CHAPTER 19

"Yes, Uncle"

"How much would you say the least of my jewelry would go for ?"

"Give or take, twenty million dollars"

"Twen...twenty million?" Halo fell back on the couch and just hoped that they wouldn't kill her slowly, "we're so dead. I'm going to die. I knew something was going to happen"

"Halo" Dominic tried to touch her but she moved away, "I'm so sorry," he turned to King Jamal, "Please don't hurt her. I swear that she had nothing to do with this. I'll return the money and give you back the ring"

"You mean from Francis? the man that knows the actual value of my property? do you really think that he'll want to remain in this dingy neighborhood when you just handed twenty million to him just like that?"

Of course they knew about Francis. Why wouldn't they? these were very powerful people with limitless resources. The news that Francis had left a sense of dread hanging over Dominic's head. There was no way he could ever get the ring back at this point. He was screwed.

"Please. Please don't hurt my sister. I'll do anything that you want, endure any punishment but please" he looked at her again, "Just let her go. She's a good kid"

King Jamal got to his feet and exhaled. ''You see, where I'm from we have a particular punishment for thieves," he stretched out his hand and one of the armed men placed a medium sized machete in his palm, "I'm sure you have a faint idea of where I'm headed with this"

"NO!!" Halo screamed and stepped in front of her brother, "no, no, no please don't. Please"

"Step aside child" King Jamal ordered but she stood her ground, tears running down her face.

"Please sir. Please don't cut off his arm"

King Jamal did not respond to her pleas he gestured for two of his men to hold Dominic down.

"Oh God! Please don't! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" Dominic screamed at the top of his voice as they dragged him to the middle of the living room.

"Right arm or left arm?" King Jamal asked, "You know what? since you seem so remorseful, I'll spare your dominant hand and you can use the money that you sold my ring for to take care of yourself"

"Mr King please! I'm sorry!"

King Jamal chuckled. "I hold no grudges. Just choose an arm that you're willing to part with"

"Dom" Halo whispered his name as she watched him being manhandled. They were going to chop off his hand and they were going to make her watch. She felt like the world was coming to an end and she had no power to stop it.

"Choose!!" King Jamal's voice boomed but all Dominic could do was sob.

The man raised the weapon in the air and just when he was about to bring it down on whatever arm that he chose Halo threw herself over her brother. She would die first before she let them harm the only family that she had left.

She shut her eyes and waited for the impact of the machete on her back or nape but when she felt nothing she looked up. King Jamal stood over her with his arm still raised.

"Get out of the way little girl"

"He's all that I have," Halo said, her voice low as she wrapped her arms around her brother, "I'd rather you kill me first"

"You would give up your life for this thief?"

"A thief, a liar and my brother. If you hurt him then you might as well kill me"

"Get out of the way!"

"Kill me!'' she yelled out and glared at the man, "Kill me or take me"

"Take you?" King Jamal looked at Adnan and then back at Halo, "what do you mean take you?"

"Don't hurt him. Just take me instead"

"Halo, no!" Dominic yelled from under her and tried to force himself up but she forced him down.

"I'll do anything. I'll find a way to pay off the debt just please sir"

"Young lady, do you..."

"Don't listen to her! she doesn't know what she's talking about" Dominic interrupted.

"You will keep your mouth closed unless spoken to!" King Jamal yelled at Dominic and then turned to Halo, "you do understand that you're making a risky request. Answer me this, will you still be willing to give yourself up if I told you that you would spend the rest of your life as a sex slave?"

Halo felt like she had been punched in the face. She looked up at King Jamal and he looked dead serious. She thought about her body being used by different men and then she thought of Dominic having his arm and most likely his head cut off and she realized which one made her heart hurt more.

"I would do anything for my brother" She could feel him shake from all the sobbing that he was doing and it broke her heart to see him like that.

King Jamal exhaled and looked down at her for more than a minute. Those were the longest sixty seconds of Halo and Dominic's lives and while they waited for him to pass a sentence she kissed her brother's head.

"We'll be alright"

"What is your name?"

"Ha... Halo Johnson Sir"

"Halo Johnson" he let the name roll around in his tongue. He looked at her and smiled. "I'll figure out what to do with you and your brother soon enough," he handed the machete back to one of his men, "in the mean time, try not to leave town. You know we'll find you if you do"

King Jamal tapped Halo on the head and with his men walked out the frontt door. He looked at the siblings who still hadn't moved. "Do try not to let this little event ruin a fine day like this for you" with that he shut the door and began to make his way out of the building.