Blue Moon- Till Death Do Us Part

Her feisty demeanor vanished immediately his furious face and the vicious aura that surrounded his presence came into full view, it made her heart to sink into her stomach and her hands tremble in fear.

" Where were you last night?" Dale questioned sternly with a sinister look in his eyes. He had a cigarette stick pressed against the side of his broad lips causing small puffs of smoke to emit from his mouth as he spoke.

Katniss' heart faltered as she made an attempt to lie to Dale about her whereabouts but her orality failed her when she realized it was futile to tell Dale false words when he probably knew exactly where she was last night.

Dale, the man Katniss' father wants her to get married to at all costs was indeed a demon disguised in human flesh, one that she feared and loathed so much. He was much more hazardous than a monster with seven horns of fire sticking out of his head and lying to him will do her more harm than good, so what's best is to keep shut and hope this nightmare ends soon.

" I ask again. Where were you last night!" Dale growled in anger. The impact of his fiery hoarse tone hit Katniss hard making her breath to hitch as she flinched in fear.

" I-" Katniss tries to reply but ha, her orality failed her once more as her gaze caught a glance of Dale's scary looking and menacing demeanor, his veins had popped out the side of his head like they were going to burst anytime soon as he breathed in and out with so much force.

" You were with him." Dale concludes in a more calmer tone then turns his back against Katniss. You could feel the disappointment and sadness in his voice as he spoke.

Katniss couldn't deny it. Off course, it was true, she was with him instead of attending the introductory party Dale threw for her, she rather preferred to ditch and be with her man, the man she loved and how on earth did Dale find out? From the look in his eyes, surely today would be the end of her.

" You were with that riff raff, that smelly poor skunk your parents say you run around with huh? What do you see in him? I can't believe you'd stoop so low and fall in love with a lowlife like him" Dale adds.

" He's-" Katniss begins in a bid to protest and challenge Dale. He turns his head to look at her and his furious look softens her voice and she halts her sentence taking her word back and hid her face from his.

"I'm not afraid of him." She encourages herself within then lifted her head up and faced the raging Dale with a firm and confident look on her face.

She mentally sighs and braces up for what comes next after she lets the words embodied in heart for so long fly out. Nevertheless, she had how possessed the courage suitable enough to spit back words at the fearsome Dale.

" He's none of those things you've called him and yes I'm in love with him because he's a much better man than you'd ever be in this life and in your next! You arrogant thwart" Katniss retorts with vigor and confidence and Dale turns to face her with a loud grunt, his hand already in the air ready and fit to land a resounding slap on Katniss' face and she immediately winced and cowered protecting her face in fear.

But his hand froze in the air, his attention was diverted, diverted to Katniss' phone on the table nearby. It was ringing.

Katniss heard her phone ringing too. It was surprising to her because she had expected to have already been rendered deaf by Dale's hand meeting violently with her face but no, nothing had happened, she could still hear perfectly. He hadn't even touched her yet, thank the stars. Katniss slowly lowered her palms which served as a shield for her face and then her she saw Dale's hand frozen in the air and his eyes were fixed on her ringing phone. Her gaze then slowly crept to the phone and her heart instantly skipped a beat when she saw the caller.

It was Asher. She was done for.

The Blue Moon Diamond of Josephine, the priced possession of the Fremont Family that has been passed on cordially from one generation to the next under the lineage of Josephine Fremont (1815), the original owner.

All through it's lifetime, it has been hunted down by numerous enemies, some of which came close but couldn't touch, some on the other hand succeeded but later as would fate have it, the diamonds were recovered safely. But simultaneously as the years grew on, the number of enemies prying after the diamond grew along with it.

Due to the increasing number of enemies, the possessor of the diamond at the time, Vance Fremont(1925) deemed it fit to hide the diamond in a place where it's ruthless hunters would not suspect, somewhere in the heart of North Africa. Only then did the diamond remain safe.

Vance Fremont in 1997 at his dying breath told his son Williamson Fremont about the diamond and it's hidden location. In 1999, Williamson decided to bring back the diamond and it is currently in his possession. In early 2000, word spread round that the diamond was back in America and it has been hunted and endangered ever since...

A complacent smirk of devious self satisfaction settled underneath the few strands of brownish hair that formed a scanty pencil 'stache on his ever mischievous and menacing face.

The complacent smirk soon widened into a sly grin as he ogled covetously at the picture of the Blue Moon Diamond pasted above the rectangular glass encase meant to secure yet showcase the actual diamond when it finally arrives.

