"We have to find those men and do it fast cos we are probably running out of time, as long as the client is already in the country", Anton said to Jim, said with some concern.

"Perhaps it's already too late....but we still have to fid them anyway", Jim said. Then Jim took out Brad's cellphone. "I want you to call those men, any of them and find their location", he ordered their prisoner and held the device infront of him.

Then the cellphone started ringing. And so did Olivia hurriedly entered the living-room. Jim glanced Anton, and at Olivia with an inquisitive look on his face when he saw the expression on her face. Then he returned his attention back to the cellphone that continued ringing and checked the number.

"Who is this?", he asked and held the phone infront of Brad.

"It's the boss", Brad replied after a quick look at the number.

"I guess he wants to know if the job is done", Anton muttered.

"What do we do?", Jim asked and looked at Anton.

Anton gestured at him to hand over the cellphone. Jim did so. Anton put the device on speaker mode. And then pressed the answer button.

"Is it done?". Donnie's voice came out loud and clear from the speaker.

Anton hesitated and looked at Olivia who paced closer and stood beside them. He wanted to ask her why she wasn't in the car with Marie but decided to do it later.

"Brad talk to me!, is it done?", Donnie's voice asked again.

"Not yet my friend", Anton gave a reply to the question. Jim gave him a look that said if it was the wise thing to do at that moment. "Your man is kind of busy, busy providing me with some information about the whereabouts of Abigail", Anton continued. "And the other girl seems more than willing to do the same after finding out the kind of motherfucker you are".

A long pause followed. Everyone in the room waited, listening to the sighs and breathing coming out of the phone speaker and waiting for Donnie to say something.

"I can see that you are one real pain in the ass", Donnie finally said.

"Well that's what i am, especially to people like you", Anton said. "And it's about to get worse cos soon you will rather prefer a pine tree being shoved up that ass when we get to you. That is a promise".

"Oh yeah, arent you worried about what's gonna happen to your wh@re friend before that promise is fulfilled, that is, if you even get the chance to do so".


"It's like you havent figured out that i'm the kind of guy that gives zero f@cks about anybody or anything, but hurt that girl and you gonna wish you werent born".

"Okay then, we will see about that", Donnie's voice said coolly but with some anger in it. "And tell your new friend Olivia that the same thing gonna happen to her and hers gonna be worse".

"I didnt.....", Olivia began but got cut short when Donnie ended the phonecall. "Oh God", she murmured with a downcast gaze. Then she looked at Anton with a disturbed look on her face.

"What's the matter?", Anton demanded.

"My grandmother", she replied. I think Donnie is gonna hurt her".

"Is he aware of her and where she lives?".

"Maybe"

"How are you sure about that?".

"He will, Donnie always finds out.

Anton and Jim threw a glance at each other. Then Anton thought for a shortwhile, took out his cellphone and dialled a number. As he did so, Brad's lips curved into a smile....and he started laughing with his eyes on Olivia.

"What are we gonna do?", Olivia asked nervously.

"Yeah what are we gonna do", Marie sang as she stepped into the living-room. "She said his peeps are waiting outside", she said, jerking her head at Brad.

"What?", Jim muttered.

"And she is right cos two men just got out of the car. They are making a surveillance of the area, more of them are in the cars and it looks like they are about to tear sh!t up", Marie continued. "It's like we got some heavy situation in our hands boys".

Brad's laughter started getting louder. Marie gave him an evil stare. Olivia got more scared.

"More than just kicking the front door down and rearranging faces", Jim repeated what Anton had said earlier and looked at his friend. "What are we gonna do?", he asked.

"First i gotta call in a favour", Anton replied as he called the number. "What's your granny's name he asked Olivia.

"Agnes...Agnes Simmons", she replied.

"Where does she lives?".

"She is in a group home, Saint Mary group home".

"Where is the place?".

"Trenton boulevard".

"Hello jumpman....", Anton began after the phonecall was answered. "Still got nothing doing?", he asked and listened to the voice rasping out of the phone earpiece. "I know...i know, but i have an emergency and i want you to take care of it". Anton paused briefly to listen to the response while the rest stared at him, wondering what he was doing. "Dude calm down i know that.......hey! f@ck the flight itinerary! i will get you a first class ticket with the best service. I just want you to go pick up someone....and this person might be in some kind of trouble....". Anton listen again. "I dont have enough time to explain the situation, just handle it accordingly, by the way, are you staying at the usual place?....good, the place you will be doing the pick up is quite close and i want you to hurry up, i mean, to really really hurry up, just stop whatever you are doing and go there as fast as you can. I will text you the name of the person and address. And...if any unscrupulous individuals wants to start an ugly situation, i want you to do them good, i mean some 'rider-evil-motherfucker' sh!t". Then Anton ended the phone call.

"Rider evil motherfucker? Did you just call the grim reaper?", Marie snorted. "So what next playboy?".

"We gotta go", Anton said as he urgently sent a text message and glanced around the apartment.

"Where?", Marie asked. "We got men outside who are probably heavily armed.

Anton looked at Olivia. "Any neighbour living in this building that you know very well?", he asked her.

"Huh?". Olivia was so lost in thoughts to know what was being asked.

Anyone in this f@cking building that you are also f@cking or doing dope with?", Marie asked loudly and irritatingly, making Olivia to shudder abit.

"Yeah, i know someone....on the next floor ", Olivia nodded. "But i dont know if he is....".

"Take us there", Anton interrupted, got hold of Olivia's arm and dragged her towards the door.

"Wait! What about him?", Marie asked and pointed at Brad.

"You take care of him", Jim said as he followed Anton.

"How?".

"Just let him go. I dont care how you do it...and do it fast!".

Marie sighed and turned her attention to Brad as the other three exited the apartment. Brad stared back at her with a smirk on his swollen lips.

"So are you gonna cut me loose or what", Brad asked. Then Marie went and stood behind him, resting both hands on his shoulders. "Don't worry my dear, i will tell them to go easy on you", Brad chuckled.

"Okay", Marie said quietly and snapped Brad's neck with a sharp head twist. "Please do that in hell....my dear", she continued as Brad's dead body crumbled to the floor. Then she hurriedly left the apartment to join the rest.

"What are they gonna do to him", Olivia asked after catching up with Marie who was now descending the stairs.

"I thought i already told you, i hate repeating myself", Marie replied coldly.

"I hope it wont be done in my apartment", Olivia said breathlessly as she tried to keep up with Marie's quick pace.

"My advice to you is to get the f@ck out of town and find a new apartment in whichever f@ck place you find yourself in", Marie muttered, still sounding cold. "And dont ask me where to go cos that's your f@cking business".

Olivia sighed and started thinking of the posible places she could relocate. She couldn't think of anyplace at all. This town has always being her home, where she grew up and where her family lived. The thought of family then brought up a bigger concern that made her stop in her tracks; it was her grandmother.

Olivia's grandmother was her only surviving relative and the old woman stayed in a group home for the elderly with disabilities. The home wasn't the best the country could offer but her grandmother was well taken care of and that was the reason why Olivia was doing what she was doing. The care didnt come cheap at all. But as long as her granny was in a comfortable place, she wouldn't mind doing whatever it takes to make the old woman remain in that place.
Now, with the situation at hand which is Donnie wanting her dead, her grandmother could also be in danger too. Donnie always has a way of finding those that are close to the people working for or him or the persons he's dealing with. And violence or threat of it to them was the leverage he always used to get what he wants. That was how he got to know about Abigail and made her work for him through her brother.

Marie noticed that Olivia wasn't following as they were about to exit the apartment building. "You gotta hurry up your ass", she said irritatedly.

But Olivia remained where she stood with terror in her eyes as she stared ahead of Marie. Something more sinister than her grandmother's possible bad situation had gotten her attention. And the danger sign was two black Chevy Suvs that were parked several metres away from the apartment building. She had recognized the two vehicles; Donnie's henchmen.

Marie turned her attention to where Olivia was staring. She too saw the two cars. They weren't there throughout the time she had been watching the apartment before Brad arrived.

"Do you know them?", Marie asked.

"Yes", Olivia replied quietly. "Donnie's men....the very bad men", she continued slowly.

Seeing that Olivia's position placed her out of the vehicle occupants' line of sight, Marie causally move one hand behind, taking her time not to arouse any suspicion from the occupants of the car that had probably seen her. She motioned her fingers at Olivia; a gesture to her to go back into her apartment. Olivia understood the sign and quietly did so.

"So where is she?", Anton demanded without looking at Brad.

Brad stared at Anton for a shortwhile and said, "Somewhere".

"And where is the somewhere", Anton asked.

"I don't know",

The answer prompted Anton to take an angry swing at Brad. The fist loudly clobbered the big man across his face and sent him to the ground like he took a hit from a wrecking ball.

"You gotta take it easy with that damn hydraulic hammer fist", Jim said with a little bit of concern as he stared at Brad groaning painfully with blood and a tooth spilling out of his mouth.

Just like all the few members of the OMEGA-TEAM special force; the country's toughest soldiers, he too carried alot of strength and was well known for his punching power that could knockout a bison. Anton was the only person he had considered to be on the same level as him. But he was surprised to see that his friend still had it in him even after years of living as a civilian. It made him to doubt his position as the best hard hitter among their team.

"I warned him", Anton said and proceeded to heave Brad back to his former position, Jim helping him to do so. "I always give the warning".

Then Anton stood infront of Brad again, rubbing his knuckles while the man moved his hurting jaw and gazed at him. "Are u gonna give me an answer or do you want me to repeat the performance again?", Anton asked.

"I told you i dont know!", Brad groaned.

"Give me a reason why i should believe that bullsh!t?".

"I can't tell you what i dont know! My job is to watch the girls and deliver them to people like you!".

"And also killing them too", Jim said and gave Brad a murderous look. "You gonna be rendered the same service if you dont speak up. I will make sure of that. And i dont let bastards like you go so easily", he added coldly.

Brad threw glances at Anton and Jim. He had already gotten the taste of what the former could do and definitely dont want to go through the later who looked bigger and tougher. "I only take orders from the boss", he said with saliver and blood dripping from his mouth.

"And one of the orders was to make Abigail to disappear", Anton said.

Brad groaned and bowed his head. Then Jim hissed and impatiently dipped his hand inside the inner pocket of his jacket. He slipped out a wicked looking knuckle brass and slipped it on his right hand.

"Still carrying around the iron priest?", Anton smirked on seeing Jim brandishing the weapon.

"Someone is about to squeal his confessions", Jim muttered and took off his jacket.

Anton stepped aside for Jim. "I warned you pal....and unlike me, this guy is the kind of person that will brutally kill you and go shoot at your folks during your funeral including mother, if you dont tell him what he wants" he said to Brad.

"Thanks for the introduction", Jim said and stepped forward to start bringing the pain.

"There is a guy that takes care of other business for the boss", Brad coughed, taking the threat seriously.

"Who is this guy?", Jim demanded.

Brad coughed again. "His name is Tom.

"Go on, no one said that you should stop talking", Anton insisted when Brad remained silent.

"He works with another guy named Tony", Brad continued. "They handle all the important jobs". He looked at Anton. "They are the ones responsible for handling the deal that involves Abigail".

"And what is this deal?", Anton demanded.

Brad sighed. "I dont know all the details, but i heard that a foreign client came into the country for an operation. A heart surgery.

"I guess Abigail is the one who's suppose to provide the heart for the surgery", Anton said.

Brad sighed again. "Her blood and organs was the perfect match", he said.

Jim narrowed his eyes at Anton. "What the f@ck is he talking about? That they are organ dealers?", he asked.

"And those people, the debtors that allegedly bailed on your boss. I guess their organs were given to some other clients too", Anton said to Brad.

"I don't know. Tom and Tony are the ones that handle that business", Brad said.

"One hell of a way to pay a debt", Jim murmured thoughfully.

"You can see that this is not some captain-save-a-hoe situation", Anton said to Jim. "And it gonna require more than just kicking the front door down and rearranging faces", he continued and looked at his friend.

"Yeah, we need more resources", Jim agreed. "But it is the blowbacks that i'm worried about", he continued with some concern in his tone of voice as both men stared at Brad.

internetpo:
First time here. First time reading a literature in a long while and I happened on ironkurtain's work. Damn! Impressed bro.

You should turn this into a source of income. FULL-TIME. You talented bro. Infact I would spend the next weeks doing some research on this and present to you if you open to the idea.

By the way, my honest opinion n observation. Pls localize the characters and setting. So someone like me can own and picture the scenes more vividly. Eg. If the Eric, Anton and gang fight had happened in our own kind of bar (beer parlour). It would b more vivid n.enjoyable to me. If olivia was addicted to weed or codeine rather than meth/heroine (I am not sure we av these drugs here) it would paint a clearer pic. I know these things might be difficult due to the nature of the story but you could try. Not trying to rain on your parade though, just my 2cents.

Kudos. Great job! I will go back to ghostmode n silently await your next update

Thanks for the comment bro. I'm always open to every ideas, pls do that if u can. And concerning the story settings, i would love to do that but being someone not living in our country Nigeria, i might find it very difficult cos i have to live and experience the everyday lifestyle in order to be able write a story that will relate to the way things operate in Nigeria. That's why my stories are mainly a fictional Africa country that is well developed like the western world. Thanks again for the comment and waiting to hear more from u.


I want u to read my other stories.

https://www.nairaland.com/2268155/bloodline.......part-one-family

https://www.nairaland.com/2721688/bloodline.......part-two-blood-diamonds

The black bullet-proof Range Rover autobiography SUV made a smooth turn to the road on the left and rode to its destination at a steady speed. Sitting on the backseat was Donnie, in a three piece brown suit, stared through side window at the scenery on the street. Then he pursed his lips and tucked his hand inside the inner pocket of his jacket to take out his cellphone. And stared at the device for a while.

He had gotten the phonecall and was told of the statues of the order he had given to his men. The order to deal with the man that had the nerve to come his place earlier to make a demand. The order was to teach that individual a hard lesson. And of course he had expected it to be a job well done as always, but the feedback he got wasnt what he had expected and not good at at all. His men are the ones that were taught a lesson, and a very severe one because none of them made it back to his place to give the report or even able to make a phone call. They were all in the hospital, incapacitated with terrible degrees of injuries. The leader was in the intensive care and in his pocket, a note from the individual with a number to call if he decides to change his mind about the deal.

The situation doesnt seem to be good at all. Donnie now have another line of action in mind and it involves drastic steps. That strange man that Olivia had brought to his place seems to be a problem, a very big problem. He has a very important deal to close and wouldn't want to take any chances at all. Donnie wanted to call Brad to check up on him. But he decided against it to do something different. And then proceeded to dial a different number.

"Hello Tom", Donnie began when the phonecall was answered and stole a quick glance at the driver who was staring at him through the rearview mirror. "Any demands from the client?", he asked. The voice rasping out of the earpiece of his device told him that Don Gucci was impatiently asking when the procedure would be carried out; the heart operation. "Tell him that everything is being setup and it will be done tomorrow and also tell him that i'm on my way to meet him. Then Donnie sighed. "You already heard what happened, that guy seems to be a major problem, and as long as he is alive, he will continue to pose as fu@king threat. So i want you to call Jason, tell him to get his crew....the best men, and give him Olivia's information including the place that she is living". Then he paused to listen to the voice from the phone. "Yeah Brad is already there, but i want Jason and his men to be there to make sure that the job is done. And tell him that if Brad happens to run into some kind of problem, especially that motherfucker, he shouldnt hesitate to kill that fool and every goddamn thing with him", he continued with a serious tone of voice and ended the phonecall.

