Gemsicuted

Written by Julian Robov


Sixty


“Mr Osman, this way please. Mr Rubyhall is waiting for you,” said Lord, opening the door for Ali Osman, the Dubai tycoon, after Lord’s meeting with Rubyhall was over.
“Thank you, Mr Lord. Are these slabs real lapis lazuli? This is an amazing office with such an artistic touch with all the ornamental stones,” Osman commented.
“That’s Ris’s artistic angle, and he makes sure it’s done perfectly. Well, there he is.” Rubyhall walked hurriedly to greet Ali Osman.
“Hello, Mr Osman! Nice to see you.”
“My assistants are not that many this time,” Osman added. “Only two. I believe you have something interesting to show me this time. Last time, I was in a hurry with many business commitments, sorry for that. But this time, I have made it a priority that I should visit you to collect some nice rubies for my new wife, and the old one. Pretty young one this time, you know, and also beautiful.” He chuckled.
“That’s good. Are they accompanying you?” Rubyhall asked gently.
“Yeah. They are staying separately at the Sheraton hotel. We had a late night. I didn’t bother to wake them up. They deserve their sleep. Okay, what do we have, Ris? All tops, I trust,” Osman said firmly.
“All tops, as you requested,” Rubyhall answered. “Your two pretty wives as you mentioned yesterday were twenty two and twenty four, right? I have two beautiful rubies from Burma, 22carat and 24carat! Excellent color with no orange or brown tint! Brilliance and luster is very good. Clarity, lightly included, just enough to prove it’s natural, and untreated. Cut, believe it or not, excellent, with no excessive bulge. And most important of all, these two rubies were cut from the same rough. That itself tells a history to be remembered for the rest of their mortal life.”
“Are they from Mogok (Burma)?” Osman asked curiously.
“Yes. I think you better have a look first,” said Rubyhall, while opening his favorite black box. He took out the two stones and laid them on a white tray to observe them.
“Do you have a laboratory report stating their origin?” Osman interrupted.
“Yes. From the Swiss laboratory!” Rubyhall answered.
“Can you give me a black tray, please?” Osman requested.
“Sure. You want to see the color contrast, don’t you?” Lord said quickly.
“Yeah,” Osman added. “They look good as you said. Perhaps, I should name these rubies after my wives, you know.” Everyone laughed.
“Of course, once taken and paid, I don’t think there should be any problem with that. They will love and worship you with their body and soul for the rest of your life,” said Rubyhall tactfully.
“I want to see these rubies in different light sources. Skylight, fluorescent, and incandescent light source. How do they look in these light sources, Ris?” Osman asked.
“I can guarantee you, they look the same red in all these light sources. You won’t believe this. That’s the truth, Mr Osman. Anyway, I have two light sources ready for you. Fluorescent and incandescent light source. Skylight, I think, Winston, can help you with that,” said Rubyhall, glancing at Lord.
“I think you are right, Ris. Marvelous! How are things in Burma, I mean, your business interests?” Osman asked.
“They are quite okay with me, but with others it might be an altogether different story. We have established a relationship, which is mutually beneficial for the people and the country as a whole. But the outside world has seen it in a different way with all that human rights bull. The Burmese have an ancient culture, which is very simple, but too complicated for the shortsighted outsiders to understand. For us it took countless money, patience and politics to stabilize our interests. That’s why we have been very successful irrespective of all that moronic negative publicity in this part of the world,” said Rubyhall proudly.
“I believe so,” Osman answered. “You are absolutely right. People in the West think of the other world with a narrow mind. Some of their arguments are right. I have no objections to that. As long as there is freedom of expression and noninterference, it should be okay, but definitely business and politics should go parallel. Am I right with my judgment?”
“Absolutely,” said Rubyhall. “By the way, I have a rough ruby from Tanzania, translucent and good enough for carving. I was just thinking about you when I bought this piece. I can carve your face out of this rough. I have specialists in Idar-Oberstein (Germany) who would do an excellent job with this piece. Do you want to see the rough?” Rubyhall asked, after observing Osman’s keen obsession of having one piece carved.
“Of course, I never thought about it, but it sounds to me like a good idea. My face carved out of ruby? My family would really like this piece to stay forever, like those famous rubies worn by the Moguls. The only difference is that I’ll have to do it by myself with my own money. I think it’s worth the money. At least they will remember me for the rest of their lives. Great!” Osman uttered.
