Chapter 5

"What is it?" I asked enunciating each word and held the gun tightly as I could feel the pulse in my body rising bit by bit as I took in what has happened.

"B-Boss... it's about Willi..." Max said as he gulped down audibly and took few steps back as I passed the gun to my other hand all the while trying hard as much as I could to control the anger that was forcing me to kill everyone then and there.

"I-It looks like Willi has gone missing," his voice trembled in the end and that was it. I threw the gun on the glass window next to me in anger. The glass shattered into pieces as soon as the gun hit it and pieces of glass went past piercing my skin due to the effect. Even though blood oozed out from all over my face and on the skin on my hand I refused to wince.

The anger that I was feeling dominated my pain and at the moment I was anything but calm. My mind went blank all of a sudden forcing me to think in what point I went wrong. Where was the point in my life where I made a wrong decision for which my every plan is getting destroyed bit by bit. Why is this all of a sudden I have to go through severe paths of failure? My hands formed into a fist as I looked out of the broken glass.

"G-General is here to meet you," Max said out before I heard the door of my study room opening.

"What a scene," I heard my grandfather's voice," as he walked in and stood behind me. I could feel his presence all the while but refused to turn around to look at him. It was the last thing ever that I wanted him to see me like this. I was a failure.

"Udolf?" He chuckled when I didn't turn around to face him and that was when I heard Max talking to him before taking his turn to leave us alone in the room.

"I thought you were back on your island..." My voice was neutral as I spoke. As he had always taught me. Never to show emotions. I was trained better to show the saddened and the emotions of a failure to the one who was the mentor.

"Well, Kristian called me back and I can see why all of a sudden he wanted me here," he laughed before clearing his throat.

"Well, this is refreshing." I heard him mutter with a sigh.

Even though I wanted to ask him what he meant but chose to stay quiet already knowing that he would answer my unasked question all by himself.

"Whenever I look at you, I am reminded of my youthful days. You have inherited me well. Even your father... he used to behave just like you do. We all same..." He chuckled.

"Udolf your father believed that no matter what you would be the only one in this family who would always stand strong no matter what. Don't assume that I don't know about the things that you have been going through. Kristian has told me everything. I believe most of your sentiments are connected with Julliette's death..."

"General..." My voice was hoarse as I intervened him from saying anything further.

"You can't go on avoiding this every day. You have to move on now and its the time for you get your head right back at your work. I see... you are not really paying attention to the ones in your surrounding and that is why today you are suffering all this. Remember this Udolf... it was you who chose this line. Nor me or your father ever wished or forced you to be on the same path as we were. You wanted to carry on the business and it was why you fought with Gale to take over the business. Even though your grandmother and your mom and I believe Juliette must have also hated this profession but still you are the one who chose this line. So, what I mean is... if you were the who chose this... then you should be the only one to hold onto this. I do know how it feels when you are away from your loved ones... but as I retired I understood that this was the life I would never ever chose in my next birth. Neither Kristian was ready to work in this line for which he chose to work his own and today he is successful. Even you... You did a tremendous job of working and handling both of your day and night shift work."

"So far you have been successful but now its the point in your life where you have to stop and think. Do you really want to continue this? As you chose this path I took it as my duty as your General and grandfather to teach you well how to handle all this but now I want to take it back. You don't have to do this any longer. I already have enough your grandmother's hatred for this profession and I believe your mother and even Juliette had their fair share of hatred for this profession. You need to understand this well Udolf... if you are in this profession you can't lose your balance. Think ten times before you take a step and I do have faith in you. I believe you will be back on your feet before no time. So think what I have just said. Either leave this... and live like a normal human being else keep walking on this path but all the while dodging the obstruction cunningly. It is what I expect only from you Udolf..." He said and I heard the screeching of the chair on which I assumed he was sitting.

He was leaving.

"I will use my brain better from now on..." I spoke out. "But... Juliette will be living in my memories. I will never except it that she is not with me and I won't ever forget her..." My words were filled with determination. Forgetting Juliette was the most painful thing than enduring physical and mental pain.

"Hmmm. As I had told you..." As he spoke I turned around to look at him. He had a sinister smile plastered on his face as he continued. "This is really refreshing," he smiled and turned around and walked out of the room.

"Vă mulțumesc bunicul," thank you, grandfather.

"Let's start from the beginning hmm?" I asked in a calm tone as I took a seat before the driver who back stabbed me by surrendering my arms to the cops.

He looked like a trash. His clothes were torn and his face; swollen and bruised all over. My eyes fell on his left hand to find two of his finger including his index and middle finger gone. It was what he got for backstabbing me.

"I have nothing to tell you..." He snarled and it was when Max kicked him on his back and he fell on my knee hitting his nose on the process.

"Now... Now." Grabbing his hair I pushed his head back and looked into his eyes.

"Max... bring out that pruner... I think chopping all his finger would work..." As I said that he crawled back until his body hit the wall and he looked frightened.

"Alright boss..." Max obliged as he went out of the darkroom and bought the pruner.

I passed the pruner from one hand to other putting a mocking show of chopping his finger. For the first time ever after so many days, I felt confidence in me.