Then Donnie sighed and thought for a while. The thought of Olivia and the posibility of Brad failing to accomplish the job of eliminating her. To him it seemed like an unlikely scenario. But after hearing what happened to the men he had sent to deal with Anton, he decided that he didn't want to take any chances at all. In the event of Brad failing to accomplish the mission, Olivia might say everything she know about him and probably other things that she must have seen or being told by Abigail.

With all that in mind as Donnie stared out of the car window, he proceeded to dial another number.

"Tony, i want you to stop whatever you are doing now", he began. "There is something i want you to do right away. It is very important.....".





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




"What's up witch", Anton began and pushed his way into Olivia's apartment.

"Witch?", Jim snorted and also stepped into the apartment. "I thought you always called her hyena".

"You can see that she didn't leave a shocking scene for us to see....and the dude's limbs are still intact", Anton chuckled and jerked his head at Brad.

Jim shook his head and glanced around the living-room. "So what do we have here", he asked, glanced around the apartment with a look of disgust and turned his attention at Marie.

Marie directed her look of intent that she had on Anton to Jim. "A subdued hit-man and a terrified intended target sir", she replied. "He was armed and also came with a shot load of heroin, probably to kill the her with an overdose". She pointed at the syringe on the floor and handed Jim both Brad's weapon and cellphone. "What is he doing here", she then asked and gave Anton a suspicious stare.

"The client that you are rendering your good services to", Anton replied the question and stared at Brad with a recognizing look. "And i'm quite glad with what you have done so far", he continued with a smile.

Marie gave Anton a confused glance. "What the hell is he talking about?", Marie sighed and gave Jim a questioning look.

"He is right", Jim said as he inspected the cellphone "You did a good job in getting us a source of information and also keeping his....friend safe". Then he asked Olivia if she was alright, to which she nodded her answer, got up and stood beside Anton who proceeded to whisper to her with his hand rubbing her shoulder.

Marie saw Anton's gesture and rolled her eyes with a scoff. "Oh, i see. Has it gotten that bad that a dope head is now taking care of your love-nuts?", she chuckled at Anton.

"She is not a bed-mate so no need to start getting jealous my dear", Anton muttered.

"Jealous?", Marie snorted and rolled her eyes again. "I know you have a substance abuse problem. But this guy, he is really bad for your health", she said to Olivia.

Anton scoffed. "Did she in any way molest or touch you inappropriately when no one was looking", he asked Brad. Brad stared back at Anton with an expressionless look on his face, perhaps short of words to say.

"I'm very good at following orders...unlike you", Marie cut in and paced closer to Anton till she was inches away from him. "But i'm more than willing to show you what i would have done while your girlfriend watch", she continued with an expressionless look on her face. Olivia gently withdrew from Anton and stepped away from both of them.

Anton stared at Marie for a while and shook his head with a sigh. "Still don't wanna end this beef after everything i had done for you, even saving your wicked ass", he asked.

"I dont have any beef with you at all", Marie replied. "It's just that i'm angry that i made the f@cking mistake of falling for the wrong guy". She got a little bit closer to Anton. "Worst of all, i just can't stop thinking about you", she said quietly with a fixed stare at Anton.

"Wow, i'm impressed", Anton muttered, staring back at Marie. "But i already told you that it ain't working....especially when you are always displaying beast gorilla strength in everything you do", he continued.

"Yeah, you were scared cos you couldn't handle a real woman", Marie said, poking a finger at Anton's chest.

"And also have a serious anger issue", Anton added.

Olivia threw steady glances at the two ex-love birds staring at themselves. They looked very serious, but she couldn't tell if they were about to start tearing each other apart or tear their cloths off and start a wild make-up love making. She hoped that none of it happens because it would put more damage to her already destroyed apartment. And she wouldn't want to see anymore wild action because she had seen enough.

Jim, who had gone into the one bedroom in the apartment, came out with a chair. "Alot of catching up is going on between you guys huh?", he sniggered and set the chair in the middle of the living-room. "Well you gotta put it on hold cos we still have to get some info....and also a friend to save", he grunted.

"Yeah", Anton agreed. He looked at Brad and gave the man a weak smile of intent. "We meet again", he said to the man.

Jim paused in what he was doing and looked at Anton. "Do you know this man?", he asked with a puzzled look on his face.

"He is her manager", he replied.

"Manager? How?".

"He is the one that always brings her to my place".

"Bring who?", Marie asked as Anton and Jim proceeded to haul Brad on the chair that Jim had brought. Then she looked at Olivia. "Whose manager? Yours?", she asked.

Olivia shook her head. "Abigail's", she replied.

"Who the hell is Abigail?", Marie asked and glanced at the other two.

"The woman taking care of my....love-nuts", Anton replied as he and Jim roughly sat Brad on the chair. Brad didn't put up any struggle at all as they did so; it was the right thing to do considering what the woman who was with them had done to him.

Then Anton stood in front of Brad and stared at the man for a while with an expressionless gaze. "First of all, you gotta know that i dont ask anything more than once", he began. "And if you give me the wrong answer, it gonna be worse". Anton then proceed to unwrap the tape around Brad's mouth, gently done because he was saving the roughness for any wrong move or words.

"I got some cutting tools and a blow-torch in the trunk of the car", Marie said, she also stood infront of Brad with hands on her hips.

"You already had your fun", Anton muttered quietly to Marie. "I want you to take her to the car", he jerked his head at Olivia. "And also watch-out for anything unusual", he continued.

Marie snorted. "Be reminded that i dont follow your f@cking orders", she said to Anton rudely

"Do as he said", Jim ordered.

This made Marie to frown. She gave Anton and evil glance and then eyed Olivia as if she was the one responsible her being denied the pleasure of giving Brad the hard business if he refuses to cooperate. Then she motioned at Olivia and unwillingly made her way towards the door muttering a low grumble.

Olivia stepped closer to Anton as she stared at Marie leave the apartment. "I hope she won't kill me", she whispered to him.

"Unless if you get on her wrong side", Anton murmured his reply with less concern as he folded the cuffs of his long sleeve blue shirt.

Olivia sighed deeply and shook her head. "Who are you people?", she asked and stared at Anton with furrowed brows.

"The bigger gang", Anton replied with less concern.

"Oh, great", Olivia sighed again. "So i just made enemies with one gang and unwillingly got in a mix with another gang. So which one should i be more wary of?".

"We are not the same my dear cos we are the government gang".

"Then i should be very afraid of you guys".

"Okay, but first you have to be afraid of what Marie will do if you keep her waiting. She has a very short fuse".

Hearing what Anton said, Olivia immediately made her way towards the door. She gave the three other persons in the room one more glance and closed the door after her.

Mantee:
Dear Ironkurtain, thanks a lot. Please know that a lot us (ghost readers) love you. Dont base your updates on the number of comments from fellow nairalanders to determine your followers.

Bros, wishing u and other readers lovely weekend. Actually i dont post stories for comments or likes though, i'm only making use of the talent to entertain others, but my work schedule is really slowing me down and being a family man, the family comes first so that's why i gotta hustle to make sure that i provide for them. And unlike some writers here, i dont like rushing stories cos it will only make me post low quality materials. So i hope u understand. This month we have a project at hand and a very limited time to complete it. I haven't taken a day-off for over a month, even on May 1, the workers day. If these stories were a source of income, imagine how interesting they would be cos i would definitely be putting alot of work on it. But it isnt my brother. Family comes first so i have to focus more energy on the thing that will bring comfort to them. Pls do understand. Take care.

"Take this", Marie handed Olivia the third glass of water. Olivia speedily accepted and gulped it down with one swig, her hands shaking uncontrollably. "You have to calm your ass down before you kill yourself with anxiety", she continued and frowned at how scared Olivia was when she took the empty glass from her.

Olivia took some deep breaths to calm herself down. She had been trying to do what Marie just said but to no avail, especially after her near death experience in the hands of Brad. And most of all, after seeing the violence perpetuated by this strange woman who came to her apartment in time to stop Brad from acomplishing his mission.

Olivia let out a deep sigh and looked around her apartment. The living-room was totally destroyed by the violent scrimmage that occured several minutes ago. It looked like a place that had taken the full brunt of several large angry animal stampede. But in this case it was just two animals that were unmatched in size and endlessly throwing an avalanche of ferocious blows that ended up leaving the bigger one, Brad, lying on the floor, tied up and badly beaten. She had seen enough to change her view of the world. Enough to even make her start believing things she never did, like the bible story of David and Goliath. She just saw it first hand and in this case, David happened to be a female. And seemingly crazy one.

Marie pushed a broken piece of a furniture aside with her leg and sat beside Olivia with a low grunt. Taking out a cigarette from the pack she had picked up; Brad's cigarrette, she put the filter end inbetween her bruised lips and lit the tobacco. Olivia looked at the woman and stared at her face, keenly.

Olivia was thinking about the savage blow that Brad's big fist had landed on that face during the over the top fight-to-death contest. The sick feeling she had after seeing how Marie just got up, move her dislocated jaw back into place and then went at Brad to put him in a very bad shape, was still lingering in her gut.

"Are you okay?", Marie asked when Olivia stare got abit too long.

Olivia nodded her answer and glanced at Brad; he was now conscious with his hands and legs tied together and mouth viciously taped.

"Good", Marie murmured and exhaled a cloud of cigarette smoke. Then she studied Olivia from head to toe. The red spots on the arms of the woman beside her caught her attention. "Hm, i can see that you are into the habit", she noted and looked at the syringe lying in one corner. "So which one, heroin, meth or crack caine?".

Olivia furrowed her brows. "What is crack cane?", she asked and looked at Marie with a confused look on her face

"Crack cocaine", Marie said.

"I intend to kick the habit", Olivia sighed deeply and looked away.

"Goodluck with that decision".

Olivia checked her arm that Brad had earlier grabbed with his vice-like grip. She felt the slightly aching muscle and looked at the man.

"Dont worry about him honey", Marie continued, blew a cloud of cigarette smoke and felt the bruises on her mouth and face. "More help is on the way". Then she looked at Brad. "And sh!t is about to turn really ugly for you my friend", she began at the hurting man with an evil smirk.

Brad remained still, blood and bruises on his face and lying in a very uncomfortable position with the gaze of a man trying to understand the unexplainable predicament that has befallen him. Half an hour ago he was about to accomplish the hit his boss had ordered. Everything had been going smoothly with no witnesses to deal with and the victim not putting up a fight at all. Until the operation was interrupted by a knock on the door. He made Olivia to open the door at gunpoint. And a woman unknown to both of them casually stepped into the house and into the situation in the living-room. She was quite a beauty, smaller than Olivia in stature and seemingly harmless; that's what he had thought. After a few questions thrown at the questionable woman, he made the move to first kill the new witness with the content in the syringe, before deciding on how to kill Olivia. But within a blink of an eye, the woman also made her own move as he was making his and Brad then realized that he thought wrong. First, he was disarmed of his weapon with a blinding speed. And hell broke loose.

She fought him like a demon that got possessed by something else far worse, her blows were delivered with all the powers of hell. He was stronger and much more bigger and also fought back. But when he started finding it very difficult to put down the ungodly deranged being who seemed to be enjoying the pain he was bringing, that was when he realized that he was in alot of trouble. And also started loosing ground quite fast.

As Brad laid on the floor, bleeding with alot of excruciating pain, he stared at both his intended victim and tormentor. His reign of terror was about to be put to an end and he knew that; the look on his face said it all.

"You are probably wondering what the f@ck just happened", Marie continued. "I have seen that f@cking look on your face so many times, especially from your likes, always wondering what the hell hit them. But you all fail to realize that your big ass dont mean sh!t....especially in my world", then she took out Brad's handgun that she had tucked in her waist-belt and examined the weapon. "That's why people like us are called upon whenever the government wants to deal with a hardcore crack enemy. But you, my friend, is miles away from my definition of hardcore. And i'm very disappointed". Then she turned her cold eyes at Brad. "I would have given myself the pleasure of beating you to death with this handgun so as to make this sh!t show worth my while. But i had been given a strict order".

Marie got up and passed the cigarette to Olivia who quickly accepted it; she needed it badly but was too scared to ask for one. Olivia took a drag from the half-smoked tobacco, not minding the bloodstain on its filter and glanced at the woman as she paced around room. Then she exhaled the smoke and stared at Brad. The defeated look that had replaced the look of a monster he earlier had on his face made Olivia to feel sorry for the man.

"If you have anything you wanna say.....or do to this man, then you better do it now before they arrive", Marie then said to Olivia, interrupting the woman in her thoughts.

Olivia looked at Marie. "What do you mean?", she asked.

"Well, he might had said some horrible things to you...or perhaps slapped you around before i showed up. So this is your chance to do the same", Marie replied. "This motherfucker will be sent back to his people in a pine box for sure", she added.

Olivia looked at Brad. "No", she declined.

"Are you sure you dont wanna take a few whacks at him?, people like you rarely get the chance to do that to guys like him", Marie said.

"No....i'm good", Olivia sighed. She took another drag, her hand slightly shaking. "Have you killed people before?", she then asked and looked at Marie.

Marie regarded Olivia with a funny look on her face. "Excuse me?", she asked to be sure that she heard the woman right.

Olivia repeated the question again timidly. Marie stared at her for a while and looked away. And then laughed.

"Aren't you suppose to be asking the number of the unfortunates that have died by my hands, especially after seeing me tango with him", Marie then asked, still laughing.

Olivia thought for a short while. "Dont you feel anything at all while doing it....i mean...killing those people?", she asked again. She seemed to have suddenly picked up a new interest.

"Of course i do,....gun recoils or the knife going into their vital organs", Marie responded with less concern and gave Olivia a hard gaze.

"I mean...the feelings inside you when you were....killing them".

Marie gave Olivia a short blank stare. "Why do you wanna know, are you a shrink?" She asked.

The look in Marie's eyes made Olivia to make the decision to keep her mouth shut.
Then a knock drew her attention to the door. She gave Marie a look of intent and the woman lips turned into a faint smile.

"Atlast", Marie began and head towards the door with her hand giving the handgun a tight hold. "I was already getting too bored in this rat-hole", she murmured.

Marie reached for the door handle and held the weapon in a ready-to- fire position. Then she opened the door and remained still with a surprised look on her face.


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

Olivia lazily turned the key and unlocked the door of the two room apartment that she shared with her friend Katie. Weak in her steps, she walked in, closed the door after her and depressingly looked around the room. The place was a horrible mess, like a storm had gone through the room. The few shabby furnitures were knocked out of their place, the clothes that Katie had hurriedly took off laid rumpled all over the place including her underwear. The place was an untidy mess with a stale smell of several things.

Olivia sighed and tossed the pack of cigarettes that Anton had given on the low table at the center of the small living-room. A part of the single sofa inthe house protested slightly when she sat heavily on it and rested her head on its back cushion.

For several minutes Olivia remained in that position with her eyes shut, thinking about everything that had happened throughout the day and contemplating on what next to do. She didnt know Anton's intentions and his motives. And she also wasn't sure of how the situation at hand will play out for her. Donnie was a very dangerous man and she was very well aware of what he can do; she had seen it first hand. Alot. And his influence was the muscle she had always used as backup in all her endeavours. But now she might have gotten on the wrong side of Donnie for bring Anton to his place. And for sure Donnie wont hesitate to show his displeasure for that action, in a very bad way.

Olivia opened her eyes and then sat up. She had just made a decision and it's for her to get out of town as soon as possible. To hell with everything, she thought to herself as she got to her feet, including Abigail's disappearance. Now she has to save her own skin before worrying about someone else's.

Thinking of what she could take with her, how she can get some money and from whom since she doesn't have enough at hand, she got to her feet and rushed into the bedroom.

As Olivia returned to the living-room with the bag of cloth that she had hurriedly packed for several minutes, a knock on the door made her pause in what she was doing. Olivia inquisitively stared at the door. Then another knock, gently made, prompted her to drop the bag on the floor and cross the living-room to the door.

