Author's Note: Trigger Warning: Violence is described in chapter. Reader's discretion is advised
Edwin P.O.V.
"I said put the phone down Edwin!" Bupu said in a loud, aggressive tone.
I then began to gently put my phone down. But I guess that wasn't fast enough for Bupu's taste.
He then used the butt of his handgun to smack me in the face and then smack me in the hand before he kicked the phone away from me.
"Edwin!" Jasiri yelled and the entire group then started to turn towards our direction.
"Bupu what are you-" Beshte was saying before everyone else noticed that Bupu was armed.
"Okay everyone, put your hands up! DO IT NOW BEFORE I DECIDE TO PULL THIS TRIGGER!" Bupu said sternly.
Everyone began to slowly raise their hands above their heads, as did I.
"Bupu?! WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?" Muhimu asked nervously.
"I got a phone call from Jamal. They looked deeper. Bupu's with Simba!" I said to the group.
"SHUT UP EDWIN! I can speak for myself! But yes, I am helping Simba." Bupu said.
Everyone is a mix of shocked, angered, and afraid.
"BUPU WHY?! WHY WOULD YOU EVER EVEN CONSIDER HELPING THAT MONSTER WITH ANYTHING?!" Jasiri asked Bupu.
"Well…like the rest of you guys, I initially thought that he was nuts. But then Simba convinced me to hear him out and I thought that he actually had some good points. Because as you know….like him….I also used to be a leader of respect and well regard. I played a role in major decisions for my herd and even others in the Pride Lands. But then I lost my herd through the events of the drought, which led to a certain set of events that pushed me from antelope herd leader to janitor. I HATED being a janitor….a job where I literally clean other people's messes for them. I only kept those jobs for a while because I needed money to support myself and help me with school. Eventually all that school got me was being Ma Tembo's sidekick. Simba and his campaign will give me a chance to regain the respect and prestige I once had as leader of my herd. He offered me a cabinet position when he got elected. So I guess you can say he assigned me as a double agent per say, to collect any information on you guys and the alliance to see how much of an obstacle you guys would be for him and the others. I did this particularly after Simba and others 'took care' of Rafiki, Zazu, and Timon. Those three knew too much anyway. I also informed them regarding this plan as well as Kiara and Kovu's initial plan." Bupu said calmly.
Everyone is shocked by what we all just heard. I saw that Kiara, Kovu, and Vitani were particularly shocked at the last part.
"WHAT?!" Kiara, Kovu, and Vitani yelled.
"So you were the one that got us captured?!" Kovu exclaimed in a shocked tone.
"We went through all that abuse because you reported us to him?!" Kiara said angrily.
"YOU LET MY BROTHER AND SISTER-IN-LAW GET HARMED AND HELD CAPTIVE ALL OVER THE HOPE THAT KING BLOODLUST WOULD KEEP HIS PROMISE OF GIVING YOU SOME DUMBASS POSITION!?" Vitani yelled angrily.
Vitani looked as she was initially going to approach Bupu. But he pointed his gun at her, which caused her to stand still with her hands up, but she still had an angered expression on her face.
"It is not a 'dumbass' position for a smart mouth. It will be a legitimate position once Simba gets elected." Bupu sternly said.
"But he has only gotten 1 or 2 percent in early mayoral polls last time I checked." Makini said.
"ALRIGHT! THE NEXT PERSON WHO SAYS A SMARTASS REMARK WILL HAVE THEIR BRAINS BLOWN OUT!" Bupu yelled angrily.
It was now dead silent. No one was making a sound for thirty whole seconds.
"Bupu…you don't have to do this…." Jasiri calmly said.
I got worried because I'm not sure how short of a fuse Bupu has at the moment.
"Bupu ... .Don't do this…..Is the promise of some so-called leadership position really worth killing friends and people you know and work closely with? Do you know how betrayed I feel? Do you know how betrayed all of us feel knowing that you are willing to sign over all our lives to appease some egomaniac? Do you know how betrayed we feel that you were responsible for getting Kiara and Kovu captured, and went through a week's worth of trauma and abuse? Is that really the legacy you want to lea-" Ma Tembo said as she slowly started to approach Bupu and-
All of a sudden…..the worst-case scenario happened.
We see Bupu pull the trigger several times
Six deafening bangs were heard.
