“What’s the meaning of this? Consigliere will you care to explain? “ Malik screamed through a mixture of fear and anger .
The consigliere watched with eyes wide open looking helplessly as the ever reliable and strong Bill dropped like discarded pack of cards. The full implications of this taking slow time to register on his mind. The Arab growled in anger, with his finger squeezed down on the trigger of his Submachine gun as he aimed at Penance. A third boom sounded and Malik’s head was kicked back savagely as part of his head implodes.


Fakhr looked with eyes open as wide as they can, holding tightly to the metal briefcase close to his cheat. Penance has no moral qualms against shooting an unarmed man and he was ready to take the last Arab out of the equation when a voice came up.


“Hey sir please don’t kill me, I’m not armed. “ the west African was raising his hands after throwing away his empty gun, one of his knee on the ground. “I have stopped fighting. What do you want? Money? I have plenty more, much more than these. Just let me go and I will give you more dollars, American dollars. “
His accent was blasphemous, though not the worst that Penance has heard. He can’t let him go away from this, they are all part of the problem. Weapon racketeering and drug peddling . Causing death and misery on every part of the world. Armed or not, he faces the same judgment everyone involved with this night’s deal will face, swift death.


“Why are you doing this? Who are you working for? “ Lorenzo had his mind running in circles, trying to figure out this sudden change of events. Who could be the one authorizing this? It can’t be any law enforcement body because the ones they need to have been bribed and the way smoothed out for tonight. Besides law enforcement people don’t act like assassins the way this one just acted. Could another mob family be behind this? There hasn’t been any formal declaration of war between the families. So what could be going on?

“Who are you? “ Lorenzo asked the black clad form his voice quivering with far. Despite the fire fights, he seem to be the only one who hasn’t armed himself.
Penance said noting, dropping the empty HK MP7, his features hidden by the full head covering black spandex hood with the two triangular slits staring unblinking at those still standing.


“This is bull crap Lorenzo, talking to this guy is not going to work. “ As Bill spoke, he knocked off the spent shell casings from a 7.5 inch stainless steel Ruger Redhawk revolver and putting in a speed loader of six . 357 bullets in it. “With the lights on now, he can’t hide and we can take him out. “
The other man behind Bill was also raising his now fully loaded Remington rifle. “We have to look for his accomplices, he didn’t do all these alone. “ while speaking, Bill’s hand was raised, the Ruger cocked and ready to fire.


The desert eagle appeared in Penance hand is if by magic. Before any of those pointing weapons at him could fire, the desert eagle boomed twice. The sound impossibly loud and the ears of everyone ringing from it. The man with the Remington was hammered by. 44 magnum round on the left chest area tearing open a hole on the cavity wide enough for a closed fist to pass through. The heart and lungs exploding in bloody pulp as the round tore through them only to blow out through the back. He was jerked backwards as if kicked by a giant feet and deposited carelessly on his face.


The second boom from the massive hand gun spew another magnum round that his Bill in he neck, almost decapitating the Hillbilly, the bones and tissues blown away making his head drop sideways by the shoulder hanging by a thin strip of flesh. Bill body stood still for a second before it slowly dropped as fountain of red rain sprayed from his open neck.

Seconds were tickling behind the mind of Penance, he was counting it before the back up generator will run down its waiting game for the autostart to kick in and when it doesn’t, it will come online. Still Penance was on the move, dodging obstacles opposing muzzles flashes and taking out gunners with each shot. Someone with a sawed-off shotgun, pumped a round into the firing port, with the muzzle pointed blindly in the darkness, unbeknownst to the shooter that Penance was directly in his line of fire. Penance was on a speed move, with reflexes too quick and eyes penetrating the darkness swift.


He moved away from the point of fire as the shotgun boomed. It wasn’t a single round but pellets, scattering over a conical arc. Though he avoided most of the blasts, few, at least three of the pellets struck his side. He wasn’t wearing a body armor nor has he ever needed it. He felt blood pouring from the holes made by the pellets on his body but already the tinkling sensation was on as already the accelerated tissue repair function was at work, healing his wounds and the pellets pieces dropped from his body. The shooter didn’t even realize how quick he had come to ending the threat against them.


HK mp7 came swinging quickly, with muzzle less than a feet from the face of the shooter, as he pumped the shotgun again. The HK mp7 fired, the bullet smashed at a spot between the eyes causing the head to erupt. The shotgun dropped from nerveless hands and he fell quietly. Other targets presented themselves in the gloom and were taken down with the relentless fire from Penance weapon. Suddenly the gun clicked empty on a dry magazine and the lights took that time to come on.


Several eyes blinked as they tried to adjust to the sudden glare while Penance eyes just shifted from the night sight to the regular one. Most of the hostiles were down leaving just a few of them. The consigliere, Lorenzo, Bill, Malik, who now held a smoking SMG in his hand and Fakhr. One of the west African was lying prone on the ground but it was clear he was still alive as he raised his head cautiously when the lights came back on, his white coat stained dark by dust and spray of blood. One of Bill’s men was still alive, slowly reloading his Remington. Around them were dead bodies leaking bloods from holes punctured through their body parts.

ADECULATE:
Apollux weldone dear, pls do mention me wen u start penance

Penance has already started since early this month. Check my signature to locate it.

Jackossky:
Dear Marvel, I don't know if you still remember my sobriquet but nice reading your fiction. I am enthralled.
Okay, I hope you don't mind if I add some of the little flaws I noticed?

I noticed that in the sequence of your story, most tough villains, even the common ones divulge their secret easily when faced with a foe, especially when the enemy is Marvel or Jade. I will be anticipating a villain that is tight lipped, battle marvel to a point that he would narrowly escape and it will take the combined effort of hardwire and his goons before they can 'desecrate' or annihilate such villain.

I started having true predictions of what's going to happen next, please I need a twist, we need a thriller. I believe you will dish out more.


Also, there is that 'intradollar' currency concept,a consortium of America, Brazil , Canada and a country like that. Now, the way you explained it was okay but to an economist or political scientist, there are flaws in it.
For Britain to be subjected to eradicate their monarchical system, there are political manipulations that will be involved except if it's a 'fictional' Britain.
When I was in a lower class, I was taught about GLOBALISATION. Under it, for Britain to be suppressed, these are things that must take place
Free trade area
Common Market
Custom Union
Economic Union
And finally,
Political union.


I saw that you asked for help around that area, if you can take a bit of your time to read about the concepts above, I am hopeful of a 'Blast' sci-fi from you.

All love from Vainearth, I do love how you intricate your words to describe the surroundings and the actions, it was as if I was watching 'Dark Matters' but in another prospect.


Nice style of writing, copacetic usage of lexicons. To be succinct, I will say you ROCK.

