Stuart had not noticed at all the effects of temazepam on his nervous system that so cunningly had been added by Charles to their breakfast. Nor did he notice that the real reason behind Elizabeth feeling dizzy was that she ended up eating the same breakfast as well. Charles had swiftly avoided eating at all with both of them. All he had to do was ask the cook to go and meet Stuart while he added the drug to the meal.

Stuart sat now in his office chair, feeling his eye lids heavier than usual. It was such an important day but it was his die hard wish right now to hibernate for a couple of months.

He stood up and staggered towards the bathroom towards the right of his office. Opening the huge wooden door that was polished to excellence, he entered and made his way towards the sink.

Stuart opened the water tap and washed his face. Why was he feeling so sleepy today? He looked up at the mirror in front of him and saw him standing behind.

Stuart turned around and lashed out but his reflexes were too slow. Charles punched him in the mouth and heard a sick crunching sound which meant he had broken Stuart's nose. He collapsed into a heap on the floor even before temazepam could force him.
*****************

After laying Stuart down on a black leather sofa in his office, Charles entered the lift and exited out into the warmly lit reception.
      "Mr. Stuart isn't feeling that well today. Cancel his appointments, please. He wanted a little rest before going on the mission." Charles said to the receptionist who immediately started typing on the keyboard. "Oh and ask everyone to gather outside the gym. Since Stuart isn't feeling well, I take it as my responsibility to lead this mission until he is fit. And get me a mike. Can't talk to such a huge crowd without it."

Charles walked purposefully to the open and made his way towards the gym. Upon reaching it, he saw that people were already gathering around.

Charles stood there and the other gangmembers began anxiously huddling all around him. News definitely did travel fast in the twenty-first century!

Gamgmembers filed in from everywhere. Some looking puzzled, some excited and some anxious. The crowd grew so large around Charles that it became hard to breath. Finally the mike came.
"Okay stand back! Stand back. For God's sake let me breathe." All of the people around him moved a few paces back. Charles took a deep breath. All these people had come here to see him. Just like people used to when he played basketball. He forced those pleasant memories out of his mind.

"All right! Today is a very important day, everyone. Today is the day that marks the ultimate superiority of the Confederants in the underworld. Today is when we squash all others to pulp. Today is when we rise above them all. And that is why today is probably the most important day that we've seen."

This had everyone listening carefully now. Even the ones who seemed to dislike Charles's sense of authority when they first reached seemed keen on picking up even the minor details of the speech.

"Today, we all go on a mission to destroy all others." Cheers and nods of approvals roared all around. The gang had always appreciated his agressive attitude.

"A meeting is being held between the Tyrants and Omens, who I believe, are the last remote threats left to us. All of their top leaders are going to be present there. We ambush them with our ultimate man power, which I am sure we can." Charles extended his hands out towards the audience which now roared with enthusiasm. He felt like Alex giving his pre-match speech.

"I want you all to be present here by 11.30 with all your armaments and board the 4 buses that we have here disguised as normal passenger ones. The bus leaves at sharp 11.40. Unfortunately Mr. Stuart is not feeling well and I have taken it upon me to be with him at all times in his car. You all will reach Ellen bridge and wait for our signal. I REPEAT: NO ONE MOVES UNTIL WE SAY SO!" There was dead silence around Charles now.

"So, does anyone have a question?"

A hand shot in the air.

"Yes?"

"Why do we all have to go? I mean shouldn't a few of us stay behind? You know.... just for security?"

Charles had feared suspicions upon this matter so he had already thought of his reply.

"Do you really think that the Omens and Tyrants are having such an important meeting without a tight amount of security? To break through, I believe we'll need as much man  power as we can get. Besides, who needs security when we're all gone. I can't think of anyone except the receptionist." This was agreed to by whistles and cat calls all around.

Charles rose his voice now. "We have the security team patrolling the gates and all the walls for this purpose. I want you all to focus on the task ahead and that is the ambush. Now you may leave."

All the gangmembers began flooding towards their lodges to get ready. The next hour flew past with energy and anxiety among all. The fake plan of ambushing a meeting seemed to be going pretty well. Soon everyone would be out of site and away, leaving only Charles and Stuart.

