C4 GOLDEN BUDDHA

"You guys, ready?"

It was the voice of Kimhan who was talking to a bodyguard that he would take with him to a private beach outside of Quezon. Because he is talking to Russians who even intended to go to the Philippines for the deal to be made. A big transaction will happen because the replacement of the golden Buddha that Kimhan got in a big bidding event in London last month is not just an insignificant amount.

"Yes, Young Master!" the nine men who saluted Kimhan responded seriously and without hesitation.

Kimhan nodded before gently patting one of them on the shoulder.

"Remember, there's no room for any kind of failure," he reminded her. "Am I clear, Olie?" Kimhan pointed at the man who was the head bodyguard in his team.

The team is their own because they have different expertise as siblings. And each of them has a head bodyguard who in turn manages the other bodyguards held by them. Their father Lion Guerrero is the headmaster of Octagon, the highest position for a mafia organization and his friend Francis Aguilar is his trusted advisor. Francis Aguilar is also Octagon's private attorney.

"Roger that, Young Master!" Olie answered in a loud voice to Kimhan who nodded again.

"Good...that's good!" he said here before turning back.

He watched as his sister, Adrielle, was talking to his new bodyguard. He honestly didn't know what was going through his mind. He just shook his head at his younger brother's foolishness.

"Hey, El..." Kimhan called to his brother when he was only a few meters away from him and his bodyguard, Bob.

The man is new to the Octagon. I think it's only been there for more than three months. Like Adrielle, she also did not understand their father, Lion, when he decided to hire Bob as a bodyguard. The siblings have a lot of doubts about his true motive for entering the organization. It's not just once that a spy has entered the Octagon, so August immediately had the man investigate Crimson. Bob's record is clean according to their brother who is the head of Octagon's intelligence. He didn't believe it was spotless. His record was too clean and it seemed odd to him.

"Hello there, Kim!" Adrielle greeted back. "What's up?" it added a question that slightly nodded to the person talking to Bob.

"Does your guy have something to do today?" Kimhan asked Adrielle who immediately shook her head in response.

"Why?" Adrielle asked her older sister again.

"I have a—"

"Operation?" Adrielle interrupted what Kimhan had to say. "you want me to come with you?" he asked here.

Kimhan shrugged before putting both hands in the pockets of his jeans.

"Azi and Crim are already with me." replied Kimhan.

Adrielle raised her eyebrows. "What then?" he asked Kimhan.

"My men might need an extra hand there," Kimhan said followed by rolling his eyes upwards. "you won't mind if I borrow your guy, would you?" he continued and Adrielle immediately responded with a smile.

"Yeah, sure," he answered, clinging to Kimhan's arm. "Just make sure, you bring back my "guy" alive, bro," he said making Kimhan laugh.

Did he say that? Their youngest's smiles can't really be trusted.

"But of course, but I can't promise that he will come home to you without a scratch,"

"As long as there's still a bit of breath left in him, bring him back to me." Adrielle said before finally saying goodbye to Kimhan. "I gotta go, Kim. I just remember, Reaper is waiting for me in the training ground. You take care, okay?. ." He said here before hurriedly walking towards the direction of the training ground.

Shaking his head, Kimhan just looked after Adrielle. He won't be surprised if one day he suddenly announces in front of them that he and his younger brother, Reaper, are getting married.

Reaper is a good choice anyway. Adrielle grew up at the same time. They tracked the man since the day they found him and Adrielle in Recto, Manila. If only their Daddy had not sent Adrielle out of the country, he would have definitely trained his youth at the same time.

--

"Where's El?" Dalton asked Russet in front of him.

Right on cue, Adrielle appeared in the weapon room. His hair was tied back and he was wearing a black baseball cap, black crop top and black leggings paired with white sneakers.

"I'm here, Da" said Adrielle who immediately caught the gun that Russet threw at her.

"Ready?"

Instead of answering, Adrielle just blew the tip of the gun in her hand before putting it on her waist. He winked at his brother before looking at Russet.

"Daggers?" Russet asked the two brothers who were going with him to the location of Kimhan, Azure and Crimson.

Kimhan's transaction with the Russians was compromised. According to Crimson who sent them a message that they need back-up. It is said that the Russians have received information that the police are coming to their location. The foreigners were alarmed and accused Kimhan and Azure of being accomplices of the approaching policemen. What should have been a smooth transaction by the Octagon with the Russians ended in a clash. Their brothers are out numbered because when Kimhan found out that the police were coming, he immediately ordered some of his personnel to leave the area. This prompts Olie to confront the police. The only ones left in the area were Kimhan, Azure, Crimson and Bob and the three bodyguards left behind.

"Yes, please..." Adrielle responded before turning around to follow Dalton who was already leaving the weapon room.

Russet quickly reached for the three daggers on the long table. The size and design of those are different and he must also be good at using them as a stun gun on the opponent's neck. He put it in the pocket of his camouflage pants before following the two brothers. They walked towards the elevator together. The mansion has four floors so Senor Lion installed an elevator so that they can go up and down quickly when there is an emergency like now.

While inside the elevator, Dalton glanced at his wristwatch. It was already past eight in the evening. Almost twenty minutes passed after August received Crimson's message. And Crimson particularly mentioned in his message that they only have one hour left to rescue them.

"Damn it!" Dalton's expression darkened as he clenched his fists.

Russet lightly patted his older brother's shoulder before speaking seriously.

"Relax...we got this, bro. This ain't the first time anyway."

He understood why Dalton was the way he was. If he and Adrielle are close, Kimhan is Dalton's close friend. The two are closer than Trigger who is Dalton's twin. Close in a way that they often hurt each other. In short, the two are like a dog and a cat, but when one of them is in trouble, expect the other to come to the rescue first.

Just like now, when August said that Kimhan was in a dangerous situation, Dalton immediately stood up. He didn't even wait for what his oldest brother would say, so he just told Russet what they had to do.

"We'll get them in time, Da," Adrielle said as she leaned against the glass wall of the elevator and played with the small dagger that Russet gave her.

A few moments later they were at the large garage outside the mansion. There they caught up with their father, Lion, who was standing with the tobacco in his mouth.

"Bring your brothers back, Dalton," he said when they confessed.

"I will, Dad," Dalton replied blankly. "We will..." he repeated before finally opening the car door. Russet will drive so he sits in the shotgun seat while Adrielle is in the backseat.

"And, Adrielle?" Senor Lion called the youngest son and the only girl out of eight.

Adrielle looked out the car window before smiling at her father.

"Yes, Dad?" the smile on his lips was sweet even though he seemed to know what he was going to say.

And he was not wrong.

"Patience..." Senor Lion frowned slightly at the youngest son.

Among her eight children, Adrielle has the shortest patience so she often got into trouble while studying in Japan. He has been kicked out of the university he attended several times because he broke a bone with a naughty lover more than once.

Adrielle's eyes rolled upwards when she heard what her father said.

"Yes, Dad," he replied out of breath before motioning for Russet to drive.

Senor Lion just shook his head as he watched the car of his three children drive away. Dalton's cold treatment of her was not new to her. Since the day he arrived at the mansion, he had never once seen her smile when facing him. And this is also the only one who has the courage to oppose him when it does not agree with his plan.

"My apologies for taking too long, ah," Adrielle pouted when they got away from the mansion. "Aren't you, Russ? Answer me, Da," he turned to the two brothers who looked at each other for a moment before seeming to be forced to nod.

"Yeah, right," said Russet with a grin.

"Hmm..." Dalton replied simply before leaning back on the chair. "faster, Russ," he turned to Russet.

Adrielle was troubled because of the answer of the two.

"Shh, boring..." he said.