"Noooooooo ! No ! No ! No ! Please ! No !" Cut Throat cried,

Zach's sniper hit the floor as he flung it and rushed to the aisle, "No Leila ! Leila ! Leila !" he shrieked

Leila's body collapsed like a doll onto her husband, her dress stained with crimson red, her body shaking she lightly clutched her husband's hand.... "It's going...to be.....o-kay...." She said, before collapsing.

Cut Throat's mind froze momentarily, and then started working at a hundred flashbacks per second...playing back the sequence of events that transpired, the sequence of events that were carefully concocted and planned.....all of which were to lead him to stand at the alter with his wife........

**********

"He is definitely being followed.......the Intel provided is good...." Skinner said, throwing photos onto the desk. Princess took the photos from the table looking over them, and passing them to Cut Throat.

"Are you sure.....?" Cut Throat asked, worried, perusing through the photos...

"I have someone on the inside..." Skinner said, also looking worried. "This isn't good...we all know their modus operandi....there isn't much time left for KO...." Skinner finished

"Bu-but ...this is against....against...our Policy ! This violets the very purpose of our existence! What about our code of conduct!? Why would they attack their own...?" Princess asked shocked, peering over the photos in disbelief...

"They feel he has been compromised.....by the girl...a compromised member is...........a liability" Skinner said silently

"Who did they send out to do the job...?" Cut Throat asked, anger seething through his veins.

"I can't be sure.... maybe it's a sleeper cell...or maybe they have hired an external contractor?" Skinner replied

"What about the girl..." Princess asked,

"If KO is on the list....and he is one of ours.... then we can be sure ......she too is next to follow suit...." Skinner said,

"Stop this order!" Cut Throat pleaded turning around looking at Skinner with desperation

Skinner hung his head low "You know there's no way to stop an order like that....!"

"Please...He is my best .... friend......my brother......I can't .... i won't......allow it...." Cut Throat said horrified, a sense of doom and panic seeping through his very core..

"It would be a suicide mission Cut Throat....... they would come after you for insubordination.....you can't go against the order.......and...to be honest with you......" Princess said pausing...

"What?" Cut Throat asked

"Well...it's just a hunch...." Princess replied

"What is it...?" Skinner asked on

"I personally feel, that THAT is their main target...."

"...KO...?" Cut Throat asked,

"No...YOU. You have gotten too powerful for them to control, you have a following of your own.....the youth C40 division love you...one could go as far as saying...they are loyalist to you...With Rodger....he is a good combatant...but he is controllable.....the issue they might have with you ....is that you are getting too powerful for them to control, your influence is becoming noticeable.....it would be more prudent ....to take you out.....and use KO as the main reason to do it...."

"So you're saying....they WANT me to resist their attempt against KO..." Cut Throat asked slowly,

"Yes.......I would go as far as saying that's the main reason why they have put the hit on KO...they are just using the girl as an excuse.....they can't directly put a hit on him and say it's to get a reaction from you can they...?" Princess said smiling sardonically,

"But OF COURSE I would ! You think I would allow them to attack him ? And...and ..I'd what...? ...I would just stand by and watch ?" Cut Throat yelled angrily

"But you mustn't boss ! That's exactly what they are counting on !" Princess said hysterically,

"So what's the way out ......?!" Cut Throat asked, his voice thick with emotion ......

*****

Skinner was wounded, he had a deep gash in his abdomen, Princess calmly sowed him up, "How did you almost get caught ...? I thought you were supposed to be one of 'our top guns' ...." He said sarcastically,

"I think they had me followed too....I ....I.....didn't...see him ......." Skinner said through a grimace "....came from behind" he finished. Skinner just barely made it to their hideout, he was almost about to collapse when Princess opened the doors just in time....

"Princess...I never thought I'd say this.... but Thank you ....... I've had my prejudices about .... you...." Skinner said awkwardly

"Yeah ...yeah.... you're welcome ...." Princess said but there was a hint of emotion behind his dismissiveness.

"I don't think you're safe either ....I'm sure they have someone tailing you too...and we can't go back...at least not for now......"

