HADEWA CALIPHATE,

NIGERIA.

Amadu did as the Prince instructed him, and by the time the sun set, the Pentagon was assembled.

Pentagon is the name Aali gave to his own mini council members, which consisted of him, Amadu, Shehu and Fahad, his best friend. There is a fifth member, but the person is long forgotten due to certain reasons.

The only four people Aali trusts in the palace; now, three.

When the Pentagon isn't assembled for work, Fahad is just a goofy lawyer who knows absolutely nothing about the Emirate affairs. The very same person who is the right friend for the ignorant and Clown Prince who knows nothing about what's going on. Simply, two ignorant fools.

Amadu on the other hand is just a guard, who follows the prince around like a babysitter. Since his superior knows nothing, he is just as in the dark. However, he goes around pretending to be tough. Or so everyone thought.

Then Shehu is next. He is nothing but one of the first council members the Calipha set when he took over the throne of Hadewa. He's more or less like the Prince's second father since he looked over the boy and took care of him as his own child. He blindly follows the Prince by day and by night, and became a part of Umar's 'secret coup' members as the Prince requested of him.

The last but definitely never the least is the one at the helm, the Clown Prince who would lead Hadewa to ruins if the Calipha so ever hands him the throne as expected. The very same man the council members can't wait to toy around with when he becomes Calipha. He seemed too easy to them all.

On the other side is the Pentagon that only five people in Hadewa knew of. Helmed by the Prince who isn't as gullible as everyone believes. If anything, he might be the one playing them all. Quietly and lowly, he was setting a trap for everyone who wanted to take advantage of him or his father, and it is only a matter of time before they fall for it.

Some had already fallen for it. But the major trap isn't one he can just plan and watch as they all fall for it. No, it takes time and patience. And lucky enough, patience is a virtue that he posses.

His right hand man is Fahad; the friend he grew up with along with Muneer. Once away from prying eyes, Fahad is the one with every news. The one source of information Aali needs. Fahad has connections that even Aali doesn't know of its size, and he sure made use of those connections. Within a short period of time, Fahad would get Aali every information he needs without any error. He can also get out of any situation.

Except the current one at hand, for the first time. They have an enemy that wants to outsmart them.

Beside Fahad is the trusted guard, Amadu. As a member of the Pentagon, Amadu helm the personal guards belonging to Aali who wouldn't betray him for anything. In simple words, he is the head of the only group of people Aali can trust his life with.

And lastly is Shehu, the father figure to the Prince and the wisest old man he has ever known. That man can pretend for his country. With the way he acts all frail, gullible and whatnot around others, they'd be shocked at the intensity of good he fakes those emotions.

He is whom Aali got that talent from.

One can even say, Shehu is better than Aali when it comes to that.

"Report" Aali stated, moving his gaze to Amadu who nodded, placing the papers amidst the table where they call all see. He then stood up, pointing at a picture attached to one of the papers.

"Two people were found dead today at different locations. One is a stranger to us but not the other. This man is the last person that had been murdered to the point that it was hard to recognize his body"He moved his gaze from one person to another in the room as he stated that.

Fahad flickered his eyes close when his gaze landed on the image before he looked away. He's good at his job, but he never handled gruesome situations like that well. Especially if he had to see how the bloodied corpse looked. Blinking his eyes back open, he leaned back on his chair and fiddled with the pen in his hand. "I had my men look him up and I found out that he is a palace guard. Or at least, was" He focused his gaze on Aali when he said that.

Aali placed his hands on the table, intertwining them. "Which chamber?" He could barely tell who it is by the way the man's picture looked all bloody and bruised. But if there's one thing he is sure of it's that he is not from his chamber or the Calipha's. None of his guards are missing and neither are that of his father's.

Besides, he knew his father's guards just as he knew his. Why? Because they are all his guards to begin with, the ones that he trusts the most—including some of the ones he had grown right in front of their eyes.

It wasn't easy, but he grew to know who are his father's enemies and who are his loyal guards.

Eventually, he had his father replace the traitors with one that the Prince trusts. The Calipha didn't doubt his son's actions one bit for he had complete trust in the man.

All three men turned to Fahad, waiting for an answer.

The man sighed, moving his gaze from the Prince to the other three. "The most guarded chamber of all. The East Wing"

Aali's brows furrowed. "The East Wing is the most guarded chamber there is. The guards rotate twice a day since there are two sets. And no one has been reported missing"

"Of course they wouldn't let anyone know. They could all get severely punished or charged with treason" Shehu spoke for the first time. That was the only possible, and reasonable explanation he could think of. Nothing else. No one would want to get in trouble anyways.

