The Desert Lion's True Colours (35 page)

H
olding a safe distance behind, Kerry was able to follow Black, Perry and there new bodyguard straight to the Superiors house without being noticed. The house itself was situated about 1.5 miles off the main road. There were no other houses around, just grass shrubs and trees. Leon thought how the area did not have enough trees to be called a wood but had just enough foliage to make it difficult to focus at low levels. Na’talia stopped short 100meters and pulled up alongside the curb next to a line of five perfectly trimmed fern trees and watched the black Mercedes Benz make its way up the long pebble driveway, past the water fountain in the middle of the immaculately kept lawn and then straight up to Superior Upson’s two storey, 6 bedroom, 4 and a half bathroom home
–
painted completely white and styled into the likeness of Washington D.C’s Whitehouse.

Frowning Jay said, ‘If this
IS
the Superior’s house, shouldn’t there be more security?’

‘He’s here already.’ Na’talia said softly.

Inside the house, Aaron could hear his old friend coming up the driveway. Finishing the last few drops of rum in his glass he said ‘Everybody get stage ready. Showtime is in five minutes.’

Then with a toothy smile and his eyes open wide said, ‘Aren’t you getting excited?’

Shaking his head Superior Upson let out a groan. Aaron gently parted the curtain just in time to see a limo tinted black Mercedes Benz S class pull up directly in front of the main door of the house. As he watched Perry and another tall guy exit the car he turned to Superior Upson and said. ‘I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere, ok.’

Knowing Superior Upson was in no position to answer Aaron left the room smiling closing the door behind him. Before he could reach the main foyer Perry impatiently rang the doorbell three times.

‘Patience, Patience,’ Aaron said under his breath. ‘You’re only rushing towards your death
nephew
.’

Before opening the door Aaron looked through the peep hole to see Perry standing 3 feet away to the right and the same tall guy he saw exit the car standing 3 feet away to his left. Aaron waited, silently watching Perry and his companion on the other side of the door. He was also keeping an eye on the Benz, waiting to see if anyone else was going to exit the car. Through the hole in the door Aaron could see Perry starting to fidget like he was agitated or nervous. He watched him move in closer to the door and ring the bell again. Not getting a reply he turned around to face the Benz with his back to the door and with a big shrug of the shoulders shouted ‘Doesn’t look like anyone is here.’

Aaron watched Perry wait for a reply. A few moments passed and as he had hoped, the rear window of the Mercedes slowly rolled down. Due to Perry’s new position Aaron was unable to see who was sitting in the seat however the voice he heard gave it away.

‘Someone has to be there…’ Black barked in his distinctive coarse tone. ‘. . . Ring the doorbell again.’

Perry let out a sigh however before he could turn around Aaron let off 4 quick rounds through the door.

About 100 meters away, Jay jerked back into his seat, ‘Whoa… !’ he exclaimed. ‘. . . Did y’all see that?’

All three of the Yukon’s occupants were surprised by what had just happened. Within two seconds Perry and his tall bodyguard were lying in a heap, dead on the Superior’s doorstep. The Benz did not move.

‘Let’s go.’ Na’talia insisted.

‘No. Wait.’ Leon said firmly holding her arm.

Aaron decided to look through one of the holes he had put a bullet through
-
as it was larger than the peephole
-
and watched the black S class Benz stay in its position.
‘I
know
you
don’t
want
me
to
come
out
there
and
get
you.
’ Aaron said to himself.

Seeing there was no movement from outside Leon said; ‘Now we can move.’

Aaron stood still for another few seconds before checking his watch for the time.

Making a sound, cross between a growl and a moan Aaron said, ‘Why do you always have to make things so hard on yourself Black?’

With that he counted backwards from three to one, took in a deep breath and swung open the front door. After looking to his left, then to his right Aaron pointed his gun towards the rear door of the Mercedes and took two quick steps forward
–
stepping over Perry’s body on the third.

‘Get out the car Black!’ Aaron shouted.

He was about to repeat the order when the front passenger door flung open revealing a black man, dressed in a grey suit, aiming a gun in his direction. Aaron blinked once, held his breath
-
with his tongue pressed up behind his teeth and let off another double tap from his trusted weapon. Before the guy’s foot could touch the ground his upper-body jerked back-and-over onto the driver’s seat with two uneven circular holes in the middle of his forehead
-
(One just a little higher than the other). Aaron gave another quick survey of the area before moving forward. He made it 10 feet. Nothing happened. However, with about 5 feet to go Aaron suddenly stopped in his tracks, freezing his position like a manikin. Both feet firmly planted, one in front of the other, shoulders level and with his right hand firmly clasped around the handle of the gun and his left cradling the weapons butt. He kept that position for ten whole seconds, before turning to his left and firing three shots into the direction of Leon, Jay and Na’talia. He had seen them descending on him from down the street 5 steps away from the front door however he allowed them to move in closer so that he could get a better shot. Unsure if he had hit any of them directly he was still confident he was close enough to cause them to scatter for cover
-
which in turn gave him a few needed extra seconds.

Turning his attention back to the rear passenger door, Aaron grabbed hold of its handle and slowly opened it a quarter of the way before backing up a few steps.

‘Open the door. All the way,
-
and get out the car Black.’ He ordered.

Without having to give the order again, the door opened wide, revealing Black sitting in the back seat with one hand in the air and the other on a brown leather Gucci Sports bag.

Black looked up at Aaron in shock. As usual he was sweating and his eyes along with his mouth were wide open.

‘Out… Now.’ Aaron ordered.

Eventually Black managed to close his mouth and swallow before asking ‘Where is Karim?’

Aaron laughed.

