He was crouching at the cold stone, in the middle of the nowhere, looking down at the four men. They were protecting his new prey, the one that had escaped his hands last night. The man he was set to kill last week, was a well-known businessman, very rich man, who could wipe you off of the world with a one, simply call. He was like his Boss - a man, who he didn’t want to know name, as long as he was paid after his job. In the opposite, he never told his name as well.

He was a thirty-two year old man, half Turkish, half British. His skin too pale like for a man coming from the Middle East, and so that’s why he has been cast out of his community, after his parents were slaughtered on his eyes. He was just ten years old then, when the gang – that’s how Americans calls such groups – who ruled the city had come to his home. He had to watch his mother being killed, only because she had lain with a man out of their community, a Giaour too. And her worst crime was that she had procreated a child with that man. A child that was now the thirty-two year old man. He was saved that night, after his family was slaughtered by his uncle, who belonged to the community. He was saved, only to be sold to the man with the scar – that’s how he called him, his whole life; the leader of The Warriors.

He was saved to become a killer.

He had long forgotten his true name, never been called by it for the past twenty years. He was like a chameleon, always changed his name, accent, appearance with every single job. He was Mustafa, John, Swen, David, Horace, and many more in his long career.

But he always calls himself Kader.

‘Did you finish your job?’ he read the message he had received an hour ago from the Boss. Kader was supposed to kill Harry Culter – the owner of ‘The Vender’, the biggest trading corporation in the North West. His Boss sent him the coordination of the apartment where Culter was currently staying, but the other man escaped his two attempts of killing. For the first time, Kader was interrupted by a sudden coming of Police, just seconds before he climbed to the apartment. The second time was three days ago in the alley close to Harry’s office, Kader lost his conscious for ten minutes in which Culter has escaped. But as they say, third time’s the charm.

He won’t let Harry Culter escape him anymore. He will fulfill his job. He will kill him.

Kader was observing those three men, who were protecting Culter now. They were from the Company – an enemy of his boss’s, and so, his enemy. Kader knew that those men won’t leave Harry alone, not even for a single moment. They have been too serious in their job, always ready to protect a man they had to with every possible way. Kader had met a man from the company once, during one of his jobs. That man protected some high-class woman then, he sacrificed his own life for her. If anything, in other circumstances, Kader could admire them, but they’re his enemies. Enemies that he has to eliminate first, if he wants to kill Culter.

But for that he needs a good plan, to get rid of them as fast as he can, before any of them could have a chance to alert the authorities of the Company, and so Culter would be finally left alone. Left alone to be killed by Kader.

He needed a good plan for it. In his mind, he analyzed many scenarios for it. And finally, after ten minutes of hard thinking, he came up with a perfect plan. Harry Culter is a great business man, but the most importantly he’s a man. And there’s no man that can resist a beautiful body of a woman. Fortunately, Kader knows a very beautiful woman. He fished his old phone from his jeans’ pocket, and with a smirk on his face, he picked a first number on his speed dial.

“You’ve finally called.” he heard a sweet, light female voice through the phone.

“You know me, I’m a very busy man, Diana.” Kader responded, sitting more comfortably on the grass. From all women he had met in his entire life, Diana was the only one that he cared for and meet with from time to time. “How are you?”

“Cut to the chase, Darling, for all you can’t lie.” she said with a sneer in her voice.

“You know me so well, Diana. I have a job for you.” he mused, and turned his voice into more serious one. “I’ll pay you thirty percent of my payment.”

“I have a better deal.” the woman cut him off. “You, me and our daughter. A week with no jobs, no calls from your boss. A family week. You own that to us, Dan. Kara barely remembers her father.”

“I told you, she and you’d be better off without me.” he said sadly, feeling a twitch of a pain in his heart. He loved his five year old daughter, so much, but the life he had chosen, more like, the life that was chosen for him, isn’t a life he wants for his daughter and Diana. He loves them too much for it.

