Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned herein. This is pure fiction, written for entertainment only.
Chapter 28
Matt was deluged by good news while he was getting off the plane which had just landed in Morocco. His secretary called to inform that they had finally traced the bank account and asked when he would like her to schedule a meeting with the bank manager. Matt said he would let her know by the end of the day as he had more pressing issues to attend to. Moments later, a representative of the Trade and Manpower Department called to confirm their offer of help. Matt was never more relieved to receive the good news which came at an opportune time. Quickly, he told him of the recent events that had transpired and the parties involved in the kidnappings and asked him to let the other stakeholders of Emoco Corporation know what their fellow counterparts had been doing. He asked him to try and schedule for him to meet up with them, if possible. The representative promised to do his best and said he would get back to him as soon as possible.
"We are getting somewhere now," Matt said with relief as he called Paul on his cell. "Paul, we're at the airport and heading back now. How's Jeff doing?"
Paul told him Jeff had woken up a while ago but had kept to his room. "He's doing so much better though. I'll let him know that you're on your way home."
"You do that and make sure he's packed and ready to go, you and Glenn are leaving as well. All of you will be flying back to the States with John and Stephen today. The rest will stay here until we resolve the situation at hand."
"Matt, I want to stay and help." Paul was reluctant to leave.
"I know you do but I need you to keep my brother safe. As long as Jeff stays here, he will continue to live in fear and I refuse to let him go back to living in seclusion. I will rest much easier knowing that I have the best people looking out for him. I have failed him one time too many, I can't fail him again. Do this for me, Paul."
Paul relented but sounded his concern, "I'll do as you say, but what about you? They might try to get to you instead."
"I'm not the one they're after," Matt assured him. "Besides, I have protection. I'll talk to you again when I get back. I have an incoming call." Matt saw that the caller was Inspector Ariff. He had given him his number before he left, requesting that he called him if there were any new developments in the case.
"Yes Inspector?"
"Mister Hardy, I assume you have a safe flight back?" Ariff enquired politely.
"Yes, we have landed safely. Is there anything I can do for you?"
"A body was recovered from a river some two hours ago. We have identified it. It's Sheikh Nasir. He received two gunshot wounds, one fatal to the heart. I thought I should warn you. I suggest you beef up security and keep your brother indoors until they are caught."
"Thank you Inspector. I really appreciate you calling to tell me this," Matt said gratefully. After assuring him that he would take extra precautions, Matt terminated the call.
"They're taking each other out and that's to our advantage," John said gleefully after Matt shared the news with them in the car.
"That may be so but the situation doesn't look good for the hostages," Chris said as he threw a worried glance at Randy. John grew somber at the truth of his words.
"What do we do now? Do you think they will call to negotiate?" Randy was really worried. It did occur to him that his father might already be dead.
"We don't know, Randy. The only thing we can do now is to wait and see if they make contact," Drew said. He didn't want to give him any false hopes though. "But, if we don't hear from them within the next twenty-four hours, we should be prepared for the worse." It was a sobering thought.
When the limo drove past the gates, security immediately called the house and informed Paul of their arrival. He headed upstairs to tell Jeff who had company. Rauf, Muti and Amid were trying to lift his spirits and Thor was kept on a leash in their presence as they were uncomfortable with the pup running around.
"Sorry for cutting in but I thought you should know that Matt and dimples have just arrived," Paul announced with a grin.
Jeff was off the bed like a cannonball and with Thor yipping excitedly at his heels, both raced out the door, their guests completely forgotten. Paul rumbled with laughter as he asked them to follow him down to meet Matt and the others.
The minute the door opened and Matt stepped in, Jeff flung himself at him.
"Jesus Jeff!" Matt laughed, staggering at the impact and after steadying himself, embraced his brother in a tight fold. Jeff hugged him tight, his head on his shoulder. Matt smiled and kissed him on the cheek before putting him down. He had so many things to say to him but John was waiting impatiently behind him. He stepped aside to let him pass and John wasted no time to pull Jeff into a fierce hug and kissed him on the lips. Jeff sighed contentedly in the fold of his arms, no words were needed. Randy waited patiently and as soon as John let Jeff go, he gave Jeff a hug and said, "I'm glad you made it back safely. We were so worried about you."
As the others surrounded Jeff to enquire on his well-being, Matt turned his attention to his guests as Paul made the introductions. Matt thanked each and every one of them for their help. "You have my undying gratitude for bringing my brother back. If there's anything I can do for you, please let me know. You're all welcome to stay here and will be given protection until those responsible are caught and trialed."
