Anathii, thinking back, could still remember when 9 had struck the clock yet the third tenant still hadn't brought his deposit yet, though when a knock finally arrived he looked out the window only to see a fat man with a thin smile. Quickily making him realize that the guy was offside, just before alerting his mother and picking up their packed bags and rushing out of the house through the back door.
After signing and leaving the house's deeds' contract of course, alongside a small letter informing Gummy Bear to accept 'n' sign the letter and its instructions towards the ownership of that very house. Only for them to be encountered by great fear and tensions as Gummy Bear's hungry goons broke into the house and mercilessly chased after them in those early hours of the morning.
Such thoughts kept Anathii's mind on autopilot and he could barely take note or recognize the essence of the day. Plus the fact that both his mother and fiance had hidden the truth regarding his sister from him only motivated him to get on with Zanele's wedding so he could quickly move on to marrying the sweet Genna Gumede.
He had now flipantly turned a blind eye to the importance of the wedding day, even as he put on his suit with the help of Zanele's favorite dresser, Jaylene Byrd, a Canadian designer which she had met as a fashion gala in Netherlands. One such Jaylene Byrd who seemed to be admiring how his nice suit carved out his nice arms, his imagination picturing her desire to kiss him alongside assumptions of Zanele's white wedding dress with bottom flairs, slightly see-through upper, and a tight white waist that flousted the rules of nature in exposing Zanele Mandalay's signature body, as blisters caused by sharp lustful eyes danced on her skin.
It was then when the mirror just before him showed him the stylish side he had never seen before as the suit which had been originally meant for Dumisanii revealed the key design which came as a result of a close collaboration between Zanele and Dumisanii. He loved what he saw and saw did Jaylene Byrd even though she refrained from saying a word or even bother to pay off her indebted compliments - which left him blushing enough to give her a kiss on the cheek and walk out before someone suspicious could walk in.
Alas, Zanele's P.A slammed their secretive act when she suddenly walked in without a smile but rather a sarcastic clap which left him laughing, until she took out a pill and squeezed his mouth open, as per her boss' orders, before telling him of the amounts of energy it would kick into his system... It was the same rainbow colored pill, or drug, which he had seen her using to remain energetically refreshed and mentally refurbished. A sweet little drug custom-made for A-listers, he almost smiled to it, remembering the cocaine-candy nickname which Zanele Mandalay had already given it.
Besides the sweet flavor which he savored down his throat, he felt, a sudden ball of adrenaline bowling through his vein as he began walking down the hallway of her father's house as the art pieces on the elegant walls whispered some voices into his ears alongside some winks into his eyes, making him kind of giggle to some of the groomsman and bridesmaids he walked past, poking snares and darts of both admiration and jealousy as he made his way outside. Resurgence of thoughts too soon emerged and took him back to the night of the hijack with Caith. The same Caith whom he very much suspected to be at the Gumede house alongside his mother, aunt, uncle and the glamorous Genna herself. The same Genna who then sent him a text with an entailment of her location within it.
Perfect was not the time, but nevertheless he quickly rushed back to the dressing room where he saw Jaylene Byrd dancing to music before telling her to close her eyes and changing into an inferior suit before kindly putting his wedding suit on a hanger and taking the hanger with him after hugging Jaylene and telling her to tell Zanele that the next time she would see him would be at the wedding since he needed to give her enough time to miss him anyways.
By the time he got to the car he was still battling to figure out whom she reminded him of, even as his conscience ate him for taking Zanele's Range Rover - whose ignition prowess could never cease to please him with its smooth stationery-to-motion movement.
He lifted the parking gear and hit reverse , before soon changing the gear and heading for the gate whilst looking to the golf course on the left and imagining himself juggling golf with his father-in-law soon enough. Just before he saw Zanele's P.A's dial invading his screen before looking in the rearview mirror and seeing her gesturing for him to stop whilst her other hand kept the phone by her ear. Maybe it was due to the pill she had given him, but either way he wasn't going to stop. He needed to see Genna before the wedding, even as he cancelled the P.A's call and quickly proceed to high-dial Genna.
"Heyy Gee-gee, your husbae over here," he giggles scrammed through the voice message, "just received your message and location, but hopefully you'll overlook my late response."
"Of course love, missed you lots; we'll argue over that in person." His expression formed a concoction of both excitement and fear when no sign of giggles seemed to be trailing her voice.
"Genna, come on, don't tell me you're mad, I'm coming." Anathii's eyes were now smaller than the lump on his throat.
