Koruna

A spark

Chapter 88

A Spark

Ati looked at Bernie with renewed interest, “Are you saying that instead of a full blown war, we should work on an assassination attempt instead?”

Bernie paused as the moral dilemma went through his head, even if he was not going to pull the trigger, it would not absolve him of his involvement in Jonathan’s death if it was possible. “I am just thinking out loud.”

Ati smirked at him as he figured out what he thought about, “What did you think was going to happen here? Get your head straight and figure out what is it that you want for yourself? I will allow you that privilege. In or out, make a choice before the morning Bernie.”

It was the first time, Ati had called his name and for some reason that struck a chord. What was it that he wanted? He thought about it, he wanted to make everyone who took away what mattered to him, his parents, Betsy, Flora and what they could take. The anger went through him afresh as he came to a conclusion, he wanted them to pay and if his morality was the price. He was more than willing to sacrifice that for revenge, justice. The line wasn’t so clear anymore, “I don’t have to wait till morning. I want in. Killing Jonathan will minimise the casualty as his men might either fight for his corpse, surrender or run away but with him there, they only have one choice which is to fight by him.”

“He killed himself, the man that tried to kill Flank. Are all his men wired that way?” Annie asked in a quiet voice from the corridor.

Bernie looked at her and he decided that he did not want her to be part of this, it was enough, “Annie, please go back.”

“No, I am not going anywhere or is this one of those things that I am not allowed to get involved because I am a girl?” Annie rolled her eyes at her brother.

“This has nothing to do with that and you know it.” Bernie fumed.

“Why should I be protected Bernie?”

“Please Annie, they have taken so much from us. They don’t need to take all of our innocence with it.”

“So I am just to sit and watch everyone fight. What do you take me for?”

“My little sister.”

“By two minutes!!!” She shrieked.

“Two minutes, fifty seconds.” Bernie shrugged.

The men watched their exchange amusedly, “Hey, she has a choice just as you do man.” Ottah commented, Ati glared at him telling him that this was none of his business.

“What he said, my choice.” Annie answered.

“No, I will knock you out if I have to. There is no negotiation.” Bernie stood his ground.

Annie recognized that look, when he got this way there was nothing that could change his mind, it drove her crazy but she understood the reason why he was being this way. She thought about it rationally, it wasn’t like she had anything to bring to the table. She wasn’t smart enough to come up with a strategy and she could not even handle a knife not to talk about shooting a gun. “Fine, there is no point in me being here, since you are my Lord and Father now. Can I be allowed to go home? Or do I keep mute like the good girl I am.” She said with a bite.

“Annie…” Bernie tried to make her see reason.

“No, you don’t get to use that tone on me. I am gone.” She turned and left.

Ati ordered one of his men to escort her home as the rest of them continued the meeting. “How do we achieve this? Jonathan has a 24 hour security and he is as paranoid as he is skilled.”

“There has to be some sort of weakness, something that we are overlooking.”

“He has a girl or can I say lots of girls but there is one in particular. If there’s a place he’ll be at his most vulnerable, it’ll be at her place.” Flank said.

“Sugar will never betray him.” Ati replied.

“Not her, there are other girls that would be more than willing. Jonathan has stepped on a lot of toes, I am sure that we can find someone among his girls that would be more than willing.” Flank countered.

“The Trojan horse. Are there any specific services he enjoys? Bernie asked.

“Fair skinned, innocent looking and most preferably virgins.” Ati answered as he had a vague idea of where this was going.

“This is general knowledge?” Bernie frowned.

Ati chuckled deeply, “He used to be a close acquaintance with my previous Boss. They had similar tastes when it came to a certain level of cruelty and pleasure.”

Bernie could not read in between the lines but he was certain that there was more to it, “Do you have anyone that you can trust that fits this profile?”

“What? So she can stab him in his sleep?” Grace scoffed.

“I was thinking more in the lines of poison.” Bernie sighed as he listened to himself, these were words he never thought he would say out loud.

“Too easy.” Ati murmured.

“I agree, he needs to pay painfully for what he has done.” Flank said with more passion than he intended.

