New Year Night in Aintisar

by FAlavanja

In tribute to her victory in her Civil War over ISIS and all the rest of her enemies,Anisah Zaman won a lottery to construct an elaborate hotel called Aintisar for celebration purposes,established in the middle of Mount Hermon. Anisah has in the past trolled his main enemy Alfred Jones a lot,thus,because of his deep resentment towards the UN and her,he decided to make her pay.

4. Chapter 3: Hours of Reckoning,P2: JihBel

New Year Night in Aintisar - Chapter 3: Hours of Reckoning - Part 2: Jihad Bells

21:30

"What's your current impression hanging out inside Aintisar Park?" Anisah asked Carly,looking at her while drinking milkshake through its plastic straw.

Carly,whom she had her cocktail halfway completed,sat on a seat with elbow on the desk and fist on her chin in front of Anisah,the host she had befriended,in a cafe surrounded by earthlings who took an earned pause after two and a half hours of playing rides and games. Though some earthlings weren't exhausted enough and have continued to play around. Cafe guests' chattering sounds engulfed Anisah's and Carly's ears.

At the same time,Carly didn't want to overstay here until the new year. She wanted to come back to Alfred and Bill,and tell them how amazing her experience in that park was. But then,both of them,especially Alfred,were about to head home before she got kidnapped by Anisah. Now they've changed plans as the result,arranging their terror plot against Aintisar. Something which neither she nor Anisah weren't informed about yet.

For all the joy she filled her emotions with for having fun,she was incredibly uncomfortable by the fact that few games,like Whack-a-Jihadi,included Alfred in a negative light.

20:30

Anisah and Carly approached the Whack-a-Jihadi machine as they were next in line after Dastan. The Iranian young man enjoyed whacking those black figures that were plastic jihadists for prize tickets,scoring 75 points out of 150 and was awarded 3 prize tickets. The purple machine,consisting of nine holes and a large black mallet,reset its score points down to zero.

Carly grabbed the mallet and was ready to start the game,but Anisah halted her for a moment to explain that game's instructions,before the latter could press the button. As such,Anisah knows that Carly already saw basic rules.

"There are four types of figures: Jihadi,Caliph,Zionist and Satan. Each figure you hit earns you points depending on speed of their jump-outs." she said,pointing at the middle hole "The Jihadist is worth 10 points,the Caliph 25,Zionist 50 and Satan 100. Maximum points are worth 5 prize tickets from which you'll buy valuable awards,like cotton candy or costumes,instead of using money."

"So,one prize ticket is worth 30 points?" Carly guessed.

"Simple maths." Anisah smiled "You have one minute to sco-"

"Got it!" she cut her off,getting a bit annoyed.

Anisah pressed the button and the game began. Unlike the classic Whack-a-Mole games,the Antisar's version is unlike any other. The figures were more faster,and its play area was two-times wider than the former. Carly's first ten seconds had her hit two Jihadis into their holes and missed the other four,while still holding the mallet.

A bearded figure,based on dead ISIS Leader Abu al-Baghdadi's physical appearance,jumped from its hole on the 15th second,letting the low-pitched version of Jihadis' high-pitched sound of "ABABA" (the incoherent form of "ALLAHU AKBAR"). It stood on the third hole and Carly hadn't hesitate to hit its head down. She smiled at seeing 45 points on the screen.

The next 40 seconds were tiring for her. The figures jumped out from several holes in one second and she had difficulty hitting all of them. Their "ABABA" shouts ran through her mind,taunting her to hit them hard as quickly as possible. Carly,on 35th second,spotted a female figure with long brown hair wearing white and blue dress with the blue Star of David attached to it. That figure,who happened to represent Anna,returned to her hole as she was so close at hitting her and gain 50 points.

Her last five seconds had a blonde figure with red horns and black toothbrush moustache,too much reminiscent of her dad-bro,jumped out. She refused to hit it,but Anisah grabbed her arm holding the mallet and pushed forward,forcing Carly to do so. Upon hitting it,a helium scream of "SAVAGES,SAVAGES,SAVAGES" was heard as it moved up and down in rage,as if that machine was jerking off.

Anisah,proud of what she did,burst into a chukle,and the shocked Carly turned at her with open mouth.

"Why did you made me hit Alfred?" Carly snapped at her,after Anisah released her grip from her arm "Why's he here?!"

"It felt good,didn't it?" Anisah asked back,grinning.

Carly made a pouty grimace,showing her bitterness.

"Oh,come on! Don't be so upset!" Anisah tried to cheer her up "You surpassed more than 150,more than what most players have scored!"

"I know,but...Why him?"

Anisah said nothing. She ignored her question,leaving her friend confused,and calmly took five prize tickets from the machine's pickup box for her. Afterwards,Anisah called Carly to follow her towards the Prize Shop,where they bought cotton candy for themselves.

"So far,I think it's great." Carly finally replied,after contemplating her thoughts while ignoring everyone for an entire minute.

Anisah was surprised at Carly's strange behavior,believing that she fell into a trance. She was also intrigued over how patient she was while waiting for her answer,as she repeated her question one more time before choosing to wait and finish her milkshake. She didn't even yell at her.

"Is there something you're worried about?" Anisah asked,getting concerned.

Carly sighed heavily.

"I miss my brothers..."

"You can leave the park if you want." she told her,leaning closer "No one's stopping you."

"I would love to. The thing is..." Carly looked away for a while to see Adele,Luisa,Tahira and Laura chatting on the other side from where she sat "I fear they left me."

"How so?"

"Them not knowing your underground amusement park's location have either made them give up finding me... Or worse,they might be plotting against Aintisar."

Her last sentence boiled Anisah's goosebumps within her stomach,the feeling of dread and suspense. She got unavailable beeps from her phone when she tried to call her brother Ikram five times. And the fact that her fucking with Alfred might backfire for the second time as it did in Cafeteria six hours ago made her suspicions worse. Did Alfred and Bill beat Ikram up? Have they unlocked the cellar filled with fireworks and bombs? Are they going to destroy Aintisar?

Anisah gulped silently at those worries.

"Don't be silly,Carly!" Anisah said,hiding her fear with an uneasy smile "Again,they're probably chilling out. Moreover,I barred them from entering our park."

"I doubt Alfred would remain calm without me." Carly said,then added "You have NO idea how unstable Alfred is,how he's capable of raising HELL if he keeps getting tested for too long,without his mom-sis Emily to keep him constrained. Desperation ALWAYS gets best of him."

"He may try." Anisah argued "My guards and Ikram are never going to let him sabotage shit."

"Nor even let him and Bill go?"

"Nem."

Carly stood up from her seat,slowly,and walked near her.

"Do you hate him?"

Anisah stood up as well,raising her eyebrow in confusion.

"How's this a question? Better yet,why don't you ask that exact question to everyone in the park?"

She never was that familiar about relations between Alfred and most of Earthlings. When she had the conversation with Arisha before Alfred pranked her,she told her that she hates him for harassing her siblings,for installing Yeltsin in power,and for not taking "No" as a reply to anything. The only thing she heard from Alfred is that she's resenting her (Carly's) secret trade partner Liu because of "Kung Flu".

"I mean,why do you enjoy messing with Alfred constantly? Why do you act so obsessive towards him?" Carly asked,rubbing her shoulder with her other arm.

Anisah blinked,moved her eye pupils left and right,and snickered.

"Because he deserves it!" she said "Pissing off Alfred is funny. His reactions are funny,and everyone knows he's such a funny baby!"

"I'm being serious,Anisah..." Carly retorted,crossing her arms,recalling the time when Anisah hit Alfred's face with a rotten egg as her last ping-pong 'ball'.

Her friend cleared her throat and rolled her eyes.

"Fine...it seems you truly are ignorant about what's happening outside your home." Anisah then explained "Part of what motivated me to construct Aintisar last year was Alfred himself. While it may look like I did it to put facade on my actual condition,I did it through winning the lottery in order to bring some fresh breath of joy for earthlings who are having a hard time with their problems,including that of your brother cum father. As somebody who swims in his hypocricy,juggernaut ego,and sense of superiority while inflicting harm,pain,damage and suffering for seeking glory for himself onto people and their reputations who did him no harm,and who sees everyone who defies him in any form as 'savages' in need of extinction can hardly be labeled a 'Hero'. That makes Alfred our supreme villain. Ruining his days is my way of compensating injustices committed against me."

"And not only that,he's also a pervert!"

Someone suddenly added. An auburn tomboy wearing red winter shirt,blue trousers and short yellow-blue-red mantle tied around her waist heard what they were saying,thus choosing to join in.

"Oh,Laura! What's up? I didn't except you to indulge in my conversation with Carly."

"Meh. I just got bored with repeating the same topic with my friends."

"I see."

Five seconds of silence.

"What were you saying about Alfred being a pervert?" Carly asked Laura.

"Not long ago,in my lands,the Yanqui squeezed my breast,thinking it yielded crude oil instead of milk,after spitting that he'll keep up with the sanctions if I don't share the fucking oil with him,and that I must 'beware of the Iranian motherfucker,he's just using you!'. I gave him such a slap across that smug face that people might mistake it for cave painting! Ugh...fucking serpiente!..."

"Alfred didn't inform me about that." Carly confessed.

"Of course not!" Laura shouted,still speaking with irritation "He wouldn't dare revealing inconvenient things to his closest,for that would diminish his boo-hoo reputation!"

"And Alfie wonders why do deliberate pranks and harassment against him exist." Anisah added.

Her comment made both her and Laura laugh for a brief time. Carly didn't laugh with them. The laughs turned Laura's mood for better,after which she turned back to rummage inside her backpack and find a candy bag of gummi Christmas trees.

"Do you want some gummies?" Laura offered.

"I appreciate your kindness,Laura,but no thanks." Carly said,smiling "We already ate cotton candies."

"Oh well... Hey!" she suddenly exclaimed,raising her finger "Have you tried out Aintisar Cannon? I know Anisah did."

"Me?" Carly said "I didn't,and I would probably not go there."

"¿Por qué?"

"It looks too risky,like the Kamikaze Slide."

"Just because it looks deadly doesn't mean it's actually lethal." Anisah told her,placing her hand on Carly's shoulder.

Looking away from Anisah,Carly set her sight on the Aintisar Cannon as the servicemen lifted an tuck-positioned earthling and inserted him into its large bore (one meter wide,four meter long). When one of the servicemen counted to three,the cannon launched him in the style of a cannon ball towards a giant open glass window.

After witnessing how it functions,Carly turned to her,uneased.

"That's what they always say..."

"It owns parachutes."

"For real?!" Carly said in her mind,shocked. It instantly convinced her.

"What a relief!" she replied after sighing in relief "I'm in!"

"Let's go,then!"

Soon after,three of them ran forward. They skipped the waiting line and didn't care that it was illegal. By the time they reached the cannon,Manuel Arribas of Chile,the one Carly saw getting launched but didn't recognize,came back and jumped at Laura to hug her.

"¡Dios mío! You were right!" Manuel shouted in ecstasy,being too excited "The Aintisar Cannon is the most epic thing I've ever experienced in my life!"

"No need to yell,Manuel." Laura said,pushing him away softly "But yes,Anisah deserves an autograph."

"Folks,let's not exaggerate." Anisah replied to them,blushing.

As Laura and Manuel were chatting,Carly was now ready to enter the cannon.

"Here's the parachute,Carly." Anisah handed it to her. "Give your best shot."

Carly put the parachute on after taking her purple jacket off. She listened the serviceman's order to sit in the tucked position so that she can fit inside the bore. They lifted her and dropped her inside,like a dropped ice cube into a cup of water. Carly was occupied in darkness as much as she was with steel,with only a wide hole showing the light. She feared what would the cannon do once it fires her at the sky. She,according to Physics,knows that it takes a strong fire to push a cannon ball out of the bore. Her feet and ass were touching a rubber pillow of sorts.

She gulped and breathed in,sensing her heart pumping.

"Thalathah,Ithnan,Wahid...GO!"

The rubber pillow pushed itself against Carly,kicking her out of the cannon in milliseconds as one of Anisah's servicemen pressed the button. Its force brought her immense pain on her soles and ass,as if it somehow have had burnt them. At first,Carly screamed in fear,then to turn into a scream of unbelievability after realizing that she's flying to the skies. She even waved her arms to have fun acting like a bird,and the icy winds have enveloped her face in a blast.

"WHOOOHOOO!" Carly shouted,with her adrenaline rising.

Through dark skies filled with snowy trees onto Hermon's hill,Carly started to descend. The flying effect has expired. Just as she began falling to the ground,Carly thought she lost her backpack. Fortunately for her,she didn't. With it,she opened it and released its balloon. As she levitated downwards where the other two servicemen were waiting for her to land on the field,she could see the whole nature. From hills which were lower size than Hebron to various tiny villages,as well as full Moon,Carly swore that she had seen the borders of Lebanon,Israel and Syria all at once.

Once her feet touched the field,two servicemen (one older and one younger) have walked towards her.

"How was the cannon?" one of them asked,taking off Carly's parachute.

"It was amazing!" she exclaimed cheerfully.

"Glad to hear it." the other one said "I bet you're wishing for another launch."

"Not now,sir."

Ten seconds of silence. During this tiny period of time,Carly observed everything around her. However,she became upset that there was no other way to enter Aintisar as there was only an open window seen three kilometers away,and the actual entrance is above where she stands,blocked by iron fences.