T. Costello had never been happier all his life; Oh yes, today just had to be the happiest day of his entire life. Today, the treasure he had hunted down in thirty four countries across three different continents for fifteen years was finally going to be his and it seemed so evident that no one was going to stop him this time.

He was indeed quite sure that today would be the day, the fateful day he has always dreamt off ever since he was just a chap, the day he'd finally be able to posses the Blue Moon Diamond he has endlessly sought after.

"Sir." Pablo, Costello's trusty assistant called out to his boss as he walked into the dimly lit lounge which gave out the smell of expensive cigars and alcohol..

"Speak Pablo." Costello answered without taking his eyes off the poster notwithstanding, the grin on his face disappeared giving way to a more sinister looking and serious demeanor.

"Our Intel just informed me that the location of the diamond is secured and it's time to strike." Pablo announced and ah, there it was, the smug grin was back on Costello's face on hearing this. He was now one step closer to getting the diamond, off course still hoping this plan doesn't flop like other numerous plans formed to get the diamond. He had so much hope in this recruit of highly intelligent I.T gurus and combat experts, he believed he had the edge this time.

"Then what are you waiting for?" Costello began finally looking away from the poster then turned to face scrawny looking brunette haired Pablo.

"Send the strike team into action. Immediately." Costello commanded with a tone of superiority and Pablo nodded quickly in affirm.

"Listen to me carefully. I want zero flops in this plan, nothing must go wrong. There will be no excuse for failure and everything must work accordingly " Costello added walking to Pablo, his grand walking stick producing a rhythmic clicky sound as it accompanied his feet in every step.

"Do you understand me Pablo?" Costello questioned sternly, leaning his face into Pablo's with a sedate demeanor which caused Pablo to flinch on seeing his scary looking face.

Pablo could feel the aura of enthusiasm mixed with the cruel desire to get that diamond at all costs surrounding Costello's being. The Mafia Godfather and Gangster Leader who happened to be his merciless boss could be extremely ruthless if he wanted to, especially when he desperately desires something for example, in this case.

He dreaded his boss so much and knew what he was capable of. He knew for a fact how his boss loves a perfect and well done job and how he would end the life of any unfortunate creature who deviates from the course of perfection thereby resulting in a failed plan.

Numerous times had he seen his boss pull the trigger at some of his fellow employees due to inadequate work and failed jobs and he didn't want to be the next on that list.

"Ye- Yes sir." Pablo stuttered and then nodded. With a small grunt depicting satisfaction, Costello rebounded back to an upright position, his walking stick now slightly in front of him with his two palms atop each other on the head of the stick.

"I'll take my leave now sir." Pablo says before scampering away leaving Costello to his imagination as he pictured how highly and respectfully he'd be treated when he finally gets that diamond.

A fancy vivid blue and cushion shaped diamond weighing about 345.03 karats with an estimated worth of about 1.5 Billion dollars was no piece o' cake.

It has been highly sought after by the rich and fancy, wealthy and affluent, Kings and Dukes, Lords and Princes, even the dreaded members of the underworld; the gangster bosses, mafia lords and godfathers. Everyone wanted the rare possession not minding what it would cost them. But today, Costello would beat all his contenders to it and the Blue Diamond Of Josephine was going to be his, no doubts

The crescent luminous moon complimented the shimmering stars which seemed to shine brighter tonight.

The environment was without turmoil, rather, relatively cool and soothing, sending a sense of tranquil down the spines of it's residents. Everything seemed serene and safe, no sense of danger detected, well, for now that is.

The Williamson Mansion was all shades of peaceful tonight. Despite the imminent danger lurking around it's existence, all seemed to be well simply because the members of it's household were oblivious to the fact that danger awaits in the corners and this will in fact be their last night here.

A Chevrolet Silverado could be seen recklessly advancing towards the mansion like the driver was in danger or probably being pursued by something or someone . Whatever it was, the driver wanted to quickly avert the situation and find solace in the mansion.

The tall, broad and sturdy gate guarding the edifice slid open once the car wheeled unto it's sensor and then with a more relaxed speed, it proceeded into the garage and halted with a screech.

Chief. Williamson alighted the Porsche with a worried and disturbed demeanor, his body composure depicting anxiety and fright. Surely all wasn't well.

He opened the front passenger seat and paused to look around to see if any of the bad guys had infiltrated his mansion and are hiding around waiting for the right moment to strike.

