Chapter 37

"Should I go there or wait here?"

Cole thought Benjamin was waiting for him in the huge golf ground where he was playing golf with some of his friends.

"I think I should go there."

Cole walked briskly towards him. He could see Ben in his white polo shirt, grey pants and white pea cape. Cole didn't know if he had seen him because he was wearing sunglasses and was focused on the ball that he was about to hit.

Cole was breathless and frightened. Working for Ben all those months had proven that golf was not just a play for him to pass some quality time.

It showed his anger and stress too, something that threatened his well being.

"I am sure nothing happened." Cole thought to himself.

If something was troubling him he would go to the golf ground not merely to release his stress but to thoroughly revisit the circumstances that cause it. Also, it's the only place where he could talk without being heard.

"I hope he has not seen us?" Cole thought weighing the possibilities of being seen the previous day. "If he has what should I tell him?" he tried to find reasons to justify his credibility. His heartbeat increased with every step he took towards Ben.

Again it felt like drowning in a sea with a shark lurking around ready to gobble him.

His eyes met with Ben's who had just hit the ball. With his glasses he couldn't tell if he was angry or relaxed. He just stood there in silence. He looked at the other men, "Let's meet tomorrow again." It was a polite way for him to send them away. "Comm'on Ben let's finish it" one of them suggested as he raised and spinned the stick in the air. "We will resume it tomorrow." He said signalling at Cole who was approaching breathlessly. "Okay" the man pouted as he saw him coming. He knew that Ben wouldn't be convinced even if he plead him again.

"Don't forget to zoom in on the stocks." One of his friends winked at him. "And matching those pair of socks." He pointed at his feet which Ben pretended to notice with his gesture. They laughed out loudly at his silliness that made Cole nervous, "My bad" he said laughing. "See you tomorrow," "Yes yes" he raised his hand while leaving the ground.

They were silent as they watched the men go. "Don't worry it's just a distraction." He smiled looking at his feet on which he wore mismatch socks. "So what's new at your end?" he turned towards Cole when his friends finally disappeared. "Sir..." he swallowed hard as he tried to say something. "I have been keeping them under observation..."

Cole was not sure how to convince him with his performance. He was not even sure why he was called in such emergency and that too in that golf ground. "I know what you do." Ben said indifferently. His eyes bulged with fear and apprehension that he desperately tried to cover by looking down at the ground. "Look you are my most trusted man. And I don't want any troubles caused by negligence." He had no idea what made him to think about troubles and negligence but he was certain to be more cautious than before... only if he was to be spared.

"Sir, is there something wrong?" he asked politely. "Do you have any doubts?" His voice shook briefly but he tried to keep calm.

Without looking at him Ben lifted the corner of his mouth in a satirical smirk, which made

Cole even more confused.

"I just wanted to say if those people are creating problems then kill that man Henry and bring the girl to me alive."

"I don't want a young genius mind to go to trash." he winked trying to be rational.

"Very well sir." Cole nodded with relief. "You have to be focused... And active... in exchange of your most precious assets that I have." It was certainly a threat under his breaths. The insinuations were pinching him deeply but all he could do was to shake his head in acquiesance.

Ben knew that Cole did not like him much because he had coerced him to do a lot of things against his wishes by manipulating his weaknesses. The assets that he talked about were his most precious treasure without which he did not imagine his life. Ben knew that and he was sure that Cole was his best bet. "Emotions are very tricky," Ben put his arms around his shoulders and whispered in his ears. "they move like a pendulum between the person you want to save and the person you want to kill. You never really know what it is that you want the most."

"But I know one thing..."

"...that your sentiment of saving one person gives the other person a leverage to feed on your emotions."

Cole knitted his forehead trying to sink in his ideas and suddenly felt the truth of his words. He was so engrossed in his own zest of saving his siblings that he failed to realise how his emotions were used by Ben's malicious desires.

"You will be the first person I will kill with my own hands once I save them." Cole thought. But he managed to verbally agree with him, "I have no intention of killing anyone except those who are obstructing our mission," he tried to calm his blazing emotions.

"That should be the spirit." Ben patted his back as they walked through the ground.