CHAPTER EIGHT: The Enemies Throne

Kascef still stood and smiled, he looked at everyone with the cold eyes. He was neatly dressed as was everyone at the table. Kascef sat and closed his mouth, not smiling anymore.

"Begin," he said lifting the cover of the platter. Steam billowed from his plate revealing a magnificent steak, with vegetables surrounding it. A twice-baked potato on the side with rice and salad. An assortment of wines and sodas for Sabina and Alex who stared at the hunk of cow on their plates. It must have weighed a pound and a half. And for a long time they feasted quietly. As if they were afraid to speak or they were just enjoying their food.

Alex was first to break the silence. "Mr. Kascef, how did you obtain such great wealth?" Everyone looked at Alex than at Kascef, who seemed obliged to answer.

"I immigrated to the United States from Iraq, and went to Harvard where I studied American History. And during my studies I found that through out history the oil business was profitable one. And indeed it was, so when I graduated I worked in an oil company. As I worked my way up through the ranks, I found myself as Vice President, when my mentor passed I became President. And that is how I got here. The world doesn't stop for the weary."

Everyone was silent soaking in Kascefs words like sponges. Alex soaked them too and was sure there was more to this man than he let out. Dinner ended with everyone loosening his or her belts. Sabina had only finished a third of her steak and half of her potato. Alex himself had lost his appetite; he wanted only to find out what Kascef had planned. He recalled Kascefs words: …You may explore my palace…. And that's what Alex had planned.

Everyone went to their rooms and alex escorted Sabina to hers. She walked slowly, maybe she knew what he intended to do tonight, maybe she was in the mood to be romantic, Alex didn't know. He was focused on what he had to do. He stopped outside her door and let go of her arm. He was warm, safe and in that moment the cold got in, there was no warmth.

"Goodnight Sabina," he said smiling.

She leaned over and kissed him. "Goodnight Alex." She kissed him again this time long. "And that's for luck."

The door closed and Alex couldn't blink, he just walked his hand over his cheek, he still felt the presence of her lips. He walked toward the end of the hall suddenly focused. He ran down the stairs two steps at a time, jumping over the rail at the end. He found the door at the end of the hall, he was sure it led to the basement. He gave the handle a tug but it refused to budge. Then the sound of echoes rang out from behind the door. The door opened and it was one solitary guard. Alex kicked him in the stomach. The guard turned pink and fell lifeless, unconscious. Alex grabbed the door before it fell closed; he slipped in and walked down the stairs.

He had grabbed his contact case and the rest of his gadgets before he went to dinner and had already reached the bottom of the stairs. They seemed to go on forever, he looked up to the top of the winding stairwell, there was a glimmer of light. He continued on. Lights hanged from the ceiling, wires tied by a loose rope. Windows were on both sides of the hallway. Inside was a blank desk and chair. Alex stopped as if expecting something to happen. And it did, though Alex didn't know how to explain it. The desk began to shake, as did the chair, they began to jiggle than they began full swing to shake, the ground cracked and split, and then it suddenly it stopped. Alex kept going, until he found the door to the security room.

The sleek silver walls made Alex feel right at home different from the hallway. The computers lined the walls, each showing a different picture; the outside, the pool, and each and every room in the house. Even Alex was shown on the upper right hand corner. Alex took out the contact case and placed it behind the computer screen where no one would look. He had just enough time to lift his hands before the door to the security room opened.

"Mr. Rider, I would have thought it would have taken another hour before I found you," raised the words of Mr. Omar Kascef who still dressed in his suit entered with two armed guards.

"I thought you were planning something, well?" Alex asked.

"All in good time," he spoke again, " but right now we're going to walk."

Alex and Kascef walked further down the hall. Kascef had warned Alex not to try anything for the armed guards walked behind them.

Kascef stopped at one room; it had an old wooden door that looked scary though it was ordinary. Kascef opened the door and the room grew scarier. There was a dim light hanging off the ceiling and a lonely chair. The chair was vintage with straps and locks. Both entered the room.

"This chair is one of the most evil torturing devices in all the world. It is called the 'Enemies Throne'. Why, you ask, well this chair was first used in the early 1500's when a king tortured the enemy king and killed him. Until now I have never had the pleasure of using it." Kascef smiled a devious smile. Alex's heart beat harder almost bursting out of his chest.

Alex looked at the chair than at Kascef, he was sure that he wasn't going to like what was going to happen. He was sure he was going to die if he tried to escape or sat in the chair. But as he looked in Kascefs eyes he thought of a plan. He hoped it would work.

"Go on, Alex. Sit in the chair, you beat death once, lets see how long you can hold him off this time."