"Probably Anton", Olivia thought as she reached for door handle. She wasn't expecting anyone because she rare had any visitors. Katie won't be coming home soon because she had been given a strict order to stay in the hotel room and probably enjoying the luxurious room to even think about coming back to the shabby apartment.

Olivia opened the door. And saw that she thought wrong when she saw herself staring at a big man. A man by name Brad. A man she knows very well. One of Donnie's enforcers.

"Hello Olivia", Brad began coldly with a forced smile.

"Hello Brad", Olivia smiled to mask her fear. "What brings you to my place?", she asked, tightening her grip on the door handle. She could sense trouble. Alot of it. Brad was Donnie's toughest man. If he was sent by Donnie, then she's in alot of trouble and there's nothing at she can do about it. Even if she tries to lock the door and perhaps scream for help, Brad was a brute and big enough to break the door down. He would probably break the door down and finish the job before she could be heard.

"Just passing by and decided to pay an old friend a visit", Brad replied and tucked both hands in the pocket of the black trench coat he was wearing.

"I see", Olivia murmured, closely staring at Brad and knowing that he was lying.

"So....are you gonna let me in or do you want me to keep standing outside?", Brad asked. "Or....are you hiding someone in your place?", he chuckled.

"Oh". Olivia stepped aside and gave him a superficial friendly smile to hide her growing fear. "Come in", she gestured and Brad did so. "Sorry about the mess. I haven't been home for three days and my roommate is a lazy ass", she apologized and closed the door as Brad glanced around the living-room.

"Are you alone?", Brad asked as he crossed the room to the sofa.

Olivia hesitated abit. "Yeah", she then replied.

"What about your housemate?".

"Gone somewhere".

Brad pursed his lips, glanced around again, looked at the packed bag that Olivia had left on the floor and made himself comfortable on the sofa. "I heard that you went to see the boss this morning", he said, clasped his big hands and turned his cold eyes at Olivia.

"Yep", Olivia murmured and gave her bag a nervous glance.

"I also heard that you went there with a friend".

"The guy is not my friend, just someone looking for Abigail".

"I see", Brad nodded. And he looked at the bag again. "So what is this business about Abigail that made you take a....stranger to the boss' place", he asked with and inquisitive stare.

"The guy is one of Abigail's regular customer....and a very good one according to Abigail", Olivia replied as she picked up a few cloths lying on the floor, pretending to be cleaning up the room. "I think Abigail must have talked him into paying her debts to Donnie cos that's what he wanted to do and why he wanted to meet Donnie in the first place", she continued.

"Hm....", Brad nodded, the inquisitive gaze still on his face. "Did Abigail tell alot about this guy?", he asked.

"Well....she didn't say much about him", Olivia replied as she neatly folded the cloths and underwear that she had picked up.

"What did she say?".

"That he's rich,.....he pays good money with alot of tips and treats her well".

Olivia smiled and looked at Brad. "And that he is also good in bed", she added.

Then Brad looked at the bag on the floor again. "Are you going somewhere?", he asked.

"I was thinking about going on a short vacation, you know, to cool off my mind", Olivia replied with a modest voice.

"With your room-mate?",

"Nope"

"So why the sudden vacation?, especially now that the boss is having some concern about your movements.....and the persons you are hanging around with."

Olivia sat beside Brad and regarded him with a suspicious stare. "You said that you were passing through and decided to drop by", she said.

"Yeah.....why?", Brad asked.

"But why i'm having the feeling that i'm being interrogated", Olivia noted.

Brad smirked. "Why would you feel like that?", he asked. Then he gave Olivia a close look. "Is there something that you are hiding especially from the boss, or....is there something that you are aware of....and dont want anyone else to know?".

"Well i'm aware that Abigail haven't been seen...or heard of since yesterday", Olivia replied quietly. "And it's like no one cares to know where she is...or what happened her", she gazed at Brad. "No one.....including you Brad, her manager", she added.

"And is that also why you brought that guy to the boss, huh?", Brad asked. "To know what happened to Abigail?".

"What happened to Abigail?", Olivia asked, knowing what the question could do to her. But now she no longer cares what happens to her. Brad wasn't just passing by her place and she was very sure of that.

"Why do you wanna know?", Brad demanded.

"Just tell me what happened to her", Olivia insisted.

Brad sighed. He got up and tucked both hands in his pockets and gave Olivia an expressionless stare. Olivia returned the stare with the face of someone that has given up to fate. "Abigail is gone, if you really wanna know", he replied quietly.

Then both of them stared at each other for a while before Olivia shifted her eyes away. "Abigail didn't do anything to anyone", Olivia murmured sadly with a downcast gaze knowing what Brad meant by Abigail being gone. "And neither had she ever said anything bad to anyone including you". Olivia looked at Brad. "She doesn't deserve it all", she said to him.

"I know", Brad said and then tucked a hand inside his trench coat. "And so do you", he continued and pulled out a handgun with its muzzle fitted with a silencer.

Olivia stared at the weapon pointed at her in silence with tears welling up in her eyes.

"You have to understand that it's not personal my dear", Brad said to her, his voice with a less concerned tone as his other hand took out a thin syringe from another pocket; it was filled with brown liquid. "It's just business and we all have to run our business", he continued.

"You....bastard", Olivia muttered quietly with a defiant look on her face that was now wet with the steady flow of tears from her eyes.

Brad nodded with a pursed lip and quietly approached her with the syringe held up to administer the injection so as to kill her with a heroin overdose.


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


Anton handed Jim the pen he had used to sign the check at Donnie's place. Jim made a quick scrutiny of the pen and handed it over to a young man sitting on a desk with a laptop infront of him. They were in the "Operational room" in the office of Jim's security firm. The company was located at the top floor of ten storey building with workers that were top professionals in all facets of security. And most of them were ex-members of the country's armed forces.

"Did you stop over for a drink", Jim asked Anton as both of them stood beside Jim's Tech-guy. "I can smell the whiff of alcohol in your breath.

Anton nodded and watched as Jim's worker disassembled the pen and took out a micro-chip.

"But i'm very sure that the bloodstain in your cuffs didnt come from a butcher-shop", Jim continued without looking at the red stains on the cuff of Anton's shirt. "I thought i told you that it should only be a reconnaissance operation", he said with a frown.

"I did exactly as you said but Al Capone sent his men to drive home his warning, so i had to shake them off", Anton stated. "Or do you prefer i bring them here with me?", he asked.

Jim sighed. Then he turned his attention to the screen of the laptop his tech-man. Anton did the same and both of them watched the video recording of the conversation with Donnie that Anton had recorded. The tech-man worked his fingers on the keyboard, gained access into the government databases, both classified and unclassified, and ran Donnie's face and voice through it. Within a few minutes, Donnies information was on the laptop screen. All of it.

Anton read a few lines and smile. "The guy is well connected", he murmured.

"Yeah", Jim nodded as he read the info. "Nationally and internationally, Politicians...and probably some cops". He looked at Anton. "This could be a problem, that is, if you start sh!t with this guy. It could raise enough dust as to pull in some big boys that owes him a favour...or in his payroll", he noted.

"So what do you make of this", Anton asked.

Jim sighed again and tucked both of his big hands in his pockets with his head tilted to the side as he stared at the computer screen. He remained like that for a while and said, "The blowbacks could be quite adverse, if we put your position in consideration. And it could go all the way to your family", Then he looked at Anton. "You pops is an image sensitive man and always wants the family name to stay clean. And he is a man being held in high esteem in this country both in the military and in the government. A situation with this kind of guy would make his opponents to start digging around for dirt. And that's alot of headache that he wouldn't wanna deal with, especially if it's because of someone he is not really in good terms with".

Then Jim reached inside his suit jacket to get his cellphone that was vibrating and incoming call. He took a quick look at the number calling and took the call. After a few nods and saying okays, he ended the call and looked at Anton.

"It's about the girl", he said.

"Olivia?", Anton asked.

"Yep", Jim replied and slipped his cellphone back into his pocket. "Your man is now making his moves, very seriously",

"Is she alright?", Anton asked with alot of concern in his voice.

"Marie wants us to come over to her place", Jim sighed.

"Who?", Anton furrowed his eyebrows.

"Marie....the Marie that you know very well", Jim replied.

"Jesus Christ! Jim, why the hell is Marie involved in this?", Anton protested.

"Well...", Jim began with a mischievous smile. "The guy that you requested was tied down to another job so i had to get someone else....someone up to the task", he said.

"And should it have to be that crazy b!tch?!, you very well know what happened between me and her".

"Well why would u wanna stick ur d!ck in a crazy bitch....especially the one that is a trained sociopathic killer"

Jim's tech-man let out a suppressed snort. But kept his focus at the computer screen.
Anton heaved an uncomfortable sigh with a distant gaze in his eyes.

"But i thought it's all even between the both of you", Jim said.

"Yeah....but do you f@cking know the kind of strings i had to pull just for her to achieve that?", Anton said irritatedly.

"Yeah i heard. You saved her from facing a court-martial due to her mode of getting information from prisoners", Jim nodded. "But it helped us alot in the field and also saved alot of people....and fellow soldiers too".

Anton snorted. "Do you know that one involved endlessly torturing a prisoner, feeding him viagra and raping him till he confessed", he muttered.

"Well, she was giving the guy a taste of his own medicine, literally", Jim noted with a chuckle. "In conflicts anything goes my friend cos there are few options and people let out the monsters in them, you already know that".

Anton gave Jim a baffled stare. "I do wish alot of things to happen to an enemy, but that's alot of pain and...probably alot of heartbreak",

"Anyway i already knew the kind of people we are dealing with, that's why i put Marie on the job of watching the girl", Jim said and motioned at Anton for them to leave. "And since she is still alive to make a phonecall, then the girl is surely safe", he continued as both of them head towards the door.


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

Sliss:
#Ironkutain!!!!!!!!!

Pls exercise some patience, i earlier said that i have a very busy work schedule. Have a nice day.

Sorry for the late updates, work schedule is mad crazy

Eric gently moved his hand to shift the metal pipe away from his body. This prompted the man to forcefully grab the collar of his shirt and raised the metal in a striking position. Then with a flash Eric put a wristlock on the hand holding him with his left hand and at the same time his right hand delivered a knife-hand strike to the man's neck. The stunning blow hit the man good and sent his face thumping the edge of the counter table so hard that it rattled the glasses and bottles on the table.

The other men saw their man go down and immediately went into action. So did Anton. And he took on two of the men, one of them being the man demanding for an apology and also their leader. The first man got sent crashing into the bar tables and chairs after taking Anton fast and precise blows that hits hard like bricks. The second took a more violent beating that left him with a broken jaw and severely broken nose; he also disorganized other tables and chairs after Anton violently propelled him towards the bar furnitures.

Some customers immediately got to their feet and head for the door while some decided to watch the physical contest that seemed unmatched in all kinds of ways, especially in the ferocity of the blows landed and the amount of damages it caused. The bartender casually looked at the ruckus unfolding before her and proceeded to increase the volume of the music.



Ante Up! Yap that fool!
Ante Up! Kidnap that fool!
Get him! Get him! Get him! Get him!
Hit him! Hit him! Hit him! Hit him!
Yap him! Yap him!
Yap him!


The hook of M.O.P song, "Ante it up", banged out of the loud speakers. And so did fists bang out blows fit enough to crack bones.

The man with a knuckle brass came at Anton swinging hard. Anton defended himself effortlessly and dealt blows that left the man's nose broken and bleeding profusely. Then he turned to the leader of the group and gave the man an evil smirk as the man recovered. And started approaching him.

Eric had already taken out two men and left them beaten bloody; one was put on the bar table and got his face brutally punched until it was a bloody mess. Then the man that was the first to take Eric's punishment recovered and grabbed the metal pipe that he had dropped. He came running at Eric, bawling out curses and raised the weapon again to use it. And yet again he failed miserably. He was put in another wrist-lock, the weapon dispossessed from him and got tortured with a combination of hook punches and knife-hand strikes. Every effort that the man put up got met with a devastating blow that fractured a bone. He tried to block some and more bones got fractured with infliction of terrible bruises.

Anton was doing the same to the leader of the group and probably outdoing it because he was now at war. And also wanted to send the message to Donnie. A terrified female customer who could no longer stand the sounds of limbs being broken, threw up the drink she had being having. The other customers who were amazed at how Anton and Eric took out the assailants that were twice their number with an unparalleled savagery decided that they have had enough of the show. The two men absolutely have no method to their madness.

The beatdown ended with all the assailants writhing on the floor with horrible degrees of injuries. The bartender who had been sitting in a position safe from the violent beatdown looked up from her cellphone and saw that the violent bar room brawl has ended. Then she casually got up and went over to the music box to turn down the volume. And to also access the damages caused in the bar.

Eric calmly went over to the bar counter and took some tissue from a tissue rack to wipe the blood on his hands and knuckles. He handed some to Anton who stood beside him as both of them looked at what they had done.

"Are you okay?", Anton asked and wiped his own hands.

"Sure", Eric replied. "Seems to never be a dull moment whenever we meet", he added and tossed the used tissue on the floor.

"I guess so my boy", Anton murmured and then looked at the leader of the gang. "Never a dull moment", he muttered.

Then Eric took out his wallet. "I think i will have to leave you to clean this sh!t up", he said and peeled out some currency notes from it to pay for the drinks. "I will have to run back to my hotel room to check my flight itinerary", he continued and placed the money on the bar counter table.

"Do you wanna leave when the show is about to get started?", Anton asked.

"This is your city...and your show, pal. I'm just passing through", Eric replied and pat Anton on the back. "Be sure to tip this lovely lady enough for the damages", he concluded and nodded at the bartender who acknowledged the gesture with a smile and a wave of hand. Then he started heading to the door.

Anton watched him leave and then turned his eyes to the leader of group they had taken out. He gave the man a faint smile when he turned his bloodied and horribly bruised face at him. And then went over to the hurting man.

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








https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MUGAxpI0Bc

Anton glanced at the pamphlet and saw it was for tourist information. "So what brings you to this country...and to my city?", he asked and sipped from his shot glass.

"Just on holiday", Eric replied as he read the prints on a page.

"Holiday?", Anton snorted. "I thought you only lived to dish out permanent disfigurements if it didnt end in horrific mutilations and sh!ts".

"Well your city is relatively quiet. That shows that i'm really on a vacation trip so no need for you to be alarmed.

Anton snorted again. "So how is the new family?", he asked.

"Everyone is good and going about their business", Eric replied. "How is your new life", he asked.

"Quite boring until now", was Anton's reply. Then he took a quick glance at the door and turn back to Eric. "How's big mama Nina doing?",

Living a new boring life just like you with the love of her life".

"Hm, i never knew that woman could ever take the chill-pill".

"You too, after all the havoc that both of you had wrecked".

Anton smiled with a distant nostalgic gaze in his eyes. Then five men walked into the bar and glanced around the place. Four of them made themselves comfortable on one of of the several vacant tables; the table near the door. One came towards the bar counter while the rest gave Anton's position a steady gaze. They were all well built and when Anton looked over his shoulder, he saw the one approaching the bar and towards him was the guy whom had torn up his cheque in Donnie's place.

"Five beers lady and make it fast!", the man ordered the bartender with indifference. The bartender regarded him with a suspicious look and proceeded to the refrigerator to get the beers. Then the man gave Anton the same condescending look that he had earlier given him.

"Oh it's you", he muttered at Anton with a sneer and smacked his lips.

"Good to meet you again sir", Anton said coolly and sipped his alcohol without looking at the man. Eric continued reading the pamphlet with less concern.

