Silence of the Nine 2

by T. Styles

  Nine stood up and Leaf went to grab her fur coat from the butler. “I appreciate the offer, friend, but my husband and I have a war to plan for in the privacy of our own home.” She strolled over to Bambi and she reminded Bambi of Cleopatra.

  Strong, bold and elegant.

  “Do not worry about us,” Nine continued. “We will be ready for them.” She extended her hand. “It is such a pleasure to be in the company of a real king. A real woman. I look forward to doing more business with you in the future.”

  Bambi shook her delicate hand. “Same here.”

  Once they were outside, Leaf said, “How do you feel? In your mind?”

  “Still crazy,” she responded. “Something is going on with me and I do not know what.”

  “So what do you think about the meeting?”

  “I think Bambi is great. I also think she killed a few of our men to get us to align with her.”

  Leaf was surprised. With widened eyes, he asked, “And you okay with that?”

  “They were problem soldiers and I believe she knew that. They were men I did not respect who were bound to be cut anyway. So why would I not be okay with a woman who did something I would have done myself? If anything, I respect her even more.” She looped her arm through his.

  ****

  Nine and Gates sat in her backyard looking at her vineyard. When he gazed over at her he noticed that she didn’t look the same. “What has life given you that you can’t handle?”

  She giggled. “The reason you ask?”

  “Because every time I see you, you are put together. But now, well, now you look uneven. Unkempt. Why?”

  Nine observed him. For a second she contemplated telling him her real reasons, that her mind had gone awry but it wasn’t relevant information to give him. He wasn’t a doctor. “I have a few things going on in my life. But I am Nine Prophet. And there is nothing I cannot handle with a little time.”

  Gates nodded, sensing her hesitation to be truthful.

  She pulled up the collar of her jacket. “I asked you to come here because I cannot see you anymore.”

  His eyebrows rose. “Why?”

  “Out of respect for my husband. He loves me and I need to love him back.”

  “And you don’t?”

  “I mean the right way. At first, I thought he was cheating but now I know he just needs time.”

  He sighed and removed his phone from his pocket. He pushed a few keys, scrolled a few times and handed her his phone. “I didn’t want to show you this but you’ve left me no other choice.” He paused. “This woman is bound to be the source of a problem if you don’t handle her.”

  Nine removed the phone from his hand and looked down at the pictures on the screen. She blinked a few times to clear her vision and when she was done, she could clearly see her husband with a strange but beautiful woman. His hands were on her shoulders and he was staring intently into her eyes.

  Now that Nine recalled, it was the same woman who was at the Royal Babies event.

  Did she come to blow up her husband’s spot? By telling her that they were together?

  In a low whisper and with a quivering chin, she asked, “Who is she?” She stared up at Gates.

  “Keep scrolling,” he responded. “And then you tell me what it looks like.”

  With each swipe, Nine witnessed her husband on different days with the same woman. Her stomach bubbled and she tossed the phone into his lap and paced the area in front of him. “Why would you show me something like that?” She stopped. “When you yourself said I looked unkempt?” She paused. “Did you do it to hurt me?”

  “I figured this was the reason you were upset, Nine. I wasn’t trying to—”

  “Ruin my marriage?” She waited. “Get out of my house, Sir Gates!”

  “But—”

  “I am being polite now,” she said as she turned her head so that she faced the vineyard instead of his face. “But the next time, you will consider me and my men rude.”

  When Gates spun around, six of Nine’s soldiers had already descended on him. Although they didn’t pull their weapons, he knew if he didn’t leave, things would escalate so he stood up, buttoned his suit jacket and walked away.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  “What signifies my deadly-standing eye, My silence and my cloudy melancholy.”

  - William Shakespeare

  Alice stood in front of her aunts and uncles in Victory’s living room, pleading her case. After so much plotting and planning, she was officially able to get their attention. After the Samantha and Bethany scandal, Nine tightened her grip on the funds. Although she didn’t cut them completely off, as she threatened at the family dinner, she stopped taking their calls about extra money.

  Things only heightened when Samantha’s foot was broken due to Nine running over it.

  Victory, Marina, Noel and Blake were all present.

  “Alice, this is very risky,” Victory said. “You are making huge accusations when there’s no proof to your claim.”

  “I beg to differ. Including the fact that she ran over Samantha’s foot with her car, we have even more,” Alice said looking at Blake and Noel. “Don’t we?” she continued, referring to the information she got about Nine zapping out at a Prophet meeting from Noel and Blake.

  “Even if she is crazy like you say, most of the Prophet fortune is made illegally,” Blake said. “How can we even be sure what is our due?”

  “It doesn’t matter,” Alice continued. “I contacted grandfather’s old accountant who still keeps Nine’s books. He says she’s placed all of the money into the account via legal entities. Her biggest fear after Leaf was arrested last year was the feds coming down on her and finding stacks of cash in her possession. She’s too smart for her own good. If we get a hold of the accounts, we get control of every penny. All five hundred million dollars of it!”

