Hidden Behind the Veil (Complete)

Chapter 34

He lay there, coughing in a pool of misery and age. The last few rays of sunshine on a June day seeped in the room through the half drawn curtains and reflected his state; weak and pitiful.

"Food, sir?" Asked the young nurse with short black hair.

"What's for dinner today?" He croaked.

"It's a Mexican Steak, sir. Your favourite!" She replied in a tone which sounded brighter than required. Arthur sighed.

"Well that's my favourite then? Better try to remember it for longer this time."

The nurse helped him sit up in his old bed and he stared down into his lap with a blank gaze. He seemed embarassed of his state. His hair were no longer golden but had faded to a shade which wasn't white, nor grey.

His eyes came back to focus as the nurse lay down the tray of food in Arthur's lap.

"Oh, and someone's come to see you. Should I ask him to wait until you're done with food?"

"No, no. Ask them to come in."

Arthur stared at the back of the nurse as she exited through the door and kept a hopeful eye on the door, as if wishing hard enough would make Liz walk through that door and hug his fragile body again. But in came a man with one of the strongest built that he had seen. As if that wasn't enough, his dark brown hair and beard helped a lot in maintaining his strong profile. Even in his first glance, Arthur was sure he hadn't seen that man before.

"Hello Arthur." Charles said while pulling a chair close to Arthur's bed. He, at times, could not believe how life could change so suddenly for even people who had such amount of wealth to back them.

"Who are you?" Arthur asked, his curiosity quite evident in his voice. People didn't come to see him everyday, if his memory was serving him right. Which wasn't serving him right for the past three years.

"I'm Alex." Charles spoke without the least bit of emotion.

Arthur's eyes shot wide in disbelief.

"No. No you're not. Two people I can never forget! One's Alex and the other's-... You've come to kill me right? I've got a gun in this place, I tell you. One move and I'll-"

"Calm down." Charles said in a calmer voice. He had gone through this drill so many times that he was already prepared for it now whenever he came to meet Arthur. Ever since Arthur had had Alzheimer, things required Charles to be more patient. So he started the story from that dark day when both their lives changed as Arthur's memory seemed to be well intact up till then.

As Charles continued with the story, the creases in Arthur's forehead eased off which meant that he could remember it all now. Once Charles was done, Arthur looked up at him, as he always did, and smiled.

"How are you, Alex?" He asked with a warm smile. A smile that only those possess which can see death right before their eyes.

"I'm Charles now. No need to call me that."

"Well, I don't remember naming you that, and my memory works pretty well up till that point." Arthur chuckled on his own joke and then began coughing and finally gasping for air. Charles waited patiently for him to stop.

"That's not why I am here for."

"Carry on."

"Lately, I've been successful in reaching Stuart. I'm his new Deputy Chief."

"YOU'RE HIS WHAT?" Arthur hissed animatedly, clearly enjoying some gossip after what felt like a lifetime.

"The deputy."

"Tell me. Tell me about the inside stories. How do things work in his gang? I always wanted to know."

"It's a long procedure. Though I can tell you he's way better managed than we were."

Arthur swore under his breath and spat in a bowl which was placed on his bedside table. His hate for Stuart hadn't lessened in his weak years. Only that now he could not do anything about it but swear and rant.

"The thing is: I am ready for it. I have a plan."

"What's the plan?" Arthur asked excitedly.

Charles took a deep breath and then began, as if speaking to a distant entity.

"I remember Stuart said while me and Violet were in the van, 'Love is the greatest weakness of them all.' He won back then because he played to his strengths which were, quite unfortunately, our weaknesses." He looked up into Arthur's eyes who gave him a nod of approval before continuing.

"All these years, I've tried to work out what his weakness is. But the harder I tried, the more vague my plans became. I was amazed at how a person could live on without a soft spot. Without a hole. Without a weakness." Charles poured himself a glass of water and took a sip. Arthur had to wait miserably.

"I only found out his weakness now that I became his deputy. And I am going to use it against him."

"What's his weakness?" Arthur asked without much movement of his eyes or lips.

"Trust."

"And how will you use that?"

"He trusts me too much. Age's getting to him as well. He relies too much on his deputies now and I'm gonna use that against him."

"How?"

"Too complicated to explain."

"And what's the worst that could happen?"

"You and I both know." Charles stared into Arthur's eyes with an explainable expression.

There was a moment of silence that stretched for an eternity before Arthur finally spoke.

"Don't do it, Alex. It's not worth it. You've got a life ahead of you. Go and live it. Look where everything got me. The figurehead of the underworld in my day, and now a rotting old man who can't even remember where the bathroom is!"

"It's no longer a choice for me. His crime is not the sort to be forgiven."

"A man is born, and he has to die. He has nothing but a minute amount of time in the short interval that lies within. Don't waste it my boy. Go out there and live." Arthur's voice sounded no more than a whisper.

"I came here just to tell you about my plan. It was nice meeting you. Take care of yourself." Charles stood up and walked away.

"WAIT. STOP THERE. CHARLES!" Arthur called out at his back but he won't stop. The nurse came hustling into the room at the sound of Arthur screaming.

-Why do I feel like I've lost my touch in giving surprises for this story? :/ 

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