Thanks for your contributions, I appreciated them. About Marvel and the villains he faced, I think the only one that really came close to killing him was Cedric. Marvel's victory was actually a chanced thing and the over confidence of Cedric. But trust me in the final part, Marvel won't find it funny and the story will get more expanded.
As of the currency issue.. lol, well I'm not an Economist not even a good student of history anyway. All I wrote there were just from my imagination. But still looking at the setting, it actually took a long time for Britain to cave in. The global market was changing, America was merging with other bigger markets, countries and corporations to put pressure on the economic power house of Europe. And note that Britain still refused to back down until there was a Civil War. Of course that will tell you the war was influenced by those who want Britain to join the global market. Well I laughed when I created that line because I knew then that the chances of that ever happening is slim or next to none (but at the same time who can tell. No one have been able to perfectly predict history)
Anyway glad you liked the story. I'm working on a story now which will push the third installment of Marvel to a later date. Try seeing PENANCE, I hope you will enjoy that too.

Penance was still and ready as the guns prepared to fire, his had was holding the wireless remote trigger for the plastic explosives he had set at the transformer. With a push of his finger, the charges blew and every light in the dock winked out. The sudden darkness froze every one’s move for a second before Bill screamed “Fire”. Penance was ready, his eyes have shifted from regular sight to night sight. Though everywhere was encased in impenetrable darkness, yet his eyes could see everything in multiple layers and shades of gray. As anxious fingers pulled on triggers, sounds of gunfire were deafening within the warehouse as bullets were flying in every way with men whose sights were temporarily taken away shoot their guns at what their confused mind felt was the right target .


Penance was not limited that way, his moves in the gloom were precise. With his eyes he could see well in the darkness and his sense of hearing were acute that he could distinguish the nuances of the various gun sounds, the footsteps as shooters turned their attentions and tried not to move too far. The slow breathing from scared lungs and the tiny clicks as fingers pulled back triggers. He could see the muzzle flashes of gun fire as pinpoints of lighter grays which he was able to avoid.


The muzzle of his HK MP7 was up, the bright pinpoints of gray were targets and the gun replied with its own. With each pull of the trigger and targeting of the muzzle, a shooter took a bullet and dropped out of the fight. Though the sound of the HK MP7 shooting could not be distinguished by a lesser mind, from the confusing sounds of the multiple fires going on, but as it fired, the degree of gun fire sounds lessen by one. Penance could see that as the lights went off, one of the African dropped down and lay flat. Same with the consigliere, Bill and the Arab, Malik. Bill was already laying prone on the ground making sure he wasn’t a target when he ordered that they should fire.

“We agreed on transportation as been part of your responsibilities, right?” Malik asked as he dropped a suicide vest he was examining.
“At the quay, a barge is already waiting to transport all these goods to the designated points we agreed on. “ Lorenzo responded without missing a beat, glad that the transaction is almost at an end without any issue. “We only await your displayed satisfaction of the merchandise and they will be moved into the barge which will transport it into an Ocean liner out at sea in international waters. Malik you specifically asked that we drop yours at Egypt, while our west African friends want us to drop theirs to a barge that will be waiting in international waters off the coast of Calabar which will deliver the goods to a small wooden fishing boat which will move it through the mangrove forest of that region to your designated point. Any deviation from the agreed plans? “


When both clients agreed, the consigliere ordered that the pallets should now be moved to the quay and loaded into the barge.
“Hey boss,” one of the men on suit who were the consigliere’s bodyguards said as he pointed behind them. The second hand held his submachine gun lifted at waist level.
Penance had dropped down from the height which he had spied the deal going own without making a sound as his feet touched the ground. The blur of shadow most have caught the side sight of the watchful bodyguard which made him turned and saw Penance walking towards them slowly.


He was slowly unscrewing the sound suppressor from the muzzle of the HK MP7 as stealth had all served its purpose, now noise won’t even matter anymore as even if he doesn’t make any noise, those he had come for will definitely fire their weapons and he won’t be able to stop that from happening.
“Hey Bill is he any of yours?” The consigliere asked as he watched Bill’s look of consternation.
“No he is not. “ He replied abruptly as determination took over his initial look of surprise. “Boys blow him away. “ All eyes had turned to that direction when the man on suit had called on the consigliere’s attention. Now every gun within the warehouse were turned to the black clad Penance standing still now.

“I’m sorry for the short delay, place come this way. “ He walked down to another set of stacked crates arranged on wooden pallets.
The former two men with crowbars were already there and the crates opened. In one of the crates are several AK 47 rifles neatly arranged . Next to that is a single crate holding several types of pistols. Then another one with two MG 42 machine guns.
“The magazine are over that way, “ Lorenzo pointed at another set of pallets carrying crates.
“Where’s the other thing? “ Ukwachi asked in his heavily accented English.


“Come, “ Lorenzo walked down behind the pushed back stack boxes and drums. He turned left at a stacked set of metal drum that rose high to the roof. Behind it, where the Arabs won’t see, three pallets covered in see-through nylons with white powders in wrapped transparent bags lay waiting. A single armed man was standing before them. As they got there, the armed man pulled out a folding knife, cut open the nylon covering and pulled out one of the wrapped transparent bags containing the white powder. He cut a small line on it and offered the bag to Ola who gave it to Ukwachi. Ukwachi dipped his index finger into the powder, smeared the finger and put it into his mouth. He shook his head softly with approval.


“Your money, “ Ukwachi said simply as he and Ola dropped the bags with them. Which a second armed man coming from behind them checked the bags and saw they contained bounded dollar bills, then carried them to the front of the warehouse.
The armed man covered the three pallets and their powdered cargo in a black nylon, wrapping them with duct tape as others watched. Then rolling out a pallet truck the man wheeled the pallet out of the place. They all came out back to see the Arabs all going over their weapon merchandise, checking and dry firing them.

As he took them away from the weapons, the two men holding crowbars quickly closed the crates, locked the metal ones with keys and hammered the wooden ones with nails. Lorenzo led them to another stacked set of crates, two other armed men were there with the crates opened. Leading them to the deepest crate, He showed Malik the rolls upon rolls of belt held bullets for the M249. Besides that are the banana shaped magazine boxes for the Ak 47s. A third crate was for the specially extended magazine boxes for the M16s. Then in a specially wrapped plastic crate with a bio hazard symbol on it, when opened contained some black colored vests that looked like bulletproof types with a noticeable difference, they had several pockets sewed on them that held plastic explosives connected to fuses with hand triggers.


Smiling broadly, Malik held the consigliere in a tight embrace. “Though an infidel, you have done more for the cause of Allah than the millions of my hypothetical and scared brothers who recites Al-fatihah every day with lying lips. “
“We aimed to please. “ Lorenzo said as he slowly freed himself from the hug.
“Well today it’s small arms weapons. Who knows tomorrow it may be nukes, eh? “ Malik joked laughing contentedly. The consigliere said nothing but his look showed his high level of discomfort.


Malik snapped his fingers and waved to the three armed men that had come in with him and Fakhr. They dragged a heavy duffel bag which was dropped unceremoniously before them. Fakhr bent down and pulled the zipper backwards.
“Here is the rest of the half payment as agreed upon. “ He pointed at the thick stacks of clean bounded hundred dollar bills.
Indicating the bag which Fakhr zipped closed again, Lorenzo directed one of the armed men behind him to come pick it up. Lorenzo turned to the west Africans, they seem to be quietly seething while he attended to the Arabs.

