Chapter 42: Chapter 42

~Third Person's POV~

Jacques is a white french man who is the new boss in charge of the secret arms dealing and they have been doing business with him for a while now. He is known to have alliances with several mafia families and has many that covers his dirty business and he's also very abrasive and short tempered.

Lexis and William arrives at their arranged meeting place with their various cars and persons. And then, one of Jacques' men comes out to meet them as they wait outside.

"You two have to come alone." He says to them.

William and Lexis looks at him with a puzzled look before nodding. They both turn to their bodyguards and tells them to wait outside, then they start walking into the building.

It is very quiet and it looks like it's been isolated for a long time. There is infinetely long walls with no roof or even ceiling and the whole structure is monstruously massive. There is a old staircase leading to the cold foggy sky and the dust, cobwebs, graffitis on the walls and corners adds to the creepiness of the building. There are unwelcoming, macabre pile of bricks and also remains of furniture that lay disorderdly cluttered all over the floor. It is clear that the place has been abandoned for years.

As they walk to the end of the building, they meet Jacques standing close to the wall with a cigarette in his hand. He turns to them as he hears footsteps approaching.

(NOTE: French language would be used between dialogues here but the English translation is written in the brackets.)

"bonjour, mes chers amis. (Hello there, my dear friends.) " He says with a grin on his face as he stares at them.

Lexis dips his hands into his pockets as he looks around before he starts speaking.

"tu as choisi un bel endroit pour le sale boulot,Jacques( You picked a nice place for the dirty work, Jacques.)" Lexis says as he glazes at the surrounding.

Jacques smiles and nods. "Bien sûr. Vous ne vous attendez pas à ce que je le fasse chez moi, n'est-ce pas ? (Of course. You do not expect me to do it at my house, do you?)"

Lexis grins lightly and starts to say, "Bien sûr que non. Nous en fait...(Of course not. We actually...)"

William cuts him off, "Vous vouliez que nous venions à vous personnellement. Eh bien, nous y sommes. (You wanted us to come to you personally. Well, here we are.) "He says to Jacques.

Lexis looks at William and without saying anything, he nods his head.

Jacques smiles, "Vous avez toujours envoyé vos capodecinas. C'est devenu trop ennuyeux alors je voulais voir les responsables, pour changer. (You have always sent your capos. It got too boring so l wanted to see the people in charge, for a change.)"

"Bon Jacques, passons aux choses sérieuses. (Okay Jacques, let's get to business.)" Lexis says as he starts walking towards the broken furnitures with his hands in his pocket.

Jacques chuckles, "C'est un honneur d'avoir pu rencontrer le sous-patron. (It is an honor, that I got to meet the underboss.)" He says smiling at Lexis. "Of the Lawal mafia family."

Lexis turns to him with smrik on his face.

"C'est un honneur d'avoir pu rencontrer le sous-patron.(A pleasure to meet you too, Jacques.)" Lexis says before adding on. "Vous dites que le prix des armes de poing est de 50 millions. Et le mousquet alors?(You say the price for the handguns is 50 million. Then what about the muskets and others?)" He asks Jacques.

Jacques sighs and curls out smoke from his mouth before saying. "Par souci d'amitié, j'ai décidé de tout vous donner pour un prix estimatif. (For the sake of frendship, I decided to give you everything for an estimated price.)"He says as he scatters the cigarrete butt over the ground.

"Et c'est combien ?(And how much is that?)" William asks.

Jacques shrugs, "Pas beaucoup, juste 150 millions.(Not much, just 150 million.)"

William's eyes widen and he opens his mouth to speak but Lexis cuts in.

"150 million you say?" Lexis says with his expression hardening.

Jacques nods with a smile, "Yes, that is not much, is it?" He answers in his french accent.

William frowns, "Il est, Jacques.(It is,Jacques.) This wasn't what we agreed on."

Jacques turns to him, "Les temps ont changé. La sécurité est devenue plus stricte et il est donc devenu plus risqué de vendre des armes.(Times have changed. The security has become tighter and so, it has become more risky to sell weapons.)" Jacques explains as he takes out another cigarette to smoke.

Lexis rolls his eyes inwardly already getting irritated.The value they have estimated for the arms was 100 million, and now, Jacques is saying something else which is starting to annoy him.

"Quel rapport avec le prix des armes?(What does that have to do with the price of the weapons?)" Lexis asks.

"Nous avons également dû installer quelques personnes . Et avec quoi on fait ça ?... De 'argent.(We also had to settle few people. And with what do we do that?...Money .)" He says as he shrugs.

"Vous vous rendez compte que nous allons également vendre certaines de ces armes, n'est-ce pas ?(You do realize that we are also going to sell some of these weapons, right?)" William starts to say before he sighs and dips his hands into his pocket and continues. "On devrait laisser le prix à 100 millions, Jacques.(We should leave the price at 100 million, Jacques.)"

Jacques shakes his head, "Si vous n'êtes pas prêt à acheter, nous ne devrions pas perdre de temps.(If you're not ready to buy, then we shouldn't be wasting our time.) " He places his cigarette between his lips.