We are now frozen in shock and horror at witnessing Bupu shoot Ma Tembo.
We see the blood coming out of the wounds on her torso, neck, and head.
She stood still for a second or two before collapsing in front of our eyes.
The floor around her soon began to turn crimson as her blood continued to exit her wounds.
All of us either screamed or gasped and put our hands over our mouths, just realizing what just happened.
In my mind, I'm still trying to process what just happened. In front of my eyes….actually many people's eyes…just saw my boss and close friend get killed by another one of my colleagues.
"I'M NOT TAKING ORDERS FROM YOU ANYMORE! I WARNED YOU….ANY UNNECESSARY REMARKS AND I WOULD USE THIS GUN…..And now me and some high caliber bullets showed you how." Bupu said transitioning from an angry to a calmer…colder tone.
"Bupu…wha….wha…..what did you just do?! Wh….Why?!" Makini said with a saddened yet shocked tone.
"I can't believe you actually just DID that!" Jasiri said.
We then heard footsteps and saw that a man was walking towards us. He has curly reddish-brown hair and blue eyes. We recognize him as one of the night security guards at the museum through the uniform that they were wearing.
He then quickened his pace at seeing Ma Tembo's body laying on the floor and Bupu holding the gun.
"Hey! What's going on over he-" The security guard is saying-
BANG!...BANG!...BANG!
Three gunshots suddenly sounded. Quickly after the gunshot sounded….the security guard collapsed on the floor.
"RAY!" Beshte yelled. Perhaps they have worked prior shifts together before or something.
As we turned behind Ray's body to see the source of the gunfire, we saw another figure walk towards us.
As the figure walked closer to us…Fear…is….traveling all across my body. The others are looking shocked and scared too. With one or two even looking angry.
The figure is soon revealed to be Simba, and he's holding a gun towards us.
He has what I can only describe as a cold, sinister smile on his face.
"Okay, now there will not be any more interruptions, now Bupu, we can move onto the next stage of our plan…" Simba calmly said before he made a signal with his hand.
All of the sudden, from other areas of the main floor, Kion, Bunga, Tiifu, and Twiga appear to surround us. All of them had guns in their hands….pointed directly at us.
"It's a shame that you traitors still refuse to learn your lessons. After every attempt….everything I've done….nothing came through to you eight hybrids….well seven excluding the bleeding elephant in the room….hehe. And you…..Edwin Mariani…..you have been nothing but trouble since the genetics department hired you. You ruined my son's chances of reuniting with Jasiri, your bitch you call a mother cost me my marriage, and you had nearly everyone in the museum turn against me. And frankly, Jasiri has been helping you stir that pot as well, so the both of you will end up in the same place anyways. Kiara…..my own flesh and blood…..I still can't believe you and your wimp of a husband still ended up choosing their side even when we tried to guide you two towards the right path….but you two turn out just to be irreparably corrupt. You are not my daughter. Neither of you are my family. And soon you will be just pounds of flesh. Like the rest of you guys. Bupu, for your cooperation to our goals, you can have the second kill." Simba said.
"Gladly.." Bupu calmly said before he then cocked his gun and pointed it at Makini, who was kneeling over Ma Tembo's body.
We were all just shocked because if we tried anything then we would most likely get shot as well…but Beshte looked as if he was ready to try to either save Makini or try to make a heroic sacrifice to save his girlfriend.
Bupu pulled the trigger but all that resulted was a clicking sound. Bupu tried pulling the trigger on his gun a few more times with the same result. No bullets, only clicking sounds.
"Fuck! You gotta be kidding me! Is it jammed already?!" Bupu said.
All of the sudden Beshte ran and tackled Bupu to the ground.
Chaos is now among us as we all started to run in different directions on the floor, many including me taking our weapons out, and all of us began to dodge bullets as Simba and a few members in his circle started shooting at us.
Third Person P.O.V.
In Ono's hotel room, Ono, Jamal, Raoul, and Anahita are now petrified with fear when they heard Bupu's voice demanding Edwin to put the phone down.
And that feeling got even worse when they heard the sound of Bupu hitting Edwin and the sound of the phone being kicked away.
"HELLO?! HELLO? EDWIN CAN YOU HEAR ME?! PLEASE PICK UP!" Jamal yelled before putting the phone down.