"Yes love, you do just that, there are some rumors I need to address." Genna sounded a bit worried but when secondary giggles played in the background he assumed there was a little surprise which she had planned for him. Especially when she quickly cut the phone.
Much of him wanted to ask about that so as to get a proper understanding of the situation, for he knew that Caith and Neliswa could have had a hand in this call. Giggles too, which had just played in the background could have been theirs and his gut was certain about that.
For if Genna were to find out of the wedding with Zanele Mandalay, his entire promotion would be ruined and he certainly didn't want that, but the same could nit be said about the obsessed Caith and her compatriot Neliswa. Anathii just wanted to achieve both marriages and attain a promotion as well as a young vibrant wife within the next 48 hours, even if both of those came from two side of the mighty fashion families.
Plus what If Genna Gumede, the young vibrant wife, had journalists ready to bombard him with questions where she was waiting for him, it was about time she introduced him to the public anyways. As much as that would stand to ruin his surprise appearance as Zanele's bride at the Mandalay heir's wedding.
Genna's recently cut call had also left a voice cruising on the ceiling of his eardrums and his thoughts surfing in a sea of assumptions as he accelerated a bit to escape from curiosity that drove him a bit crazy. Crazy enough to almost crash, twice, before he attempted high-dialing Divvy Jaars to tell him to come to the wedding with several security personnel, but no answer came through - he was probably drunk too if not busy following up on mishandled cases - of his loneliness, failed cases and a fire of corruption further fueled by Dee Monique's absence. Anathii thought to himself.
It was after deviating from the main road and turning left towards the string of restaurants when he realized that he was actually being followed by a certain silver car. Yet he didn't let that stop him from continuing towards Genna as he finally turned right along a road which went downhill towards the western side of Maynardville park, before he parked along a line of cars parked along the park's wall before he checked the perimeter, got out and crossed the road which ran along a string of posh pubs, and club-like restaurants.
Sounds of children and couples flying over the park's wall as he walked over to one of the two restaurants next to the art store, the same one which he soon saw her coming out of with a canvas whose contents were hidden from his eyes, as her smile proved too contagious to his own as she flawlessly walked over in a dress like hoody which matched with her Yeezy's.
"Look at those patterns, fruits and tropical trees all over that slightly shiny suit, really brings out your shoulders lovey," Genna ran her finger down his back as she hugged him, affectionately enough for him hold and slightly scratch her hips.
"Oh look at at you... Really can't wait for our first night together Jenny," He lifted her hand and rotated and her as though they were about to tango. "You just know how to dress."
"It's a Gumede thing love, and look at what I've just bought you," She looked at him with eyes that popped out of the frame formed by her hoody. "It's an artwork of mine, for yours eyes to grasp on whenever you miss me."
"Wow, it's beautiful, but maybe after marriage you should make a nude remix of it," He smiled without shame and pulled her and the artwork to the pavement whilst looking inside the art store where he could see another beautiful girl being painted if not pen-sketched by another chick with several ear and nose piercings.
"Think that's exactly what you should do right now, you owe me remember?" She caressed his cheek with the back of her hand as her smile faded. "You don't pick up my calls, you no longer visit me, you weren't involved in any of the wedding planning!" The playfulness in her voice was no longer clear, even as she turned her gaze towards the Range Rover which he had just pulled up in.
"Babes, I really would, you know that but right now I'm on my way to find my sister," those words didn't seem to leave her convinced. "Following up on a lead, my inner piece is half-filled by you, but the other half vanished with her."
"You shouldn't have let her date a gangsta's son - don't be surprised, I know what goes on around those around me," Genna said before drawing her eyes to the Range Rover. As though about to inform him of his business with Dee Monique.
It was then when he took her hand and pledged to her that it would be the last thing he would do without involving her, since their marriage was around the clock anyways. She seemed a little convinced as her friend finally came out of the restaurant with several take away's, just as her chauffer pulled up, and pulled her along towards their chauffer-driven ride. Her friend's eyes telling him that they'd spent hours and minutes gossiping about him. But it was then when he saw Zanele's P.A pulling up and parking her car just behind his one, before stepping out with a semi-disgruntled facial expression. He knew that nothing but the bitter truth had come.
"Snap that's my boss' personal assistant, something I really need to do before the wedding," He whispered to Genna convincingly, without placing a kiss near her lips. "Last thing I'm doing before transferring to House of Gumede."
"Really sorry to intrude Anathii, but you know very well what must be done," uttered the P.A before her eyes jumped from both Anathii and Genna in assessment of the two, wearing some designer lady suit from AMANDA MANDALAY"S, before putting her cherry lollipop back in her mouth.