Malik chuckled with his mouth wide open and the reason the Don referred to the middle easterners as always smelling of garlic became apparent as the open maw spew forth strong smell of chewed raw garlic.
“There is no sacrifice the Don is really making as the agreed amount for these are three times the normal price to get them in the open market. “


“True sir, “ here the negotiating skill of Lorenzo came into play. That’s why he is the Don’s right hand man and the front person on almost all his deals. “You were willing to pay heavily for guaranteed confidentiality and concealment. You know very well that there’s no way you can openly get these guns legally in this country. Besides that, this particular brand is no longer in the market, not even in black market. The spike in demands pushed the price that high. Moreover my boss went this far as a sign of goodwill to foster more trade with you and your people. “


“ Alright. I’m convinced. Where are the others? I ordered and partly paid for a whole lot than these. “
“They are here. “ Lorenzo answered as he walked to three level high stacked metal green colored creates, already opened by the men holding the crowbars.
The first stacked crates in two lines on pallets contained tightly packed AK 47 rifles. The next stack was opened and arranged in them are RPG-7 anti tank grenade launcher tubes. Then after that is a set of longer metal crates in the shape of caskets . It was open to reveal five arranged M249 light machine gun(LMG).


“This is almost all satisfactory. “ Malik said but his eyes showed less of full satisfaction as they looked around. “Where are the ammunition and explosive vests? “
“We keep them separated . “ The consigliere replied. “It’s never a good idea to keep guns, ammunition and explosives in the same place. “ What he held back from saying is that the Don doesn’t trust them to act honorably once they see the weapons and ammunition at the same time.

He got within a feet behind the gunman. He wasn’t lying prone like his colleague but was sitting on the landing cross-legged fashion, the rifle placed on his knees looking down. As Penance came in close, the sniper might have sensed something because he was turning to look back slowly when Penance struck. The blade came out of the darkness, held by his hand and launched at the jaw of the gunman. The knife cut into the soft part of the lower jaw, going through to the tongue, hitting the roof of the mouth, breaking the bones and cartilage there before the point severed the nerves connecting the neck to the lower part of the brain.


The man was dead before he realized he was under attack. Muscles spasm took over thrusting the body into mad like contorted shapes. Penance quickly grabbed the rifle and pulled it in before it drop to the ground and alerting those below.
As the dead man quieted down, he turned his attention below to observe what was going on.
�

Two men with crowbars stood before an open wooden crate, with rifle slung over their shoulders on slings. They both had dark brown Stetson covering their heads.


The wooden crate plied open held well arranged half a dozen new looking M16 assault rifles placed over pieces of Styrofoam. The consigliere Lorenzo led the middle eastern delegation to it speaking in a sad low voice.
“Like I told you at the start of the negotiations long before today, that this particular brand of products will be difficult to come by. “ He was waving his hand at the box with the arranged M16s. Pointing at Bill by his other side he continued. “If it weren’t for the intervention of my friend here who called on some favors owed him, we wouldn’t have gotten as much as this. The US military is clamping down seriously on any of their erring rifles considering the damaging reports coming from the middle east over American made weapons found in the hands of terrorists. “


Sliding his hands lovingly over the metal frames of the guns with eyes aflame, Umar Ibn Malik turned to the consigliere. “I believe the undertone of what you just said is our previously agreed price will no longer be feasible. “
“On the contrary my friend, “ Lorenzo smiled taking a closer move to him as he watched him play his hands over the guns. “My boss the Don values your new relationship with him and has gone to great length and sacrifice to satisfy your demands without further cost to you. “

A service iron rung ladder was on the back of the warehouse. Leaving his gun to hang on the sling, he climbed the ladder till he got to the roof made of corrugated hardened aluminum sheets. Some circular air vents were protruding from the roof and an air circling and cooling system took most of the center part. Taking light steps without allowing his weight to rest on any of his feet so it doesn’t create a noise, Penance glided over the roof aiming for a close maintenance shaft opening that was locked. Fortunately no security man was standing on the roof. Getting to the maintenance shaft entrance, he took hold of the simple padlock locking the covers together with a savage twist of his fist, the padlock broke.


He pulled up the entrance and lowered himself into the thin metal maintenance shaft. As he got in, he pulled the cover close and crawled within the confining space. Getting to another exit cover, he slowly opened it, after taking a while to peep out of it, he stepped off .
Thick iron rungs crisscrossed each other below the corrugated roof forming the holding frame of the warehouse roof. They joined together with the big iron beams that serves as the building’s pillars. From one of the cross beams he was standing on to the floor of the ware house is about two story high. All the lights within the warehouse were fixed under the cross beams of the roof, leaving the spaces between them and the roofing sheets in darkness which suits Penance well.


His eyes soon pick out two snipers partially hidden away from those on the floor, holding on to wooden buttstock Remington rifles pointed generally at the ground area. They were both lying prone on special landing of two metal steps build by the sides of the twin longs racks at both end of the warehouse. Penance noticed that the point he had exited the access shaft was somewhere in the middle so he couldn’t really see what was going on about the deal, as high stacks of wooden boxes, creates, drums and pallets covered the length below him all to way to the front where a wide space has been created by moving most of the stacked items out of the way.


That was were his targets are and the stacked goods were on the way but the two snipers he could see because they weren’t that low from him and from their vantage points, he could observe whatever is going on without being seen.
Using the crisscross rungs, he crawled quickly, extending his supple body in forms an ordinary man would have found impossible to replicate, he accessed some of the difficult points to cross. He got close to the first sniper whose eye was on the scope of his gun looking down at the proceedings of the deal not realizing that death is close by.


The combat knife already in his hand, he clamped shut the sniper’s mouth and buried the blade deep in the jugular vein. He kept the point of the blade in so the blood won’t splash too fast pouring over the boxes and racks under him to the floor below. The dying man struggled valiantly but Penance hold on him was far too strong. Soon the struggles waned and ultimately quieted down. He moved the body further backwards where the dripping blood won’t be noticed immediately. Going back into the darkened area of the roof, Penance crawled to the opposite side aiming for the last sniper.

Hand moving like a blur, the submachine gun was turned in a fast anticlockwise arc , finger still holding down the trigger and the suppressor covered muzzle spilling bullets at full auto. The other two patrolling men took longer to react as they couldn’t really understand on time what was happening and unfortunately the parked vehicles blocked their view of their colleague that was gunned down. Before the quick move of the gun could be completed, three bullets hit the warehouse, chipping out stones from its concrete wall. The fourth bullet struck the rifle one of the patrol men was holding, shaking it slightly.


As he opened he mouth in surprise, the fifth bullet entered his mouth blasting through the soft upper palate, entering into the brain and erupting through the parietal bone like an erupting volcano spewing skull pieces with blood mixed with gray matter. As he collapsed, the bullet path plowed into the next man in line, three holes suddenly appearing on his chest in an almost straight line. The two lungs and manubrium were shattered. Penance finger quickly pulled off the trigger as the second man dropped. A low choking cough warned him that at least one of them might still be alive.


He walked quickly there to take a look. The first of the two have half of his upper skull blown out, thick blood with pieces of gray colored remains already pouring from the place, he was definitely dead. The second man was moving weakly, his chest riddled with bullets, blood spots on his clothes spreading fast. With each cough, thick globs of blood spewing from his lips. His wound was definitely fatal but he was not dying quick enough and it’s possible he can still raise alarm. Penance kicked his rife far away from his groping hand, aligned his shot for his head, pulled the trigger and didn’t bother to watch as the bullet shattered the face.


