Chapter 12
The Blood Thirsty Men
Brody who was in charge of the group scoffed when Herbie and other mercenaries entered their office. They listened intently when Herbie told them about the mail, that Alvin Caravel left the command of Nina Polchinski. It turns out that they had a grudge against Alvin after a strange, random encounter they had with Alvin few years ago. At the time, Alvin killed two of his men in a broad daylight. Herbie thought about framing Alvin with the recent attack toward the traffickers but felt no need to do so.
They talked for a while and Brody started laughing when Herbie suggested going for Alvin Caravel’s neck.
“You mercenaries are always right in the border of the good and evil, and I think you are the evil one,” Brody sniggered.
“Shut it, Brody, it’s just business,” said Herbie.
“It’s a business alright,” said Brody, and laughed. “Where is your friend? I thought you guys always like to tag along with each other.”
“... Robert is busy,” said Herbie.
“Well, we will take a good care of you, my friend. I’m feeling so good tonight that I’m feeling generous. We will offer you the forty percent of our profit regarding Caravel’s bounty.”
Herbie was surprised. He never thought that they will demand forty in the first offer.
“Forty five,” snarled Herbie.
“Alright, deal,” said Brody, his yellow teeth grinning. “Good good, we need more mercenaries in our world. Don’t we, my friends?” The other traffickers burst into laughter.
Herbie felt the sweat drenching from his forehead and disgusted at their laughter. His hand was on the pistol the whole time, but the traffickers didn’t care. They knew Herbie came here for the business, and he wouldn’t do anything stupid. They were packing up and were ready to leave. About thirty men, fully armed, went out the door.
“So, tell us about your network of yours, mercenary,” said Brody.
“Same old gruesome shit, except they’ve lost their guts from doing business,” said Herbie.
“I see… they are afraid of losing power, eh?” Brody sniggered.
“Be careful, we can destroy you, you low lives,” sneered Herbie.
“Yes, of course, but only if we are against the profit,” said Brody and other traffickers laughed. “Now let us do the revenge on this lone wolf, and then you’ll get what you want.”
Herbie felt as if he is breathing hazardous venom. Discomforted, his heart pounded fast. However, he wanted to be successful in deal so, he kept reassuring himself that he can do this.
It was pouring outside, the thunder growled, Tasha and Jake were running outside in the morning but later they came back, completely soaked. Diana saw them dripping all over the living room like a wet dog running around in the house. She screamed and ordered them to take a shower. Alvin was at home as he used a vacation which he insisted that it was crucial for the school to have it. The principal nonetheless approved his proposal because he was afraid of Alvin.
Alvin was reading book at the fireplace, warming himself. He heard the yelling and laughter inside the house. Alvin stood up, set up an old chalkboard on the corner of the living room. And start writing down the figures.
“What’re you doing Alvin?” Tasha peeked, towel around her head, still dripping water.
“Oh, work,” grinned Alvin.
“What kind of work?” asked Tasha.
“Being responsible for your future,” said Alvin, drawing the table.
“Aww… Caravel you really don’t have to,” said Tasha.
“Did you do your homework?” said Alvin.
“Ohh… yes, of course I did,” replied Tasha.
“Bring it with you and bring Jake also,” his eyes beamed, raising his eyebrows.
“Ohh… Ok…” Tasha scratched her head, thinking of running away.
“You don’t have to go outside, it is raining,” Alvin smiled, as if he read her mind.
Diana brought hot coco and some cookies she baked. Jake was blowing hot cocoa at the table. Tasha was warming herself against the fire, munching cookies. Alvin, glanced through Tasha’s answers on the math problem set, and said,
“Tasha, do the number four, six, seven and eight.” Alvin handed the sheet back to Tasha. “And nine and ten.”
Alvin grinned playfully. Tasha put out her mouth, grumbling.
“Here you go Jake, nice work.” Alvin gave out the paper, Jake grinned. Tasha made a balloon with her mouth.