“I think we need to focus properly, what do we want? Him gone? Or you want to exert your punishment and pay him for everything he has done. These are two different things, torture and a painful death might mean more sacrifices but his death painful or not can mean less blood on our hands.” Bernie tried to be the voice of reason.

“We are ready to die if it means he goes to hell with us.” Grace said vehemently.

Ottah slapped his head, “I don’t want to die needlessly.”

“The girl alone would not be enough, he needs to have a reason to rejoice. There is only one way to let his guard down.” Ati said blankly.

“No. I refuse.” Ottah said without missing a beat.

“What? What are you refusing?” Grace said with confusion.

“He is thinking of turning himself in so  that Jonathan relaxes.” Ottah glowered at Ati. This was the first man he had known who wanted for others as much as himself. He had grown to respect the man and he would be damned if he was going to throw his life on a maybe.

“Not surrender per say. Relax Ottah, I wouldn’t throw my life away, there is so much left to do. We’ll take our best men and launch an attack on him, it would fail of course and he’ll have me in his custody. He wouldn’t kill me immediately, he would want to kill me in a place where my men will see and lose momentum. No one understands more than him what a tiny spark can do, he would ensure that my death will mean that no one else stands up to his reign for a very long time.” Ati explained.

“Too risky!” Grace muttered.

“We have to risk to get reward.” Ati murmured.

“We need a better plan.” Flank remarked.

“I say we fight head on.” Grace said.

“He has more weapons at his disposal. It would be a massacre.” Ottah slapped his head again.

“Instead of a girl, why can’t we mess with his supplies? His wine, anything he takes in and poison instead.” Flank suggested.

“That will be almost impossible unless we plan on poisoning his entire … “Ottah paused as he thought about it.

“Instead of a poison that kills, deep sleep is enough for us to get the upper hand. Let’s mess with their water supply before we attack, that could give us a better advantage.” Ati smirked.

Bernie nodded, “It’s not a bad idea, it’s our best one yet.”

“How on earth do we mess with the water supply?” Grace asked out loud.

Ati gave them a mischievous grin, “I know a way.”

“Jonathan will not be expecting us to attack him at his turf, let’s do it old school, sneak in, attack and kill him while he sleeps.” Grace suggested.

“What part of his paranoia did you not understand? How did you survive this long all by yourself?” Ottah asked amazed.

“No… wait, he has a point. Sometimes the simplest plan is the best.” Ati said.

“How on earth would we even…”

“There are accesses everywhere hidden in plain sight from the old country. Koruna sometimes uses them for jobs and hiding amongst other things.” Flank said.

“Are you saying that we could make this work?” Ati asked doubtfully.

“I am saying it’s worth a risk.” Flank added.

“How are we sure that Jonathan doesn’t know about this secret pathways?” Ottah asked.

“We won’t know until we try.” Flank shrugged.

“So we test instead of going in there by yourself.” Ottah suggested frustrated.

Ati looked at him, “What kind of man would I be if I let my men go where I wouldn’t go myself. I promised you all that I’ll be nothing like Buhar and I meant it.”

Ottah groaned, “Anyone else could die and we could move on but not you. If you die then it means everything we have done is for nothing. Jonathan gets you on a platter of gold. I will go with you until death Ati… I just don’t want to die stupidly.” Ottah sighed.

“Death is death anyways.” Bernie murmured.

“We won’t die, not today at least.”

Ati handpicked some of his men as they sneaked into Jonathan’s territory. The men were fully stacked with weapons as they blended with the night. Ati ensured that Bernie stayed behind, the boy might have spirit but he lacked skills and experience. He did not want to be in a position where he had to explain to Koruna why her freshly new to violence brother was with them on the field.

Jonathan’s men in position had been taken down swiftly and quietly as they drew closer to his residence. It was oddly quiet but Ati was too far gone to turn back now. His men attacked with stealth gradually, it was going too well, Ati thought to himself as they drew nearer to his room. He and his men opened the door and fired at the bed. There was no response, the entire place was too quiet until the lights were turned on and Jonathan was the other side clapping his hands melodramatically. Ati looked around and saw that him and his men were completely surrounded.

“H…how?” Ati growled.

Behind Jonathan, a man who he recognized all too well gave him a smirk, “I am sorry Ati, the money was too good to turn down.” Grace said to him.