Three years later

Swart had climbed through the ladders in the military and had banged the position as the Minister of Defense. He still remained friends with Philips even after their bonding experience back at the now desolated training center. He had his plans to remove the likes of George from the military after getting into that position but from the looks of it, it wasn’t going to be easy.

 “Congrats honey, you deserve to be the Minister of Defense” Hannah said patting Swart’s shoulder

“My friend, congratulations” Philips said shaking hands with Swart

“Thank you for coming” Swart said

“The pleasure is all mine, I have to go now since the President summoned me” Philips said

“Sure, thank you again” Swart said

“Minister of Defense, Swart. Don’t you think what we did three years ago was worth it?” George said

He was now a retired Army General and already old and wrinkly but he was like the godfather in the military. He still controlled the President like he was a pun on his chess board.

“What did you do three years ago? Hannah asked

“Oh, it’s nothing woman. Congratulations” George said walking off

Life went on for the people in Horki but the families of the late trainees were having it hard. Like Dana’s and the rest of her clique. Rose blamed herself for the three years the news of the explosion got to them. She blamed herself for not insisting to let her daughter stay back. She wasn’t even able to get any remnant from her. There was no body, no uniform or military dog tag to use. It was just her name they had engraved in their hearts.

“Today is Dana’s death anniversary Mom, aren’t you coming to the church?” Emilie asked

“Oh, I will come, later” Rose said looking so depressed

 “Other families with children Dana’s age have graduated from school and some have gotten jobs, but me? I didn’t even see my child’s corpse” Rose lamented

“I warned her, but she never listened, and you Nate, you supported her all the way” she added

Nate was looking much older than he was. All thanks to the death of Dana

The loss was great

 “Ahhhh…, today was hectic” Philips said as he sat on the sofa in his living room

“Well, at least you are an Army General” Elisa, his wife said

“Right, your husband is so cool isn’t he?” Philips joked 

“Mom, Dad” Thelma called running into the living room

“What’s wrong dear?” Elisa asked

“I think someone has been following me. When I look over my shoulders I don’t see anyone but I’m sure someone’s following me” Thelma complained

“Since when?” Philips asked getting up from his seat

“All day” Thelma said frightened

“Relax, maybe they wanted to get an autograph or something from you since you are the Army General’s daughter” Philips said

“Dad, autographs are meant for celebrities and you're not” she said

“Don’t worry, starting tomorrow I’ll get you bodyguards” Philips said

“You hear that? Nothing will happen” Elisa assured

“I hope so” Thelma said relaxing a bit

“Good, so go get your shower, I’ll set the table” Elisa said getting up

“Okay Mom” Thelma replied as she raced to her room

“She looked pretty scared” Elisa said

“Yeah” Philips agreed

Thelma screamed from her room and fell to the floor in fear. Philips and his wife rushed into her room wondering what had happened.

“What’s wrong dear?” Philips asked running to her

“Dad, look at this” Thelma said pointing to the wall in her room

The previously pink painted wall had turned blood red.

“What is this?” Elisa asked

A note was left on the wall written in red

“WE ARE COMING FOR YOU- 5” Phillips read out loud

“Dad, I’m scared” Thelma said sobbing

“Don’t worry about it, I’d go check the security cameras” Philips said

“Elisa you stay here with her okay? If anything happens call me” he added running off. Philips was surprised to see some of the security cameras turned to a different direction and some shot at.

“Where the hell is the stupid security!” he thundered

He walked to the security room where the men protecting him stayed to find them all lying in a pool of their own blood.

“What the hell!” he exclaimed surprised

There was yet again a writing on the wall in black paint this time.

“THESE SECURITIES WILL NOT SAVE YOU FROM US. IF YOU DON’T WANT ANYMORE INNONCENT BLOOD SPILLED STOP HIRING THEM. WE WILL FIND YOU. 5”

“Honey what’s this?’ Elisa who was dragging Thelma behind her asked

“Someone is trying to get at me” Philips said

The television in the well spacious room and well furnished house was switched on and the early morning news was broadcast.                                                                                                                     

“This is the Finder and I am Malinda Toni reporting live. We are in the house of the newly appointed Army General of Horki and it is in an ocean of blood”

“According to the General, some bandits have made his family a target as a result of the many drug dealings that he had put an end to. However, he stated that he’s daughter Thelma Philips had complained earlier about someone trailing her all day”

“It is obvious that the good General’s family is in danger so the re-elected president of Horki has assured him and his family of their safety. Also, the General informed us that there is nothing to point out about these bandits since they left no notes behind except a pile of dead bodies and this is certain that the bandits responsible for the death of the security officers in General Philips home are just a mere terror group with instincts purely to kill”

The television was switched off and the girl with the remote dropped it to the pink carpet. She sighed and sat on the couch. The job they had done in Philips’ house was quite a tedious one. It wasn’t easy to kill and be silent in the process but they had done a clean job. Their only anger? Their deed wasn’t reported in the way they expected.