Fahad nodded. "He's right Aali. But that's not just it" He dropped the pen in his hand on the table, "The guard was replaced by another one"

Amadu shook his head. "It's impossible to switch a guard"

Fahad then shrugged. "Well they did, and no one noticed it"

"How?" Amadu is the one fully engrossed in guard activities in the palace amongst them all. And he knew well enough that switching guards with some outsider is the hardest thing to do. It was considered automatically as treason, and especially not with the East Wing.

The person behind this all definitely has a death wish.

Aali sighed, tapping his fingers on the table as he thought of the situation at hand. Something then clicked. "The question is not how but why?"

Shehu nodded, "Aali is right" He folded his hands over his torso, brows drawn in. "Why the East Wing? There's no one or anything precious in there. Just history" His words came out slow, as he thought about the answers.

Why would anyone go for the East Wing? It's just plain suicide. Plus, there's nothing to get there.

"I doubt the Calipha knows about this" Fahad commented.

"How could he know?" Shehu asked, running his thumb over his knuckles. "All the people that surrounds him are hell-bent on keeping him away from the truth" Anger coated his tone when he spoke.

While the three spoke of how the people surrounding the Calipha are keeping him away from the things that are happening in the palace, Aali's thoughts ran far. He was trying to figure out why anyone will try to infiltrate the East Wing by changing guards. Why would anyone go for a place that holds nothing precious but simply memories? "Maybe it's a diversion" His words came out low, and wasn't directed to anyone in particular.

Amidst their conversation, Fahad who sat close to him was the one that picked up on it. "What?" He asked, brows furrowed. He didn't exactly hear everything Aali said, but it sounded like something that wouldn't hurt to pay close heed to.

His question had Amadu and Shehu looking at the duo, wanting in on whatever is being spoken of.

Aali looked up, his gaze to Fahad. "What if they don't want anything in the East Wing" He repeated, his words much slower this time. "Think about it, there's nothing for them to gain in the place so that possibility is crossed out. However, the person obviously knows that we would catch up on it when we investigate so he is using that as a diversion. While our whole attention will focus on the place, in reality, it's a form of diversion and a warning"

"That means something is going to happen where we least expect" Fahad added, getting a hang of what Aali means.

Amadu nodded in agreement before releasing a deep breath as he sunk in his chair. "And it probably has something to do with..." His gaze landed on Aali, and so did the others.

He didn't have to voice it for them to understand what he means exactly. Aali released a deep, long sigh. He hates to admit it but Amadu is right.

Intertwining his fingers on the table, his face turned stoic. "I won't let that happen" There was this edge of finality in his tone that they all have become accustomed to. "Come what may, we have to be prepared for what is to come because we cannot lose. Not now, not ever"

The others nodded in agreement knowing he is right. Losing is not an option.

~*~

Aria just stepped out of the en suite, fixing the silk robe of the night gown she has on. Making her way over to the vanity table, she sat on the stool and skimmed the items placed on the table till she spotted the body cream she was looking for.

She picked it open, twisting the lid open before she turned it around and press it, the cream dropping from the container to her palms before she placed it back. Rubbing her hands together, she then applied the cream on her legs. She repeated the same action with her hands before closing the container lid and placing back where it belongs.

She made her way back to the bed, slipping under the covers. It was a little past 8pm and Aali wasn't back yet. She didn't mind his lack of presence, but being all alone in the chamber scared her since Salaha has left already.

Nonetheless, the thought of the guards outside and the sound of the television took her mind off it. She reached out to pick her Macbook, turning it on so could do some work before Aali returns when something caught her attention on the television she was facing.

The volume was down, so could only faintly hear what was being said. However, the headline had her reaching for the remote instead of the paper she wanted to use, and turning the volume up.

"...was found dead earlier today. Reports from the police states that it wasn't an untimely death, but rather a gruesome murder just like the ones that have been taking place. No more reports had been given to the public by the police as the investigation is still ongoing. However, people are already guessing that this is the work of the murderer who had been killing off innocent people in this Caliphate.

Police haven't announced it yet but we all know that we have a serial killer on the loose. Bottom line, no one is safe in this Caliphate. What will the Calipha do now? Will he turn a blind eye on this matter like he had always done? When will he speak? When someone from his family ends up becoming a victim in this? Those are the type of questions going through people's head. We hope to get a report from the Calipha soon to stop all this misunderstandings" The news reporter said, the video switching from hers to the area where the corpse was found. At least, as much as the police would allow without obstructing their view.

From what Aria could see, she knew she wouldn't be able to handle that situation in person. It looked more chaotic than that time at the mall. This time around, the sight of blood could be seen all around the area where the corpse laid.

That wasn't what had Aria's heart beating against her ribcage though. It was the picture of the deceased that's being played on the TV.

She froze, the remote in her hand dropping at the familiar face.

The archery instructor she and Hudayya met earlier is now...dead.

Murdered to be precise.