthouse suite and sat on the leather sofa in front of Peluzzini. "Infact i already have workers eating and sleeping at the dock, and waiting for the shipment to arrive so that they can go to work immediately.

"Good", Peluzzini muttered and exhaled a cloud of smoke from his lungs.

"And once they confirm that they got the product, then you sir, should tell me if you want your payment in cash or to be transferred to any offshore account, as usual", Reggie added with a smile and took a sip from his glass.

Hadampson who had been in the livingroom, standing and listening to their conversation looked at Peluzzini. Peluzzini glanced at him and nodded.

"Anyway, we are not here for the shipment", Hadampson began. "Infact the shipment and the payment are the least of our problem".

"The subject", Reggie muttered.

"Yes", Peluzzini nodded. "And what we really want to know.....i in particular....is, can you get the subject alive?", Peluzzini asked without looking at Reggie.

Reggie suspended the glass of drink he was about to sip close to his mouth and looked at Hadampson. Then he looked at Peluzzini who was thoughtfully staring at the burning end of his cigar and back to Hadampson.

Then the leather of the sofa crinkled as Reggie relaxed his frame on it and crossed his leg. "This is double the amount of product you had been shipping to me", Reggie began, gesturing the hand holding the glass of drink. "And you want to tell me that this person is more important to you?", he asked.

"More important than triple the amount", Mr Peluzzini muttered.

"So are you hundred percent sure you have all the info on the subject?", Hadampson asked with a firm voice. "Mr Peluzzini doesnt take disappointments quite well. And to fly all the way from the States to this place only to be disappointed wont be taken lightly", he added with a serious tone of voice.

Reggie chuckled and motioned at his bodyguard who was standing behind him. The man unzipped the slim black briefcase he was carrying and took out a file.

"Trust me my friend", Reggie said as the bodyguard handed him a file he took out from the briefcase. "All the information you need is here". He waved the file at Hadampson. Hadampson went over to Reggie and Reggie handed the file to him.

"But my question is, what is it about this person that made you to fly all the way from your country with eight tough guys", Reggie asked and gazed at Peluzzini keenly.

"Do you have any problem with it Mr Reggie?", Hadampson asked with furrowed eyebrows.

"No....not at all", Reggie replied and glanced at Hadampson with a superficial smile. Then he looked at Peluzzini. "You know very well that i can supply all the men you want, just say the number. Beside, from what i have seen and heard about this person, this is a very easy task. If you want this subject alive then it's just a matter of sending a couple of guys to go do a simple pick up, that's all".

Peluzzini chuckled and looked at Hadampson.

"Well that's why we brought our men", Hadampson said. "In case all your men fail to do the simple pick up".

Reggie was highly insulted by those words. But he decided to play it cool because he wasn't ready to sever ties with his major pure cocaine supplier. Not yet.

"We are just taking every precaution for this operation so as to avoid any f@ck-ups. So you should understand why we had to come with some of our men", Hadampson continued and handed the file to Peluzzini who made a quick glance through the documents in the file and handed it back to Hadampson with a nod of approval.

Seeing that Peluzzini was satisfied, Reggie got up and motion at his bodyguard who immediately left the room. "So....", Reggie began and picked up the bottle of brandy and went over to Peluzzini. "Since we are done talking business", he said and bent down to refill Peluzzini's glass. "I think it's time for the boys to play", he straightened up and pointed at the several girls that walked into livingroom with the bodyguard.

Peluzzini glanced at the beauties and raised his glass. "My man!", he boomed and made a toast.

Earlier in the day.


9.40 am in the morning, Frank arrived at the location of the address Zack had given him. And was quite surprised when he found out that place was a fast-food restaurant housed in the ground floor of three storey old building. Then he got out of the car and crossed the less busy street.

