Elvira sat up in her bed when she saw the text message, then she smiled.
"Ma'am we have captured Catherine and Sarah. Our men are on their way to nab Aiden, Damien and Sam. We already got Sam because he's supplying the guns we are using."
She smiled again. Seeing that her plan is working. Finally, the meeting before the missile attack served her well.
She stood up and walked to the window. It's about Twilight. She should be getting another message soon that Aiden and the others have been captured. Sam had been implicated already for selling illegal arms to their enemy. Some bats flew by and the stars started coming up.
She went back to bed thinking of how she's becoming a master strategist at getting what she wants. She smiled again and then opened the book she was reading before she slept off to a chapter. She has highlighted some words. A lengthy paragraph at that. When she saw it, she smiled and read It again.
“Everyone sees what you appear to be, few experiences what you really are.”
The prince is a book she has read over and over again since she came across it. It takes time to be a leader. She remembered what John Dikkorp told her. She flipped the page to another chapter which is not part of the book but something on the fringe. She stood up again and looked at herself in the mirror, she was becoming more the type of woman she wanted to be. She smiled. Her phone rang. She picked and it was Lillian.
"Lillian, what's good?"
"Sad news, ma'am. When we got back to the sinkhole, they were gone."
"Damnit! What do we do now?"
"We have another way out. I will see to it."
"Better."
"And thanks for the gift. I found it interesting."
"See you soon, Lillian."
It was at a party they met in Fifth Alley. One of Alex's men introduced Lillian to her. Since then they have been planning back to back together.
She went back to bed to continue reading her book. It's good to have those who are ready to die for your path around you.
***
John Dikkorp has not been able to sleep since he unplugged Jenn. He still loves her and he did that because he loved her. She was the only woman he wanted to be with after the death of his family. He didn't say this to Maddie. Maddie was fed a secondary reason.
He sat up in bed with a book close to his side. He wasn't reading it, he was only having it around to make Elvira compete with him.
He's fond of her too and she knows that. He stood up and went to the window too. He saw her looking outside from her. The windows are miles apart. She was looking at something he couldn't see from his vantage point. He chuckled.
"I'm going to nurture that girl. She deserves it."
***
The next day after breakfast Maddie walked into John's dining room to inform him of what was going on in their lab in Figma P.
"John, workers are agitating that they want to stop working. They got intel that the elites were not killed by Andrea and that the whole thing was staged."
"Who told them that?"
"A preacher amongst them who is of noble blood. She said she has implicating documents and she's ready to show them to the world."
"Whitney. She must be mad."
"After she left for the Alleys preaching to them her ways, she's now back here."
"Now do we deal with this cousin of ours? I'm tired of her. 1895 wasn't enough for her. She came back with the same nonsense again. Send a message to her. I need to meet her."
"Alright, John."
Whitney was a Dikkorp too. She was the one Sam met in the caves with those men around her. Serving her and listening to everything she has to say. She unleashed her charm and became another Cleopatra charming them into her way.
She led a protest after the 1895s, against the ruling house leading Smallsville back then. They nearly killed her but John and Maddie stood up for her and got her to safety. She never thanked them. She told them they are her pawns. Since then, Whitney disappeared. She only sent them a few letters and kept her sanctuary a secret.
John sat back looking at the chicken before him. He suddenly couldn't eat.
"Whitney is mad." He said. "I know her command of words made those outrageous scientists fall into her trap. But how did the intel get to her? Or she just cooked up another of her revolutionary manifesto?"
He grabbed his phone and called Maddie's number.
"Maddie, we are going to Figma P. "
"Alright. I'll get my men ready."
"Okay. Will be ready in five minutes."
John knows if the labs stopped working, they might end up losing some of their powers. The diplomatic relationship they have secretly with the outside world which made them rule the way they like might be bridged. The workers produce products and help sustain that relationship.
Whitney knew this. She's not new to the family business only that she's chosen to be a preacher talking about things coming to her head.
His phone rang.
"Hello,"
"John, the helicopter is here but check the news."
"She's on-air?"
"Yeah. She's saying lots of nonsense. I don't know why Whitney is this naughty."
John went into the living. He put on the TV and there it was, Whitney living in front of workers telling them to quit work.
