THE shouts and wails made some of the maids, guard and even Mr. Petersons to rush into the living room immediately, surprisingly and curiously looking at Mrs. Petersons, they need not be told anything by her, the news was still going on and so they found out themselves.
Mr. Petersons quickly turned to one of the guards.
“Quick, get my son on the line,” he said.
“Straight away Sir,” he said and ran out of the room.
“My! What is this I hear?” Mr. Petersons mumbled to himself.
He returned a few seconds later with the phone, Jeremy already on the line.
“He… hello son,” he spoke, panic in his voice, his wife abruptly turned to him.
“Dad I’m fine, I’m good,” he said.
“Are you sure? We just heard the news.”
“Yes daddy, I’m fine. I’m heading for a meeting now.”
Mrs. Petersons quickly grabbed the phone from her husband and placed it on her ear.
“Jay, are you sure you are okay?” She rushed her questions, “no scratches, no deaths, nothing?”
Jeremy sighed.
“Mom I’m good. You know what? I’m gonna come over to the house later, I’m heading for a meeting right now,” he said.
“Ugh ugh, don’t worry son, we will come instead. When are you returning from the meeting?”
“No mom, I will come. Don’t bother coming,” and he immediately hung up.
***
The afternoon seemed like a dark and silent night as the battered and bloodied remnants of the mafia team drove back to their mansion. The air was thick with the stench of sweat and blood, the bitter tang of failure hanging heavily in the night.
Enzo, the team’s second-in-command, limped through the grand entrance, his face a mask of pain and despair. Behind him, the surviving members shuffled in, their eyes downcast, haunted by the loss of two of their own.
The CEO’s guards had been more formidable than they had anticipated, overpowering them with ease, capturing a few, and leaving their dreams of victory in shambles.
Inside the mansion, the mood was somber. The opulent decor, usually a symbol of their power and wealth, now felt like a mocking reminder of their failure. The team gathered in the grand hall, the ornate chandeliers casting a dim, flickering light over their defeated forms.
Amidst them stood Jasira, her presence a stark contrast to the chaos around her. Her emerald green eyes scanned the room, taking in the wounded and weary faces of her comrades, and Zach, who had been patiently waiting for them. He had immediately got up, on sighting them, he knew all was not well.
Enzo broke the heavy silence, his voice rough with anger and frustration.
“We underestimated them. The CEO’s guards were prepared, and they hit us hard. We lost Gio and Marco. They… they didn’t make it.”
“Oh!” Zach lamented, splaying his right hand on his forehead.
A murmur of grief and anger rippled through the room. Jasira felt a pang of sorrow for the fallen, but she steeled herself, knowing that this was the life they had all chosen.
One of the younger members, Luca, looked up at Jasira with pleading eyes.
“You were supposed to lead us to victory Boss J. What happened?”
Jasira met his gaze, her voice calm but firm.
“We all sticked to our plans, I stayed put at exactly my position, waiting for a prey, I did everything I could, we all did. But sometimes, plans don’t work out as we hope. The CEO’s guards were stronger than we anticipated.”
Zach stepped forward, his expression hardening.
“We need to try again. We can’t let this defeat stand. Jasira, you need to go back and finish the job.”
Her eyes widened, she shook her head, her resolve unwavering, all the anger she had had for him in years came flooding back in full force.
“No. I fulfilled my part of the bargain. I led the mission, and it failed, it isn’t my fault that it did. I’m done.”
His eyes narrowed, anger flashing in them.
“You think you can just walk away? We had a deal.”
“The deal was for my freedom if I completed the mission,” Jasira replied, her voice cold.
“I did my best. It didn’t work, but I have earned my freedom, and besides, you aren’t in the position to tell me a word, I had no deal with you.”
There was a tense silence as the members of the mafia team exchanged uncertain glances.
Zach seemed ready to argue, but before he could speak, a voice from the shadows of the room interrupted.
“She is right.”
All heads turned towards the figure emerging from the shadows, it was no other but Lord Lucario, the patriarch of the mafia family. His face as always was lined with age and experience, his eyes sharp and calculating.
“Jasira upheld her end of the deal,” he said, his voice commanding respect.
“She led the mission, and though it failed, she has earned her freedom, that was the deal we had.”
“Lord Lucario?” Zach called, a wave of unbelief flashed through his eyes, “we aren’t done here, our target wasn’t captured,” he said and Lucario shot him a glare.
He clenched his fists but remained silent, knowing better than to challenge the Lord’s decision. The room fell into an uneasy silence as Lord Lucario turned to Jasira.
“You are free to go,” he said, his tone final.
The anger Zach felt at that moment was so heavy on his chest that he had to at different times, let out a wail.
Jasira nodded, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders. She had so waited for this moment, enduring countless hardships and betrayals. Now, her chance at a new life was finally within reach.
Without another word, she turned and walked towards the door.
“Daughter?” He called back and she abruptly stopped, then turned to him.
“Yes father.”
He sighed, his face stricken with old age, he covered the distance between them.
“Do not forget I am still your father, and I still love you as my daughter, do not forget that,” he said.
A light smile played on her lips as she took his hands in hers.
“I won’t father,” she replied and with that, she turned and finally left.
“Then what happens to the unfinished business Lord Lucario?” Zach asked.
“It remains unfinished -.”
“What?”
“The police has been involved, so we better steer clear,” he said and left the room.
The remaining members watched in silence as Jasira crossed the threshold and stepped out into the hot afternoon air. The gravel crunched beneath her boots as she made her way down the driveway, each step taking her further from the life she had known.
As she reached the gate, she paused for a moment, looking back at the mansion. The shadows seemed to cling to its walls, a reminder of the darkness she was leaving behind. Taking a deep breath, she turned away and walked into the street, her heart set on the freedom she had fought so hard to attain.
For the first time in years, Jasira felt a glimmer of hope. She was free.
Enzo turned to Zach.
“Hey buddy, don’t think you are the only person who lost, we did too, we have lost two of our brothers to the police, and a host to Jeremy, who is ready to go claim them?” He rhetorically asked and also left the room.
One by one, they all left to go nurse their wounds leaving Zach alone in the room, befuddled.
***
In the white painted bedroom was Zach, scattering, destroying and tossing things away, another failed attempt.
Belinda his wife, came in.
“I wonder when you would realize that you can’t get this man, just work hard and make a name for yourself,” she said and he turned his angry gaze to her, fuming.