The impenetrable forest. The sky-kissing treetops. Through the thick foliage, the resplendent moonlight of the full moon has arrived.
It's nearing the end of March.
A few days ago, the dusty gray shroud of winter bid farewell to the earth. In its place emerged the enchanting Queen of Spring, with her magical touch spreading across the forest floor. Amidst the fragrance of blooming flowers, the invincible blue jacaranda stands tall, while the air is filled with the sweet scent of blossoms. Yet, the young man pays no heed to all this; just a few hours ago, he arrived from the southern coast of England to a secluded garden in West Sussex County.
The professional assassin's name is Wilbur Fox. For this job, he'll receive a lakh pounds. But if he dares to disobey, he'll meet a gruesome end under the command of a terrifying, ruthless leader.
Today, extreme misfortune has befallen Wilbur Fox. As evening falls, the time has come for him to commit the murder, and trouble brews in its own unique way. It was decided that the target would be killed at seven o'clock. At that time, he would be alone. However, as Wilbur Fox steps into the meticulously decorated garden of the nineteenth-century mansion, he encounters an unexpected obstacle—a navy blue Land Cruiser parked outside the main gate. The sound of gravel crunching beneath his feet draws his attention to the four doors of the Land Cruiser. Emerging from the car is Steve Harris's ex-wife, accompanied by his two sons and a girl. The divorced wife, with fifty-five years weighing heavily on her neck, steps out of the car. From the car, seven-year-old David and five-year-old Laila look around. In pursuit of her livelihood, private detective Mila Malone has discovered Wilbur Fox. She knows that he has been spending time with his mother in a charming house in Brighton City. Since their parents' divorce and the court's decision granting three million pounds to the young Catherine Harris, she has been enjoying the ultimate luxury. For quite some time now, the wealthy youth have been flocking to hotels and expensive resorts, indulging in extravagance. Wilbur Fox doesn't mind this in the slightest, but the sudden arrival of the young woman has disrupted his plans. The main door of the house swung open. Steve Harris emerged, clad in a loose cricket jumper and swaying pants like typical Englishmen. The sunlight glinted off his neatly combed silver hair. There was a bitter expression on his face.
"Daddy!" Laila exclaimed with joy.
"Daddy!" David called out loudly.
His two children rushed towards Harris. Laila fell into her father's arms, swinging gently. Wilbur Fox observed Harris through the lens of the zoom telephoto attached to his phone.
With a stern face as hard as stone, Harris shook off the embrace of his children. His relationship with his ex-wife was tougher than ice. The woman stood aside, looking resigned. Harris felt a sense of disgust, wondering when he would bid farewell to the characterless Cathy. He glanced at his watch abruptly. There was urgent work to be done. Suddenly, Cathy returned with the children, looking very annoyed.
Ignoring the chaos, the stunningly beautiful Cathy got into the car. After a while, she veered off onto a secluded side road, away from the Land Cruiser. Though Fox was pleased, he had left the responsibility of the children and the elderly with Harris. He realized that Cathy had gone to enjoy herself with several affluent youths from various cities, away from the hassle of life.
Every week, if she didn't mingle with four or five young men, her life would become unbearable.
Now he should wait, Fox realized. If another professional killer were to emerge, they would kill Harris right away. But Fox followed certain principles. Even if he got £10 million, he wouldn't kill their father in front of them. He had gone through rigorous training and dangerous experiences, and he knew how to maintain patience. Fox kept an eye on the house from the bushes.
At nine-thirty in the evening, Steve Harris left the house again. Premio car came up abruptly. He wore a black suit, a striped tie around his neck, black shoes on his feet, and a leather bag made of crocodile skin in his hand. Fox suspected that he was taking the children to somewhere fun, away from their father's watchful eyes. The agency hadn't informed him about this. If Cathy hadn't shown up in the evening, she would have finished her work and left earlier.
Fox followed Steve Harris's Premio car on the outer road after crossing the main gate. Meanwhile, Fox had climbed into a Ford Mustang parked beside the garden fence. Its stolen car plate was crooked. Within the next three minutes, Fox reached a mile behind Harris's car. Harris was speeding down the narrow rural road. Fox felt like the man was going somewhere familiar.
When an opportunity arose, Fox would eliminate him. The political leader didn't know that a trained killer was behind him. With caution, Fox drove between the two cars, maintaining a distance of a mile. He then reached the northern side of the estate after covering fifty miles on the A23 and M25 highways. Fox thought he might be heading for Guildford. But a while later, he left the highway and turned onto a rural road again. Fox swung behind the politician like a monkey. In just ten minutes, they reached Harris's Premio car's gate at a vast estate surrounded by jungle.