“Okay, so you like the idea,” said Rubyhall. “Now the price for the two rubies are in this envelope. Please open and sign it, if you are pleased with the rubies.”
Ali Osman took the envelope and slowly opened it with reverence. He looked calm and steady, as he read the numbers scribbled on a gilt paper. Osman thought for a while, and then looked at Rubyhall once again, and signed the paper.
“How do you want me to pay? In cash or gold?” Osman asked.
“Not this time,” said Rubyhall. “Direct to the Swiss bank account with instant confirmation.”
“Okay,” Osman answered. “I can do that for you now from my laptop computer.” He asked one of his two assistants to switch on the laptop for him. Osman checked once again the account number from his palmtop, and then punched the code for the instant transfer.
“Okay, Ris, why don’t you check with your bank?” Osman said.
Rubyhall got an instant reply from his bank, as he stood up to shake hands with Osman. “Everything settled, Mr Osman!”
Lord looked happy and content with the arrangement, and the pace at which the decision was made and executed. They all shared their good moment with a hearty laugh.
Suddenly there was a knock on the door, and before his assistants could reach the knob, the door slammed open.
“Everybody on the floor! Don’t even try to move!”
Lam and Takashi moved swiftly to take up positions with their guns pointed at Rubyhall and then swept a full round to alert the foreigners not to act prematurely. Osman looked stunned first, and then froze with no sign of life on his face, as he saw how serious they were. Rubyhall and Lord stood shocked in disbelief at Lam and his accomplice.
Osman’s two assistants laid face down on the floor inhaling the precious dust from the expensive Persian carpets anticipating their next move.
“What the hell are you doing here, Jay?” Lord shouted at Lam indignantly.
Lam slowly moved towards Rubyhall and Lord with his Magnum super .45 pointed at their forehead.
“Just visiting you both,” answered Lam sarcastically. He continued, “I had no clue you were entertaining guests. But now I know. What do you want me to do with them?”
“Let them go, Jay. You are out of your mind,” said Rubyhall angrily.
“Not this time,” Lam answered. “This time it’s real and precise.”
“Oh, my God, please let us go,” Osman cried. He was trembling with fear and pleaded with his closed palms.
“Who are you?” Lam asked.
“My name is Ali Osman. I’m from Dubai. Ris is a longtime friend of mine, and I’m here to buy rubies for my wives,” said Osman quickly.
“How many wives do you have?” Lam became curious.
“Please don’t ask! Do you have a problem with that?” Osman wasn’t sure if he said it the right way. Lord interrupted. “It’s none of your business, do not interfere with him, Lam,” he added. “You must let him go. If you have any scores to settle it should be with us, not with our guests.”
“Do you know this man, Ris?” Osman looked at Rubyhall.
“Yeah. He used to work for us,” said Rubyhall. “I don’t know why he is back.”
“Don’t drag out this conversation, Jay. Finish our job, and get out of this place before it’s too late,” said Takashi hurriedly, while watching others in the room.
“Yeah. Did you all hear that?” Lam said dryly.
“Please don’t kill me. I’ve a big family and an army of employees to feed. Leave me alone. I’m a nice guy. What are you looking for? Job? I can give you a job, if you put your friend’s gun down and leave us all alone. I can assure you, if you want to come with me to my country, please come. There is no crime, and it’s small and beautiful as long as you obey the laws of the country. It’s my promise. I can help to give you and your friend a new life,” Osman said, glancing at Lam for mercy.
“Look at the fuck how he is talking, Takashi?” Lam said in a sarcastic way. This was no old Jay Lam.
“Don’t believe what he says. He is just bluffing,” answered Takashi, reminding Lam to act quickly, before it was too late.
“Are you bluffing, Osman?” Lam asked, calmly.
Rubyhall couldn’t stand their presence any longer. “You should leave our guests alone,” he added. “I repeat that again. You are standing on my property illegally. Trespassers are usually prosecuted, but in this case you will be executed without fail. I demand you leave or face the consequences.”
Lam aimed his gun at Rubyhall first, and then shot at one of Osman’s assistants. He screamed loudly in pain, and then slumped to the ground in preparation for his permanent sleep.
“You see, Ris, he is dead or at least he is dying,” said Lam. “Do you think I’m bluffing with a toy gun? This is real. What I want is your life and yours?” Lam aimed the gun at Lord.