Matt realized he was one guest short. Paul had told him during their conversation that he had four visitors. Paul promptly informed that Kaseem was resting in his room as he was still in a great deal of pain.
"I'd like to see him." Matt excused himself and went upstairs with Paul and Muti leading the way.
Much later, after their guests retold their stories, Matt informed them of Tariq's fate and Nasir's death. They were all shocked by the news. Kaseem who came down to join them was unsympathetic when he spoke about Tariq. "At least he died swiftly which is more than what he deserved."
Ashad informed everyone, "His head was removed from the crime scene. His parents were very upset as they had to bury him without it. His spirit will be left to wander in the nether world without eyes to see and mouth to speak. The man who killed him has dealt him the cruelest of fate, torturing him even after death."
Kaseem remained silent and Muti spoke in his defense, "After what he did to you and Jeff, we don't have to feel sorry for him. That monster deserved his fate! I, for one, would like to thank the person who did it!" The rest might not say it out loud but they were in total agreement with him.
Matt turned to his brother. "Jeff, what happened after Benuaji's men took you from here? We found out you were added to his harem. John and some others saw you at his house during the ceremony. How did you end up in Rishabh's hand?" He was hoping that Jeff might shed some light on the situation between Rishabh and Benuaji as the killings of Tariq and Nasir seemed to indicate a falling out between them. However, Jeff adamantly refused to talk about it and Matt realized it would force him to relive his nightmare all over again. He decided to leave the subject alone. "Are you ready to leave for the States?" he changed the subject abruptly.
"Paul told me that you're sending me away, but I don't want to leave without you Matty," Jeff looked and sounded upset.
Matt pulled him into a hug. "Once I've resolved the hostage situation, I'll join you as soon as I can. I want you to be safe and staying here is out of the question. John, Paul and Stephen will be going with you, and so will Thor. Glenn will be flying out to join his family. I've made the arrangements for you to leave immediately. The jet is waiting at the airport to take you to LA. Once this is over, I promise I'll fly down and join you and I'll make a decision about the company then. Go and say good bye to your friends."
Tears flow as Muti and Kaseem bade Jeff farewell. Kaseem apologized for his bad behavior and said he would never forget what he did to protect him from further punishment. "Your selfless action showed me how foolish I was. Now I know who my real friends are," and he gave Jeff a hug.
Muti put his arm carefully around Kaseem, so as not to aggravate his injuries and said to Jeff, "Rauf and I will take care of him. As for you," and he leaned forward to whisper to him, "Your John is really cute. He can't take his eyes off you and he's watching us right now. You are in good hands and I know he will take really good care of you." Jeff blushed as they continued to tease him. There were final hugs all around and Jeff thanked Rauf and Amid for everything they had done for him. He invited them to join him in LA for a holiday as soon as everything was settled. Matt nodded his approval smilingly.
It took longer than usual for Jeff to leave as all the staff wanted to bid him farewell when they learned he was never coming back. Most of them cried openly as they had watched him grow up and he was an integral part of their lives. Hashim was barely holding back his tears as he stood at the back of the crowd of the well-wishers knowing that Jeff didn't want anything to do with him. He was surprised therefore when Jeff approached him.
"I'm sorry I haven't been very nice to you. I was mad at you but all is forgiven now. You have been a great friend to me all these years and I thank you for your friendship. I will miss you" and he planted a kiss on his cheek.
Hashim smiled through his tears and on impulse, pulled him into a hug. John growled softly from behind Jeff, forcing him to release Jeff hastily. Adam and Jay snickered while Paul stood by and grinned, shaking his head at John's possessiveness.
Randy came forward next, "I wish you all the happiness in the world. Stay safe and keep in touch," and he handed Jeff his calling card with all his phone numbers on it.
"Thank you Randy, I hope you and your father will be reunited soon. Please come and visit me, or I can come visit you when this is over." Jeff leaned up to give him a kiss on the cheek, making him flushed with pleasure.
Surprisingly, John didn't kick up a fuss, but instead, he moved up to shake Randy's hand warmly. "Take care and remember to call if you need anything." Randy was no longer a threat to him and he welcomed his friendship. He shook friends with the others as well, telling them to stay safe and to keep in touch.
It was decided that Randy would stay behind with the guests, with Ashad, Drew, Adam and Jay to protect them while Matt and Chris would take Jeff and the others to the airport. Matt was anxious to get his brother out of the country without further delay. It was approaching evening and he wanted to leave before dark.