"But .......Of course they do darling....Just lucky that boss is so rich...I got my own hideout apartment for free..." Princess said smugly smiling at Skinner

Cut throat walked in from the side room, "What happened ...?" he asked, worried about his fellow comrade...

"...They have made me out Cut Throat ..." Skinner said, still panting

"Boss.......I was trying to avoid this...but ............ I think we have reached the optimal time to give them what they want...?" Princess said, looking to his Boss

"Now you're talking...." Cut Throat said smiling wickedly, "I was getting impatient..."

"What are you two talking about....?" Skinner asked, walking to sit on the couch in their hideout

"..........Cut Throat is going to challenge Rodger for top C40 place...." Princess said, pouring himself wine as he came to sit on the chair beside the couch...

"Can you do that ...?" Skinner asked

".... Technically according to the C40 Manifesto anyone can do that....... it's just unprecedented...? " Princess said

"And.......what happens then...?" Skinner asked confused about how this will help them in their current situation

"hmm...let's see....it's a good start for a.....Revolution...?" Princess said smiling with a slight manic glint in his eyes,

"Wait ...so you want to be the top C40........ both youth and adult league....is that the grand plan...?" Skinner asked slowly

"Oh no darling......we don't want to be the top C40.....you're thinking too small........" Princess replied

"Then what...?" Skinner asked

"....we want to be Major ...." Princess said

"What ! That's crazy !! No one really knows who exactly he is...I've met him once...it was the 'so-called Major', but if the rumors are true...he uses a lot of impersonators .....how will you find him...?..."

"Oh no .........we won't be going to him........we will make him come to us...."

"Wait hold up...I'm so confused Firstly.....how does being top C40 save KO.....?" Skinner asked, frowning as though he and Princess were in class and he was explaining to Skinner a problem that he hadn't yet understood...

"Well.....it serves multipurposes. Firstly......it will be the diversion we desperately need.... Major will have a bigger problem to deal with....and ......unlike with putting an indirect hit on Cut Throat, he can't get rid of thee Top C40 so easily ......and secondly being the top C40 also comes with certain.... benefits...."

"Benefits like...?" Skinner asked suspiciously

"Authority...."

"Authority huh? You mean ....you may be able to overturn the decision....or....?"

"Yes, Top C40 can challenge a decision such as ..."

"...Putting a hit on someone...?" Skinner asked smiling

"Bingo..." Princess smiled back, glad that Skinner was catching on so quickly

"and lastly ....it will afford us the opportunity........"

"Opportunity to do what?"

"To flush out Major..."

"What ?! This is way too risky"

"oh but darling.... don't you know.... Fortune favors the risk takers" Princess said, taking another sip of his wine,

Skinner sat silent for a few minutes, taking into consideration everything Princess had just said, looking for loopholes in the plan

"And the girl..........?" He asked quietly

"The girl will get immunity..." Princess said delicately, as though this was the final brilliant addition to the master plan

"What do you mean ?" Skinner asked cautiously

"Well there are only 2 ways of granting someone immunity for life, and also that's a privilege that's only afforded to the Top C40....." Princess emphasized

"Which are....?" Skinner asked, deeply immersed into what Princess was telling him..

"The first is ..........The Top C40 can put in a challenge to reverse a decision on someone..........but it can ONLY ever be done ONCE. EVER.....It's kind of like a lifeline...which you can use only once...."

"Okay....and the second...?"

"Immunity is granted by default to the spouse of the Top C40...."

"What!" Skinner said, almost jumping up from the couch, as though of all the impossible things he heard, this was by far the most farfetched ".... Spouse? What do you mean spouse....?" He asked perplexed.

"I mean.....Skinner darling....we are going to be having a Wedding, so get your best suit on....of course C40 Style... " Princess said with a wink

"Cut Throat's getting............married...?" Skinner said weakly

"Cut Throat's getting married.." Princess responded back smiling at Skinner

"Princess you're brilliant........" Skinner said, amazed, he couldn't think of one loophole that was not already mitigated with Princess' plan

"I have been telling you that for years"

"Does KO know the plan...?" Skinner asked finally

"We can't risk it, they are tailing him, we are unsure of the extent of their surveillance, if they were to get even an inkling of our plan...they would react before we can execute..." Princess said.

