"What do you mean by my father's killers are back?" Darian halted in his tracks, sending a glare at the old man who didn't flinch as he waddled towards the portal.
"One of the culprits who attacked us at the anniversary party spilled some words, but he was vague." Gaius stopped moving with swift gaits.
He hit his walking stick on the floor and Jay dutifully bowed his head, staying unshaken beside Darian.
"He said some things before he died." Gaius continued.
"Did you kill him? I ordered that none of them should be killed until they confess." Darian groaned.
"He has been injected with poison before they came to attack. No one killed him, our Doctor detected the poison in his system, it's the type that lasts for a month before getting its job done."
"I don't understand what you are saying, Gaius. Could you explain better?"
"You see, the men who came to disrupt our party are ex-convicts. The people who sent them did an illegal deal with the cops to get them released from jail. After they were released, they were taken in by some people who trained them on how to use guns. They were wheedled, it's a pity they fell for the tricks. They were promised lots of money to die, little did they know that they'd been poisoned, sent here without paying a dime to their families as promised."
"How did you know all of these?" Darian asked eagerly, almost clutching Gaius' neck.
"The dead one said a few words before giving up. He felt betrayed and decided to let out some useful things. He also mentioned that they were not the real ones sent to attack, he warned about a looming danger. He asked us to prepare for war because the people who sent them just sent them to warn us of impending danger." Gaius rubbed the nape of his neck. "Darian, we have to watch our backs. Enemies are out there, lurking at every corner we turn to."
"What do they want from us?" Darian was confused, but he didn't let the emotion show. He stared at Jay who had a blank expression on his face. "Our mafia is a peaceful one, we don't go after other families without a reason. What have we done and what do they want from us?" He huffed a sigh, rubbing his temples in worry. "And how is this connected to my father's death?"
"Things were this heated before they killed your father. Your father lost his life while trying to find who these people are, he was killed by them." Gaius stated, taking a step closer to the portal. "I thought they gave up after they killed your father, I didn't know they'd be reinforcing."
"We need more men to guard the family house, every member of the Dawson family needs more bodyguards. We have to send for more men to join us over here." He turned to Jay, "Make arrangements with Gunther to send us men from Dallas, we have to start training more men, get prepared for them. We must not be caught off guard."
"Yes, I will." Jay bowed.
"Where are the others? Did they confess to anything?" Darian asked Gaius, carefully staring at his back as they walked in together.
The rooms were getting darker as they walked in, they finally arrived at the portal that led to the tunnel. Gaius looked at Darian and climbed the ladder, he rolled in and waited for Darian and Jay. After they were in, the door to the tunnel was shut and they proceeded to walk the rooms until they got to the dark room.
The room was very large, just a tiny bulb illuminated the room. Darian could hear the groans and wincing pain of the captives as they were tortured by the soldiers. He leaned on the wall and sighed.
"Is there someone you suspect? Any family?" He looked at Gaius. "You've always been the godfather. Do you think we have something some families are fighting for?"
"The reason for the attack is unknown, Darian. We just have to be careful and prepare ahead for future incursions. I am more worried about our women and children. I fear they will go after them and hurt them in public."
"Everyone should assign bodyguards to their family members, I will address this in our next meeting. We have a lot to discuss." He signaled to one of the soldiers to switch the lights on. "Where did you keep the corpse?"
"Properly taken care of, you don't have to worry. The Doctor did a great job by proving that he was poisoned and his body was allowed in the morgue." Gaius answered, and the lights came on, shining upon the faces of everyone present in the room.
"What about the others? Will they die too?" Darian stared at their faces through the gates. He held onto the gate and shook his head worriedly.
"They won't die, they've been given the antidotes, and the poison is yet to spread to the delicate parts of their system. That one had a weak heart already, the poison messed with his heart and that was why he died early."
Darian was relieved when Gaius gave the reports to him, he nodded his head and signaled to one of the guards to unlock the gates for him.
The keys were inserted into the padlocks, and the chains yanked away. Darian stepped in. He walked up to one of them and touched his sweaty face.
"Who are the people behind this? And why did you accept to do this when you know that you would lose your lives?" He kicked him hard in the tummy, his eyes vicious with anger. "Speak up! You dummy! Speak up already, one of you is dead!" He yelled at the top of his voice.
"You will never get what you want from us, we'd rather die than tell you our secrets." One of them slurred from the corner of the room.
Darian went to meet him, he bent to his level and smiled. "See, I can help you. I will spare your lives and give you a new one if you confess to me, I promise."
The man whose head was bleeding badly stared at Darian. "How can I trust you too?" He spat, "Just how? We were released from jail and accepted to do this because they promised to take care of our families. They forcefully sent us here without paying our families and they poisoned us too!" He screamed, trying to free himself from the chains he was tied with. He laughed hysterically, "I would rather die than trust you, I would never tell you anything and none of us will ever tell you something!"
"Gosh!" Darian rolled his fist into a blow, he was about to punch him hard but he refrained himself.
"You can punch me as hard as you want, why are we still alive? You should kill us already, kill us." He teared up.
Darian sighed, he rose to his feet.
Giving up, he sauntered over to meet another of them who looked calmer than the rest.
"You?" Darian glared at him.
"Tell everyone to leave the room before I talk," the man he was standing close to, said. "I won't say a word if they remain in this room."
Darian ordered the soldiers and guards to leave the room. They did as he instructed, leaving him with them, but they remained vigilant to intervene if something went wrong.
"Their next target is your wife," he began, his words making Darian flinch. "Don't trust everyone around you. Be watchful and keep an eye on your wife, they are coming after her soon."
Darian's heart started to beat erratically, "who are they and why would they come after my wife?"
"I don't know, I have no idea why they would come after your wife. They change their plans all the time, just watch your back." He bowed his head.
"You heard what I told him, right?" Darian pointed to the other guy he just finished talking to. "Would you like to consider my offer? I don't renege on my promises, I will do all that I promise, I just need you to tell me who they are."
"That's all I can say, you can kill us now." He told Darian.
Darian called the soldiers back into the dark room. "Reduce the torture you inflict on them. We need them." He said and rushed out of the room.
"Call Harrison and Dickson to keep close eyes on my wife," he commanded Jay.
"Did they say something?" Gaius asked Darian.
Darian shook his head, "they refused to say something."
"They need to be tortured,"
"No," Darian countered Gaius. "I asked the soldiers to take things slow. We still need them, I have a feeling they will succumb to my offers soon." Darian's phone beeped three times, he pulled the phone out of his pocket and stared at the caller. "It's my wife," he excused himself to pick up the call.
"Darian," Lena called in a panicked tone.
"Lena, is there something wrong with you?" He detected the terror in her voice.
"Darian, I am trapped, I feel like I will die soon." Lena groaned over the phone and ended the call.
"Lena! Lena!" Darian yelled, "I have to go, Gaius, I have to go now!" He growled, running out of the room to get out of the tunnel. Jay followed after him. "I swear I will kill any bastard who tries to hurt my wife. Call Harrison and Dickson now!" He yelled again as they climbed into the car.
Jay did as instructed, wondering what was going on at home.