William clenches his fist in anger but before he could say anything, Lexis walks close to him and place a hand on his shoulder before turning to Jacques.

"Jacques, we came to do this business with you personally. Nous ne sommes pas venus pour nous disputer ou perdre du temps à marchander(We haven't come to argue or waste time to bargain)." He says feigning a smile.

"Then what have you come to do?" Jacques asks him.

Lexis smile vanishes and he moves closer to him to whisper in his ear. "To buy the arms, for the agreed price and that's 100 million." He says before moving away and shrugging his shoulders.

Jacques stares at him for a while,"Est-ce que tu me menaces?(Are you threatening me?)"

Lexis smiles and shakes his head, "Threatening you?..."

He leans close to his ear and whispers."Cela ressemble-t-il à un?(Does it sound like one?)"

Jacques swallows and sighs, "Alors qu'est-ce que tu dis exactement ?(So what exactly are you saying?)"

William simply watches the two exchange words and he sighs. If there is any similarity between him and Lexis, that should be impatience. He is very impatient and that's the same with Lexis so he knows Lexis will not be patient enough to keep trying to reason with Jacques.

He had suspected that Jacques will try to do something like this and that means in no time Lexis might lose it. Just as he keeps wandering in thoughts, he sees Lexis diping his hand into his back pocket in attempt to bring something out and he knows it will be a gun. He quickly moves over to Lexis and place his hand on his shoulder while placing his other hand over his pocket and then he leans to his ear and whispers.

"You should calm down. Like you said, we can try to reason with him"

Lexis turns over to him, "Can't you see he is f**king trying to play with me?"

William bit his lower lip in anger," Just calm the f**k down okay? There are other ways to handle this."

Lexis sighs before removing his hands from his pocket . Jacques stares at the two brothers wondering what they are murmuring about.

He curls smoke from his mouth placing his right hand beside him. "So what to do you say? It's 150 million or nothing." Jacques says with finality evident in his voice.

William moves close to him and starts to say"Jacques, why don't we get back to this conversation in 24hours?"

Lexis tilts his head at him with a confused expression on his face before he mouths to him. "What the f**k are you talking about?"

William ignores him and keeps staring at Lexis waiting for his reply. Jacques moves his eyes from side to side thinking about what William has proposed. And then he sighs before scattering the cigarette butt in his hand all over the floor.

He nods," Sure, that won't be a bad idea. Je serai prêt quand tu le seras. (I will be ready when you are.)'

William nods before turning to Lexis.

He says to him," Let's go ."

Lexis sighs and rolls his eyes in annoyance before brushing pass William's shoulder storming out of the building in anger. Wlliam feigns a smile at Jacques before he starts walking out of the building as well.

Back at starlight hotels, which is the same hotel William and Lexis are booked, the two brothers sits at the bar area glaring at each other.

"You better f**king know what you are doing."Lexis blurts out as he glares at William.

"Don't tell me you were going to shoot him?"William asks with a disbelieving look on his face as he glares at Lexis.

Lexis scoffs," And so what if I was? Why do you keep butting in like you know better."

William rolls his eyes and sighs ," I was freaking trying to prevent you from doing something stupid like you have always done."

"Oh wow, something stupid? You mean trying to save the situation?"

"You where going to shoot him 'little brother'..." He emphasizes the ' little brother'. "-that could have ruined the entire plan." He says hitting his fist on the table.

"Are you f**king serious? I wasn't going to shoot him..." He bangs his fist on the table."- I was simply trying to reason with him in my own way, since you couldn't do shit!"

"And your way was killing him?"

"Don't you try to make me look stupid! This isn't the first time I'm doing something like this!..." Lexis yells at him." It's so annoying working with you."He mutters before looking away.

William frowns deeply,"You think I wanna work with you ?"

Lexis didn't say anything but simply stares at the entrance of the bar.

William sighs, "Listen...We could just come up with another strategy."

Lexis turns to him with a bored expression, "And that is?"

"We could offer a lower price to him and if he still doesn't agree, then you can go ahead with whatever plan you have." William says with a shrug.

Lexis looks at him for while trying to think about what he said and after a while, he sighs and nods his head in agreement.

"Fine then."

After the agreed time, they went back to Jacques and settled everything. Jacques finally agrees to 120 million and the deal was finalize.

LEKKI, LAGOS NIGERIA.

Meanwhile, back in Nigeria, Ella sits at a bar drinking from a glass of whiskey. George walks into the bar accompanied by a fair skinned girl who is dressed in a red gown exposing most parts of her body. He sits at a table with the girl as the bartender attends to them.

Just as Ella turns around, she sees him talking and laughing with the girl. She stares at them for a while before taking out her phone from her bag. She searches for his name on her contact and texts him.

ELLA: I see you're having fun.

George phones beeps and he takes it out to glance at it . He arches his brows as he sees a text from Ella. He sighs before he opens the message to text back.

GEORGE:YOU ARE HERE?

ELLA:WHAT? I CAN'T BE?