"Gosh... I'm stuck!" Carly moaned,facepalming herself.

"Not exactly." the first serviceman begged to differ "There's an emergency tunnel nearby the mountain. From there,the guests and friends of yours exit to Aintisar. It's located one kilometer diagonally from the landing field."

"I'm sure you would arrive unscratched,lady." the second serviceman added "Other than uphill stairs,there shouldn't be any obstacles."

"I owe you a debt of gratitude." she thanked them,turning her back "See you soon!"

They waved her goodbye and she started walking. The snow was deep,reaching her shins,so it was more slower and annoying for her. Nevertheless,she got there. Carly entered the tunnel and when she did,it was dark again. She covered her mouth with both hands out of worries for the fact that she didn't have a flashlight. Taking a deep breath,she climbed upstairs,from which she took more short,quiet breaths.

When Carly finally reached the door,she opened it and she was back in park. Anisah stood in front of the opened door crossing her arms,waiting for her.

"Mumtaz! You made it!" Anisah congratulated her,giving her a friendly smile.

"Yeah..." Carly said,after sighing.

"Do you want another cannon launch?"

"Later,Anisah... Let's return to the cafe. I'm tired..."

"If you say so."

---

21:45

Bill was standing outside Aintisar's entrance. Specifically,he stood near an entrance where the hidden Control Room is supposedly located. Alfred sent him to find that room and sabotage Aintisar's internal system from within,as well as all of its functions,after he pointed out where it was to Bill on his Apple's phone. He did this because,after they wiped the floor with Ikram,he decided that demolishing Aintisar to smithereens and cinders was the sole remaining course of action,stating that Anisah "would have no other way". Alfred's masterplan to make Anisah pay would satisfy Alfred greatly,as his act of total revenge against her.

On the other hand,the way Bill's dad-bro 'punished' Ikram for screeching the threatening "Chemical Incubators" rant in the Game Room in front of the crowd revulsed him to the bottom of his scrotum. Pissing on the knocked-out Ikram was one thing,but shitting at him was an entirely different thing which went too far in Bill's eyes. Alfred's prideful defecation on Anisah's older brother simply demonstrated how far,and how gross,can he go to achieve his personal 'justice' for humiliating him,by which Bill realized. It resulted in him and Alfred arguing briefly before they conceded.

And so there he was,starring at a CCTV camera slowly moving in horizontal directions which was attached twenty centimeters above the door's edge. On that door,a metal "STAFF ONLY" sign was,too,attached on the center of the door by four drilled screws. Bill suspected that the Control Room might be so secure that many more of those cameras guard its pathway. To that end,CCTV's could potentially detect him and trigger the security's response if he isn't careful enough.

His indecision came to an end when his walkie-talkie suddenly rang. Bill grabbed it from his jacket's right pocket and moved it near his mouth.

"Did you enter the security corridor?" Alfred asked.

"No. Not yet."

"Why?"

"I've found it,but didn't enter."

"What the fuck are you waiting for?!" he shouted,angrily "We have two hours until Midnight to destroy Aintisar and you're gonna waste your time acting like a statue?!"

"Look,it's not hard for me to take them all out." Bill reasoned "The issue I have is how can I do it when we don't have guns."

"I too don't have my gun and yet my assignment is much more riskier than yours. Remember the various explosives of brutal ordinance stashed inside the Secret Location we've discovered?" Alfred explained "I have to drag chunks of explosives,including boxes of the same,from that cellar and place them on every section and every room of all locations in Anislut's hotel,whether they are pillars keeping Aintisar's floors intact or room sections. All without getting caught!"

Bill moved his head up and gulped. Up until now,he didn't knew Alfred's mission was that crucial and risky.

"I-I'm sorry,Al." he apologized,looking back "I didn't have intention to denigrate your job."

Alfred let out a frustrated sigh.

"Now you're sorry,William. Before that,you had no problem yapping. Now you do. Fantastic!"

Pause.

"As for your question," Alfred continued "I just gave you a fiber wire with which you'll strangle the guards. It's in your pocket."

"The one on the left?"

"Yep."

Bill immediately grabbed the fiber wire from his other pocket and examined it. Like the RU-AP mine from earlier,it was black. It looked like a jump rope,judging by its black handles and a short non-metallic silver wire.

"There you go,Bill." Alfred said,sounding pleased "With an amount of strength you accrued,this will guarantee the erasure of their oxygen."

Bill smirked,throwing the fiber wire upwards mildly and clenched it once it dropped on his palm.

"Understood."

Alfred let out a small,dark laugh.

"Should our masterplan get executed thoroughly with no setbacks,her precious party hotel would collapse in our staged terrorist attack akin to 9/11!" he added,menacingly "The guests would think that it was Anislut who blew up the hotel in the Jihadi fashion,displaying her final surprise for the New Year's celebration. They would scream,spit and beat her up so much that her mind and reputation would shatter,thus consigning her and her savages to a Supermax prison for life where they belong! Oh,the just desserts..."

While Bill already knows how much does Alfred despise her,his opinion on Alfred's remarks were sour to him. Bill deep down felt sorry for her. He didn't want to see her broken.

"Call me again when you discover something valuable for us." Alfred finished "If the control room is containing Carly and a detonator,the better."

Bill thanked him and turned the walkie-talkie off. The call brought him courage and he headed towards the entrance.

22:00

As Bill thanked God that he slipped away from CCTV's sights,Bill walked forward and saw a little concrete office with a wide window showing a security guard doing something on his computer. Behind that guard was a medium bookshelf containing plenty of large,gray spiral books chock full of written and documented information,albeit useless to Bill's task. On his left side was a 'door' made of ten laser beams.

Bill grabbed his chin with his fingers. He needed to figure out how to turn it off lest it might set off its trap or something nasty if he dares bypassing it.

Opening the office's door and entering the same,whilst hiding his fiber wire,the guard stopped typing as soon as he spotted him with his pupils,hearing the door creak open beforehand. The guard got up from his red fabric chair and approached Bill.

"Who sent you here?" he asked him,showing irritation in his tone.

"I did."

"Are you part of the staff?"

"Nope."

"Then back off!" the guard shouted at him,angrily. "The sign clearly says its only allowed for the security staff of Aintisar!"

"Sir,I came here to..."

Bill paused his sentence for five seconds. The pause was caused by a glance to the left,where he noticed a device which laid the answer to shutting down the laser barrier. It was a laser sensor switch,right next to the window.

When the guard saw what Bill was going to do,he slapped his arm aggressively,making the latter pull his arm.

"If you intend to infiltrate the Control Room scoff free,you are sorely mistaken!" the guard warned him severely. Then he raised his voice "GET OUT! Or I'll put a bullet through your head!"

Bill nodded and turned back to take few footsteps before reversing them into quickly clicking the 'off' switich,making the lasers vanish.

The officer mumbled an insult and swiftly pulled the firearm out of his pockets. Bill predicted this and,the moment that guard lowered his arm to do so,he sneaked up behind him. His enemy was utterly confused by the fact that he aimed at nothing,only to have his lungs garotted by Bill. Bill pulled the wire onto his back as the officer dropped the firearm,struggling to get Bill's hands off of him. Such raw strength constricted his trachea. The last gasp of air led Bill to release his neck,making him thump to the ground.

With his death virtually certain,Bill widened his eyes,opened his mouth and let out a "Ha-ha!" noise in fascination. That method actually worked! No blood appeared on guard's lips.

Upon seeing that there were three plastic cups of coffee,one of them being empty,Bill took one of the two full cups. He was thirsty,no matter the drink. But before he did that,he snatched the dead guard's gun,prideful that he now has a weapon to combat future enemies with,as well as collecting all of bullets from the reserve firearm's magazine into the one he stole.

To cover up his murder,Bill rolled guard's body,closed his eyes,placed the empty gun on the latter's hand,and moved it into his mouth so as to look like he committed suicide for no reason.

Bill,while he was drinking coffee,passed the now-turned-off laser door and walked towards an elevator. He shrugged his shoulders and clicked on its button to open itself. Entering the elevator,Bill saw that there are only two destinations: The entrance and the staff floor. He wondered why would Anisah construct a limited elevator in the first place. Perhaps it's because the second and last floor was the Control Room itself.

When the elevator reached its floor,Bill got inside and again,he faced another guard. While it was similar to his first encounter with the entrance guard,his second encounter with guards consisting of four individuals was more tense and hostile. The new guard who stood in front of the elevator instantly ordered him to get lost. Bill ignored his demand and started exploring rooms within that floor anyway.

Casually,he ventured through a locker room where he saw two other guards sitting on a bench talking to one another,ceased when he bypassed them. Bill stopped at that room's shower. The shower mists blurred the room as he uncaringly walked towards the fourth guard who was naked as he was washing himself on the farthest shower section. Instead of whistling,Bill chose to have fun by picking up the shampoo standing between them and pouring bit by bit at the guard's hair.

Each time he wiped out the bubbles and moved away his hands from his head,Bill pressed the shampoo and poured the liquid repeatedly. The other three guards,appalled,couldn't do anything but watch what the intruder was doing to their colleague while he giggled.

"AHH! WHY CAN'T THIS SHIT GO AWAY?!" the fooled guard punched the wall in outrage,not yet noticing Bill from behind.

One could tell that he's not only annoyed,but he's starting to wonder whether the shampoo is ever going to come off. He then rubbed his head more forcefully,now believing that he's blind as the bubbles are always in his eyes. The self-made parody lasted until the shampoo had run out,two minutes in total.

Too late did Bill found out that,once he threw the shampoo away,the three men were following him all along. Turning around,Bill saw them blocking the way,raising their fists,ready to overwhelm him.

"YOU HAD YOUR CHANCE,SNEAKY THUG!" One of the three yelled. Their patience has ended.

Bill wasn't intimidated by them. Following his yell,three men immediately charged at Bill to swamp him like a flock of angry birds,but they ended up hitting themselves against the wall when Bill jumped backwards. The naked guy also joined in and fell on them afterwards.

"These folks have quite a temper." Bill told himself,mocking their rage.

Knowing that their knocked-out state was going to be temporary,Bill rushed to find an exit that wasn't the elevator (he wasn't stupid enough to retrace his path back from where he went. It would be the end of him if he did). He checked the door standing beside the locker room,but there were only scattered boxes and two chairs. Next to him was a glasses door which revealed a terrace. He got out and he braked near the railing,looking down at the large snowy field where the main entrance of Aintisar was at,the same field where he and Carly played with snowballs and met Vuk.

A chill ran down Bill's spine,not knowing what to do next. Left or right,he didn't know where to go. The abrupt shots coming from the returning,provoked guardsmen firing at the glass door compelled him to rush from the pursuing guards. As they've fractured that door to pieces,Bill quickly crouched behind the wall on the left side of staff terrace,awaiting them to show up. He drew his stolen pistol from his pocket. When they got close,Bill jumped out from the wall and aimed straight at them,hitting ten bullets. This resulted in killing two of the four,flying the third guard's firearm caused by Bill's shot at his right arm,and injuring the naked fourth by his thigh. They didn't have the chance to fire a shot as their target's act was so sudden.

Bill took the opportunity to reload his gun and head towards what it seemed to be a narrow zigzagged pathway to the emergency exit. Stressed out by the fact that he would potentially fall down the edge and die,he bit the bullet and swiftly skipped over the terrace. Clinging to the mountain by spreading his arms on it,Bill scrambled leftwards,careful not to fall while his enemies were still down. He almost tripped when a horde of flying bats burst out of a large hole on the mountain out of nowhere,making him scream in shock and pant to regain focus.

"Bats?! What's this?! Romania?!" Bill spat out,angered.

The remaining meter was crossed with ease. Bill moved his leg and then the other onto the emergency balcony and entered the exit. He got away.

But the last thing he heard was a scream from that hapless naked guy,swearing at him.

He sat on a stair,taking a short rest before he could continue. Despite pain and exhaustion washing over him,Bill was relieved. Relieved that he had barely,but successfuly,escaped them.

After a minute of resting had passed,Bill climbed upstairs. The third room he entered was completely different than what he,Alfred or Carly have ever visited. It was a hidden spa,with its walls made of pine wood. Bill assumed that the changing room was near the corner of bathrooms,and he was right. He took time to remove his jacket and clothes inside,and switch them into simple white spa robes and slippers. There were also pairs of boots and clothes placed below benches,indicating that he wasn't the only guy in the spa.

What a better time to enjoy the fruits of watering sensation in an unexpected place. Bill recognized this place as a miracle.

After coming out of the changing room,he headed towards a large jacuzzi. When he got close to a distance,he peeked from the corner a pair of teens,boy and girl,relaxing onto jacuzzi's edges. Waves were flowing beneath them,and the former's arm rested around the latter's shoulder,smiling at one another. They were visibly happy.

The boy was completely naked from head to toe (Not completely. His trunks were under the water) who had pitch black hair,massively wet and messy for plunging his head too much into the water,turning his hair's normal form into a bowl haircut,since his soaked hair bangs stayed down his forehead. The girl had a long brown hair,white bra,moderately hooked nose and blue hexagram earrings.

Bill vaguely recognized them,not recalling the time when he first met that pair in Aintisar. He retreated back to the changing room and called Alfred through his walkie-talkie.

"Hey,Al!"

"What?"

"I've discovered somethin' intriguin'."

"Let me guess. Carly? Detonator? A lock of Anislut's hair?"