Satisfied that no one was around, he picked up a black briefcase which was laid down on the floor mat. Just to be sure, he looked around one more time before opening it.

Lo and behold, a small diamond shaped locket attached to a golden neck chain which seemed to be very expensive laid peacefully in a small pouch inside the briefcase.

Chief Williamson carefully picked up the neck chain and pressed down the small knob on top of the golden colored locket, the locket slowly opened accompanied with a small soft tune playing. And in it sat the prestigious Blue Moon Diamond.

Williamson brew a soft sigh of relief after being assured that the diamond was still in his possession. Luckily for him, he still had some time to hide the diamond in a safe place, away from the evil eyes that preyed and dangerously pursued the rare ornament.

He shut the locket quickly then slid it into his left pocket and looked around to be reassured that no one or nothing had been spying on him. Sickered that no one was prying around, he hastingly advanced to his mansion while using his right hand to hold down his top hat to prevent it from falling off.

"Beatrice. They're after me." Chief Williamson announced to his wife on entering into his mansion and quickly slamming the door behind me. One could sense the terror in Williamson's voice. He was scared to his bones. He had come home to his wife immediately he felt endangered because he knew she would have a solution. Beatrice was witty, she would have a solution.

Beatrice, a beautiful ginger woman with a delectable meso-endorphic physique. Her aligned facial symmetry was graced with her dainty nose, sea-nymph eyes and small pouty nude lips. She knew she possessed wisdom and wit and never failed to display her shrewdness when it comes to discerning matters and logical reasoning. She lacked folly words and that's why Chief Williamson always sought her for advice.

"Who?" Beatrice questioned with a serious demeanor carefully dropping her infant which she had been cradling gently on the couch.

"I don't know who exactly, but I for sure know that whoever it is, he's after the diamond." Williamson answered and lowered himself on the couch, burying his face in his palms as thousand of thoughts clouded his mind.

Beatrice rose up from the couch and took a quick glance at her few months old baby boy lying on his back and fondling with his feet, a hint of a smile could be seen at the corner of his lips. It quickly faded as Beatrice took her eyes away from her child and faced her husband, her right hand arched underneath her chin as she began to think of solutions.

"We have to fly it back to Africa." Beatrice said aloud the only possible solution she could think off.

It wasn't a bad idea, in fact it was a wonderful idea being that none of the bad guys know that there's a safe haven for the diamond somewhere in Africa and once it's in the air, there's nothing they can do to stop it. But there was one loophole in this plan...

"We can't leave the country Beatrice." Williamson pointed out and Beatrice's face cringed on remembering their international travel ban. Something about the possession of contraband drugs and ammunition.

" Well we need to do something. We can't just sit and cross our arms Williamson. We need to think of something else" Beatrice urged her husband then turned back to the couch to carry her baby who started to demand for his mother's hold with his cries.

" Because not only is the diamond in danger, we and the kids are too." Beatrice added as she slowly rocked her baby in a bid to quieten him.

" I have-" Willamson's utterance was interrupted by the cheerful and bubbly voice of their daughter.

" Daddy!" She cooed as she ran to hug the troubled man. The ginger haired young girl who took so much after her mother hugged her father's legs tightly (apparently, that's how tall she was) with a gleaming smile.

" My child." Williamson replied lifting his daughter from the ground as she chuckled. After a few seconds mid-air, Williamson lowered his daughter down.

" You were saying?" Beatrice beckoned to her husband to continue as Sapphire, their daughter left her father's side and scampered to be with her mother.

" I just came up an idea. We can take the diamond to my very good friend Fernando. He can help us fly the diamond down to Africa." Williamson proposed. Beatrice saw sense in it after reflecting on it for a while.

" That's a good idea. But we should get going immediately." Beatrice said and Williamson nodded.

" We should take the kids as well, in case the bad guys come here. They'll be safe with us." Williamson says and Beatrice nodded making her baby to rest on her side with his legs astride and she supported his posture with one hand and using the other to hold Sapphire. The family then quickly exits the mansion with the diamond.

After a thirty minute chauffeured drive, the family alighted at Fernando's also expensive mansion which was situated at a secluded area, with minimal houses in sight. The couple shared a look before proceeding into the mansion. There in the upstairs lounge was Fernando seated, engrossed in a magazine with a cigarette stick pressed against his lips.

" Williamson? What a surprise. You didn't tell me you were coming over." Fernando said looking away from his magazine on noticing his good friend's presence.