""Yeah....and you are one hell of a piece of work to have the f@cking nerve to come disrespect my boss, huh", the man muttered quietly but with a sinister tone of voice. "And i'm having a problem with it...and so are my friends too", he jerked his head at the other men that were now staring at Anton keenly.

"I only brought a business proposition which you already know and that's all", Anton said and took another sip from his glass cup. "But your boss made it clear that he wasn't interested and i left, just as he demanded", he continued coolly.

"Well....my friends over there think that it aint cool, so do i....and we want an apology", the man grunted and stared down at Anton.

"An apology?".

"Yeah.....an apology".

"To you and your friends or your boss?".

"Let's start with us".

Anton smirked and looked at Eric who ignored him and paused to drink his beer and then went back to reading the pamphlet in his hand, still with the less concerned look. Then Anton looked at the man from head to toe. "You are really good at being a messenger boy", Anton chuckled and sipped his drink. "So, messenger boy, i want you to go deliver this message to your friends. Tell them that this bar ain't selling any booze to you guys and you all have five minutes to get the hell out of this place".

The man stared at Anton with a sneer. "Or what?", he asked with a scoff.

The bartender who had placed the bottles of beer infront of the man heard what Anton said and got hold of the bottles. Then she looked at the man and shook her head, a gesture that she wasn't selling to him.

The man glared at the girl after seen what she did. "What the f@ck is this?", he asked her. The bartender gave no reply and quietly took the bottles back to the refrigerator. "What the f@ck are you doing you f@cking b!tch?", the man fumed but the girl return to her position with a deadpan look on her face. The man stared at the girl who seemed unfazed with a baffled look on his face.

"I think you are in the wrong bar my friend", Eric then said without looking at the man.

The man directed his fierce eyes at Eric. "And who the f@ck are you?", he asked.

"Just a concerned individual that knows this guy very well", Eric replied quietly and reached for his beer. "Whatever situation you have with him is no business of mine, but i'm just trying to advice you not to f@ck up", he added after taking a sip from the bottle.

"Will you shut your f@cking mouth!", the man bawled at Eric.

Eric sighed and remained silent.

Anton glanced at his wristwatch. "Now you and your friends have four minutes", he said, sipped his drink and gave the man a steady gaze.

"Oh, so you think you are tough, huh?". The man nodded with an evil grin. "Well let's see about that", he muttered. Then he looked at the bartender. "I'm gonna deal with you later", he said to her and left them.

Eric dropped the pamplet on the counter table and looked at Anton for the first time. "Do you know these guys?", he asked.

"Not until today", Anton replied with a frown. "And i have been playing really nice to them", he added.

"Have you gotten too bored as to be going around town starting up sh!ts?", Eric smiled. "It must have gotten serious for you to be walking around with a heat", he continued and pointed at the position where Anton had concealed the handgun.

"That was never my intention in the first place", Anton murmured. Then he finished his drink. "But sh!t is about to turn sideways for them, especially for that punk".

"And what is the beef that is about to make sh!t to turn in a different direction for someone?".

"It's personal".

"Okay then,....do you need help? I still have alot of time before i leave for the airport and got nothing doing as for now".

Anton chuckled. "There are only five of them. Are you trying to disrespect me my boy...or have you also gotten bored?", he asked.

Eric pursed his lips and reached for his beer. "Just tell the lady to play the music loud and also tip her well for the damages that is about to happen in her bar", he murmured as the five men got to their feet and started approaching.

The men surrounded Anton and glared at him with a fierce look on their faces. One had already slipped on a knuckle brass and another was brandishing a short metal pipe.

"I told you to apologize", the first man muttered. "So do you still feel tough, huh?".

Anton motioned at the bartender. She came over to him, not minding the threatening looking men beside him. He whispered a few words into her ear and she nodded. She gave the men a blank look and went over to the music box. Then Eric sighed and got to his feet. As he made a move to leave, the man with the metal pipe stood in his way and prevented him from walking away.

"Where the f@ck do you think you are going pal?", the man demanded with the pipe pressed against Eric's chest.

Eric gave the man a look and glanced at the metal pipe he was wielding. "Your man already done f@cked up, just don't make it worse", Eric said quietly to the man with an expressionless look.

"Yeah it gonna get worse cos am gonna beat the sh!t out of you!", the man threatened out loud. This made the few customers to notice the situation at hand and got agitated.

The elevator reached the ground floor and its stainless steel doors slided open for Anton to walk out. Olivia had waited for him to say something, about the outcome of his meeting with Donnie, but he remained mute throughout their journey from the the floor that housed the pent-house to ground level of the building. She was now getting impatient.

"So how did it go?", Olivia asked when she could no longer bear the silence as they exited the building and walked into the busy street. "What did he say?".

"Your boss told me in a beautiful way to go f@ck myself", Anton replied with a less concerned voice and unlocked the Mercedes benz.

"Did he tell you anything about Abigail?", Olivia asked eagerly as both of them boarded the vehicle.

"If he did, i would still be sitting with him now", Anton muttered and slammed the door shut.

Olivia heaved a deep sigh with a downcast gaze. She look at Anton as saw the unfazed look on his face. And it worried her, but not as much as the thoughts of what Donnie might do to her especially if he was really responsible for Abigail's disappearance. "I hope you didnt say or do anything that.....", she began with some fear in her voice.

"I did everything a gentleman would do if you must know", Anton interrupted and brought life to the engine. He stole a quick glance at the entrance door of the building and saw only one of the men in suit staring at their position.

"So where are we going to?", Olivia inquired.

"I'm going somewhere...and you will have to go home", was Anton's reply.

"Home?". Olivia was flabbergasted.

"Yeah,....your friend will stay in the hotel", Anton nodded.

"But....". Olivia thought for a moment. "But what about Abigail?", she asked.

"What about her?", Anton murmured the question.

"What are u talking about?....arent we looking for her?", Olivia asked surprisingly.

"That's what we were doing, but your man is not cooperating".

"You said that you gonna pay him money".

"I wanted to do that, but he wants me to leave....and that's what i'm doing now".

"So....we just gonna leave?"

"Yeah...we just gonna leave"

"Why?",

"Cos i never say or ask anything more than once".

Anton gave his side mirror a brief glance before smoothly guiding the car into the traffic.
Abigail stared at him with an unbelievable look on her eyes and then let out a sigh of disappointment.

"So....what now huh, are we just gonna forget about her and everything?",  she asked.

"Nope", Anton replied quietly.

"So what next?", Olivia asked and glared at him

"Next.....am gonna show Donnie what happens when someone f@cks with me", Anton replied, his tone of voice was a sinister one and the look in his eyes, very determined.

Olivia stared at Anton as he drove the car in silence with a frown. An unalloyed murderous frown. And it stopped her short from asking him any other question...or saying any other word. Until now she had always seen Anton as man with an ever positive mood no matter the situation at hand and made her feel comfortable being around him and also with his decision. She didnt know what went down between him and Donnie, but she could tell that it must have done something to him, that it must have lit a fuse.

Then she remember what Katie had said in the hotel room about Aj not ever bothering her again. She thought about it with glances at Anton.


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

1 pm in the afternoon.

"Yeah i got it....what do you have for me?", Anton spoke into the mouthpiece of his cellphone and worked the steering wheel to make a left turn. He listened to Jim's voice rasping out of the earpiece. "Okay then, i will meet you at your place". Then Anton looked at his rear-view mirror and monitored the car following behind him. "But first, i have to stop somewhere, i will call you back later", he concluded and ended the phone call.

Then Anton made another smooth turn and glanced at the car behind him again. The vehicle was a dark coloured suburban Suv that has been following him for a while. After he had left Donnie's place and dropped off Olivia at her place. There are several occupants in the vehicle, probably three or more with the man behind the wheel and it had been following quite cautiously to avoid detection. But after Donnie's words of warning in the pent-house, Anton had gone into full combat mode and was able to notice the movement. Now he was drawing the car to one of his several safe zones so as to analyze the situation....and also to be able to neutralize any threat with maximum damage if it turned out to be one.

Anton made another turn and brought the car to a halt infront of a building. Glancing at the neon sign that indicated that the place was a bar, he looked at his rear-view mirror again and saw that the car had come to a stop several metres away from his position with its engine still running. Then he killed the engine of his car and reached for the car compartment box. He opened it and took out the black Glock 18 automatic handgun that was well concealed in box. He always preferred to go physical so as to be up and close when bringing the pain. But he was now dealing with a feared gangster and persons in the car behind him who were probably Donnie's men, might be carrying weapons too.

After checking the full clip and slapping it back into the handgun, Anton tucked the weapon in his waistbelt and adjusted his suit jacket to conceal it. Then he casually got out of the car and walked straight to the entrance of the bar without letting the occupants of the Suv to know that he was well aware of their presence.

Anton briskly walked into the bar and got a smiling nod from the tomboyish looking female bartender who gave him a recognizing look. He acknowledged the gesture with a faint smile and glanced around the place that had very few customers. One of the customer sitting at the bar counter caught his attention. Anton gave the man a surprising stare for a while, stole a quick glance through the bar glass door and then walked towards the customer.

The man was sitting with his back facing Anton, drinking a beer and did not regard him like other customers that did so when he walked in.

"Now who do we have here?", Anton began quietly and sat on the vacant tool next to the man. "Are you still alive my boy?", he asked the man and gestured at the female bartender.

"Are you always wishing me dead?", the man replied with a question and a faint smile while going through a pamphlet he was holding.

"Not me, but the last time we met, alot of people badly wanted that to happen to you, Mr Eric Uzo". Anton replied and received his usual drink from the bartender.

"Too bad most of them didnt live long enough to see it happen, Mr Anton Pope", Eric murmured with his eyes still on the page of the pamphlet.

Sorry from the typos and uncompleted sentences, i have made the corrections

CHAPTER FIVE.

11 am the next day.

Anton pulled the Benz out of the busy morning traffic and brought the car near to the street curb. Olivia was sitting beside him and smoking nervously with her eyes on the road. She was having an anxiety and acting very unsettled throughout the drive to Donnie's office and it made Anton to have some concern for her. He thought he had taken care of the most difficult of the task at hand, which was to convince Olivia to take him to Donnie. But with the increasing look of dread on her face and constant demand for a cigarette, Anton was now having reservation about their move because she might decide to bail on him before they even enter the building that housed Donnie's office. And it made him to take Donnie more seriously because the man seems to instill alot of fear in people.

"So are you ready to do this?", Anton asked as he unbuckled his seatbelt.

"Do we really have to do this?", Olivia replied with her own question with some anxiety in her voice.

"Well..if we have to find out what happened to your friend then we have to do it", Anton replied.

Olivia sighed heavily and looked at a fifteen floor building that their vehicle was standing infront of. "Isn't there any other we can go about finding Abigail without us meeting Donnie?", she asked and took a drag from the cigarette she was smoking with alot of uneasiness in her movement. She was being paralysed by fear.

"Why do you say so?", Anton demanded.

"Why?!, Donnie is not the guy you would wanna mess with and i'm really scared of what he might do to me later!", Olivia said hysterically. "I've known him for a long time. That man is very dangerous. That's why i didn't want to get myself involved in the first place". The Olivia shook her head. "Damn, i shouldnt have agreed to come here in the first place", she muttered to herself with a downcast gaze.

"Relax. Just stick to the plan and you will be alright, i promise", Anton assured her.

Olivia heaved a long sigh and remained mute for a while. "You just want to ask him some questions about Abigail, right?", she asked without looking at Anton.

"Yep", Anton replied.

"No other funny sh!t, right?".

"Nothing else".

"Then Olivia closed her eyes, took a deep breath and gently exhaled. "Okay....lets go", she said after opening her eyes and reached for the door handle.

Both of them exited the vehicle and Olivia immediately walked towards fifteen floor condominium building, heading towards two men who were standing near the lobby of the building while Anton stood beside his car.

Both men were quite sturdy in their dark suits and the dark sunglasses covering their eyes made them look quite sinister, making a few passerby to side-step away from them

Anton waited with both hands tucked in his pockets and watched as Olivia spoke with the men for several minutes. The men threw several glances at him with an expressionless look as they listened to Olivia. Then one of them took out a two way radio that was concealed in his inner pocket and turned away from Olivia.

Several more minutes passed by as the man radioed a message while the other keenly stared at Anton through his dark shades. Then he said something to Olivia. She nodded several times, looked at Anton and motioned at him to come over. Anton did so and the other man lead them into the building after he had taken off his glasses to give Anton a long cold gaze. Anton had also gazed back at the man but with a faint friendly smile.



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Anton listened to the elevator music with Abigail by his side as the cab made its smooth journey to the penthouse at the top of the building. The tough looking man was standing infront and Olivia was beside him. And she stood still with no movements, like a statue and her face was deadpan. But Anton knew very well that she was trying to hide her fear. He gave her a slight tap on her back and gave a reassuring nod when she looked at him. Olivia sighed and faced her front without any response or gesture.

The elevator reached the eleventh floor, their destination; Donnie's office, and opened. The man, in mechanical steps, lead them through the richly furnished corridor and towards an expensive front door. The door was being guarded by another man who was sitting beside it and going through a newspaper. He was very huge. And his massive body made it seem like the chair would crumble under his weight if he moved his large body.

"The boss got visitors", the man that lead them said to the front door guard and watched as the avalanche of a man lazily folded the newspaper and got to his feet with a grunt.

"Hello Russ", Olivia smiled at guard who was quite towering over her when he turned his fear instilling eyes at her. Saying nothing to her, Russ turned his gaze at Anton who remained unfazed; he even stared at the behemoth before them from head to toe and snorted. Olivia gave him a cautionary look and smiled at Russ

"Are you armed?", Russ hoarse voice boomed in the corridor.

Anton glanced at the man in suit and at Olivia. "What is he talking about", he asked.

"He wants to know if you have any weapon on you?", Olivia said to him.

"Are you guys expecting some kind of a shoot-out?", Anton snorted. Seeing the serious look on the menacing man's face and Olivia's cautionary stare, he sighed and held both arms up. "I have nothing on me, go ahead and check", he said to the guard.

Russ proceeded to give Anton a brief frisk and nodded when he didnt find any weapon. Then the man in dark suit opened the door and ushered both Anton and Olivia into the penthouse.

Anton saw himself in spacious european style living-room, admirably furnished with luxurious furnitures. An expensive silk curtain ran from the high ceiling to the marble floor was on both side of the large window and spread apart to allow the bright sunshine to flow into the room and showed a paranomic view of the city.

"Hello Donnie", Olivia began cheerily and went over to a man in a blue flower designed silk robe, sitting on a sofa and staring at them. "How are you doing, darling", she continued sweetly.

The man, Donnie, lazily left the cigar he was smoking in an ashtray lying on te sofa side-table and gestured a hand at Olivia. And she stopped in her tracks. Then Donnie gave her a long steady stare with a snake-like look on his face.

"I thought i told you never to come to my place unless you have something very important to bring", he began quietly.

"Oh Donnie dear, can't i atleast come and see you are doing?", Olivia sighed. "I miss you alot".

"Well i dont", Donnie muttered and narrowed his eyes at Olivia. Then he turn his eyes at Anton.

Anton was taking cursory glances around the house and at the two other men that were also present in the house and sitting at the table in the dining place and watching both him and Olivia. Both men were steadily regarding Anton with an attentive look, anticipating for any wrong move from him. Anton gave them a weak smile and continued with his glances.

Who is your friend?", Donnie asked and jerked his head at Anton, after giving him a short- lived keen look.

"Good to see you too", Anton put in before Olivia could answer the question and proceeded to one of the sofas. Both men at the dining table made a move to get to their feet but Donnie motioned at them to remain still. "You can call me Anton.....Anton Pope", Anton grunted as he dropped his weight on the leather furniture with soft cushion.