“This will be a goodbye for us.” Kader shook off his head, getting rid of painful memories of his child, and listened again to Diana. “I’m getting married to Alex, my co-worker. Kara likes him too. But I want us to meet, I want her to see her dad for the last time. I want us all to have a closure. That’s all I want. A closure, Dan. You own me that much.”

“Deal.” he said after a while.

“Good, now tell me, what I have to do.” she spoke and listened to his plan.

The plan was easy and perfect at the same time. They called Harry to arrange a business meeting with him in a restaurant in New York. There was nothing strange in this meeting, Harry had such meeting non stop. And so, that’s why he came to this meeting with no hesitation.

"Mr. Culter, over here!" Diana shouted through the whole restaurant, as soon as Harry stepped inside. When his eyes landed on her, Kader saw, the spark of interest in his chocolate brown eyes. Well, no wonder, Diana caught the attention of every man. White, tall woman, long blonde hair, big blue eyes. Red lips, covered with dark red lipstick - she even told him once the specific name of it, but as every other man, Kader couldn't remember it. Oval face with high-placed cheekbones, now lightly emphasized by the blush. Her eyelashes, black, long, made her eyes even bigger than they already have been. She was an eye-candy, and everyone saw it.

Harry and his four dogs - as Kader called them in his mind - were slowly coming closer to their table. All of them were eyeing him and Diana suspiciously. Finally, when they got to the table, one of the men came to stand close to Kader and Diana, and started to check them. He put a hand over woman’s thigh and moved it higher, but soon his hand was hit by Diana’s hand.

“I apologize, Ma’am,” he mused, retrieving his hand. “But I must check you and your boss, before any talks will begin.”

“Please, forgive.” this time it was Harry who spoke. “I was attacked twice in the past week, and I’d like to not stand any chance.”

Both of them nodded, and let the man check them more. As predicted, nothing was found. Kader wasn’t stupid man, he never took any weapon in such jobs, he got them later. When the man finished checking them, he moved to stand behind Harry.

“I’ve assumed, that we’ll be talking in private.” Kader spoke, eyeing all of them from head to toe - he learned that trick during one of his jobs. Partners in business always check in this way the other part. “Ah, but introductions first. My name is Jonathan Silverstein, and this is my assistant, or, more likely, my right-hand Alice Lawson.”

“Nice to meet you,” Culter shook Kader’s hand, and kissed the top of Diana’s hand. When he looked into her eyes again, there was a small smile on his lips. “Shall we have a drink first and then talk?”

“I’d rather have a talk first.” he insisted, pouring himself a glass of water with lemon. He took a sip, not breaking the eye contact with the other man, before he continued. “Unfortunately, I have another meeting in an hour. You know, as our company grows, we have more meetings with possible allies. But the most, I’m interested in co-operate with you and your company, Mr. Culter.”

“Harry,” the businessman interrupted him. “If we’re doing business, call me by my first name.”

“Very well, call me John then.” Kader stated, and continued his speech. “Like I said, I’m very interested in working with you, Harry. Your company has a solid position in a trade market, and we could use such a strong ally.”

“Yes, I have heard about your company.” Harry declared, rubbing his chin with his palm. “For such a young company you already gained a few strong companions. It scratches my curiosity, why my company?”

“That’s simple,” Diana spoke up for the first time since the beginning of the meeting. “Your company is the best in trading, and we want what’s the best.” she offered him a toothy smile. “And there’s another plus in this deal, you are, so far, the most attractive ally of ours.”

Harry laughed loudly, getting an attention of all people in the room at himself. In that moment, Kader waved at the waiter, and soon the young man was standing next to him. He ordered a bottle of red wine - Bordeaux from 1965 - because if drink then drink the best. The waiter poured each of them a glass, and left them alone, after retrieving an order for starters - shrimps and caviar. After the third glass, Harry waved off his watchdogs, and the three of them stayed finally alone.

For Kader it was a sign to begin the first part of his plan.

