"Kate and Ruby, sisters ha?". "why not finished with the meal first Kuga".
"don't worry lady, nothing can spoil my appetite now, can't it?".
"be careful now boy, you never know what you may fine or what to expect when you open a Pandora's box".
"shoot your arrow Diana."
"okay, the two women are sisters, but trust me, I never thought you didn't know, and what makes you conclude they are mother and daughter."
"I think its bad judgement on my part, perhaps Ruby led me on either deliberately, or unknowingly."
"but you at least know about their connection with my organization right?". "you mean Kate connection to Lycan heights?".
"please Kuga, for the last time I will advise that you don't call it by name, it's just the way it is, technically I don't work for them, but I am part of them, I hope you do understand."
"alright lady, just for your sake. let's start with the tracking device, was it you?".
"and what makes you think that, I think we already clarify that point, what is wrong with you? how many times do I have to tell you I am not part of any of that, I didn't put the device on you, Kuga".
"okay, who did? I need an answer now," I said banging the table in rage startling the woman.
" does it matter now? you waisting time going back to these things."
"I am sidelining those I will have to take out, or go after." Diana laughed a big laugh, " you're so funny Kuga, boy you stand the sight of blood, neither can you pull a trigger. now, stop acting like some bounty slinger."
"you think this is funny? I am running for my life, I can't even sleep in my house, and you think it's funny? and who told you I need a gun to sideline and eliminate a threat? be careful around me woman. for there are times I don't even trust myself. and I have reached a point where I fear for the people around me...".
"What the hell, Kuga. Don't ever talk like that to me. you ungrateful son of a gun.... i my world such a vague threat can get you killed..."
"the tracker Diana...?"
"perhaps Kate did."
"good lord, save my poor soul! just the right answer I needed! Perhaps! really! Is that the best you can do lady!".
"stop yelling okay!" she yelled tearfully with quivering lips. Yeah, just what I needed, I want her to cry her eyes out, I want to see raw naked emotions on display telling their own truth, free from the charade.
"I will yell Diana, I will break things, demm I slit my wrest if it will get you talking." I said dangerously.
"alright, Kate did it, pity the woman, she was just trying to protect herself and her sister."
"you give me the facts lady, and let me be the judge of things. How long have you known about the sisters Diana?".
"since you escaped with them, and Shanaz filled me in, he gave Kate the tracker to put on you…..
I remembered the sisters then, and start to realize why I was so curious about ruby earlier, but I couldn't believe she is the one, her real name is Ludhiana…"
I felt my heart squeezed in pain, and begin to pound furiously, my undigested food pause right in my chest and failed to reach the stomach.
"those girls are the children of one of the five Lord's of the League of bosses. But they have gone into hiding, don't ask me why. perhaps they're running from their marriages obligation with the help of their father...
"so, there is know dead husband of Kate."
"You mean a dead lover, predecessor of Kogna."
"who is this Ruby or Ludy bethrode to among the league of bosses? for this hit on Kate's love probably was sunction by her husband or husband to be."
"okay, they are five bosses representing five families tracing a bloodline back in time. But among them there is politics, votes, rules and veto rules. They solidify and secure their spots, alliance through intra marriage deals. Ludy is a victim of such contracts, and her man will be one of the princes."
"someone like Felix, clearly he is a son to one of this lords, source of his power base".
"you getting the picture Kuga."
"what kind of mafia crab is that lady! In this part of our world?".
"yes Kuga, and I don't know why I am telling you all this, perhaps I feel guilty for all the attempts on your life so far, and I want to make amends, perhaps find a way to secure a deal for you before some of these people catch up to you. And may I remind you have the support of two bosses against three.
And now do mind telling me where the two women are? because it's believed that you kidnap them, perhaps; after you sense their betrayal and want to seek revenge."
"You are such a great actor you are Diana, all this while you wanted to know the where about of the women, for ones show some honor in lying, just tell me what you want upfront instead of going round in circles with lies."
"oh, and what a bad judge of character you are kuga, how naïve, how dumb, I have stick out my neck for you, putting my own life in peril saving yours, I gave you enough reason not to doubt my motives, yet every slightest chance you get, you puke on my face with your suspicious venom. Demm you man, you can go to hell for all I care!".
At this, she stood and walk back into the house, swaying her hips in her voilet gown, leaving me in the garden to stare down at my untouched meal that has gone cold. It was noon already, and my appetite was long gone.
Treachery, lies upon lies, I don't even trust myself now, for I am full of lies and falsity myself. how did ever get here, what have I done to myself?
I need to make a call, just one call to check in on the two sisters and make sure they are alright, until I hear their side of the story, I can't believe Diana's story although it sounded convincing enough and maybe right, I know there must be an explanation for all this.
******†*†*†******
...…..
Diana came back moments later with her phone. It was on loud speaker, "Kogna what going on over there?" Diana asked sitting in front of me.
