Koruna

Full Circle

Chapter 90

Full Circle

Ottah took some time finding the right keys before loosening the chains, he passed on the keys to others as he pretended to still be tied up. They watched solemnly as Jonathan’s men made merry and made mockery of them. Jonathan was beginning to lose consciousness, by the time he figured out that there was something wrong, his hands slipped off Mariam’s waist as he fell unconscious.

“This has to be the single most gross thing I have ever had to do.” Mariam muttered to herself.

Grace whistled the signal to Ati and his men as they broke free and attacked Jonathan’s men who were too drunk to make sense of what was happening. The ones who had their wits on were too slow to respond and too few as more of Ati’s men had joined the party. Grace had joined them as they killed Jonathan’s closest men and kept the rest of them in prison. Ati had his doubts about the plan but seeing Jonathan unconscious and vulnerable made him think that the risk was worthwhile.

Jonathan was still unconscious when his hands and legs were tied. He was left with only his underwear as he was left in one of his dark rooms unconscious. Ati made arrangements to tidy up whatever was left of his men especially those far away. He knew that Jonathan had men stationed in random places but it would make no difference as he was taking complete control of Flames. He had no false ideas about his responsibility, they are each cut from the same cloth. He bit his owner and became one, as did Jonathan who now will follow the same trend.

Ati watched the unconscious Jonathan and fathomed how easy it was to fall from power, the struggle to the top is always met with challenges and difficult undertakings but one small mistake can break all that wall into nothing. All it took was for someone who wanted it enough and people who wanted to break free from his rule.

Jonathan had already made arrangements for the people in Flames to be here when day breaks, he decided not to change the arrangement and take a play from Jonathan’s book. Let people see how powerless he had become, Jonathan wasn’t untouchable, all that glamour and fear gone. Underneath that was someone just human.

His men were at alert for the rest of the night, even with victory at their fingertips neither of them were relaxed. The tension was high in the air, the people who were brought for pleasure were all sent to their various homes as Mariam was also sent home with Flank as a guard. Ati watched warily as his plans came to life, if it were up to him he would love to end Jonathan’s life to avoid any uncertainty but the people in Flames needed to know that the tyrant was nothing.

If you kill a man as a monster, he will be a monster to them all of their lives but if they saw him like this, beaten and battered they would see that he was just like every other person. Flesh and blood and that was why he personally guarded him.

“We are close.” Ottah said to Ati.

“Close doesn’t mean done. Even if he dies, he has people loyal to him and they will come for my neck.” Ati murmured.

“We will be ready. We will always be ready.” Louise answered.

Ati smirked at the loyal men by his side, “When we do this, he will lose lots of those loyal to him. Most people are loyal out of fear, the others can be weeded out with time.”

“I can’t believe we did this.” Grace said excitedly.

“Keep it in your pants.” Ottah scolded.

“That is where it always has been.” Grace snickered. He could not understand why they were not happier, this was something they had looked forward to. Was there something he was missing

Day was breaking slowly as Jonathan’s eyes opened. His head was too heavy as he grunted, he thought to himself that he was never drinking again. When he thought about alcohol his thoughts sharpened, there was no way alcohol did this to him. He opened his eyes slowly and was aware of his state of undress before figuring out that his hands and legs were tied. Jonathan’s heart pounded as he came to the realization that he had been had In a game he thought he was winning. He didn’t panic but tried to be familiar with the darkness. Ati felt dizzy when he tried to sit upright then a voice in the darkness called out to him.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you. The drugs should still be in your system.” Ati said to him.

Drugs? He had been drugged. Of course he had been drugged, Jonathan thought as a fair face of the woman he was last with burned through his mind. A mistake he thought, he should have known. Nothing was ever that easy. “I am impressed.” Jonathan said simply with cracked voice.

“I am honoured.”

“Is that right?” Jonathan pulled himself together and dragged himself to the wall where he sighed as he rested his head.

“Well, you are Jonathan Reeves. The big bad wolf of Flames.” Ati said without emotions.