“I must apologize to you,” he said, looking down at his golden watch. “The time flies in such a good time. But unfortunately, I must run for another meeting.” He buttoned his suit-jacket and placed a kiss on Diana’s cheek. “Harry, it was a pleasure to meet you. I hope that our business will come to happen. I leave you with Diana to do more negotiations. She knows everything, probably better than I, about our company. So, you two, do more talking, and have a great day. Alice, I’ll see you in the office, tomorrow.” the woman nodded, with a smile on her lips, though she didn’t break an eye contact with Culter. “Harry.”

With that, he left them at the table, and moved to the door. Before he opened them, he looked through his shoulder at Diana and Harry. The woman fixed her red dress, exposing her chest more. She leaned more to the table, probably so Harry would look at her cleavage more, which was exactly what Kader wanted. With one of her hands, lowered to the floor, Diana had given him a sign - two fingers raised up - it was their sign to tell the other that the game has started.

Now it was a time to fulfil his part.

…

Kader parked his motorcycle - Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R - near an old, long-closed butcher-shop in the alley. He was close to Harry’s apartment, maybe fifty seconds of walking. He was walking slowly, being assured by Diana’s text that Harry is asleep, and his watchdogs are unconscious from the burst of a sleep-gas. As always, Diana fulfilled her job in hundred percent. That’s why he liked to work with her, he always chose her in such jobs, not a woman that his boss proposed to him. Always Diana. It wasn’t just because it was almost the only way he could see her, but as well she was extremely perfect in her job, even though she stated once she doesn’t like doing it.

He almost bumped into her at the entrance to the building. He eyed her from head to toe, to see if she has any wound, but she looked as perfect as three hours ago in the restaurant.

“All done.” she said, giving him a faint smile.

“Are you ok?” Kader asked, grabbing her hand into his, but she pulled it back. Of course, it wasn’t right to touch her now, she’s almost bonded to another man.

“Yes, he hadn’t touched me. He lost his conscious before I could even unzip my dress.” she laughed. “This new pill works better than the previous one. Where did you get it?”

“The Boss works with some Scientist or something. She created this pill.” he answered, passing her at the entrance. She grabbed his arm before he could go upstairs. He turned around to give her a confused look.

“Remember our deal, Dan.” she said with a firm tone, but then, you could hear a hesitation in it. “I wish you wouldn’t do it, but I know you better, Daniel. Be safe, ok? I don’t want to tell our daughter that her daddy is dead.”

“Don’t worry about me, Di.” Kader remarked, winking at her. “I’m always good. I should better go, before they wake up.”

“You have everything you need?” she inquired, pointing at the black bag in Kader’s hand. He nodded, checking the time on his watch. “I’ll see you soon, Dan.”

“I’ll see you soon, Diana. Say hi from me to Kara, ok?” he called after her, as she walked away, giving him a small wave. When she disappeared behind a corner of the building, he went inside.

Kader went into the elevator and pressed the seventeenth floor. Fortunately, no one joined him in the elevator ride, and no one stopped it, and so he was soon on the proper floor. It was oddly quiet there, which of course worked better for Kader - there won’t be any witnesses. Not that he was afraid of it, he’d kill anyone who would interrupt him, and as well he has a muting device made by the best technicians in the world. A small, silver ball, that gained all the sound from the room, and so for anyone outside it would seem to be that no one is inside, no sound was heard to the outsiders. A small thing that does so great things - that’s how the Boss called it, when he had given it to Kader. But still the man was prepared for every situation.

He opened the door to the apartment as quiet as he could, and stepped inside. The apartment was huge, each of five rooms were big. The wooden floor was shining as it was waxed just an hour ago. Kader moved to the living room, where he had found four men, sleeping on the couch and chairs, with the tv turned on - some football game was on. Kader came closer to them, checking the breathing of each. They were breathing shallowly, so the man concluded that they will wake up anytime soon. He placed his bag on the floor and unzipped it. Looking inside of it, he was deciding what weapon should he use first. He grabbed the metal, thin rope and placed it in his both hands. He stood behind the couch and with one of his hands raised to the head of the man, tilted it to the back. Kader placed the thin rope on the tanned neck of the man and strongly pressed it, until it cut into the man’s neck skin. Kader circled the rope on his hands and pressed it even more, hearing the shallow and fastened breath of the man, who was waking up at such action. Involuntarily the body of the man started to struggle, so Kader put more strength to the choking, and finally he managed to cut the aorta with the rope. Red, warm blood started to run down his hand, bringing a smile on his lips. This was one of the best moment in killing, the first feeling of a warm, thick blood on his hands. The man bled more, as his heart fastened its beating. Kader cut the neck, near the artery more, and after a few moments he felt the last breath and the beat of the man’s heart.