Osman fell to the ground with his two rubies crying heavily, as if he was about to die, while his other assistant laid face down glued to the floor not knowing what to do. They saw blood oozing from the wound of the dead assistant. Takashi was still behind them with his gun pointed at the rest.
“What do you want me to do, Osman?” Lam asked sarcastically.
“Kill the way you wish. All our lives are in your hands,” said Osman hopelessly.
“At least you know the truth,” Lam continued. “Okay, Ris, Winston, walk slowly to two chairs and sit quietly as I say. No tricks this time. I want to tell your guests once and for all the truth. That’s all I want. Nothing more, nothing less.”
“That means, I can still stay alive?” Osman pleaded, glancing at Lam.
Rubyhall shouted at Lam angrily. “What do you want from me, you loser?”
“The way you treated me, the way you dragged down my prosperous life, the way
you destroyed my career, the way you almost made me insane, it has all accumulated now, Ris,” Lam added. “Your fucking ruby craze has no limits, and I want to just stop it for the rest of your life. You can afford to lose everything with your second in command, another moron in the flesh. Do you have any idea how precious life is? It’s priceless! A zillion times precious than the rubies you have in your safe. You have destroyed countless lives in this country and abroad without any consideration for human values, just to add fat on your ass and your friends in the name of God knows what. But the point is, I’ve lost everything because of you and the moron sitting beside you.”
“Why is Osman standing? You should allow him to sit as well like us to listen your sermon,” said Lord, poking fun at Lam.
“You have a point. Okay, Osman, you also sit close to them to listen to my sermon,” said Lam firmly.
Takashi aimed his gun at Osman’s second assistant, and shot two bullets piercing his brain into a hairy salad with blood springing like geysers. Rubyhall fumed at Lam and Takashi helplessly.
“Kill them all,” cried Takashi, looking at Rubyhall and his guests.
“Oh my God, not me. I’m innocent. I just happened to be here at the wrong time,” said Osman. He was begging in the name of his young wife to let him go.
“So you bought rubies for the right women. Listen,” Lam said. “Ris is very good in buying the right rubies for the right women. I used to buy rubies just like you bought on Rubyhall’s behalf. I hate rubies now. It’s the color of blood. That’s what you are seeing on the floor. Am I right?” Lam asked furiously.
“I can’t see anything except my family. I am confused. My wives are staying at the hotel. They will cry if you kill me, brother. I promise you a job and your friend, if that’s what you are looking for. Believe me, I’m not lying. This is my word,” said Osman, pleading.
“So now I’ve become your fucking brother, isn’t that strange? And you, Ris? Winston? Why are you so deceptively quiet?” Lam asked frantically.
“What do you want from me, uh, rubies, money, what? Take it, if that’s what you’re looking for. Go and start a new life. For me, it doesn’t make much difference. There will be a different way of seeing it that you’re robbing me. Robbers will be robbers no matter where they live either on earth, heaven or hell. Is that how you want to be recognized? What are you going to gain by killing us? Nothing! If money and rubies are not your concern, it’s stupid and fruitless. If you think you have suddenly become enlightened with some age-old moral values, I really don’t care much. Do you care about moral values, Winston?” Rubyhall glanced at Lord.
“Not an iota. You’re simply wasting your time and ours for some crazy reasons. As Rubyhall said, if you want to take rubies and his money, you should accept the deal, and flee the country with your funny looking pal,” said Lord thoughtfully.
“Hey, watch your mouth,” Takashi said angrily. “I’ll blow out your brains for the last time. What’s funny with me, uh? I’ve everything like you have, except we have different names and different parents. Is that what you call funny? The way you sit and the way your watermelon sized eyes are bulging looks funny to me, you sonofabitch.”
Lord was trying to use the reverse psychology by insulting Lam’s pal, Takashi. It was a toss situation for both of them. When Rubyhall undertook Lam’s demise so cleverly with his age-old experience in the trade, he had hidden motives, but now he was regretting and wondered what else was in the offing. Lam had nothing to lose. He didn’t care about Rubyhall’s rubies from around the world. That was for women most of the time.
Lam had worked with Rubyhall long enough to understand that not that many men went crazy like women for rubies. At least he knew that from his experience with Rubyhall.
