49 A Professional Masksman

When Marissa was done spewing out her guts, she was puzzled due to Leon’s silent treatment. “Don’t you have something to say to me? Or, are you just going to stand there and keep glaring at me?”

Leon moved closer to his mother causing her to flinch. He placed his two hands on her shoulders and stared into her inflamed eyes.

“I love you so much, mum! Don’t you ever forget that!” He tried to sound soft, but his heart was heavy and his eyes were deadly.

“From this day henceforth, you’re no longer welcomed in my home.” Leon removed his hands from her shoulders and walked towards the window. You’re never to call my wife or ever go close to her. The only time you’ll get to see me is when dad wants me around.”

“Leon, you can’t...” Yvonne’s voice died prematurely when Leon suddenly spun around to face her. This time, his look was like that of a starved bloodthirsty vampire who just met his prey.

“Mum I’ll be on my way. You can settle this with your son.” Yvonne took her things and quickly left without looking at her mother’s face.

“Paul, take mum’s things to the car. I have instructed John to take her to the airport.” Leon bellowed his orders which frightened Marissa the more.

“My private jet will take you back to Carlpole. Your husband is expecting you,” Leon spoke between clenched jaws to his mother and stormed out of the villa.

Marissa stood, transfixed on the same spot. She watched her son’s disappearing profile and heaved a sigh of frustration.

.....

Her memory flashed back to when Leon was just a little boy. She remembered all the sweet childish promises he made to her.

From a tender age, Leon had always stood up for his mum and his sisters. He was cherished by so many mothers and reverenced by his sisters. He was a natural charmer and all the girls loved him. Leon loved the attention from the beautiful female folks but was peculiarly attached to a senior, named Ruth, who was five years ahead of him. They were always seen together and sometimes, in a compromising situation. Leon loved Ruth so much as a boy, that he could literally donate his two kidneys for her.

Marissa disapproved of Leon’s and Ruth’s relationship on the ground of age and status differences. She tried to break the relationship apart. But unfortunately, Ruth died at a very young age of fifteen, due to a rare illness.

historical

At first, Leon took the shock of Ruth’s death so hard. He felt there was no reason to exist without her. It felt as though he would never survive the loss. But after a few days, he recovered mysteriously to everyone’s surprise and happiness.

Ever since Ruth’s death, no girl aside from Leon’s sisters had been close to him. Instead, he flirted with only pretty young teenagers until he left Carlpole for college, abroad.

When Leon returned to Carlpole from college, he was a whole new individual. He was ambitious and goal-oriented just like his father. Also, his mind was indurate and he discharged a mysterious aura. Marissa found it hard to understand him. But his love for her was unequaled.

Currently, she couldn’t recognize what had become of her loving son. It was as though history was repeating itself. The same passion Leon exuded as a boy, towards Ruth those past years, was the same or even stronger towards Ariella.

The way Leon had glowered at her because of Ariella, made it clear that Ariella was Ruth reincarnated, or his soulmate for life.

“It’s time to involve Nana Esther,” Marissa soliloquize. “At least, Leon listens to her.” She had been instrumental to Leon’s recovery after Ruth’s death all those years back.

“Mrs. Treshvire, your car is ready.” Paul politely said with a trembling voice, cutting into Marissa’s thoughts.

Marissa knew she’d cost Paul enough trouble by being at Leon’s villa. She didn’t want to make it harder for him. So, she nodded her thanks and left without a fuss.

Leon was driving down to his second apartment when he observed a black-tinted land Rover Defender car had been tailing him from a considerable distance. So, he decided to drive around some blocks to be certain before taking the necessary action.

On confirmation, he made a few calls and sped towards the out sketch of the city.

Using a combination, he opened the glove compartment of his car. In the glove box of the car, were two custom-made handguns. One was a Ruger 1911 Commander pistol and the other was a customized Model 629 seven-shot revolver.

Leon picked up the silver and black colored revolver pistol and swung the cylinder out, to confirm if it was loaded. Ensuring the safety was on, he smartly concealed the revolver in his waistband holster.