Donnie stared at Anton from head to toe as Anton made himself comfortable in sofa, regarding him with a blank expression. "Anton Pope huh?", he then began with a smirk. "Are you somehow related to the man of God in the Vatican city?", he asked.One of the men in the dining room snorted. Anton did so too. "Wont he be mighty pissed if he finds out that you are dealing with this wh@re?", Donnie asked again and jerked his head at Olivia.

"Well i would love to be a relative of his", Anton smiled. "If he was the man doing God's left hand work", he added.

"Whatever", Donnie murmured and reached for his cigar. "So, what can i do for you?", he asked after lighting the thickly rolled tobacco and taking a few drags.

Anton studied Donnie for a while. He could tell that the man was in his early forties. Donnie was average, both in his build and looks with a permanent mean look on his face that reflected the kind of man he was. His image protrayed a man with alot of authority, or what he was trying to show.

"I came here for a business proposition....and it involves someone that you know or rather, someone that works for you", Anton replied and crossed his legs.

Donnie gave Olivia a glance. "What kind of business and who is the person?", he asked and looked at Anton.

"Before i begin, i want her to leave us alone", Anton said and pointed at Olivia. She furrowed her brows and gave him an inquisitive gaze.

"Well i dont mind her staying here, so go ahead and say your business proposition", Donnie sighed.

"I beg to differ", Anton said firmly. "I want her to wait outside", he insisted.

Donnie regarded Anton with some curiousity and then motioned at Olivia to leave them. Olivia hesitated, but not wanting to cross the man she had known very well and what he could, she quietly walked out of the living-room after giving Anton a look of disapproval for what he had said.

"Okay, now can you tell me what the hell brings you here?", Donnie asked impatiently after Olivia had left the room.

Anton rested his hand on his lap and steepled his fingers. "Actually i'm here because of a working girl from your agency", Anton replied coolly. "By the name is Abigail".

A brief fidgeting sound from dining room was heard when Anton mentioned the name.

Donnie threw a quick glance at men sitting there and pursed his lips as he stared at the burning end of his cigar. "I see", he began with a mischievous smile. "And what about her?", he asked intently.

Anton took a breath, gently exhaled and said, "I have been trying to contact her since yesterday, but all efforts in trying to reach her proved abortive".

"So what does it have do with me?", Donnie asked intently.

"Well i checked the website of the company, your company, and i found out that her profile and picture had been replaced", Anton replied coolly.

"You know these girls, they come and go when it pleases them. We give jobs to those willing to work and replace the ones that decides to quit. Maybe your Abigail is done with the job".

"Well, i'm also aware of the money that she owes you. Quite alot of money from what i heard".

Donnie's cigar stopped midway to his mouth when he heard what Anton just said. He stared at Anton for a shortwhile and smoked his cigar in silence.

"A man in your position wouldn't let a girl to just leave when such an amount of money is involved", Anton continued. "Infact you suppose to have sent King-kong to be scouring every streets and neighbourhood looking for her instead of him watching your front door....".

"And how did you get to know about the money that Abigail owes me, huh?", Donnie curtly interrupted. "Are you a family member of hers?", he asked again.

"I'm sure that you are well aware that she no longer has any living relative", Anton replied.

"Then you must be a very close friend".

"I guess so".

Donnie smirked. He took another drag from his cigar and blew a cloud of smoke and looked at Anton with the mischievous smile still on his face. "I bet a lot of sucking and f@cking must have happened for her to share all these things with a close friend", he sneered.

"I dont see how any of that is important", Anton shrugged.

"Well i'm just saying cos that's what she's only good at, what she does for a living", Donnie continued. "And the only thing that she could possibly offer to make someone go running around asking about her". The smile in Donnie's face slowly turned into an evil frown. "But the question is, is it really worth the effort....and trouble?", he asked with a sinister voice.

Anton gave Donnie a long steady stare and then reached inside his suit inner pocket. He took out a pen and a checkbook while Donnie watched him. The other men did so with alot of curiousity.

"I'm not good at putting price tags on anything...or even people", Anton began as he scribbled on the checkbook. "And neither am i a good judge of characters. But i know very well how things operate in your world, especially for people in Abigail's position and i fully understand that it is just business". He finished writing and held up the check. "So let's put aside the pissing competition and make a deal. This is a hundred and sixty thousand dollars, double the amount of money that Abigail is owing you. I know very well that she didnt just vanish into thin air, that's why i wanted the other girl to wait outside so that we can sort it out. And no one's dirty laundry would be aired out. So you can have this money and let Abigail go or tell me where she is", Anton concluded and waved the check at Donnie.

Donnie stared at Anton for a while with an expressionless look on his face as if trying to decipher what he was doing. Then his lips turned to a smile and he looked at the check Anton was holding. Then he motioned at the men in the dining room. Both of them got to their feet, came over to the living-room and stood beside Anton.

Anton glanced at the men as they gave him a hard glare, as if they were just one word away from beating him to death. "I guess it is a no-deal", he said calmly and looked at Donnie.

"Yeah, and you are also damn lucky that i'm in very good mood today", Donnie said with a sinister tone of voice. "So i want you to take your pocket change and get the f@ck of my house. If you are looking for your wh@re friend then go check the motel rooms and love shacks".

Then one of the men reached for the check in Anton's hand and took it from him. Anton turned his head and stared at the man as he slowly tore the check into pieces and then proceeded to stuff the shredded paper into the breast pocket of his suit jacket. After the man was done, he gave Anton a condescending smirk and gestured at him to leave.

Anton shifted his gaze from the man to his pocket. He stared at it for a few seconds and turned his gaze back to the man. He smiled at the man, brush off a piece of paper that was hanging on his suit and got to his feet. Then he nodded at Donnie and turned to leave.

"You said you know how things operate in my world", Donnie muttered as Anton was about to walk out.

Anton stopped in his tracks and looked over his shoulder.

"Then you will definitely know that if i ever see your ass again, i'm gonna kill you", Donnie warned.

"Well i dont take any threat lightly", Anton said his own warning quietly. "And you have to always bear that in mind", he concluded with a cold tone of voice and started walking towards the door.

The living-room door opened as Anton was about to reach for its handle, Tom walked in and almost bumped into Anton. Both men gave each other a short keen stare before Anton left the place, closing the door after him.

"Who's that guy, boss?", Tom asked and dropped his weight on the sofa.

Donnie smoked his cigar with his gaze fixed at the door. "I think we might have problem", he muttered.

Tom narrowed his eyes and looked at the door.

"As long as that bastard is going around asking about her", Donnie continued. "And i think that dope head b!tch must have said something too".

"I guess that explains why Olivia was looking nervous when i saw her", Tom said.

"Was she?", Donnie asked.

"I asked her why she was here, she couldn't give any good explanation", Tom replied. "And she seem kind of rattled, like she knows something".

"Do you think she knows?", Donnie asked with keen look on his face.

"I don't know. Olivia might be very close to that girl. Remember she was the one that use to brush up the new girls in the business", Tom replied.

Donnie sighed and took another drag from his cigar.

"Do you want me to take care of Olivia and that f@cking canary that came here with her, boss?", Tony asked. "You know we cant risk attracting any attention at all".

Donnie exhaled the smoke in his lungs with a thoughtful look. "So how is the client doing?", he then asked and looked at Tom.

Tom smiled mischievously. "The guy is cooling off", he said. "And really going through the girls like someone going to hell tomorrow for a man with a heart condition", Tom chuckled.

"And the other thing?", Donnie demanded, not being concerned with what Tom just said.

"The payment has been confirmed, boss. One and half million dollars in the offshore account", Tom replied.

"Good", Donnie's lip curved into a smile of satisfaction. We will have to begin the process as soon as possible". Then he looked at the door that Anton had walked through. "And i want the boys to follow the bastard that just left. Tell them not to kill him cos i want him to be alive so as to rethink his actions", he ordered.

"What about her?", Tom asked as he took out his cellphone to make the call.

Donnie reclined in the sofa and stared at his cigar with pursed lips. "Olivia had her chance to walk away. And she knew better than bringing that guy to my place", he said quietly. Then he looked at Tom. "I want her to be taken care of", he said.

Tom nodded and dialled a number.


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meneski:
Hello!!!!!!!!!!

dont worry, i was delayed by some issues. I will be posting updates soon.

boladex1:
ironkurtain thanks for the mention, don't read stories on nairaland again. but yours is one I will not mixed.

Good story as usual and following you bumper to bumper.

Bb4u, Ollyfad, SPDAZZY, iAreMozelle.

Segsbenks, kingphilip, Ashiat39

Emmyphey

TemitopeMercy

Niwdog

Asco9ty5

Labaski

Dhavido

Omotayelolu

Mutaino7

Bb4u, Ollyfad, SPDAZZY, iAreMozelle.

Segsbenks, kingphilip, Ashiat39

The uniformed woman behind the immigration check-in counter regarded the foreigner standing infront of her with a casual glance and lingered over the picture in the passport she was holding; his passport. The foreigner, a white man in his fifties and dressed in tourist outfit, looked very calm as he watched the immigration officer. He wore a very friendly look with the jovial smile on his face and only him knew that it was just an outwards facade he had to put up so as to help his case. And to also hide the venomous anger inside him that greatly increased by every second he was made to wait.

He had done all the routines as required, which also included the damn clothes he was wearing. And now standing before the woman he was told would grant him entrance within a blink of an eye. Well a thousand eye blinks had been made and he was still waiting for his passport to handed back with the check-in stamp.

After about half a minute more of riffling through the pages of the passport, the woman looked at the white man with a forced smile. Then she took a quick look at the other immigration officials, her fellow co-workers. Seeing that they were all busy processing the long line of the airport arrivals, she picked up the stamp printer and embossed the check-in ink on one of the pages in the passport.

"Enjoy your stay sir", she said to the white man who was already on his way after collecting his passport. Then she turned to another foreigner with some concern about what she had been forced to do; to check in a foreigner without going through the required protocols. And hoped that she doesnt end up being a part of some serious situation.

Marco Giancola a.k.a Don Gucci, steadily made his way through the crowded airport, heading towards the exit. Traveling alone with a disguise and fake passport was the only option he had in order to avoid detection. He was a man being hunted by the interpol and some criminal organizations with international connections. But this was just one of the many problems that was facing the boss of a Washington based crime family....or what's left of it.

The problems were many. He barely evaded arrest when the United states government's FBI came down on his organization to put an end to his operations, losing his right hand man in the process. He was fighting a losing war against a bitter enemy who's now almost taking over all his operations and businesses, the other Dons had turned their back on him and he suspects that one of them was giving his enemy a helping hand, and he was in the country to take care of the matter that topped all the other matters at hand.

It was a medical issue; a heart problem. Severe coronary artery disease, the doctor had told him. And it was coupled with a scarred heart tissue from a heart attack he had once suffered. The doctors had also told him that he didnt have much time left to live unless he gets a heart transplant.

He couldn't do the surgery in his country. Not because of the predicaments he was facing, but because of the long list of patients waiting for a healthy heart. By the time his number comes up, he would be long dead. He wanted to stay alive and healthy. And long enough to plot and take his revenge on his enemies. All of them. That's the reason for him being in this country. He would get a very healthy heart. And his connect had told him that with the right price, he would get one faster than ordering a cheese burger.

The glass door slided open and Don Gucci stepped out of the airport terminal building with his hand holding the handle of the luggage he was dragging with him. He paused, sighed and wiped the beads of sweat on his forehead despite coming out from a place that had its air-conditioners at full blast. He took a glance at his inexpensive wristwatch and saw it was past 9 am. Then he looked at the piece of paper he was holding on the other hand, written on it was the information of the car that will be picking him up from the airport. Still reading the details, a black Cadillac suv pulled up and came to a halt infront of him.

"Good day sir". The stout looking man that got out of SUV said to Don Gucci. The white man already knew that it was his ride after seeing the plate number that matched with the one written on the paper. "How was your trip?", the man asked with a friendly smile. Don Gucci regarded the man with and emotionless look on his face. He wasn't interested in any formalities and Tony saw it.

"Let us handle your luggage sir", Tony then said and motioned at the driver, who had also gotten down, to load the Don's travelling bag into the SUV. Tony opened the door to the backbeat and Don Gucci entered the car without saying a word to him. Then he made a quick glance around and looked at the another black SUV carrying the bodyguards that will be escorting them to the hotel where they had booked and also serve as Don Gucci's round the clock security. He gave them a signal and then slide into the seat next to the driver.

The car drove for about five minutes with Don Gucci staring at the scenery that flashed by while Tony took glances at the man through the rearview mirror.

"My boss is looking forward to meet you, sir", he then said and stared at Don Gucci through rearview mirror. "I can put a call if you wanna talk to him right now, sir", he continued. "Do you want to talk to.....".

"Let me tell you what i want", Don Gucci began coldly and interrupting Tony. "I want to be taken to my hotel room which i hope is of good taste, the best masseuse this sh!t city can provide, more girls to blow off some steam and then lots of rest", he continued. Then he turned his cold eyes at Tony. "Then i will tell you when i wanna meet your boss".

"At your service sir", Tony managed to say and gave the driver a look with a smirk on his face. Then he took out his cellphone to inform his partner, Tom, their visitor's needs.



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


"Its like you didnt get a proper sleep last night", Jim said to Anton as he stirred the second coffee cup.

"Yeah", Anton grunted, both his elbows on the desk with his forehead resting on his steepled fingers and his eyes closed. "Had to go through alot paperwork last night".

"Alot of headache and less sleep i guess". Jim smiled. He picked up the two identical ceramic coffee cup from the coffee table and crossed his office to his desk. He handed one to Anton and sipped his after dropping his weight on the swiveling leather seat. "Did the paperwork also do that to your hand?", he asked without looking at the slight abrasions on Anton's left knuckles.

Anton noticed it for the first time. "Nah, i got this from fixing something at my house", he smiled and sipped his coffee while giving his friend a look of intent from the corner of his eyes.

Jim nodded with pursed lips and set his coffee cup on the shiny surface of his chrome finished mahogany desk. He smiled weakly and gave Anton a short gaze and Anton could tell that his thoughts has something to do about him.

"I can tell that business is really slow.....cos i didnt see your secretaries sweating over a file when i walked into your office", Anton noted and glanced around Jim's well organized office.

"Yep", Jim murmured. He sipped from his coffee cup and left it on his desk and decided to tell his friend what he had in mind. "Well, a friend of mine dropped earlier by my office hours ago", he began and reclined in his seat. "He's a cop by the way. So in our friendly discussions, he decided to share some information on a cop job he was working on this morning", he continued, resting his clasped hands on his belly and glancing around his office". "He was investigating an incident that went down in a frat house party in some neighbourhood. He said that a lone uninvited guest dropped by the place and flattened everyone. Mind you there were seven dudes in that house". Jim smiled and rested his eyes on Anton who seemed less concern as he listened and sipped his coffee. "And the reason for the seismic beatdown, according to one of the victims, was all because of a woman", he chuckled.

"Ha!", Anton snorted. "This must be one hell of a woman, probably wields alot of power and influence", he chuckled too.

"Nope", Jim disagreed. "From the few things that the victims managed to tell the cops, the said woman seems to be in the same line of profession as that girl you usually hook up with, probably several rungs below in the rankings for her to be dealing with them frat boys", he said.

"She's still a woman", Anton sighed.

Jim smiled. "Anyway, from the way this friend of mine described the injuries sustained by the victims and other statements from the neighbours, it's like the perpetrator is a highly trained nut-case or perhaps a guy who knows what he was doing and also possesses a special set of skills in combat".

"What makes you think so?", Anton asked.