"No Anathii, this is our wedding day and I deserve to have a say, you can't keep sidelining me you know." Overwhelmed by irritation she just smiled and got into her car, her eyes glued to Anathii as it drove away, only for Zanele's P.A to give him a disciplinary look, as Genna and friends drove off.
"Shouldn't you be practicing your dances alongside the bridesmaids and groomsmen Anathii," Cassidy lifted her eyebrows and left him feeling selfish, detrimentally careless to the traffic of eyes which were stealing a small glance whilst walking past.
"Did Zanele put you to this spying business?"
"You tell me, 'cause there's something off about you as of late," she hummed, walked closer and poked her long nails into his chin, "From talking to house maids to meeting up with the Lindiwe Gumede's daughter, I'm stunned."
"Guess you'll just have to get used to its, my friends and hobbies are off limit, even if I'm marrying a Mandalay." Smiling, he felt her nails prick deeper into his skin, before walking back to the Ranger Rover he'd secretly borrowed from Zanele. "Also, refrain from following me around." He grinched effortlessly, wondering what her main problem was with him.
"But you haven't told me what I want to hear, unless I'm lying," A fragmented frown played on her face as she returned to her car, "Just don't come late to your own wedding, Anathi, that wouldn't be pleasing."
Her words didn't snatch his attention away from the park, and its beuatiful setting. The same park he was already planning on visiting so the artshop artists could make paintings of him, and Genna, in the park. But first he had to go through Zanele's wedding, alongside finding his sister safe and sound, not forgetting sorting out possible Caith-imposed problems. The same ones which Neliswa had told him about. All these played a role in his mental schedule and emotional timetable, but first, he had to make sure that he escaped Zanele's P.A. She had already ruined his little date anyways.
Cassidy dialed, as she watched Anathii drive away, but not even the eyes at the back of her head could spot a possible young man who had had his eyes glued on both her and Anathii for a very long minute, before he proceeded to drink from his straw.
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Meanwhile at the Gumede mansion, Anathii's mother worried sick about her daughter, whom Detective Divvy Jaars had recently claimed to have gotten a lead. Outside the 3rd bathroom of the Gumede Mansion she could hear people bussling around as everyone helped with the preparations of Genna's party-like wedding. Yet she herself was still sitted in the bathtub struggling from inertia. She knew how devoid of joy she would certainly feel at the wedding, whether Genna's or Zanele's.
So as she sat in round bathtub, her nudity and tears hidden in the bubbles, she thought of all those happy memories she had shared with her daughher. Both before and after the Gummy Bear's presence in her life. The same gangsta whom she just couldn't keep her family away from; seeing that she had first lost her husband due to him - and now it was her daughter. Nomsa certainly didn't want that to happen to her son Anathii. Hence she had to act before he could even find out or bother with trying to find her.
Yet that too wasn't even enough, danger was lurking everywhere. For being at the Gumede house had unraveled her to the full truth behind Zanele's wedding. How Zanele had actually been the one to cancel out of Dumisanii Gumede -something which Lindiwe Gumede herself would certainly not be pleased about upon returning from Korea.
Lindiwe Gumede had spoken lightly about it regarding the matter as merely a coalition stunt - yet Dumisanii hadn't seemed too happy to let Zanele go, judging by how he had just had a small arguement with his aunt before getting into his car, revving his engine and loudly driving away.
He was definitely up to something seeing that Lindiwe Gumede has planned for him to get married with Zanele on the same day as Genna's wedding with Anathii, but now, the former's actions had ruined the whole equation. Plus Genna's marriage had been specifically meant to happen before Dumisanii's. One person was definitely to blame - herself for pushing for Anathii towards accepting. The guilt began to eat her from within, once again wondering as to whether her selfishness had led to her daughter's kidnapping.
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Elsewhere, at Gummy Bear's place, Vulisanii and Darren, pushed the girls legs of their laps as soon as the alarm on Darren's phone rang. The two bad boys then proceeded in putting their Play Station controllers down, sipping some water and standing up just after stretching and picking a handful of Dorito's from the table full of snacks as the sounds of Call of Duty gunshot filled gameplay played in their ears as they got ready to relive their virtual experience once again, in real life but.
"Fudge, she and I could be on an Island in Mozambique right now, but let's go get her," He said bending his head to kiss one of the two playgirls. "And have you compiled the document?" He hadn't even finished his statement when she handed it to him.
"If you thinking of marriage then you better be emotionally prepared brother, money can't buy emotional stability you know." Darren cocked his glock before tucking in in his pants.