One dead, three to kill before he’ll have his fun with Harry.

The rest of the three men he snatched their necks with one fast movement. Fast job, he liked that the best. And then he could move to Harry’s bedroom.

He found the man sleeping on the bed, half-naked to the waistline. He was snoring loudly, and a drool was falling out of his mouth. Kader placed the muting device at the corner of the bedroom, activating it with one turning. He didn’t feel any difference in the room, but he was sure that now the apartment was dead quiet and nothing could be heard. The man looked around the room, and spotted a wooden desk. He pushed all of things off of it, and moved it to the center of the room, next he took two chairs from the kitchen and placed them in front of each other’s, on two sides of the desk. Then he placed his bag on the desk and opened it, taking out cuffs and chains.

Kader moved to the bed and sighed loudly. Harry was a slim man, but he had more weight than Kader, he could tell that by just looking at him. But still, he was able to move Harry and carry him to the chair. The man did not even wake up during it, and during chaining and cuffing him to the desk. When Culter was restrained, Kader breathed out and sat in front of the man. From looking at him, and listening to his breaths and beatings of his heart, Kader knew that Harry will wake up any moment. And so he relaxed himself on the chair and waited for that moment.

And finally it has come.

“It’s time to wake up, Harry.” he almost sang. Culter started blinking repeatedly in a fast motion. After a few moments his eyes slowly opened and soon he looked straight into the dark brown - almost black - eyes of Kader. “And let the fun begin.”

…

Harry was woken by a loud sound of tapping coming out of nowhere. At first the place he had woken in was dark, but as his eyes started to blinking, involuntarily, he saw small rays of some light. When he opened his eyes fully, he was blinded by some bright light pointed strictly at his face. Whatever it was, it hurt his eyes, so he closed them as fast as he can. Then he heard some words, someone was in the room, and was talking to him. But all he caught was his name and the word ‘fun’. He tried to open his eyes again, this time very slowly to not hurt them. Once again, he was blinded by the light, but after a few seconds his eyes adjusted to it. It turned out that it wasn’t any light pointed at him, but just a light in the whole room. When his sight became less blurry, he focused his eyes on the strange dark posture before him. His eyes once again had adjusted and soon the posture turned out to be a black haired man. A moment later the man seemed to be very familiar to Harry.

“You.” he muttered. “John…”

“That’s one of my name,” the dark haired spoke lightly, playing with a dagger in his hand. Harry had difficulties with breathing, his head was spinning like a roller coaster or twister. He felt that his body is too heavy, he couldn’t move. It was almost like ten years back, when he had taken drugs for the first time. For a moment his mind cleared, and as it on instinct he tried to move his body, but found it impossible. With a difficulty he moved his eyes to look down and realized that he’s cuffed to the table, and his legs are chained to the chair. He couldn’t make any move. “You know, Harry, you made many people angry.”

The man didn’t mind his words, but tried to focus on what had happened hours before. He remembered talking to John and Alice, then John left them. He and Alice had many drinks, and then came to his place. He remembered trying to take off her red dress between one and second kiss on that lustful, red, kissable lips. She tasted very strange, then, but he thought it’s because of the wine. But maybe it was something else, though he couldn’t think of anything. John was talking again, and Harry tried to focus on his words.

“...and you’ve done so many bad things, Harry. So many people want your death.” he was saying. “Do you know, what you have done, Harry?”

“Why?” he asked faintly. “Why...did you drugged me? Where is...Alice…”

“What, you fell in love with her?” John sneered, with a fake smile. “She is quite of...how Americans say it...hottie. She’s marvelous, isn’t she? And she’s amazing at her job. And you, my friend,” he laughed a bit. “You’re like every other man, fell for a nice body.”