“But today, my dear children, I’ll teach you about building strategies, how to play games with people. Which I think it is necessary topic, especially as you live in this dumb country, although Diana tends to think otherwise,” said Alvin. Jake beamed.
“Ok children, understanding a strategy requires so called equilibrium, the state where no one wants to move. And to achieve equilibrium, you have to know what they can do, how they think and what do they assume,” Alvin stopped for a moment and continued “… that is, if I remember it correctly… And if you do that in every fraction of seconds, then you are able to govern the dynamics of the game. In this world, threatening hardly works; if you threaten someone to act otherwise they won’t listen and will find loopholes to throw the shit back at you, although sometimes it is necessary when doing business. But for now let’s just briefly learn about the state where they cannot cooperate. This is called a Prisoner’s Dilemma.”
Jake and Tasha was feeling cozy atmosphere of fire place, Alvin goes on and on explaining about the Prisoner’s Dilemma. Basically he was saying people will not cooperate if they can cheat because they are afraid that others might cheat. If the well founded trust is damaged, the consequence will be devastating. Caravel looked at Tasha who was feeling drowsy against the cozy fire.
“But in the real world children, when you do scheme, which I do not recommend, this is not how the strategy will play out. Because not only we do not know what is going on around us, it is because the uncertainty is more than mere probability. But let me tell you, the mind deceives, but the heart is real,” said Alvin, writing the phrase at the blackboard, and continued “for the most of the time it is the only thing that matters. So, what did I say?” Alvin gestured at the blackboard and did his bowel movement in silence.
“The mind deceives, but the heart is real,” the children said.
“Good Job! So, be creative, my children, and have fun, because that is the whole point,” grinned Alvin.
Suddenly his alarm clock suddenly went off, coming from the end of the living room. Alvin’s face got rigid and his eyes became harsh.
“Now now… let’s take a break here, all right children?” said Alvin and went to the kitchen. Diana was wearing a blue skirt and light purple blouse. She was stirring a soup,
“Nice smell,” said Alvin.
“Oh yes! It is a chicken noodle soup and…” said Diana but Alvin interrupted her
“Sounds great, honey.” Alvin smiled, hugging Diana lightly and went out the kitchen toward the living room. Diana was surprised at Alvin’s hug, blushed lightly and kept stirring, humming. Alvin went toward the front door, closing a door behind him. Thirty men was waiting to him, fully armed, waiting in the living room. They leered at him with a beast-like look, the rain dripped from their clothes.
“Oh… you broke into my house without being killed.” said “Congratulations,” grinned Alvin.
“Hello Caravel, such a nice toy you’ve got,” said one of the traffickers, showing a wire for the booby trap in his hand.
“Oh, and there is my good old friend Brody, didn’t know you were alive. I think I shot you when you tried to run away from me?” said Alvin, looking at Brody curling his lips.
“Shut it Caravel,” sneered Brody.
“Good old days, gentleman, I’m guessing this is a long held grudge?” said Alvin, walked toward his rocking chair near the fireplace, sitting down.
“No, Alvin, nothing personal here, we decided to become civilized, and talk business,??
? Brody chuckled tapping Herbie’s shoulder; he was sweating, eager to get out of this place as quickly as possible. He seemed to be even afraid of the grandfather’s clock in the corner and the yellow vase on the table.
“What a shame, what a shame, a deadly strategic mind and the skills desired by all warlords, goes to the orphans and takes care of them,” said one of the traffickers who was standing next to Brody.
“Have we met before, you faggot?” sneered Alvin.
“Why you little…” said the trafficker, raising his gun, but Brody stopped him, looking at him harshly.
“Now listen, we want you to sell few of your children and bargain for your life,” said Brody, with a threatening voice.
“Isn’t it me that you want?” said Alvin, leaning against the chair.
“We could use some extra, but that is not the reason we are here. And we know you hide people well,” Brody took out the cigarette and lightened it. Alvin looked at Brody with a confused look.