Frank stepped into the joint and made a quick survey around the place with a curious look on his face. The restaurant was clean though somewhat shabbily decorated and was quite a lot of customers in the place. Frank made eye contact with a few them as he quietly went over to an empty table and made himself comfortable on the chair. He slipped his hand inside the pocket of the grey trench coat he was wearing and took out the cellphone given to him by Zack. He switching it on and opened the menu book while waiting for the device to boot up.

A stewardess came over and said, "Good morning sir".

Frank looked at the slightly chubby woman standing beside him with a notepad, waiting eagerly to take his orders. Frank ignored her and looked at the cellphone that was now on. And then looked at his wristwatch.

"Sir can i......", the stewardess began and took out a pen from the pocket of her apron.

"I need some time to go through the menu", Frank interrupted her with indifference in his voice.

"Okay...sir", the waitress muttered and left.

Frank picked up the cellphone and studied it for a while, checking its call history, storage files and any number saved. Seeing that it was as clean as the cellphone itself, he left device in its former position and glanced at his wristwatch again. It was 9.50 am. He has to make a call with the cellphone in ten minutes time. Wondering who he would be meeting at food joint, he glanced through the menu book and checked the coffee list.

After a short while Frank paused. Without moving his body an inch and his hand still holding the menu book, his eyes slowly rolled as he cautiously looked the restaurant again. Someone was staring at him, he always knew when he's been watched. He calmly placed the menu book on the table, acting normal in movements and took a casual glance around. He saw nothing unsual, just customers having their breakfast of fast-food or coffee. Frank thought for a short while and then looked over his shoulder. And also saw nothing unusual. Then his eyes rested on one of the customers, a teenage girl sitting alone in a table at the corner of the restaurant and reading a book with a soda cup in front of her. The girl looked up when Frank stared in her direction and gave him a faint smile with a steady stare, like she knew him.

Frank ignored her and turned away. And dismissed the feeling he was having as him just being a bit paranoid. Then he checked his wristwatch again. Seeing it was sharp 10 am, he quickly dug one hand into one of the pockets of his trench coat and got hold of the cellphone on the table with the other hand.

"Hi".

Frank paused. He looked up and saw himself staring at the teenage girl he had earlier seen sitting behind him. She was now standing in front of him and holding the book she was reading.

"Excuse me?", Frank began. The girl gazed at him for a short while and sat on the chair infront of him.

Frank eyebrows furrowed as the girl made herself comfortable on the chair and dropped the book on the table. With one hand still holding the cellphone and the other slowly slipping out of his pocket, Frank took another cautious glance around the restaurant, checking to see if there was any other thing else at play.

"Do i know you?", he then asked and looked at the girl.

The girl gazed at Frank again, longer this time. "Maybe....or maybe not", she finally answered his question.

"Meaning what?", Frank demanded.

The girl just shrugged and said nothing.

Frank sighed. "Look, little girl, i dont have time for sh!ts", he muttered and slipped his hand back into his pocket. "Whatever it is you are....selling, i am not buying. And you need to get out of here cos i'm expecting someone", he continued and brought out the piece of paper from his pocket.

"Well no need for that", the girl said.

Frank ignored her and dialled the number written on the paper. He gave the girl a cold look and held the phone earpiece close to his ear. When the line stared ringing, Frank's eyebrows furrowed again, a cellphone was ringing and it was coming from the girl sitting in front of him. The girl sighed as Frank stared at her with a dumbfounded look on his face and took out the cellphone from pocket of the black jean trouser she was wearing.

"I told you no need for that", the girl said. She tapped the End button and silenced the phone . "I'm here.....and it's good to see that you are not the late type", she continued and placed the device on the table.

After getting over the surprise of finding out who he's about to work for, Frank then remembered that Zack didnt give any information about his employer. Then for the first time he took a closer look at the girl. She was probably in her mid-teen and mixed race because of her fair skin and long hair that was neatly tied behind her head. She has some kind of an aura of coldness from the way she talked. And an unfriendly look on her face when she is not smiling.

"Mr Frank Decatur right?", she asked.