“You can gloat, this is the right time for it.” Jonathan chuckled at his state. It had been a long time that he was at anyone’s mercy.

“Gloating isn’t my thing.”

“Please, you have me at your mercy. I am Jonathan Reeves!” He screamed out loud wincing internally at the headache that followed.

“Yes, you are. Why did you sell them? You had everything… why did you do this?” Ati asked genuinely curious.

Jonathan laughed at the question, he could not believe that he was beaten by such simpleton. Exactly, there was no way this thug could come up with a plan that he would fall for, he chuckled loudly as he thought about the one person he had always been wary of but never seemed to get rid of. “That bitch, that fucking bitch.” He whispered loudly. He should have killed her when he had the chance.

“Did you call me a bitch?” Ati asked amused.

“No, not you. You are still a dog.”

“Same difference. Who then?”

“You know who? The person smart enough to fool me. Using my own arrogance against me. Koruna!!! You should kill her now that you can or she will come for you.” Jonathan said with a shake of his head.

“Ah… I see. Why? Why did you sell your own people?” Ati asked again ignoring the Koruna bit.

Jonathan laughed again but lower this time, “I have no people. I am me and that is it.”

“It’s sad.”

“Pity? I can’t believe that it’s you.”

“Me what?”

“There is always someone better, smarter, bigger than you. I didn’t think it’d be you who would take my throne. I had always thought it’d be someone else.”

“A member of the council? The unknown one?”

“Are you trying to give me a deal?”

“I am naïve, but I am not stupid.” Ati sighed.

“I could tell you more about the Council.”

“I don’t care for them. At the end all of you are just wealthy people who take advantage of others behind a mask while thinking you are better than everyone else.”

“What is the difference between us two?”

“I don’t think I am better than everyone else. Maybe tougher but not better. I don’t know what I thought I would see but I am disappointed at how simple it all is.” Ati sighed again.

“What is?”

“Greed. It’s all greed in the end.”

“Oh, the dear old friend. Careful there it’ll creep on you, you won’t suspect it then suddenly all you have won’t be enough anymore, you will keep on wanting more and more. I was once like you, I hated mu master with everything that I had but you see after I killed him and swore that I would be nothing like him. Well I succeeded, I am nothing like him, I became stronger.”

“How come I never noticed how chatty you are?”

“Death does something to a person’s personality.” He shrugged.

“Are you afraid of death?”

“I fear nothing Ati.”

“Impressive.” Ati commented.

“I am honoured.” He grinned. Jonathan sighed deeply as he knew that his time was coming to an end. “What are your plans for me?”

“Tell me where the rest are. I know that not all of them are sold, give me something worthwhile and maybe I’ll spare your life.”

“You said you weren’t stupid.”

“I am not but I pick my battles.”

“There’s a ledger and a journal in my room, just under my bed. You will have access to all the information you need.” Jonathan said.

“That easy?” Ati frowned.

“Men like us. We know when we have lost and my life is my life. I lived longer than I thought I would, you on the other hand have no idea the world you are about to enter.”

“It’s time. The people you have trampled on again and again are here for you. Any regrets Jonathan?”

“I do have one. I should have killed Koruna when I had the chance.” He smirked as he was dragged by Louise and Ottah outside.

Jonathan stood upright despite his hands and legs tied, his proud chin as he maintained his gaze with the people who had gathered. Ati had to respect the man’s demeanor, even being half naked could not take away the essence that was him.

Nothing was said for a while until a boy of about sixteen picked up a stone and threw at him, “This is for my father Mathew!” He screamed.

More people joined it as a woman burst into tears, “Give me back!!! Give me back my son and daughter!!! Ko ni da fun ee!!!” She cussed out in her native language as people hurled insults at Jonathan.

Jonathan looked unbothered even as some of the stones hit him, he smiled through the pain. He looked straight at Ati, “I own my life. Not even you can take that away.” He looked up into the sky as he screamed, “Now!!!” A gun shot came from nowhere and landed on his forehead.