Brody wasn’t interested in taking Alvin alone. Considering the bounty they put on for Alvin’s neck, he thought he will make a fortune if he captures Nina. He knew that the only reason they didn’t put out the bounty was because they were afraid of her. Alvin’s face got darkened. Brody looked at him through the smoke he fumed out.
“And we are talking about huge sum of money, you have pissed off Veron pretty well, he put out the bounty, everyone in the city is looking for you. So here’s how it goes. We can kill you right now and send your family to Veron,” said Brody and others sniggered and laughed. “Or, you give Nina’s location.”
Herbie’s face got little distorted, staring at Brody, protesting that he does not wish to go that far, but Brody ignored him.
“I guess somehow the letter got intercepted,” said Alvin, smiling gently. “What a shame, I’m guessing Nina nevertheless got the letter to make sure your business goes smoothly?”
“Yes, and oh, that mailman is probably in a dumpster truck now. Although we are not sure who sent it, which you will tell us soon. The letter was examined in the forensic department in a Mercenaries Network and this guy here,” said Brody, tapping Herbie’s shoulder. “Found the phrase which indicates that you are working as Nina’s spy… what was that phrase on the bottom, mercenary?”
“Umm, yes, it was, they see because they do not see,” Herbie hesitated but said nevertheless. Other mercenaries were just standing there, anxiously gulping their saliva.
“Well, quite an imagination, Brody, do really think this is kind of code?” said Alvin, laughing at him.
The Brody blushed and started threatening. “Hey you crap, we did not touch you before because your tie with that mad bitch Nina. But let me remind you that our business has demand, and the profit is enormous, Nina has to submit to us or we will…”
Alvin reached for the string on the back of the chair, and there was a little clicking sound. The bullets came down like a rain, from the machine gun strapped on the ceiling. All men collapsed and shredded into pieces as if they were being grinded. Alvin let go of the string and it stopped.
“Your confidence is your enemy my friends,” Alvin stood up and went up to Brody taking out one of his cigarette and lightened it.
“…What a mess,” he mumbled, breathing in the smoke and calmed down, grumbling about the nasty red fluids on the floor. Alvin sighed, horrified about what Diana might react, she will complain for months with this. Alvin sensed something from the door. Tasha and Jake were peeking to see what was going on.
“Oh…” Alvin looked at them and threw his cigarette on the floor and rubbing it on the floor.
“Smoking is bad for you my children,” he said, awkwardly.
“Now now, don’t look at this, close your eyes,” he said, softly. Alvin heard the light footstep. “Jake! Tasha! Where are you? What was that sound!”
Alvin groaned, as if some annoying parrot is flying towards him. He pushed them out, away from the living room.
“Hi there Diana,” grinned Alvin.
“Jake! Tasha! Alvin, I heard a terrible noise. What was the…” muttered Diana, blinking her big eyes. She gazed at them and the awkward stance of Alvin. She gathered the children to her bosom.
“So, dinner’s ready, huh? Oh oh, no, don’t look in there,” murmured Alvin, holding Diana gently when she tried to go to living room.
“But I have to get some apple for a dessert,” said Diana.
“Oh, I’ve heard it is bad to eat apples in the evening,” said Alvin.
“It is lunch,” Diana muttered, frowning.
“It is raining outside. I don’t want you to get cold,” Alvin said dearly, put his hand gently behind her back.
“Alvin, what’s going on?” asked Diana, getting suspicious.
“Nothing, nothing, just a casual stuff,” Alvin waved his hand in the air. And Diana suddenly blushed.
“Oh, you… You!” said Diana, angrily. “I told you not to do that anymore!”
“I’m guessing we’re having chicken noodles. You should really cook some seafood, I love and love seafood. I don’t think the dirt eating creatures are my type,” said Alvin.
“Alvin!” shouted Diana.
“Oh come on, they try to take Tasha and Jake, and it was a self defense, I was outnumbered by fifty to one,” explained Alvin.
“Oh God,” Diana groaned. And they walked to the upstairs.