AK looked about, confused. He had been walking in circles the last minutes. He kept wondering if he had miscalculated their moves but he has always been good in such areas. So the chances that they wouldn't pass that path was very slim, except they were given a heads up. Then he felt a cold metal making contact with the flesh on the back of his neck. He didn't even hear a single sound before then. His body stiffened, as his mind began working on how to get himself out of the deadly situation.
"Throw your gun aside. Your hands on your head where I can see them", his captor instructed
AK slowly throw his gun away but still within his reach. He then slowly raised his two hands up.
"Now, turn slowly, and face me"
AK moved his body
"Slowly", he repeated putting more pressure on the gun behind AK's head.
AK slowly turned towards the man. Careful this time, not to annoy him.
Don recognized AK at once, when he turned, facing him. He lowered his gun immediately.
"AK! What are you doing here?" He asked, his face showing surprise.
"Where is the guy you were chasing? I've been on his tail too", AK responded
"Oh! That bastard ambushed me and a make a run for his life. He was good, I'll give him that but that won't save him if I ever caught up with him", Don promised himself.
"Shit! Let's get back to the rest," AK said as he picked his gun on the floor.
He then pulled out his radio to communicate with Bullet, who informed him he was on his way back to the hideout with Smith's daughter.
There was a look of surprise, followed by exceeding joy when Don heard about Smith's daughter.
"Let's head for the hideout man" AK told Don
"Yeah, sure man".
Bullet carried Ella on his arm as he jogged down the path that led to the hideout. Looking back at intervals to ensure they weren't being followed or worse still, a target. He avoided the open ground as he ducked between pines until they got to the hideout where Smith, Bugle and the other two security team lay in wait.
"Daddy!" Ella called excitedly, stretching out her arms as she sighted Smith.
Smith carried her off Bullet's arm, enfolding her in a warm embrace. He realized once again, how close he was to losing his precious gem today. He kissed her hair, patting the crown of her head. Ella, on the other hand, had her arms tightly locked around her dad's neck, determined there would be no separation whatsoever.
Meanwhile, Bugle had called in the case. He had reported the death of one of his men, Francis. An investigative team was already on its way.
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Smith had ordered his floatplane, be brought ashore. He wouldn't risk travelling back in his yatch to avoid it being sabotaged. Since Bugle will be sticking around to meet with the detective assigned to the case, Smith had ordered AK to stay back with Bugle and Don. Jean, his pilot, had radioed in to say he would be with them in fifteen. Smith checked his wrist watch, it was 11:00am. He hoped they would get back to town before 2pm so he could get some things in place.
They had all left the abandoned hideout, they had used for cover, as they head towards the sea. Smith looked at Ella's sleeping form in his arms. How he had come to love her and need her like his next breathe.
"I'm sorry for all the troubles baby", he said, kissing her hair
Some yards away, Smith could see the floatplane moving towards them, raising water in its wake. When the plane was almost ashore, Jean unpowered its engine, leaving it to glide. It eventually stopped few feets from Smith and his entourage. Jean got out to secure the floatplane with the help of Bullet.
Smith got into the plane, carefully securing Ella in one of the plane seats before he took another seat beside her. Jean abandoned his position to welcome Smith in person.
"Welcome on board sir" he greeted.
"Thank you Jean. Get us out of here"
"Yes sir", Jean replied, quickly retracing his steps.
He did his preflight inspection once more to ascertain the plane was still in good condition after its takeoff earlier, primed the engine, before leaving the cockpit to shove off the plane from dock, with Bullet giving a helping hand while the other two agents; Jim and Sam stood on guard.
Jean returned to the pilot seat, quickly turned on the master switch and magnetos, verified that the propeller area is clear, before starting the engine. Bullet, Jim and Sam went after him, taking their seats too. With oil pressure checked, idle r.p.m. set, and the seaplane taxiing in the desired direction, Jean then fastened his seatbelt and shoulder harness, secured the door, and continued preparing for takeoff.
They arrived Smith's penthouse few minutes past two. John had picked them up in Smith's limo when they disembarked the floatplane at shore. Smith carried his daughter through the elevator ride to his apartment. Ella stirred in his hands when he made an attempt to place her on his bed. He cradled her, having learnt from experience while dealing with his kid sister in her infancy stage. He rocked Ella back to sleep before gently placing her on the bed. He had scheduled a meeting with Regina, a professional decorator, who would help design Ella's room.
Smith would never forget his encounter with Ella's mother. It was a memory that would haunt him for the rest of his life. He had caused the death of her mother, albeit indirectly.
On that ill-fated day, Smith had bursted in on a Drug Cartel. It was around the time he found out the true nature of Tessy, his ex-fiancee, after the lavish engagement. He had loved Tessy in earnest and had believed his love was reciprocated until he overheard her conversation on phone with another guy.