He could enter into the warehouse now and still catch his enemies off guard with surprise but he will need another advantage besides speed. The warehouse is an enclosed space and the armed men within are more than those outside. There will be limited room to maneuver, so he needed an added support and knows just where to get that. Having spent hours staking out this place earlier, he knew where to get what he wanted. He ran along the long length of the warehouse heading for the back. A wire mesh fence surrounded what he was looking for. It was a transformer that supplies the power for all this dock’s need.


Though he didn’t come here armed with grenade and big explosives, still he has tiny plastic explosives used to blow up small door locks. He opened one of the pouch on his utility belt pulling out a small solid paste made of PETN-pentaerythritol tetranitrate gel, with a soft plastic coating. He placed the small explosives on to the fuse box of the transformer. Then located the emergency auto start generator. He looked for the auto start control of the huge generator and disconnected it. He knew that will only give him a few minutes before that back up will kick in to supply power after the failure of the auto start. He programmed the PETN for remote detonation. He was now ready or almost ready. He pulled out the spent box magazine off the HK MP7 and slapped in a fresh 40 round drum into the pistol grip. That might not still be enough to get them all but at least it will put him ahead.

Crouching away behind the forklifts, he noticed that he was fortunate that the angle of patrol of the armed men was away from the forklifts and truck but at the other sides of the warehouse . The three other vehicles parked within the compound has given him enough cover to sneak in to the forklifts drivers without being seen from across the yard by the other three men. But now those same cars act like barriers between him and his targets. The cars will not allow him have an open field of fire. Though the armed men were far from each other, they are not up to 200meters away which is the effective range of his HK MP7. Well he noticed that from another angle he can get one of them at on side of the long limo while two will be at the other side. Not that taking them out is the problem, that he can do easily. But he wants to take them out quietly and quickly without raising alarm, at least not yet till he is ready.


The limo, Dodge and Escalade were parked at the right sides of the truck, while the forklifts were at the left side. A wide space was still opened between the parked vehicle and the entrance of the warehouse as the truck had gone further out of the warehouse entrance after its loads were offloaded. The angle at which the forklifts were parked by the truck has covered Penance activities from the patrolling three armed men. To get at them, Penance will have to trace back his steps around the head of the truck, move to the right then use the limo and Escalade as cover to get at the one man patrolling the right side.


He crab walked quietly with three of his limbs as one of he hand was holding the combat knife with blade already cleaned. As he got behind the Dodge, he peered over it at the parked limo and Escalade, he saw the target walking the other way with his back turned. The distance between the vehicles and the moving man is an open space fully illuminated with lights, so he can’t get at him with knife now not unless he waits for him to get close to a shadow area. He doesn’t have that much of a time to waste and there is no guarantee that the others won’t see him or notice that something is amiss. The knife went back into its sheath and the submachine gun filled his hand again, the sound suppressor giving the weapon an ungainly extra long appearance.


Legs hitting the floor without making a sound, Penance ran ahead, he jumped over the top of the Dodge, landed beside the limo then jumped over the limo and Escalade at once. Two heads by the left end turned quickly at the sudden blur of motion. Penance knew that there was no way he could make that move without the other two noticing, he was counting on speed to see him through it. His HK MP7 is a specially modified version that has both a semiautomatic and full auto fire selector settings. He switched the settings to full auto knowing fully well that the remaining rounds in the magazine will run dry in less than a second but it will be enough time to take down all three.


His index finger was resting lightly on the trigger, it apply little pressure as the muzzle came into target of the patrolling man walking away. Four bullets hit him at his back almost simultaneously. He was kicked forward by the impact and slammed rudely on the ground before him. The shock and impact of the attack jeered the rifle he was holding from his hand. He turned as pains wrecked his whole body and blood pouring out from holes at his back and his front too where the bullets have torn through soft body tissues without meeting the stopping resistance of bones. He tried crying out but blood poured out from his mouth choking off his words.

Penance didn’t stop as he raced at eye dazzling speed across the open ground between the gate and the next blind spot of light an a roving CCTV camera. There were just three armed guards outside the warehouse now, with the semi truck driver and those on the wheels of the forklifts. He looked and saw the shadow area by the right side of the truck. He headed that way, moving from shadow to shadow. The driver was sitting on the chair in the head of the truck, his back turned to the second door, facing outside throwing away the stump of another consumed cigarette. The shotgun door has its glass rolled down, probably to allow air in as the engine of the vehicle was no longer on idling.


Penance lurched his arm into the driver compartment through the shotgun open window, his hand grabbing the hair of the driver and pulling back hard. The driver was yanked away from his seat. His head was pulled out of the window but his shoulders got caught on the edges of the small window. Things happened so fast that the driver didn’t even have the time to cry out in surprise. Penance hand was already up and came down savagely hitting the exposed neck of the driver with the edge of his palm. With a little sound of bones breaking, the head of the driver bent at an unnatural angle, dangling as if swaying to the push of the wind.


Hanging his submachine gun by the sling on his shoulder, he pulled out his combat blade again. Moving stealthily towards the back of the truck, using the huge body of the container as concealment. He came at the edge looking across the yard, he noticed that two of the forklifts drivers were conversing together and the third one was sitting still on the wheel probably sleeping. The three armed guards were too far apart for him to get at them at once within close range, but the forklifts drivers do not have that privilege. Staying in the shadows he raced at them, before the two talking men could notice, he was between then.


A quick stab, buried the combat knife into the throat of the one on the left while a full powered blow hit the one on the right on the nose, hammering it pushing the broken soft bones into the frontal lob of the brain. Penance grabbed the trembling man to himself, hitting the side head with the pointed edge of his palm at the soft tissue area before the ear. The forklift driver stopped moving and lay still. The other one was already dead and blood was pouring from the neck where the knife has been buried. He pulled out the knife from the dead man’s throat which caused a renewed spurt of blood.


He cleaned the knife as he crawled beside the forklifts with his torso lesser that a feet above the concrete floor. Getting close to the other forklift, he peered at the other side saw the third driver sleeping. His hand quickly clamp around the mouth of the sleeping man. The driver woke up with a start and tried to struggle free but the hand that held him was infinitely stronger and pulled him backwards and the sharp blade pierced him at the neck severing all nerves, muscles and arteries until it hit the resistance of the bone. Blood blew out suddenly from the wide cut that appeared like a second open mouth has been created on the neck.

One of the armed men at the gate jerked his head suddenly around as if he saw something. Taking a second look, all he could see was like part of the darkness seem to churn like gray twirling within a darker one. Still watching a hazy manlike form blurred. Just then the HK MP7 spew out a sound that was like a low cough followed by a 4.6x30mm hardened steel round that smashed the watchman by the bridge of the nose, pulverizing the soft cartilage there, them blowing out the back skull in a spray of blood, brain tissues and bone fragments. He turned backwards suddenly from the impact of the shot and collapsed.


