Chains of Heart

10 - Under death's shadow

10 - Under  death's shadow

[All]

Sound of shattering glass

An expensive glass of wine was hurled at the feet of the henchmen who had gathered around the chief. Annoyed grunts were heard, with no sign of fear in the eyes of the chief who had everything, power and money.

From the day he had learned that Fin, his best man, had been attacked and had fallen into a coma, Inpha had understood that his surviving enemy that day had returned to take revenge for the past. After the incident with Fin, Inpha had been unable to close his eyes. He counted the days as the fear grew from moment to moment until it almost made him dizzy.

The sound of the door being opened was enough to frighten him, as if Death himself might show up at any moment to claim his life.

The newcomer opened his eyes wide as he looked around and sighed feeling sorry for that old man.

"You, get out..." The young man only cast a glance and all the henchmen came out. They were all fed up with that boss. If not for the money, no one would have agreed to protect that fool. They were ready to betray him as soon as the old man's luck ran out.

"What's going on, sir?" Asked the young man.

"You don't know anything!" The voice resounded in the room. Chief Inpha stood up and opened one hand, ready to slap him.

But the young man grabbed his wrist, applied only slight force, and Inpha's face contorted into a grimace of pain.

"It would be better if you didn't. My job is only to protect you, I am not your employee..." The young man pushed the old man, who staggered to sit in the chair. "You don't have to worry. I am now having this area surrounded. Should Tharanee have the courage to show up, we will be ready."

Inpha's fearful gaze stared at the person's face. The face resembled Din's, as if he were his blood brother.

"He has to come back to attack me... Don." Inpha hurled another glass, then opened a desk drawer. He took out a crystal bottle filled with a liquid and poured it into a glass with trembling hands.

"If we think that Fin is still in a pitiful condition, you're right..." Don stood looking out the window, his hands stuffed in his pants pockets. "There must be a reason why suddenly a person can turn into a demon. You must have done something to Tharanee to enrage him so much that he came back, even though he had been gone for two years."

Don's words made Inpha worry even more. "You don't need to know, Don. Your only job is to protect me," the old man said, then emptied his glass.

"Hmm... If you won't tell me, I can't help you. The men you sent to keep an eye on Tharanee's family have all been knocked out. The next target will be..."

Inpha angrily slammed his hand on the table.

"I won't leave that kid alive much longer!!!" His eyes were even redder from the effect of alcohol.

"It's better if she doesn't get in the way. Sending Fin to kill the person Tharanee loves was already a bad decision. If you're going to meddle with that family again, they might not let you get away with it."

The man's merciless gaze was fixed on the young man, "You know too much, Don."

"Do you think I would have taken this job without looking up some details about you? Besides Tharanee, how many other enemies do you have that I should know about? The moment you decide to set foot in this job, you have to be prepared to both trade in drugs and caontraband in the forest, not excluding kidnapping and prostitution. There must be hundreds of people who would like to have it on their hands," Don said fearlessly before walking out of the room with an impassive face.