“Who are you?” Harry managed to breathe out, struggling with the cuffs, though it was pointless. Those cuffs were held in a place by a big, metal nail.

“Don’t you recognize me, Harry? Maybe this will remind you.” he said, moving his hair to up a bit on the left side of his head, revealing a long scratch there.

There was a sudden flash of memory in Harry’s mind: A man in black leather trying to slit his throat in the dark alley, but he couldn’t finish, because Harry had hit him hard on his head with some stone he’s managed to grab from the ground. The hit was hard enough to send the man to the ground unconscious for a while, and it let Harry ran away from that place. He caught a taxi and rode to the nearest hospital for a help. Since then, he hired four men from the Company - he had heard about them a year before, when his friend was in troubles and hired them for protection. They were very good in their job.

Well, not anymore, as it seemed. - He thought to himself, returning his attention to John; or whatever the hell he was.

“It seems that your memory works good now.” John stated, looking him in the eyes. “Tell me, Harry, how does it feel to be at someone’s mercy, huh? Do you fear?” He said nothing. “You know, you really pissed off many people in this world. Many of them came to me with their sorrow, and who am I to refuse them a relief in their sorrow? You escaped my dagger twice, but this time, it will be the end.”

“My men will come…” he coughed during speaking. “You’ll...die.”

“Your men from the Company?” John asked with a fake concern. He smirked and grabbed a machete from his bag standing near the table. Then he disappeared for a moment. Harry heard nothing, none footsteps, none talks, nothing. He tried to free himself from the chains, but with every move of his it seemed to clasp around his legs even more.

A few moments later - though for Harry it could be even hours - John came back to the room. He held in one of his hands ahead of one of his security men. It was cut off of the body around the middle of the neck. Blood was pouring out of it straight onto the floor, making red stains next to John. The man threw the head on the table, right before Harry, and smiled at him; grinned at him maniacally.

“Those men?” he asked again. “All of them are dead in your living room. You know, such a shame that they weren’t conscious when I was killing them, this would be more fun. To hear their screams, their begs… but I hope that you’ll be screaming and begging for all of them.”

Harry wanted to retort something, but he found himself unable to do. And so John continued his monologue.

“You know, Harry, I’ll get so much money for killing you. One simple job and so much cash.” he added, getting back to playing with his dagger. He moved it between his fingers. Harry had seen only one man doing it, but it was a long time ago. In the past, in his old life.

“I can offer you more.” he gritted through his teeth. “Tell me their price, I’ll give you as twice.”

“But money are not that important, Harry.” the killer replied. “It’s more.”

“More?” he sighed.

“Yes, more, Harry.” John mused, running his tongue over his lower lip. “Tell me, Harry...or maybe I should call you by your real name, Muhannad.”

Harry’s eyes opened in a shock, no one had called him like that for twenty years now. He wasn’t that man anymore, he wasn’t Muhannad anymore. He was Harry Culter now, a Turkish man born in the USA. Not Muhannad, Harry.

So this man has to be from my dark past, - he thought. - But who was he?

“You probably don’t remember me.” John was saying. “How can you? You’ve seen me when I was ten, for the last time. When you sold me to The Warriors, Savaşçılar, does it ring any bell?”

“Salim.” the long forgotten name escaped the mouth of Harry.

As if on a cue a flashback started in his mind.

He stood in front of a brown haired woman in tears. She was covering the small, ten year old boy behind her black dress. The child wanted nothing more, but come out and hug his uncle.

“Please, don’t do it, Muhannad, he’s just a child, he doesn’t deserve it.” she cried out.

“You have shamed our family, our community. You have lain with a Giaour, Hujira.” Muhannad stated firmly, waving at his companion in black clothes.

“And you’ve punished me already,” she screamed more, and for that he hit her in her face. “You have killed David already.”

“And you deserve the same fate, Hujira.” he reached for his machete and raised it into the air. The metal shined in a daylight, blinding him for a second.