The second guard heard the soft cough like sound before seeing his colleague go down unceremoniously. The sound suppressor is just that, a sound suppressor, it only reduces the gun fire sound not eliminating totally and besides that it also hides the muzzle flash of the gun. The other man was bringing his Ak 47 rifle into target acquisition when trio of bullets launched from the submachine gun. One hit him at the shoulder blowing apart the collar bone, the second hit the center of the rib bone and the third drill through the muscle of the heart. He was dead before he collapsed on the floor.


At the guard booth after the gate, the security sitting within was watching a wide screen showing four angles from CCTV cameras when he noticed that two of the angles displayed his colleagues outside dropping down one after the other without any apparent reason and there was no gun sound which would have alerted him if something was wrong. He looked over the open doorway of the booth trying to see what’s happening at the gate as his hand grabbed his submachine gun from the table containing the desktop computer, a land phone, the gate controls and an extra High Definition monitor for the four CCTV cameras outside the gate.


A shadow seem to glide on the body of the gate then climbed to the top and landed before him all without make a sound. Before the man on the booth could get his hand out of the booth with his weapon, he heard a low cough like sound and felt as if a baseball bat smashed at his forehead. The bullet from the HK MP7 stuck him dead center on his forehead causing an implosion caving in the skull. His head jerked back violent by the impact and collapsed awkwardly as his lower legs were caught on the guard sill of the door.

Francis saw something like a blur passed over the area Nick was watching from. Apart from the sniper scope on his Remington 700 XCR bolt action rifle which has a night sight ability, he was also having the Yukon Tracker 2x24 Night Vision Binoculars with which he was watching the area when he saw the sudden blur. He noticed that Nick started for a while before going back slowly to his former prone position but at an odd angle. Something doesn’t feel right. He grabbed the walkie-talkie with him and raised his colleague. He was on an empty water tank on top of a closed off warehouse no longer in use but at a perfect position to cover the entrance of the dock with his weapon. Concealment and high ground giving him added advantage over potential enemies.


“High view two, this is high view one calling please respond. “ He repeated the call again on the walkie-talkie when he didn’t get any response. “C’mon Nick quit fooling around and respond. I saw something at your end. Is everything alright? “
He was still trying to figure out what to do next, as he didn’t want to raise undue alarm since the deal is already on the way when the hairs on the back of his neck bristled as if danger is near and coming from behind him . As he turned , all he could see at first was a shadow coming at him, impossibly fast.


Vice like hands held his head at the jaw and back of his head. He could fully see a blank face covered in black plain mask with just two white colored triangular sits which might be where the eyes are but he could see none as the white material of the slits were somehow reflective. The hands holding his head twisted it savagely and a loud crack sounded as the bones holding his head to his neck were wrenched out of joints and snapped. Then Francis could no longer see anything. Penance allowed the twitching body to lay down. He looked across the distance to watch the spotter.


The spotter was only focused on the warehouse in the dock where the main activity for the night was going on. Well time for him to get down there too. He knows that as soon as he hit the gate, the spotter was going to see him. What if the spotter calls for help or reinforcement? Well he will deal with that later. Anyway there are lots of available places he can use as escape routes from this place.


Screwing a sound suppressor to the muzzle of the HK MP7, he ran down the fire escape of the building he was on and headed for the gate. Taking a quick look at his chronometer he noticed the time was running fast. He has just very few minutes to wrap this up. A sound suppressed gun seem to be the best option in clearing the gate without attraction undue attention. His estimation before he started left about twenty armed men he has to go through, all will kill him on sight without hesitation. Pretty high odds against them. His race on the road were by the sides where the shadows casts by the overhead lights were. His legs moves across the ground with such speed as if they are gliding over the solid surface

As he watched the consigliere lead Bill and the oversea customers into the warehouse, Penance moved from his position, jumped down nimbly, holding on to the top rung of the fire escape. His quick move made sure his weight never rested on any part of the crumbling metal pieces for long. But with motion that mimics a cat’s own, he took seconds navigating his way down the five story long building. He landed on the concrete floor without making a sound and like a speed moving black sprite, he melded with the shadows which were cast all over the place by the many lamp stands throwing lights on both sides of the road.


His run from one block of house to the other would have been hard to pin point even by someone who was keenly observing. The major road leading to most parts of the docks around the New York harbor were lined with overturned garbage cans, an occasional stray cats darts out of the way of the moving wraith. Some other gates leading to more privately owned docks had uniformed private security personnel manning them but none saw Penance passing fully except as a wisp blur or slight brushing of a quick passing wind.


At the foot of a derelict crane with deep layers of dust covering the surface only recently disturbed by the hand and boot prints of someone who just climbed over it, Penance stopped and looked up. Few meters at the top is the control cabin of the crane on which the first sniper was positioned watching the entrance to the dock with one eye fixed on a rifle’s telescopic sight. Penance slung his weapon on an attached short sling over one shoulder leaving both hands free for climbing. With a single touch, he made sure that the metal legs of the huge crane will bear his weight without any noticeable vibration that will alert the watcher above to his presence.


Getting the assurance he needed, his hands and feet wove over the cross patterns of the metal rungs as if they are floating on the surfaces. His weight didn’t rest on any of the part he was moving on but was evenly spread to allow speed of movement and less vibration. Soon he was just under the control cabin seeing the sniper through the grills of the floor. His hand already held the black blade combat knife as he prepared to move. The control cabin of the crane has three view rectangular ports with the fourth part being the side that holds the chair and the access door to the rung ladder leading down to the foot of it, that is the means by which the sniper had accessed the place.


The glasses covering the view ports had all broken away allowing the sniper to poke the muzzle of his rifle outside unhindered . With a push from his legs and support from his free hand, Penance leapt from below over the view ports. He was like a blur that just flashed over the face of the sniper, his knife hand sliced just once and he was gone, dropping back down below the control cabin. The sniper started just as the shadow zoomed off and before he could see what it is clearly, it was gone. Just a second before his surprise can fully register, he felt a sharp pain on the frontal part of his neck. He quickly freed one of his hand to feel what could have caused it. As his hand touched his throat, it felt warm thick liquid pouring over his fingers. Just then his fingers traced a thin line that has cut through his throat so fast he didn’t even notice. As the realization hit him, he felt himself choking on his blood as he tried to make a sound. Slowly he slumped back into his former position as his eyes darken over in death.

Penance had staked out this place for hours, at the start of dusk. He knew of the deal going down this night here at the dock and he intends to put an end to it. He had watched the truck bring in the merchandize. Had seen the coming in of the buyers. He was disappointed that the Don himself had not been present, but that won’t be a serious problem. He can always get around to dealing with him later. At least his right-hand man, the consigliere is personally overseeing the transaction and Bill also, their most prominent go get man. Both of them will be enough to send his message of terror to the Don.


Turning his sights elsewhere, his eyes penetrated the gloom and his saw a spotter. The spotter was on a high vantage point to observe what is going on in the dock. Despite the distance, Penance could see him clearly by his eagle sight. Further investigation showed the spotter has just a binoculars with him, with night sight capabilities no doubt. He was armed, but lightly, just a hand gun kept in a waist holster. He was having a cell phone with him. The spotter doesn’t look like a policeman or any law enforcement person. And he doesn’t look like one placed over there by the people in the dock tonight to watch over them.


