A Ride With Danger

Chapter Fourteen

The Lion's Den

Early morning, and we were all packed into Eugene's sedan, driving to Ranjit's abode. I'd gotten from Neil's blabbering that Ranjit lived out of town, deep in the woods, mostly for privacy reasons. It took a good 2 hours to get there, after driving through a narrow pathway and endless trees.

The lions den was a gigantic manor. The glorious mansion stood in the middle of surrounding grasslands with little cabins in it. It gave the impression of a castle at the center of village cottages. There were two gates, the huge main gate at the entrance of the manor, and the second more guarded more sophisticated gate, to the mansion.

A guard stopped us at the second gate and exchanged some words with Eugene, before letting us drive in. Parking our car in the beautiful driveway, we walked into the building. The mansion was more breathtaking inside. I was used to mansions, I'd lived in them most parts of my life. But this one was different. It had an Old English theme that suggested the architect had put much effort in it. This house proved that Ranjit was a man of taste.

We were led by one of Ranjit's goons to his "king's throne room". This guy sure thought of himself as a god. The "king's throne room" looked like a king's throne room, with a throne and guards and so on. Seated on the comfy throne was a short pudgy middle aged man I assumed must be Ranjit. Neil and Eugene bowing to him confirmed that.

  "Well well well. Isn't it my enemy's psychic. Eugene right?"

Eugene nodded.

"What do you want?"

Eugene made to speak, but Ranjit interrupted by bellowing at one of his goons to bring his morning snack. A few minutes later, three maids brought in something I would consider much more than a snack. No wonder he was fat. As he ate, he motioned for Eugene to continue.

"I'm here to make a private proposition." Ranjit stared lazily at him. "About Scorpion." He then ordered everyone else out.

  "What about Scorpion boy?" He sputtered.

"I understand you and Scorpion are arch enemies, and would surely like him out of your way. I have a plan that would leave Scorpion dead, but I need your armed force."

Ranjit stared at Eugene suspiciously.

"Your right boy, I do hate that traitorous bastard. But why would you want to end your own master?"

"Let's say your not the only one that holds a grudge." Eugene shrugged.

Ranjit chuckled, his potbelly bounced as a result.

"You can't deceive me boy. Scorpion  killed your family a long time ago, but you didn't do anything about it. Why now then?" He said.

"The only reason you want him dead, is because he wants you dead. You figured you could beat him to it."

Wow, there was no fooling this guy.

Neil visibly tensed, but Eugene held his calm.

"That's true, and I need your support. Help me and you'll finally have Scorpion out of the way." Eugene said, but Ranjit just chuckled.

  "I could do that, or I could just let you die. I don't need your help to kill the bastard." He grinned devilishly at us.

That was when I spoke up, drawing some attention to myself.

  "No you can't." I stated, and  Ranjit perked an eyebrow. I caught Neil and Eugene pleading with their eyes for me to shut up, but I continued.

   "If you could, you would have done it a long time ago. Eugene is offering you a golden offer, that would put you up at the top again. You'll loose nothing if you help us, but will gain a lot."

Ranjit stroked his bears as he studied me intently. The room was silent till he spoke up.

  "You argue a good point darling." He glanced at the guys. "You don't look like their kind. How did you get caught up in their mess?"

Again I caught them pleading for me to shut up, Eugene was glaring this time. I still ignored them.

  "I'm actually the reason they're in this mess. Scorpion made a deal with my father, but he failed in his part. Now Scorpion wants me dead, with all those who helped me."

  "Does your father happen to be Mr Valdez?" Ranjit questioned.

  "Yes, I'm Norma Jeannette Valdez."

Ranjit guffawed. His laugh was so loud, you would think the roof would cave in. He slapped his thighs and kicked his feet.

"I knew it! Did Scorpion really think his golden deal would actually work out? He'll just end up killing the man. And the idiot, making a deal with Scorpion to save his life, not knowing he was only sealing it."

Huh?

"What do you mean saving his life? What was the deal?" I asked anxiously.

I half expected him to get angry and send me away, but he was too pumped to bother.

  "You don't know?" He shook his head. "You're father took up a big contact right?"

I nodded, he was right. My father owned a huge tech company, one he'd built from the scratch. Recently, he'd won a contract of supplying the government with gadgets they would need for the railway station they were building in the far east. 

"Well the contract was huge, huge enough to catch other contractors' attention." He continued. "But your father won it, and many didn't like that. One hired Scorpion to kill him, that way, they could lay hands on the contract. But your father got a whiff of it, and made Scorpion a deal; spare his life, and he would pay him greater.

Scorpion, however, didn't want money, but he refused to tell him what he wanted in return immediately. Your father agreed, he was desperate. Scorpion halted the assassination as promised, and made his offer. Mr Valdez was to hand over his company, completely, to him.

The bastard actually thought he would do it. Pah! He downright refused, anything but his company. Scorpion could have just killed him off, but that wouldn't help him,  would it? No.... He decided to threaten him instead. But proved stubborn,  didn't he?"

Ranjit chuckled and hollered for the maids to take away his plate. The poor scared girls rushed in to clean up.
As for me, I was too dumbfounded to speak. Dad had actually conversed with Scorpion to save his life, and Scorpion, the greedy scoundrel, had asked for Dad's company, the company he had dedicated his life to building.

"The idiot thought the police could handle it. Now both he and his daughter would be dead." Ranjit continued his rantings.

  "Or less he is killed first." Neil spoke for the first time.

  "I'll think about it." Ranjit stroked his beard. "Come back tomorrow for my reply."

A goon walked us out 'the king's throne room'.

What do you think of Mr Valdez? Do you think he is justifiable for seeking Scorpion? What's your view of Ranjit.

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Stay toned, the action is coming soon.