“Then kill me, but not my son. He doesn’t deserve it. Punish me, not him.” she begged him on her knees, grabbing his leg between her hands.

The boy was observing the scene with tears in his eyes, as though he was taught by his uncle, he didn’t let any of them shed. He stood dead in his tracks, in the same place where his mother placed him before. He didn’t dare to move.

“Mama loves you, Salim.” she turned to the child and gave him a faint smile, before Muhannad cut off her head. The head fell right to the boys bare feet, covering them with warm blood. The child let out a loud gasp, but when his eyes landed on his uncle’s face, he covered his mouth with a hand. His body was shaking with emotions: anger, pain, fear; but he didn’t dare to make any move. He feared for his life.

“Take him,” Muhannad spoke to his companion. “We’ll take him to the Castle, and train the boy. He will become one of us. He will kill for us.”

“You have killed my mother and father, dear uncle.” the voice of John...Salim...woke him from his memory. He looked at him again, and indeed, saw his nephew in the man. He had the same eyes as his mother, though his physical appearance was more like that white man who dared to lay with his sister. “I didn’t care for my father anyway, but mother never deserved it. She was your sister.”

“She broke the law. She had lain with Giaour.” he said, averting his gaze from the other man. “This was a punishment.”

“You sold me!” a sudden scream escaped Salim’s mouth. It was quite obvious that he was shocked by it as well. “You sold me! They made me a killer because of you!”

“I did what had to be done, boy.” he remarked.

Kader closed his fists tightly, turning his knuckles white. When he heard the man’s last words, he reached for his bag again, and took out a dagger, a syringe, a vial of transparent liquid - to paralyze muscles, so the person will feel numb for a while; a gun - an old revolver MAS Mle that he once stole from his first boss; even though it was an old gun, he liked to use it. He placed the items in front of him, and debated with his inner voice about what should he use first.

“You...don’t have to do it, Salim.” Harry muttered, swallowing hard. “I’m sure we’ll find a way to resolve it.”

“I thought that you, as an old man of the Warriors, do not fear of death.” he responded, reaching for a syringe and a vial. He put the liquid inside of it, and move himself to stand next to Harry. He patted the side of his neck and laughed loudly. “Did you think that if you remove your tattoo I will not find you? That you won’t belong to the Warriors anymore?” Kader embedded the needle in the skin, going to the artery, and injected five milliliters of the liquid into the blood.

A few seconds later, Harry felt as his body is going numb, his muscles felt so tired, he felt so tired, though his mind was suddenly working fast. He was more focused on everything what was going on around him. Did something else was injected to him as well?

“I want you to be focused, and see what I’m going to do to you.” Kader said throwing the syringe to the floor. “And I’ll do many things to you. You know, the training at the Castle did good things to me. I’ve become one of the best killers around the entire world, many people used my services over the years. That’s why it took me so long to find you, but I wanted to find you since I’ve left the Warriors and the Castle fifteen years ago. Did you know that I was the youngest killer set out to the world? Of course, at first I was sold to my first boss, as a payment for a lost battle between my boss’s army and the Warriors. He trained me more, so I could be the best in my services. And now I have a new Boss, and it was so fortunate when we got a job to kill you. I could kill two birds in one stone.”

Harry slowly raised his head, feeling the power of liquid injected into his vein, he looked into Salim’s eyes. They were empty, like two black holes with no end, soulless even. The man felt the fear overtaking his body, as Salim took an old, silver dagger. There was something engraved in black, on the dagger, but Harry couldn’t read it all. He watched Salim, as the man closed his eyes, brought the dagger to his lips and whispered something. He couldn’t catch any of the whisper, but after a second, the black eyes were staring back at him.

“Let the fun begin.” Salim said and grinned psychopathically.

He grabbed Harry’s restrained right hand, and pressed on it hardly, so it would lay flat on the table. With his left hand, he shoved the head of the protector to the floor; it rolled to the wall under the windows. Kader held the hand of Harry strongly, and brought a dagger to the hand. He separated Culter’s fingers with the blade, and with an eyebrow quirked, he started talking again.

