CHAPTER 13
Darkness. Pitch darkness was all that Kane saw. As his almost lifeless body struggled to maintain its stance between reality and a totally different world he knew nothing about - most likely, ghost town, his forehead welcomed another bullet which shot right through his skull, maiming both hemispheres in his brain.
Blood vessels were not spared. They bowed in obeisance to the bullet as it walked through their midst. The bullet finally completed its mission when it passed through Kane's occiput, creating a large hole afterwards, blood seeping out in large amounts.
Shrill cries pierced the dark night as ladies made good use of their vocal cords. A pool party turned into a pandemonium as everyone ran helter skelter, scampering to safety.
Brain damaged, eyes wide open in shock, Kane's now lifeless body fell forward into the pool, making a loud splash. That was his last moment on planet earth. He was dead and gone, never to return.
Kane's blood filled up the pool, leaving rippling effects as it went. A once clear water body had now been turned red, just like the biblical River Nile when a prophet used his rod in it.
"Damn it, man! We shot at the wrong target" One of the henchmen said to the other as they packed up the machine gun and tripod
"But at least we got the right target. Let's get going, man. We don't want to be seen here" The other replied
Fear gnawing at her heart and threatening to tear it into shreds, Summers screamed frantically as she shook Iphan whose neck was profusely bleeding.
"Baby, look at me, please. Just hang in there, okay? I'd get you help, ASAP" Summers pleaded, with teary eyes
"Get us help, somebody, get us help!" She added, lips juddering
"Call 911" Another screamed from a corner
"Get the paramedics, please!" A lady yelled
"Heard a loud bang and dashed outside. What in Poseidon's name happened here?" Jhene questioned, her chest rising up and down as she inhaled and exhaled deeply. She was oblivious to what had just happened.
"Your man was shot" Someone whom she never knew replied
As if on cue, her eyes darted to the swimming pool and was greeted with a red River Nile. The moment her eyes came in contact with Kane's lifeless body which was afloat, the bottle of Tequila in her right hand as well as the champagne flutes in her left crashed to the floor, their broken pieces flying around.
Tears pooled in her eyes as her lips began to quiver. She pinched herself several times to be sure she wasn't dreaming. After a few seconds of being in doubt, her brain finally registered that Kane was indeed dead. Blood was still seeping through his occiput.
Without thinking, tired of thinking, she let out an ear splitting scream. Jelly replaced her patella and unable to carry the weight of her body, she fell to the slippery floor, her body shaking with sobs.
Gathering strength, she descended into the pool and swam to where Kane's lifeless body lay. Turning him right side up, she stared at his eyeballs which were wide open as though they wanted to pop out of their sockets.
Her teary eyes strayed to the hole in his forehead which the bullets had created and lacking strength to curse out loud, she cussed silently that the perpetrators would die a horrible death and that their carcass would be fed to the birds of the air. She wished them nothing but Karma.
Taking one last look at his blood drained face, she kissed him on his lips. As her lips stayed glued to his, she wished somehow that some miracle would take place and that he was gonna kiss her right back with so much fervency as he used to do, back when he was alive.
Raising her head, she used her palm to make his upper lids collide with his lower. More tears rolled down her cheeks as the thought of living without Kane walked back and forth in her mind.
"Hey, hey, hey, come here" Steven pulled a crying Jhene into his arms hugging her tight
He and Vandana had left the pool to have their alone time and hadn't heard the gunshot. It was Ace who had given him a heads up and he had rushed down to the pool, Vandana on his trail.
"I'd take it from here" Vandana said as she pulled Jhene away from Steven and laid her head on her shoulder
"Sshhh, you'd be fine" Vandana cooed, patting Jhene's wet hair
Pulling herself from Vandana's shoulder, Jhene boarded the ambulance which was carrying Kane's body to the morgue.
"See you at the mansion, Man" Baron patted Steven's back as he got into the ambulance before the driver started the ignition
"Sure thing" Steven replied as he watched the ambulance drive away
"Now you stop crying, Iphan will just be fine. Twas only a shot in his neck and he's been rushed to the hospital. The medics will take care of him" Steven patted Summers as she cried on his shoulder
When Steven said hospital, he meant the underground clinic which he had built in the conglomerate's mansion. He had employed tons of medical personnel and all had sworn an oath to work for him and keep their lips sealed.
Anything other than, meant death and these personnel knew better than to snitch on X-HABIT. They were paid handsomely, so money wasn't a problem.
A four wheeled drive with tinted glasses pulled up beside Steven. The driver, Ace, hopped out and opened the doors for Steven, Vandana, Summers and Jhene. After the quartet had boarded the vehicle, Ace got behind the wheels and zoomed off.
As the car sped through the dark night to the underground clinic, different thoughts in regards to Kane's death rummaged through Steven's mind. There were cobwebs in the air which needed to be cleared.
Something wasn't right and he knew it, but couldn't place a finger on it yet. He heaved a sigh as he hoped to unravel the puzzle behind Kane's death soon.