" I'm only here with my family without prior notice because there's trouble." Williamson explained putting his hand over his wife's shoulders.

" Trouble? Why!" Fernando exclaimed setting down his magazine.

" They're after the diamond. I swear, they've been following me all day and I feel it's time I return the diamond back to Africa, I shouldn't have brought it back in the first place all it has done is endanger my family are I."

" So I presume you're here to have me take it to Africa." Fernando asked puffing out wisps of grey smoke. Fernando knew all about the scandal and his friend's conviction and he also knew he was the only one Williamson had told about the hiding place in Africa, apart from his wife.

" Yes my friend. If I hadn't gotten involved with those rotten mafias, I wouldn't have been set up and also earned myself a travel ban. I would've done this myself."

" True. Those mafia gangsters are very dangerous beings. You have helped me so many times in so many ways when I was in need so I will return the favour. I will help you take-" Fernando's statement was interrupted by a loud explosion coming from outside which made the house vibrate to it's root and the inside to shake, objects falling to the ground and glass ornaments and vases shattering and breaking into thousands splinters. It also caused those inside to tremble and fall to the floor. Danger had come knocking already.

Sapphire was the first to get up from the floor and rush to the window where she saw fogs of black thick smoke building up in the air and multiple men in black with ammunition alighting a van.

Fear gripped the child as she ran back to her mother's comforting arms.

The next were sounds of gunshots and the men trying to infiltrate the mansion. Williamson carefully watched this from the window with intense fright building up in him. Both Sapphire and her little brother began to cry loudly over the sounds of the gunshots. Beatrice and Fernando were in a state of sheer panic.

" Williamson!" Beatrice called out loudly and and explosion from outside followed, this one causing more vibration than the previous one and they fell to the floor once more. The grenade bombs were landing on closer ground.

" What's happening." Beatrice added, he voice fear struck.

" They're here for the diamond." Williamson replied almost inaudibly, his eyes narrowing into thin slits due to extreme fear.

The danger had just begun.

The gunshots didn't seize. Bullets were continuously being fired into the nightsky and the persistent loud noises produced added to the already existing tension. Grenade explosions that came erratically continued to ravage the area.

These people fired the grenades from a far distance, wherever they landed, (not too close to the mansion) created a fiery uproar of flames followed by a ground-shaking explosion aftermath which caused the mansion and every other entity in a 30 metre radius to tremble and shake with vigor.

Williamson knew they were here for the diamond. Why else would they be here? They knew the diamond was here and they weren't going to leave this place without it, and not without a few bloodshed off course. Could this be the end? Will the bad guys win this time?

Williamson was confused and afraid to his bones. It really did seem like the end. He, his family, his friend and his family were at risk tonight. Not everyone was going to make it out of here alive. But Williamson couldn't have innocent ones gunned down because of his possession of a diamond, he couldn't let that happen.

He should probably just give outside and give them the diamond. Yes, give them the diamond and surrender. That way, they won't hurt anybody and they'll simply leave with what they came for. The most they could do was shoot him at the spot but it would be a sacrifice he'd have to pay for his friends and family. He was going to do it because that, that was the only way out of this mess that nobody would get hurt in.

"Fernando!" A distressed and frightened female voice called out. Following the call, were the sounds of multiple feet treading down the stairs quickly.

It was Belinda, Fernando's wife and little son.

Using one hand to hold up her bulky frilly gown and the other to guide her eight year old son down the stairs. The child had been crying too, panic and frright expressed vividly by the maps of dried tears on his face and the formation of new ones in his eyes.

"Why are these men shooting and throwing grenades?" Belinda asked the question aloud so her husband could hear her over the gunshots and crying children.

"We should call the police." Beatrice suggested, Belinda seconded then released the part of her bulkly dress she had been holding then placed the hand over her bulge- pregnancy bulge. She was carrying a baby. She believed it was a son, the doctor that performed the ultrasound for her assured her frequently that it was going to be a male child.

"It's of no use." Williamson replied softly with an almost inaudible orality. He still stared out of the window with keen attention, watching the bad men fire gunshots and triedto break into the mansion. The mansion was guarded with a security system which required either a code or a retinal scan. It wouldn't take those men long before they crack the system. Williamson believed they were skilled I.T men amongst these people. It would be indeed futile to embark on this type of operation without intelligent manpower and ammunition.

"Why? They can help us." Belinda questioned and Williamson chuckled. She was a lady, she wouldn't understand how feared these mafia gangsters are or how ruthless they can be when annoyed. They'd wipe out the entire police force team sent here with one strike. Calling the police is useless and it might just make matters a lot worse.

