Mosa

  Chapter 35

  Karl Wolff

  “So, where did you go that day?” said Alvin.

  “Uhh… Urrrhhg?” said Jake made a sound like Jar Jar Binks.

  “Where did you go that day?” repeated Alvin.

  “I just played on the field with Tasha sir,” murmured Jake.

  “And you and Tasha just happened to be wearing that goofy clothes?” frowned Alvin.

  “…” Jake silenced, glimpsing at Alvin and the floor interchangeably.

  “Tell me, I’m not going to be mad at you,” said Alvin, rather kindly.

  “Alvin, do you know who Karl Wolff is?” said Jake.

  Alvin was little surprised at this, but said calmly. “I do, Jake, have you met him?”

  “Yes, I… I went up to the school that rich kids went to, so I thought that I could be one of them. Because people in the city were always talking that we have no hope and doomed to live rest of our lives in here,” said Jake, trembling with anger.

  “… Karl Wolff was called the Straw Man because he is good at, well, bluffing. He is one of the cruelest people in the circle of Cassandra. But it seems like you are alive… you are extremely lucky,” said Alvin, with a dark shadows on his face. “Do not go there anymore, Jake.”

  “But Alvin, I want to…” murmured Jake, wanting to protest by pointing out that Alvin was the one who induced him to go to the institution.

  “Jake, you could have died. Before you learn everything you need to know from me, I forbid you from doing this anymore. You put yourself and Tasha’s life in danger. Do you understand, Jake? Don’t go there, ever again.” said Alvin, rigidly. Jake blinked his eyes.

  “… Yes sir,” murmured Jake, repining about Alvin’s short term memory.

  “Man to man, Jake, promise me,” Alvin put his rusty pinky to Jake.

  “I promise,” said Jake, wrapping the pinky.

  “Now let’s get out. I hoped to prevent teaching this to you but I think you’ll go your way no matter what I say. So, I’ll teach you how to fire a gun,” Alvin took out his revolver from his belt and hand it to Jake. It was the old classical revolver, had six chambers, and was the heavy, bold and dull looking piece of metal. Jake was fumbling around with his fingers.

  “We’ll practice with this first. And get Tasha also, that brave young girl,” grinned Alvin.

  Jake was excited, he was almost jumping with his bruised ass. Jake made a huge smile, imagining what she’ll react to this. But as soon as Alvin stood up, he frowned, suddenly remembered something.

  “Wait Jake, let’s do it tomorrow,” said Alvin, looking at the calendar. Jake’s sudden excitement vanished, he groaned.

  Alvin went to the kitchen, there was Diana taking a nap at the couch, passed out in hot weather. She went to her mother’s in the afternoon, chatted and brought some of the apple pies and other foods which her mother made.

  Looking at the size of the food basket, no doubt she talked with her mother how mean, rude, ignorant, and disrespectful Alvin was. Evidently it earned her mother’s pity. She was wearing her shorts and just fainted on the couch, sleeping. Alvin saw that she was wearing a necklace on the top of her breasts.

  ‘Maybe he brought it from her mother,’ thought Alvin. The sunlight shined at her, her feature was astonishingly beautiful. Alvin walked at the window and spread a blind, and smiled at Diana.

  “So, angel did knock on my door,” scoffed Alvin, grabbing his hat and wallet on the table, and left the house.

  At the same time, Veron was being paranoid about Nina as she pulled out all the ghosts and the undercover units lurking inside his military base. Titto was now exhausted at Veron’s panic that he rather went bold and crazy. Veron didn’t eat nor sleep and made Titto stay with him whenever he needed him. Veron brought some superstitious idol, the rock, and put it on his chamber and brought the ‘renowned’ fortune teller in and spent time with her.

  Melady hated Veron more and started lamenting her life. The fortune teller talked to Veron that she saw in her dream that some blue fox was lying to him and will be a bad omen to him. Veron turned to Melady, because she had blue eyes, and start interrogating her about whether she was really mute. Poor Melady resisted violently and scratched Veron’s face. And she eventually ended up in a cell. She wept bitterly there, praying that one day she might get out of there.

  Veron got other women, but hated them because he was infatuated with Melady. He drank strong liquor made out of cat’s liver, and sometimes from the snake, which the fortune teller said it was good for his health. The fortune teller even discussed with Veron that whether to sacrifice his own wife to the idol. Night and day he bowed down to the rock, and brought all other idol worshipers and just meditated on his chamber.

  Titto didn’t care anymore what Veron does but he was concerned about Valentine. He just couldn’t let Veron kill Valentine for some sacrifice to some dumb rock standing in the room. So, Titto tipped Valentine about Veron trying to kill her. The very next day Valentine ordered the officer from Special Forces and wiped out all the family member of the fortune teller and blackmailed her that if she doesn’t leave voluntarily, she will be tortured in a most horrifying way she could ever imagine.

