Odds And Mirrors (Unedited)

stompie

"What do you want?"

"What makes you think I want something from you kid" I asked a young Phakamile after he randomly marched at my direction demanding answers

"Let's not bullshit around, you're either following me around because you know my father and want to either rob or kidnap me. Or worse, my father and mkhulu hired you to follow me"

He stated slightly annoyed. I was stunned, I had only started following him a few days before and not only was he not bothered by it, he even challenged me

"I'm a 16 year old kid, I don't have anything valuable to you, but I'm going to Mthatha to see my sister. So lend me R50, I'm sure Mkhulu will be willing to pay it back" he said almost bored

"Can't do that kid"

"The bus leaves in 45 minutes, best get your ticket because you're not going to stop me from seeing my sister"

That was the start of our working relationship that turned into a brotherhood. I then became his travel companion for some of the trips he took to see his sister. Mr Mzimela thought it was best we don't stop him from seeing her

I'm only 8 years older than him and when he was 22 he made me the head of his security
I made my first million within that year after he insisted I get into the security business.

He and Danso took me in, as wealthy as they got with the years, they held me in high regards and valued my say
Phakamile trusted me with the security of his first Mrs when she got kidnapped.
I had long retired from the game because the company was doing really well
I offered to personally watch over her as thanks to all the good years I've had because of him
Naturally I grew close to Nqobile in the 5 months I was her security and driver
When she asked to have me organize men to hurt Phakamile, I realised I was dealing with a scorned woman.

I thought I had spoken sense into her so when she asked that a hit be put on a Lesedi Zungu I saw no problem
I assumed it had everything to do with these social media job they had
She just wanted her kidnapped and scared, not hurt so I saw no harm in it

Never in my wildest dreams did I think it would be the start of this whirlwind mess I'm currently in
Not only did I have my men attempt to take Lesedi but they died painful deaths doing so.
One of them my nephew
When Phakamile discovered I had arranged them, there was no reasoning with him
He felt that even if I did not know who Lesedi was I should have spoken with him first when his ex made the request
After that, there was no way to justify my involvement
In less than two weeks I had lost 80% of the clients on the books

"You know how our business works and you're only alive today because of our history I won't let your children starve but you will not gain anymore from me"

He said this after cancelling the 5 year security contract at all their businesses, from the office parks, hotels, grocery shops, everything. That contract was worth 35 million and I had 105 employees who are now suing and taking me to the ccma for unfair dismissals.
I'm still in disbelief at how easily he was able to turn his back on me because of this Lesedi woman
It's only recently that I've learnt how important she is to him

Her going missing was the break I needed because he wanted men on the streets looking for her and a woman named Linda DuPont
Danso assured me that Phakamile's disdain was temporary but it's going on 2 years since he terminated the contracts
I've gotten other contractors here and there but not lucratively close to the one I had with him
I'm currently sitting on 40 employees and struggling to pay the already cut salary.

Now imagine my surprise when a member of the late Carlos family came to me requesting to have Phakamile and Danso taken out for R100 million
The very same Linda I've been looking for, for months now

In all my years of working with Phakamile and Danso, the only time that anyone has requested my assistance in taking them down has been by women
The very women they bedded.
At this point I won't be surprised if Lesedi asks me the same thing
She too just came out of no where and had the R50 million reward recalled.
Women are a very trying species, Linda asking me to get her close to Phakamile and Danso just so she can be the one to pull the trigger is nothing short of requesting to take the devil out
These men were willing to fork out millions to find them while all this time they were just hiding from them

Women!!!

Even god himself doesn't want a gig that includes taking these men out.
These men are not only forces to be reckoned with but many men have died trying to take them out, they are above all else ruthless animals. They can shoot a bullseye on a moving target with their eyes closed and they wipe out, that's if they're offended enough to do the job themselves

This job is straight suicide but they've left me no choice
Everything has a price including loyalty

Don't these people know where my loyalties lie? I almost died after I organized men to take Lesedi.
I didn't know who she was at the time and the only reason Phakamile spared my life was because he believed me.
He and I go way back, a good 20 years back, he was my first real job, I was only 23 and tasked at keeping tabs on him when he was 16.
He has become family but still even with that said he was quick to turn his back on me, too quick if we're being honest considering Lesedi wasn't too hurt

" I know you were in their circle until some time back when they decided that you weren't. The best part about this plan is you don't even have to implicate yourself" this Linda woman says

"You don't know what you're asking" I respond back

"I didn't come here for a life lesson are you in or out"

"Your death is on you"

"There'll be death all right" she says smug

I don't know how the hell she found me but my bet is on Nqobile who subsequently killed herself over 2 months ago.
In our line of business anonymity is everything, no one is even meant to be able to connect my association with these men

"Let's get one thing straight you're hiring me to get you close to them nothing more and nothing less"

"For the money I'm giving you, I am hiring you to get me in and out of there without a single scratch. That's the whole point of security isn't it?" She says rudely

"Get as many men as possible, we're not dealing with amateurs here"

Yeah no shit!!

"Fine, Phakamile is out of the hospital so I'll get my men, then Sunday afternoon you can avenge your family"

The same family I organized men to have killed under Phakamile's orders