Fox saw the thick foliage surrounding the garden when he reached Six Mile and parked the car there. After gathering the necessary items, he retraced his steps back to Sharlon Hall. The estate was surrounded by tall stone walls. He effortlessly climbed over it and entered the jungle on the other side. Fox walked cautiously towards the house. After a while, he kept an eye on the personal path amidst the row of trees. Far away, security guards were stationed at the checkpoint. They were giving cards to the drivers after taking the glass from the window. An escort was signaling to the security guard with a glass in his hand. As they got out of the car and approached the house, Fox understood that today there would be a grand party for the rich.
It was already twenty past eight. It was appropriate for Fox to contact the agency beforehand. His recruiters in London had sensed trouble in the form of late bookings. At this moment, Fox is thinking: Will he cancel the mission accepting defeat, or will he stay here to finish the target?
Despite facing many obstacles in life, Fox has never accepted defeat. What will he do now is yet to be seen. Quietly, he stood by the checkpoint with security guards, observing a tall black man in a Rolex race sitting in the back seat. Fox felt surprised to see these two newcomers at the party.
Why weren't they going to kill Steve Harris today?
In that case, why are they at the same party?
How strange is that!
If the bosses' instructions had come, Fox would have finished the job without asking questions. But now his mind is spinning. Although they were close to each other, they wanted to kill one of their own!
Fox ventured into the jungle from the checkpoint, aiming towards the colossal Prasad's palace. He thought, that whoever lives in this mansion must possess billions of pounds. Like the shimmering glow spreading from the mysterious Promoter submerged in the dark sea, bright light emanates from every window. The regularly trimmed grass, illuminated by the light from the floodlights, surrounds the vast lawn. Behind the palace lies a large lake engulfed in black water. A small island filled with secrets floats in the middle of the reservoir. Looking towards the palace's illuminated windows, Fox noticed that there would be at least fifty guests. Some were gossiping while holding golden glasses in their hands. There was a prominent figure in a fancy suit. Ties around the necks. Fox observed that no women had arrived at the party.
Using a powerful compact telephoto lens, Fox scanned the crowd, searching for Steve Harris. But he couldn't spot him amidst the crowd. Fox thought that perhaps today wouldn't be the day he committed the murder.
Unbeknownst to him, a dreadful scene awaited shortly.
At eleven forty-five, all lights in Sharlon Hall dimmed within a few minutes, plunging the surroundings into darkness. Only the moon's glow, resembling a plate of spilled milk on the lake's horizon, remained. Suddenly, just before midnight, a strange event occurred.
The gates of the palace opened, and a group of people emerged in a single line. They made their way to the lake's edge, where they halted. Each person wore a black hooded robe, their faces concealed behind masks resembling those of predatory birds. Their noses were adorned with sharp beaks. Fox noticed the walking stick of the agency's elder leader.
Shoulder to shoulder, they gazed towards the island. Fox also turned towards it from the jungle's edge, feeling that something very unusual was about to happen. After a few moments, everyone began to scrutinize each other, but soon, the atmosphere changed. A low, rhythmic chant arose, and Fox's heart began to pound in his chest. The words were not in English, a language Fox had never heard before. Gradually, the collective voice grew stronger. Then, at twelve o'clock, a large fire suddenly erupted on the island. In the flames' glow, Fox saw something else on the island's balcony. With a jolt, his eyes widened. Once again, he turned towards the island. Only moments ago, a massive statue had been submerged in darkness. Now, it shone brightly, illuminated by the flickering flames of the fire. Carved in solid stone, its form was bizarre, resembling the head of a bird of prey atop a human body. Its eyes glowed red. The eerie reflection in the lake's water further enhanced the unnatural aura of the bizarre statue.
This story creates an extraordinary narrative, weaving a tale of suspense and mystery. The enigmatic presence of the statue, the context of Steve Harris and his unearthly statue, and the mysterious environment make this story captivating.
The crowd below seemed to be whispering something. After a while, a rhythmic prayer emerged. Fox's chest tightened with anticipation. No one was speaking in English. Fox had never heard this language before. Gradually, the unified voices grew louder. Then, suddenly at midnight, a big bonfire blazed up on the island. Greedily, Fox looked, seeing something else on the island. Blinking rapidly, he focused his gaze. Once again, he turned towards the island. Just a moment ago, a massive statue was submerged in darkness. Now, it glittered, visible in the light of the flames. Carved intricately from stone, it rose about fifty feet. Though human-like, its bizarre head resembled a bird's beak. Its eyes glinted. Reflected in the water's glow, the unnatural image of the statue loomed over the lake.