"Guys this is bad! We need to call 911 and tell the others!" Jamal said.
"On it! I'll start texting the others, Raoul and Anahita, both of you call 911 before you tell the others, and Jamal monitors that phone call and doesn't hang up. And record the call as it could potentially be evidence! And let's get in the bathroom and lock ourselves in just in case Simba decides to send someone now that our location has been compromised." Ono said in an urgent tone.
They all soon start heading to the adjacent bathroom as they are either calling 911, listening to the ensuing chaos in the museum through Jamal's phone, and warning the others of what is going on.
Meanwhile, in the lookout car outside the hotel, Firuza, Violetta, Fabian, and Samuel were shocked at the news they just received about the current situation at the museum.
"So Bupu was in Simba's circle the whole time?!" Firuza said.
"I can't believe it!" Fabian said.
"Me neither! But this means that our plan is exposed, so we need to call 911 and head towards Ono's hotel room door. That way we can potentially protect him and the others in that room just in case Simba sends someone!" Violetta said.
They soon parked the car, grabbed their bags and headed up to the hotel room to try to guard Ono's door.
Meanwhile, in the other cars stationed around the museum.
Camille, Rani, and others in their car are listening to the phone call from Raoul.
"Okay, we'll keep a lookout and drive a little closer to the museum just in case any additional backup is needed. Alright, bye and stay safe." Camille said before she ended the call.
"Guys this is bad! We need to go closer to the museum just in case they need more help!" Rani said.
"Yeah, and all of you call 911 while I get our car closer to the museum." Camille said before she started her car.
"What?! How could Bupu do this? Okay, we'll call 911 and get closer to the north side of the museum just in case more backup is needed! When we get there, everyone take your weapons just in case they need us in there" Pete said to the others in his assigned car as he began to drive towards the north side of the museum.
At the car stationed on the north side of the museum, Makuu, Vuruga, Anga, Fuli, and Yezekael are momentarily frozen with shock and anger at how Bupu could betray and lie to them. This then changed to an overwhelming sense of urgency when realizing that their friends are in danger.
"Okay guys, Bupu's on Simba's side, and the group in the museum is in danger. Everyone grab your weapons and phones! We're going in!" Makuu said as Fuli turned off and unlocked the car.
"Still can't believe Bupu would do this?" Fuli said.
"To think I trusted him for all those years…" Vuruga said.
They all soon took out their weapons. Fuli, Anga, and Yezekael all took out their standard security tools and weapons which include tasers, pepper spray, night sticks, flashlights, and even handguns just in case they need them. Makuu took out a pocket knife, a kitchen knife, and even a heavy flashlight. Vuruga has pepper spray, a kitchen knife, a pocket knife, an empty wine bottle and a taser.
They soon exited the car and approached the lower-level museum entrance with weapons in hand.
In the main floor of the museum, it was now chaos in which everyone was either fighting each other or dodging bullets that were being shot at them.
Makini was dodging the bullets while also dragging Ma Tembo's body to safety behind the nearby museum information desk to hide from possible attacks. As she got behind the desk, she decided to check if Ma Tembo had any signs of life left on her. She wasn't hopeful. Ma Tembo had several bloody wounds, including in her chest and head.
"MA TEMBO! PLEASE WAKE UP! MA TEMBO?! MA TEMBO DON'T LEAVE US!" Makini yelled pleadingly as she shook Ma Tembo's body. Tears ears starting to develop in her eyes.
There was no response from Ma Tembo. Makini noticed that Ma Tembo's body was starting to get on the colder side. She checked for a pulse in multiple places on Ma Tembo's body. Her neck, her wrists, her chest, and even in her trunk, but Makini felt nothing except the still texture of her skin. Makini even tried to open Ma Tembo's eyes with her hands to see if she responded in any way. There was no response whatsoever.
Makini is now realizing the tragedy that is in front of her. Ma Tembo, her boss, colleague, and friend, is no longer alive. She did not survive Bupu shooting her.
"No…..No No No No No…This can't be…..Not you Ma Tembo…..Why you?!" Makini said while holding Ma Tembo's body. No longer being able to hold back tears.
Beshte was eventually able to subdue Bupu. During his scuffle with Bupu, he acquired several bruises and two bullet graze wounds, but he was able to put Bupu in a headlock and drag him to behind the information desk as the other attackers were occupied with other people.