Almost an hour later, they were heading towards the airport. Thor was settled on Jeff's lap in the limo. Jeff was seated between Matt and John while Chris, Stephen and Glenn was seated opposite of them. Paul was riding in front with Mohamed, the driver.
"I'm going to miss you Matty," Jeff leaned on him, looking forlorn.
Matt kissed the top of his head. "I will miss you too. I've arranged for you to move into that house we bought in Bel-Air. We will redecorate it together once things have settled down. John will get someone to install the security systems around the house once you get there, so you'll be safe."
"Are Randy's father and Scott going to be alright?" Jeff asked anxiously.
"I won't lie to you. Things aren't looking too good for them right now," Matt told him candidly.
"Watch out!" Paul shouted from the front suddenly as their limo swerved to avoid collision but it was rammed on the driver's side. At high speed, it spun out of control, finally coming to rest on its side in a ditch.
Dazed but unhurt, John moved to check on everyone else. The people in the back were not injured but there was no movement from Paul or the driver. John grasped the door to push it open. "Cover me while I check on the situation!" he called to Stephen as he climbed out cautiously, weapon ready in hand. Stephen followed him out. Smoke was billowing from under the hood and John's face reappeared at the opening. "The engines on fire and may blow any minute! We have to get everyone out! Give me your hand!"
As he helped them out of the limo, Stephen was keeping an eye on the two stationary vehicles parked some distance away. One was in a bad state as it had rammed their vehicle, its front was mangled while the other vehicle was just waiting. Its engine was humming but no one appeared. It made Stephen uneasy. What were they waiting for? With its dark tinted windows, he couldn't see how many people were inside.
"Go help Paul and Mohamed!" Matt barked out as he forced his brother to move his feet. Jeff had Thor in his grip but he was immobilized by fear.
Stephen covered Matt and Jeff as John went to help the others. Paul and the driver lay motionless and trapped behind the wreckage. Glenn and Chris were trying to get the door open but it refused to budge. The smoke from the hood was getting thicker and they knew they had to hurry. John kicked Paul's window in before reaching in to check his pulse.
"He's breathing," he announced with relief and together, the three men proceeded to kick the front windshield in to get them out. They finally extricated Paul and while John and Glenn struggled with Paul's deadweight between them and moved him to safety, Chris climbed in only to find that the driver was not breathing.
"Hurry up Chris, we have to get him out now!" John came back to help him, coughing as thick smoke engulfed the interior.
Chris' eyes smarted with the smoke but he had to be sure. He checked the driver's pulse again, "He's not breathing." He looked to John who said regretfully, "I wish we have the time but we don't. Come on," and he urged Chris to leave. Both men took off, running for safety and within seconds, the interior was engulfed in flames and soon after, the limo blew up.
That was when the doors of the two vehicles opened and men climbed out carrying weapons. John fired a warning shot at them but froze suddenly when a voice snarled out, "Drop your weapons or he will die!"
They turned and were shocked to see Matt and Stephen being marched out at gun point by two men and Jeff was caught in Rishabh's grip. He had his gun pointed at Jeff's head. The poor boy was shaking and making frighten little noises.
"I said drop your weapons!" Rishabh screamed, a wild and demented look on his face.
"Do as he says," Chris said quietly and lay his weapon down.
John hesitated for a tad too long to obey and it caused him. Rishabh turned his weapon on him and pulled the trigger. Jeff screamed as the bullet tore into John's right shoulder. John dropped, falling to his knees, his face contorted in pain. He clutched at his wound, harsh breaths leaving his mouth. Chris started to move forward to help him but froze when Rishabh turned his gun on him.
"Take one more step and I'll blow your brains out! If you want to die, I will oblige you! I will start with you!" and he turned his weapon back on Jeff. Shuddering sobs escaped Jeff and he squeezed his eyes shut, preparing for the shot.
"Enough!" Matt's face contorted with fury. "What the hell do you want?"
With a curt nod from Rishabh, one of his men stepped forward and handed Matt some papers. "You sign those papers and they get to live," Rishabh sneered.
Matt glanced quickly through the papers but he already knew what they were. His company, his father's company, their legacy, Rishabh wanted it. He looked up at Rishabh, "I'll give you what you want but let them go first!"
Rishabh fired his gun at Chris without warning, sending a bullet into his right thigh. Chris screamed, collapsing to the ground.