*****

"AAAAAarrghhhh!" Cut Throat yelled, there was blood spilt all over the floor, he whimpered like a wounded animal ...he had a cotton cloth in his mouth , as Princess was carefully taking out the bullets in his body, Skinner was restraining him, so he wouldn't move

"Just a few more......but ........boss ..........this is going to hurt....." Princess looked at his boss....deep with worry

Skinner's voice panicked, he was trying his hardest to restrain Cut Throat, but even wounded, Cut Throat was incredibly strong "Can't you give him anesthesia....?"

Princess stared in shock at his medicinal cabinet "We....we have run ou---out----"

Every inch of Cut Throat was covered with blood, he's body going into spasms, almost as though going in and out of shock

"Stay with me ! do you hear me!" Skinner shouted, panicking as he saw Cut Throats eye balls roll back in his head "STAY WITH ME ! CUT THROAT ! Listen ! LISTEN TO THE SOUND OF MY VOICE !" Skinner yelled frantically,

".....I can't do ...it .........they are just too close to the spine...." Princess said, the scalpel in his hand slipping....realizing he would have to conduct the incisions without any morphine or anesthesia...his voice and focus slipping away....

"PRINCESS !! FOCUS !! I NEED YOU ! CUT THROAT NEEDS YOU !" Skinner shrieked, still holding down Cut Throat , he had so much blood on him, that it was hard to make out his face

"...J...jus...just take it oooout !" Cut Throat grimaced , through the cloth strapped in his mouth, unable to control the vibrations of his body

Princess hands shaked, he needed to calm his nerves, he stepped away from the body, one wrong move, and his boss would be paralyzed for life.

"Okay.......okay okay okay okay.....deep breathes.....deep breathes.....deep breathes ....deep breathes..." Princess closed his eyes, trying to calm his nerves, he needed to readjust his focus....he pinched the bridge of his nose, he needed to focus ...he needed to desperately focus today....

"Why can't we just get an actual surgeon! My capacities are limited !!!!" Princess pleaded desperately to Skinner while keeping his eyes closed, trying to calm his nerves "I mean He even owns his own private hospital! I don't have the necessary tools here for something like THIS!" Princess said "I don't even have morphine here!" Princess started crying

"The....there will............. be ...........too many questions...!" Cut Throat said, in between deep breathes, his eyes rolling into the back of his head, Skinner still holding him in place "We knew.......... being.........the .........top C40... .defeating......Rodger.... wouldnt....be ...easy......" he said, his face twisting with pain..

"There are so many black market surgeons we can easily find them on the web..." Princess pleaded with Skinner

"No...........You heard the boss' orders ....we can't ..........trust ......anyone ...Just do it..." Skinner gave the final word, Cut Throat grimaced, biting on the cloth, as Princess' incision started to penetrate deeper, edging ever closer to his spine.

*********

Skinner and Princess both sat on the couch drinking whiskey, both looking defeated, exhausted and overwhelmed... covered almost entirely in blood, both too drained to even clean up. They spent 11 painful hours, digging into Cut Throat, bullet by bullet and sowing him back together again, all with very basic equipment, and no morphine.

They sat drinking on the floor,....thinking about the accomplishments of Cut Throat in this short period of time...the first major victory was theirs...but seeing the amount of pain Cut Throat endured, and finally coming to realize just how much such victories would cost... they felt strangely defeated....

"Rodger ......?" Skinner asked finally, after taking long swigs wiping the blood print on his glass that his hand had made

"Cut Throat did it...He is out...... so is Oliver ..." Princess said softly, still staring at the bloody body of Cut Throat, that lay on the sick bed, it was attached to the monitoring unit, they would be no sleep for them tonight...they would have to monitor his vitals...