Frank nodded.

"Call me Sara", the girl said and extended her hand at Frank.

Frank hesitated abit and then shook Sara's small and soft hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you...Miss Sara", he said with uncertainty in his voice and forced a weak smile

Your writing prowess is perfect ironkurtain
Keep it up boss

Beautiful storyline...Nice write-up as always

One of the best

mr frank decatur; i like that name maybe i will change my username to 'Decature'.

"So". Sara pushed the book aside and rested her elbows on the table. "Before we begin, i hope you are aware what today is?".

Frank nodded and said, "I was told that today is your birthday". He was still trying to understand the situation; finding that his boss was a girl who's twice younger that him.

"Good.....and today being my birthday, i want to make the most of it. I mean......lots of fun....for me", Sara said authoritatively. "I hope you understand what i mean?",

"Well i was also told to do whatever you request", Frank said with a sigh. "So i clearly understand", he added.

"Good, so...do you have any question?", Sara asked and gave Frank and inquisitive look.

Frank gave Sara a brief stare with a deadpan look on his face and then leaned forward, moving closer to her with one elbow resting on the table. "Yes", he began with the deadpan look still on his face. "Do you know who i am?", he asked.

"Is it really important that i should know who you are?", Sara asked with furrowed brows.

"Well, to me it is".

"Dont worry i'm very well aware of who you are", Sara smirk. "A psychopathic killer, i was told".

Frank stared at Sara for a short while, the deadpan look turning into a surprised one. "And.....it doesnt even bother you at all?", he asked.

"Do i look bothered...or should i be?", Sara asked nonchalantly.

Frank shifted his eyes to the book in front of Sara and gave it a short thoughtful stare before turning them back at the young girl. "Anyway you are wrong about one thing", he then said. "I'm not a psychopath".

Sara chuckled and rolled her eyes. "Yeah right, your file says worse", she muttered. "And i even overheard that woman telling her colleague that there's something eerie about you", she added and jerked her head at the waitress that had earlier came to Frank.

"Why dont we just forget about my personal life and get down to business". Frank sighed impatiently. "So when do we begin?", he asked.

"We have already begun", Sara replied. She picked up the menu book on the table and motioned at the waitress. "And keep a smile on your face. I hate being around a mean face.....and the scar on yours makes it even worse", she muttered as she went through the menu book.

A waitress then came over to their table. And she was the one that Sara was talking about. The woman smiled at the young girl and politely asked her what she wanted. The smile immediately faded when the woman's eyes turned at Frank.

"I will now have the cheese burger and also another cup of Cola", Sara ordered with her eyes on the menu book. "Give this gentleman what he wants", she pointed at Frank.

Frank told the waitress he wanted a cup of their strongest coffee blend. The woman wrote down the orders, nodded at Sara with a smile and ignored Frank as she left.

"This place makes the best cheese burger, i always stop here to get one. You should try it one day", Sara suggested. But Frank seemed uninterested. Then she rested her arms on the table and clasped her hands as she looked at her new employee, studying him. "Hm....you are quite a big fella...but not that huge. But it sure looks like you workout....probably alot", she noted as she looked at Frank's broad shoulders and big arms.

Frank gave no response to the compliments.

"So can you tell me more about yourself Mr Frank", Sara said and looked at him with alot of interest.

"Like what?", Frank asked.

"Anything. Things that interests you, let's start with hobbies", Sara replied". "I wanna hear what hobbies you are into.....apart from those terrible things that you did".

"I'm pretty sure that the documents in my files clearly showed that i'm not the into-hobbies kind of guy".

"So....what do you do during your free time?".

"I can't remember the last time i had a free time".

"A man like you certainly do have some kind of a routine, a daily routine that made you who you are. And also very effective from what i read about you".

"I eat, sleep, go to work and use the bathroom when the need arises, just like every other person".

Sara saw that Frank was uninterested. "You dont you have any interests you wanna share?", she asked.

