10 Paris The City Of Love

Oklahoma City

Slowly but surely, he (Max) regained consciousness. He opened his eyes as an exhilarated beap reverberated, consciousing him from his slumber. Everything blurred out, and in due time he realized that someone put an air mask around his head. Slowly but surely, his brain took the necessary time to process his surroundings.

Fortunately for him, his visual impairment regained sufficient sight. It didn't take long for a visual image of a ward to materialize on his retina.

His doctor, Justin Avery Pim, entered the ward with a familiar figure. The figure appeared to have a mustache ridged under his nose. His hair blossomed as a tint of black areas stood out from a dominating landscape of white. The latter had black frickles situated under his eyelids. The grain of freckles coated his smooth cheeks with a crispy texture. Also, the pigment of his skin was none other than tan.

It was General Michael Adam Peterson, his military superior. The doctor strolled towards his bedside and positioned a clipboard on his right arm. He analyzed the unmarked checkboxes with a pen in his left hand.

"Good morning Mr. Dilan. I am Doctor Pim. I would like to know how you're coping this morning?"

Max placed his hand on his forehead, "Where am I?" He inquired.

"You've been admitted to the hospital, Mr. Dilan. You have suffered from a fatal injury. It seems you've suffered a stab wound through your abdomen for whatever reason. You were very fortunate to survive; otherwise, you could have lost considerable blood."

"My head hurts," he groaned while rubbing his forehead.

"It won't be long until we discharge you. For now, please take the necessary time to rest. Put aside anything that will stir up your anxiety levels."

The doctor turned to Peterson and said, "Please do not be hard on him. He needs time to rest."

Peterson smiled, "Don't worry, doc, I won't be for long."

Peterson sat beside him and asked, "How are you feeling, soldier?"

He groaned, "Man, I'm wrecked. It's like I got tackled by a football player."

"I understand how you're feeling, but remember one thing. We swore to put our lives on the line to serve the country."

Suddenly, a flash of memories began to flood his mind. He remembered his first altercation with Slicer, what he had said to him, and the blade that peered through his abdomen.

"Max, Max, Max!" He returned to reality and nearly jolted out of bed with great alarm, "General! It's horrible!"

"What is it, Max?"

"Slicer, that's his name! He is the alien that I met that night. He said something about six talismans: they have the power to free some evil dude from some world and whatnot!"

At that moment, Peterson gasped with ghast. Not even a peptide of words was uttered from his mouth. However, he could catch his breath and eventually spoke, with his face glancing at the floor.

"So the legend is true."

Max squinted with bewilderment, "What legend?"

At that moment, an idea struck him like a thunderbolt. He arose to his feet and darted with undeniable speed.

"I have to go; something has come up!"

"Wait, General, what legend are you talking about?"

Peterson smiled at him and said before rushing out the door.

"I'll let you know as soon as I've found enough evidence. If you can excuse me, I must go to the library."

Paris

King Khunta's aircraft made its way toward the airport, and the pilot reduced the airspeed as the rate of the descent decreased the altitude of the plane while ensuring a gentle touchdown.

He pressed a button that enabled the plane to release its wheels. The aircraft continued to reduce its altitude until the wheels gently touched the smooth gravel of the runway. Smoke emanated under the main carriage as the pilot eased the pace of the plane up until it slowed down. As soon as it slowed, the pilot opened the door and lowered the staircase by pressing numerous buttons from the cockpit.

In front of the staircase was a red carpet. The carpet led to the facade of the airport. On both sides of the rug were lines of bodyguards who placed their hands on their foreheads in salute, awaiting for Sir Khunta to make his entrance. At last, he walked down the staircase and put his foothold on the carpet. He walked through two endless lines of bodyguards. Steve Joe trailed after him while he made his way to the building.

When he got inside the building, eyes everywhere glanced at him. People admired and respected him, especially for being a global and successful entrepreneur from Jamaica. Suddenly from behind, 2 Port men appeared from the side. They carried his luggage.

One approached him and inquired, "Here is your luggage, sir. How much longer should I carry it."

"Carry it until we reach my limousine."

They carried his luggage til they reached his limousine. One opened the door for him while the other placed their luggage in his boot. He and Steve Joe entered while the same port man closed the door.

He lowered the window and inclined his ear towards their requisite, "Wah yuh want?"

"Mr. Khunta, sir...could you be so kind as to give the both of us a tip?"

Khunta chuckled and grabbed hold of his arm.

"You want a tip, huh?"

He turned the poor portman into a statue and remarked at him, "Here's ya tip?"

He then turned his attention towards the other portman, who shuddered violently. Khunta said with a smirk, "Would you like a tip as well?"

The portman shook his head sideways and stormed off. He closed the window while the driver started the car and drove off.

Khunta then took out his cell phone and made a call, and within due time, the person he had contacted responded.

"Hello, are you Vanessa Bloom?"

The latter responded with a soft tone,

"Yes, this is her? Who might you be kind, sir?"