"You are in no position to bargain with me! I'll send the next bullet into your brother's head, the same way I killed your father if you don't sign the papers now!" he shouted, pointing the gun at Jeff's temple."
Matt had no choice. Pulling out a pen from his breast pocket, he signed the papers. Rishabh's man brought the papers to him. "Hold him!" he ordered, shoving Jeff at him as he checked the papers to see if everything was in order.
"You have what you wanted, now, let them go!" Matt demanded but Rishabh pulled Jeff against him and returned his gun to its place, at his temple.
"The rest of you can go but not him! He has to die!" Rishabh said in a savage tone. He cocked his gun, ready to fire.
Several things happened simultaneously; Matt shouted, running forward to stop him, John used his last remaining ounce of strength to grip his revolver and took aim at Rishabh, Stephen used the distraction to his advantage, surprising the gunman with a swift karate kick before pulling out a gun tucked into a band under his leg pants and opening fire at about the same time rapid gunfire broke out all over the place.
When the smoke cleared, Rishabh and his men were down. "Jeff!" Matt was so relieved to see his brother was still alive but he froze when more men came pouring out of nowhere and surrounded them. One prominent figure made his approach from among their midst … it was Benuaji. His men moved silently, checking the fallen to ensure they posed no threat. Under their watchful eyes, Stephen and Glenn ran to Chris and John's aid.
"Jeff!" John cried out, trying to make his way to him with Stephen's help. Matt caught and stopped him.
"Wait," he cautioned as his eyes followed Benuaji. It was obvious he had ordered his men to kill Rishabh's people only. What was his motive?
Benuaji made his way to Jeff, who was shaking and crying on the ground, trying to get away from Rishabh. He was still caught in his firm but dying grasp. Benuaji squatted down and forced Rishabh to release his grip on Jeff and freed him. Matt ran forward to pull Jeff protectively against him.
Rishabh's eyes slowly widened in shock as they met Benuaji's forbidding ones. He tried to speak but blood gurgled in his throat and he knew he was dying.
"You shouldn't have taken Jeff away from me and none of this would have happened," Benuaji addressed him. "You led him to your brother and he abused him in the most despicable way. I was forced to kill him and you know you would have done the same if you were in my shoes. For the sake of our friendship and brotherhood, I gave you and Nasir the benefit of the doubt and let you go although you stole Jeff from me, but you sent Nasir to kill me! He told me just before he died that he was acting on your instructions." Benuaji shook his head in disappointment. "I made a big mistake in letting my sentiments get in the way. I shouldn't have let you go and I knew right then that you were going to go after Jeff for what I did to your brother. You left me with no choice. Now, go and join your brother. He's waiting for you on the other side." Benuaji waited for Rishabh to take his last dying breath. A brief look of remorse came upon his face but disappeared just as quickly as he watched the life go out of his eyes. The eyes remained open, staring into nothingness even after death.
Benuaji got up and turned to Jeff in anticipation. To his relief and joy, Jeff left Matt's side and stepped forward to meet him. "My jewel … my sweet jewel," Benuaji whispered endearingly as he caressed his cheek tenderly. "I wish we have met under different circumstances," his eyes moistened. "I have avenged what that monster did to you. You don't have to live in fear of him anymore." He reached out and pulled Jeff's fingers to his lips, kissing them tenderly. "I'm sorry for what you have been put through. I just wish you can forgive me one day."
He pressed his fingers against his lips before reluctantly letting him go and turned to Matt. "You have my word that it's safe for you and your brother to remain. But, remember, if you try to set the law down on me, it will only bring you more grief," he warned. "I will do whatever it takes to protect myself, do you understand?" The threat was clear. Matt met his eyes squarely and realized it was no idle threat. Benuaji continued, "I'm sure you can come up with something to explain how your men got injured, but leave my name out of it. The police will be on their way here soon, I have bought enough time for us to clear up this mess and leave," he gestured to the bodies strewn on the ground.
Jeff came up to him. "D..did you have a hand in killing our father? Please tell me the truth."
Benuaji said without any hesitation, "I didn't pull the trigger, if that's what you're asking, but I was there. Forgive me."
Sirens were heard in the far distance. Benuaji barked out his instructions to his men. Several ran towards the hilly terrain and soon, jeeps tore down from them. Benuaji's men picked up the bodies and put them in the jeeps. The vehicles belonging to Rishabh were also towed away. Nothing remained but the blood on the ground. The wind and sand would take care of it for them soon enough. Benuaji climbed into a waiting jeep, giving Jeff a longing look before giving the order to move out.