  Their jaws dropped. “She has that much money in the bank?” Victory yelled. “And the bitch won’t let me hold $100,000?”

  “Fuck that!” Marina yelled. “At least you get extra money from her every other week, outside of the allotments. I only get what she sends once a month. She never gives me more even when I beg.” Frown lines possessed her face. “And now I’m hearing she has close to a billion?”

  “She trims off your amount because you on drugs!” Blake reminded her.

  Alice tried to conceal her excitement at how angry her family was. Their rage was intoxicating. “I’ve been telling you she doesn’t belong on the Prophet throne. Bethany and Samantha need a defense team and now we have to rely on her mood for money?” She paused. “It’s not fair.”

  “So what do we have to do?” Marina asked, eager to get more cash for more dope.

  “I met with a lawyer who says based on the information I gave him, that we have a case,” she explained. “All we have to do is get some harder evidence to convince the court that she’s crazy.” She paused. “Then he’ll submit a motion and subpoena to freeze access to the bank accounts. If everyone in the family votes, we can have her removed as head of the estate. With the majority of Prophets on our side, we can control how the money is distributed.” She looked at all of them. “Are you in?”

  Silence.

  “I hope I don’t live to regret this,” Victory said. “But I’m in.”

  One by one the others raised their hands, sealing their fates.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  “Why dost not comfort me, and help me out from this unhallowed and blood-stained hole?”

  - William Shakespeare

  The music played softly as Leaf steered his black Porsche along the road leading into Aristocrat Hills. For the past few days, Nine had been avoiding him and he didn’t know why. Earlier he decided to take a break from the mansion and went to the bar to get a few drinks but no matter what he did, he couldn’t shake her from his mind.

  He loved Nine.

  But her nonchalant attitude about their marriage was taking its toll. Not only that, but he was tirin
g of the time she spent with Gates even though, to his knowledge, she hadn’t seen him in the past few days.

  Something was certainly off in his marriage and he had to resolve it before it was too late. They came too far to end like this. The plan was to go in the house and have the maid, who just returned from sick leave, cook dinner. Then he would have a serious conversation with her.

  When he raised the electronic remote, which opened the large iron gate with the word PROPHET scrawled into the pattern, he took a deep breath. A few seconds later, he saw what looked to be his wife walking down the street naked holding their child.

  Was he losing his mind?

  He blinked a few times, believing he was tripping but to no avail. Nine was as nude as the day she was born and her eyes were so bugged that you could barely see the browns of her pupils.

  He whipped his car on the side of the road, hopped out and approached her with extreme urgency. Julius was crying at the top of his lungs and when he rushed in front of her, she attempted to move around him, her gaze remaining on the horizon. It was as if she didn’t recognize him.

  “Nine, what’s going on?” She continued to push forward so he blocked her step, removed the baby from her arms and yelled, “What the fuck is going on, bae?” He got up in her face. “Talk to me!”

  “Mrs. Prophet, Mrs. Prophet,” Banker yelled coming down the hill with a robe in her hand. “Please put this on!”

  When Leaf saw her assistant, he was partially relieved because now he would have help. She walked up to him and he said, “Take the baby back to the house, Banker.” He snatched the robe and handed her the infant. “What happened to Nine?” He placed it on his wife’s body. “Why is she out here like this?”

  “I don’t know,” she responded shivering. “One moment she was watching TV and drinking wine. The next thing I knew, she was yelling about people coming to get her and that she was too hot.” Her eyes widened and she covered her mouth with her hands. “Mr. Lincoln, I’m scared to work for her anymore,” she yelled putting on a performance. “I don’t know what to do!”

  He put his hand on her shoulder. “Don’t be afraid, Banker. I need your help right now. Just take care of my son and I’ll talk about your future with us. Possibly even a raise. Okay?”

  She nodded yes.

  “Good, now take Julius in. I’ll be along in a minute.” She didn’t move. “Don’t be scared. Just go now.”

  Banker finally walked up the hill toward the house with the infant in her arms.

  With his son safe, Leaf turned around to get a hold of Nine who walked a yard or so out. Instead of speaking to her, he picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder. He moved toward his Porsche, placed her inside and eased back into the driver’s seat before she could contest.

  As he kicked the car into drive, he gazed over at her periodically, wishing the strange-acting woman was anyone else but his wife. Placing a hand on her thigh, he said, “Baby, what’s going on?” His voice cracked and for a second he felt like less than a man for sounding so weak.

  Was he about to cry?

  But the pain he was feeling from not being able to assist his wife could no longer disguise itself. “Let me help you!” He paused. “Please!”

  ****

  “You do not understand, someone is trying to kill me, Leaf!” Nine yelled. She was standing in the middle of the living room; a soft pink robe covered her body. “Look at him! He is there! He is over there!”

  Leaf turned his head in the direction of her finger, knowing all the while that nothing was there. Besides, he looked in the same area twenty times earlier and never saw a figure once.

  Slowly he moved toward her and the moment he laid his hands on her shoulder, with wild arms she swung, slapping him in the face with her knuckles as if he was trying to hurt her and she needed to defend herself. “They’re here! I need my gun because they’re here! Don’t you see them?”