"I am King Khunta of Federal Jamaica."

A sound of current echoed from the background. All you could hear was something moving through a stream of water.

"Why it's an honor to speak to a man of your status...please state your business."

She placed a rose towards her nose and gently inhaled the scent of the rose.

"I have a proposal for you, Madam Bloom. And I would like to share my ideas with you. Where can we meet so I can show you my proposal?"

"Um... let's meet at Afrodille's restaurant at 8'o clock."

"Understood, Madam Bloom. I'll meet you there at 8'o clock." As he was about to drop the call, she further added.

"And oh Khunta... word of advice, a girl doesn't like it when a man keeps her waiting."

He chuckled, "Do not worry, I'll ensure I arrive early."

"Good, then I'll see you at 8'o clock."

She ascended to her feet as soon as he dropped the call while a stream of water droplets slid down her thighs. She grabbed her towel and dried herself. Afterward, she climbed out of the bathtub and covered herself with the towel.

She glanced at her talisman, which shone from a distance as it stood on the surface of the basement.

The talisman had the embroidment of an enneagram, while the carving of a swan that spread its wings was etched in the center.

"I hope your intentions are as you say, Khunta. Otherwise, I will snap your neck!"

Inside the limousine, Steve Joe looked at Khunta with bewilderment.

"Boss, didn't we come here to retrieve the talisman?" Khunta then answered him with a grin.

"Of course, we've come here to retrieve the talisman, Steve Joe?"

"Then why did you propose a meeting with Vanessa Bloom? I know she is gorgeous, but this is not the time to make out with women!"

Khunta was baffled at his assumption. He, therefore, elaborated to put his doubts to rest.

"Vanessa Bloom is not what you think she is, Steve Joe. What you know about her is just the icing on the cake."

"How so, boss?"

He sat back on his chair and continued, "I have worked in the criminal organization for decades, and many of my colleagues have assigned thousands of men to assassinate her. Somehow, she survived while the people who tried to kill her went missing."

In horror, Steve Joe's heart nearly pumped out of its circulatory system.

"How was she able to do so without a single graze?"

Khunta turned his direction towards the window and continued.

"I have no idea; however, my intuition tells me she is one of the six Divine Guardians."

****************

"You know what, Kuhn Lau, something still bothers me about our fellow guardian here," said Nicholas with a deep, broad voice.

"Did Ken Sou choose well?" He inquired while he glanced at Pete, who slept on the sofa in a slouchy posture. His potbelly bobbled out of his shirt while he still held onto the last slice of pizza.

"I agree with you. I also can't help but wonder why one of the six Divine Guardians is a mere mortal."

He turned to Kuhn Lau and continued sneering. "Perhaps old age is catching up to the old folk. I recently heard that he has Alzheimer's." Oddly enough, Kuhn Lau laughed with him.

"Alas, my dear friend, though Ken Sou's decision is peculiar, he would never make such a fatal mistake. Hopefully, we will get an answer that we yearn for."

"So, how much longer will it take to reach Paris?"

"By my hypothesis, I'd say that we have approximately three hours until we reach our acquired destination."

"Good to know."

Vanessa prepared herself for her business meeting. She adorned herself with a black, split-lit dress. The designer of the dress garnished it with sparkling jewels. Not to mention that her stylist pampered her face with makeup while she put on lipstick. She went downstairs when her servant (Clousaue) approached her from behind. He leaned against the wall and panted.

"Ah, madame Bloom, wait, wait!" She turned around while he continued

"Where should I place your bouquet?"

She pushed a loose strand of her hair backward and said, "At the boot, please."

He responded with enthusiasm, "As you wish, madame."

She made her way to her car. One bodyguard opened the door for her while she got inside. As soon as she got inside, he closed the door and went to the front door. He reached inside the car and switched it on. After that, he closed the door and proceeded to Afrodille's restaurant. Another car trailed after them, hauling her trolly of flowers.

Later that night

The bodyguard parked the car in front of the restaurant. He stepped out of the vehicle and opened the back door. She stepped out and placed her foothold upon the doorstep of the restaurant. A waiter directed her to her table while her bodyguards dragged a trolly of flowers from behind. She approached Khunta, who sipped the finest wine while Steve Joe stood behind him, serving like a bodyguard.

Just before she could take a seat, Khunta arose to his feet with haste and pulled the chair from underneath the table. She sat down while he tucked her inside.

"Oh my, I never knew that sir Khunta was a man of true virtue?"

He took a seat across the table and replied with a grin.

"It is in my culture for a man to put a woman before himself."

She chuckled and placed her chin on the palm of her hand, "Such a gentleman."

From afar, another waiter approached their table with a pen and notebook. The two then placed their orders, then after, he proceeded to the kitchen.

Vanessa leaned forward and inquired with a grin, "So Khunta, please tell more about yourself. I am curious to know more about a man of your caliber."

He smiled back at her, but before he could reply to her inquiry, he took another sip from the glass and continued.