"Nah!..." Bill said "It's a spa with one couple in jacuzzi."

"A SPA?! Are you for real?!"

"Aye."

"Ugh... Anislut is such a snitch! Who knows what else does that bitch hide from us,aside of the cellar full of explosives and the Control Room!" Alfred stopped for a moment to sigh in annoyance,then continued "Anyway,what's so 'intriguing' about the pair you referred to?"

Bill confidently professed that he didn't know who they were,but he nonetheless described their appearances to him. Alfred didn't take it well after reaching the conclusion.

"Yuckser and Anna?! AGAIN?!" Alfred shouted the last word so loudly it blew Bill's eardrum. " I can't believe it... Seems like Anna is indeed betraying me..."

"What should I do with them?"

"Strangle them!" he recommended,sternly "If they could mate together,then they should die together!"

"I'll see what I can do,Al." Bill concluded,giving a neutral answer so as to not anger him.

He ended the call,but made sure to put the walkie-talkie inside his robe's pocket in case Alfred calls him again.

Now that he got it out of the way,Bill left that room and appeared before the couple in jacuzzi.

"Howdy,y'all!" Bill greeted them,waving his hand.

Yasser and Anna turned their heads at him. They got instantly surprised. Who could that be?

"Sh-Shalom." Anna greeted back,shyly.

"Can I join in?"

Yasser turned to her first,then at Bill.

"Are you one of the people I met in Disco by accident?" Yasser asked,feeling suspicious of him "You look very familiar."

"See for yourself."

"What do you mean?"

Bill repeated the question. Anna whispered to Yasser if he could accept his request. Normally,Yasser would always follow the rule of never trusting strangers,but since it's Anna who insists (and not anyone else),he agreed.

"Sure,I guess..."

Bill smiled at them. He firstly removed his robe and slippers near the pool,and then entered. He held his breath,trying not to scream as the water inside the jacuzzi absorbed the heat out of his legs. Bill excepted a warm water,not the cold one.

"Holy moly! It's so icy!" Bill objected "As if these waters came from Firehole River and not from the goddamn pool!"

"Don't be afraid,whoever you are." Yasser encouraged him "Just sit down and your body will get used to the climate. Wait for a minute to take effect."

He did it and the water splashed around him. He moaned with closed mouth,making it seem that he's holding in a fart. Anna and Yasser bursted into laughter at seeing Bill's grimace. After they calmed down,she asked what's his name. Bill told her and Yasser his name,and they introduced themselves in return. Shortly after,silence enveloped them. They watched Bill washing his arms and torso to remedy his problem.

"How did you get in there?" Yasser broke the silence,after twenty seconds have passed "No one but me,Anna,Khendi,Dastan and Anisah have ever entered this area,let alone found it."

Bill didn't want to reveal the true answer. He might get into trouble.

"I didn't actually go to its proper entrance."

"Then how did you do it?"

"I walked the other way."

"You mean...wait..." he puzzled "You came through the Staff Floor?"

"Yes I did." Bill crossed his arms. Then lied "Anisah asked her men for permission to let me in."

"Weird..." Yasser lowered his head "Never once did my sister ever done that."

"Now she did."

"Fair enough."

Another pause,in which Bill elevated some water from inside up,letting the drops fall down.

"Anna,are you two a couple?"

"Ken,but not in a boyfriend-girlfriend sense." Anna answered "Yasser is my friend."

"Have you spent your entire day hangin' around within this spa?"

"No. Before I and Anna decided to go there,we danced together in Disco with the rest of Earthlings..." Yasser paused to growl "Until Alfred interrupted us..."

"I was also in Disco with Carly at that time. We followed Alfred to let him scream at Anisah to turn off the music."

"You WHAT?! Then y-..."

Yasser cut himself off in disbelief. He facepalmed himself and squeezed his face with his hand.

"Yas,what's the matter?" Anna asked,gettting closer to him.

"Bill is Alfred's brother,Ann!" he released his hands,angered.

"What's the problem with him?"

"ALFRED!" Yasser yelled out,punching the water "That punk can't give me a BREAK! He always has to ruin my fucking mood every single fucking day by his nagging that Anna must stay away from me,when in fact it's HIM who doesn't know that I no longer have any discussions with Anna. He's ignorant of our relationship,and won't care for a fucking lifetime."

"My dad-bro often tells me that you did 9/11."

"LIES! It's Malik the prick who di-"

Anna immediately stood up seconds after he did so in rage,placing her hand on her shoulder. Yasser glanced at her,then closed his eyes and let out a sigh,sitting down.

The atmosphere eventually got better for them. For the following twenty minutes,Bill,Yasser and Anna talked about numerous things and jokes,trying all they can not to dwell into politics. One of the things Anna told Bill is that whenever she's in the battlefield,she feels too emotional to handle or resist bursting into tears,because ever since Netanyahu used white phosphorous on Gazans in 2009,she no longer wanted to live in the perpetual war between her and her neighbors. Yasser commented that he wishes that one day,him and Anna could organize a surprise for Alfred and shower him with stones and shoes. Bill laughed at that and asked him if he could do it after the Aintisar party,but the latter replied that he and Anna are neither officially united nor her separated from Alfred.

The cheerful conversations suddenly ended when Bill's walkie-talkie rang from his robe's pocket.

"Hold on,pals." Bill got up from the jacuzzi "Alfred's calling me."

Bill placed it onto his ear.

"Where the fuck are you?" Alfred asked,in a voice that showed impatience and tiredness "What's taking you so long?!"

"I'm still in the spa,Al." Bill said calmly,though he had a bad feeling "You?"

"ME?! I almost finished planting explosives on each room I've found!"

"Already?!"

"It's been an hour,so of COURSE I managed to decorate Aintisuck's areas with you-know-what!" he shouted "Ugh,I'm effing sweating in this stuffy Santa suit,running up and down,here and there,over and over again!"

"What is he talking about?" Anna asked,curious.

"I heard you,Anna!" Alfred snapped at her through her phone. "How dare you talk to me after you cheated on our painstaking relationship for that savage rat next to you!"

Anna and Yasser turned at one another,after which she asked Bill to hand his walkie-talkie over to her.

"What the hell is wrong with you,Alfred?!" Anna snapped back "For Yahweh's sake,me and Yasser are friends,nothing more! You never seen us hanging out or participating in plenty of demonstrations for peace,didn't you?"

"I've fed you,clothed you,nurtured you,praised you and kept you safe from your enemies for more than 70 years,and this is how you're going to repay me?! Netanyahu should teac-"

"MENTION NETANYAHU ONE MORE TIME AND WE'RE THROUGH!" Anna exploded,swiftly standing up.

The only reply she received was Alfred repeating and converting her sentence into "nya-nya-nya" sounds. Yasser noticed this,and snatched the walkie-talkie from Anna's hands.

"Listen here!" Yasser shouted "You should consider yourself blessed for not being present where I am,you coward vomitus! I'm able to break your fucking neck with my bare hands!"

"And now the Mowgli of Arabia is speaking! You and your empty threats!" Alfred responded "Tell me,Yas,are you enjoying yourself? Aside of sex,I bet you'd also create your honeymoon in the UN just so you can twerk your butts and middle fingers at my nose,to 'prove' just how happy you are! I'd also imagine you two floating on a rubber boat in the Mississippi River and watch Netflix forevermore,under MY expence!"

Yasser's blood boiled inside him. The ire was visible,to the point of making an aura consisting of boiling bubbles and vapor around his waist,potentially turning the pool into a sauna.

"Oh,I'll enjoy myself further when you become a member of desecrated graveyards!" Yasser seethed with gritted teeth.

"You really should learn from the Genocidal Brat!"

"Who?"

"Vuk! While he may be the genocidal crybaby midget,you deserve to be taught harshest lessons in a Juvenile Hall,or die!"

"SHUT UP!" Anna ejected.

"As for you,Anna,know this: Without me,you would've remained rotting like an untermensch mice in Aus-"

Bill abruptly turned off his device,after grabbing swiftly his walkie-talkie from his hands. The insults,the smears,the volatile tension... He saved them at the last minute. Not only because he didn't want Anna to break up with Alfred,but especially because he didn't want to have the walkie-talkie shatter by Yasser's hand.

Alas,their mood was ruined. Their faces became red from anger and rants,breaking the preceded playful environment.

"I-I...I have to go now!" Bill said,giving them a nervous grin "Sorry for ruinin' your time... Hope we can see one another again!"

Now,he fully expected Yasser to show him the door and a released shriek. But no,he and Anna simply glared at him,dead silent. Not even their eye pupils moved. Though deep down,they didn't get bothered by Bill,it's only after the walkie-talkie rang that turned everything upside-down.

Bill backed away steadily three steps backward after putting back his slippers and put the robe back on,before heading towards the changing room and dress up into his original clothes. After coming out from that room,he saw a tall young man just coming out of the massage room with slightly darker skin tone,athletic stature and golden earings,wearing the spa robes as well. It was Khenti of Egypt,and he also had a green clay mask anointed on his face.

Khenti was more unknown to Bill before meeting Yasser and Anna. He didn't bother and left the spa,after which Khenti turned to them,confused,and asked:

"Who was that?"

Again,they kept starring like goats with some blinks. Khenti shrugged his shoulders and walked away.

23:00

To Bill's astonishment,he ended up appearing on the third floor of the Private Rooms' location,areas where he and Alfred were fighting Ikram,incidentally coming out of the fifth room from that floor. From this point,Bill saw his long,tiring journey as a maze,and yet he still hadn't found the Control Room. Alfred will be pissed.

He could've just entered there if he had known its location.

What intrigued him even more were the explosives planted on each doorstep and corners,warped by Christmas gift bag,inside or outside the rooms. His dad-bro did indeed mean it when he vowed that he'll level Aintisar to ash.

Assuming that Alfred was currently planting explosives and bombs on the highest floor,Bill rushed upstairs and once he got there,he saw Alfred pulling a metal cart carrying explosives in very slow motion.

"Hey,Al!" Bill called him while rushing "I'm back!"

Alfred stopped pulling the cart and looked up. He watched Bill running towards him,so much so that he hit his body at that cart,making it shake and explosives tremble.

"Watch where you're going,you idiot!" Alfred shouted.

Bill wiped his shirt and regained his balance.

"So,have you located the Control Room? Only the fifth floor remains."

"No,but I did strangled one guard and shot another three." he said "You wouldn't believe how idiotic did those guards turn into when they chased me after. Not to mention bats when I clinged on a narrow pathway outside Aintisar's mountain edge. I almost died by them!"

Alfred merely coughed softly with closed mouth and opened it to laugh at what Bill just said,putting his hands on his Santa belt. The laughs lasted for fifteen seconds.

"I'm so proud of you,Billy! Straight out of my school!" he praised him,smirking "Could you imagine Anislut's reaction to their deaths? She'll scream in denial we imposed on her,dealing another blow to her trust among her friends and allies."

Bill didn't reacted much except a nod and giggle.

"Have you also faced setbacks?" Bill then asked.

"Like I told you,I was under immense stress of not getting caught whilst preparing for Aintisuck's demolition as fast as possible." he explained "The only exception was when Bachir El-Din,the Lebanese dork and a younger brother of Anislut's,spotted me and told me to go back to the pub and entertain them,stating that they were waiting for Santa for three hours,after they came back from their playing with snow at the Ski Complex. I begrudgingly pleased them until the Genocidal Brat came next in line,in which he trolled me."

I was sitting on the Santa chair where those little brats gathered in front of me,urging them that I was busy delivering 'presents' for everyone in Aintisuck. While I did told few useless jokes which came from my ass,Helena,Atreus,Amina,Alba,Dhimiter and others anticipated to entertain them more.

"Who the hell do they thought were they?!" I thought "Have they had enough of presents and Santa when Chris was around?!"

Helena thanked me for making her happy (now piss off) as she left to sit with Tatjana and Amina,only to have that Genocidal Brat approach me,sitting on my thigh. He didn't recognized me at first.

"Which gifts would you love to have,Vuk?" I asked,in a faked kindly voice.

The Genocidal Brat thought. Amidst his thoughts,he looked me in the eyes,and gave me that same disturbed look like he did one and a half years ago when I failed to make him apologize for humiliating me at 2018 WW1 Ceasefire celebration,while confronting him in his own house in Visevac. Vuk did noticed my irremovable and permanent eyebags,without wearing glasses. I'm glad I didn't use concealer for the party.

But then,it didn't materialize in my favor...

"Eh,Santa,I have a long wishlist." the Genocidal Brat then started listing "A PC,lollypop,tennis balls,jumper,a new Chess table,an American flag..."

He listed on and on until I couldn't stand him anymore.

"Do you wish for a juicy mush of beat-ups?! I retorted,frustrated.

Vuk sneered.

"It won't be fair to take all presents for myself. You should also take some,too."

That offended me greatly,more so when those brats laughed at me. I ended their joy when I poked Genocidal Brat's eyes with my two fingers,took off my mask and left the pub. He covered his eyes as he was screaming in pain,while the rest of them were shocked when their precious Santa did to one of his naughty children.

"So long,sucker!"

"ALFRREEEAAAK!" he yelled.

"And that's how I dealt with him." Alfred concluded.

Ten seconds later.

"Can I help you out,Al?"

"Go ahead." he exclaimed,stepping aside "You'll plant the explosives on the remaining pillars,corners and rooms while I'll carry the cart till the end. Got it?"