‘Just get out the car Black.’ Aaron paused, aimed his weapon at Black’s forward and then said ‘Please don’t make me have to ask you again.’

Seeing no other choice, Black reluctantly heaved his large body out of the car, only stopping due to the sound of a bullet being fired. The specially designed 9milimeter calibre hollow point missed Black by inches and smashed through the open rear doors window. Before all the glass could hit the floor, Aaron had already turned to his left, held his breath and fired another two rounds towards the far end of the driveway.

8 ft. to his left, Leon heard Jay cry out in pain.

‘Shit… ! Damn it. That Motherfucker shot me.’ He yelled.

Leon scrambled over the grass to his aid however Na’talia held her low position along the side of the driveway
-
behind a stump of a fern tree that had been cut down and banded.

Looking up at Leon Jay said. ‘Damn, that guy can shoot.’

‘How bad is it?’ Leon enquired.

Groaning, and breathing heavily Jay said ‘I’m good dawg. I think that bitch went straight through.’

Leon gently moved Jay’s shoulder to get a better look. Jay was right. The bullet went straight through the flesh, right above the collar-bone.

‘You’re gonna have to put some pressure on that.’ Leon said urgently.

‘I know. I’m not stupid.’ Jay replied. ‘Don’t worry about me. I’ve been shot before.
Remember
. Go help Na’talia get that bastard.’

Leon heard everything Jay said, but he didn’t want to leave him. Not like that.

‘Yo, what you waiting for… ?’ Jay Insisted. ‘. . . Go! Go get that son-of-a bitch.’

Leon’s shaking head turned into a slow nod before he quickly turned around
–
still in his crouched position and moved away to another secure location. However by the time Leon could take cover behind the water-fountain in the middle of the lawn, Aaron had taken the bag with the bank bonds along with Black into the house closing the front door behind him.

‘Shit!’ Leon shouted. ‘Nat where are you?’

‘Over here.’ She responded quickly.

Leon turned to the area Na’talia had called from. She had moved from the low cover of the tree stump and located herself along the front right-side of the house. She was slightly crouched over, trying her best to stay hidden behind one of three potted trees. Leon looked over his shoulder one last time to make sure his friend was still alive. Fortunately Jay was now in a seated position looking directly at him
–
smiling
-
with his fist held straight up in the air.

With his feeling of responsibility sated a little, Leon darted across the lawn, passed the black Mercedes Benz and over to where Na’talia was waiting with a double action pump rifle in her hands.

‘Well, big brother.’ She said. ‘How are we going to do this?’

Before they left the Yukon, Natalia had removed her grey jacket and opted not to replace it with a bullet proof vest. So apart from her rifle, she was just wearing her grey pants, white shirt and low heeled shoes. She had wrapped her long shiny black hair in a bun, revealing a small strawberry birthmark behind her right ear. Despite the very minor blemish Leon had to admit his little sister was beautiful yet carried a strength and confidence many women he felt lacked. In a strange way he was proud of her.

‘I’m not sure.’ Leon said finally.

‘What? What do you mean, you’re not sure? We need to get in there and take Aaron out now.’

‘And then what?’ Leon replied.

‘W-What… ? Na’talia stammered. ‘Do we really need to think about what happens after? Does it even matter?’

She was shouting. Leon knew she was not doing it on purpose. She probably did not even realise. Calmly Leon used the side of his right hand to move the barrel of Na’talia’s rifle to her left
-
which was now inadvertently pointed at his midsection and said ‘We need to be smart about this Nat. Come on girl, think. We kill Aaron now,
-
and then what? What about the Agency?’

Without hesitation Na’talia replied ‘We can save him.’

‘What?’

‘If he’s not dead already,’ she said dryly, ‘We can save the Superior. We keep him alive, we get our life back
-
An even fifty-fifty trade.’ She started to smile. Happy
-
not only because her idea came so quickly, but because it was something that could actually work. However Leon stayed silent, stone faced
–
Analysing his own ideas.

‘Well? What do you think?’ She persisted.

Her tone pulled Leon’s focus from his mind’s eye to the two physical ones in the front of his face. Unfortunately he still had no answer for Na’talia’s question. Without saying a word he turned around and peered out from behind the potted tree to check on Jay. He had moved from where he was to a more sheltered area of the lawn next to the fence that was splitting apart due to the roots of a tree that was growing on the other side. Probably trying to keep his tools from damage the gardener left that area unattended causing just that portion of the grass, to grow to about knee level.

“He’ll
be
cool.”
Leon thought.

After taking in a deep breath Leon headed towards the front door and without looking back at Na’talia said, ‘Well come on then.’

Na’talia followed close behind but after moving only 5 feet she stopped. Leon noticed but did not wait to find out why. Time was of the essence and he felt they had wasted enough. Leon did not have a full plan but he had questions and as long as they were answered, he did not care what happened now or after.

CHAPTER 23
 

I
nside the house, Aaron was back in the dark study room, standing just a few feet away from the rocking chair Superior Upson was tied to.

‘Unbefucking believable, I really don’t have time for this. I have places to go.’ Aaron exclaimed. His comment was directed at Superior Upson who at this point no longer had the tape across his lips
–
so he was now able to talk but choosing not to.

‘Are you fucking kidding me… ? Aaron continued.

Wearing a slight smile but with a tone as harsh and as cold as the tundra he said, ‘You do know you are going to die here today?’

Defiantly the Superior continued his silence.

‘Ok. Have it your way.’ Aaron retorted.

Taking a step to his left Aaron raised his aim
-
but to the Superiors relief
-
pointed his gun towards Black who was standing next to the big wooden desk Aaron was sitting behind earlier.