Skinner stared at the news with shock." That kid is good !" he said in disbelief

"That Kid....is officially the top C40.........you will address him with respect..." Princess said slightly emotionally

"I know I know, sorry, just got ....caught up in the moment......sorry " he said, staring at Princess death stare

"How do you think Major took the news.....?" Skinner said somberly

"Who knows......." Princess said, drinking his whiskey "but if I was him, I would be pissed. But either way....there was no one left to challenge Cut Throat .....Oliver tried ....I guess he too was vying for the top spot...he betrayed Rodger in the last moment...." He said darkly

"What do you mean?" Skinner asked

"Cut Throat challenged Rodger, however almost towards the end, Rodger realized he wasn't going to make it...he asked Oliver to help him......and Oliver just watched...." Princess said sardonically...

"wow .......and I thought they were supposed to be friends...." Skinner said

"Friends........" Princess said darkly looking at his boss's bloody body. ".....'Friends'...is such a complex term.....often used too casually..." He said, "You have Oliver who was friends with Rodger, and in front of an audience they sure were "friends" ... but betrayed Rodger in his most desperate hour of need...while no one was looking, and then there was Cut Throat, who was going to make it look like he betrayed Zach in front of an audience to save his bestie....... ah.......why is life so ironic.....?"

****

"What about the girl......how will she agree...?" Skinner asked, he was recording down the vitals of his boss, pleased with seeing a steady recovery in progress.

"Boss....has his own way...he said he will take care of that...." Princess said, labeling his medicinal cabinet, his new consignment of medicines had just arrived, and he made sure he had ample supplies of morphine...

"Ah....do you know...how.....?" Skinner asked

"No...." Princess said mysteriously "...but in the wise words of Ronald Weasley 'All is fair in love and war...and this is a little bit of both......" he finished winking at Skinner. Both were in happier moods. It had been some very long difficult days and nights for the both of them. But at the end of it all, Cut Throat was recovering well, and hope was restored. Sooner than soon, he would be back ...

*****

Xavier sat at his desk, going through the photos Mr. Kim had provided him,

"Where ...is he currently?" Xavier asked looking down at the photos of Dylan, Leila's younger brother

"He is based at your cottage in the south Sir....."

"Is he coping well...?"

"yes ...indeed ...he seems to be enjoying his stay , I must say, he previously looked malnourished, but we have hired our best pediatrician, nutritionist, and teachers. He doesn't seem to think anything is strange..."

Xavier nodded, "just edit the photos, so it looks like he is held captive .... use the very best personnel...I need a professional job......"

"Yes Sir..." Mr. Kim said bowing down.

Xavier drank his Whiskey, looking down at his young brother-in-law to be. He was willing to bet that...there was no way she would wager his life .....and would do anything to save him...

Princess was calling, he put it on speaker

"Sir...we are ready this side, we have sent the er.....invitations...."

"That's excellent Princess...."

"Thank you Boss, much appreciated....." there was a slight pause, "Boss....?"

"Yes Princess...?"

"What about the girl......are you sure she will agree....?" Princess asked cautiously

Xavier sighed, "......Trust me...I know her well.....she can't refuse my offer...."

********

It was the day of the Royal Ball, he had 2 important meetings before he could go. He was checking the CCTV footage of the Williams Mansion, he saw his best friend getting dressed. He was so proud of how far KO had come along. Cut Throat would do anything.....fight anyone...to keep KO alive...

There was a sharp knock on the door, "Come in........" Xavier shouted, Mr Kim, entered, carrying a crisp clean envelope with him

"Here are the photos you requested Sir....I trust you will find them in order....?"

Cut Throat opened up the envelope, there were edited photos of Dylan, showing him tied and gagged on a chair with a bruised eye.

"These look very real.....excellent job...thank you Mr. Kim....."

Mr Kim smiled back, "You're welcome Sir..." He said as he bowed, walking out of the room.

Cut Throat put the envelope into the inside pocket of his suit.

***

"Boss .........are you sure you must do this? Should we really do it this way?" Princess asked his boss, eyes teary, Cut Throat understood where the Princess came from, but after all they had done, to keep everyone safe, this was the final act. "Can you get the car ready...I have a ball to get to..." were his final words to Princess, he would see him and congratulate him, later that night.

***