The people's prayers merged into a harsh cry. It seemed like they were saying something repeatedly. It sounded like an unknown religious chant. They seemed to have gone mad. Around the island, a dense gray smoke began to rise into the sky.
Until now, Willbur thought it best to bid Fox farewell. He left the compound reluctantly. But he was consumed by a kind of fascination. He wondered: Am I hallucinating? Even though he kept convincing himself, Fox kept staring towards the island.
Then, what happened next left him speechless. He couldn't do anything without being in awe. Several people were seen on the island. Fox used his phone's camera to zoom in with maximum magnification. Two people emerged from the smoke. Behind them, a commotion, masks on their faces. They held burning torches high. But the third person was not like them. A woman. Her hair was golden. She wore a simple white dress that resembled a gown. From a distance, Fox couldn't clearly see her face. But after a few moments, he realized, the girl was a young woman or a girl.
She didn't come to the island by her own choice. Two people with masks like bird beaks held her hands tightly. Dragging her along, they headed towards the statue. There was a brazier made of stone. The girl was being forced. She was nearly unconscious due to drugs. They forcefully restrained her on the brazier. From both sides of the brazier, two iron rods were tied with her two hands. The golden-haired girl's face was covered with clouds. The people left her and returned from the direction of the smoke. A fourth person emerged now from the direction of the smoke. Behind her, the glow was bright red. A symbol of an unknown sign adorned her chest. Her mask was more elaborate than others. It was like an official crown. However, instead of the traditional crown, this woman's mask had two prongs of a stag's horn, gleaming red in greed. In her left hand was a royal scepter, in her right hand, a long dagger made of steel.
Everyone on this side of the lake is startled. The lioness halted in front of the bound girl. She holds a sword and dagger in her raised hands. The people on this side are ecstatic. Red Alokhele, the presenter of this unusual event, cries out to them as if to say something. Even if you don't understand the language, Fox Terra will understand, and something dreadful will happen this time. The lioness senses the unusual nature of this event. They have come to perform an ominous ritual on the night of the festival under her supervision!
Fox has sometimes brutally murdered humans. So, he thought he had seen all the terrifying events in the world. Nothing new would surprise him anymore. Yet, he froze when he saw the scene in front of him. His fingers trembled as he firmly gripped the phone. Quietly, he realizes there's a video recording inside.
In slow motion, Red jacket, the presenter, hands the sword to one of the group members. He faces the bound girl. With a decisive move, he cuts the white gown off the victim. A cry erupts from everyone on this side of the lake. As the torn gown falls to the ground, it is seen that the girl is completely naked. They start praying in a fierce tone towards the people on the other side.
The girl moves closer to the presenter. As she approaches the crowd, she raises the dagger in her hand. The curved blade of the weapon shines like a flame in the red glow of the fire, resembling a long fruit. Gazing through the crowd, the girl aims the dagger at her neck from left to right. Fox realizes the agony the victim is going through. He grimaces at the sight of the blood trickling down her neck and chest from the wound inflicted by the dagger. The presenter steps forward as if contemplating. After a few moments, as he steps aside, it is seen that the girl has carved a five-pointed star on her abdomen!
Fox understands that everything happening is real. No one is acting there. Indeed, an innocent girl is being killed before his eyes!
Fox turns away from the girl and walks away. But at that moment, he sees a horrific scene in the corner of his eye. With the serrated edge of the dagger, the presenter slashes the girl's throat. Even if the world's best surgeon arrives now, he won't be able to save the girl's life. Something explodes like a powerful bomb inside the furnace of fire. Everyone on this side of the lake is engulfed in a strange satisfaction.
Amidst the chaos, Fox flees into the jungle, aiming through the fence. But suddenly, a dry branch catches his head and face. He lowered his head. What he has seen humans do, instills in him the ultimate hatred for the agency. And so, he will never kill anyone on behalf of that organization again. Now he has to hide somewhere where no one can find him.
Making a mistake, Fox headed towards the direction of the fence. From a thick bush full of creepers, he sees a small circular eye. It's an expensive video camera lens!
Fox realized, at that moment, that the surveillance camera in the watch room was watching him on the screen!