GOLDEN HEART 22

“It’s said that everything is connected to everything. The Butterfly Effect. You drop a pebble into a pond and the ripples radiate outwards, touching and affecting everything. Until finally a fish grows arms and legs and crawls out of the water…’

CONTINUED FROM THE OTHER DAY..

‘He?’ He raised an eyebrow. He was a dangerously possessive man.

‘Yes, a 57 year old ‘He’. Justine almost rolled her eyes at his jealous tone that was out of place.

‘24 hours is all I’m giving you. Whether you bring him here or leave him there. I don’t care which one you chose, but you have to be in front of me in 24 hours.’ He said with finality.

‘Bu…’

‘24 Hours, Justine. Don’t make me reduce it.’ He warned.

Justine huffed, annoyed with his bossiness. Adam realised her changed mood, he pulled her to him and pecked her nose and lips. She turned her face from him, leaving him facing the side of her face, he nuzzled her side before whispering. ‘I need you in front of my eyes for me to heal.’ He faked winced.

Justine chuckled at his exaggeration, and nodded her head.

One of the many reasons why Justine always shows submission to Adam and Adam alone was because of the unconditional love and adoration she sees whenever she looks into his orbs. Adam was the only one who stuck to her side with the same unchanging colours, he made sure whatever he did was for her benefit and her benefit solely. He tends to forget himself and favour her over himself, and the proof to that is when he found out about what she did to the redhead that stormed in their house claiming him. Her cruel action never wavered his will to make her his.

He still stuck to her.

Adam kissed her cheek. ‘Don’t forget to take your meds.’ He whispered again before kissing her cheek once again.

‘Okay.’ Justine nodded. Then picked up her clutch that was laying on the night stand next to him.

‘See you later.’ She pecked him.

‘See you later, Pat.’ She said to a distant looking Patricia. Justine smirked, she knew why Patricia held that faraway look. She was busy thinking why Papa’s right hand’s son was by Justine’s side.

She had a lot in store for her.

‘Have you called young miss yet?’ Asked the man who looked to be in his early thirties rather than late forties.

‘Yes, Sir. I was told she just boarded the plane.’ Informed the young man.

They were on their toes, waiting for their young miss’ arrival. They didn’t tell Müller the situation in details because of the chaos they were dealing with at the moment, they just told him the gist of it, and that Justine’s attendance is needed.

They knew that the old man’s name alone was enough for her to leave everything behind and be with him. He made sure he has an influence in her life when he cared for her more than his own off spring. Despite how stern and strict in her upbringing he was, he did care deeply for her wellbeing. He urged her to develop and helped her gathering some of the most competent men in the underworld as pillars to the gang that was made to protect her and her brother.

He was her Godfather that stood as her father in times of need.

Therefore he was the person she loved and cared for the most after her late mother.

‘How did this happen?’ Boomed Justine as soon as she entered the hall.

‘We’re not sure, miss. He went to his bed perfectly fine when suddenly the alarm inside his room went off.’ Informed the man from earlier.

Justine whipped her head up in the man’s direction. ‘You left him alone? In his condition?’ She questioned angrily.

‘The doctor told us to leave them alone since he wanted to do some tests.’ The man explained.

“When did the alarm go off? While the Doc was with him or after he left?’

‘Right after he left.’

‘Bring me this doctor, Max. I want him in less than an hour.’ Justine ordered while taking a seat.

‘I’m sorry, miss. I didn’t know it would be this great of a risk to leave his side.’

Apologised the middle aged man.

‘The thing is you put your life on the line when you went against my direct order, and endangered Papa’s life.’

Max knew he fucked up the moment the alarm went off, but Justine’s look just confirmed it. What he did was an amateur mistake, and he was far from amateur. He spent nearly 30 years of his life in this life. He knew better than to disobey orders from their young miss, especially orders that concerned Papa’s safety.

She may be somewhat lenient when it comes to him because the Old Man favours him, but he’d seen how scary and unpredictable she can be. And the one thing that ignites her wrath the most was when her Papa’s safety is threatened.

Max Kneeled in front of her in a submitting way before speaking. ‘I’m ready for whatever punishment you bestow on me, young miss.’

‘Bring me that Doc first, your punishment comes after fixing whatever mess you caused.’ Stated Justine while leaning slightly with both her elbows on her knees and her fingers intertwined in front of her.

Max nodded before standing up, fixing his suit and exiting the door. He was quite the bulky man and rather scary. He knew when to talk and when not to.

He holds a great position in the underworld not only because he was Papa’s right hand man, but also because of his own reputation of cruelness. It was a common fact that one of the reasons of Papa’s organisations both the legal and illegal one’s development was because of his brain and Max’s loyalty and readiness to do whatever it takes for Papa.

He may seem to be afraid of Justine because of how he acts when in her presence. However it wasn’t fear that made him act the way he does, it was respect. He respected the young lady way too much to ever do something that may cause any drift between them because he knew that whatever she does is solely for Papa. The man who saved his younger version from loan sharks. The man who made sure he lived enjoying every last luxury life can offer, the closest thing he ever got to a father.

‘My dear daughter finally decided to grace me with her presence.’ Papa said coughing slightly when he felt her hand on his.

‘I’m sorry, Papa. I shouldn’t have left you alone.’ She cried, leaning into him.

‘Haven’t I taught you that nobody should see your tears?’ Papa warned in a stern tone despite his illness he still made sure his rules aren’t to be taken slightly. ‘My daughter’s tears shouldn’t be seen.’ He added. Justine nodded her head in confirmation, and wiped her tears off.

