Preparations
Rui goes into his soundproof study down the hallway from the living room. First, he calls Rene to tell him they will be leaving soon for Paris. He also gives him the instructions for the men who are remaining at the chateau. Afterwards Rui opens his silver laptop using facial recognition to unlock the high tech device. Rene acquired the laptop from one of his contacts who he worked with when he was in Special Forces. The computer expert is a rare talent and for an extra charge he installed unique software recently developed by him for French Cyber Security. Additionally, the computer is equipped with a modulator that changes the timbre of Rui’s voice and enables him to speak any language perfectly. Rui’s location is untraceable when he uses he laptop so he can be assured no one can trace his call.
When he connects a man speaking Arabic with a rough voice answers the call. Rui tells him, “I will contact you in two hours. Is everything ready?”
“Yes Zayn. The general received his instructions and the initial payment. ”
Rui taps his pen on the antique wooden desk, “ Make it clear to him that I can’t have any delay.”
“The plan is foolproof. It is all set. My brother in law works loading the trucks on the lower level of the facility. ”
“I transferred half of the payment to an account set up for you in the Caymans. I will send you the encoded information. When I receive the video I will send the final payment. You and your family should relocate.”
The short bald man plays with a black dagger in his hand. “Do I have your permission to kill that bastard Samman?”
“Your revenge will have to wait, Akeem. If you want to torture him..hmm.. well, I have no problem with that.. but..leave the slimy bastard alive. I need him to be able to speak..legibly.”
“En.” Akeem has a sinister smile exposing his two gold front teeth as he hangs up. He walks over to a couch where a young emaciated dark haired girl is holding her knees shivering. She looks about sixteen although she just graduated from University and is twenty as of last month. The disheveled girl’s features are similar to the older woman sitting next to her rubbing the girl’s matted hair.
She gives the girl a sip of water and the girl spits it out knocking the glass from the startled woman’s hand. The woman’s thin face is tear stained and her hand trembles touching the young girls chapped lips. “Mommy wants you to drink. Please baby, please swallow the water.”
The girl looks at her mother with lifeless sunken brown eyes as she shakes her head wildly back and forth.
Akeem walks over to the two, speaking in Arabic to the haggard looking woman he sounds worried, “Shari, the doctor will be here soon. He can give Nina an infusion, don’t force her to drink.” He tenderly touches the girl’s cheek and she starts screaming, “NO! NO! DON’T TOUCH ME!”
The woman tries to calm her down but the young girl is flailing her extremely thin arms towards Akeem.
The Chinese doctor dressed in green and brown camouflage clothes comes into the room witnessing Nina’s agitated appearance. He motions to Akeem to step away from the couch and the man grabs Nina’s twig like arm and in one swift motion injects a sedative into her upper arm. The girl slowly slumps over into her mother’s lap.
The doctor pats Akeem on his back, “It is not your fault. Stop blaming yourself. How were you to know about the sick bastard’s experiments. She will recover in time with the antidote. He takes out a packet of powder from his black medicine bag.”Mix this powder with a little porridge and feed it to her when she wakes up.” The doctor noticed the water spill and broken glass by the girl so he thinks in food would be the best way to feed her the antidote. “Zayn also is giving you the opportunity to avenge the girl.”
Akeem hands the doctor a cigar. “Thank you for coming.” Akeem picks up the frail young girl to carry her into the bedroom then lays her on a bed covered in a pink bedspread. The doctor looks around the girl’s room. There are pictures on the wall of some young boys singing and stuffed animals on a shelf. He takes out the infusion drip and motions to a young African man who is following him to set up the infusion pole. He lifts Nina’s limp wrist covered in scars and inserts a needle. The doctor hands the girl’s mother a tube of ointment. “Apply this to the girl’s scars twice a day and in a couple months they will fade away. These pills are anti depressants and this bottle contains a mild sedative. Only use if you feel it is necessary or you could create another problem. The anti depressants can be addictive.”
The woman looks at the tube in her hand and the bottles of pills. Her bony fingers are trembling looking at her once beautiful daughter. “What kind of beast..?” She breaks down sobbing and Akeem holds her in his embrace, “Sister, I will get revenge for our sweet Nina.”
The doctor checks the drip then says, “This is my associate, Kwame Kimathi. He will come by tomorrow to check on the girl. When the drip runs low later, Mrs. Koury change it out with this one. It is very easy to do.” He demonstrates, “Do you understand?”
Shari nods yes then holds onto his jacket, her raspy voice is full of gratitude, “Thank you..thank you doctor.”
He pats her hand not sure how to comfort the woman. He is an Army doctor and only came because of the operation. Akeem can’t be distracted this afternoon or my men will die. “I need to return. Akeem here is the number to the clinic. If the girl has any problems, call.”
Akeem walks out with him, “How did you locate the antidote for the aphrodisiac?
He doesn’t answer Akeem’s question as he puts on a pair of sunglasses. “Don’t fail today.”
Akeem opens the door to the small house then turns watching the Chinese doctor and the young African leave in a Jeep. He looks at the clear blue sky then at the children happily playing soccer in the street.
After he enters the house his sister hands him a cup of black coffee and then bends over picking up a smashed cup on the floor by the couch. “Akeem…kill that evil man.”