"Don't listen to John or Maddie Dikkorps. I know them more than any of you here. I am a Dikkorp too…"
***
When John and Maddie arrived in Figma P, they met Whitney in John's office. She sat down looking at both of them. Then she smiled and said, pointing at them.
"John, you aren't getting old. The same goes for you, Maddie. What are you guys eating?" She smiled again and stood and walked towards them? She opened the window and sat at the table before them.
"Aren't you guys going to answer me?"
"What are you doing here, Whitney? " John Dikkorp asked.
Whitney chuckled and said.
"I guess I can visit my cousins anything I wish."
"Sure," Maddie said. "But what's that in the news?"
"Maddie," she chuckled and looked at their faces.
"You guys either tell them the truth or we continue like this. I'll be back. I have some new friends to meet."
***
They sat there thinking of what to do with their cousin. She has been gone for a while.
"What brought her back here, Maddie?"
"I can't say too. The last time I heard of her she was leading a park in the Caves."
"Fifth alley?"
"Yes. I heard she has been there for more than 30 years. I don't know."
"That's because we never paid more attention to her doings. Whitney is eloquent and people follow her easily. And you know her shady deeds."
"Yeah. She nearly got Darwin killed. History excluded that."
"But Darwin Stone was a mad man. You know that too. He chopped off his father's head. That's sad."
"Oh, I never knew that was the reason. I thought she got into some love spree with him. You know Darwin was such a loudmouth."
" We need to tame her before things get out of hand. Let's hang out later today."
"Alright."
***
News
There is another development to the recent story of Whitney Dikkorp showing up at the lab. We will be bringing you the updates as they come in. Stay tuned and have a great day.
News
The recent event after the death of the elites has led to a lot of mayhem in the city. Recently, Whitney, another Dikkorp, came out to say that she doesn't agree with what has been known about the death of the elites.
News
She said she's going to release some bulletins about everything until they come out to tell the masses the truth.
News
In the coming weeks you'll be knowing more about what's happening. Stay tuned. More news is coming
Elvira met Whitney when she went to the cave. Whitney ruled a pack and was powerful in her own right. She went there with Lillian and Georgina. Lillian introduced her to Georgina at the party. She told her Georgina can do and undo things. That was before Georgina met Alpha. Her meeting with him was part of the plan.
Whitney welcomed them. She has known Lillian for a long time.
"You ladies are welcome," she said. "Have your seats."
She walked briskly and talked to them like she had met them all before. Though she only knew Lillian. Elvira was glued.
They had a discussion surrounding the rulership of the three Islands. Elvira was bent on knowing more. She let out her plans. Whitney smiled.
"You are a smart lady," she said.
"Thank you."
"I will help you. They are my cousins and I have thought about it too. It's high time for them to allow us to rule. Don't worry. Lillian knows what I can do."
"Alright then. We'll look forward to how everything unfolds."
"Don't worry." Whitney chuckled.
***
Not even Whitney knew she was a pawn just like many others. Elvira had mastered the art of smoke screen to get to where she wanted to be.
She is making John like her more than ever without him knowing what she's plotting against them. She sat in her bed and flipped to the next page of her book. She smiled. It's a book on the geology of the earth. It's a book she has wanted to start reading after reading Jared's book. She smiled again and wondered how the world looked like when plate tectonics forces were tearing up the world.
She flipped to the next page and continued reading silently. She focused on the plants on the page and tried understanding how they moved through time to still be here. She focused on the thought for a while then merged it with her plan. She smiled again and again. Things are becoming clearer to her. She said in her mind.
"Everything in life is a smoke screen." She said and smiled like she was sipping a glass of wine.
She sat up and held the book closer to her.
"Whitney is going to help achieve things she doesn't know she's doing." She smiled and nodded her head to the left.
"Those guys are going to die. Catherine will die too. I have no use for her. I will make sure they all fight for things they don't understand."
She went towards the door and opened it to enter the bathroom. She shut the door of the bathroom and pulled her clothes off. She looked at herself in the mirror. Everything looks different. She's turning into the woman she wants to be. She smiled in the mirror and pulled herself back.
"That all good bitch, Catherine, never knew what I have for her. She thought I will give up easily just like that. That's foolish. I'll make sure I deal with her. This is just the beginning."
She put on the shower and moved into her bathtub. Water ran into her hair. She opened a Shampoo and rubbed it into her hair. The water kept washing everything down her body.