"If we call the police down here honey, trust me when I say these me would kill every one of them effortlessly. The police would be useless in this case." Fernando answered his wife unbehalf of his friend.

"Then what do we do? It wouldn't take them much time before they infiltrate the mansion. We have to do something." Belinda said. Her husband simply sighed, he had nothing to say neither did he have any solution.

"Mummy I'm scared." Belinda's son coed amidst his fresh tears and held his mother tightly. His mother was just as scared as him but she couldn't show much of it, she had to be brave for her son.

Fernando did have a small team of skilled and armed hunks which he uses for his dirty jobs and also served as his tough bodyguards but he had sent them out earlier tonight to untimely end one of his enemy's life and they aren't back yet. Oblivious him didn't know he was going to be attacked by diamond hungry rogues, if not he would have at had one or two of his bodyguards stay behind and protect him. But who was he kidding? Two men against an entire army? Not a chance.

A loud gunshot blasted and it jolted everyone to a shriek, the children held into their mothers tighter as their cries increased. This gunshot was different; it was louder, containing more impact and seemed to have shot out of a larger ammunition. Only something big could've fired something like that.

Williamson looked out of the window. They had done something to the security system. He didn't know if they had used that gunshot to blow the damn thing up or probably hacked into the system. Whatever they did, it was successful and the mansion gate slowly slid open and the men charged in. Their first line of action was to shoot out the brains of the foolish gatekeeper who ran to defend the mansion with a rusty cutlass.

"Oh My God. They're in." Beatrice gasped. One could see from her composure that her fear had intensified by a million. Everyone's fear did. The end had drawn near.

"Let me go give them the diamond. Let them kill me instead. I dragged all of you into this." Williamson offered finally stepping away from the windows and looked at everyone. Belinda shared a look with Beatrice, Beatrice hid her face. Her husband just offered to sacrifice his life.

"No my friend." Fernando opposed and Williamson was puzzled by this. What did he mean by no? Did he want his whole family to be wiped out of existence instead of him? Why can't he just let him be the sacrificial goat here.

Fernando left the lounge and scurried into another room. Less than a minute later, he was back with two rifiles then locked the door behind him. He tossed one to Williamson and kept one for himself.

"We are going to fight." Fernando said and cocked the gun. Williamson didn't want a debate. He had been skeptical all along about the whole giving up his life thing and this seemed like a more better idea.

Williamson proceeded to open the briefcase and take out the locket then slid it into the pcoket. He nodded to show her was ready for the battle. Such confidence.

"So what do we do now?" Belinda asked and just as Fernando was about to give an answer, they heard gunshots followed by sharp painful outcries coming from downstairs. They were the voices of the housekeepers and maids. They were just murdered. This increased the frightful mood in the room but the two men seemed fairly confidence that nothing was going to happen to them and their families, after all, they were armed. Foolish of them to think that two rifiles handled by men in their mid-fourties would be able to stop and army of rogues. Admirable confidence though.

They began to hear footsteps advancing towards the room and their hearts were instantaneously gripped with fear. The footsteps were heavy, probably coming from one who wore heavy leather boots.

"I hear children in this room." A hoarse voice from outside stated and their eyes widened. The mothers beckoned on their children to keep quiet and they did, the hard task was getting Beatrice's infant to stop crying. Beatrice almost immediately, remembered she had a pacifier with her. She reached into her left pocket and brought it out then stuck it the baby's mouth. Crisis averted, kind off.

But the men outside weren't dummies. They head voices and they knew people were in here. They were going to have to get in.

"Open this door." The same voice commanded and hit the door forcefully. The adults in the room shared a look before Fernando snapped his fingers depicting he had an idea.

He beckoned to everyone to follow quietly and they did. They all tiptoed to the back of a large bookshelf which houses many literary work, books and novels. Fernando liked to read and his eldest son took after him. As a result, he had lots of books which were kept in this bookshelf in his favorite lounge.

All the books the shelf housed had fallen off due to the explosion but the shelf hadn't because it was nailed between two sturdy pillars.

"You have five seconds to open this door yourself or we're breaking it down and it's not going to be funny." The hoarse-voiced man from outside threatened.

"5."

"4."

"3."

"2."

"BAM!" He yelled and the next that followed was the sound of something large and heavy hitting the door causing it to detach from it's hinges and fall to the floor.