He gets behind the information desk and uses one of his sets of handcuffs to restrain Bupu . After he checked to see that Bupu was securely restrained and subdued, he saw that Makini was also there with Ma Tembo's body with tears in her eyes. She started shaking her head in sorrow. Beshte understood exactly what this meant.
"So she's really gone…" Beshte quietly said.
He then turned towards Bupu, staring at him with daggers in his eyes.
"Are you happy now? Because of your desperation for power and so-called respect, you killed a dear friend, and after this you'll be facing a murder conviction." Beshte said in a cold yet angry tone.
"Makini, stay here, call 911, and keep an eye on him. I'm going to help others." Beshte said as he took out his gun and head to see if he could help the others.
Muhimu is trying to run towards one of the museum exits, knife in hand, to get help….that was until Twiga ran in front of her with a gun pointed to her.
"Muhimu….just drop the knife and accept your fate…I'm sorry it has to end like this….but you just had to join this cockamamie scheme here…You really lost touch with your roots Muhimu….both you and Hamu….and even Juhudi stopped taking my calls and messages…..But that's okay….I have regained a new purpose…a purpose to serve King Simba once again…..and despite enjoying our friendship over the past two decades…..I have to do this….you are just an interruption to a whole greater purpose…." Twiga said before she started pulling the trigger.
"No Twiga…..you were the one that changed…You somehow got convinced to join this….this….thing to satisfy one individual's delusions…." Muhimu said in response.
A bullet was shot, but Muhimu was able to dodge it, and started to dodge more of the bullets that started to come.
Muhimu was running away from Twiga but then felt something scrape her arm and then something,or someone ... .suddenly tackling her down.
She then turned around to see Twiga was the one who tackled her. Just as Twiga was about to point her gun towards Muhimu, Muhimu was able to kick Twiga in the abdomen which was enough to escape Twiga's grip and get a firm grip on her knife and started pointing it to the individual she once considered her best friend.
"Twiga…this is your chance…..we can talk and you convince your cronies to let us out ... .and potentially-" Muhimu said before a bullet just nearly missed her head.
She then began to run again with Twiga chasing her shooting at her. Muhimu tried running faster but then she felt a pain in her ankle which caused her to stumble.
She tried to get up again but she felt a jetting pain in her ankle which caused her to scream. It only took her seconds to realize that she was shot in the ankle area.
She saw Twiga getting closer to her and tried to crawl away the best she could before Twiga was just a foot away from her.
With as much strength and speed as she can muster, she got up through the pain.
She was able to get the gun out of Twiga's hand before she could pull the trigger, throw it as far from Twiga as possible, and was able to use her knife to defend herself, being able to slash Twiga on her arm.
"Aaagghhh!" Twiga shouted in pain after Muhimu's blow.
Muhimu firmed the grip on her knife and pointed it towards .
Twiga began to approach Muhimu and began to ram into her. She managed to tackle Muhimu to the floor.
Twiga proceeded to punch Muhimu in the right side of her face, but Muhimu was able to hit Twiga back with a punch to Twiga's neck.
As Twiga attempted to deliver another blow before Muhimu managed to use her knife to deliver a wound to Twiga's shoulder as Twiga coughed.
"UUGGGHH! You fucking asshole!" Twiga yelled as she punched Muhimu in her side.
Muhimu was able to kick Twiga in her groin area, which caused Twiga to roll off Muhimu.
Muhimu did her best to run towards an exit to get help. She was still stumbling due to the bullet wound on her ankle. She was looking for either an exit to get out and try to call for help for herself and others or one of the bags that contained first aid supplies.
She was eighteen feet from the main floor's north exit. She was being hopeful of the opportunity to escape the fighting and get help for herself and the others.
Then all the sudden, she was pinned to the floor. The next thing she saw was Twiga…staring at her with anger and determination…..and much to Muhimu's dismay…Twiga was also holding HER knife.
Crap! It must have fallen out of my hands during the fight! Muhimu thought to herself.
"THAT'S IT! I'M TIRED OF YOUR SHIT! I HAVE A MISSION TO COMPLETE AND FRANKLY YOU AND YOUR NEW FRIENDS ARE IN THE WAY! So….any last words before I-" Twiga was saying angrily before all of the sudden, she was tackled off Muhimu by a sudden figure.