"Absolutely!"

Their ending arrangements for Antisar's demolition ran smooth. Although Alfred did most of the work,Bill was more than happy to assist him. After all,the latter did his own part separate from the former's.

Bill lifted what remained of explosives,moving them towards the doors and planted near the doorstep. If a room's door was open,Bill would plant inside that room. Coming back and forth to take the bombs from Alfred's cart,the process repeated for the last nine doors. While these things were naturally heavy,Bill's grip over such weight didn't rock his arms into dropping them,at least not while he brooked the pain.

The last room unlocked. They thought it was closed due to its door being shut,but it wasn't locked. Upon opening it,Alfred was fascinated. It was Anisah's private room which contained a wide bed,a makeup vanity,the marble bust of her President Bashar al-Assad on a wooden column,a small shoe cupboard,and a library.

They entered and Alfred had a thought of razing her room while she wasn't inside,other than finding an ideal place to plant his final bomb. After Bill hid that bomb beneath her bed,him and Alfred started searching for detonator. In the midst of their five-minute long rummage,Bill found Anisah's photo album in one of makeup vanity's shelves. It was full of her childhood photos,one of which was a picture of little Anisah playing with dolls on carpet inside a palace during the Umayyad period. He automatically recognized Anisah by her small buck teeth pictured in that photo,and hiding the rest of her teeth with her tiny lips.

He walked to Alfred and showed the album. Alfred,after taking glance at the images on that album,slapped that object from Bill's hands,ejecting it.

"We don't have time to view her stupid ops,Bill!" he dismissed him "Nor even burn them!"

The second half of those five minutes have passed and Bill was browsing some books before putting them back,just to see if there was some cash inserted inside any of them. The book at the very edge on the right side of the shelf got pulled. It didn't went away from its place as others did. Instead,the bookshelf swung out,revealing a whole new room they never imagined existing,much less it's secret passage. It was the Control Room they looked for,after all these hours.

Astonished,Bill called Alfred to come and see what he had just found. Alfred's jaw dropped.

"So THAT'S the bush where our rabbit lies!" Alfred commented,grinning.

The Control Room was structured with dozens of monitors displaying all places in and out of Aintisar through CCTVs,a simple control panel with buttons and switches,and the detonator.

"Bill,I need you to protect me while I twist the Control Room's functions into malfunction. Our goal is all but assured!" Alfred said,cracking his knuckles "Anislut,you're about to experience your doom..."

---

22:20,back in the Park

Anisah's phone suddenly rang from her pocket. She put it on her ear. Who could that be this time?

"Hello?"

"Anisah..."

She heard a raspy,cold and dark voice whispering her name.

"Who's calling?" she checked.

"M-me-meet...cafeteria...At once..." it incoherently demanded.

Anisah heard the phone crunching.

"Are y-"

Her question was immediately cut off by the beeps of call's end.

"Who was that?" Carly asked.

Again the eerie feeling of dread,resurging through her spine. Anisah partially identified its volume as Ikram's,but she wasn't certain if it's true. It's tone was filled with seething anger,and the fact that it might be Ikram didn't make her feel better either. She also didn't want to guess what would Ikram do to her while she and him were devoid of contact.

"My brother." Anisah blurted out,standing up abruptly "We have to go meet him. Now!"

Carly got up,following her.

"Why?" she asked "Did Alfred and Bill got busted?"

"I don't know,but let's not wait to find out!" Anisah said,then added "I hope Ikram's alright..."

Anisah and Carly hurried to the Park's exit and bypassed few corridors before reaching the Cafeteria. Together,they had a really bad feeling,for both Ikram and those two idiots. After reaching their destination,they halted their moves. At this moment,they were witnessing the physical state of this place. It chilled them to the core,and not just because it was pitch dark.

"What...the...heck?!" Anisah said,scared.

Tables,chairs,broken glass,plates,bottles and caterings were strewn everywhere. All kinds of food,including the splattered bits of blood,were littering throughout the floor. One-third of the buffet was smashed to pieces by the thrown desk,ending up destroyed after it thumped to the ground near Kitchen's door. Countless red sacks laid at corners and pillars,and at the corner of their eyes have spotted six dead guards on the cellar where all those firework devices used to be.

Anisah guessed that a brutal fight between Alfred,Bill and her brother occurred while she was gone. Judging by every clue they noticed on this scene,Alfred was eager to gain access to the Cellar one way or another with Bill as his assistant as the result of her kidnapping of Carly,thereby having Ikram fight them off in order to prevent them from achieving Alfred's vengeful goals.

Essentially,the entire Cafeteria has been ruined.

Wordless,she went towards a red sack. She kneeled and checked what was inside. There were few explosives stuffed in each sack. Anisah grabbed one dynamite from the sack,and put it back after realizing that her enemy is aiming to implode Aintisar.

This disturbed her even more.

"What have I done?!" Anisah asked to herself,panicking from the inside.

"Anisah,are you alright?" Carly said,placing her hand on her shoulder.

She didn't know how to reply,except a nod. Guilt began to wash over her. Taking out all explosives inside sacks and relocating them back to the cellar is going to be very difficult.

A horrid stench cut her thoughts off by hitting her and Carly's nostrils. A mixture of shit,piss and sweat wafted around the air. It almost caused them to vomit. As they both covered their mouths and noses,they heard someone approaching from the shadows.

"Hold." Anisah told her,moving her other arm near Carly's front body "I hear someone arriving in our direction."

The more it came closer,the more the stench grew clear. After five seconds,the being made its appearance. Anisah's heart started beating at the sight of it.

It had a tousled coal-colored,now unkempt,hair,and a big scar plastered on its face; Its eyes were bloodshot red from rage,its dark bags were visible,and its bartender shirt ripped apart. Its exposed chest was concealed with shampoo which cleansed shit on it,and its mouth was covered in vomit.

"I-Ikram?..." Anisah stuttered in fear "What happened to you?..."

Ikram's background was this: After Ikram restored his consciousness with its temporary cessation led by the knockout blow of Bill slamming his body onto his own,he found himself looking at the toilet seat's hole with half of Alfred's poop inserted inside his mouth,touched by his tongue. He then immediately catapulted the poop out of his mouth into the hole and backed from the seat. It infuriated him further when he saw his chest smeared with shit. Once the realization had passed,he cracked and had resorted to shatter all mirrors with his punches and scream like a maniac while throwing up onto the floor. Seconds later,after puking,he desperately consumed shampoo from each marble bottle in hopes of washing up his mouth,and breaking the same. Ikram also used these liquids to clean up his chest,albeit vainly. Ikram was on his breaking point,thus phoning his sister to come and tell a couple of things in Cafeteria.

He kept starring at them. His bloodied and scarred fists were shaking and vibrating rapidly. Then,when his fists became still,he closed his eyes and shrieked with strength of his lungs at Anisah's face.

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"

Ikram's piercing scream came out of nowhere in the ears of Carly and Anisah,echoing the hall. They were so surprised that they didn't turn their pants brown. But in spite of this,the former screamed again.

"WHY DID YOU KIDNAP ALFRED'S SISTER?!" Ikram yelled,pointing at Carly.

Carly kept her mouth shut. Anisah breathed in and gulped. That question was too direct to answer.

"I wanted to lure Alfred into staying." she explained,blushing with shame "I didn't know it boiled down to this."

"You didn't know?! The fuck did you expect?!" he retorted angrily "Us pranking him in the Game Room should've been enough! BUT NOOOO,your sorry ass didn't go far enough! You extended the sequence!"

"I-I...I'm sorry,Ikram..."

"I WON'T HEAR YOUR FUCKING SORRIES,ANISAH!" Ikram kept lashing out "Thanks to your obsessive queef,those two pricks stole the electronic key from Malik,stripped Chris off of his Santa costume,killed six guards,enabled them to gang up on me,and now they're sending 'presents' in Aintisar!... THEY FUCKING CRAPPED ON MY FACE!"

"It's pretty iro-"

"SILENCE!"

"We're going to fix everything and stop Alfred and Bill,alright?" Anisah added,making him turn to her "Just..ca-calm down,I beg you... Take a deep breath..."

"I CAN'T,not after you motivated that Satan to commit worse mayhems by kidnapping that BITCH over here!"

Carly,sensing that Anisah couldn't keep up arguing with her livid brother without potentially burst into tears,garnered enough courage to admit something.

"Can I reveal the truth?"

Anisah and Ikram turned to her.

"In Alfred's defense,it was me who suggested him that he should formulate a masterplan to humiliate your sister and ruin the celebration." she stated,looking away "Alfred originally intended to kill Anisah with his Desert Eagle confiscated by your security guards."

When he heard that,Ikram fumed and kicked Carly's chest at the chair and table combined. She instantly lost her balance and swiftly fell onto them,smashing them both. Pain was felt all over the affected parts of her body. Gasping,she raised her back as she saw foam surging from his lips with a small grin of lost mind. Ikram started approaching her slowly. He didn't like hearing her statement,at all.

"Insufferable cunts like you deserve to be flogged... gassed..." Ikram raised his foot at her,ready to crush her face "and RA-"

He was cut off by Anisah's slap across his face.

"ENOUGH! HAVE YOU LOST YOUR FUCKING MIND,STUPID WARLOCK?! WHAT DID SHE EVER DO TO YOU TO ASSAULT HER LIKE THAT?!" Anisah screamed at him,converting her distress into outrage. Tears were emerging below her eyes "Nem,they've put you through a lot,but that doesn't justify you to behave indifferently than Alfred himself! You better apologize to Carly and help us take action before it's too late,cause I may send you packing to Baghdad FOR PROFESSIONAL HELP!"

Ikram momentarily froze. His sister's sheer scolding was far greater for him to mentally handle than his blow at her. He fell down to his knees and started crying,bursting into tears. Carly already got up from the destroyed furniture and she only gave him a pitiful look.

"All I wished for the New Year celebration was to enjoy partying together in the park alone,without sabotages,dangers and usurpations from our enemies!... I never had the opportunity to indulge there,rather than safeguard Aintisar non-stop!" Ikram sobbed uncontrollably,helpless "No-no-Nothing of this would've happened if you had just listened to me!... I told you,I told you,I told you NOT to offer the invitation poster to him!..."

Anisah cleaned her tears. She now completely realized the consequences of her foremost action.

"WHY D-DID YOU DO THIS TO ME-E-E?!..." he quavered in agony.

Carly quietly asked Anisah if he had a mental breakdown,to which Anisah confirmed it with a tired sigh.

Anisah knelt beside him,opening one of his hands with her own and wiped the tears from his eyes. Ikram looked up with pause,confused,and was hugged ber his sister to comfort him,like how he did with her after the latter got immolated by Alfred's revenge prank against her on the exact place they were in.

"I gave the poster to Alfred once,and I'll never do it again. From this day forward,I swear it." she promised "I'll allow you to ride all day after we finish the job."

"Genuinely?..."

"Yes."

"Shukran lik..."

Ikram hugged her back. Carly watching them hug one another has touched and weirded out her at the same time. When they got separated and him getting up,Ikram felt slightly better,but was still deeply upset.

"Carly,take care of Ikram." Anisah ordered her "In the meantime,I'll take some stuff for our final confrontation with you-know-who."

"Can you retrieve new clothes for Ikram?" she suggested "Gosh,he's stinking up the whole area!"

"Eh...And that,too."

With Anisah heading towards the storage room,Ikram and Carly sat at the nearest table they could find. They were both silent,observing the mess Alfred and Bill have created. She turned to him,curious,and leaned her hand. Ikram spotted and grabbed it abruptly,then moving away her hand.

"Don't touch me..." Ikram uttered.

Meanwhile,Anisah took Ikram's default military clothing,a black leash and a plastic pig nose mask. She also poured in the cold water and put some ice cubes into a bag to form an ice pack inside the Kitchen,to relieve Ikram's migraine.

"Here you go,Ikram." Anisah said after coming back,giving him the new clothes "And take the ice pack I just made for you."

Ikram stood up and grabbed it to place the same on his head,but not before removing his ruined clothes and changing his attire with the new ones.

"Feeling better?" Anisah asked,smiling kindly.

"It's recovering,glad you asked." Ikram smiled back.

After a minute of him resting underneath the calm silence,Carly stepped forward.

"Excuse me,Ikie." she said "How did Alfred and Bill manage to infiltrate the Cellar?"

"Coming from the criminal monster's family..."

"I'm on your side." Carly protested "Why are you going full-on antagonist mode?"

He let out a snort.

"Your scummy brothers threw a mine at the personnel guarding the Cellar and slid down its scanner with the electronic key. That's how."

"And where did that key come from?"

"From Malik's pocket in Casino." Ikram answered,disgusted "Anisah handed that key to Malik for the benefit of her doubt while also forbidding him to go anywhere outside Casino,believing that that way the key would stay secure. She was proven wrong." he paused,taking a deep breath "They then pushed Malik and his Gulf Gang out of the balcony into the field after snatching it. I spotted them when I inspected this place,and yet Malik's bodyguards failed to notice anything due to his rule of not venturing inside unless they were asked to do so. The Gang are currently knocked out under the snow covered in blood from their fall."

"Intriguing information." Carly concluded,then asked "Can you show us where they landed?"

"Sure." Ikram said,getting up again "Follow me."

