3 CHAPTER TWO

April 4, 2014

Ben Antonio, with a glee visible on his face, sat peering at his visitor and old friend, Charlie Benedict. The both men are successful business men. They had been friends for about ten decades, maybe that's why their friendship became ecclesiastical.

Ben Antonio is the CEO of Antonia Empire, and Charlie remained the successor of Pa-Ben Business group. Charlie had paid Ben a surprise visit, unlike other days; they normally see more at their residential quarters, but today, Charlie had come to visit in the office and in an odd hour.

The men laughter echoed again within the room and Charlie took his glass of wine and continued to drink while he fixed at Ben. Ben not being a lover of wine, took his fruit juice and gulped it. Charlie and Ben dropped their glass and fixed at each other again, Ben was ready to hear the topic Charlie came with but Charlie seem not interested in talking. Ben was forced to talk when he saw Charlie reaching out to his glass and pouring another wine for himself and also pouring for him.

"I must ask if there's a problem." Ben asked and Charlie paused halfway. Ben chuckled and continued, "I mean, we have been drinking wine since you came. What is the good news?"

Charlie resumed pouring his wine. He finished with a beam visible on his face.

"Just look at your success today," Ben scrutinized and Charlie chortled. "I mean, you have come from a long journey, you need to relax and enjoy your wealth because at one blink of an eye…it will disappear."

Ben finding some little humor and insight from the word chortled calmly and picked up his glass of juice and began to drink while looking at Charlie. Charlie is carried away by the moment.

∆∆∆

October 6, 1990

Patrick approached the lobby and pushed the door open, every single soul in the room stood in ovation as Patrick briskly walked to his seat and stood. For a while, he observed the people that filled the room, with much vibe as a leader, he ordered them to sit down but chose to stand. The governors sat down without a smile, depicting their seriousness. Patrick moved to the center of the table. The table was made in such a way that a person could walk at the center without much effort.

Patrick cleared his throat casually and began, still moving farther inside the table space. "I shall assume that everyone of us know why we are all here, if you seem lost, please signify by raising your right hand up-" Patrick waited for whoever will signify, but no one was willing to say a thing; meaning they all knew what was about to be said. The whole attention of the governors was on Patrick, he knew that, and was ready to offload his own aspect of the speech. "To begin with, I will like to congratulate everyone seated here. It is not easy to be a leader, mind you, your efforts are acknowledged-" Patrick halted abruptly, seeing the hand of his personal secretary in the air; he thought maybe she has an important message to pass across to him. Soothingly, the secretary began.

"Sir, your presence is needed in one of our banks, the message states that it's very important that you come in person."

Patrick glared at the young lady, he does not know exactly what the problem was, and he therefore tried to make sure the message was not a spam.

"-dear secretary," Patrick felt his voice thick and strong. "How sure are you that the message is not a scam from a hater?"

"Sir I am sure it came from 'Union Stock Bank,' one of our best partners in business-"

"-What exactly does the message state?" Patrick was the one who spoke; he seems not interested in the new issue, which was actually a distraction to his proceedings. The worried secretary felt lost with the question Patrick asked her, she knew nothing about the message.

"You know what?" Patrick said and moved towards his seat, "I am going to the bank, and I will appreciate it if you'd carry on with the meeting. I shall go and check out what the problem is."

With no much thing to utter, Patrick picked his cell phone and went out of the conference room.

∆∆∆

The third day of October 6, 1990

The 'Pa-Ben' mansion stood in grand ecstasy, all the light in the building was alive. It seems like everyone that passes the mansion takes a second look at it; actually, they savor it. All the workers most have gone, only few people are seen parading the building, and the people are actually security men on duty. There seems to be something wrong with the night, on like other nights, security men normally flood the premises, but goodness knows where they are all gone to.

∆∆∆

The dilemma of October 6, 1990

"-are you really sure about this?" it was Charlie Benedict who spoke; he was the younger brother to Patrick.

"Yes of course." Patrick said reluctantly, knowing fully well that he is not ready for what is before him. Without any ceremony of words, Charlie took hold of the champagne before them and un-cocked it, facing it up. Charlie had come without informing Patrick, in fact, Patrick was not expecting him; not this night. The reason for his coming was not yet disclosed to Patrick, and that just what he was eager to hear, but Charlie will not start up a casual conversation. Charlie knowing fully well that his elder brother, Patrick, was not an alcoholic chose to select champagne. Patrick would have rather gone for a fruit juice, yoghurt, or other sort of soft drinks.

Charlie poured himself another wine and gulped it down noisily. Patrick could not help but listen to the noise, he knew nothing about his brother being in love with alcohol; but now, he had seen it all.

It was at the peak of the drinking that Patrick found his voice. Talking to Charlie about dangers of alcohol will be equally useless; he thought maybe, he should just ask one or two things about his family. Charlie threw his face away, overlooking the city's expanse as Patrick spoke.

"Do you mind me speaking about your family-?"

"-of course I don't," Charlie returned his gaze, flashing his big eye balls at Patrick. "But, that is not what I am here for-"

"-so what exactly are you here for, if I may ask?" Patrick found his temper, a little bit angered.

Charlie glared at the elderly Patrick before him; he seems old and well taken care of. From the speckles of grey hair that clustered around his temple to the thick Italian suite he wore, all was grand and promising. Charlie threw his face away again and spoke.

"-to drink wine with my brother, it seems the many years of hard work had worn you out, so I just arranged for us to have a safe wine night."

Patrick smiled, revealing a white set of teeth neatly arranged inside of his mouth. The little pep his brother made seems a joke to him, not that he is making fun of it, but because it's coming from his brother. With that, Patrick stood up briskly still smiling, and walked out. Charlie laughed out loud and then settled his eyes on Patrick's half-drunk wine.

∆∆∆

Patrick returned with two bottles of wine tightly held in his hand, he smiled along as he approached. Charlie became more restless, but Patrick did not take notice of it. He approached and sat down, overlooking Charlie. He opened the wine and they began to drink without saying anything to each other.

The way that Charlie drinks his wine suggest that he is in haste, or perhaps he want to take his leave. Patrick took his wine close to his mouth, and then stopped abruptly. The gaze of Charlie thickened; he was beginning to wonder if anything was wrong with Patrick. Patrick on the other hand made a brief attempt to rise up and then fell flat on the floor without uttering any word. Charlie glared at him wickedly and then burst into a dry laughter. He laughs for a while, stood up from his seat as if something had bitten him and became very mean; with his wicked attributes visible. He walked over to where Patrick lay and bent over, dragging him on a seat where he had sat previously. Patrick seems in a deep trance; his features seem dull now, although he was still handsome. Charlie dressed him roughly and then settled briefly on his own seat; overlooking the far gone man. Charlie slowly held the lining of his flesh; above his wrist, and peeled it even more carefully. As he peeled on, he revealed a thin nylon-like membrane; he held fast at it and dragged it out of his palm. With the same procedure, he peeled out the other hand membrane. Feeling satisfied, he drank the last wine in his glass and then stood up wearily and shambled off.