"For starters, I own an international restaurant across the globe. My friend Steve Joe serves as a waiter in one of my restaurants in Oklahoma City."

"Well, if Steve is one of your trusted men, why should he have the honor of being a waiter than a CEO?"

Khunta then stroked his beard and continued.

"Steve Joe may be excellent in combat; however, he has no business experience. The last thing I need is to find one of my restaurants in a blazing fire."

She placed a rose in front of her nose and drew in the odor of the magnificent flower.

"So Khunta, you stated that you have a proposal for me, and what would that be?"

He chuckled and intertwined his fingers. "You see, my restaurant lacks something exquisite. Something such as the scent of the rose that you drew into your nostrils."

The mood of her facial feature morphed into a 180-degree angle, from a gleeful face to a stern one.

"If flowers are what you yearn for... couldn't you have bought them in the USA? It was pointless for you to spend fuel on your aircraft just to come here."

"That's the thing... your flowers have something treasurable that other flower businesses lack."

"And what would that be?" He grabbed a sunflower from the trolly and placed it in front of his nostrils. He sniffed the odor; however, things turned out to be a train smash.

The reason was that the odor triggered his senses, thus enabling him to cough persistently. Vanessa laughed hysterically while Steve Joe rushed to the kitchen to fetch a glass of water.

On his return, Khunta grabbed the glass and drank with a gulp. As soon as he stopped coughing, he continued from where he left.

".... Ah, where was I? Oh yes, your flowers have something unique. It is what I like to call art."

She glared at him and continued, "I admire your enthusiasm for my flowers; however, let's be realistic. No one in their crazy mind would travel the world to get my flowers! You are not here for a business proposal. Rather you are here to assassinate me!"

Khunta clapped his hands with admiration, "Impressive! You were able to dicyfer my plan. And yes, I am here to kill you. Not only that, my other purpose is to take your talisman with me!"

The pace of her heart rate increased exponentially. Cornered, she sought another way out of her demise.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Khunta's voice modulated into a dark, toned one.

"Let me tell you something about myself. We can joke together, and you can even laugh at my stupidity. However, I will put you down if you dare make a fool out of me. Do you understand Viper?!"

Cornered, she confessed with a sadistic smirk. "Oh well, I guess you got me. It seems that you are a smart man, after all."

Suddenly from behind, twenty bodyguards invaded the restaurant by shooting at every object they saw fit; this frightened every customer in attendance. They darted off in great pursuit. The bodyguards surrounded her like a shiver of shakes while aiming their massive guns at her. To Khunta's surprise, she was not intimidated by her current predicament.

"So Viper... Where is the talisman? Otherwise, they will all shoot at once!"

Like a naughty girl, she grinned with glee, "I'll never tell."

"Men fire at will!" An unprecedented outcome foiled their plans as his subjects were about to pull the triggers.

The flowers in her trolly metamorphosed into enormous man-eating plants. They had grinning teeth measuring up to nine cm. Khunta's bodyguards squirmed at the sight of these vile creatures. They diverted their focus from her and centered it on these despicable creatures. Without hesitation, they fired at will. The fearsome plants hissed at them and sunk their teeth through their skulls. With sheer force, they ripped their heads apart.

Within seconds, the duel between the soldiers and the man-eating plants ultimately led to the demise of both sides, especially the plants. Viper gasped with concern and ultimately furrowed her eyebrows. She then touched the table, and in doing so, she summoned a group of vines that grew from the surface. The vines coiled around the remaining bodyguards, including Khunta and Steve Joe.

Like a ravenous serpent, the vines forcefully constricted her foes by crushing their bones to shards.

Suddenly, Khunta morphed into a goop of liquid cement. The goop of cement dropped to the floor and reformed into a shape of a man. He then stretched his hands towards the vines coiled around Steve Joe and his subjects. The vines morphed into figures of stone. Therefore he clenched his fist. In doing so, the vines imploded into rubles, setting his men from the deadly coil.

Viper was beyond terrified, while Khunta applauded her by clapping his hands.

"I am impressed by your force; otherwise, we all could have been dead without my kinetic abilities. And did I mention that this is a decoy?"

Viper raised her eyebrows while her lower jaw dropped.

"What do you mean?"

"While Steve Joe and I kept you busy, I've dispatched some men to invade your house and retrieve my talisman."

"Unfortunately for you. I've entrusted the talisman to someone else across the country. I guess all of this was a waste of your time."

Khunta then burst into a puddle of laughter, "Very funny however, you cannot deceive me. I know that the talisman is in your house. After all, I was able to locate it with this radar. Therefore it shouldn't be too hard to invade your house during your absence!"

Viper summoned more vines from the ground. In turn, they coiled around him, and this infuriated him.

"Pathetic! Is that all you got, man?" He turned the vines into stone and clenched his fist once more; this caused them to implode immensely. He stretched his hand towards her. In doing so, a liquid of cement ran across her body within five seconds. Within due time she had already morphed into a figure of stone.