6 October 2022
An abandoned warehouse in Bingol
Throughout the visit, the government of Packilvania attempted to portray their country as a blissfully harmonious place. The events had gone smoothly and the speech had transpired without a hitch. Politicians were feeling comfortable and getting excited to close off the rest of the visit tomorrow.
Security officials were restless and rarely closed their eyes to rest and with good reason. In an abandoned warehouse somewhere in Bingol, there was a small cabal of people with extreme political beliefs who wanted to use extreme measures to get their political message heard.
Four male Felines wore black clothes, polished, arranged and inspected bullets and sniper rifle barrels. They use high-tech radio equipment and laptops that looked like they were made in a movie. Their expressions were hard, seemingly unfamiliar with the notion of smiling.
From left to right: Thyfos, was the brains of the group and often handle the tech. He was a competent rifleman, but his strengths exhibited themselves most strongly on the computer screen and keyboard. Drakhnam was the third. He was large and burly, sharp, but better suited to close-quarter combat and situations that needed brute force and strength. The light bounced off the tight jacket that barely managed to remain in one piece under his extraordinary muscles.
The third member was Fareel. He was the most skilled rifleman. He was trusted to take out a target from 1000 yards. He was skilled and competent at the sniper rifle role that his former commander had thought he was born with a rifle in hand. Jafar seemed to have hands that could repair and retrofit any vehicle or device. He was in charge of ensuring that their equipment and cars were always in tip-top shape. He could tell you which part of the car was in need of repairs just by hearing the huffing and puffing of the exhaust.
Their leader, Ismos, opened the warehouse door and entered with a crate of drinks. The men had a proclivity for beer, especially before a big job. Some of them preferred something stronger which they kept tucked away in the sole of a shoe or the lining of a coat for emergencies.
Ismos was able to discern the contrivance of the mind from a quick glance at minor expressions and changes in body language. He was politically well-connected and seemed to have access to close doors and contacts with far-out-of-reach people. He had approached these four men one day when they were working in the Packilvanian Expeditionary Forces and offered them the prospect of money and adventure that dwarfed their salaries and career prospects working for the state. Facing personal and professional struggles and crossroads of their own, they acquiesced to his requests and slowly filtered out of the PEF.
Knowing that their skills were in demand and the government was wary of allowing trained assassins and competent soldiers to wander into the hands of some enemy force, they were subtle and slow in their exit. Their performance became deliberately deficient to the point where when the Commander overseeing them received their resignations, he gave a half-hearted gesture of appreciation for them and was all too happy to see them in retirement.
“I don’t like this”, Thyfos said as he drank the cold bubbling liquid. He continued, "You know very well that we have always agreed to maintain a safe distance from the Imperial Family and the government.
“Look”, Ismos said, “This client is legit and he’s paying a lot of money for this job, more than we are used to”.
“While Thyfos and I do not always see eye to eye”, Jafar said, “I must agree”.
“Look”, Ismos said, “We’ve gone over this. It’s not like the client has asked us to kill anyone, least of all anyone in the Imperial Family”.
“Right! He only wants us to plant a bomb on the processional route of the parade from the Palace of Parliament for laughs”, Fareel replied sarcastically.
“Look, gents”, Ismos said annoyed, “I don’t know where all these complaints are coming from. We already agreed to do this so why are you getting cold feet at the last second”.
“That’s right”, Jafar said, “Any doubt will threaten our operation long before it’s started”.
Ismos nodded in agreement and said, “Exactly. All of us here have debts to pay and problems to pay and this client has the means to set us free from this life of bounty hunting. I know I promised you the means to leave this life of banditry. Now, you finally have it”.
Drakhnam said, “I wonder if there’ll ever be a normal life for us. Once a killer. Always a killer”.
“That’s the spirit Drakhnam!” Ismos said, “Always the happy-go-lucky totally not ironic one. And besides, it’s not like we were ever meant to kill anyone. We’re just giving the Imperial Family a scare. They’ve sat on top of the gravy and mash Pax Fruits for too long”.
Thyfos interjected, “Ismos! You know that inspirational and political speeches are not your forté”.
“That’s true. That indeed is true”, Ismos said nodding his head profusely like a jumping jack in agreement. With the elegance and flourish of a magician’s hand, he opened the briefcase he had been carrying with Him, packed to the brim in cash.
Jafar proclaimed, “You can’t keep flashing the money in that briefcase at us and thinking that it’ll motivate us”.
“Oh really?” Ismos asked as he held the briefcase closer to Jafar’s face.
Jafar replied as he rolled his eyes, “Okay, maybe just a little”, as he took a single banknote with his colleagues staring at him.
“What?” he asked them, “I just wanna buy me a beer. That’s all. And you know we’re all getting a fair cut”.
“Take that 144 dinars off his cheque”, Drakhnam said.
“Laughs aside”, Ismos said, “We can do this and we’re gonna be fine. In and out like a flash”.
6 October 2022
Astlyon, Free Pax States
“How’s dinner, sir?” Sabine asked Prince Kujil as he sat at the head of a long table and ate his food.
He wiped the crumbs off his face with a white linen napkin and said, “Thank you, Sabine! The meal was lovely”.
“I’m glad to hear that sir”, Sabine replied with a small bow and a smile as he picked up the plates and cutlery he was using. “Your wife is calling you, sir”.
“Right”, he replied.
“Pass her here”, he said as Sabine handed him His Primrose tablet.
“My love!” Prince Kujil said, “How have you been, my sweet angel?”
“Don’t ask me that, you fiend of a man”, Wasalea screeched over the phone, her high-pitched sound prompting the speakers to buzz, “When are you coming home to me, the mother of your children! How much I miss you! It has been terrible without you”.
“Oh, my darling”, he said, “Soon enough, I will be reunited with you. You know how cruel and unjust my cousin can be”.
But, my love, you scoundrel", Wasalea said, “Why can’t the kids, that bucked-toothed mule you call your second wife, and I come live you in FPS”.
“My darling”, Prince Kujil said, “We have spoken about this. Prince Thumim can’t just scare us out of our own country”.
“Based on the fact that you’re in hiding like a quivering rat in that country of moral degenerates”, Wasalea screeched, “Is clear evidence that he can do what he wants! At the end of the day, this is his country. Just accept that and let us come live with you”.
“No, Wasalea”, Prince Kujl said, “You and Faziah, whom I might remind you is your sister’s wife and you should respect her, and the kids belong in Packilvania. That is our home and we must fight to stay there”.
“I suppose. Have you heard that he’s stripped so many Princes of their right to pass on their Imperial status to their children”, she asked him, “This whole business is dreadful!”
“Yes”, Prince Kujil replied, “This is exactly why you must trust me to do what I can. He is a danger to our country and our family”.
“Alright, my love. I trust you”, Wasalea, “We’ll chat later, my love, you useless spineless fish of a man!”
“I love you my delicate flower”, Prince Kujil said as he blew kisses at her, “Bye-bye, now”.
“Sabine”, he declared, “Tell the men to get into position”.
“Right away sir”, Sabine said as we went away.
Picking up the telephone in another room, she spoke into the receiver and said, “It’s go-time!”