And so did Kate found us the next morning, wrapped in each other's arms sleeping on Ruby's bed.
If she was disturbed by this, it didn't show on her face when she said, "I need you two down stairs in five minutes, the breakfast is getting cold, and believe me, you wouldn't like my company, if you ruin my precious morning…".
On her way out she paused on the door way and turned around as we yawn and stretched lazily like school children on a Monday morning.
"Mr. kuga, the detectives called, said they will be here at ten…" she paused again and looked at her empty wrest… "and its already nine forty-five" she said in a faint smile, before leaving the room.
"see you at breakfast Ruby…". she nodded to me avoiding eye contact. what a strange woman, I thought.
At breakfast down stairs, we eat in silence, except a little glance here, a little glance there…
"I hope you're enjoying your stay here Mr. Yakim? Kate asked, expecting me to nod as usual. "yes ma'am, thanks for having me here, I deem it an honored privilege."
Kate held her fork in midair and stare at me ardently, "Kuga. I can't believe, I over looked so many details. The name, your manner. But it's been such a long time". "yes ma'am. A very long time."
"do you two know each other?" ruby queried but none of us said anything….
"destiny is indeed real, and coincidences do exist". Kate said, looking dumfounded still…
"I couldn't have phrase it any better ma'am".
"will someone tell me something? Mother, Kuga, what is going on?"
"I guess you remember me all this while, but never said anything…." Kate was saying but the doorbell rang and Kate press a button beneath the dinning table. The security officers voice came alive through a speaker in the hall.
"The detectives are here ma'am." "let them in", Kate said and switched on the camera screen, which she was facing her on my left flank on the wall.
She gasped and cover her gaping mouth with both hands, forcing I am Ruby to turn to see what she saw on the screen that troubled her so. The sight on the scream was gruesome indeed.
We all watch in amazement at the fate of the two security officers by the gate. Each lay in a pool of blood as four men stepped out of a car holding guns.
One of them secure the gate, locking it from within and taking charge of the security post…
syphilis sprouts from your loins, Ziggy. it's been you all along…
On the screen, we watched as the gunmen approached the main building. Ziggy's enforcer, Kogna, leading the way, a 9mm in his hand pointing to the ground.
The man is one of the best on Ziggy's payroll, and whenever he shows up, there is a blood sacrifice, none of it his.
I squried to the main door, locked it and remove the key. Then, I took a quick survey around the house ensuring all the doors in the ground floor were secured.
The two women were so shocked they couldn't move from their seats…
"do you have a basement her, or a secret emergency exit, or anything you think may be of help?"
The camera visuals were now going off one by one… "they are blinding us out."
"follow me," Kate said and we run after her towards the stairs. My hopes dwindle, because we will have little fighting chance upstairs even if we had guns against the skilled gun men.
But Kate had her own surprise to pull off. Instead of climbing the stairs, she went behind it and we followed closely.
There was an unlocked rusted square metal lid beneath the stairs, 1.5m in width.
I held on to what seem like a old handle pulling it up in desperation to open.
but the rusted hinges wouldn't give way. there was no time. I run to the kitchen to get oil, and I heard the muffle sound of a 9mm.
I oils the hinges, while the two women cling to each other in terror, plugging their ears to block away the rampaging echoes of doors breaking. The smell of the enemy so near.
I pull till I found my nerves on the verge tearing. The lid give way as the hinges shriek like a scared parrot.
Quickly, Ruby and Kate descended the underground stairs and I followed.
Kogna will have to pass through me to ever get to them. "run as fast as your feet can carry you people."
It felt like the kind of nightmare where you are being chased but your feet felt heavy, and wouldn't respond to the screaming commands of the brain.
my skin begun to itch as though a million worms' crawls beneath it, a familiar reaction I know so well especially when i don't train for a long time. it probably has something to do with my blood type.
Kogna is a hired killer kuga, and can be bought by the higher bidder, "you mean Ziggy is probably innocent?" yeah kuga, that is a possibility.
"perhaps his own life is in danger because he is a branch of my power base…. Dr ain't taking prisoners right spooky…. "good kuga, now you're thinking like me".
"I can't breathe; I can't run anymore" Kate said breathlessly. "this tunnel where does it led Kate?". "it leads to a forest up ahead, not so far from her," Ruby replied and gasp for breath in the air tight tunnel.
Kate palpates in the darkness, and Ruby moan. "mother hold on tight, let me go get the inhaler" Ruby cried in the darkness as she hears her mother struggle for breath.
The air seems to pass through her, through and through. We both gripped Ruby by the fore arms. Kate shake her heard vigorously, trying to communicate but to no avail.
The dingy air is a slow killer, and if we don't get to the outside soon we will all die. I carry Kate onto my shoulder.
"there is no going back, Ruby! Run straight ahead, and never look back. I will be right behind you." I said handing to her my phone touch light.
"is mother dead Kuga?" she asked and started to run and I followed her, scuffing to avoid bouncing my feet on the wet ground of the eight by four feet tunnel, trying very hard not to make Kate condition worse.
"no Ruby, she probably has a chance, if we get to fresh air soon".
There is light at the end of the tunnel after all… I beheld it like I never behold anything so dearly.
We sense the freshness that lays ahead, patiently waiting to embrace us into the womb of nature, into the light of day, it was all green, on turgid slippery ground amidst shallow mashes.
I could hear Kogna and his men on our heels in hot pursuit. If I can gauge correctly, perhaps I am totally wrong in my deductions, they are more than a hundred yards away. It might have taken them some time to discover the tunnel.
Ruby slipped and nearly fell, but I was right behind her, edging her on, although she looks very pale and was now breathing through her open mouth.
"avoid stepping on the mud Ruby, run on the root, twigs, creeping branches, and dead organic material. Now take your left, go straight ahead, no take right, enter that grove."
I put Kate down on ground to regain my own breath, my heart hammering three times faster per sec.
I kneel before the lifeless figure, testing her jugular and wrist for a pulse but felt nothing. I blew air into her lungs anyway, perhaps a drop of the life juice still lingers.
I press down on her chest with both hands, to kick start her natural breathing mechanism as Ruby help with blowing air into her lungs.
She coughed and spat, siting up abruptly to take greedy long breaths. Sissh! I placed one finger on my lips, as we lay on the worm and insects infested wet rotten black soil rich in high doses of the gaia.
The sound of a broken twig got the birds flying hither tither into the skies from atop the tall trees, running from the only devil they knew so well, man.
They are within the vicinity but we couldn't tell exactly where. I have to create a diversion away from the two women.
"now listen to me Ruby, Kate… I want you to stay here, and hold on tight. I am going to draw them faraway from this grove, all you have to do is stay quite. Here is my cell, call the police if you don't her from me in less than 45min.
But don't do it now, they may pick up the signal before the police got here….". I rise to go, but Ruby held on to me.
.