When he caught sight of a public roadside convenience, he drove towards it and parked at an elaborate spot. He wanted his chasers to see his car. He alighted from the car and stood beside it for a while, to give his chasers enough time to catch up with him.

When Leon saw the headlight from afar, he walked lazily towards the convenience and trod lightly into the gents. After confirming that all the toilets’ cubicles were empty, he turned on the hand wash tap. He took out his pistol and cocked the hammer back; to line up a new cartridge in between the hammer and the barrel.

Afterward, he positioned himself behind the one-way entrance and exit door to the gents. He waited patiently in stealth mode like the black-footed cat, stalking and monitoring its prey.

When he heard muffled footsteps approaching the door to the gents, he pointed his pistol like a professional marksman. He mentally calculated and figured out the number of persons approaching the door to be three.

The assailants, fully armed, opened the door to the gents and carefully filed in one after the other. They had listened and concluded that Leon was done easing himself and was washing his hands. So, they planned on taking him unaware and knocking him out from behind.

Leon released the hammer and pulled the trigger.

BANG!

BANG!

BANG!

CRASH!

The sound of flying bullets, ruptured skulls, shattered glasses, punctured ribs and scapula, cries of anguish, and death reverberated in the gents.

Due to an unanticipated shot released by Leon, the assaulters opened fire without aiming properly.

The walls and the doors of the toilet cubicles were covered with sprays of bullets from the automatic pistol and assault rifles of the attackers before two out of three met their horrific doom.

One of the assailants lay in the pool of his blood when a bullet went through his skull. Another also died due to a bullet wound on his neck and chest.

The third man was on his knees, begging for his life, with Leon’s cold pistol pointed at the back of his head. The man caught a bullet on his shoulder blade and was bleeding terribly.

“Who sent you?” Leon’s haunted and raspy voice boomed from behind. His eyes were bloodshot and thirsty. One wrong word from this half-dead man and he would join his brethren.

“Ahh... Huh... I... I don’t k...know!” Leon’s gun clicked. “B...b...but...!” The injured man yelled at the top of his voice. “The F...Falcon knows!”

“Where can I find him?” Leon moved forward to face his prey, while he slid his pistol to the man’s forehead.

The injured man’s heartbeat quickened and he felt as though he had died and resurrected over again, by merely looking into Leon’s haunted eyes.

“T...the W...wick c...clubhouse. He owns and r...run the p...place. That’s t...the gospel tru...”

BANG!

The stuttering man’s lifeless body slumped on the wet floor covered with water, blood, and brain matter.

There was complete silence except for the deep and heavy breathing of Leon.

Leon’s men of the underworld, arrived in time to clean up the mess. They were all dressed in a black suits and wore dark shades.

“Sky, get the owner of Wick clubhouse. He is known by the name, ‘Falcon’. Leon instructed the leader of the group. “Take him to the executive warehouse and keep him comfortable.”

“Yes, boss,” Sky smartly replied with a wicked grin.

Keeping a guest comfortable in Leon’s executive warehouse means immense torture. Very few lived to tell the tales only when Leon was in a happy mood.

“Tidy up neatly and I’ll see you guys in the morning.” Leon left swiftly after cleaning up and changing his blood-splattered clothes

Denise left Leon’s house three hours earlier after she ensured that Ella had taken dinner. Ella waited on Leon for a while, before depressing thoughts and weariness made her sleep off. She was sleeping when Leon arrived. He quickly showered and joined her on the bed.

Leon smiled as he watched her sleep. He had been in a terrible mood since he last saw her beautiful face. Seeing her sleep so peacefully aroused deep desires within him.

He softly kissed her on the lips, while stroking her curly hair.

“You’re back!” Ella fluttered her bleary eyes open and tried to sit up. Her seductress pink lace sleep ware caught Leon’s eyes as the duvet slipped slowly from her shoulders towards her waist.

“Yes,” Leon’s ocean blue eyes glinted with longing. “Did you miss me?” Leon moved closer, stroking her side tenderly.

Ella’s heart warmed up to Leon as she briefly forgot all about the events of the day. Being in his presence, gave her great hope and a new sense of direction. She saw him as a true friend and lover, whose current existence was to please her.