"Well, my only interest now is to get down to the business at hand", Frank stated with indifference, a clear sign that he wasn't interested in talking about himself....or his hobbies.

Sara nodded with pursed lips, the inquisitive look on her face faded. Then she heaved a soft sigh and reached for her book. She opened a page and quietly began to read. And continued doing so for several minutes while Frank watched and waited for her to say something.

"So?", Frank broke the silence after a few more minutes.

Sara sighed. "Anyway, he said i should tell you that you can leave if you happen to have a change of heart", Sara began coldly with her eyes still on page she was reading. "As a matter of fact, i'm the one having a change of heart. Which means that your own decisions doesnt really matter anyway". The she looked at Frank. "So i want you to leave after you are done drinking your coffee....or leave immediately if you wish to do so", she concluded and turned her eyes back to the book.

Frank remained silent, staring at Sara as he thought about what she just said. He slowly reclined in his seat and causally looked around the fastfood place, contemplating his next move. Then he thought about the meeting he had with Zack and what the agent had told him, especially about the job and the agent's warning about being disappointed.

"I like outdoor activities", Frank then began after reminding himself to keep playing along with whatever game the Agent Zack was playing. Just like he had been doing for the last six months.

"Hm...really?", Sara muttered with indifference as she continued reading the book that was a novel.

"I like gardening", Frank forced a smile, trying to brighten up the tense atmosphere that has settled between them.

"I'm pretty sure i know why you like gardening. Lots of digging...and burying things", Sara murmured.

Then Frank looked at the book Sara was reading. "MY SUPER VILLIAN", he read the title of the novel and looked at Sara. "I've read that book. Quite an interesting story. I heard it's actually a true story about two....".

"Please.....", Sara interrupted coldly. "I just want to enjoy this damn book".

Frank folded his arms and looked away. He thought for a short while and looked at Sara. "So what do you wanna do?", he asked.

"You had your chance, but you sounded like you weren't interested", Sara muttered.

"What do you wanna do?", Frank asked again.

"To read this book till i decide on something else i wanna do, or perhaps the person i should hire to replace you" Sara replied.

"Today is your birthday right?".

"Yeah so?".

"Well....you earlier said that you wanted to make the most of today......having lots of fun", Frank noted.

Sara lifted her eyes from the book and gave Frank a steady cold stare.

"And i dont think reading a book in a fastfood joint is fun, especially on a birthday", Frank continued.

"So?", Sara asked.

"So....", Frank began, not actually knowing what to say to convince the young girl to change her mind. "....i can still wait here until my replacement arrives", Frank continued in a friendlier tone of voice. "And until then, i am sure there is enough time for some things we can do together", Frank concluded. Then he turned his attention to the cellphone after getting nothing but Sara's steady gaze at him.

Then the waitress came over with a tray carrying what they had ordered. "Your cheese burger, made just the way you like it", she said to Sara and placed a plate of delicious looking burger infront of young girl. "And here is also your cup of soda. I hope you enjoy yourself", she added. Then the waitress gave Frank a quick glance and placed a cup of a steaming hot coffee in front of Frank. And left without saying anything to him.

Sara stared at the waitress till the woman entered the restaurant kitchen. She glanced at her cellphone screen to check the time, stole a quick glance at Frank and then picked up the burger from the plate with both hands. Frank got hold of his cup of coffee and gently took a sip as Sara ate her food. Leaving the cup in it former position, he started going through the smart device he was holding while Sara munched her food in silence, watching her from the corner of his eyes and wondering what's going to happen next.

The silence grew longer as minutes passed. Sara continued eating her fast food while Frank took sips from his coffee cup. Frank casted a few glances at the young girl as she munched and savored every bite with a smile, trying to figure out who she was and what was her relationship with Agent Zack. A relative of his, or perhaps the daughter of someone that the agent knew, Frank thought. Peharps the daughter of a some influential figure.