This may be just a third party hired to watch over the proceedings of tonight and report back to his employer, most probably the Don. Well Penance hopes the spotter is taking full notes because he wants the Don to know what really will go down tonight. So the spotter is removed from the list of his targets tonight. At first Penance will have to take out the two snipers before he gets to the ground and really kicks off the party.


Not really expecting massive resistance, Penance came armed light. He has his berretta APX on a shoulder holster by his left breast . A utility belt fastened to his waist carries extra magazines for the berretta and the second hand gun he carries. The massive desert eagle hand cannon .44 magnum is on a specially designed holster tied to his right thigh with other magazine pouches wrapping the other parts of the thigh. Just below the knee, on his left leg, is a sheath housing a black blade double edge combat knife without any reflective part.


For his major offensive weapon, he came armed with the Heckler & Koch mp7. A personal defensive weapon built to meet with the NATO requirements, it is a weapon that both meet the needs of an assault rifle and a submachine gun without compromising much on their strengths. It is extremely lightweight and the compact form makes it one of the best weapon to use in an enclosed Chambered for the 4.6x30mm cartridges and has enough penetrating power to do damages at close range with its more than 700m/s muzzle velocity and 200m effective range. For the kind of close quarters fighting Penance had in mind for tonight, this light weight submachine gun has no better rival . He loaded it with a 40 round box magazine with spare clips on his utility belt and thigh pouches. Using a sniper rifle would have been more efficient in taking out the two snipers and the guards outside the warehouse but it will not have the personal touch Penance intend using tonight.

He was wearing a black colored skintight spandex clothing that covered every part if his body. The elastic tension of his clothing has been stretched enough that every parts and joints of his body can move in every direction with ease of movement and no hindrance from the clothing. The color scheme of the all body skintight spandex was such that it is a kind of camouflage, a perfect blend into shadows and dark areas. His feet is covered in the same black spandex material with the sole having very flexible rubber covering. His hands are covered in a black wrist length hand glove. A black rubber chronometer is wrapped on his right wrist, a smart watch showing dim colored digital display.


His head is covered in the same spandex material too, totally hiding his face except for two triangle slits for the eyes which were covered with a white one way see-through reinforced optical view Plexiglas. It allows him to see through the black mask covering his face but none can see his eyes. Though bis mouth and nose are totally covered by the spandex material on his face, breathing isn’t a problem, as the area covering his nose and mouth has a bit more elastic and micro holes that make breathing possible and easy. Because of his clothing, it was hard to distinguish his features among the darkness of the roof of the brownstone building. He didn’t even form a silhouette before the blinking stars of the night sky.


He refers to himself by a new name PENANCE, as it is all that is relevance to all he has to do starting from tonight. His real name will be of no significance from this moment on. Though the events taking place at the dock were far from him, yet his sights are enhanced to be both telescopic and see in the dark. He called it the eagle sight. Despite the distance, he could pick out individual persons. He saw the two armed men before the gate, the single one in the guard booth at the gate controls. The few men patrolling the dock's compound. Besides these, the one who calls himself Penance had already noticed two snipers positioned at two elevated areas where they can see the gate fully and be able to do a cross fire on any hostiles either coming out of the dock or intending to forcefully gain entrance. That is a very good high ground to take out enemy forces. So they will have to be the ones he will take out first.

Lorenzo, though acted nonchalant, his ears were wide open to the exchange. Apart from a single familiar English word, he has no idea what was being said,. The only thing that prickled his ears was the word “Bomb”. Are they afraid of a bomb been somewhere in the premises? Maybe the international reputation of Arabs as suicide bombers is getting at them.
“Excuse me Mr. Lorenzo, “ the negro on green satin shirt said. Though his speech was still slightly accented it was quite clear and understandable. “You didn’t tell me this will be a bidding deal. “ He indicated the Arabs standing close by.


“I’m sorry if that is the impression that was created, nothing is more far from the truth than that. “ Lorenzo responded putting on his professional attitude. “We have available resources to satisfy you both without any conflicts of interest whatsoever. Please come with me. “
So saying, the consigliere lead both teams of Arabs and Africans into the warehouse. The security men standing guards outside modified their arrangements, lifting their guns and getting more watchful than before.

�


Several yards away from the gate and entrance to Landlink Logistics, is a five story brown stone building that was a block for office spaces in its heyday but has more of empty spaces now than actual offices. It was a rectangular slab with window glasses, most of which are grime covered and broken, walls with stone surfaces peeling away. Just a single door at the floor leads into it and the side has a long line of fire escape with metal frames all brown with years of rust. No light appeared in any of the dark widows except a bright light from a lamppost before the building pointing its ray at the entrance.


Silence shrouds the place, no one seems to be around there except a single man on a security uniformed that appeared to be sleeping sitting on a single dusty chair. On the roof of the building, damaged air cycling vents covered few of the spaces, black covered wires snake around the tar covered floor of it then rusting satellite dishes and antenna poles taking the other spaces. At the edge of the part facing the distant Landlink dock a figure stood still watching.

Guys I just did a modification on the start of the story. That quote was supposed to be there before the beginning of the story. I forget when I started. So I just inserted it today. Check it out.
Sounds too dark right?

Bill turned to the consigliere, a bemused smile on his face. He whispered quietly. “Who the hell are these and where do they come from? All I can guess is that they are from beyond the Atlantic. But where exactly? “
Trying his best to keep a straight face, the consigliere responded. “The one on green is Ola Badmus. His full name is too long and unpronounceable. He has spent few years here in the states. He was our middle man to the man on blinks. The blink man is Chukwuma Ukwachi, I doubt I pronounced that correctly. He is from West Africa. “


“West Africa? Where’s that? Is it like a country? “ Bill asked.
“No. Africa is actually a continent. “
“Yea, I know that. Was thinking if it was like South Africa, you know. “
“Alright then. West Africa is made up of several third world countries. Our guest is from Nigeria. “ Chuckling, Lorenzo continued. “If you want to believe it, the most popular black nation on earth. “
“Nigeria… Nigeria... “Bill mentioned the name like an inward recitation. “I must have heard that name once or twice. Isn’t that the area folks associated with advance-fee scams, you know, the 419 escapades? “


“419 is way in the past, things have progressed way beyond that now. “ Putting on his professional demeanor, he added before moving to greet his West African customer. “Though Nigeria is regarded as a poor third world country, yet some of its citizens are wealthy beyond belief. Ola, the one on green owns a set of condos in Miami. Same with his colleague. He came in to the country on an expensive chartered private jet. We may not like them but their money speaks well on their behalf. Besides the Don is hoping to use him as a reliable channel of supply to funnel a coke pipeline down his home base. A country of almost a hundred and eighty million people is too big a tempting market to ignore . “


Walking forward, the consigliere offered his hand to the man on green. “Mr. Ola, “ he said in a manner of greeting and turning to the other man, he said. “Mr. Ukwachi, I believe. I apologize for any mispronunciation. “
After taking the offered hand, the one called Ukwachi turned to speak with Ola. His voice sounding heavily accented and his language was a strange kind of broken English that was difficult to understand.
“Wetin all these Abduls dey do here? “ Ukwachi jutted his jaw towards the standing middle easterners. “Me no dey like do deals with Arabs o. Those guys dey mad well. Them fit carry bomb for body as them stand there so. “
Ola laughed trying to placate his friend. “I no sure say this ones dem be like that. Those ones wey dey bomb themselves na the poor ones. These ones them get money. “

“The Don? “ Malik asked as his small face squeezed into a grimace. “I called him while on my way, he told me he won’t be present but you, consigliere has been delegated to handle every aspect of the transaction. “
“That is correct, Mr. Malik. However the person we are waiting for is also a part of this transaction. “
While they were speaking, Bill’s cell phone had buzzed again and he picked the call speaking briefly into the phone. As he dropped the call, he looked up nodding slowly to the consigliere. Just then a distant hooded boom sounded from the gate area as another pair of headlights shone into the compound.