Jim steadily gazed at him. "Well it's highly unlikely for an average Joe to just walk into a house full of adrenaline boosted roughnecks and put them all down with an out-of-control beating", he replied.

Anton nodded. He sipped his coffee quietly and stared back at Jim.

"I even suspect that the guy is one of ours", he added, still gazing at Anton.

Anton snorted and looked away.

Then Jim looked at Anton's hands. "So did you really hurt that knuckles by just fixing something last night or am i getting the wrong idea?",

Anton snorted again. "So what are you saying?", he asked.

"Well, I may be wrong but i think whatever it is that you were fixing last night happened to put seven men in the hospital ICU", Jim replied.


Anton sighed. There's no need to lie to his friend. "Well, it's still better than leaving them on the cold slab with toe tags",  Anton muttered and confirmed Jim's suspicion.

Jim heaved a heavy sigh and thoughfully stared at the papers infront of him. "I don't know what it is about that chick that had gotten into you, but you have to bear two things in mind", he then said. "First, girls like that aint loyal and are not to be trusted, secondly, we are among the selected few that are seen as the government's million dollar secret weapon that shouldn't be used recklessly", Jim said. "And doing a non-government approved damage is almost considered a treason for people like us", he warned.

"I thought we were the guys that are trained to go against people with bad intentions for humanity", Anton said.

"Yeah, government approved and against terrorists, not a Captain-save-a-hoe", Jim noted.

"Let's get past her occupation and see her as a human-being", Anton put in. "And according to the woman who's responsible for those rough-necks' beatdown in the house, she might be in great danger and in need of help" he continued.

Jim gave Anton a thoughtful stare. "Can you tell me what's going on?", he then asked.

Then Anton told him the whole story; what Abigail had said to him in the hotel room, the changes he saw in the escort agency website and also told him how he found Olivia, the story of Abigail's debt that she had told him, about Donnie the man running the agency and the disappearances.

That's one hell of a story", Jim then said with a concerned look on his face. "But are you sure that this Olivia chick is not pulling your chains by making up some bullshit story so as to get you into more trouble?", he asked.

"I intend to check it out", Anton replied.

Jim moved from his reclined position and rested both elbows on his table. "Dude i know your concerns, but in this situation, you gotta thread lightly", he sighed the warning. "This man that runs the operation sounds like a very bad guy and getting into a situation with this guy and other bad people that are into this sh!t with him aint good at all".

"I know, that's why i came to you", Anton smiled

Jim heaved a sigh and shook his head. He definitely dont want his best friend to carry on with something that might get him in trouble. And neither would he refuse to help him if he needed one. "So what do you want?", he asked.

"I will be needing some of your devices and also a few workers", Anton replied.

Jim thought for a short while and nodded. "Okay", he said. "But please let it be strictly for reconnaissance", he warned. "I don't want any of my workers to be in your company when you start running around incinerating the country".

"I will remember that", Anton smiled.


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Josephdominic
Ibukun
Ojusco
orijintv
Gotee11
oluwaemmanuel

JohnGainsville:
Following
I really enjoyed reading your previous works. Twas wonderful

Thanks bro.....i hope to leave u well entertained with this one.

CHAPTER 4



Olivia woke up with a slight cough and moved her palm to her forehead. She slowly opened her eyes and found herself staring at a man sitting on a chair beside the bed and watching her attentively. Trying to recollect what had happened yesterday before the blackout, she sat up slowly with a low groan and sighed with her eyes shut. She remained still with her eyes closed for a while, opened them and then looked at the man who was seated facing her. She gave him an inquisitive stare with a surprising calm for a woman who just woke up in an unknown place with a stranger sitting infront of her. It seemed to impress the man from the way he looked her.

"Who are you?", Olivia asked quietly.

"Sam", Anton replied with his fake name.

"Sam", Olivia murmured the name and turned her head to the side with a smirk on her face. "Atleast you are a good looking man, thank God for that", she began. "I wouldn't wanna wake up in room with an ugly guy named Sam", she sighed. Then Olivia took a quick glance around the room and immediately knew where she was. "Which hotel is this?", she asked.

"Marriott hotel", Anton replied.

"Hm....you really do have some class".

"The booking would have been much easier if your friend had one".

"Who?".

The toilet flushed and it drew Olivia's attention to the bathroom door. The door opened and Katie stepped out, wrapped in a bathrobe with a towel in her hand, rubbing her wet hair. She saw that Olivia had woken up and her face brightened up. Olivia was surprised to see her.

"Olivia!", Katie began and rushed to the bed. "How are you doing honey?", she asked and gave Olivia a tight hug.

"Well, you can see that i ain't dead yet", Olivia replied with a confused look on her face. Then she break away from the hug. "So what are we doing here?", she asked Katie with furrowed brows. "And...who is this fine looking gentleman?", she asked with almost a whisper and jerked her head at Anton who was staring at them in silence.

"He is Sam, the guy i told you about last night", Katie replied and glanced at Anton with a weak smile.

Olivia thought for a short while. "Oh!, i remembered", she nodded. "The guy you said that was looking for me, right?".

Katie nodded and rubbed Olivia's back, she couldn't control her joy of seeing her friend being in good shape.

"So why are we here?". She gave Anton a suspicious glance. "Did...something happen last night?", she asked and looked at Katie with a playful smile.

"Yeah...something happened", Anton cut in before Katie could reply and got to his feet. "In AJ's house...and it was because of some dope you stole from him", he continued and took out his cellphone to check on a message that just arrived.

Olivia thought again and recollected the incident at her place, AJ roughing up and dragging her out of the apartment. The rest that followed, she couldnt remember.

"He saved you from AJ and his creep friends", Katie told Olivia. "I called Sam when that bastard took you away and also showed him where he lives", Katie continued. She wanted Olivia to know that she also played a role in her rescue.

"I'm sorry that you got dragged into a situation with that sonofabitch", Olivia apologized with a sigh and looked at Anton.

Their eyes met and Anton held the gaze for a while. Olivia was as beautiful as Abigail, probably more with her perfect lips, seductive eyes and body with curves at the right places. He had watched over her as she slept and wondered why in hell would she want to be with a dead-beat like AJ when she can have any man she wants. Sometimes it's hard to understand women.

"The guy is crazy", Anton said and turned his eyes away. "You should have known better than to steal from him", he continued, pretending to checking his phone even though he was done checking the message. "Anyway, i dont think he will bother you or your friend again", Anton concluded and put his cellphone inside his suit inner pocket.

Olivia furrowed her brows. "What is he talking about?", she asked Katie.

Katie slowly shook her head with a distant gaze. "I dont think AJ will ever bother you again. Ever", she murmured and looked at Olivia with a look of concern.

"In the mean time you girls can stay here. I've already paid for two nights, including the breakfast, lunch and dinner", Anton said. "Two days is enough for the heat at AJ's house to cool off abit, and for you girls to decide on how to get cleaned up cos next time, someone might not be around to pull off yesterday's stunt".

Then Anton nodded at two young women and head towards the door.

"Wait!, why do you want to see me?", Olivia asked as Anton reached for the door handle.

"Well i wanted to get some information on someone that i know", Anton said and looked over his shoulder. "But i had a change of heart along the way, especially with the sh!t i had to deal with yesterday".

"And who is the person?".

"A working girl by the name Abigail".

A grave look suddenly overshadowed Olivia's face on hearing the name. She dropped her gaze and looked to her side with a thoughtful look on her face. Anton saw the sudden change in her mood and turned around. It has gotten his interest.

"What's the matter?", Anton asked Olivia intently.

"Nothing", Olivia murmured, but she was troubled and it was clear in her tone of voice.

Anton tucked both hands inside his pockets. "Infact i think i will be needing that information", he said, narrowing his eyes at Olivia.

Olivia sighed, thought for a while and looked at Katie. "Do you have some money with you?", she asked.

"Yes", Katie replied.

"Good. I want you to go buy me some candies from the convenience shop", Olivia said and gave Katie a pat on her small shoulder.

Katie gave both Anton and Olivia a suspicious look and got out of bed. She hesitated abit and then slipped out of the bathrobe to put on her clothes, not minding if Anton saw her nudity; he stole a glance at her as she changed clothes and regretted doing so. When she was done, she quietly walked out of the hotel room.

"Is Sam your real name?", Olivia asked, moments after Katie had closed the door after her.

Anton smiled. "Nope", he replied.

"Just like i thought", Olivia murmured. "You dont look like a guy with the name Sam", she smirked.

"My name is Anton....Anton Pope", he said and paced towards the chair he had earlier sat on.

Olivia nodded. "You look exactly as how Abigail described you, Anton", she said.

"Did Abigail tell you about me?", Anton asked and dropped his weight on the chair.

"She never stopped talking about you", Olivia almost exclaimed. "Meeting you was like one of the best thing to ever happen to her".

Anton took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. He was getting the feeling that it's going to be a long talk between them. He lit one for himself and lit another for Olivia who also took one when he held the pack infront of her.

"She said you were quite the gentleman", Olivia continued after two puffs at her cigarette. "And the only client that treated her well....and the client she always longed to meet again".

Anton was flattered. He smiled weakly with his eyes staring at the glowing end of his cigarette. "I know she might have said alot about me", he began and put the filter end of his cigarette inbetween his lips. "But i still want to know the reason for your reaction when i mentioned her name", he said and exhaled the smoke out of his lungs. "Infact, i want you to tell me everything you know about Abigail", Anton demanded with some seriousness in his tone of voice.

Olivia stared at the cigarette inbetween her fingers. "Abigail had a problem and it's her being too nice to every person she met ", she began and took a drag from the burning tobacco. "She always wanted to help anyone that came running to her with problems. Some even came just to take advantage of her, but she still remained Abigail the helper", Olivia said sarcastically, shook her head and smoked the cigarette.

"So what happened?", Anton asked.

"Like every other person that takes care of other people's problems to their own detriment, she started having problems", Olivia replied.

"And what are these problems?", Anton demanded.

"Her brother", Olivia replied. Then she heaved sigh. "It's a long story that i wouldn't wanna waste your time telling, but all i can say is he was a drug addict and also had a large gambling debt", she continued. "Abigail being the nice person she is, tried to help his situation because he was the only family she had".

"Was?", Anton furrowed his brows.

Olivia looked at Anton and nodded with a sad face. "Abigail was steadily making the payments for his debts. One time she was late; her monthly pay was delayed, so the men he was owing paid him a visit".

Olivia paused and looked away. Anton looked her closely and saw she was trying to hide the tears that was welling up in her eyes. Heaving a sigh, he looked at his cigarette and extinguished its flame inbetween his thumb and forefinger.

"He was barely recognizable when we saw him", Olivia continued, rubbing her eyes with a sniff. "And died days later in the hospital", she looked at Anton. "Now you can see that Abigail had to deal with paying hospital bills and the men that later met and threatened to kill her and everybody that she knows, if she didnt pay her brother's debt, even though he was dead. And that's how she started working for Donnie, their leader".

Anton stared at Olivia with a puzzled look on his face. "Are you telling me that this guy, Donnie, who's responsible for her brother's death, is her boss?", he asked.

Olivia nodded.

"Is he the man that runs the escort agency?", he asked.

Olivia nodded again. "Working for Donnie was the only way for Abigail to stop him from carrying out his threat and also pay up her late brother's debt which, by the way, was twice her monthly pay in her old job, to be paid every month".

"For how many months?", Anton asked.

Olivia shook her head. "I dont know,....Abigail herself doesn't even know", she replied. "Your debt is settled only if Donnie says so and the numbers tends to greatly change with every incomplete or missed payment",

Anton remained silent for a while with a thoughtful look. "The debt", he then began and looked at Olivia. "How much is it?", he asked.

Olivia thought for a while. "The last time i asked Abigail, she said it was....about eighty thousand dollars", Olivia replied. "Perhaps less cos she had being making regular payments", she added.

Then Anton thought again. "Have there ever been a situation where a debtor decided to bailout?", he asked.

"You mean to vanish with the debt unpaid?", Olivia asked.

Anton nodded.

The grave look returned to Olivia's face. "Four people had done that and according to Donnie, they were nowhere to be found, Olivia said quietly.

"Donnie said that he couldn't find them?", Anton asked.

Olivia nodded. "He even said that one them, also a working girl, fled to another country. She looked at Anton. "I dont think that's what really happened cos she was a very close friend, but Donnie wasn't aware of that", Olivia continued with some fear in her tone of voice. "I know my friend very well. She might had done things that no-one would like to talk about, but she's not the cut and run type".

"Well, situation do bring sudden changes to some people's attitude", Anton noted with a shrug. "Maybe they did infact cut and run".

Olivia gave Anton an angry stare. "Yeah right, i'm sure you will say the same for Donnie who also played down the situation, saying how he had decided to write off the debt", she said irritatedly. "I saw what that man did to Abigail's brother just because of a payment not made on time, and you think that a ruthless evil bastard like him would write off the debts of people that decided to bail on him?".

Then Olivia paused with a thoughtful look on her face. And then turned away as Anton closely stared at her, hiding her teary eyes again. She was a tough woman that hates people seeing her in her moment of weakness. And Anton admired that.

"I called Abigail yesterday", Olivia then said. "But i couldn't reach her cos her cellphone was off. I went to her apartment to check on her and she wasn't there. Then i asked her manager and he told me that he too had been trying to reach her to no avail, but i could tell that he didnt seem to care at all".

Anton listened with an attentive stare at Olivia.

"A week ago Abigail told me about this extensive medical tests that she was made to go through", Olivia continued. "Quite different from the monthly tests that working girls are required to undergo".

"And i guess your friend talked about this test before she allegedly fled to another country", Anton said to her intently.

Olivia lips trembled abit. "Something is going on,...something that's not good at all. I spent all day yesterday looking for Abigail. But she is nowhere to be found. It's like she just suddenly disappeared. I think she is in trouble and it scares me". Then she looked away. "I still see my friend in most of my dreams at night", she sobbed. "And in every dream, her arms are reaching out, begging for help, while i'm trying to save her", she looked at Anton. "That's the reason for my.....you know", she gestured at the needle track marks on her arm; her drug use.

Anton thoughtfully stared at Olivia for a while. He took a glance at his wristwatch and then got up. "Okay this is what i want you to do", he began and took out his cellphone. "I want you and your friend to stay here and dont go anywhere. I mean nowhere except that bathroom", he said. "If it is must that you have to leave, then dont talk about our discussion and deny ever meeting me if asked, okay?".

Olivia nodded.

"Make sure your friend does the same", Anton concluded after checking his cellphone. "I will call you soon or later so be sure to answer the phone".

Then he nodded at Olivia and reached for the door handle. Olivia murmured her thanks and gave him a weak smile as he left and was still smiling as he closed the door after him.


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Katie was in the car when she saw Anton step out of the house, carrying Olivia in his arms. She immediately jumped out to rush towards them. Anton told her to open the car back door. That, she did and Anton gently laid Olivia in the back seat, ensuring that the young woman was comfortably placed. He shut the door and immediately went back into the house. Seconds later he reappeared, holding the hammer and the screwdriver.

Katie stared with some fear in her eyes as Anton opened the car trunk and tossed them inside it. She sighted the bloodstains on his shirt and got more afraid.

"What did you do to them?", she asked.

"Settled a disagreement", Anton replied coldly and got hold of the Acetone can.

"And what's that for?", Katie pointed at the can.

Anton took out Aj's car key and pressed a button. One of the four cars parked near the house beamed its headlamps and unlocked with a sound. "It's for that car", Anton replied and went over to the car.

Katie watched as he opened the car door And furrowed her brows when he ripped open the cover of the Acetone can and doused inside of the car with the liquid in the can. When he was done, Anton lit up a piece of paper he saw in the car and threw the flame inside the car.