Anisah,Carly and Ikram marched towards the Casino without greeting the bodyguards. They followed him until they stopped at the railing where the incident happened. Seeing the four man-like holes under the snow soaked with blood,Anisah in particular was concerned if they were alive or dead.

"I think we should rescue and escort them inside. They might serve us for the good use." Carly argued.

"That sounds considerable,Carly."

"No. The Gulf Gang aren't to be trusted...except Samir and maybe Aisha." Ikram warned "Regardless,no matter their friendly facade,they're masters of deception,always playing both sides between World's powers of Alfred,Arisha and Liu through oil trade. I prefer leaving them to rot!"

Anisah moved her mouth leftwards,thinking if she and Carly should agree with him or go downstairs. In the end,she disagreed.

"Let's go." Anisah said.

Ikram facepalmed.

"And what would the leash and the pig nose mask be used for?" Carly asked once more.

Anisah looked at her hands holding those two things,and then looked at Malik's body down below. She bore personal business left unfinished with him.

"Just in case the situation becomes hostile." she replied,and went downstairs.

22:50,on the lowest Outdoors of Aintisar

It took them some time to descend out of the hotel. Aintisar had few elevators and the area next to the Outdoors wasn't one of them,so they had to go to the round stairs on foot.

Evidently,the winter was more colder,silent and darker than one hour ago. The trio walked close to the snow-sunken holes. Anisah approached Samir's body and attempted to wake him up by firstly kicking his buttock. She hit it again,and didn't fully awake him. She only heard a weak moan coming out of his mouth.

Anisah stopped at Samir's head and moved it gently with her boot. This time,it worked. The Omani boy felt something rubbing his cheek. He slowly opened his eyes and saw Anisah.

"Mrs. Zaman?... Is that you?" Samir wondered.

"Nem,Samir."

Samir rotated to the front and lifted his back. In moments,he caught pain on the hurt ribs,leading him to groan.

"Ahh...my back..." he spat in his mind,then said "Where am I? What town is this?"

"You're at Aintisar as you were before the fall." she told him,crossing her arms.

"Aintisar? I'm alive?!" Samir exclaimed with shock "Thank Allah! I thought that was the end of me."

She smiled at him and caressed his cheek where she moved him. It made him giggle which ended when he glanced at Ikram and Carly accompanying behind Anisah.

"Who threw you out of the rail? Alfred or Bill?" Anisah inquired.

"How do you know?"

"Ikram informed me."

Samir looked at Ikram for a second.

"Well,it was both. They thrust their shoulders at me and my pals. Before that,my friend Abu asked Alfred where did Malik go after he pushed the last one off the rail." he was explaining,growing angry "He said that we shouldn't bother him while smoking outside. I then reasoned that Malik didn't take cigar before he and Alfred left the Harem. He smirked at me and invited me to confirm if he 'REALLY' was outside! The rest is history. That's how we ended up here."

Anisah said nothing,to which Samir growled.

"Even though I always stay away from International affairs,I'll never forgive Alfred for throwing me so briskly out of the balcony!" he added,angrily.

Ikram smirked with a closed huff.

"When you associate yourself with a gang of dopes,you'll automatically be kaffer's target."

"Same with you,to be honest."

He chuckled.

"Nobody denies that."

Samir smiled back and trudged through the deep snow to come within the triangle connecting the trio.

"What now?" he asked.

"You'll see." Anisah said "For now,wake Abu and Aisha up. I'll wake up Malik. After that,you three will go to the Cafeteria and tell you what to do next once you await me."

"Why not in the Aintisar park? Can I finally attend there?"

"After midnight."

Samir nodded and walked near these two. He leaned their heads with his foot and soon,they were awaken. They too were surprised they were alive all along,failing to conjecture what happened to them. Samir explained everything and they were both angered and relieved. And while three of them left,Ikram shouted Abu's name to show him his thumb moving through his throat,telling him mentally that he wanted to see him dead or beheaded for Abu being one of the chief sponsors of terrorism.

Contrary to how Anisah woke Samir up,she kicked Malik's head the way the soccer ball is hit. He instantly yelled in pain and jumped forth,getting up.

Anisah holds a secret long-time grudge against him which no one but her family knows about.

"WHO HIT M-" Malik stopped his sentence upon noticing Anisah starring at him,erasing her past smile.

Malik steadily approached her,despite feeling the immense pain on his back,and she did so back. They both looked straight in their eyes,with the latter showing emotionless look.

"Well,well,well... If it isn't my recalcitrant stepdaughter coming too late to rescue me." he scoffed "Lima? Are you about to cage me in Casino ag-"

"I would appreciate you watch your tongue when speaking to me,Malik." Anisah interrupted him "But back to where I was: How did you lose the electronic key you were supposed to protect?"

"Avram sneaked his filthy hands into my pocket!" he said,using the Jewish alternation of 'Alfred/Ahmed',presenting its animosity "That traitor asked me to talk with him at the balcony,snatched the key and the last thing he had told me was "Say '9/11' for me..."."

"Aha." she said "Do you realize what you've done with your irresponsibility? You let Alfred and Bill unlock the Cellar,where the explosives for New Year celebration were stashed,and setting up each of them in all places in Aintisar."

"Me?! I have nothing to do with Avram's schemes,nor did I participated with him or Bill!" Malik protested "Come to think of it,how can I be responsible when you locked me in-"

He suddenly detected the remaining stink emitting from Ikram's upper body where it was mostly washed,with piss and a bit of vomit as his sole smell. Malik sensed it when Ikram got closer to him.

"Ogh!" he coughed,backing off "Where were you,skunk? "Had fun in the sewe-"

A hard punch at the corner of Malik's left eye cut him off. He covered the hurt eye with his left hand. He also growled,acknowledging that the hit will become a bruise.

"WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!"

Anisah's swung right arm moved back to its diagonal position where it rested. While she only frowned,she grew more infuriated.

"If you desire the allegations against you to be removed,I offer you your cooperation." Anisah said,as though nothing has happened. As if Anisah never delivered her blow at him.

"For what?!"

"To defeat Alfred from demolishing our hotel. I would quite possibly include the evacuation,should Alfred get his hands on the detonator." she replied "And for your information,your cooperation isn't optional."

"You don't say?" Malik said "I have nothing to do with Avram's demolishing process,therefore I have no obligation to join your quest!"

"I said,your cooperation is NOT optional..." Anisah reiterated,sensing her persuasion is failing "If not,you'll end up alone as Aintisar crumbles into stone and dust,swallowing you whole. With no one to save you."

Malik's fist clenched,and his goatee furrowed in anger.

"Is this how you wish to play,Anisah? I will not obey someone below my rank such as yourself!"

"You will do what I've proposed,swine..."

His face reddened. He took off and raised his right shoe.

"Insults! I'll show you manners,WHORE!"

As Malik was ready to slap Anisah with it,the latter thrust him by his stomach at the tree. Anisah grabbed by his neck with her left hand tightly,and blocking his right hand with the other. She barred her teeth,developing a stare full of hatred.

"Who owns the hotel? You? Or me?" Anisah asked,gritting her teeth.

"You."

"Who won the lottery?"

"You!"

"Who carries the ultimate accountability over every burden in Aintisar?"

"YOU!"

"Then MY commands trump your special,priviledged status as the biggest royalty in the party!" she shouted,still choking him "You outlived your nonexistent purpose. It was a huge mistake inviting an unwanted 'guest' like you..."

"Now you're backpedaling!" Malik barely responded,due to her stiff grip on his neck "Why did you gave me your stupid electronic key? WHY HAVE YOU INVITED ME TO BEGIN WITH?!"

Anisah closed her eyes and opened them,without lightening her grip.

"I invited you into Aintisar and lent you the key in form of the second chance,a chance you consciously violated,hoping that there was a bright light within your soul by staying for 24 fucking hours keeping the key intact in Casino,to at least prove that you're worthy of trust and future respect,but you've demonstrated you didn't deserve any of it! I don't give a single flying CRAP if you're my 'step-dad' or not. Matter of fact,you never were! Khenti,Ikram,Dastan,Tahira or even Kerem is a better alternative of our representative stepfather and leader of our heritage than you could EVER dream of!" she paused,to pant as she seethed "Your deliberate unwillingness to help others is nothing new! While our siblings and their kin suffer,hunger and weep for the faded hope in the sky,you thrive in your lavish lifestyle with your numerous palaces,practice transgressions against your false devotion to Islam and drive Saudi Audis without fear,all thanks to that Genie's black magic mineral called oil! Without it,plus Alfred's protection,you would've remained a nobody. That is: A primitive barbarian born from a deserted tribe who used to wage wars against other tribes until Emily modernized you into an obese pig! Emily ought to hang her head in shame,for you gave Osama and his 15 hijackers to the World,permanently jeopardized our reputation,radicalized the miserable,and BANKROLLED EVERY JIHADI GROUP WITH YOUR MONEY!"

Like with Ikram during her quarrel,Malik was stunned. However,unlike the former,his reddened face got bleached white,showing how appalled he ended up. Not only did Anisah attacked him verbally on the personal level,but she also targeted where it hurt him the most: His insecurity. Every letter she fired at him was true. Since 9/11,Malik fears Alfred,not daring to make him angry. He knows that he'd not last two weeks without the latter protecting him,regardless of his amount of oil refineries.

Ikram took satisfaction watching Malik's pale face,looking like the sad theater mask. He chuckled quietly and said to Carly,with pride in his voice:

"That's what I call the best sister in the World. I should've brought popcorns."

"I hadn't seen your sis so furious before."

"Indeed. I'd recommend you to see Anisah in a physical fight." Ikram replied with a smug face,pointing at Malik "Think she's always pleasant? No,no,no,no. She can be a rabid lynx if someone pressed her buttons,as Malik did."

Malik,after his brief self-made trance,finally formulated an answer.

"What was your fucking point by everything you just spew?..."

Anisah was disbelieved by his question,and disgust was added to her nascent feeling when she noticed a small tear sliding down Malik's cheek. Frustrated,Anisah tightened her lips and used her right hand to grab the earlier things she took from the storage,which were now put inside her pocket.

"What are you doing?!"

"Hold still!"

She donned the plastic pig nose at his own and moved its elastic band onto his head,and leashed his neck with the black leash.

"Ever heard of truffle hogs? It's a pig breed used for locating and extracting truffles for Adele's cuisine. As such,if you have any shred of usefulness,you will sniff our way into finding Alfred and the key. And considering how much weight you have..."

"PIG?! They're haram! I'll never associate myself with those filthy fiends!" Malik whined.

"It's either that or I'll fire you out of the cannon!" Anisah shouted "Without parachutes!"

"PLEASE! Anything but pi-"

Anisah stomped his foot and dragged the leash.

"You damn well know I hate when someone doesn't do what I say. And if it isn't obvious,I DO despise you with all my might,Malpig!" she reminded him,then hissed after a pause "Under my subjugation,you'll only be allowed to oink like an arrogant boar you are. This is for Aida,and everyone you harmed."

She spat on his face.

"Now WALK!"

Anisah pushed Malik to the ground. His palms slapped by themselves at the snow,steadily freezing his veins. At first,he was reluctant to move on all his fours,but got pressured in an instant by Anisah's kick in the waist.

"YADHHAB!"

Malik crawled forth to the outdoors' exit with hands and knees though agility he mustered,where Carly and Ikram were waiting for her.

"Methinks thou dost protest too much,Mal?" Ikram mocked him,after Anisah and her 'pig' came near him.

"You'll pay sooner or later,Ikram! Just like in 1991!"

She hit him again.

"PIGS DON'T TALK! THEY OINK!" Anisah yelled at him.

Malik had no choice. He oinked grotesquely,making both Ikram and Carly laugh. Anisah was too angry to laugh with them,but she wasn't upset for missing that opportunity.

Once they left,Ikram turned to Carly and smiled.

"I'm starting to like you,Carly."

"Really?"

"Sorry for assaulting and calling you a 'cunt'." Ikram apologized,rubbing his nape "Them getting on my nerves to the depths prevented me to control myself."

"Heh... Apology accepted. But..." she said,then asked "Why the sudden shift of tone? If anything,it should be me who needs to apologize. I understand why you were fur-"

"I haven't had the best attitude towards you either,believing that you were by default just as a cancerous pest as that monster."

"You seem to have interaction difficulties." Carly guessed.

"Sahih. Too much stress and overwork...you know..."

Ikram gently grabbed Carly's hand,yet his grip was quite firm that it hurt her. He's a mechanic.

Carly looked him in the eyes,moved her lips and,after few seconds,fixed his bangs aside. He blushed slightly with a frown,but reverted his smile.

"We can't stay outside forever nor time to forge a romance right now,Carly." Ikram remarked.

"Obviously!" To which they exited the outdoors.

---

23:20

Upon emerging from the stairs into the Casino,Anisah felt rain spraying her head. Fire alarms on ceilings have been involuntarily activated,together with loud sirens emitting a recorded the repetitive message (one in Arabic,next in Spanish,then in English.),which was subsequently spread into all locations within Aintisar.

"WARNING! WARNING! Seek immediate shelter in any private rooms or to the field! SABOTAGE INCOMING!"

The more closer Anisah,Malik,Ikram and Carly ascended,the louder were the noises. Although they took them longer to arrive,contrary to the Outdoors,due to Malik struggling to crawl upstairs whilst Anisah pulled the leash to make him go faster. Anisah can only suspect that Alfred (who else would dare do that) discovered the secret passage in her private room,breaching the Control Room with Bill's assistance,thus messing around its devises. Worst of all,she sensed that Alfred got his hands onto the detonator,and waiting for the precise moment to press the button.