  Nine wiggled away from him and ran off to get her weapon but he wasn’t concerned. Ever since she started exhibiting psychotic behavior, he removed all of the guns and put them in a safe place. Flopping down on the sofa, he tried to figure a way out of this.

  He wanted to talk to someone about his troubles but couldn’t go to his old friends. Prophet business was a sensitive matter that only other Prophets could understand.

  But who could he trust?

  When his cell phone vibrated in his pocket, he removed it and saw it was his cousin Noel. “Hey…” Leaf sounded as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders.

  “What you doing right now?” Noel asked. “Trying to go to the bar to get some drinks?”

  “Can’t leave the house, man.”

  “Everything cool?”

  “Nah.” He paused. “Nothing’s cool.”

  ****

  Leaf and Noel stood at the door while Nine hollered and screamed how nobody was going to harm her. Leaf’s forehead was on the cool wood panel and his hand covered the doorknob as he battled with whether or not to go inside.

  “How long has she been like this?”

  “All day,” Leaf replied. “I don’t know what to do, man. If I call for help and she’s committed to an institution, she’ll never forgive me. I’ll never forgive myself. But if she dies...”

  When they heard glass break Leaf pushed the door open and rushed inside the room. Nine had broken the window with her fist and blood trickled down her arm as she attempted to jump out. Leaf rushed up to her, tore the shirt from his body and wrapped it around her wrist to slow down the bleeding. He walked her to the edge of the bed and they both sat down.

  “What are you doing to yourself?” Leaf yelled, a single tear rolling down his face. He turned to Noel who already had his phone in his hand and said, “Call Doctor Banning! Now!”

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  “My heart suspects more than mine eye can see.”

  - William Shakespeare

  Nine blinked her eyes a few times before opening them widely. When she looked up she was staring into the beautiful face of Isabel Prophet. She was sitting on one of Nine’s high decorative pillows, massaging her shoulders with her warm fingertips, while humming a song that Nine was unfamiliar with.

  At least the hallucinations were gone.

  Pulling her pouty dry lips apart, Nine asked, “Where is Leaf?”

  “He went to get you some more sleeping medicine.”

  “From who?”

  “Dr. Banning prescribed it for you.”

  Nine closed her eyes before opening them again slowly. The world seemed cloudy, as if it didn’t exist. When the phone rang, Isabel picked it up. “Hello?” She paused. “Hold on.” She covered the receiver and said, “It’s someone named Vanique from Royal Babies. She’s asking for Marie Antoinette.”

  Reluctantly, Nine accepted the call and said, “Hello.”

  “I’m sorry to call you like this but Julius is out of the program!” She was rude and short.

  Nine’s eyes widened. “For what?”

  “Two reasons! First, we found out that you lied about your name. And second, we found out that your last name is Prophet. And we don’t accept incestuous behavior at our school! Goodbye!”

  Nine handed her the phone. That was the last thing she felt like hearing. “Please hang it up,” she said.

  “Everything okay?

  Nine shook her head no. “I need a bath.”

  “It’s funny you asked. I already ran the water for you.”

  ****

  Nine leaned back in the freestanding tub while Isabel sat on the edge of it massaging her shoulders again. “How did you learn to knead skin so smoothly?”

  Isabel laughed and scratched into the row between two of her cornrows before massaging Nine’s shoulders again. “My father taught me. He said the more sensual the massage, the better the orgasm.”

  Nine shook her head in disgust. “I fired him the other day. I am certain your parents are talking about me badly.”

  Isabel smiled. “Who cares?
What can they do but get over it?” she shrugged. “What’s wrong with you though, Nine Prophet? I haven’t known you long but what has gotten your mind so racked all of a sudden? I’ve heard of your legend and you are always poised and subtle.”

  “I do not know, Isabel. I wish I did because I would put an end to it quickly. It bothers me so much that it keeps me up at night.”

  “Have you tried what I suggested? With giving yourself and orgasm?”

  “Yes.” Nine sighed. “It makes me focus on the sensations but my mind and thoughts are still the same. Wild and crazy. I feel sick lately, as if I am breaking down inside. Something else is wrong.”

  Isabel grabbed a washcloth, lathered it with soap and lifted Nine’s arm softly to clean her pit. “Search inside, Nine.” She brought the cloth to the back of her neck. “Only you know what has changed in such a short period of time. Search hard, and when you find the right answer, attack it.”

  Nine leaned further, while the back of her head nestled between her cousin’s bear legs. “Can you make me some tea?”

  “Sure. What kind?”

  “Earl Grey. No sugar, no honey.”

  Isabel removed her feet from the tub and wrapped a large blue velvet towel around her body. “Say no more.”

  ****

  Isabel hummed all the way down the hallway toward the kitchen until she ran into Banker who was sashaying out of Julius’ room. Surprised, Banker turned around and looked into Isabel’s eyes as if she was caught red handed doing something wrong. “How is she doing?” Banker asked.