“Wow, a pile of dead bodies? We killed only 24 security guards. Don’t you think they’re exaggerating?” she asked

“That isn’t even what I’m mad about. They said we left no note behind. It’s obvious Philips had decided to strike out that part, huh?”

“Terror group? Those guys are seriously asking for it”

“Well she was right about one thing though”

“What is that?”

“Instincts, purely to kill”

Philips rushed to the only friend he could tell his secrets to. Swart. But he wasn’t really feeling anything for his friend. To him, he deserved everything that was being thrown at him. After he decided to side with George and make it seem like the murder of the trainees was an accident, he couldn’t see him with a good eye. He was actually happy nemesis had caught up with him.

 “Swart, my family is in pure danger” Philips complained

“I know, saw it on the news” Swart said sipping from he’s cup of coffee

“And what do you have to say about it?” Philips asked.

“Nothing, you said they were bandits from the drug dealings you stopped, right? It will be easy to catch them” Swart said

“Yeah right, but I didn’t crack any drug dealers that had their name as 5” Philips said

The cup of coffee in Swart’s hand dropped from him to the floor and shattered into many pieces.

“Hey are you okay? What’s wrong?” Philips asked running to his friend

“Yeah, I’m getting old that’s all, I’ll call my Doctor” Swart replied

Just then Philips phone rang.

“Excuse me. I have to pick this call” Philips said as he walked out of Swart’s office.

Swart walked to the cabinet in his office and opened it.

He brought out the shoe he found the day after the bombing incident at the training center three years ago. The writing on it was faded but he could remember what he read off it three years ago.

“5” he said holding the shoes

“Minister” the secretary rushed into his office

“Yes, what is the matter?” he asked returning the shoe back into the cabinet

“General Philips’s daughter has been kidnapped” he replied

“What!”

“Please don’t hurt me. I’m begging you, if you want money my Father will pay” Thelma begged as she struggled with the handcuffs used to bind her hands and her legs.

She was indeed right. The 5 had been following her and they finally got the opportunity they were waiting for to kidnap her. All they needed to do was inflict the harm her evil Father inflicted on them.

“Love, I wouldn’t do that if I were you. You’d hurt your pretty skin” Blesse. She was standing in the dark with her head down.

“Yeah right, her Father is the Army General so of course her skin’s got to be pretty” Nebula said grinning in a sinister way

“Please just let me go. I didn’t do anything wrong to you. I’m a good girl” Thelma begged, her throat was sore from crying

“Yeah, you’re a good girl and I don’t have anything against you, but our guiding principle is that traitors and their families all die” Nada said grabbing Thelma’s hair. She let out a stabbing scream and began to cry in pain.

“Mini, get the camera ready and Fae, get ready to torture this bitch” Nada ordered

“Sure” they said as they all put on their mask

“I’m ready” Mini announced

“It’s up to you Fae” Nada smiled

“With all pleasure” Fae said as she took out an iron rod from a pot of boiling coal and placed it on Thelma’s thigh and she gave out a painful scream.

“Hold her Nebula” Fae said and Nebula held Thelma in place.

“You see that? Nada said getting in front of the camera. The feeling of being burnt alive is nothing close to this, much more is coming Thelma’s way” she concluded as she took the iron from Fae and placed it on Thelma’s face.

“Mommy please save me!” Thelma screamed

“Awwww… Mommy will soon join you here” Nada said

“Nebula, Fae, you know what to do” Blesse said as they both left the room

“It hurts! Stop it!” Thelma screamed as Nada added more pressure to the iron on her thighs.