GEORGE:ARE YOU ALONE?

ELLA:AND WHAT IF I AM?

GEORGE:ELLA YOU SHOULDN'T WALK AROUND ALONE. Y OU REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED THE LAST TIME?

ELLA:WELL AM HERE TO DROWN IN MY SORROW SINCE MY HUSBAND HAS FOUND SOMEONE NEW.

George stops texting and looks around. He pauses when he sees her sitting at the table drinking. The girl beside him places her hand on his thigh to get back his attention. He turns to her and feigns a smile her.

He stands up, "Give me a minute babe, i will be right back."

As he is about to leave, his hands hits the glass on the table sending it shattering on the ground. The girl springs up from the chair rushing to his side.

"OMG! Babe, are you okay?" She asks sassily as she clutches to his wrist looking over his body while Ella watches the scene with a confused expression on her face.

George looks down to the shattered glass on the ground before a waiter quickly rushes to the scene.

"Are you hurt, sir?" The waiter asks looking at as he waits for his reply.

George shakes his head, "Um... I'm good,... " He looks down at the shattered glass on the ground before looking at the waiter. " I'm...sorry about the glass."

The waiter nods before moving to clean it up and then, George starts walking away over to where Ella is.

"Why are you here alone, again?" He asks and she turns to him.

"What happened there? Are you okay?"

He nods before looking at her," What happened this time ?"

She shrugs taking a sip from her drink. "Nothing much it's just the usual."

He lowers his head before raising it up to look at her.

"What usual, Ella?"

Ella turns to him, "I don't know....I...I think he's cheating on me." She says with a sad expression on her face.

George sighs, "You are over thinking and why do you think the consiglier is ever faithful to you?"

Ella rolls her eyes, "Is that supposed to make me feel better? I saw him kissing a girl, George even though it was on the forehead."

He sighs, "What girl? I don't think he allow you see if he's really cheating."

She sighs shaking her head as she pours more drink into the glass and is about drinking from it when he takes the glass from her. "You will get drunk, so stop drinking."

She smiles at him before gigglinglike a baby. "Oh really? Are you worried about me again?"

George sighs before reaching to his pocket to bring out his phone. "I'm calling Khloe, you can't be here."

She frowns before trying to take the phone from him but he moves it from her reach.

"Don't tell me what to do, George."

He reaches for her and tries to get her to stand up but she drags her hand off his hold. "Let me be."

He sighs, "If you didn't want me to come over, then why did you text me?"

"I didn't call you over, I was only saying hi to you and your new friend." She rolls her eyes.

"Stop mopping over the consigliere here. Just go and find him. You can't keep doing this, it won't change anything."

She suddenly stands up from the chair and leans close to him holding placing her hands by his sides trapping him.

He stares at her in puzzle, "What are you doing?"

She tilts her head at him, "Am I pretty?"

He gulps and looks away. "Someone might see us and misunderstand, please behave."

She smiles leaning close to his face, "What would they misunderstand? We're not doing anything wrong."

He sighs, "Stop playing around Ella."

She smiles biting her lower lip. "Come to think of it, you haven't added 'Mrs.' to my name since you have been talking to me. I like that. It means you're not being distant again."

He breathes out before pushing her gently back on her chair and then he stands up from the chair.

"Make sure to go home and don't drink too much." He says before turning away to leave but she suddenly grab his wrist pulling him back.

She gives him a sad look with clouded eyes. "Don't leave me here, hmm? You're the only friend I have."

George sighs before pulling her hand away from his," That's not true. We're not friends."

He stares at her with a conflicted look, "You should try to find your husband, instead of drinking here." With that, he moves away from her and goes over to meet the girl he had come in with.

Ella bit her lower lip as tears flows down her cheeks.She picks up her bag and starts storming out of the bar while George watches her; his eyes never leaving her until she's out of the bar.

He heaves a sigh before standing up from his chair and runs after her. He meets her squirting outside the bar with her head buried between her thighs.

He breathes hard as he stares at her, "Why are you sitting here now, hmm?"

"Go away." She says in a croaky voice.

He lowers his head, "Why are you crying?"

"...."

"Ella? Come on, look at me."

"....."

He sighs, "You wanna go somewhere quiet?" He asks as he tries to see her face.

She shakes her head without saying anything.

He sighs, shutting his eyes before reaching for her hand to try and make her lift her head up but she wouldn't let him.

"Should I take you for a drive? You could cool down."

"It's late, it's already 7:30 pm." She says in an almost inaudible voice.

"That's why it would be more enjoyable. There would be cool breeze." He presses on.

She slowly raise her head to look at her with her puffy eyes which makes it clear that she has been crying.

"Why are you trying to make me feel better if you're not my friend?"

He sighs, Yes, I'm not your friend but that doesn't mean l would leave you to cry your eyes out like a baby."

She pouts her lips, "I'm no baby."

He laughs lightly,"You behave like one, so that makes you one." He stands up before stretching his hand out to her. "Now come on, let's go. I got you."

She smiles lightly before taking his hand.

Xoxo