Akeem drinks the cup of strong coffee then sets it down on the table. He has a worried expression looking towards the shut bedroom door. “Take care of Nina.” Akeem holds a hat with the Zartech Corporation logo in his weathered hand then picks up a blue work jacket. He affectionately touches his sister’s face and tucks a few gray strands behind her ear. “ Sister, don’t forget to eat.” He walks out to his battered blue truck then makes a call as he starts the engine, “I am on my way.”
At the chateau Rui walks into the kitchen and raises his eyebrow when sees the cook, Noelle standing at the stove. The attractive woman looks up from the sizzling vegetables, smiling at Rui as she greets him, “Dr. Qiao.”
The last time he was at the chateau he wasn’t the CEO of Qiao Corporation so she thinks it would be best to call him Dr. Qiao. She looks very professional wearing a pair of black straight leg pants and a white long sleeved blouse with a navy blue apron tied around her thin waist. Looking at Noelle you would never know she is a trained assassin. She stirs the shredded pork as she adds the fresh cut vegetables, when Rene called her to come to the chateau to work she was ecstatic at the prospect of seeing Rui again. “I made your fav..” She stops herself, “I made Gingered Chicken Congee. It is almost ready if you want to sit in the dining room, I will bring your tea.”
After Rui leaves the kitchen she clenches her hand and her knuckles turn white. When she came into the kitchen this morning she was met with the scene on the floor and counter. Noelle was furious thinking about the slut who seduced her Dr. Qiao. Dirty! Dirty! What a dirty woman! Now Dr. Qiao is ignoring me. I will kill the little bitch! Rene filled her in about how important Feng LiMei is to Qiao Rui not knowing she is obsessed with him.
LiMei woke up and saw Rui wasn’t in the bed. She got up and although her whole body was sore she took a quick shower. Rui told me last night he had to go into Paris for a meeting. I wonder if he left.Why didn’t he wake me up! She hurriedly puts on a pretty sleeveless dark green dress and looks in the full length mirror. Satisfied she puts on her slippers and uses all her strength to walk down the stairs. When she enters the living room she sees a pretty woman standing next to Rui who is sitting at the dining room table. The woman is smiling and pouring tea for Rui leaning with her chest in his face. What the heck? Who is she!
LiMei presses her lips together in a straight line and her catlike green eyes have a dark jealous flame burning in them. She stands in the doorway motionless watching the woman flirting with Rui. She is debating if she should interrupt when Cheng and Morgan come walking into the living room. Cheng looks at Morgan, “Why is the little chick just standing there?’
Morgan barks, “How the hell would I know!”
LiMei turns around when she hears Morgan bellow at Cheng. Embarrassed that she is peeking into the dining room she walks over to the two men, “Ah hi.. haha..um..good morning.”
The two tall muscular men look down at LiMei, her face is bright red and she is nervously clutching onto her dress. Cheng answers, “Good Morning Miss Feng.”
Morgan steps back and his eyes dart around the room not making eye contact. Damn she looks like a little porcelain doll in that dress.
Cheng’s voice carried into the dining room and Rui stands up, LiMei woke up? He walks towards the living room to see LiMei dwarfed by the two muscular men. She is looking up at Morgan and smiling. He quickly walks to LiMei and takes her petite body into his embrace. He kisses the top of her head, “Baby, why are you up?”
What?Am I disturbing you and that Auntie? She looks up at Rui, her cheeks are puffed out and she has an angry expression. LiMei blinks her eyelashes composing herself then sweetly says, “I’m sorry. Did I interrupt your breakfast?”
Rui doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry, is LiMei jealous of Noelle? Now I’m glad I didn’t tell Noelle to get the hell out. I never liked the way the woman stares at me. He lifts her chin then kisses LiMei, “Of course not.” He has a faint smile thinking about LiMei being jealous. He takes LiMei’s small hand in his and walks towards the dining room. “Let’s eat together then I have to go to my meeting.” He kisses her then picks her up. When they get to the table he sits with LiMei on his lap. He picks up a piece of egg with his chopstick and feeds LiMei. Rui has a soft gaze staring at her delicate face and his deep voice has a pampering tone, “Baby, I thought you must be tired. I didn’t want to disturb you.”
“…” Noelle looks at the beautiful petite girl sitting on Rui’s lap. She has snow white skin and her green eyes are sparking under her dense black eyelashes as he feeds her the scrambled eggs.
You little bitch! I didn’t make that food for you!
Rui tells Noelle as he uses his napkin to dab LiMei’s pink lips, “Bring Miss Feng some fresh squeezed orange juice.Make sure there is no pulp.” He gives LiMei a sip of water then kisses her pink lips, “Or Baby… do you want cranberry juice?”
“…” Noelle’s mouth twitches then she smiles asking LiMei, “Orange or Cranberry?”
LiMei isn’t listening, she is enjoying the fluffy eggs, WOW..I AM SO HUNGRY! LiMei points at the shredded pork and vegetables, “Rui, could I have some.”
He picks up some shredded pork with his chopsticks and feeds her another bite, he looks at Noelle, “Just bring a glass of both.
The hair on Noelle’s neck stands up as she turns around and walks into the kitchen. Grinding her teeth in anger she slams her hand on the counter, I am going to kill that little slut!
Oblivious to the murderous vibes leaking out of the kitchen, LiMei forgets she was jealous of Noelle, “Breakfast is really delicious. Rui, what is the cook’s name? I need to thank her for preparing such a delicious breakfast.