"Ya Allah... It's getting worse than I thought..." she said to herself,concerned.

As soon as they exited the Casino,with guards nowhere to be seen standing at its doorway,they witnessed dozens of earthlings were freaking out in the Cafeteria as they ran where the sirens advised them to enter. The crowd didn't seem to bother noticing them,but two out of many came no sooner than the former group did.

"Anisah!" Kairo panicked,gasping for air "Where have you been?! I and Maria were worried about you!"

"I telephoned Anisah and Carly to come to Cafeteria. It would be too long for me to explain the rest of what had happened." Ikram answered them for her,then asked "What's so urgent?"

"Madre mía,I,Kairo,Edu and Martina were riding the pirate ship when all of the sudden,lights turned off and all rides in the Park have braked." Maria explained,nervous "We sat on the farthest left section,so we barely managed to lift the metal bar preventing us from falling down and jump out of the ship."

"Others?"

"The majority were lucky,like us,to escape the rides. Those who at that moment rode in autodrome got off easily,but those in some rotating rides had it the worst. Some started crying while stuck on their seats,others became pissed and few among them were even thrown out into unconsciousness. The last ones need to be hospitalized enseguida!"

In the middle of this conversation,Malik took the chance of removing the tight leash away from his neck. To his misfortune,Anisah saw his intentions and hit his hands with her leg.

"Is Aintisar's internal system having errors right now?" Kairo asked,calmer,turning his head at his mom "Who or what could've caused your hotel to suffer such abrupt malfunctions?"

"The answer is quite visible in the air when you think about it,brother." Ikram told him.

"I gue-"

"It was Alfred." Carly spoke without discretion.

Yet another silence enveloped them. Maria turned to Carly first,then at Anisah. Her face,eyebrows especially,was morphed into an expression of disbelief and outrage similar to that of Anisah after the latter discovered the inevitable consequences.

"YANQUI?!" she blurted out "HOW THE FUCK DID HE BARGED INTO THE PARTY?!"

"My naive sister invited him per the invitation poster." Ikram said with an upset tone,glancing at Anisah.

"HAVE YOU LOST YOURSELF,ANISAH?!" Maria snapped at her,growing red in the face "THE YANQUI IS YOUR ENEMY,NOT-"

"I know,Maria,I know,but again,it's a long story. No need to overreact,Maria." Anisah interrupted her "I,Ikram and Carly are here to stop him."

Maria connected her fingers and placed them on the bridge of her nose,taking a deep breath and counting silently to 10.

"No wonder why the Cafeteria is in shambles!" she exclaimed,then took a pause "Let me tell you something,tonta: Your endurance with that obnoxious scumbag revealed you that he's only there to stir problems and ruin vacations wherever he goes,such as his invasion of my daughter Evita of Panama in 1989 and his failed coup against Luisa last year! You can only imagine how much did he mistreats and bea-"

"I heard of my dad-bro's bullshit actions." Maria got interrupted again. This time by Carly.

"Let me finish." Maria told her,annoyed. "Your fight with Alfredo Cojones is what I have to put up with him all the time,esPECIALLY when he abuses Edu!..." she punched her other palm "I'll gladly join you in your fight,Anisah."

All of them (except Malik who was still in the pig position,brooking Anisah's torture) were considering Maria's offer over her last sentence,but the decision-searching was cut short by Kairo's voice.

"What should we do now?" he asked,retaining the panicked tone.

Anisah walked one step closer towards him.

"Follow Ikram to the shelter,Kairo. Your fellow earthlings are waiting." she replied,after turning her head at Malik to check him "Evacuation is currently a must."

"You both heard her." Ikram added.

"What?!"

Anisah approached her ear,whispering:

"There's an epic finale I planned out just for Alfred." she smiled.

"What finale?"

"Ikram will show you in the shelter."

Maria shrugged her shoulders and marched with Kairo once Ikram took the lead. After they parted their ways,Malik spoke out.

"Can you please release these shakles,Anisah? I'll pay up an enormous sum of my own bank account!"

She let out a frustrated sigh. She was tired of stomping her foot at him alone.

"Carly,can you hit the pig for me? He's disobeying me."

"Not quite sure about that. His bargain sounds reasonable."

Anisah cleared her throat.

"Oh,fine!"

Carly looked at Malik and hit (mildly,compared to Anisah's) the back of his head.

"Nicely done."

Next up,they rushed upstairs into private rooms' floors,while Malik galloped in his own way. Their rush stopped at the third floor when they saw Anna and Yasser standing beside Spa's secret door. They were fully dressed up back to their original clothes.

"What's going on?" Yasser asked.

"We have no time for discussions!" Anisah stressed fastly "You and Anna need to evacuate as soon as possible!"

"What are those planted explosives for? And...excuse me...W-Why's Malik your hog?"

She rolled her eyes.

"I've said what I said,Anna." she replied,then turned to Carly "Carly,go with them."

Carly saluted and did so in an instant. Anisah and Malik resumed their race,but Malik stopped at the fourth floor's stairs.

"I...I can't...I can't keep it up..." Malik puled.

"Only one more floor remains,and your whining makes it harder!" Anisah retorted,then warned him severely "One more word and I promise you'll be my hog forever!"

Malik nodded and kept going. A minute later and they finally made it. They stopped at her private room. She was curious and crouched to peep her room through its peephole. Anisah somewhat saw her bed,and nothing else. She stood up,came towards Malik and released the leash from his neck. The release revealed darker spots around his neck. Afterwards,she grabbed his collar and elevated him to make an eye contact with her eyes.

"I hope you learned this lesson,Malpig." Anisah spat through gritted teeth.

Malik didn't respond,though his cheeks were flushed with tears,all the while touching his neck.

"Don't forget to pay up that 'enormous sum of your own bank account' to me,in form of fifty million dollars!" she reminded him with her normal ungritted voice.

He let out a defeated "Eh!...",to which Anisah closed her eyes, gripped his shoulders from behind and kicked him hard on his ass whilst opening them back and pushing him into running.

"GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!"

Silence. Awkward silence. Anisah was now alone in the corridor. She placed her hand on her chest,letting out a big sigh of relief.

With a deep breath,she called Alfred's name.

"ALFRED,SHOW YOURSELF! YOUR TIME IS UP!"

Anisah in return heard nothing coherent,except someone yelling something at the other person. Bill opened the door and was surprised seeing her. He let the door stay open and approached her.

"Howdy,Anisah... Long time no see!" Bill waved her nervously.

"Bill,it's not what you think. I'm not here to fight you." Anisah began assuring him,placing her hand on his shoulder. She went straight to the point "The fight is between me and your brother."

"Hmm... I can call Al if you wish for a match in an invisible ring,you know."

"Don't! This is no laughing matter!" she said,with such quietness so as to make sure Alfred doesn't hear her. "You sister is waiting for you in the shelter."

"Got it."

As Bill went downstairs,hands on his pockets after saying goodbye to her,Alfred popped out of the room,watching him go away. Anisah's cunning persuasion on his sidekick succeeded on the first try.

"Bill,where are you go-"

He cut himself off the moment he saw Anisah. Alfred walked towards the end of the last floor,with the detonator on his left hand as he tossed up and down lightly. Anisah and Alfred are now face to face with each other. She couldn't see the sickening smirk formed beneath the Santa's beard. Tension stretched around them within each second.

"Ho. Ho. Ho,Anisah." Alfred said,trying to emulate Santa's voice "You came on the right place at the right time,to witness my Christmas special for all of Aintisar to see."

"You don't intimidate me,Al. Take your mask off!"

Alfred did so,giving her a frowned look of malicious hatred. Unlike most of his time in the Santa suit,he wore glasses.

"I didn't come to view your so-called 'Christmas special'." Anisah said sternly,also frowning "I came here to correct my mistakes. To get rid of you."

He scoffed,yet was intrigued by Anisah's change of attitude. She didn't address him with nicknames like how she usually does.

"Get rid of me? Newsflash,Anislut: You arrived too late!" Alfred jeered,still keeping his left-hand grip onto the detonator intact "Where were you when I swooped your pathetic security with just one RU-AP and arranged the interior with which I'll blow up Aintisar? No one stopped me!"

"I don't care!" she shouted angrily "Hand over the detonator!"

"Or what? Call the security?"

Anisah knew that her nemesis is trying to provoke her. Her mask of kindness is slipping.

"Go ahead. Step right up and take it."

She took a step,only to see Alfred's thumb moving closer towards the red button,which made her halt her moves. Anisah thought: "No...What am I doing?! It's a trap!". The last thing she wanted was Aintisar's destruction,the hotel she painstakingly put efforts to birth its existence.

"I'm better than that. I won't lower my guard!"

"Do you realize that you'd only damage yourself if you activate the detonator?" Anisah folded her arms."

Alfred merely rotated his left shoulder,to ease the pain. He ended his smirk.

"You know full well the reasons,Anislut." he replied "You planned to keep me chained in your stupid hotel by kidnapping my sister,just as I and my siblings were on our way to go back to our home. And I bet you must be...happy for making Carly disappear,right?"

"Is that incident all it took to cause incalculable mayhem?"

"YES IT WAS!" he screamed at her,enraged "WHEN WILL YOU STOP FUCKING WITH ME?! WHEN THE FUCK WILL YOU STOP RUINING MY MOOD,PEACE,DIGNITY,LIFE,SIBLINGS,SANITY...EVERYTHING?! RATHER THAN LEAVING ME ALONE FOR CHRISTMAS,YOU PURPOSEFULLY HAUNTED ME WITH YOUR TWERKS ON MY FRACTURING MIND!"

"Where?"

"IN MY SLEEP!"

"Not my problem,sweetie."

Alfred fumed and punched hard the wall rightwards,then turned back infuriated with barred teeth,and took his glasses off. Anisah resisted not to burst into laughter.

"THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN,SAVAGE SLUT?!"

"Have you ever asked yourself what did you do to deserve such treatment from the World?" Anisah argued,raising her eyebrow "I have plenty examples to prove it,not the least of which were those chemical wea-"

"OH,YOU DESERVE TO HAVE YOUR FACE DESTROYED WITH ACID THE WAY YOU DUMPED ME WITH CRUDE OIL IN APRIL,AND YOUR 20 MILLION VERMIN REDUCED TO NUCLEAR ATOMS!" he kept ranting like a madman. He's on the verge of cracking. "YOU'RE RESPONCIBLE FOR 9/11 AND ALL OF THE WORLD'S TERRORISM WITH YOUR FUNDING AGAINST ME,INVADE COUNTRIES,SPREADING COMMUNISM,PASS OUT CANDIES AND FERTALIZE MISERY! BEST OF ALL,YOU,ALONG WITH ARISHIT,MARIAC,THE GENOCIDAL BRAT AND THAT WRETCHED LIEN,KEEP GETTING AWAY WITH IT!"

After venting through the top of his lungs,he panted heavily,placing his left hand on his foreheard,and the right one beside the wall. The panting,shivering and vibrating lasted for fifteen seconds. Alfred glanced at her as he was losing it once more. He barely scared Anisah. His toxic yet hypocritical comments amused her.

Apparently,only his suffering matters.

"Am I a mirror to you?"

Hearing this,one would expect him to go berserk. On contrary,he skipped the rage and turned his face at her to display a creepy,wide grin. The same grin he gave her when they encountered one another half a day ago nearby the parking where his Apache helicopter had landed.

He chuckled grimly.

"You are pushing me beyond disproportionate levels,Anislut..." Alfred lowered his volume,moving the detonator near his face after putting his glasses back on "A single finger-move will guarantee Aintisuck's vaporization,either slowly or instantly. This place,and one day the World,will be purified. Beautiful fire will burn the living filth that have dominated the World over the past 90 years. And frankly,I should've let the ISIS mad dogs hound you. It'd at least spare the World from an enemy out of many others."

"God!... What a psychopath..."

Pause. It's 23:40. 20 minutes until the Midnight hits 2021. Anisah took the opportunity to take one last deep breath,pretending not to hear what she just heard. She too placed her hand on her head to calm herself down.

"Hand over the detonator,and I'll bring you Carly back and let you go your merry way." Anisah said,sounding tired,leaning her own hand at him "You already inflicted enough havoc in my hotel..."

"IT'S OVER!" he refused "I'm getting my revenge,even if it means taking you with me!"

Moments later,just as he was about to press the button,Anisah charged at him,making the detonator drop on the floor. Alfred hit his back abruptly against the wall,and Anisah with him. They fell down together. The former drew first blood. He delivered a harsh uppercut and pushed her away with his legs,to which Anisah got up and fought back with harder punches.

"I WON'T LET YOU WIN,YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Anisah yelled with erupted rage.

Anisah struck him further with three additional punches at his chest,hoping that they would knock him out. It failed,leading Alfred to hit her head two times and then pounce against her body. This time,the fighting turned to a radical direction. Their hands have attached to their bodies while rolling downwards like a yarn. For each roll,the detonator moved by their shoves.

"FACE IT,ANISLUT,YOU ARE THE BIGGEST NOBODY!" Alfred shouted,pulling Anisah's hair.

"AND YOU HATE EVERYBODY AND EVERYONE HATES YOUR SORRY ASS!" she replied,choking him.