Muhimu was shocked and cautiously got back up, trying to put as little pressure on her injured ankle as the sounds of grunting soon become more audible
"Muhimu! Muhimu…. It's okay! I'm here! We're here!" A familiar voice sounded.
Muhimu turned around and saw Anga approaching her.
"Anga! What are you doing here!?" Muhimu said as Anga came to her aid.
"We're helping you guys! Ono told us he found some emails about Bupu being a 'double agent' for Simba. Fuli is handling Twiga right now, so let's just try getting you to a safe place and check out that injury." Anga said as she helped Muhimu get up.
Muhimu looked around and saw that Fuli was placing handcuffs on Twiga's wrists as she went with Anga to go to a safer place
Around the same time Muhimu and Twiga were fighting, Jasiri was running and trying to find safety until she tripped and then rolled over to dodge a bullet that was shot towards her.
As soon as she got up, someone hit her on the left side of her face and saw a pair of shoes near her. She looked up to see Bunga with a gun pointed to her. He had a
"Got you now Jasiri. You and all the others' crap ends now. Say good-UGGHH!" Bunga said before he ended up tackled by someone.
Edwin P.O.V.
I see Bunga pointing a gun at Jasiri. I have to do something.
I just started running and then I jumped and tackled him.
"If you think that your motherfucking hands are going to kill or even hurt my girlfriend….You thought wrong…..and you have to go through me first." I said angrily.
"Alright nerd…..I can adjust….." Bunga calmly said before he kicked my abdomen.
I let out a grunt before I got up and stabilized myself. Where did..
BANG!
Moved out of the way just in time, if I moved two seconds later, the bullet would have been in my head.
I'm now dodging bullets that Bunga is shooting at me with. I need to find a way to…..Agghhh!
Though the bullet didn't hit me per say, I felt it graze the side of my left shoulder, which still stings a little.
Bunga then ran towards me and pushed me against a nearby wall. He then pulled the gun towards my head.
He pulled the trigger….but only clicking sounds came out.
He pressed it again and only more clicking sounds came out. He must have ran out of ammunition. This is my chance.
I then kneed him in the groin, which caused him to loosen his grip on me and I managed to punch him in the face.
I tried to run away but then he ended up tripping me. I am now getting my pocket knife out.
Bunga punched me in the face but I managed to slash one of his hands with my knife.
"AGGHH!...YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR THAT!" Bunga yelled before scratching my face with the nails…..or claws on his fingers.
"Oh…I just realized….got a surprise for you….." Bunga said.
Bunga soon reached something from his belt behind his back and I saw he grabbed a second…..separate…gun.
I have to act now.
"Say hello to my little….." Bunga said in a cunning tone of voice.
I took my knife, I lunged toward him, managing to push his gun away, and I managed to stab him in his torso….I think I hit the area where the liver is.
"AAAAGGGGHHHH!" Bunga screamed loudly in pain.
I then pulled my knife out of Bunga's torso and started running away.
With my knife in my hand, I managed to get a decent distance away from Bunga.
I am looking for Jasiri to see if she is safe.
BANG!
I soon fell down and felt incredible pain now.
I grunted and screamed as I fell down, dropped my knife, and placed my hands on my abdomen where I felt the pain.
What happened?!
Why is there incredible pain in my abdomen?
I looked down to see….Oh shit.
Oh shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. SHIT!
My….my….hands….they're covered in blood…My blood.
I then look towards my abdomen to see a round bloody hole where the blood is coming from.
Fuck….I'm shot.
I slowly try to get up, covering my wound with one hand, grabbing my knife with the other.
But as I tried to get up, I saw another gun pointed to me. It was only one or two feet from my body.
I looked up, my eyes widened, and my stomach dropped when I saw the all-too-familiar face of the gunman.
He bears a sinister smile showing his teeth, whose feeling of dread is matched by the brownish-amber irises in his eyes. All surrounded by long red hair with black streaks.
It's Kion, pointing his gun at me with an entire expression of sinister determination on his face.
With the inner dread in my body rising, I firmed the grip on my knife and slowly started to raise it toward him.
"Oh….how….long…..I...have…..waited….for…this…" Kion said slowly and enthusiastically, maintaining that macabre expression on his face.
I stare directly in the eyes of a killer.