Chapter 7

She was loosing her patience and was about to make her way back into the bar when she heard the back door buldged. It must be them or it could be some random customer since some had frequently passed through the back door unto the alley due to the fact that it led to another street with cars and big buildings, it wasn't the type of alley that had a dead end. She had been scheming and planning her next line of actions should Ben succeeded in bringing him to the alley.

What could she do, she thought. She could cry, or possibly run to the other side of the alley, her mind raced with thoughts. The door opened and she immediately hide behind the dumpster while lifting her head gently to get a glimpse of who came through the door. To her disappointed and relief it was Sam, one of the unpopular employee of the bar. She had heard his name being called while she made her way towards the backdoor earlier.

This was the third time he had ventured into the alley alone.

What is he doing this time, she thought to herself.

Most times, he had came out to throw out the trash, but she didn't see the usual green large bag that contained the trash. It was just him on his uniform. She studied him carefully.

Sam rested against the wall besides the backdoor and brought out a cigarette and lit it. The new manager had enforced a no smoking policy and he has been forced to smoke outside in the alley. He hated it here, because he was not fond of lonely places. He glanced through the alley and spoke out to himself.

"Guess, miss Ananda didn't come today", he laughed and inhaled two quick succession, then blew out the smoke carelessly into empty space and waved it away with his hands.

Janet cursed him in her mind, why did he decided to smoke now.

The door opened again and Sam reacted quickly, throwing the cigarette quickly to the floor and placing his shoe on it immediately. He wiped his mouth cleaned with the back of his palm and threw in a mint quickly in his mouth and began licking profusely. He wasn't going to loose his third job again to cigarette. His therapist had warned him on the effect his smoking habit has on his life and he had experienced it's effect by the loss of his earlier two jobs.

The door gave way, and he could hear the sound of three different footsteps behind the door, he tried reasoning the author of each footsteps when suddenly standing before him were three teenagers looking mischievously and proud without any care in the world.

I threw my last stick because of these fool, his mind was filled with rage and Ben could see the redness in his face and anger in his eyes.

"What are you guys doing there", he bellowed, still fuming about his loss cigarette.

They looked down and saw the dimly lit cigarette lying carelessly on the floor. Ben watched as Augustine bent and picked up the cigarette which he handed over back to Sam.

"Here you go, it's still lit", he said with outstretched hand holding firmly the other end of the cigarette that wasn't lit.

Sam looked at the cigarette with surprise, he was amused at his boldness and his rudeness yet there was literally nothing he could do. He took the cigarette and quickly threw it into the garbage bin and hurried quickly into the bar.

Ben watched the scene in amusement.

"What a weird man", the red hair girl commented, then she looked directly at Ben, "let's be going", Ben stare at her in confusion, "the ice", she finished.

"Oh", his memories came back to him and he quickly scanned the alley for any sign of Janet. He saw none of her or any of her activities. He was confused and thought quickly of what to do.

"Where is the ice", Augustine was already irritated.

"Right this way, to my car", and with that he led them towards the other end of the alley that opened up to the car park right in front of the bar.

Janet watched as Ben led them towards the car park, what's is he doing, she thought to herself. She needed to act quickly or she was going to loose everything. Taking in deep breath, she stood up and walked quickly yet quietly towards them and tapped Augustine on his shoulders, he turned round calmly and was surprised to see someone with hood covering her face standing beside him. He tried making out her face when he saw the shinny tip of the muzzle pointing towards him.

His face quickly took a sharp turn from surprise to fear, he took some steps backwards, bumping into the red haired girl. She turned to look at him with inquisitiveness written all over her face.

"What is it babe", she asked with her normal soothing voice.

"Shhhhhhh", Janet voice was deep and cold, "all of you, kneel down quickly", she barked out commands.

The girl became aware of the situation unfolding in front of her, and she wore her anxiety like a garment. Her hands were shaking and filled with sweet and she panted uncontrollably. Ben was amused at the cowardice of both of them, he knelt down quickly, playing along with Janet. He stared at her with proudness in his eyes which vanished as quickly as it came, immediately as he noticed what was in her hands pointing towards them. The shinny tip of a revolver aiming towards them. He looked at her with horror and she ignored his stare.

"I said stay down", her voice deep with horror.

"Who is she to you?", she asked Augustine as she pointed the gun at the red haired girl.

"I am nothing to him,, pll, plss, please let me go, I just met him tod, todddd, today", the red hair girl chip in.

Augustine turned to look at the girl, he knew she would betrayed him at the slightest chance.

"Too bad for you, you die here today bitch", Janet voice was cold.

The red hair girl began shaking profusely, her body vibrating all over involuntary, unable to stay still.

"Stay still", she barked.

"Pls, plssss, don't kill me", the girl pleaded, her voice shaking and barely audible.

"Get outta here", Janet bellowed, and with that the girl stood up and ran out of the alley.

"What do you want", Ben asked, feigning ignorance.

"Shut up fool", she responded back with anger.

She bent down to stare at Augustine, her eyes filled with range and venom.

"Remember me Joshua", her voice was low and cold. She pulled back the hood and the horror and death could been seen on her face.

Immediately he looked at her, the fear consumed him. It was her, it was her mother he slept with three years ago.

He was dumbfounded, there was nothing he could say to alleviate the situation, he just remain there motionless with sweat all over his face.

"Who sent you guys", she barked.

Joshua was filled with too much fear, to pay attention to anyone. He felt the muzzle of the gun underneath his chin and he was jolted back to his senses.

"Who sent you", she growled.

"I have no idea....", he began slowly, "we were never told anything about the hierarchy of control."

He could hear the cracking of the gun and his fear grew, "okay, please don't shoot....", he pleaded.

"That depends on you, fool". She cursed.

"There was this one time...."

Ben raised up his head to look at Janet who caught his gaze and smiled black.

"Where did you get that gun from", he signaled with his mouth.

She could read what he said from his voiceless lips and she responded in the same manner.

"That time at his place".

He tried remembering whether they had found any gun at Augustine place, he couldn't recall any, then it came to him like a lightning bolt. She had excuse herself to pick up something lying carelessly at the right end of the house.

But why would a gun be lying carelessly there, he thought to himself.

"What are you gonna do with it, and him", he continued.

Janet didn't answer but simply turned her face towards Joshua who was sweating in his forehead and his voice filled with fear.

"..... at our base station, a man came in wearing black leather and pants and spoke to the one in charge, they kept saying boss and Johnson and Co Ltd...", He spoke hurriedly, "that's all i can remember, please don't hurt me".

She stood up and pointed the gun towards him, with her finger few inches away from the trigger.

"Please won't bring her back, would it", her voice was without emotions, "any last words", she said.

Ben looked at Janet with horror, what are you gonna do, he thought to himself.

"Please, my family was kidnapped, they made me do everything i did, I never wanted to be there. I had no choice, plssss, plssss, i was just a victim tooo", he blurted out in quick succession. His heart beat was erratic and fast and his body shook involuntary.

She laughed sarcastically, "typically what a man in face of death would say, more lies".

"I am not ly..." his speech cut half way and his body slumped to the ground in a light thud. The sound of the shot roar through the alley with its echo bouncing back and forth.

"What have you done", Ben was on his feet, his eyes filled with horror and fear. He placed his hands on her and shook her violently.

"What have you done", he turned to look at her emotionless and stone cold face.

She kept staring at the lifeless body laying in a pool of blood carelessly on the alley floor, the revolver hanging carelessly on her right hand.

"Get your car ready, we are going to Johnson and Co Ltd", her voice was calm and was emotions.