A gasped of breath escaped Katie's mouth when the car interior caught fire. Anton came over to where she was standing, lit himself another cigarette and smoked while he watched the car burn. Katie stared at Anton for a while with her mouth open. Then she glanced at Aj's house and looked back at Anton. She now wondering who was more crazy between the man that took her friend into the house and the man that brought her out.

Anton finished smoking and went over to the drivers side of the car. Katie also moved, done very quickly, and sat next to Anton as he shut the door and brought life to the car engine. He hit the gear and gas pedal and put the car in motion.

As Mercedes benz drove off, Katie looked over her shoulder and stared through the car back-screen. She watched as the fire burning Aj's car started raging wildly. Then she checked on Olivia, her friend and looked at Anton who worked the woodgrain steering wheel with an unfazed look on his face.

"What is GWB?", Katie asked him.

Go in, Waste them, Bounce out. That's what it meant. But Katie didn't get to know it because Anton left her question unanswered.

Anton remained still and stared at the door, feeling disrespected as the loud music and laughters of the men in the house filled his ears. Then he examined his stained suit and turned around.

"Maybe if...if you pay him more money.....", Katie began as Anton headed back to his car. But he wasn't listening. "Sam!", she called out.

"Are u coming or not?", Anton stopped and asked impatiently.

Katie was confused, but she followed him and both of them entered the car. "What are we gonna do?", she asked Anton as he fastened his seatbelt. She didnt get a reply.

Anton brought life to the car engine and started driving with an expressionless look on his face. Katie stared at him as he drove, eagerly waiting for an answer or atleast to say something or tell her where they are heading to. Getting none at all, she sighed with a downcast gaze.

"I cant go to the police", Katie murmured sadly. To her it seems to be the only place for them to go and probably where Anton was heading to. But that's the last place she would want to go, her reason being that she's a fugitive of the law because of a crime that she had committed, though it wasnt a serious one.

"Sam, i can't go to the police", Katie murmured again.

"Who said we are going to the police?", Anton said and it attracted Katie's stare. He was now glancing around the street as he drove.

Anton remembered seeing a hardware shop near a gas station on their way to AJ's house. He finally caught sight of the shop; it was on the other side of the road and still open. Making a wild U-turn that made the Mercedes benz tires to screech out loud, Anton drove straight to the place and brought the car to a halt infront of the shop. Then he quickly unbuckled his seatbelt, got out of the car and with quick strides he entered the hardware shop.

Wondering what Anton was up to, Katie got out of the car. She stared at the shop and read its sign. And then entered the place too.

The middle aged shopkeeper was getting ready to close shop when Anton walked in. The man beamed a welcoming smile at him and went over to the counter to see what the customer wanted.

"Good evening sir how can i help you", the shopkeeper asked when Anton stood infront of him.

Anton nodded at the shop keeper and made a quick glance around the shop, checking the tools in stock. "I would like to pick up a few things", he then said.

"Okay sir". The shopkeeper took out a pen and note from his pocket. "What do you want?".

Katie stepped inside the shop and stood beside Anton. She looked at the shopkeeper who smiled on seeing her. She ignored the man and glanced around the hardware place. Then she looked at Anton, still wondering why he came to the place and what it has to do with helping her friend.

"I want a fourteen inches steelhead crack-hammer", Anton began. "I prefer the one made by Buster Tools company".

"We got that one sir", the shopkeeper nodded and wrote it down.

"One gallon size can of acetone", Anton continued. "And one six inches slot head screwdriver",

The shopkeeper wrote everything down and looked at Anton. "Anything else?", he asked. Anton shook his head. "Okay", he said and left.

Minutes later the man reappeared, carrying Anton's order in both hands. He quietly left it on the counter table and reached for the calculator beside him. Anton looked at the hardwares and picked up the hammer. Katie watched as he examined the hammer's shiny steel head and ran his fingers on it rubber coated handle. She was now having a creeping sense of dread, seeing the hammer in Anton's hand and thinking about what Aj did to him.

"Helping the lady with some repairs i guess", the shop keeper smiled and glanced at Katie as Anton inspected the hammer.

Anton shook his head. "Just going somewhere to do a GWB", he sighed and left the hammer on the counter.

"GWB?, hm.....never heard of that", the shopkeeper said with less concern as he punched the calculator buttons. Then he told Anton the cost and reached for a plastic bag when Anton took out his wallet. "There you go", he said and handed the bag to Anton.

"Thanks, and you keep the change", Anton said with a weak smile after paying the man.

The shopkeeper counted the money, smiled and bid them farewell as Anton and Katie left the place.




Anton parked the vehicle at a spot that was away from the building that was still raging with a loud house party. He killed the engine and got out of the car. Katie paused for a few seconds and also got out as Anton was unbuttoning his suit jacket. She stood beside him and stared as he took out a pack of cigarette from one of his pocket. Anton lit one for himself. He held the pack infront of Katie, she took one with a shaky hand and he light the tobacco for her. Then both of them smoked in silence with Anton steadily gazing at the house with no expression in his face and taking glances at his wristwatch.

"What do you wanna do", Katie asked intently and looked at Anton.

"To smoke this cigarette", Anton replied. Then he pointed at A.J's house. "And let them enjoy the weed and get their fill of liquid courage", he continued.

"And then what?", Katie asked, she didnt really understand what Anton was saying but with the hammer and screwdriver in the car, she was sensing trouble.

Anton flicked the half smoked cigarette to the ground. "You will soon know", he replied to Katie and proceeded to take off his suit jacket. He undid his tie and opened the car back door. He carefully folded the clothes and laid it beside the plastic bag. Then he unbuttoned and folded the sleeves of his shirt and grabbed both the hammer and the screwdriver

"Wait!" Katie began, tossing the cigarette away and walking up to Anton. She had realized that a physical confrontation was about to happen. "Do you intend to take on all those guys?",  she asked with fear in her eyes as Anton tucked the screwdriver in his waist belt. "There are many of them!", she protested.

"Well", Anton slammed the door and looked in the direction of the house. "Let's just hope that they have the stamina for the showdown".  Anton muttered. "You wait here and dont go anyway", he ordered Katie and started heading towards the house with a determined look on his face. He heard Katie call out his fake name and told him to be careful.

Anton couldn't remember the last time he was disrespected, but the one he took from that punk and "less than a human" woman beater by the name Aj, really got into him. And it made his anger to over-ride his countless civil ways of settling disputes. Even the tall one that had the nerve to come to his face like the big badass he probably always think he is, Anton thought with a smirk as he approached the door. The fool was second on his list and he intends to really really hang a serious one on that bastard.

Anton reached the entrance to the house. At the same time the door opened and two men stepped out of the house. The tall man that had earlier stepped out was one of them. Both men were high. But they were well aware enough to see the cold faced stranger infront of them, carrying a hammer.

Before any of them could understand the situation, Anton wickedly swung the hammer, hitting the tall guy on the side of his face and knocked him to the ground. The other man tried to react but Anton was all over him, bashing the man up with the hammer and violent blows from his fist. And left him incapacitated on the ground. Then Anton turned to the tall man who was shaking off the concussion he had recieved and getting up for an attack. Anton went at the man with both his fist and the hammer.....and also with the screwdriver tucked in waist belt. He did well in fulfilling his intentions and left the tall man lying unconscious, severely beaten with fractures in alot places and bleeding quite profusely from stab wounds caused by the screwdriver; Anton made sure to hit some nerves.

Seeing that both men were rendered incapacitated, Anton stepped into the house and kicked the door shut. This attracted the attention of the other men in the house, including AJ. They all stopped what they were doing and stared at Anton as he stepped into the loud party that was going on in the living-room, brandishing a hammer.

"So are you gonna let her leave with me now or what?", Anton mouthed out at AJ with a cold look.

The men didn't clearly hear what he said because of the loud music. But seeing the look in his eyes with the hammer he was holding, they knew that the man meant business. And then they immediately acted, thinking they had the advantage because of the numerical difference with the alcohol and marijuana in their system greatly inflating that sense of courage. They all grabbed what was within their reach and went on the attack.

Anton put his long years of special force deadly combat training into use as five angry men who were under the influences rushed at him. He too got in the midst of them to do damages. And the house party turned into a violent rough house.

Dodging a blow from the bottle swung at him by the first man he encountered, Anton stunned the man with a left hook punch. Then he ducked down and knocked the second man off his feet with a hammer blow to the his leg. The hammer got redirected to the first man's face and its steel head broke his jaw. Another face took a violent blow from the hammer, another man dropped after suffering a brutal fracture and terrible bruises. The next man that came after him, lost a few teeth, had his thick lips severely busted and suffered a broken shoulder blade .

The men threw everything they had at Anton; fists, some furnitures, bottles, the bottle crate, even two ceramic ashtrays flew past his head. And like a stubborn fly dancing around countless angry swats of a fly catcher, Anton dodged the blows and also dealt his. A few blows hit him. Some had to be taken so as to defend himself from a deadly one. But his replies did greater damages as he struck them hard and mercilessly.

One man made a desperate move and managed to get his arms tightly wrapped around Anton. Another saw it as an opportunity and grabbed a broken bottle and wildly came forward. With a lightening judo flip, Anton threw the man holding him forward and sent guy plowing into his incoming partner who ended up stabbing his back with the broken bottle. Both of them end up rolling on the floor, the one with the fresh stab wound crying in pain. Anton dazed another man, picked up the hammer he had somehow dropped and went at the men on the floor. And gave them the business, violently, using the hammer to break bones and cut tendons. Then he went at the last man standing between him and AJ.

AJ who had been standing back throughout the fight was waiting with the intention of attacking when Anton gets worn out. But it didn't seem to be happening at all. Anton was still fighting with the same level of ferocity that had already left four men lying on the floor, bleeding with limbs broken and face bloodily battered.

When the man dropped after taking a quick brutal beating, Anton went at his prime target, AJ, who was now making the same mistake like others. Anton skillfully dodged the punches he threw and then let the poor bastard be on the receiving end of involuntary accidents caused by voluntary military muscles.

Powerful hooks hit AJ across the face and gave him a heavyweight boxing type of concussion. A hard kick to his side hit him with the power of a fast moving car and broke some ribs. Six hard and fast punches to his guts knocked all the air out of him, coupled with a knee kick that set-off an agonizing fire of never-experienced kind of pain in him. AJ was now losing consciousness, but he well felt the power of the right over-hand punch to his face that pushed some teeth into his mouth.

The melee end with AJ lying in a heap and Anton breathing hard as he stared at his last victim. Picking up the hammer, he proceeded to the loud playing stereo player and ended the noise in the house by leaving it in pieces. Then Anton controlled his breath as he looked around the house and at the human wreckage that his blizzard had left. Finding a crumpled pack of cigarettes on the floor, he lit one for himself, got hold of the pain dealing hammer and went over to where AJ was lying. He stood over the him, watching the badly beaten man regain consciousness as he smoked his victory cigarette.

AJ groaned painfully and moved. It prompted Anton to toss the cigarette away and bend over him.

"Where is she?", Anton asked coldly.

AJ gave no reply. He was in so much pain to even know that a question was being asked. Anton didnt care, he grabbed the man's right hand, forcefully spread his fingers on the hard floor and brought down the hammer head on his thumb. AJ bellowed a loud agonizing scream. Anton then roughly grabbed and faced him upwards, and placed the hammer on his crotch.

"If i ask the question the second time, this house gonna be a reminder of how you lost your balls", Anton warned. "Answer me!", he barked at the hurting man.

"In the room....on the left", AJ moaned and whined in pain.

Then Anton searched his pockets. He took out a car key from one pocket and the money he had earlier given AJ from another.

"You wont be needing this", Anton waved the money at him. He straightened up and left, taking the car keys with him.

Anton kicked open the door to the room and saw the young woman lying in the bed. She was fully dressed in a mini skirt and cleavage baring sleeveless blouse. Lying on the table beside the bed was an empty syringe; she had been injected with a drug. Anton gently lifted her head and checked her pulse. Then he gave her a few light slaps on the face. The woman responded with a weak moan. She turned her head, gave Anton a look with weak eyes, smiled faintly with inaudible murmur and dropped her head. Anton then positioned himself well to lift her out of bed.

Anton brought the Benz to a halt at the same spot he had done earlier. Katie, the woman, was standing where he had told her to wait when he was on his way back to the neighborhood. She looked abit terrified, nervously pacing back and forth, and scratching the arm with the needle spots. And she had also put on a different cloth that made her look better, though her hair still remained unkempt. She saw the Benz and hurriedly came over after seeing who was behind the wheels.

"What's the matter?", Anton asked as Katie quickly slided into the front passenger seat and slammed the door. "What happened to Olivia?", he demanded.

"Her boyfriend!", Katie began breathlessly.

"What about him?", Anton asked, hoping that it wasn't some wild goose chase.

"He came with another guy....probably his friend and both of them took Olivia away!", Katie said frantically.

Anton gazed at the woman, checking to see if she was under the influence of what she might had been injecting in her arm. "But you told me that she wasn't in the house", he then said.

"She came back a few minutes after you left!", Katie put in and scratched her arm. "As i...i was telling her about you, her boyfriend came in", she continued.

"And?"

"They had an argument....he slapped her around and then said he was gonna hurt her bad if she didn't follow him and his friend!".

"What's his reason for this behaviour?".

Katie paused for a short while with a nervous look on her face and then said, "He said Olivia stole something from him".

"Stole something from him", Anton muttered thoughtfully.

"Yes!", Katie said frantically.

"Did she really steal from him", Anton asked.

Katie said nothing with the nervous look still on her face.

"Well you better answer my question if you want me to help you", Anton said seriously. "Did she steal from her boyfriend?", he asked again.

Katie nodded.

"What?", Anton demanded.

Katie scratched her arm again and remained silent with a downcast gaze.

Anton glanced at her arm. "Is it drugs?", he asked suspiciously.

Katie remained mute for a few seconds and nodded.

Anton looked away and heaved a sigh. He had just realized that dealing with a thieving drug addict was part of the mission of finding Abigail. It doesn't sound good at all. And so it changed his decision in finding Abigail after a brief consideration.

"We have to go help her!", Katie said hysterically and drawing Anton's attention back to her.

"We have to go to the police immediately", Anton suggested. "I will drive to the nearest.....".

"No!". Katie grabbed Anton's arm; her grip was quite painful. "I can't go to the police!".

"Why?", Anton asked surprisingly.

"Please!....i can't go!", Katie insisted.

Anton stared ahead thoughtfully and then looked at Katie. "Do you know where her boyfriend took her to?", he then asked.

Katie shook her head. "But i know where he lives", she said.

"Well....that's a good start", Anton murmured and brought life to the engine.



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Anton studied the houses in the middle class neighborhood that Katie had directed him to. All the homes are a single storey house and well spaced with a front yard lawn. It was past 9 pm and the streets was empty.

"Over there". Katie pointed at a particular house and Anton guided the car to the place.

As they approached, they saw several car, about four, parked on the street infront of the house. They could hear the loud music that was being played inside the house. Definitely some kind of party was going on inside.

They reach and Anton parked the Benz away from the other cars. He paused briefly and looked at Katie; she looked tense and shaking abit with alot of concern written on her face as she stared at the house. Probably thinking about her friend Olivia, and her fate in the hands of those men that took her away.

"What's Olivia's boyfriend name?", he asked and unbuckled his seatbelt.

"AJ", Katie replied.

Anton opened the car door and gave the car compartment box a short look before getting out. Katie also got out and followed behind him as both of them crossed the lawn, heading toward the door. The music was getting louder. As they walked, Anton paused in his steps. He made a quick scan on the scanty lawn of the front while Katie wondered what he was doing. Then he saw what he was searching for, impressions on the ground caused by the heels of a female footwear. There was only one set of prints and it showed signs of struggles.

