Ceremonial Rites

Fourteen - Friend or Foe?

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

08:00

Marco, Diego, Newland, Derrick and Rodney eyed the one person sipping his coffee comfortably inside a restaurant. They all swallowed their deepest grudges and composed themselves. The entire restaurant was rented by Vincent for himself. He doesn't want to share his morning coffee with anybody. That includes the people who were obviously agitated to see him today.

Vincent flashed his brightest smile to the five gentlemen standing in front of him. Not a single smile was returned for him which he expected. In a snap of his fingers, he ordered the staff to deliver their breakfast.

"Gentlemen, please." He motioned for them to take a seat.

Rodney was the first to tolerate his hatred and took a seat next to Vincent's left portion and Marco took the other side. The three remaining men followed to take each of their seats. Vincent once again smiled and sipped his coffee.

Without the slightest felt of intimidation, Vincent maintained his posture and glanced at the two infuriated gentlemen beside him. He slowly put back his coffee on the table. Marco was about to slap the cup out of the table to prove their point but Vincent managed to gave him a warning look.

"Snap it out of the table, I dare you." Humorless and full of threat. Vincent will no longer tolerate this indecency.

Marco refrained himself. He quickly collected his arm back absorbing the solid threat thrown at him. Vincent's tone grilled his confidence.

"Then start talking. Why did you stay in Sao Paulo?" Rodney asked.

"Aren't we through this? Some unfinish business." Vincent responded dryly.

"What about Don Juan? If he'll know we left without his knowledge, people will start to grab our asses." Derrick intervened.

Like a well trained aristocrat, Vincent picked up his cup of coffee and sipped in the most formal manner.

"What people? You can enjoy the beach and you have nothing to worry about. No one will shoot you on the head while you skinny dip."

The five gentlemen exchanged knowing looks. They all stared intensely to Vincent waiting for an elaborate explanation. Diego cleared his throat to motion Vincent.

Vincent withdrew a newspaper from his bag and laid it down the table. Five curious eyes bent down to read the headline.

Famous Druglord murdered In his Casa

A picture of Don Juan was plastered on the front page making it the most talk about news in the entire country. The most notorious drug lord died making his rivals struggle to get his place. Words have spread like wildfire. Even the pentagon and the white house were immediately informed the moment it exploded to the media.

Rodney could not believe what he just read. Don Juan, the person he's been working for almost two years is now dead. He could not find the proper reaction. Rod was taken aback when Vincent smiled at him. In their entire friendship he knew that the smile Vincent is harbouring is not a genuine one.

"Shocking, isn't it? Aren't you glad?" Vincent sweetly asked him.

Slightly intimidated but still Rodney find his energy to return the smile and picked up his glass of water.

"Ofcourse!"

"Wait! He died? Died? What's the cause?" Newland suddenly bursted suspiciously.

"Yeah! I mean was he shot, strangled or suffocated. Anything that makes sense." Marco overcome his humiliation and added.

"Read the entire article. Reading is fun." Vincent deadpanned full of sarcasm.

"The news article says that Don Juan was found dead inside his casa this morning by his maid. He suffered multiple stabs. The prime suspect to this is his current mistress which the maid claimed that she saw her leaving the casa early in the morning." Diego read the article out loud.

With a satisfied nod and smile, Vincent looked at them in anticipation. Rodney was the first to shoot an accusing look to Vincent.

"Did you do it?" He asked.

"Me? Do you think I'm capable of stabbing somebody to death, Nirvana? I'm not that violent." Acted so surprised and insulted, Vincent leaned back to his chair like an innocent owl.

"We both know you may not lay a hand to someone but you can arrange to have them beaten." Rodney stated in gritted teeth.

"Now, that's false accusations. We don't want to revoke your license." Vincent chirped in but Rodney knew better, that was a warning.

Vincent Alderige belongs to an Old Money family in the US. Their network has reached to foreign waters. If Rodney will try to head on with them on legal grounds, he won't stand a chance. He will be put down before he could even file a lawsuit.

"Well, that sounds like it's settled. About the site B, Rod. Base on aerial survey, it is still operational. May I ask why?" The tone of accusation backfired to Rodney.

Properly poised, both hands holding the cup together and eyes full of anticipation, Vincent waited for Rodney to response. But the latter chew on his food first like he is stalling a few minutes to formulate a proper excuse. Vincent knew better from the start. He dropped a knowing look to Marco.

On the other side, Marco had the same questions. By the time they arrived to Rio de Janeiro Rodney didn't even have any discussions regarding the site B where Vincent has also called Marco to inform him about the site B plan. Its destruction. They all watched Rodney finished his meal.

"Delicious? Don't know you have that appetite." Vincent asked Rodney.

After a series of wiping on his mouth, Rodney put down the napkin slowly.

"I'm sorry about that. About the site B. It will be dangerous to destroy it. We don't want to repeat the site A incident."

