Protecting Valentine

Chapter Eighteen

Once they had left the vicinity of the town, Theo could make out the outlines of a helicopter in the distance. Its main rotor blades situated on top of the helicopter was still spinning which was to soon come to a stop. He just arrived.

As they moved closer to the smoking aircraft, Theo’s gut began churning in anticipation and nervousness. The thoughts that he had been having last night came flooding back and he didn’t like it. It just made it easier to make a mistake and fail, causing this whole operation to come crashing down. He had not worked so many years just to fall now.

The stopping of the carriage indicated that they were here. After following Helen out, the sun violently shone into Theo’s eyes, momentarily blinding him. He squinted his eyes and turned to the people in front of the helicopter. The main rotor blades now coming to a steady stop.

In front of the helicopter stood an arrangement of people. The most noticeable was the bodyguards in their identical black suits surrounding the main event. It was harder to see the main man himself but he was there. From the looks of it, it was clear that he had not been looking after himself. He was thin and small looking. He wore casual clothes which consisted of an oversized brown leather jacket over a white shirt and jeans. His grey-white hair was jelled back behind black sunglasses. Not much else could be made from this distance.

Theo and the other guards stayed put at Helen went up to her husband and kissed each other on each cheek once, like what most high class posh women do when they meet up with their girlfriends. From the slow frown that clouded over Rembrandt’s face, Theo knew the conversation was not going well.

It took him a while, but from a few minutes of reading their expressions and body movements, he knew there was only one thing that could have Helen worked up so much that she would herself revert to calling Rembrandt here in person, considering how risky this whole ordeal was. Theo knew exactly what Helen would want from her husband, what she was demanding now, and that was answers.

From what he had been told before starting this whole operation is that Helen was usually kept in the dark, not for her safety but because of his. She never knew what her husband was thinking, planning and what he was about to do. But not knowing these things were for the best, it would mean less questions asked, but no one could see something and not stop to ask questions and this is exactly what had happened.

Rembrandt had taken a risk doing what he had done, but he surely must’ve had his reasons. He is unidentifiably a smart man, that’s how he managed to stay out from under the radar for so many years. Hiring a man off the streets to do your job was easy, he would do the job for anything that you would offer, money being the most persuasive and then you could shut him up threats or simply kill him. But pulling family into your dirty mess or say business was just dangerous. There would always be consequences whichever way you dealt with the issue and hopefully Rembrandt knew that.

Frustration was evident through Helen’s body language. Either she was unhappy with her husband’s explanation or she wasn’t getting the right answers to her questions. Either way, she stomped back unladylike to the carriage without even a proper goodbye, which was odd for a couple who had not laid eyes on each other for so many years. Theo found this all so amusing, but he had to hold back the amusement to be shown physically and just rely on the recesses of his mind.

He looked over the lady’s shoulder to the boss, he was only about 2 or so meters away. So close but so far away. There were so many things that he would like to do to the man, most of them slow and painful but all that diminished when he lifted a bony finger and clawed him over to him. Full of shock, he pushed himself to walk over to the boss.

He pulled his black sunglasses over his eyes to make it hard for Theo to even know a little hint of what was going on in that brain of his. He gave a snide smirk which presented itself as a devil’s grin. This doesn’t seem good.

He probably observed the twisted face of confusion on Theo as he began the conversation with a low chuckle. “You think you’re so smart aren’t you?” He asked in his surprisingly deep voice, though it seemed a bit hoarse.

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Crap! Is he on to us?

“Don’t think we’re oblivious as to what you are up to Theo, it’s all black and white now.” Rembrandt came up to Theo, hovering his face just inches away from his. “And you know what? It’s over.” He taunted before turning around and walking back to his helicopter. He flicked his hand over his shoulder which indicated the men to act.

The closest one to Theo grabbed him by the arms and swiftly picked him up in a headlock and covered his mouth, whilst another injected him with some sort of serum. Whatever it was, it instantly knocked out the messenger and forced him to unconsciousness. The guards scooped his limp body up and took him into the now heating up copter whilst the opposition watched in horror.