“I remember those fingers running through my hair, when I was a child.” Kader was saying. “I remember them marking my neck, as well, when you choked me repeatedly, to teach me some lesson.” he made a short pause, and lowered his voice, so it sounded even more intimidating. “I wonder, how will you feel without them.”

Kader took his time in cutting off his uncle’s fingers. Slowly, one after one, only to the middle of the finger. The screams of the man was like the most beautiful music for him. With every next finger the screams were even louder, bringing Kader a pleasure. If there was anything great in his job, it was a scream of his victim. Loud, deep, sometimes a screech, but nevertheless it was a beautiful sound to Kader. A sound that he was anticipating to hear during his jobs. And now, his dear uncle was giving this sound to him.

The blood stained the table, marking the hands of Kader. Warm, thick fluid was one of the things that excited Kader in his job. But he wanted more of it. And so, he moved to the next phase of his fun. The man got up from his chair and went to stand behind Harry’s chair. With his dagger, he cut the shirt of Culter and shoved it to the floor. He ran slowly the blade over Harry’s chest, not putting much pressure to it, to not cut the skin, yet.

“You know, uncle.” he whispered to the man’s ear. “I have so many scars left by your friends from the community. Sadly, I don’t like to use a whip with small cutting edges, like they did. I’m far too impatient for such slow torture. And, I didn’t have a time to pick up a new whip, so I guess the dagger will sufficient.”

He pressed the dagger more to the skin, slowly cutting it open inch by inch; from the breast till the end of his rib-cage. The red liquid was slowly running down the chest to Harry’s belly, marking his black suit pants in red stains.

The older man tried to suspense a scream, but the ripping feeling, when Kader drove the dagger near his liver was too much for him.

“Stop…” he barely breathed out, but Kader didn’t listen to him, and cut his chest more.

“Stop?” the black eyed man asked with a laugh in his voice. “But we’ve barely begun.”

Kader didn’t stop at cutting Harry’s chest, after there was a little untouched skin on the chest, he moved to the left and then right arm, cutting them as well. Culter fought off the scream, building in his mouth, by biting strongly into his tongue. He felt the blood in his mouth, but he decided to not give satisfaction to his nephew anymore. He used to be trained for such situations, but the younger man was smarter than him. Kader was well trained in torturing people, he’s done it for years.

A moan of pain escaped Harry’s mouth, when Kader cut slightly the right side of his neck. It wasn’t a deep cut, yet, it hurt like hell. Maybe it was the pain coming from all of wounds, or maybe his mind was creating more pain than it was in reality, but Harry felt that his body burns in pain. Yet, Kader didn’t stop, even when Harry quietly begged him to.

Instead the killer reached for his revolver, and pointed it at Culter’s shins. Two shots from short distance. Bullets have gone through the shins, probably landing in the wall behind them. Another scream escaped Harry’s mouth, followed by a spit of blood.

“I was shot in my shoulder,” Kader spoke lightly, rolling the gun on his finger. “I remember you shot me twice, when I was barely fourteen. What was that you told me then? You have to know the pain, Salim, so you would know, what to bring to your enemies.”

Harry let out short, quick breaths, before he swallowed hard and looked at the man again.

“I took that lesson to my heart, you know.” Kader added, sitting at the edge of the table. He placed a hand under Harry’s chin, and raised it, gripping it strongly. “I know the pain. And now, you’ll know it too.”

Harry didn’t know the pain, but Muhannad did. But still, this was much more that he had ever received. The younger man pointed the gun again at him, and shot straight into his belly, inches from the cut. Harry felt that the force and sharpness of the bullet had ripped some of his inner organs. Was it liver or maybe his kidney? He wasn’t sure, but it hurt. A wave of pain went through his body, making him moan loudly. It was bearable for a while, but Harry knew that his nephew has something more in the store for him.

Indeed, Kader prepared more for his victim.