They bounced downstairs with the detonator following them,rough as it was. Jumping up and down made them feel unimaginable pain on their backs and heads. The two have also clenched their exposed teeth in the midst of rolls as they shot their looks. They continued to roll down the fourth floor and bounce on the second stairs with same moves,with difference of Anisah pulling and ripping bits of Alfred's hair while still choking him with the other.

On the third floor,the rolling slowly stopped. Anisah's eyes caught the detonator sliding the carpet for a fraction of a second. She took the chance and seized the device,after which she rolled backwards and thrust Alfred with all of her limbs from herself. Anisah got up and stood there to observe the planted explosives,then glanced at Alfred getting up over her shoulder. She smirked. An idea came out of her brain.

With the detonator under her control,Anisah sprinted towards a couple of packed heavy explosives planted on a door's doorstep and started throwing them at Alfred one by one. Alfred looked up a dynamite pack flying towards him,hitting his right shoulder.

"GIVE ME BACK THE DETONATOR!"

"OVER...MY...DEAD...BODY!" Anisah shouted,throwing those packs per word she spoke.

Alfred successfully dodged three of them,but the fourth one struck his head squarely,making him fall to the floor. Anisah thought he got knocked out. She walked towards him to verify it. Big mistake. Alfred overheard her footsteps. He immediately opened his eyes,kipped up and swung a punch in the mouth. Anisah felt blood dripping from her lips as she touched that red liquid,astounded,just before Alfred charged towards her. He stopped running to deliver a circled kick across her face. Not only did Anisah avoid his attack,but she also grabbed his shin and swung his other ankle,Judo-style,letting the shin go and have Alfred fall again,growling in pain.

Anisah pounced at him again and they did the second round of rolling and bouncing. Passing the second floor,Alfred braked the roll with his heel at the first. He was about to throw several punches at her face,only to get rotated 180 degrees by her. She ended up kneeling on him,and did what Alfred intended to do against him instead,unhesitant to beat him when he's down.

"Where's Bill to save you now?! You're a vulnerable COWARD without him!" Anisah scoffed scornfully while punching his face.

Alfred suddenly grabbed her knuckles and hit her forehead hard with his own.

"At least my brother doesn't play victimhood card EVERY OTHER MINUTE!"

The mere insulting remark,however indirect,towards Yasser broke the camel's back. Her blood boiled. Before he could notice,she raised the widened fingers on her right hand,and scratched sharply his face. Alfred froze in utter shock. His glasses were flipped,and his face got marked with four scars stretching from his left cheek to his mouth,which dripped blood. Alfred didn't expect a hard slap made of nails,much less scars. The green eyes who gazed at the blonde's face became a resemblance of venom and hatred,way worse than the one Anisah gave Malik in the outdoors.

"You. Are. Finished." she spoke quietly through gritted teeth,hiding fury within her volume.

Alfred was barred from reacting because of her stare of death,other than trying profusely aim at the detonator she held with her land hand without breaking the eye contact. Once he reached it,he shook his head,snatched it and hit her nose with his other fist,then to adjust his glasses. He stood up swiftly and ran to the Cafeteria. She also got up and ran as well.

When they went inside the destroyed Cafeteria,the final stage of their battle commenced. Eager Anisah jumped on Alfred's back. The detonator was dropped for the third time. While she picked it up and stood up yet again,Alfred,instead of resuming the fight,entered the Kitchen,the place where he borrowed a lighter fluid for his immolation prank on Anisah during lunch time. He decided so because there were three or so durians inside a table's drawer which were classified as 'forbidden food',when he saw them beforehand at its past time. Spiky outside and rotten inside,Alfred brought four durians,careful not to drop any of them,onto cashier's desk.

"You know,Anislut. While Santa Claus sends coal for those brats who were naughty on any year,the worst brats out there receive durians." he chuckled menacingly,lifting a durian "However,if you don't want to get catapulted with these juicy stink-bombs,then give me back a device I rightfully found!"

"Is he serious?! Durians were MEANT to be labeled 'forbidden'. You never even tasted it!... And also,the detonator was never yours,and never will be!" Anisah argued to herself.

She checked the clock on a pillar. It's 23:52. She's running out of time. Anisah was aware that the moment she fails to miss a durian attack,she'll face the same fate as her twin brother. Her strength was diminishing,but she wasn't going to surrender to the enemy,nor did she care. To that end,Anisah analyzed that,according to her calculations,Alfred's Achilles' heel was his head,chiefly his glasses,and crotch. If she could evade all durians and/or throw them back at his weakest spots,she would achieve victory.

"No answer? Well then..." Alfred grinned "FETCH!"

The first durian flied towards her. Anisah used scattered desks and chairs to hide from it. She missed it,but the durian hit the wall behind her. She could smell the stench from here,and was absolutely disgusted. It was too unbearable for her,almost having an urge to puke,so she had to cough. After resisting,she firstly took a deep breath,and then held another breath for as long as she could.

Anisah jumped out of the barricade and taunted him to throw every last one of them at her. Alfred let out a frustrated growl and did so again. He flung the second durian and Anisah missed it again by hiding behind a pillar,although some dots of that stinking juice glued on her arms. She popped from the pillar and Alfred instantly threw the third one. This time,she caught the durian with both of her hands. It hasn't been easy for her though: the throw made her legs slide backwards and that fruit's spike touch her nose. After breathing in and out,she flung back at him. Unfortunately,he dodged it.

The final durian was raised,positioned above his head. Anisah sticked out her tongue onto her upper lip and grabbed a broken plate,throwing it at Alfred's right hand. He fell for it and opened his grip in shock,letting the last durian crush onto his head like a coconut falling from a palm tree. The sticky,putrid juice showered his hair and face,the way he did with Arisha's spaghetti-filled cap.

Alfred roared in rage and charged at her one last time. He took the detonator from her hands and finally pressed the button,showing her a vile grin and widened eyes as he laughed mad. Momentarily,all planted explosives exploded consecutively. Both of them then hurried to the exit as the inferno consumed Aintisar's locations and melted concrete and ceramic decorations. Alfred and Anisah tried to trip one another into having either of them die in flames,but it was wasteful.

By the time they escaped Aintisar into the Ski resort,the hotel crumbled to rubble,creating a massive avalanche to balance fires. All that was left of Aintisar were smokes enveloping the resort with its dirty fog until its dissipation,grinded concrete and the sole surviving door which didn't lead to the now-annihilated entrance to the pub,but an another secret passage through which she planned her 'epic finale'.

Anisah dropped on her knees,opening her jaw,stunned at the display of how easily her hotel got demolished. It took less than a year for builders to construct Aintisar and it was knocked down in seconds. Alfred saw her frozen face,gleeful,and vertically waved his hand near her face to check if she was conscious. In a hindsight,he didn't seem to notice a couple of earthlings he had alienated,such as Anna,Malik,Chris and Samir,including his siblings Bill and Carly,watching him.

He slapped her right shoulder.

"There are your wasted 800000$ for you,Christmas bitch. For all the filth you flung at me,for all things you smudged my appearance with the fucking..." Alfred grabbed a small portion of durian's ooze from his hair and threw it away "...yucky slime,the Good has triumphed over Evil. Hero over Villainess!" Alfred said,cleaning up his broken glasses with costume's red jacket and put them back on "Now tell me,Anislut,how does it feel to have a celebration permanently ruined,how cruel must've been for someone who had to face consequences of her actions,hmm? I'll tell you: It's glorious. It may not sound sincere,but it's glorious. Glorious to see you suffer,of having lost your home and your savages,of a prospect of you becoming homeless..."

Alfred awaited her answer with his everlasting sadistic smirk,but it turned to a confused frown upon hearing Anisah bursting into laughter. She couldn't help herself,for whatever reason.

"HA,HA,HA,HA,HA! My home?! After all this time,you seriously thought Aintisar was my home?!" Anisah stood up,turning at him "My house is in Slinfah at Latakia,not on Mount Hermon,you dumbass! As for my 800000$... I spent a quarter of the lottery cash for Aintisar!"

"And with the other 600000$?..."

"For the reconstruction of my lands." she answered,smiling mischievously,raising her chin "Perhaps your 'triumph' wasn't so triumphant as you thought it would be,was it?"

He felt lump in his throat diving down his anus,disbelieved by what he had just heard. Alfred turned to the tiny crowd watching him,and they simply,with the exception of Carly and Bill,flipped him off.

Anisah wondered what he would say. She touched his nose,and then,to everyone's surprise,grabbed his head closer to hers,closed her eyes and kissed his scarred mouth. Her mouth pressed his own so tightly that Alfred's face blushed red like pepper.

"Oh,I just got reminded of something!" Anisah added,after backing her lips off "Remember the time when you asked me what's the Secret Location? Well,in that zone,there was a penitentiary which kept 40 Jihadists notorious for murder,torture and rape,caged in their respective cells. With your demolition completed,you just unleashed them."

"ISIS?..." he was confused "H-h-how?"

"See for yourself." Anisah told him,then shouted at the crowd "Everyone,stand back!"

The wooden door abruptly creaked open by itself.

"No hard feelings,Alfie!" were her last words spoken to him.

Five seconds later,a barrage of 40 ISIS terrorists rampaged as they bursted out of the door,screaming "ALLAAAAAAHHH!". Of course,these ones weren't the ordinary ISIS members. They were of different sizes,genders and speed: Small and tall,male and female,and slow and fast. All of them raised their index fingers representing Tawhid,waved ISIS,Soviet,UN,LGBT,ANTIFA and Palestinian flags,and they were shooting Alfred from their guns.

Realizing that this particular jihadist group is chasing after him,Alfred sprinted as quickly as possible towards his Apache helicopter which was parked at the edge of the hill. Even then,the bullets whom Jihadists were firing at weren't really bullets. They were foam bullets derived from Nerf,meaning that they were using Nerf guns,not AK-47s. Regardless,the amount of speed Alfred has spent led his Apple tablet,sleeping pills and Chlorpromazine and Diazepam boxes fall from the costume's pockets.

Not caring about everything,Alfred successfully fled them. He sat on the driver seat,slammed the door closed,fastened the belt and started his vehicle. Its rotors began rolling around. Stressed out,he turned from behind to see Jihadists cheering with their same gestures. He turned back and rolled his eyes,panting.

"Those fuckers don't know how to melt a fucking bullet right! What kind of Jihadists are they?!" Alfred ranted. His voice was shivering "At least I destroyed her precious hotel!..."

Anisah,Carly,Bill,Malik,Anna and Samir watched Alfred's helicopter go through the midnight skies,yet the time is so close hitting that period. The first three pushed the jihadists aside (not that they cared) to walk closer to the fence blocking dead Aintisar's slope. Anisah put her binoculars on with one hand,and a remote detonator with the other. She waited for his nemesis' helicopter to shroud as far away as it could get. When Anisah asked Bill what was the time and told her that it's 23:59 with remaining 15 seconds,she ordered everyone to chant the countdown.

10!

9!

8!

7!

6!

5!

4!

3!

2!

1!

---

1st January,2021 - 00:00

The Apache helicopter suddenly imploded in the sky ten kilometers away from where they were at,causing a burst of orange light to appear before them. Her click on that metal detonator at the zero second made sure of it. Countless of colorful fireworks flew from the implosion,sparking everywhere they went. They brought light in Hermon. The firework cannonade also came outside the hill.

In response,the Jihadists removed their masks and tossed them high above,hugging one another,jumping and celebrating as a whole. The identities of the 40 'jihadists' were those who one diligent guest might make a list of. Arisha,Vuk,Ivan,Ikram,Maria,Andres,Maximo,Adele,Liu,Laura,Aitor,Scepan,etc... All of them have rejoiced.

Anisah's 'epic finale' turned out to be her biggest troll since the Oil Prank.

"BEST DISH SERVED COLD EVER!" Sarah yelled in ecstasy.

"Never knew that being a Jihadick can be THIS amazing!" Vuk commented.

"ALAJO AKBAR!" Maria and Edu shouted in equal rhythm before laughing in tears.

"For once,the Jihadists have done something right." Arisha stated,admirably.

The guests have never been so thrilled in their lives. As they were busy celebrating,Carly and Bill approached the host.

"So,was this the 'epic finale' you mentioned about?" Carly asked Anisah,hands on her hips.

"Nem."

"I thought you loathe ISIS."

"I always do,but this was something I wished for since 1979." Anisah started explaining,in her friendliest tone "Like I've explained to you in the Park,ruining your older brother's days is my way of compensating injustices committed against me. Same goes for every attendee in Aintisar,who too have faced injustices from Alfred who henceforth hate him. After all,he was the one who sponsored ISIS the most." she then made Carly move closer to her right side by using her hand,pointing her finger at the crowd "Look at them. Have you ever seen the magnitude of their joy after all they've been put through. The special example being my sister Sarah Senussi."

"And how did you manage to make Alfred's helicopter go 'BOOM'?"

"Simple. On my orders,Chef Khalaf stole the last RU-AP mine from his large briefcase inside his helicopter and placed it on its engines,and his colleagues filled its trunk with firework rockets. The RU-AP explosion has had done its trick."

Following her answer,Bill stepped in. He beforehand walked towards the lost pill boxes and Alfred's Apple phone to pick them up. They were covered with snow,and Apple's screen was cracked.

"Anisah,looks like I've found Al's missin' phone and medicine boxes." Bill said,showing those things to her "I don' know what should we do about them."