"That's why I asked you to be careful." Vincent probed.

"Then how do you suggest to blow up the site B? 200 samples now actively available with more or less 50 personnel working with them."

"50 personnel conspired to betray me you mean? Or should I add the ones that died on site A?" Vincent mocked like he knew everything and just trying to drain the answers from Rodney.

"Even if they betray you, Vincent. They don't deserve to be judged like that. You're not God!" Rodney countered.

Rodney was caught by his emotion. Regret instantly crawled in him as he watched how Vincent clenched his jaw. Even how shaky he may stand against Vincent, he stood his ground.

"I didn't say we will kill them, Rodney. Was that a suggestion?"

"You know exactly what I meant. We are talking about our own scientists, Vincent!" He strengthened his ground.

"Then make sure they make it out alive before I decide for their own fate. You have 24 hours." Vincent responded attacking his shaking foundation.

"24 hours? How am I suppose to do that?"

"I don't know. Try to give them your technique when you escaped the site A. That would be helpful. No offense, just like you I'm suggesting." Vincent then sipped his coffee and gave him a small smile.

                                                             ****

Site B Alderige International Research and Laboratory

14:00

Bright sky and a very appealing temperature for a beach. The entire Rio De Janeiro is preparing for the upcoming festival. Streets filled with various tourists both local and foreign. Despite the growing festive atmosphere around the city, Rodney was not able to enjoy it all. The entire pressure put on his shoulders by Vincent is starting to weigh him down. How will he able to destroy the site? If he fails to accomplish this command he knew for sure Vincent's idea of destruction does not include the survival of those working in the lab.

He was put back to his senses when his car stopped. In front of him is twice as large as the site A laboratory. Ever since all operations have been terminated, site B accepted all on going bioweapons processing. The guard instantly nodded at him.

Rodney did not expect what he saw inside. Everyone was scrambling with every files they can get trying to dispose everything. It's like the entire economy has collapsed.

"Thank God, doctor Nirvana. You're here!" A pretty lady approached him.

"What's going on here?"

"We received informations that Doctor Vincent will destroy this place one way or another. This site is secure enough to withstand an attack but it will not survive any bombing. Doctor Alderige plans to bomb us out of the area."

Rodney, taken aback by that respond stood agape in front of the red hair, petite, tall and has a very striking jawline woman.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes, sir. Our system has detected movement of vehicles northeast of our current location. The vehicles were believed to have been carrying heavy ordinance." The woman responded nervously.

"I'll handle him myself." Rodney uttered in anger.

"Can you, doctor?"

He snapped back to the doubtful woman. Eyed her in frustration. They both know he is talking nonsense. He can't even raise a point to Vincent much more try to neutralize him. But in this moment he needs to overcome his own cowardice to make sure his profits survive this catastrophic annihilation.

On his way back to their hotel he's already carrying an elaborated scheme on how to evacuate their 50 scientists. The real problem left for him is how he will convince Vincent with this? That man knew every bit of lies his enemy will spit. Vincent will notice the lie when he opens his mouth.

His car swayed a bit making him gripped to his side for any impact that may happened. Someone just throw some rotten tomatoes on their windshield.

"Coño! Hijo de Puta!" His driver shouted to the kid from the sidewalk.

The kid smiled wickedly to their car and throw another tomato followed by some eggs. The driver who was supposedly mad to this disrespectful action suddenly leaned back and gripped the steering wheel nervously.

"Santa Maria! Por Dios por Santo!" Then drove slowly out of that neighborhood after a series of sign of the cross.

With sweating hands, Rodney loosen his tight to his seatbelt. He looked at the anxious driver who is glancing warily side to side.

"Something wrong, Antonio?" Rodney asked.

Antonio swallowed a few times and looked at Rodney through the rearview mirror. The intensity of that look crumbled Rodney's stomach. He knew exactly that kind of look.

"Señor. That was a warning. It means you have pissed off someone. Let's hope he doesn't plan to kill you, señor. Be careful." Antonio explained in a hush tone like someone might hear their conversation and stab him for sharing too much.

Rodney snorted a humorless response trying to calm himself. He clenched his jaw. There's only one person who can threatened him to this extent. A person who can walk out to any disaster he's done without any suspicions.

"Don't be silly, Antonio. That's nonsense." He tried to deny it.

He received no response which made him more nervous. Antonio just gave him a sympathetic look and focus on the street. As they stopped to a red light, there's a restaurant to their left corner where someone very familiar sitting comfortably while sipping his tea, Vincent Alderige. Rodney tightened his fist. But he did not expect what happened next. Vincent stared right through his windshield like he knew Rodney was looking at him even though the car was completely tinted. He swallowed hard and diverted his gaze in front. His heart rate slowed down when he felt the car moved out of the traffic. Before they could turn right another tomato hit their windshield making Antonio hit the breaks hard pushing them forward.

"I'm sorry, señor."

"Just drive, rapido! Andale!"