"This is different bruh, let's just go and end this Dee Monique snake for once and for all, I don't want to miss the wedding." He walked out the door where the sunlight and 9 of his most trusted soldiers were already stood. Sub-Machine Guns in their hands as two VW vans with tinted windows already had their engines running. "Let's also not forget that Divvy Jaars is onto us - and he probably got a dozen of police cars on standby too."
"And we need to use another van, for diversion." Darren said and quickly popped a bubblegum into his mouth. He always did such when he needed to get his mind under control - especially now that he was getting apologetic calls from his gilrfriend Yonella.
"You are right about that, but there are many routes to our targeted location, even if we go around we will get there through google maps," He informed as Darren got into the third van.
"True, and the four of us will use will be behind Vulisanii's team, then you 3 will use you van as back up, approximately a few minutes after we've gotten into Dee Monique and Rosebank's compound." Darren got into the van and kept pouring out his words even as it drove on.
Just like that the three vans departed Gummy Bear's palace. Vulisanii's team in the first one and Darren's team in the second. The 3rd van with the 3 back up guys. All 11 of them dressed in green overalls and black sneakers, alongside black bulletproof vests and fox rubber bear masks as they headed towards Journalism Without Borders' HQ's accomodation compound on the quiet section of Constanstia. The only problem they had was barging into an armed compound in broad daylight.
Maybe if his uncle had been around then a better plan could have been devised. He listened looking out of the window as his guys got ready for doom, taking some pills to calm some nerves. As the saturday traffic seemed somewhat busier than usual due to Zanele Mandalay's wedding. Nevertheless he knew that Gunfire during the day was not a very smart idea.
Such thoughts even left a fearful flavor on his tongue but he had to do it for both love and revenge. Furthermore the air that loudly barged in through the passenger's seat' window was enough to keep him carelessly calm even as the van drove past a cop car.
Even as he questioned the reason behind her failure to escape, seeing that she had once tried to run away from him - unless it had just been a dream. A vision in which he had woken up, rushed to the balcony and seen her quietly modelling towards the gate of his uncle's compound before taking it upon himself to rush downstairs and rush after her fully aware of the consequences which would follow soon after his uncle would find out.
"Vulisanii... Vulisanii!" One of his guys said to him as the two vans finally arrived, alongside Darren's texts which were coming from the other van. Just as he took note of another van which had just entered the compound and left the gate open - an opportunity which the vans very much took before driving into the yard and almost crashing into the van which had just entered alongside a few bullets which had left the tires of Vulisanii's van popped and flat enough to make it lean on one side.
"Lets's go... Let's go" Vulisanii ordered his guys before they all got out, whilst hiding behind the van before heading for its entrance, about 70 meters away, and surprisingly to Vulisanii no series of gunshots were chasing after them. There were two busses parked near the entrance to the elevator but the guys very much preferred the stairs. of that 3 floor little apartment.
Silently gesturing for his team members to disseminate and conquer, he realized that the setting didn't quite feel like call of duty, until a gunwoman popped out from the entrance to the first floor and shot her shots, leaving pumping with some adrenaline. Dee Monique's trap had gotten them well.
He shot at her again, even when they reach the door to the first floor, the same exit which that same gunwoman had just used to escape from them. Yet when he opened it, the series of gunshots he had been expecting were not available. His breath was now heavy from the stairs as his mind was now heavy with nightmarish possibilities which could bring death from any corner in that very moment. He ordered his guys to search the building after also ordering Darren and his team to surround the ground floor in case something were to happen by surprise.
"Nothing here... Same here," Two of his favorite guys shouted from across the floor, until the 3rd one finally called them over to where he was. Before they rushed their and encountered a string of pages on the floor which had names of him and Aneni-Anesu and their pictures just before he picked up and read a small article, one with a picture of him in green overalls on the front page. "Of the infamous Gummy Bear arrested by Detective Divvy Jaars after being found in possession of the young lady which had been reported missing a few days ago. He was with several gunmen when she was found with him in a small building, on the second floor just after he had attempted to kind of..."
His eyes couldn't believe what he was seeing. It was a freshly printed article with details regarding that exact time and place. It was a clue left for him, and she was definitely on the second floor. Yet upon rushing back to the stairs and rushing upstairs they were caught with two dead bodies along its passage, as a smokescreen blinded them - as coughs came from the fourth door on the left, which they were able to make out using their fingers, before they opened it and saw a heavily coughing Anen-Anesu just next to another article - which Vulisanii unfortunately had no time to read especially when he heard several sirens and cop cars coming from the ground.