Quickly, she ran out of the bathtub and went back into her room naked. She used a towel on her hair and jumped back in bed. She saw a missed call on her phone but ignored it.
She chuckled and said: "I know this is what I want to do and I'm going to get there. It would have been great seeing Alex's face again and tell him that I'm about to take over his throne."
She picked up her phone. It was a call from Georgina. She called back.
"Hey, how are you doing?"
"I'm good here ma'am." Georgina said.
"Great. I have been wanting to reach you. Lillian told me what happened."
"Yeah. We went back with more men. Hopefully they will be nabbed soon."
"Good. I'll call again."
"Alright, ma'am."
"Suckers," she said. "I'm going to deal with them. All of them."
She went back into the bathroom and lay in the bathtub. She increased the flow of the shower and the water flowed down on her body like from a waterfall. She smiled and talked about everything she will be having if everything worked out.
The water continued flowing down her body like it's going to be forever. She smiled again and tried to reach her phone but she couldn't. She lay down there and quietly listened to the song in her head.
It was a song she wanted to write. It was a song she doesn't want anyone to listen to but her. The thought of that made her laugh harder and she thought about how she's going to write it down.
**********
Alpha, Damien and Sam started running again after they slept in a cave. Sam took them there. It was among the caves he saw before going deeper with Lillian into the terrains where they saw wild werewolves and she-wolves in their wolf forms running about. He told Alpha and Damien some of what he saw when he came with Lillian.
Now they are allowed from the enemies but they don't know if more are coming. Sam already gave them more guns and enough bullets with some grenades and knives. He came ready for them.
"So," Damien said as they continued running. "That woman, Lillian, wasn't what she said she was then?"
"Yeah," Sam said. "But what I'm wondering is this, why did she help in the first place?"
"It's a game. You help your enemy to understand their tactics." Alpha said. "You shouldn't allow them to know your inner dealings. That's why it's good to keep strangers afar."
"Exactly. Initially, I was sceptical about her but then her beauty and innocence got in my way."
"Damn," Damien said. "You allowed her to pull the Cleopatra thing on you." They all smiled.
"It was that, Damien. This lady is intelligent. You've recited lots of poems when you are sick. She knows them all."
"Poems, me?"
"Yes, man. You were a poet. Reading Baldwin and much other stuff. You were damn engrossed in it and wanted to change the world with poems."
Alpha chuckled and said, "Beta, turned a poet. That's hilarious. It'll be great for our pack." He teased.
At that moment Georgina's men were driving in with guns and machine guns. They are ready for anything. Two armoured tanks followed the cars. The terrain became smoky. The men were laughing and ready as ever. Alpha and Sam ran into a hiding. Quickly Damien joined them.
"These folks are ready for war," he muttered.
"Sure. We need to get around them slowly." Sam said. The smoke continued increasing. The men drove around shooting in all directions.
"We don't even know they are coming. Well it's part of a fight." Alpha said.
"Let's move slowly. I saw a way the last time. We can follow it." Sam said.
They walked slowly through the back of a large boulder and reached for the far side of the caves which leads deeper into the badlands.
The shooting continued.
They got tired at some point and sat down under a lifeless tree that looked older than any of them or any of their parents. Alpha dropped his gun and crashed beside the tree. His head resting on its bark as hard as everything around. Damien did the same but only rested his back with his head fallen into his chest. It was like he was going to recite a poem.
Sam stood a metre away waiting for whatever comes next but minutes later he decided to join them and that was the time an SUV drove in and started shooting in their direction.
"You guys aren't gonna end well." The men shooting continued yelling.
"Damn! They are here." Sam said and quickly reached for a grenade and threw it in the direction of the car. It touched down on it and the car blew up. They ran for cover and pulled out their guns getting ready for what comes next.
Bullets started flying in from all angles. They ducked and continued shooting back. At a point, Damien thought about what was going to happen to them. The only cover they've got was just a tree. They have some guns and ammunition with them which might finish soon. The men kept on coming in SUVs, driving very fast in such a way that they could not have space to run. They were locked in a shooting pool.
Alpha jumped on one of the cars. He broke a man's neck and quickly used a knife he found in his pocket to kill the driver. He got in the driver's seat and drove across to Sam and Damien.
"Get in guy!" He shouted.
"Duck. Duck, Alpha." Damien shouted. Sam jumped into the car through the rear window and Damien reached for the door. Quickly he opened it and entered. He grabbed the gun beside him quickly and started shooting.