He reached for his bag again and fished out a set of ten, thin, metal sticks. Turning his attention back to Harry, he took another vial in his hand. He removed the lid from it and put one of the sticks inside of it. The liquid in the vial was in dirty yellow color, almost light brown. Kader slowly retrieved the stick from the vial and with a stoic face, he thrust it into Harry’s heart.

The pain was unbearable. It was like in a second his heart was on fire, moreover, the fire seemed to take over his whole body. The killer thrust nine more sticks covered in the burning liquid into Harry’s heart, making the other man scream at the top of his lungs from the pain.

“Yes, scream the beautiful symphony for me, my dearest uncle.” The other man proclaimed, raising his hand in the air like a conductor of a choir. “Let me hear it.”

Blood was running down Harry’s mouth, neck, chest. He felt lighter with every minute, as he was losing blood so quickly. At some moment, he prayed to Allah, so this could end quickly, knowing perfectly that his nephew will kill him, or he’ll die from the loss of blood. He prayed for anything.

Kader wiped off the blood from Harry’s chin, grinning madly. He wasn’t done with the man, yet. He grabbed a leather belt with metal spikes placed through the whole length and tightened it around Culter’s neck. He heard him choking, trying to catch a breath. Kader, though, minded to not throttle him, yet. This wasn’t the death he had chosen for him, and it wasn’t the perfect time for it, yet. He loosened the belt, letting the other man to breath for a second, before he tightened it again. Harry’s face become red, almost a nice shade of red - Kader thought, before he loosened the belt again, and finally, after a fifth repeat of the motion, he let the belt drop to the floor.

Harry was struggling to catch a breath, when Kader moved to the table again. He was turned back to him, so the man couldn’t see him taking the machete in his hand. When he turned to him, a pure fear was painted in the older’s man’s dark eyes.

“Fear not, uncle, I won’t kill you with my machete.” he claimed with a distance in his voice. He lowered his eyes to the wounds of Harry’s chest and smiled proudly. As the blood was running from those wounds, it almost looked like a painting, a bit avant-garde, but still nice to look.

“Kill me, already.” Culter spited out with blood.

“But where would be fun, then?” he remarked licking his lower lip - a habit in exciting moments. “Ah, I feel generous now, I shall give you a fast and quick death.” He heard the other man breathe out with a relief. “But not yet.”

He had planned one more thing, before he finally ends the man. With the machete in his hand, he cut in one movement all toes on Harry’s feet. A loud grumble left the older’s mouth, followed by a moan of pain. He didn’t scream anymore, it seemed that he didn’t have any strength for it anymore. Yet, the toes weren’t the only things Kader had cut off. He moved the machete further up and cut both feet in the middle. But this time, as the cut bone stuck out of it, Harry screamed. He shouted more, as Kader was cutting more of his feet, finally stopping when the heels started.

“Kill me…” Harry uttered with a difficulty, feeling his heart beating too fast. The loss of blood was bigger with every second. The man was almost sure that he’s bleeding from every possible inch of his body.

“Why should I?” Kader asked. “Why should I kill you know, and stop my tortures? You’ve done this to me for five years? Maybe I’ll do this for the next five years too?” he grabbed the dagger again in his hand, and looked at the man with a disgust. “You’ve made me this. Look at your doing. Aren’t you pleased with your work? Aren’t you proud of me, uncle? I’ve become what you wanted me to. I’ve become a killer.”

“Salim…” he whispered, having a hard time with his voice, feeling his heart racing with fear and the upcoming feeling of death, as Kader smiled wickedly, before his face turned into an angry one.

“I’m not Salim anymore. Salim died along with his mother.” he said. “I’m not even a man.”

“Not a man…” he muttered.

“No. I’m not a man.” Kader stated, with a dagger in his hand. “Ben kader değilim”

Kader drove a dagger through Harry’s heart, and retrieved it fast, then repeated his move twice again, until Culter had closed his eyes.

The last words Harry heard in his mind, before his heart stopped beating, were the words of his nephew.

‘I’m not a man. I’m a destiny.’ then was the last whisper.

‘I’m your kader.’

‘I’m your destiny.’