27. Burn the world

Adrian made his way to Olympus after receiving summons from Angela. She sat on a black sofa looking at the glass screen a photo of the woman he had considered a friend for as long as he could remember. He had met Liz shortly after the death of his parents and when he had moved in with his grandparents. He paused for a few minutes just taking in the smile on the screen of the woman at some point he had loved. He moved further into the room and sat on the sofa without a word. "I know you are busy training your girlfriend, but I believe I have found the reason your ex died a brutal death. My tech genius has recovered some information from her phone. It was too damaged to get everything but what we got was enough." The photo disappeared and a blurred image appeared on the screen. "Pandora has tried to clear up the image as much as possible," Angela said leaning in. "Tell me Adrian when you look closely what do you see." Adrian moved closer and stared at the image for a few minutes. The more he looked at it the more it dawned on him. He sat back his face pale, "What on earth was she doing to find herself embroiled in this?" he asked no one in particular.

"Somehow, someway your ex stumbled upon the booming business called human trafficking. I believe you are aware that someone has started that said business in Eastern Africa. A business the five families do not condone in Kenya. We believe the head of the business is Kenyan and all families are on alert. This knowledge is probably what got her killed. Given her death surrounds her job at Rao's then it is safe to believe Rao is involved in the business or he knows someone who is."

"Considering Rao has access to a port and is able to control it and his transport company is operational and transports containers around the country and outside the country. It is likely he is involved," Adrian said his voice cold. Angela turned to look at him at the sound of his voice and found his hands clenched tightly into fists.

"One of my guards is preparing to go work undercover. With his new identity he will gain a position as close as possible to Rao. He is quite loyal and skilled we will know more in a few months," Angela said.

"Thank you," Adrian said standing up ready to leave, barely holding himself together. Angela watched his departing back her eyes understanding his pain. "Adrian," she called him softly and he stopped, "To save Shirleen's life, would you burn down the world if necessary?"

"Why do you ask?" he replied.

"As far as I know you, you hold onto your morals and are willing to protect the innocent no matter what. You are stubborn and even if you belong to a crime family you are unwilling to watch the innocent suffer even if their suffering could help the continuous existence of your family. This is me wondering what you would do to keep her alive and safe," Angela said.

"I would burn down the world with everyone in it if it meant she will stay alive. The innocent mean nothing to me if she is dead," he said with conviction leaving the room. Angela watched him a sly smile forming on her lips and whispered to herself in delight, "Good that is what I wanted to hear. If I control her fate, I control the wolf."

The wall on one side of the room moved and Stacey joined Angela pouring her a glass of whiskey in the process. "The Queen's blade?" Stacey asked her mistress. "Don't you think that will be dangerous? Although the rules are absolute and outright killing is not allowed accidents do happen every time during the queen's blade."

Angela turned to look at the screen lost in thought. She remembered the time when she had turned fifteen and the queen's blade happened to be held the same year. Her father had endorsed her to enter the tournament. There was a reason it was called the queen's blade and that was because none of the participants could use any other weapon but blades and swords during a fight. She had wanted to please her father so badly that she had made it to the top three before she was defeated. She never had a chance to fight the reigning queen at that time. Accidental deaths were common because you fought to win at all cost. "Adrian is right she needs to survive as my heir for as long as I need her to be and the only way for her to survive is if everyone thinks she is strong. Being heir to a crime family is hard enough but being an heiress to a crime family is even harder. The angrier she gets the more she becomes a liability. We need her to be strong."

"What of Adrian?" Stacey asked. "He looks pleasant now but I have heard rumours about his temper and bouts of rages. There is a reason he is leader of the heirs."

"I believe I can control him for now as long as our ambitions align," Angela replied and then smiled, "And trust me they will always align from now on until forever." She burst out laughing at her own words. "Oh, Stacey I did not know I could control the heir to the most powerful crime family in Africa, the Dragon family."