‘I’ll make him regret what he did, Papa. I’ll personally slaughter him.’ She promised with an evil glint in her eyes. Justine rarely ever take things into her hands, she only ever do that when the matter is related to her Papa.

Everybody in the underworld knew better than to do something to provoke her which is one of the main reasons Papa lived this far with barely any hits on him.

The one time a hit was ordered on him, was when a leader of a rival gang that just took reign of things decided to wipe any competition they had away, he put on board every competent mercenary and assassin the underworld ever known to do the job.

It was basically made public that he wanted the Old Man that went by ‘Papa’ gone.

Justine had just succeeded in putting the Crawlers together, and was attending the crowing ceremony of their King, the one before Zeus. When she heard about it.

She took the first flight to Cape Town, two days later bodies were delivered thrice a day to the doorstep of that same rival gang. Bodies of those mercenaries and assassins their boss hired to kill Papa.

Whenever the boss ordered, his bodies followed. No matter how well he thought he hid himself, and no matter how deep under the ground he was, bodies followed. Each with a small ‘A.L’ on a piece of paper, and every time in different style of writing. It was a sign from Justine to tell him that she’s coming for him. It was like she was playing a sick version of hide and seek with him.

Each body that was delivered missed an organ that was hung the next morning in the one place all the mafia meets once every month to go over deals to keep peace between each other. The Council House.

Then one day the body parts stopped appearing in The Council House, and all the News Channels around the country were suddenly Broadcasting the same horrendous thing.

A masked figure that beat a man to a pulp then started cutting his fingers off one by one, then his limbs before coming to his eye balls and ripping them off in a blink. The poor man couldn’t even scream because of the piece of cloth that was shoved deep in his mouth, and right before she beheaded him she gave a warning to the whole underworld, not only the Germans, but the South Africans as well.

‘I give two flying fucks who kills who and who wants to climb over the Ashes of who, but Papa is a red line where your boarders end and mine start. Anybody who wants a lesson on how to perform hits correctly, order another hit on Papa and A.L will be at your service. Wreck havoc and chaos all over the world for all I care, but one more time a hit is put on my Papa I’ll show you all, involved or not how lenient and sweet I was while murdering this asshole. This is my first and last warning for you all, keep away or brutality will have a new definition in your dictionaries.’ Then the man’s head flew towards the camera causing gasps and screams from people who were watching, a couple of minutes later the word Crawlers was the only thing that was on the screen.

People were left shocked, not only from the mafia but also police and civilians. They were horrified at how a person who apparently seemed to be a woman with such sweet voice could perform such horrendous crimes, and possess such a voice that despite being sweet and soft, could send shivers of cold fear down people’s spines.

It was form then on that A.L and the Crawlers were brought to public. Their introductory entry was forever engraved in the people’s minds and hearts. They’d have to remember for them and their families to stay alive and away from danger.

However the Doc that almost killed Papa apparently did not know of A.L’s reputation nor that she is close to Papa.

Justine called for a meeting with Papa’s men in the main house, and she was heading out to attend it.

She was on the terrace where most of the meetings took place, it was a vast one that can hold 100 people inside.

The moment she entered, they all kneeled on one knee with their heads slightly bowed in submission. It was customary in their group to kneel to show respect The Five. Justine, Großer Bruder, Max, Müller and Zeus.

‘I want everything about that Doctor in front of me in less than an hour, from the moment he got inside his mother’s womb up to now. Without leaving a single detail out. Along with everyone surrounding him, even if they just bumped into him by mistake 20 years ago, am I understood?’ She ordered, looking at the people on the left.

‘Yes, Ma’am.’ They all said in unison before exiting the terrace.

‘I want the CCTV’s recordings from the last month until now.’ She ordered the first row of the ones in the middle.

‘Yes, ma’am.’ They did the same as those before them.

‘I want Papa’s personal Doc in front of me in half an hour.’ She ordered the rest of the ones in the middle. They obliged.

‘As for you, you’ll work on tightening the security around the house ten times tighter than it was. Everyone will be checked when coming in or out of the house, me included.’ She emphasised on the last part to let them know that no privileges are allowed in this.

‘Do not let anyone in or out of the premises without going through every last fucking checking point no matter how high their ranks are, or I’ll have all of your heads. Also add more CCTV’s in each corner of the premises, do not leave any part uncovered. If Papa faces anything like this again, I’ll burn you and your families alive, am I understood?’ She said in a threatening voice.

‘Yes, Ma’am.’ They’ll all boomed their agreement.

‘Good.’ She acknowledged before going back to Papa’s room to check up on him.

‘So why the rush?’ Asked Papa.

‘I have less than 24 hours to find the ones behind the Doc who poisoned you.’ She answered, caressing his feet and legs.

‘Why only 24 hou…oh, the new boy’s orders.’ Justine chuckled at the way he called Adam. He was certainly not a ‘boy‘. I didn’t think you’re a person who takes orders from anyone.’ Papa said in a way that indicated he was disappointed.

‘I’ll have to act like the obedient little girl for me not to blow my cover up.’ Justine lied, she knew Papa doesn’t know yet that Adam already caught on half of her real self so she took advantage of this to revert attention from the topic. She knew it would disappoint both her Großer Bruder and Papa how whatever they taught her is forgotten when it comes to Adam and his rules.

She couldn’t believe she was lying right through her teeth to her own Papa, nor could she believe that she was actually taking orders from Adam. She didn’t know why but there was something in the way he behaves and in his tone that prevents her from going against him.

It was like he changes into a completely different person when she goes against him or break one of his rules, something that’s really dangerous and evils sparks into his eyes like he’s barely holding whatever that’s trying to take reigns over him down……

‘Howbeit, I’ve no proof of the thing…’