"Hm...this is really good", Sara said after swallowing the last bite. "I just can't have enough of it", she continued and wiped her hands with the wet tissue that also came with the food.

"You can order for more if you want", Frank murmured with his eyes on the smartphone screen.

"I would love to....", Sara smiled. "....but i want us to do something else".

"Okay....". The 'Us' in Sara's words made Frank to gently place the phone on the table and shift his attention at her. "So what do you wanna do?" he asked trying to keep a smile on his face, but to no avail because he wasn't use to that face expression.

Sara reclined in her seat and stared at Frank for a short while with an inquisitive look on her face. "Before we begin, i wanna ask you something, Mr Frank Decatur", she then said.

"Go ahead".

"Do you like money?".

"Of course i like money", Frank replied and reached for the coffee cup. "Especially if it is alot of good money",  he added after taking a sip of the coffee that has gotten lukewarm.

"Hm", Sara nodded. "Do you also like....bad money", she asked again.

Frank smirked with a thoughtful look on his face. "Depends", he answered and looked at the his cup of coffee.

"What about blood money?".

Frank shifted his gaze to Sara. "Are we talking about good blood money or bad blood money?", he asked intently.

"Does it matter?",

"To me it matters....alot".

"Why?".

Frank managed to smiled weakly and gave the cellphone on the table a brief stare before turning his eyes back at Sara. "I may have done terribles things, but i am still a man of principles", he replied.

Sara nodded several times with her eyes on Frank. She reached for her soda cup. "Look at all these people around us", she began, putting the plastic straw inbetween her thin lips. "All of them living their lives, some with little or no regard about the person next to them....or what the person had being through or going through", she continued after taking a sip from the cup. Then she looked Frank. "I bet most of them are trying to earn some money, making their plans and strategies on how to get some.....or probably alot. Dont you think so?", Sara asked him.

"It is called working", Frank sighed. "If you dont wanna stay starving for some of the good things of life...like the tasty cheeseburger you just had, then you gotta always put in work, all day everyday", he muttered.

"And do you think working all day everyday......especially for someone, would make you rich?".

"Depends on the kind of work and who you are working for".

Sara nodded several times again with pursed lips. Then she looked in the direction of the restaurant kitchen. "Everybody wants to be rich, i bet you wanna be too", she said with a playful smile and looked at Frank. "But the thing is many are not really willing to go through the hardship of achieving wealth. So they spend their entire life staying in their comfort zone, doing the same nine to five job that they hate cos it pays the bills".

Frank agreed with a nodded.

"Then there are the ones that dont wanna...'always put in work' but still wanna be rich. So they seek for other ways, easier ways".

Frank shook his head. "There are no easy ways", he said.

"Are you sure?", Sara asked.

"Yeah i'm sure of that".

"But some people seems to be having it so easy".

"Well that's what it seems at first, especially if they are earning it the wrong way. But when trouble comes and things start going down, most of them would wish they never took that route".

Sara listened and said nothing.

"Believe me, i've been there and done that. Alot of things aint easy, no matter how they seem to be.....and making money tops the list", Frank continued.

Then Sara looked at the screen of her cellphone, she was checking the time....again. Frank noticed it. He opened his mouth to say something but Sara raised a fore-finger and pressed it between her lips; she wanted him to say nothing. After a minute of silence and staring at the phone screen, Sara looked over her shoulder and stared at the restaurant entrance door. Frank looked at her and turned his sight to the door too.

Seconds later, a man dressed in bright coloured Hawaiian t-shirt with a black baseball cap, walked into the restaurant. He was quite short, small framed and very bold in his steps. Two other men followed him into the place. Both were big, dressed in black sweatshirts and pants with an unfriendly look on their faces. The big men flanked the man in the Hawaiian t-shirt as he looked around the place, chewing a bubble gum noisily as he did so. He took note of some of the guests with a smile on his face and headed towards an empty table with the other two men following behind.