Minutes later. The front tyre of the car was blown up. Alpha jumped out. Damien and Sam ran towards a shallow cave.
"Alpha, come over." Damien shouted. Alpha continued shooting. Men dropping like bullets.
When they both turned around and discovered that the bullets were coming from different angles, they joined Alpha and went in for the kill.
"We must kill them all." Sam shouted.
"Move to the rear, Sam." Damien said. He ran towards a coming car looking to blast off the head of its driver.
The bullets kept flying about and dropping from all angles with sizzling hot sounds entering the air like brine.
Quickly they reached for a way to make sure they nabbed the men. Damien grabbed a knife and went for the kill. He moved so fast that before you'll know he has slitted ten men and they fall on the ground like beans from heaven.
The others ran but they were still shooting. Sam and Alpha followed them with more bullets flying about the sky and entering skins. They ended up killing most of the men with some running away.
But some of them ended under Sam's grenades. He threw two in their way and they boomed like a bomb.
They drove in one of the SUVs deep into the Caves after fleeing from the enemies. It was a brutal gun battle that later turned physical because some of the men changed into their wolf forms in the broad daylight and lashed them only for Sam to cure them with grenades. They scattered like confetti with blood spreading like it was from a shower.
"Move it, guys," Damien Shouted and continued shooting with both his hands as they ran to gain more cover. The men came further shooting in zig-zag like it was their last fight. They gave it all they had been Sam cornered them Just as if did before and dumped grenades in their midst scattering them further. As the shooting continued, they targeted a car and Alpha ran towards it. He cornered the driver and gave him a smacked down and reached inside for the keys. He pulled the car closer to Sam, Sam entered and quickly pushed out his head through the back window and continued shooting.
"Damien, come on it," Alpha screamed. "We have no time."
Damien was locked up amid five werewolves and two she-wolves. They aimed their guns at him and were about to open fire when Alpha ran into them and quickly swerved to the left so as not to crush Damien.
"Come in, man" Sam shouted as he continued with his shooting and enjoying the whole thing and the fact that he was doing the right thing.
Damien only went three feet before he jumped into the car. It was still on the run when he did that. He smiled and shook Alpha's hand.
"The good old days are back. Let's rock it."
Quickly he grabbed a new gun and resumed shooting. They saw the men submerged and re-emerge like ghosts from a lost city but they didn't stop shooting.
"Man, you are good," Damien told Sam.
"Shhh! Take that back. I need to hug my gun tightly now."
They pushed forward killing men as they went. Bullets fall like fire and burn down the enemies. Before they know it, they had killed fifty men because the SUVs were ten.
Deep and deeper they went after deciding there wasn't enough room for them to continue shooting guns because they were running out of bullets. Sam grasped the edge of his gun and kissed it like a hero. They all smiled.
"You know what this gun did."
"Yeah, it saved the day," Damien added smiling but the look on Alpha's face wasn't that of a smile. He was stone cold and seemed to just focus on the road.
Damien noticed it and knew why he was like that. He's missing Catherine and he longed to see her.
"Sam," he said, "How do we get the ladies out?" He said that to get the attention of Alpha. To get him to contribute to what they are talking about and not just focus on the road like let's get to where they were going.
"We will have to figure that out soon. We should stop at that cave."
"Is that the one Lillian took you to?" Alpha asked then sighed. He didn't think he could ever get to see Catherine again. What if they've killed her.
"No. I'm suspicious of that cave. We should stop at another. The one she took me to is further away."
"I know this place," Alpha said. "I was here with my father when I was a kid." They jumped out of the car and Alpha moved it to safety.
"The folks here don't talk much." He walked towards them. His face was looking tired and his lankiness showed from his saggy trousers. "We came to see my father's friend."
"Wow. His folks should still be around if he's dead?" Damien asked.
"Yes, but they live longer here. I saw a man then, my father told me he was 150 years old."
"I saw that too, " Sam added. "How did they do it?"
"It is probably a blood thing. Some werewolves never mixed with others. They are isolated from the other packs."
"But it's self-imposed," Sam said.
"Yeah," Alpha said.
Damien listened to them thinking about what his mother told about the lost tribes of werewolves and she-wolves who stayed in the mountain close to her childhood home but he'd never seen one.