As the lights got closer the boom sounds became a steady rhythm of a bass line. When the lights went out it showed a white colored Cadillac Escalade from which the boom sounds was emanating. As the four doors opened the boom sounds increased considerably. It is an old rap music of the 90s, one of Tupac Shakur’s popular piece titled “Till the end of time”. Five men in all stepped out of the vehicle, all blacks and three of them holding weapons on their hands openly. The three armed men were on black leather jackets, over long t-shirts that dropped down further than the hem of jackets with baggy jeans sagging on their waist lines .


They had white canvas shoes on their feet. One of the three men was built like a bear, huge, tall and fat. His jaw is covered with black bushy beard. He was holding a huge sized Heckler & Koch HK33 rifle which felt like a small piece in his massive hands. The other two were both carrying HK mp5. One of the remaining two was dress in a satin green high collar shirt over a milk colored plain trousers with black shoes. He was having a Glock 17 tucked in his waist line and carrying a huge sport bag that appeared to be heavy.


The last of the Negros was putting on a gold colored flashing yellow jacket over a white t-shirt and jeans. A white ankle length canvas shoes covered his feet. Multiple heavy gold chains hung on his neck with wide blinking medallions. His fingers were covered with huge gold rings. He also tucked a handgun in his belt, a browning Hi power pistol. On his head was a face cap and dark glasses covered his eyes. A low carved beard went from the front of his ears to end at his chin. He was also carrying a smaller sport bag. He stopped a while as the three armed men flanked the two of them, his face beneath the glasses appeared displeased as he spoke to his colleague putting on the green shirt but his words were dawned by the heavy hip-hop sounds blasting from the Escalade mono speakers.

The headlights slowed to a stop few feet beside the parked Dodge. The vehicle with the headlights turned out to be a Mercedes Maybeach S600 Pullman limo having a champagne gold color. With a little more observation, Bill noticed this was the 5.6 tone weight bullet proof guard version which cost in excess of 1.4 million US dollars. That car is a beast tank on wheels yet with full luxury capacity. He smiled broadly impressed taking a side look at the Don’s right hand man who was maintaining an impassive facial expression. But the suited bodyguards of the consigliere and the casually dressed ones with him came to form a protective wall behind them, all hands holding their weapons at the ready.


Headlights winked out as the limo came to a stop. The twin back doors opened and three men got out all on suits with red and white checked keffiyeh covering their heads held in place by slim black agai. They were all on black identical suits with white shirts but no ties. Their facial features shows them to be middle easterners with will trimmed mustache and beards. Three pairs of hard eyes looked around the environment, resting a while on the armed men surrounding the place. Their hands held three Uzi submachine guns.


After a while, one of them bent down and spoke to someone inside the limo. Just then the door on the shotgun side of the limo opened and an older man with brown and gray hair stepped out holding a slim metallic briefcase. He was on a suit too but a faded brown colored one with a flowery designed brown themed tie. Though he has a middle eastern look he wasn’t putting on any of their identifying accompaniment. He walked briskly to the standing men, extending his hand in greeting.


“Consigliere Diogini Lorenzo, Mr. Bill, so nice to see you. “ He said in a cultured unaccented English.
“Yarub Ibn Fakhr, you are most welcome. “ Lorenzo welcomed the middle easterner then turned with a questing facial expression. “I thought your boss will be gracing this occasion? “
“Yes, he is here. We are only making sure things are alright before he steps in. “ Fakhr replied and with a look backwards, he gave a sign and another one of the middle eastern bodyguards spoke to someone still in the limo.


Another man stepped out of the limo’s open back door. He was small statured and slim. Was wearing a white on white suit with white shirt. He had on a gold colored tie with a golden Rolex wristwatch. His soft soled shoes were white also. Over his head was a plain white keffiyeh held in place by an agai too. He smiled after coming down from the car, walked to the two men facing him.
“Hope we are ready for business? “ he asked with an Arab accented English, standing by the side of Fakhr, his body exuding pungent smell of offensive perfume.
Bill wrinkled his noise unnoticed as the consigliere answered the question instead . “ Mr Umar Ibn Malik, all is ready, we can start soon. We are just waiting for one more person. “

“I was thinking the big boss wanted to show up tonight and handle this whole thing himself. Considering how much clout he placed behind this deal and the high value of our customers. Or so I heard “
“A last minute change in plans . He had an emergency meeting to attend to this night. “ Still whispering back to Bill, he assumed a conspiratory form. “Besides the boss said he doesn’t like how they smell. According to his words, they all smell like rotten garlic and wet putrid mud.”


Bill barked out with a sudden laugh as he threw the stub of his cigarette on the ground crushing it with his boot’s toe. Pulling out a pack from his front pocket, he drew out a fresh cigarette, lit it with a lighter and blew smoke out of his mouth. He didn’t offer the consigliere any because he knew Lorenzo doesn’t smoke.
“Straight hand I can guess that the always smelling garlic refers to our friends from the middle east. But does that leave the putrid wet mud for our friends southward across the Atlantic? “ chuckling he dragged on the cigarette a while.


Joining in the laugh Lorenzo responded. “Well they may stink but they surely have enough money to get the deserved attention and respect. “
Still laughing, Bill added. “Of course the Don takes all money stinking or not. “
Just then the cell phone on Bill’s back pocket buzzed. He took it without looking at the screen as he spoke into it. After a terse conversation, he dropped the call and turned to the man on the pinstriped suit.


“ One of our guest is here, “ So saying, he turned to the entrance of the warehouse, issuing orders which were immediately obeyed. The three forklift hummed to life as the driver of the semi truck dropped from the vehicle, went to the back and opened the lock on the door of the container. A short ramp was pulled out and connected to the opened container by some of the armed men standing around and the forklifts took turns to drive into the container, lifting up green colored metal crates with white writings on their backs and taking them into the warehouse and arranging them in order on pallets already preset by the men inside . As they worked, bright headlights shone into the dock yard from the gate area.

Getting into the warehouse, a wide space has been cleared within it. Several boxes had been properly arranged far back, with wooden pallets stacked further away. Drums had been put on pallets and arranged on each other. The concrete floor of the warehouse has been picked clean as much as possible with the pallet trucks used to have moved some of the arranged boxes lying idle for the moment . Overhead on the metal rungs forming the roofing are hanging bright lights giving the interior all the bright lighting the place will ever need. Further backwards beyond the arrangement of the goods cleared to make space for the expected cargo, shows the warehouse is much bigger and longer than what one is made to believe at first sight. Long lines of metal racks took up the place with metal pillars at fixed regular intervals.