Untying her from the bed, as semi-naked as she was, enough to leave him hoping that nothing bad had been done to her. He could tell that she was slightly drugged, again, before he ordered one of his guys to pick her up whilst he went to the window and checked outside where he looked straight towards the gate and saw 3 cop cars as those vigilante's got out and came towards the gate. Ready to shoot, as Vulisanii too looked for any sign Divvy Jaars.
"Wait don't shoot yet," he said to his guys fully aware that if the shooting began the cops would call for reinforcements, which was something Vulisanii clearly wasn't prepared to face.
Yet to his dissapointment shots sparked on the ground. One of Darren's guy had clearly forgotten that wearing a bulletproof didn't mean deathproof. "Okay take her, we are going down boys literally, not the figurative term." He looked at them and put readjusted his Bear mask - not wanting to make it easy for Divvy Jaars to spot him - just before a shot pierced through the window and shot one of the guys' arm - luckily it was just on the bulletproof.
Alas that's what he thought before seeing the guy's face and some blood on his shoulders. especially when they took cover and headed out, they didn't have time to take cover in the apartment - for that would just leave them surrounded with no where to run. His uncle had taught him that in a game of chess. Uncle G had always said and theoretically believed in taking the war to your enemies rather than waiting for them to make the first strike.
Yet as they struggled with the smokescreen of the second floor whilst rushing back down to, Aneni-Anesu made some shrug-ish sounds whilst still on the shoulder of one of his soldiers. Such sounds as her jumbled thoughts formed a mixed traffic of dreams of herself and Dumisanii, alongside Yonella on a love triangular date.
Even as gunshots invaded Vulisanii's head and made his guys shoot back in response, before a bubble of silence popped over and left the four of them looking back and forth in search of a possible suspect, possible foes to shoot at. Just before the smoke cleared and a silhouette appeared.
"Drop your guns or my butterflies will be forced to shoot... I said drop your guns boys and I'm not joking." Vulisanii and his guys almost gave in to their urge to shoot until they realized that the voice was actually coming from behind, yet as the smoke faded, there were two gunladies in front of them with their guns pointed at them. The lazers of those guns directly on their foreheads, their fingers on their triggers.
"Couldn't you see that this was a trap from the start Vulisanii, or did your uncle not teach you about the basics of intrusion," she muttered and gave a gritty smile just before her face slowly morphed into a twist of angry frustration as she closed in on them from behind, "As a matter of fact my girls and I could kill you right now, never mind Divvy Jaars and his cops out there."
"No don't," he stopped his guy from shooting at her, fully knowing that would just mean a suicidal shower of bullets for all of them. "Oh Dee Monique, I came with back up, so my guys would still catch you outside." He looked at her and laughed alongside his 3 guys, just before one of them coughed out blood - clearly he had been shot. This was one of his brotherly friends.
"Luckily for me, I won't have to face you goons, I've got two choppers waiting for me on the roof... I mean us."
"It's another trap Vulisanii don't fall for it, she clearly can't be trusted." His friend took of his Bear facemask and revealed a face which clearly hated her.
"Either I kill you right now, or Divvy Jaars catches you and send you all to prison... Or you could all come with me right now and do me a simple task - of killing someone special." Tilting her head she evaluated their calculated, incoming responses, fully knowing that they wouldn't dare oppose.
"What about the wedding heist?" Vulisanii's friend asked."
"Don't worry child, it will be part of the job," now let's go the choppers are waiting." She turned around and headed for the stairs as soon as her butterflies had disarmed them. "Also, don't try to do anything stupid."
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Meanwhile on the ground floor Darren called for back up as he continued shooting at the cops, whilst running out of ammo, shortly before seeing the back up van driving past before turning around and leaving the area. Making him bluff in realization that there had been a change of plans, especially when he saw two choppers leaving the roof.
"Two choppers flying off and the back up van driving away with no attempt to shoot the cops... Think Vulisanii has left us bro, either dead or he has betrayed us!" His words fell of dead ears as he looked to the recently last breathing guy on his team only to see his eyes looking at the sun as his head leaned against the van's tyre just before blood crawled out through the corner of his mouth.
"Stand up with your hands behind your head," he heard Detective Divvy Jaars voice as footsteps of cops closed in. He had nowhere to hide but still head enough adrenaline to go out with a big blast of bullets directed at the cop. Until he remembered that Yonella still loved him and that Caith was carrying his baby - meaning that he still had plenty of love to live for. Hence he placed his hands behind his head and slowly rose to his feet with a big smug on his face, angrily grinning to Vulisanii's betrayal.