"Wait!" Matt ran forward, "Where are the other hostages?"
"The tutor is dead but there's no need to feel any remorse for him," Benuaji said wryly. "He was in cahoots with Bobby right from the start. Bobby got him to provide inside information about Jeff. He intended to use Jeff and trade him back for the land he surrendered to your father. Bobby's still alive but you should not trust that man. He has been hoarding money and kept it from everyone. He's not as financially unsound as he makes himself out to be. I'll drop him off tomorrow, let him suffer for several more hours for all the problems he had caused and then, you can have him back." Benuaji gave his order and the jeep raced away, leaving a cloud of dust behind them.
Jeff ran towards John and Stephen was quick to assure him. "I've stopped the bleeding. He'll be alright but we have to get him to the hospital."
"Jewel?" John huffed, fuming with jealousy. It was clear to him that Benuaji was sweet on his Jeff.
"Don't be this way, John. How do you feel?" Jeff fussed about him, genuinely concerned.
John realized he was behaving childishly. "I'm hurting," he grimaced. "I will feel better if you give me a kiss," and he puckered up to receive the kiss which Jeff gave gladly.
"I love you John, only you," Jeff assured him as he cuddled against him.
"I believe you, but he … never mind," John decided not to pursue the subject. Jeff was safe and with him, and that was all that mattered. "I'm glad that's over and I hope that would be the last we saw of him."
Jeff remembered Thor and started calling out frantically to him. After a short search, he found him cowering in the bushes, unhurt but terrified by all the shooting. Matt quickly briefed his men not to mention Benuaji to the authorities. The story they cooked up was that Rishabh and his men attacked them, drove them off the road and there was an exchange of gunfire which would explain how Chris and John got injured. They left soon after. It was flimsy with so many loopholes but Matt said the authorities won't probe too deeply since it involved Rishabh. He was certain they would bury the story quickly after taking down their statements which was only a formality. Matt finally recognized the truth in Benuaji's words that trying to bring charges against him would only cause things to turn around and bite him in the ass. Having lived and worked in the country for the past three years, he realized the powerful and the rich were above the law. It was a useless cause trying to pin anything on a reputable figure, especially someone connected to the powerful Emoco Corporation.
Matt's conscience pricked him. By his own admission, Benuaji was involved in his father's murder. He may not be the one to shoot his father but he was an accomplice nevertheless. Should he let him get away with it? What about the killings of Michelle and Scott? Should he seek justice or should he turn the other cheek? The only consolation was the assurance by Benuaji that they would be safe.
The police came soon after and after some questions, decided to send everyone to the hospital for medical treatment. Matt called Drew to pick Thor up and quickly told him what happened. He asked him to relay to Randy that his father was safe and would be released sometime tomorrow. He warned Drew to keep it quiet among their own people and to keep his household staff and Adl out of it. A slip of the tongue would invite unnecessary attention from Benuaji. He didn't want him on his back and that reminded him to call the Trade representative to call off the meeting. On the ride to the hospital, he explained to him that everything had been resolved and was relieved when the representative told him he hadn't been able to get in touch with any of Emoco directors but had left a brief message for them to call back as soon as possible. Matt told him to cancel the request and thanked him for his help.
Paul was still unconscious and Matt hoped he was not seriously injured. He suffered no broken bones or internal injuries but had a concussion from the crash and had to remain in the hospital for observation. Chris and John underwent immediate surgery to have the bullets removed. They had already given their statements to the police prior to that, telling the story as per Matt's instructions and though the investigating officer was dubious of the truth in their statements, he accepted them readily just as Matt had foreseen. They were informed that the police would investigate into the matter. There was no mention of bringing Rishabh in for questioning, not that they would ever find him.
Matt finally sat down to rest in the hospital room where Chris and John were sharing. Both men were still under sedation. Jeff was seated next to John's bed, fast asleep, his head resting on his arm on the bed. Minutes later, Matt joined him in dreamland, exhaustion finally taking its toll. Glenn walked in a few minutes later. He had just been to see Paul who had regained consciousness and told him what to say when the police came to take his statement. Seeing that everyone was asleep, he made himself comfortable to get some rest as well. Half an hour later, Matt's phone jolted him awake. It was his secretary with a message that the Board of Directors of Emoco Corporation would like to meet up with him as soon as possible.
-ooo—
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