Philips was going nuts in his house. His wife was mounting pressure on him, the press was dying to ask questions and he was confused as hell. If someone was after him and his family it was just a regular thing because to get to the position where he was required some sacrifices but he was able to go through it all because of one slight advantage. He knew who his enemy was but in this case, the only information he had on the people who murdered his security and kidnapped his daughter was a single numeral. 5. What exactly was he supposed to do with that?

The President tried all he could, getting the FBI and state CIA an order to find the abductors within twelve hours but there was no way it was going to work because the 5 were anonymous. 

 “Philips! Do something!” Elisa screamed as she held onto Philips shirt

“Tell him to get my daughter back from those people, please” she said crying as Swart’s wife led her into her room

“Swart, I’m dazed right now” Philips said with his face in his hand

“Don’t worry intelligence will find her, they are all busting their butts about it and I know we will find her” Swart assured

“Just then the television in Philips living room switched off and the lights went out

“What’s going on Philips” Swart asked

Screams of people in pain were being heard in Philips’ home.

“What’s this? Who is doing this?” Philips asked confused

Suddenly the screams stopped and the lights came on again. Immediately, the television was switched on Swart and Philips saw Thelma on the screen looking pale with blood all over her body. A recorded video of her being tortured was played and just then the number 5 popped up on the screen and everything disappeared.

“Swart tell me I’m dreaming. Tell me I did not just see my daughter being brutally tortured” Philips said

The next thing that showed on the television was a threat.

‘YOUR WIFE IS NEXT’

 “Elisa!” Philips screamed as he ran to his wife’s room with Swart behind him. They got there to see Hannah yelling in pain as she clutched her shoulders. She had been shot.

“Where is Elisa?” Philips asked fearing the worse

“They took her” Hannah said sobbing

“Philips, they said you are next” she added as Swart carried her in his arms out of the room

“No, this can’t be happening” Philips said as he sat on the floor while tears flowed freely from his eyes

Again, on the wall, there was the same number. 5

“This isn’t happening” he said yet again to himself

His phone rang once and he looked at the screen to see his wife’s number calling.

“Elisa? Is that you?” he asked as he picked the call

“No, not Elisa, Nada” the caller replied

“Where is my wife? Where is Thelma?” he asked at once

“Your wife is with us but that Thelma, she went and died” Nada replied

“What do you want from me? Why are you doing this to my family?” Philips asked sobbing

“Why?” Nada asked

“I’m simply demanding the blood of the innocent youngsters you killed three years ago, that’s all” she added

“Three years ago?” Philips asked

“You don’t remember? Okay, I’d help you remember when you see your daughter’s body at your door step” Nada said and ended the call

“No, Thelma can’t be dead, they are just bluffing” Philips said as he dialed the CIA number. 

You might be wondering how the 5 were able to move in and out of Philips’ building without getting caught but it was quite easy for them. They had a secret passage way into his house. Three years was enough for them to plot the whole thing. There was no way they were going to get caught and yet again, they were able to get away with abducting Elisa and harming Hannah in the process.

 “Please, let me see my daughter” Elisa begged

“I’m sorry, but we have already gone to deliver her back to your husband” Blesse said

“Did you set her free?” Elisa asked

“Yes, we set her soul free” Nebula replied

“What do you mean?” Elisa asked already scared

“We meant that her soul is free from the kind of torment you will soon go through but I guess her body is for the vultures huh?” Fae said grinning widely

“No! Give me back my daughter! Please she is innocent, she didn’t do anything. I’m begging you. You can kill me but bring her back” Elisa cried

“If it is possible to bring back the dead then we would have brought three hundred and fifty souls back to life” Nada said as she took a sip from the glass of whisky in front of her

“What do you mean? Three hundred and fifty… souls” Elisa asked

“The exact number of people’s lives your wretched husband connived to kill to get to the position of the Army General” Nada said, her eyes blood red

“Please, let me go, I have no idea what you are talking about” Elisa begged 

“Thelma had no idea about it too you know. But we killed her, you won’t be an exemption” Mini spoke

“I’m sorry, but as your husband didn’t think twice about the families of the people he murdered, how they’d feel, how they’d go on knowing they were gone for good. I too would not sit back to think once about your miserable life” Nada said as she placed the silencer on the gun and shot at Elisa straight to her heart.

She stiffened immediately and fell limp

“So much for teaching us all about guns, how they operate huh?” Nebula said

“I suppose the package has arrived at Philips’ door step, huh? Mini asked get ready to deliver the next package” Nada said