  The fortune teller was mad that Valentine killed her family, called her a ruthless bitch and told Veron about the doom of his regime. As a result, Veron locked Valentine in a cell also, and set up a time for her sacrifice.

  After Titto heard what happened, he walked down to the cell to visit Valentine.

  “I told you to kidnap the fortune teller’s son, not take him out, didn’t I?” said Titto to Valentine. Melady was crying silently in the corner.

  “Well, yes, I should’ve have listen to you,” said Valentine, smiling weakly. “Am I going to die at next full moon, Titto?”

  “Veron is meditating in his chamber right now. I know some powerful politicians who can help you and Melady out of here,” said Titto.

  “Titto… you’re risking too much, leave this place…” said Valentine, with an exhausted voice.

  “What? Do you think I don’t even have courage to do that?” said Titto, angrily. “Wait here, because soon Nina will move, and there will be a chaos, at that time, I will get you ladies out of here.”

  “Titto…” said Valentine, weakly.

  “Yes, my lady?” said Titto, concerned. Valentine looked at him; her furrow on her skin was deep. She was leaning her head on the metal bar, groaning in low tones.

  “I’m sorry…” said Valentine, closing her eyes. Her tear came down from her cheek.

  Veron inquired the fortune teller about Nina Polchinski and the relation between the disappeared officers in the last week.

  “What is she like Veron?” said the fortune teller, with a veil on her head.

  “I don’t know, her power is growing but she does not give homage to me!” shouted Veron.

  “Isn’t she the one who is giving you the most profit than others?” said the fortune teller. Veron was amazed that she knew this fact.

  “Yes! But you see, she’s not like others! She just acts differently! She got no emotion!” bellowed Veron.

  “So, you want to kill her because she doesn’t take bribe…” said the fortune teller and scoffed. Veron raised his eyebrows, leering at her.

  “I got something to tell you something, dictator, you are going to be one of biggest idiots in a history,” said the fortune teller, and started laughing hard. Veron spiked with sudden rage, took out his gun and shot right over her head. The bullet pierced into the wall, the laughter ceased. She stared at Veron.

  “Next bullet will go through your head,” hissed Veron. The fortune teller jeered.

  “You are missing the point here, dictator. If Nina is bothering you, just kill her,” the fortune teller sneered and gave a hideous smile. Her yellow, disfigured teeth showed its faces.

  “Yes, but…” Veron frowned.

  “You don’t need others to know, all you have to do is remove her. Do you really t
hink your dynasty will continue? You are in the verge of extinction, now even most loyal soldiers leave your command. But if Nina is gone, it’ll be ok, at least for a while. And don’t forget, more sacrifice you make, you will receive more from the ancient gods.” said the fortune teller, seeing Veron greedily and left the room. She got many treasures of gold and jewelry since she worked here.

  Titto entered, stared at the fortune teller with a loathsome look. In the morning, Titto secretly ordered the Special Forces to take the fortune teller out, as soon as Nina Polchinski moves in an unexpected way. Titto entered, sighing deeply at the table lightened by candles, full of meats, fruits and fatty meals before the rock.

  “Ahh… who is this! My counselor!” exclaimed Veron, laughing and hugging Titto. Titto was about to puke on his head.

  “What do you suggest? Not that I haven’t tried killing her but she is very talented at what she does,” murmured Veron, with a deranged look. Titto stared at him for a moment and realized that he was talking about Nina Polchinski.

  “You just have to send a man whom you can trust,” muttered Titto.

  “I’ve tried but they failed, Titto, they are either dead or out of reach. I’ve tried to contact Sharine Pestice, but she killed about… more than fifty of my soldiers who just tried to contact her! Well, she made the ancient gods mad! As I am the descendent of gods! Now she is dead in the sea,” said Veron, and he started to laugh detestably like a mad man. Titto didn’t even try to hide an abhorred look at him.

  “How about the Straw Man, have you contacted him too?” said Titto. Veron gasped.

  “I do not wish to do anything with him! He is pure evil!” bellowed Veron.

  “Well, then he would do the job,” said Titto, plainly.

  “No… no, no,” Veron started shaking, as if he is having a nightmare. Titto sighed and got up.

  “Well, if you’ve made up your mind, please let me know,” said he, suppressing his anger, and walked away. Veron was sweating. He took a heavy breath. As Titto touched the door in the end of the hallway, Veron shouted,

  “Ok! Ok…. Contact Karl at the institution and send him to kill Nina!”

  “Very well, your highness,” said Titto and walked out the room. The hallway was deserted, like a haunted building, the cold wind passed by, which chilled his spine.

  “Let it be, then let it be,” murmured Titto.