But first, he had to think about how to handle Zion.
He always trusted him, and Archer never failed him.
This was the first time he was going to fail him, but he would have something out of it.
Now he had nothing.
Zion was ready to establish himself as the new Don but now Archer failed him.
He was angry at the girl but was angrier at Harris.
Where was Harris?
Why didn’t he approach him?
He was busy picking other people’s pockets that he forgot to pick his, what was the reason?
He kept pondering.
It was a foolproof plan.
All he had to do was approach Archer and Archer would help him in picking his own pocket.
He was angry at Noelle too.
Why was she not there to support Harris?
Finally, the picnic came to an end, but this time different cars and trucks arrived at the scene, and they loaded the crates and baskets and coolers and went their way.
Archer was disappointed that neither he could stop the distribution of the drugs nor could protect a sample.
Now he had to answer to both his bosses, Zion and Chris.
Driving his Pontiac, he arrived at the Hall mansion.
Zion’s extended family wished him goodnight and left the park.
Zion was extremely happy.
Archer kept sighing loudly thinking about how to tell Zion that he failed him.
With Harris, he was ready to face Zion’s wrath as he knew that the FBI would then stop all his drug business and his anger on Archer would subside and focus on saving his drug business instead on Archer’s failure.
But now there was no one to stop the drugs from being distributed and he was the reason for that.
With his head hung low, he entered the Hall mansion and went into the living room where Zion was sitting on a couch smiling.
“It was a good day,” said Zion.
“Zion!
Boss!” stammered Archer.
“Boss!” exclaimed Zion.
“You never call me boss except when to mock me.”
“The thing is…” before Archer could complete his sentence Theo barged in huffing and puffing.
“Zion!
Zion!”
“Calm down, Theo.
You will get a heart attack at this rate.
Take a deep breath and then tell me,” said Zion.
He never moved out of his couch.
He kept sitting with one of his legs crossed over the other one.
“Doughnut said that they lost one pouch from my new batch of drugs that we were supposed to float in the market,” informed Theo in one breath.
Zion scoffed and stood up from his seat.
He moved towards Theo, smiling and grabbed his shoulder.
He took him near a chair and pushed him in.
“Have a seat, old man.
I don’t want you to die.”
“But we have a send a message to whoever took that pouch.
We must not tolerate stealing.
They will soon start robbing us then,” shouted Theo.
“Then you should punish me,” said Zion.
“Zion!” interrupted Archer as he knew what Zion was about to say.
“It’s okay, Archie.
Theo, I am your thief, well, Archie is your thief,” informed Zion.
“What do you mean?” asked Theo.
“What?” Theo stood up with a jerk.
“Are you planning a coup?
Are you planning to kick me out?” shouted Theo.
Zion rolled his eyes and pushed Theo back in his chair.
“Why would I plan a coup?
I don’t have to replace a don, I am the DON.” Zion stared Theo down.
“Right, sorry.”
“As the family business is under new management, my management, I have a few plans to make everything better.
This was supposed to be a surprise for you, but you found out before I could tell you,” explained Zion.
“What do you mean?” inquired Theo.
“Zion!
Listen to me,” Archer interrupted again.
But Zion shut him up with the show of his palm.
“You told me to take interest in our family business and I have a few ideas that I want to implement.
I want a monopoly in the drug business.
You said that this batch is the purest of drugs you ever found on the market.
So, I wanted a sample, and I asked Archie to grab one.
I have found a location and a few scientists who will make this drug from scratch.
We will own from production till distribution.
We can reduce our cost if we cut the middleman,” educated Zion.
“Woah!” exclaimed Theo.
“I also want to train our boys as pickpockets and hire more pickpockets,” Zion informed further.
“What do pickpockets have to do with the drugs business?” asked Theo.
Archer just nodded as he was hearing this for the first time and he too wanted to know the reason Zion was about to hire pickpockets.
“I want them to pick the pockets of the rich junkies right after they paid for the drugs,” said Zion, proudly.
“What?” both Archer and Theo shouted at once.
Zion had a devilish smile on his face.
He could see the pride in Theo’s eyes.
“Yeah, those who buy drugs from our suppliers, I want their pockets picked right after they buy the drugs.
When they would realise that their drug is gone, they will come and buy from us again.
We will sell the same drugs twice or thrice, as you wish.
We will keep the price lower than our competition so that they would buy again and again from us.”
Theo gasped at Zion’s plan and sunk further in his chair with a sense of ease.
He wanted Zion to take care of the family business and now he came up with not only one but two amazing plans.
“Wow!
Amazing Zion,” Theo instantly stood up and hugged Zion.
“I thought you to be a brat who was wasting the family money, but now you proved that you are your father’s son.
I am so proud of you.
If he would have been here, he too would have been proud of you.”
“Now, Archie, hand over the sample,” smiled Zion.
Archer’s face fell.
He lowered his eyes with shame.
“Archie!” Zion asked again.
“Zion!
I am sorry,” apologized Archer.
“Sorry?
For what?” asked Zion.
“Lost the sample?
What do you mean lost the sample?”
“I think that girl picked my pocket,” replied Archer without looking at Zion.
Thwack!
Archer’s cheeks started tingling with pain.
The burning sensation made his eyes tear up.
The most painful sensation was when Zion’s ring on the finger made contact with Archer’s cheekbones.
His cheeks turned red.
“I am sorry, Boss,” apologized Archer, again.
Zion grabbed his collar and pulled him towards him.
“Someone picked your pocket, and you didn’t even feel?
You say that you are an expert in pickpocketing, then how a drunk girl, a giggling, stupid girl outwitted you,” Zion shouted at Archer and pushed him away from him.
Disappointed he rubbed his face vigorously in his palms and placed his hands in his pocket.
“I trusted you.
I trusted you more than anyone.
I made you, my friend.
If you would not have saved my life, I would have killed you right here, right now.”
“I made a mistake, Zion.
I promise you I will find that girl and get you back your sample,” pleaded Archer.
But Theo stood up and kicked him hard on his stomach.
Archer instantly fell on his ass.
Before he could get up, Theo started raining kicks on his face, chest, stomach and back.
“You… think… that… junkie… boyfriend… and… girlfriend… would keep… the drugs… for you… to find.
No… they… would… have… used… it up… by now.” After every word, he kept kicking Archer.
Zion was close with Archer.
He was his friend.
He could not see him get assaulted this badly.
He grabbed Theo’s arms and pulled him away from Archer.
“Enough!
Will you kill him?” shouted Zion.
“Yes, he betrayed us,” screamed Theo.
“You know everything about betrayal, don’t you?
Do I have to tell you about the Hall Massacre?
He has never betrayed me, and he will never betray me.
He threw his life on the line to save me, or did you forget?
I acknowledge that he made mistake, and he will punish him not you.
He is my bodyguard, not yours so fuck off,” shouted Zion.
“Zion!” Theo was hurt.
Archie was more important to Zion than him.
“Old man!
Just get a new sample and I will make you richer.
Isn’t that what you want?” asked Zion.
“Hmm,” groaned Theo.
He glanced at Archer and walked away.
Zion went and stood near Archer.
Archer looked at him, dejected.
His shirt was all crumpled and torn from his shoulder.
Blood was oozing from the side of his eyebrow and his lips were cut.
His wavy hair was dusty and dishevelled.
His handsome face was gone as slowly it started to swell up after the beating.