"how is spooky, is he okay?" Kognas voice boomed from the other side of the line.
"I am here Kogna and I am fine, how are holding up over there?"
"Ziggy and the doc are recruiting spooky, I mean they are really chucking it down over here, new faces all over safari man, same thing going down at the other clubs."
"how long have you known about the sisters Kogna?". "not much spooky, all I knew was the hit that day was for all three of you, that was the docs order to ziggy, and they did refer to them as sisters."
"truth is, Felix had gone rogue from within the inner circle with the backing of the three bosses, who had come to consider the sisters as traitors after they did run into hiding to escape their fate." Diana had put Kogna on hold on the phone before making this revelation.
"you mean you want to get to the sisters first before Felix? Damn with gone there will be a power shift in the inner circle, if I am following correctly."
"yeah, there will be a balance of power in the inner circle, and you here my dear friend will have no leverage?"
"and if I give them up what is the guarantee that they will be alive in hands, how do I know I am not playing right into the hands of the side that want them dead…".
"oh boy, your sceptism goes deeper than I thought, may I remind you, you are out of options, the earlier we get those girls to their father, the better it's going to be for all of us, and only one fish will be left in the hot sun to dry out, Dr. Felix." At this Diana put Kogna back on the line and said.
"now you listen Kogna, I want you to get as many hot shots as you can, and keep taps on Felix and safari guy, don't let the two out of your sight, you are now on my side, I need daily reports, if you have any problems with this new arrangement, do tell me Kogna?".
"spooky are you there?". "yeah Kogna, I'm here". "are you with the lady on this?"
"let's go with the lady for now Kogna,".
"okay ma'am, just so you know, my first loyalty goes to spooky now, so long us he is with you, I am with you, I hope you don't have no problem with that?"
"no kogna, I am with your man all the way, except he is stubbornly distrustful," she laughed.
"yah lady, it goes with the territory, hell that's the spooky I know."
"keep your head up Kogna, I need you back alive."
"demm you spooky, not the best advice for a man like me. do listen now about this tracking thing you wanted to know so bad… I don't know whether Kate put the demm thing on you, but this here is what I figure,
with the thing on you after you are dead along with the women, it will look like the hit was meant for only you, and the women just happen to be in the cross fire, that way Felix can walk away free…
my guess is the women got some juice on the man he doesn't want to come out, and he want them dead before Lycan heights ever catch up with them, man is trying to save his own skin.... now you watch yourself out there spooky."
"ganging up on me now, right boys." Diana said laughing before Kogna hang up.
"I got two theories now about why, Felix may want the women gone." "it's actually the same thing." Diana said and asked;
"how come a distrustful guy like you have people trusting you unconditionally? Anything happen to you now, and I will have a hit man coming after me where ever I go, I heard his silent threat. I wish I could invoke such loyalty in people."
"trust must be earned Diana as the saying goes, but not even trust can endure that long among people, because people change over time, and so are their tiers and loyalty."
"what do you mean Kuga?".
"it's about being all of you in your ugliness like a force of nature, unyielding, unchanging".
"I still don't understand Kuga?".
"okay diana, can fire wake up one day and decide to be water?". "no Kuga".
"there you have you answer Diana." "you are talking about sticking with your truth?"
"what if your truth is wrong Diana, what then?". "go straight to the point Kuga".
"man first loyalty goes to himself, if he doesn't lie to himself, he can't lie to no one, and if he is distrustful of himself about his own lies and is bold enough to confront and admit to these failings upfront, people turn to easily trust such a man, not because they think he could be trusted, but because they think he has nothing to hide."
"are you trying to say you have no secrets, after all your scheming at Wodmax to bring Tarik and Felix to book?"
"you are missing the point Diana. Perhaps I should use the time we shared by the pool in my garden for instance, I could've tell you all the things you wanted to hear, glib talk about feelings I myself didn't understand.
paint a picture about me you wanted to see, not necessary what I have to show you. It would have been a lie, but it will be a lie you wanted to cling to so bad it will become your truth."
"you are arrogantly intolerable Kuga. You are such a bully."
"agreed Diana, I'm glad you understand my point."
****†***†***†***†****
"hello Kujo, can you hear me now?."
"Yes Sir," he replied from the other end. "how is nana and the women?".
"they just went out into the township sightseeing sir". "do you have any of your men with them?". "they refuse to go with guards, claimed they don't want to attract any attention."
"go out there with some of your men, locate and follow them without alarming them, make sure they get back home safe. Call me back when you locate them okay?".
"alright sir, I am on it right away,"
"tell me about the puma hunt....".
.
"Ananda, not an easy thing to kill, boss. I keep an eye on madams to keep safe"
"how do you keep them safe if you don't even know where they're now? Find them and call me." I hang up, to avoid lashing out at the elderly security man. he was tuff back in the day, but age had probably made him grow soft....
l need a new head of security. this one is out of substance.