The gang members boarded the buses and Charles went himself to check if everyone was present. When he was done, he signalled for them to leave for Ellen Bridge and wait aimlessly while he did his work.

When all four buses had left, Charles walked back to the reception and took the lift. His heart pounded faster and faster seeing success just within grabs now. He had waited to avenge Violet and his family for more than a decade and finally it was time.

The lift doors opened and a wooden baseball bat swung inwards, striking Charles in the stomach. All the air was lost from his lungs as he collapsed to his knees.

He had not noticed that Phill had not boarded the buses. He had made a slight mistake in his otherwise brilliant plan and it seemed now as if it would cause him to fail.

Phill lashed out with his leg which connected into Charles's mouth. Blood spurted through his nose and broken teeth flee out as he fell back in the open doors of the lift.

Phill dragged Charles's body in the office. And turned it over so his bloodied face could meet Phill's.

"Can't never trus' anybody in the business can'ya?" Phill cackled loudly.
"You jus' made ma' work even easier. I have Stuart lyin' there completely unconscious. And you've fell righ' inta' my hands as well. Now I cun' easily say I suspected somethin' fishy on yur' side and went ta' check on Stuart an' saw you had killed him. Tryin' to overthrow him were ya'. But I dealt with ya. Yes sir-ree I did. And who else's gonna be gang leader when you're away? Me ofcourse."

Phill tilted his head upwards and laughed. This was the breakthrough Charles had been waiting for. In one brisk motion, he pulled his pistol that was tucked at the front of his jeans and fired at Phill's leg who roared with pain and fell back. Charles was on top of him now, thrusting the pistol into Phill's temple. He made sure to disarm Phill of all types of firearms that he had on him.

Blood from Phill's legs wettened Charles's jeans who was pinning him to the floor. Phill panted helplessly under Charles's huge body. He was at his mercy now.

Charles's finger curled around the trigger as he closed his eyes.

Flash: Alex was sitting in his mansion with the hazel-eyed girl while they held hands and watched the dark night-sky split into spectacular colours of fireworks. Flash: She had embraced Alex in a changing room after he had lost, whispering stuff in his ears that had become only too vague to understand now. Flash: She had just opened a door and Alex saw her wearing a white t-shirt that read 'let's go Alex'.

Charles knew he couldn't. It was not his war with Phill. He could not pay the price for something that he did not even know about even if he was coming in the way.

Blood was now trickling down to Charles's chin and falling in thick drops on Phill's shirt. He looked in Phill's eyes that clearly depicted fear of death. Something that Charles hadn't felt for years.

He hated to do it, but he couldn't trust Phill again. Charles hit the butt of his pistol on Phill's head which lolled lifelessly and fell to the floor as he became unconscious. Charles stood up and wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his already bloodied t shirt.

He bended low and tore a piece from his jeans which he tied around Phill's leg. He didn't want him to die due to loss of blood. He just didn't want to kill anyone except the one that deserved it so richly.

After doing so, Charles walked towards the black leather sofa where Stuart's unconscious body lay. He heaved it up and supported it's dead weight on his shoulders. He tried dragging it but the body won't budge. In the end he did the only thing that he could. Charles lifted Stuart in his arms and entered the lift.

The lift doors opened in the reception where the blond receptionist gave a high pitched yelp at the sight of them.

"Don't worry. Phill had attacked Mr. Stuart in his office. I reached in time. He lies unconsious on the floor. Ask the security team to deal with him. I am taking Mr. Stuart to the hospital."

The receptionist hastily dailed a number on the phone with shaking hands.

Charles carried Stuart in his arms out of the building. His muscles were screaming with agony now, but he continued. He had to. He needed to.

He put Stuart's body at the back of the black mercedes that stood just outside the building and sat himself in the driving seat. He turned the key and the car's engine roared to life.

While on his way to the exit gate, he saw a group of security guards running to the building which he supposed were to collect Phill.

He reached the gate and honked twice. Recognizing Charles immediately, the guard opened the main gate and let him drive away.

-One last chapter left.