Stopping for a while with his left thumb pointing over his left shoulder at the open doorway of the warehouse at the parked semi truck, Bill asked. “ So consigliere Diogini Lorenzo any difficulty locating the merchandize? “
“No Bill. The truck was exactly where you said we are going to meet it. “ Lorenzo answered taking a careful look at the arrangement of things within the warehouse with careful attention at the security setup.


He wasn’t expecting trouble tonight but it never hurts to be always prepared. He noticed that at two points on the steel frames below the corrugated roof are two snipers armed with rifles. Then six other men, besides the two that had accompanied Bill, were in the warehouse watching everything carefully, armed with assorted types of weapons from sawed-off shotguns to wooden butt rifles and huge looking. 357 magnum revolvers. Well Bill has always shown himself to be efficient and capable in arranging and handling of things.


He is always a reliable hand his boss, the Don, count on for heavy lifting like they have tonight. This cargo is such an important one that the Don had sent him to personally oversee its movement and delivery. A lot of money and PR is hanging on the success of this transaction. Their clients are foreigners with loaded money bags that are big enough to draw and hold the Don’s attention. So no amount of excuses will justify any screw-up, not even if the moon were to fall to the earth. That brought a smile to his face. The three men behind Lorenzo immediately tensed as Bill drew close to the consigliere to whisper in his ears but they relaxed just a bit as they saw what was happening, still their index fingers never moved away from the trigger guards of their weapons.

KimberlyWest:
My name is not there o but I sha came early.

I'm sorry jare. Noted. From now on ur name will be among the 1st in my list.

Three of the doors of the SUV opened at once except that of the driver. Four men all on blazer suits came out of the door. Three of them looked tall and muscle bound cradling submachine guns in their hands. The fourth one was on a pinstripe dark blue suit with a white silk shirt underneath having a high neck collar with yellow dotted red tie. He walked directly to the open warehouse door trailed by the three other men. His hair was dark, slick shiny and combed backwards giving his angular face a more severe look that his well trimmed mustache could do nothing to elevate. Just before he got to the warehouse door, a man came out with hands outstretched both sides in a greeting.


“Hey ya’ consigliere, it’s such a nice thing to see you here at such an ungodly hour. “ the new comer said as he approached the coming men.
He was blonde of hair and beard with trimmed mustache. He was putting on a starched checked shirt tucked in to a tight denim jeans with classic cowboy alligator skin boots. A cream colored Stetson hung on his head with a smoking cigarette dangling on one lip.
“Bill, “ the man on the pinstriped suit simply said as he came to a stop as he shook the offered hand from Bill in a shake. “How’s New York’s weather treating you as compared to the one down south? “

Bill was accompanied by two other men too, dressed similarly holding bolt action Remington rifles and also having hats on their heads too.
“A mite too cold for my liking, but I’d live. “ Bill said jovially as he led the consigliere to the warehouse. “ I’m not totally a hillbilly boy despite my appearance and mannerisms. Like you know I have been to several big cities lots of times. “

Despite the free night off given to all the workers of Landlink Logistics, the dock wasn’t empty of people. In place of the uniformed security watchmen that patrol the dock at night are hard eyed men in civilian clothes all carrying various types of assault rifles on shoulder slings. At the metal mesh gate leading to the dock are two men holding on to AK 47 rifles, wearing windbreakers and eyes watching keenly on the wide road leading to the gate as they slowing take turns at pacing the entrance. Other similarly armed men moved around the open floor of the dock, the bright halogen lamps hung on high poles illuminating and creating varying shades of shadows around them. The three parked forklifts were not empty, but have men sitting at their wheels, armed with short muzzled submachine guns, quietly waiting.


At first it started like a low hum but soon the quiet surrounding of the dock was split apart by the roaring sound of a diesel engine eighteen wheeler semi trailer truck. The semi truck was burdened with the weight of a loaded forty feet container it was pulling behind . As it approached the manned gate of the dock having its full pointer bright with light, one of the armed men at the gate signal to the truck with a bright flashlight to slow down knowing that’s what they had all been waiting for. The man spoke into a walkie-talkie to another armed man sitting at the security booth on the other side of the gate. He responded by activating the controls and the gate slides apart at the middle allowing the semi truck to go in. Just behind the semi truck, came a black colored Dodge SUV, following the vehicle into the dock as the gate began to close.


The semi truck’s low purring turned into spurts of loud roar as it turned slowly within the dock’s ground, navigating expertly it positioned itself with the rear few meters from the open doors of one of the warehouse then the driver killed the engine but remained behind the wheel. He was a heavy set man with bulging stomach, bushy eyebrows and jaws with dark brown colored hairs which also extended to every part of his body. He was putting on a lumberjack checked shirt of red, dark green and brown, with sleeves rolled half way up his lower arm. The shirt was worn over a lee denim pants. He pulled out a Marlboro white and red colored cigarette pack, stuck a stick of it to his mouth, lit it with a lighter then blew a cloud of smoke as he looked out of the door of his truck watching as the Dodge SUV came to a stop beside his truck.

PENANCE

Chapter One


Whoever said life is beautiful
was never alive.
- PENANCE


11.57pm EST
A harsh moon glared down with cold pale light over moving dark clouds racing at fast paces behind which lay an indigo black sky populated by stars with their twinkling lights shining as if shying away from the brighter lunar neighbor of the heavens. The reflection of the moonlight was disrupted by the unsteady surface of the dark water, breaking the image of the perfect circle of the full moon into tiny pieces of refracted points of light. On the foreground of the slowly churning water, lies the New York harbor built around the part where the long Hudson River flows into the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast. Far off into the distance of the river is hundreds of pinpoints of lights dangling over the silhouette shoreline of the New Jersey coastal docks.


The New York harbor is a wide place encompassing several kilometers of docks and piers where ships, barges and boats are regularly involved in maritime activities. Huge towering cranes stands over all other structures like silent steel sentinels , with lights hanging on the metal rungs of their makeups. . Hundreds and thousands of corten steel containers were stacked in a long line by the sides and high enough to compete with the cranes for the highest standing objects . Silent trucks with forklifts are dotting the open grounds before several quays along the waters of both the Atlantic and the Hudson.


On one of the numerous privately own dock yard existing along the harbor, the usual activities that takes place at this time of the night were none existing. The pier lays empty except for a silent barge that is anchored at the quay opposite the dock. Most of the containers had been moved out of the way earlier that day , stacked and arranged further backwards to the west and east sides of this particular dock, close to the hurricane fences that marked its perimeter . Three forklifts stayed silently waiting before one of the rectangular shaped warehouses built on the wide floors of the dock. The usual private security firm operatives that were employed to patrol the dock have all been told to take the night off. Same with the union laborers, the staff and executives of the dock who might have businesses to conduct within the premises that night. All had been given the night off and the workers had gladly obliged rather happy to have officially skipped the night’s work. Landlink Logistics, the owner of this private dock, is always a very busy place and workers employed tend to really sweat for their income. So the official exempt from work tonight was greeted with much relief and gladness.

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