Anisah took the latter and threw them out of the slope into the forest below,never to be seen again.

"Why the heck did you throw them?!" he protested,shocked at what Anisah has just done.

"Alfie won't be needing them."

"What do you mean?! He brought them for a reason!"

"His problem,not mine."

She tried the same with Alfred's Apple tablet,but Carly abruptly grabbed Anisah's wrist,preventing that phone from flying away. The latter turned to the former,confused,and leaned her hand below the falling tablet through which she caught.

"Don't fucking dare..." she warned her,putting the tablet onto her pink winter jacket's pockets.

"Why?"

"That tablet needs to be brought back to Alfred." Carly reasoned "He won't be able to contact us if I and Bill don't do so once we come back from the party."

"Who cares about him anyway?" Anisah asked "Certainly not the celebrants behind us."

Carly shrugged her shoulders.

"My all git-out moment in your party was the secret Spa Room. The experience here was miraculous!" Bill said "I met Anna and your younger brother Yasser inside the Jacuzzi. Three of us had a nice chat while hovering in the pool. Do you know how I got there,Anisah?" he then asked boastfully "I engaged four guards in fights all by myself with no help inside their Staff Room,and even strangled a guard when I was on my way in finding the Control Room."

Someone then took Bill's ear,so tightly that it felt like someone's trying to rip it apart. He groaned loudly at the unexpected pull,probably because he didn't like Bill's honest explanation,and glanced behind him. It was Ikram.

"And if you'd fought me one-on-one in a small room,you ain't be seein' any sunlight of the next day!" he snapped at him with half gritted teeth,imitating the Texan accent just to mock him as he dragged his ear towards his face.

"Ow,OW! What's with the pullin'? Did I say somethin' wrong,Mr. Zaman?"

"It has nothing to do with what you said,Second-in-command." Ikram replied out of sarcasm.

"N-n-no! It wasn't my fault that Alfred ordered me to seek out the Control Room!" Bill tried to make an excuse.

"But you made your own choice,cowboy,and all choices have consequences!" he lectured him angrily,then threatened "Don't get me started on your roundhouse-kicking my incisor and how much money you owe for every material damage you caused!"

"You're still mad about me ejectin' your too-"

"Leave the young man be,Ikram!" Malik interfered,cutting him off.

Ikram growled.

"Nobody was talking to you,Malik!" Ikram let Bill go,and got close to him,angered "What are you looking at?! A still tongue keeps a wise head,and you better keep it that way! Or..." he took the pig nose mask from his pocket which Anisah have him,showing to him,clenching it before raising his fist at him. "ELSE!"

By the time the crowd settled down,everyone started chatting with one another. Laughs and cheers dominated the resort,recalling their best moments. Minutes later,they proceeded to play snowball fights against each other with assigned teams. Carly and Bill didn't want to participate in them,thereby deciding that it's time for them to leave Aintisar,believing that they overstayed their welcome. Anisah saw the two departing to the cable car. But just before they could enter it,she hurried towards the duo.

"Where are you going?!" she stopped them "The party hasn't ended!"

Carly and Bill turned to her.

"It was fun partying in your dead hotel,my friend,but we have to go back to our homes." Carly said,in a tone of feeling sorry for her.

"No really. We are deeply thankful for your entertainment,for inviting us." Bill paused to move his head at the cindered hotel "Still..."

Anisah turned back to what he pointed his sights at.

"Oh,come on! You can't just send last farewells to me over Aintisar's demolition!"

"Until next time!" Carly said.

"WAIT!" Anisah raised her voice,making them stop again and turn annoyed. "There's another cable car which leads to the Aintisar Park. It can carry four people maximum."

Bill raised his eyebrown,getting close to her.

"What park?"

"An underground amusement park you never been to,otherwise known as 'Secret Location'."

"What?... I thought the explosives' cellar was the Secret Location."

"No it's not. Neither was the Spa or the Control Room. I labeled few locations as 'Secret Location's' so that Alfred would never taste the true treasure of Aintisar."

He looked away shyly,looking at Carly and then at Anisah. His cheeks flushed out of pity. Noticing his facial expression,Anisah placed her hand on his own to hold it.

"Care to be the first to play rides and games in the Park?" Anisah was inviting him.

It took Bill a while to decide if he should accept or decline her offer. However,her next sentence persuaded him to choose the former option.

"Your sister went there."

Bill turned to Carly to ask if that was true,and she confirmed it. He then followed Anisah down the path where the cable car ride was at,on the very center of the Ski Resort. Carly joined in.

"One more thing." Bill stopped for a moment.

Anisah turned once more,next to a cable car.

"What thing?"

"How much should I pay for the damages?"

She merely chuckled.

"We'll negotiate together soon,but,oh boy,you owe tons of dollars!"

"Uhm...My savings are at five million." he told her,pointing his index fingers at one another,looking up "Can I send them all in the UN on Sunday noon,since I'm at fault?"

"It's actually unnecessary." Anisah replied,then suggested "You could filch half of Alfred's savings,if not all of them,instead of paying your own."

This made him feel better. Bill smiled.

"I'll see to it that it gets done." he winked at her.

"Then again," Carly concluded "We wouldn't have gotten into Aintisar without your invitation poster."

Bill nodded and hugged both Anisah and Carly at once. They hugged him back. After releasing them,they entered the cable car and let the machine transfer them inside. Three of them weren't alone: Many earthlings,like Arisha,Maria and Vuk,have also went there after Ikram announced them that the Park has been repaired.

And when Bill entered Aintisar's Cannon,put the parachute on and let himself launched by it,he screamed: "YYEEEEHAAAAAAW!"

All in all,Anisah was grateful that her project succeeded in the end,despite hotel's elimination. She knows that Aintisar will take less than two full years to arise from the rubble,and that she'll go back to the battlefield after the holidays,but this fact didn't dismay her.

For the first time in a decade,she has finally fulfilled her long-time desire of achieving happy ending,and hope for her and her people's future on New Year's Eve,for better or worse.

---

Epilogue: 3rd January,2021 - 18:00,Fessenden House

"Killer Santa massacres 4. Local Authorities profess outrage."

That was the main headline of the Baltimore Sun. Mick bought a newspaper yesterday in his home in Annapolis. When he finished reading it,he opt to head towards his boss' mansion if he was there,and it turned out that he wasn't. His wife Leah Jefferson urged him not to go there in fear of facing consequences. But again,like on December 28th last year,he dismissed her and told his wife and two of his children,Skylar and Blake,that he'll be fine.

The newspaper stated the following:

"Israel Police confirmed this morning that an Israeli farmer,Yered Matusevitch,his wife Ganit and two sons with IDF membership,were found dead in a rural area within Majdal Shams near Mount Hermon last night. Other than a blonde lock of hair,the crime scene reportedly offered insufficient evidence to profile the perpetrator effectively. Investigators suggest that a large kitchen knife was used to maim to death the entire Matusevitch family.

One witness,Yered's neighbor Baasim al-Kassem,claimed to have seen the perpetrator's appearance while he was passing by to his home after work. Although Baasim said that he had no clue of the killer's facial appearance,he stated that the killer wore a shredded Santa costume smeared with soot,dung,straw and blood. He also stated that his acquaintances and friends sensed a very strong odor of shit and Ammonia coming from the killer.

As Matusevitch's neighbors are preparing their funeral,mayor of Majdal Shams,Dulan Saleh,told the reporters that this tragedy hadn't been perpetrated by a lone wolf member of Hamas,Fatah,Al Qaeda,the Muslim Brotherhood or a crazed IDF outcast,but by a foreigner. One reporter even suggested that the killer can only be compared to Timothy McVeigh,an American domestic terrorist responsible for the Oklahoma City bombing that killed 168 people. Dulan assured the press that the Knesset and the Palestinian Authority should not be worried about him,as the killer's traces were nowhere to be seen."

Sitting on a chair beside Griff standing on his stand inside the main hall,Mick was horrified over the details of this murder in Israel's Golan Heights,re-reading them with more focus than yesterday in his home. He didn't know who was that monster who committed such atrocity in Santa's name,but most of the details typed in the newspaper scared him more. Yered's obituary didn't concern him.

What brought his attention the most was the total demolition of Hotel Aintisar on Mount Hermon,the day prior to the massacre in Majdal Shams. He couldn't help but speculate that Alfred might be the perpetrator. The thought of that made his heart race with higher frequency. All those aforementioned details,such as blonde hair and the costume,held the burden of proof. Mick remembered Alfred's angry remark five days ago,shortly after he,Bill and Carly left his boss' house for Aintisar,which said:

"If anything disastrous happens to me after I come back,you'll be a dead meat. You hear me? DEAD. MEAT."

As of today,Alfred has yet to appear. Mick was incredibly worried if he had died during the demolition or survived and then went apeshit. Did his siblings and Anisah also survived? He couldn't be sure. As such,before he laid his hands onto the newspaper,including his clean up of Alfred's bedroom and office,Mick contacted Emily if she knew when will her son cum brother come back,telling her that he was gone for two days after his partying in Aintisar. Emily replied that she never heard of Aintisar before,let alone found out that Alfred was in the party,stating that the last time she saw him was on the last UNSC meeting on 24th December 2020 where Anisah delivered her invitation posters,saying that she was disinterested. Before ending the call,she wished him good night.

Griff shouted after blinking and waving his head around. Mick got up to pick up a canned food and hand it to him. The pet eagle was impatient,showing the emotion by waving his wings.

"Be patient,Griff." Mick told him, "Your owner will eventually come."

Ten minutes later,a thunderous slam smashed the door bare to the floor. It nearly caused him to have a heart attack,how frightened he felt by the slam. Mick quickly turned around,only to regret doing it. The one who destroyed the door was the exact killer from the newspaper. And the blond lock of hair belonged to Alfred,whose hair was now extremely disheveled. In fact,the killer in question was Alfred. All clues about his appearance matched the description.

When Anisah pushed the button and had Alfred's helicopter implode to bits,Alfred fell down the mountain. Bewildered,rage-induced and scared for his life,he slid down the snowy slope for seven full minutes. Even the lower ridge of Hermon was merciless with him,having the less-snowy parts slippery for him. He ended up flying into a huge dunghill once he reached Hermon's base. Knocked out,he 'slept' inside that dunghill. After he regained consciousness,he popped out of the dunghill and saw a house at the farm he was in. From there,Alfred's psyche shattered to pieces,leading him to enter the house. The Matusevitchs welcomed him,albeit hesitantly,and offered him a free shower,asking him if he was alright beforehand. Alfred didn't gave them a reply,and quietly went to their kitchen to take a large knife. Soon after,coupled with him being off his meds for losing medication boxes and livid by everything it occured against him,he slaughtered all of them in bestial manner,screaming "ROACHES","SAVAGES" and just plain old gibberish,mistaking a Jewish family with Arabs. He had no other way of sating his sanity.

After finishing with his horror show,Alfred stole a phone from their house and contacted NATO marines from the nearest NATO base to rescue him,telling them the location he was in. Two days and six hours later,arriving at around 06:00,Alfred got inside their helicopter,only to steal a gun from a marine's pockets to kill them all at one's first complaint of his stench and taking control over their helicopter,disposing their bodies into the Mediterranean Sea.

These bloodshot,deeply bloodshot,eyes of pure fury and fire,plus the bared teeth,body and pupil shiverings,and destroyed glasses,starred at Mick's soul through his own eyes. The stare lasted for less than five minutes,standing still on Fessenden's doorstep. No word has been spoken,either.

In short,Mick is about to become a dead meat.

"M-m-Master Jones!" Mick called him,stuttering in dread,walking towards him "H-How was y-y-your t-time in Aintisar?"

Alfred didn't reply. Rather,he slowly walked forward,step by step,until he stumbled upon the trash can and grabbed the crumpled invitation poster of Aintisar,the one which haunted him during the early days of the last week of 2020. When they got closer,Alfred opened Mick's jaw and stuffed it into his mouth. Then,he gave him a brutal punch at Mick's mouth,making him fall to the ground. After that,he kicked Mick,stomped his head multiple times,and grabbed a vase to smash it onto Mick's head.

His pet on the other hand,thinking that he would get spared,dared to squawk. Alfred swung a food can at Griff. Griff failed to avoid the throw,falling down as well. As he advanced upstairs towards his bedroom,he shrieked like a banshee at top of his lungs.

"NO SALARY UNTIL APRIL!"

The message which echoed the hall was clear. Mick's head was damaged enough to be healed to the hospital. It was too late for him to realize that he made a fatal mistake visiting his mansion. He thanked God for getting away from facing literal death had he dared to resist Alfred's wrath,and for not hearing "YOU'RE FIRED!". When Alfred entered his bedroom,everything went back to the square one,but worse. He resorted to have a lengthy tantrum for as long as his burning screeches could handle,simultaneously crying and breaking everything inside.

It's then that it was time for him to flee the fuck now,putting on the jacket and rushing to his car and drive to his home. Mick would embarrass himself for admitting to his family that he was wrong,but it was far less painful and horrific than what he had just witnessed today. Mick swore to never visit him until April.

Mick's moral: Don't check him out when his boss doesn't call him and contact Emily first before deciding to continue working for her son-cum-brother. And Mick should've heeded Alfred's words to not work at the bar when he told him after that infamous meeting of December 24th,2020. The consequences had been expirienced by him firsthand.

THE END