A Hazel Haven

Interlude xii

I hated jobs like this. Back when I had been exclusively on the field there had been no way to avoid such sordid work but now, I had men. Henchmen. More had been recruited, despite my refusal. Although I worked more efficiently on my own, I soon found out it saved time to assign duties. Still, waiting without being kept abreast of things was unnerving, but I had no choice- at some point,I'd need to loosen the reigns on these dogs, learn to trust, so I sat back in the car, and waited.

There was no noise emanating from the house. The night remained silent. In the front seat, Ostrich's expression was inscrutable in the light offered by the premises. His demeanor had changed over time- less flighty, less timid, less inquisitive, more alert, more resolved. It happened eventually when realisation set in, when you finally comprehended the situation.

Someone came through the doors and knocked on my side of the window. I rolled down. The figure nodded, and I motioned for Ostrich to accompany me. The place was littered with the subdued security, some of which I stepped over. When we entered, my men, masked black, had the couple face down on the floor and at gun point. They were in their night wears, ready for bedtime. The television drone on in the background. I walked to sit on the couch opposite the pris

One of my men roughly hauled the husband to his knees. " Who are you people?!" He dared to asked, his wide eyes darting from one masked face to the other as a gun prodded his back.

I was impressed by how steady his voice sounded despite the grave situation his family was in. Meanwhile the wife cowered on the floor as silent as she could be. If not for the occasional movement of her legs, I would have thought she'd fainted from the shock.

"Who sent you?!" When no answer was forthcoming he focused on me. "I'll have you all arrested! You won't get away with this I assure you!" Spit spluttered from his protuberant lips, his eyes narrowed in dark fury. Yet sweat shone on his forehead, glistened his face, soaked his under arm.

"Who sent us doesn't matter. Some people just want to get rid of you. We are just hired guns. I for one don't care if you live or die, so it's nothing personal. Just business."

"Do you know who I am?"

I made a non committal sound. " Of course. Senator Ahmed Mutali."

"Then you should know that this will not go unpunished. "

"Yes, unfortunately for you, it will. The people who want you and your unfavourable policies out control more than you think."

One masked man stepped forward and offered me my much prized gun. Brandishing the fine weapon, I cocked it , sat forward and aimed at him. That stubborn expression never left his face--a man with balls to face his end. "Of course, you should know that your wife follows soon after. For better for worse. Isn't that right?"

The wife soon burst out crying admist pleas for her life. The man seemed indifferent. The love must really be worth dying for.

"Boss," Another masked man, the one who stood closer to the entryway upstairs, drew my attention. There was a little boy beside him. "He was under the bed."

"Who do we have here?" I beckoned him to my side then picked him up, placing him on one knee. His curious eyes, devoid of fear, roamed my face. " What's your name, kid?"

"You get your hands off him!" There was a quiver in his voice now, and when I glanced at him, I could see the fear creep into his body. I guess it was true: family was truly a man's weakest point.

"Daniel," the boy responded quietly, eyes transfixed on my face " what's your name, sir?"

I smiled at his courage and the respectful way he had asked, rubbing his head. "How old are you, Daniel?"