Anton adjusted his jacket and went over to the front door. Katie cautiously followed. Anton banged at the door and waited. And banged again when no one seems to be answering. On the second knock the door swung open and a tall man stood before Anton, holding a bottle of beer that was half empty. A look in the man's eyes showed that he was slightly drunk and high on weed. A cloud of smoke preceded him after he opened the door and the one in the house was astonishing.

"What?", the man began with a hoarse voice and belched out beer smell.

Anton looked ahead of the man and saw some other men, drinking and talking loud among themselves. They were six in number; the man standing before them made it seven. The music in the house played at an ear-splitting volume.

"I wanna see AJ", Anton said.

"What?".

"I said i wanna see AJ".

The man stared at Anton from head to toe, gave Katie a short look and then said, "This is an only friends party".

"I know", Anton agreed. "That's why i wanna see AJ", he insisted.

The man gave Anton another look, took a sip from his bottle and then stepped back into the house, closing the door after him. Anton sighed at the smell of marijuana that lingered in the air. He looked at Katie who still looked nervous. She looked back at Anton and he gave her a reassuring smile.

Minutes later the door swung open and the tall man reappeared with another man. He was nearly as tall as Anton with a clean shaved head and an unfriendly look in his face. The man saw Katie and gave her a recognizing chuckle. Katie inched a little bit behind Anton on seeing the man. Anton felt her shaking hand when she got hold of his upper arm.

"You wanna see me?", the man asked and looked at Anton.

"AJ right?", Anton asked.

"You are looking at him", AJ replied.

"This woman told me that her friend was brought here against her will. And i was also told that the reason for this to happen is because she took something from you", Anton stated.

"You are right about that", AJ gave Anton a disturbing smile.

"Okay, so am just gonna make it quick". Anton reached for his wallet. "I dont have much time and wouldn't want to keep you out long cos you guys seems to be having a party", he said and peeled out five currency notes from the wallet. "Am gonna pay for what she stole, you release her and everybody go back to their business". Anton held the money infront of AJ. "I'm sure this is more than enough".

AJ gave Anton a short stare, looked at the money and accepted it with a smile. He counted it and smiled again.

"Come back tomorrow", AJ said, he stuffed the money in his back pocket and turned to enter the house.

"Tomorrow?", Anton asked.

"By noon. She will be ready for pick-up by that time", AJ replied. The tall man beside him laughed.

Anton stepped closer to AJ who then turned and faced him with a condescending smile. "But the deal was to leave with her right now", Anton said coolly.

"I never said that", AJ mentioned. The tall man stepped closer, glared at Anton and tightened his grip on the bottle of his beer.

Anton gave the tall man a casual glance. "What you are saying is unacceptable cos i just paid you", he said and looked at AJ. "More than enough", he added.

"Oh yeah", AJ began mockingly and got hold of the beer the tall guy was holding. "Then accept this", he said and started pouring the beer on Anton suit. Katie got more tensed. But Anton remained calm and stared at AJ as he did so till the content in the bottle was emptied on his suit jacket.

Then Anton moved his eyes to the side of his suit jacket that was drenched with beer. "And this is a very expensive suit", he said and looked at AJ

"Okay", AJ sneered. "Why dont you go wash the suit. When it's done dry, you put it on and come pick up the chick tomorrow", he said, poking a finger on Anton's chest. Then he motioned at the tall guy and both of them entered the house and slammed the door shut.

Anton got the message. He smirked and gave the woman another look from head to toe. Her face showed her displeasure to that gesture. Then he reached inside his suit jacket and pulled out his wallet. The woman stared at it with alot of interested as Anton dipped his fingers inside it.

"If Olivia comes back, i want you to give her this", Anton said and took out a card. "Tell her to call me as soon as possible". He held the card infront of the woman. She hesitated with disappointment written on her face and slowly extended her thin arm to accept it. "Make sure she gets it cos it is very important", Anton continued after she took it from his hand.

The woman said nothing with the card loosely held inbetween her fingers and staring at Anton. Then Anton dipped his fingers inside his wallet again and took out three currency notes. He felt that his message might not be delivered and decided to give the messenger a stimulus package. And it seemed to be working when the disappointment in the woman's face speedily faded on seeing the money.

"Make sure you do that", he said, holding up the money with a hard look on his eyes before handing it the woman who almost snatched the money from his hand.

The woman crumpled the notes inside her palm as she tightly wrapped her fingers over it. "What's your name?", she asked as Anton turned to leave.

"Sam", Anton lied.

"You can come in and wait for Olivia...perhaps..have some good time", the woman invited.

Anton smirked. "No, i'm good and also in a hurry. Maybe next time", he said and started walking away. He heard the woman bid him goodbye as he left. He didn't respond.



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




Anton slided into the driver's and shut the door. He stared at the apartment he just came out from, and around the neighborhood. Asking himself what he was doing there and wondering why he even came in the first place, he brought life to the car engine and started driving. He drove out of the neighborhood and started heading home.

As Anton drove to his new destination at a steady speed, thoughts of what Abigail said to him came to his mind. For a while he pondered at it, trying to understand what she meant. Perhaps it's just nothing, he thought to himself. Maybe she was done with that line of work and wanted to say goodbye by doing what she did; allowing him, her regular client to have her with no protection and leaving that money. The thought about the raw sex they had, slightly aroused him. He waved it off with a smirked and replaced it with thoughts of work and tomorrow's schedule.

Then his cellophone vibrated and incoming call. He reached for the device in his pocket and saw an unrecognized number on its screen. He stared at the number for a short while as the phone kept vibrating. He decided to answer the call.

"Hello?", he said.

"Sam?!", a female voice frantically rasped out of the phone earpiece.

"Who's this?".

"Katie!".

"Who's Katie?".

"Th...the woman you just met!.....Olivia's friend!".

Anton immediately decelerated the car and brought it to a halt beside the road. "What's the matter...is it about Olivia?", he immediately asked.

"Yes!.....i'm sorry sir....there is no one else i can call....Olivia is...".

"Dont worry i'm on way", Anton cut in and ended the call. He immediately made a wild U-turn and started heading back to where he came from as fast as he could.

Anton brought his white Mecerdes C class to a halt beside the street walk. He had been driving around, looking for the address the woman gave him. It took him more than thirty minutes of driving around town to locate the place. And he found the place to be a neighborhood of low class.

Anton remained in his car with the engine still running and surveyed the vicinity that was a poorly planned residential area with some old buildings and several run-down apartments. The light from the streetlights was insufficient, the darkspots were many and in places that are unsafe to be alone at night. Not many people were hanging around and most of them are of young age. Some of them looked somewhat shady by looks and the way they dressed. And they were in small groups, talking among themselves or smoking near the dark spots of some of the buildings. The white Mecerdes that drove into the area seems to have gotten their attentions that was now directed towards it.

For a while, Anton monitored the activities going on in the area that he eyes could see, taking notes of some of the individuals especially the young ones that were steadily gazing at his vehicle. He killed the engine and got of the car. Tucking both hands inside his pants side pockets, he took a quick glance around and then started walking. He used the address signs and block number of the buildings as pointers in the search for his destination, going through some dark spots and passed some of the young men. Some of them stopped what they were doing to look at him. His clean attire made him very visible and out of place. And it attracted a few stares; some were suspicious. But he continued on his way and casual in his search until he found the place.

It was a four storey building apartment and like some of the buildings in the area, it was old and abit dilapidated. He took out the piece of paper in his pocket and saw that the apartment he was looking for was on the second floor. Then he made a short glance around the surrounding. He looked behind him to see if he was being followed. A few people were watching him keenly but none seem to be following. Seeing no activity of concern, he headed towards the door to the building stairway that was poorly lit.

Anton reached second floor and entered a long corridor with numbered doors on both sides. Just like the stairs it was poorly lit and the carpet on the floor was heavily stained. Anton quietly made his way through the place, checking the number on every door he passed, his ears listening for any sound. He stop infront of the door with number 202; It was the number written on the paper. Anton exhaled, took quick glances at both ends of the corridor and knocked on the door. And waited.

But no sound.

Anton waited a few seconds and knocked again, abit louder this time. After a few more seconds of waiting, he heard a movement. Then feet movements.

"Yes?", a female voice answered and asked who it was. And then the sound of the door being unlocked followed. The door slowly opened and a sleepy, starved looking woman with an unkempt hair stood before him.

The woman regarded Anton with an unfriendly look that immediately changed on seeing his attire.

"Yes?", the woman began with a weak voice.

"Olivia?", Anton asked.

The woman sighed and scratched her left arm. "Not around", she replied and leaned her thin body on the door post.

Anton looked beyond the woman and his eyes caught the untidiness of the room. The smell of stale cigarette smoke and spoilt food was also coming out of the place.

"Where is she?", he asked and endured the odour that was killing him.

"Who are you?", the woman replied the question with hers.

"A friend".

"She has many friends....so which one are you?".

Anton pursed his lips and ran his eyes from the woman's head to toe. He could tell that she was in her mid twenties even though her frail looking body and plain face made her look older. She wore an aging sleeveless night gown that's totally faded of its original colour. She scratched her left arm again and Anton noticed some red spots nears her wrist and forearm; needle track marks of a drug user.

"Are you one of them?", the woman then asked, her body moving uncomfortably on the door frame.

Anton cocked his head to the side. "Excuse me?", he asked and narrowed his eyes.

The woman heaved an impatient sigh and said, "Look, Olivia is not around....but i can take care of you". Then she invited him to come inside the room with a gesture.

"Hard hustler", Anton muttered the words that Jim had used to describe the call-girls and smirked. He slipped the paper containing the information that the woman had given him and got up. Then he went to the window and slightly pushed the curtain aside, and stared at the black van that brought the woman till she came out of the hotel build. As she made her way towards the van, the driver's door of the vehicle opened and a big man got out.

Anton saw the individual and remembered the man. He was the same man that he had seen talking to Abigail last night. Anton watched closely as the big man stood beside the vehicle, looking in the woman's direction as she approached. Then he turned his big body and stared at the hotel building, looking at the windows at the top floor as the woman stood infront of him and said something to him with some hand gestures. The man nodded a few times and then proceed to open the door of the van for the girl to get in. He slided it shut when she got inside and then paused to give the windows on the top floor another brief look before reaching for the driver's door handle.

Anton watched while being well hidden behind the curtain till the van disappeared in the street traffic. Then a call came to his cellphone. He checked the number and saw that it was the escort agency.

He pressed the answer button.

"Hello?", he began and listened. "Yes i rejected her because she wasn't my type", then he listened again. "I will sure do call again but now i don't think i will be needing a companion.....okay thanks....and good day to you too".

Anton ended the call and slipped his phone back into his pocket. Then he push his hands inside his pockets and stared ahead, wondering what to do next as his fingers touched the paper in his pocket. On a second thought he wondered why he was even doing all these; he being in the hotel room and letting a call-girl walk away with a substantial amount of money for an information that might turn out to be useless. Maybe he had been in the office for too long that he wanted some thrill, or maybe he made a bad judgement that resulted to him doing something stupid.

Anton then took out the piece of paper in his pocket to have a look at it again. The name written on it was, "Olivia", and the address of some part of town unknown to him. Again he stared ahead with a thoughtful look on his face. The woman might have written a fake name and address so as to collect some easy money, he thought. Most women like her are hardened hustlers that will probably do anything for money and not to be trusted at all. Or it could be a well organized set-up, targeting unsuspecting fellows with alot of money. And the address being the place where her people will inflict the damages. Even if the info was legit, this new adventure of his could take him to strange places and probably get him in a mix with strange and possibly dangerous people.

With all these in mind, a sensible man would definitely steer clear of this situation and mind his own business to avoid those troubles. But Anton has something else in mind that he intends to do as he headed towards the door. And it has something to do with the name and address on the piece of paper in his pocket.


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

The sound of the toilet being flushed made him to slip he phone back into his pocket with one quick movement. The woman came out of the bathroom with the handbag probably containing the payment of the service. She gave him a brief look of content and head straight to the bed.

"Shall we begin?", the woman asked sweetly as she left the handbag on the bedside table and took off her hat.

"Yes", Anton replied. "Actually i just want us to talk", he added.

This prompted the woman to pause in her movement to unzip her dress.

"Please do sit down", Anton politely beckoned at her. The lady hesitated abit and then sat next to him with a nervous look on her face. Anton looked at the woman's face that was heavily covered with make-ups. "What's your name he asked her",

"Shannon", the woman replied.

"Okay....Shannon", Anton muttered the name with a nod, knowing that it was a made-up name. "How long have you worked for this agency?", he asked.

The woman stared at Anton suspiciously and said, "Four...or maybe five months i guess".

"Okay", Anton nodded. He saw that the woman was getting more suspious and he understood. No one pays the amount of money that she has in her handbag just to have a talk. "First of all, i dont want you to be alarmed by this situation we are now having", he began and the woman got abit tensed. "I just want to get some help in finding a girl who happens to be a relative of mine and other people that are close to her, including myself, have been trying to contact her".

The woman relaxed abit on hearing what he just said and nodded.

"I was told that she works for this same agency but all my efforts in trying to get to her through them has yielded nothing", Anton continued. "Maybe they dont want to share her information for some discreet reason which i fully understand, or maybe she doesnt want us to do so because of the nature of her, you know, this job. But my aunt who happens to be her mother, really wants to know the fate of her daughter and the poor woman's health really depends on it".

A look of pity showed on the woman's face and Anton knew that the garbage that he was feeding her was producing the desired effect.

"Before she left, she had a bitter quarrel with her mother, you know these family misunderstandings that usually get out of hand. So since then no one have heard from her. Her mother's health is failing and she wants to see or know that her daughter is okay before the inevitable happens". Then Anton paused and looked at the woman, making a sad face and trying to portray the image of a powerless man in desperate need of help. "And i'm trying to fulfill my aunt's wish, no matter how much it will cost me and i dont mind paying you more for anything that will help me", he concluded.

"I only know a few working girls", the woman began. "What's the girl's name?", she asked.

"Abigail", Anton replied. "But that's her assumed name", he added.

The woman murmured the name a few times with a thoughtful look on her face and then shook her head. "I'm sorry sir, i dont know her", she said with some regret in her voice.

Anton sighed with a downcast gaze. All for nothing, he thought to himself.

"But....i can tell you someone who might know her", the woman said. Anton looked at her, it definitely got his attention. "Infact she knows every working girl even those that had worked for the agency", she continued.

"Is she also a working girl?", Anton asked trying not to rush into asking the woman on how to contact the person she was talking about.

"Kind of,.....but not really the kind of work that we do", the woman replied. Then the woman reached for her handbag and took out a pen and pocket diary. She opened a blank page in the diary and scribbled on it, paused for a short while and scribbled again. Then she tore out the page that she had written on and handed the piece of paper to Anton.

"Oh thank you very much", Anton said. He took a quick look at what the woman had written; his eye saw a name and an address, and then thanked her again.

Then the woman stared at Anton intently. He got the message, and said, "You are free to go now, i'm sorry i'm not into this kind of activity. You can keep the money too".

The woman took a glanced at her wristwatch. "You know that we suppose to be together for two hours", she noted.

"I know". Anton also glanced at his wristwatch and saw they had been together for only fifteen minutes. "I'm sure that there is still time for you to make a call and tell them that your client wants another girl. Then you get to keep the money", he said.

A mischievous smile formed in the woman's lips. She immediately grabbed her handbag and got up. She said a quick goodbye to Anton and hurriedly headed towards the door as she rummaged inside her bag for her cellphone. Anton could hear her making the call as she exited the room and the quick click clack sound of the her shoe heels fading down the corridor.