Rubyhall and his gang of monopolist’s succeeded in creating the so-called illusion
and romance among women all around the world, then make bundles of money from their ignorance and stashed away the profits in invisible Swiss bank accounts . It was such an irresistible obsession no one could stop them. The color of money became an addiction.
Lord and Rubyhall didn’t know what Lam had in mind. He was talking like Socrates with a gun. There was a much more civilized way to settle scores. The old fashioned way. That was to have a healthy and constructive debate rather than dictate. That way both parties came out without any blemish. The best definition of Ris Rubyhall: a victim of his own popularity.
Rubyhall urged Lam and his companion to drop their gun letting off their steam. They had already killed Osman’s two assistants. Calling the police at this juncture looked futile. But Takashi had already read Rubyhall’s mind.
Takashi couldn’t wait any longer. “He is fucking thinking about the police and all that nonsense. What are you waiting for, Jay? Finish the job, before it’s too late. You are just talking and talking with these old men like in a pub. Get the fuck out of here, otherwise, I’m gonna do the job and leave you to watch,” he reminded.
“Don’t worry about that, Takashi,” said Lam. “You are well protected. No police will enter this lavish room, unless I permit them. I need some more time, and then it’s all over. I’ve never talked like this before. This is one of my wish list and I want to do it in style. I can afford to do that since they are in our captivity. So just be patient, pal.”
Osman had a lot to worry as Lam, Takashi, Rubyhall, and Lord kept talking and talking about their problems, and he couldn’t understand why he should be involved. The high caliber gun in Takashi’s hand prevented Osman doing anything further. It was a catch-22 situation.
“Where are the rubies you just bought from Rubyhall?” Lam glanced at Osman.
“Jay, you’re out of your mind,” said Takashi impatiently. “This is not the time for a chit-chat. You just forgot the whole purpose of our mission. I can’t understand what’s going on?” There was an immediate silence in the room.
“Here it is,” said Osman. “Two rubies, one 22carat, and the other 24carat. If you want them, then take them and let me go. They are yours. I can tell a story to my wives and forget about the whole episode. I just want to live longer. I’ve many things to do.”
Meanwhile, Rubyhall was thinking what he could do at this juncture. He looked helpless and confused, but still felt there was room for a compromise. Lam’s method of dragging out the issue sent an alarming signal.
Lam looked determined and precise with his intention. It was not the old Jay Lam. It was worse this time. Inch by inch that frightening thought of dying from the bullets sent a chill through his spine.
Rubyhall remembered the conversation with Winston the other day about death and the overseas trip. The prophetic coincidence, and worst of all with his billionaire friend, Ali Osman, pleading for his own life all looked like a dream at first, but was becoming a reality. Instead of pleading guilty, his childhood urge for a fight first, and defeat later suddenly bloomed out of nowhere urging him to do something about it. If this was how he was destined to die violently, he wasn’t ready to believe in such bull.
But the twist was his guest, Ali Osman. At no cost was he to become a casualty of inaction. Lord was thinking similarly, as he looked at Rubyhall.
“Hmm, they are good,” said Lam, “the ones most women like. Lucky you, Osman, you can afford pieces like these. I’ve no interest in these speechless stones. They have no life. All that you hear from books and magazines are cleverly manipulated phrases by these parasite capitalists quoting tradition and geology, and all that nonsense. I’m returning them to you. Once upon a time I used to dream about these stones. Why? I was told they give peace of mind. Then I was told they speak a universal language of a thousand different tongues and every color flash coming from within displayed a power of its own, which no ordinary human understood, except for the few, who knew how to taste them by holding them in their special hands. It’s all illusion. These mute stones don’t bring any happiness to anybody; instead conflict and misery. History is full of such stories. In those days there were no TV or satellites like we have today to relay all the good or bad news. After you play with these stones for a while you will lose interest. You should keep them with you. They belong to you, because you paid for them.”
“So that means you are going to kill me,” cried Osman.
“Okay, pal,” Lam said to Takashi. “Show time. Ris, Winston, but first, Ris.”
There was some confusion around, as each of them looked puzzled at the time and pace followed by the long boring sermon. Takashi wanted to finish the job quickly for good. Lam was still taking time. He had a sudden change of mind.
“Winston, you and Ris are both cross-fertilized for some reasons. I don’t know if it was good, but one thing I know is, it was bad for me. You created the whole mess, right from the beginning with that 37carat ruby of yours, and now it has taken its residence in some safe vault. You pushed me to get involved, and then dramatically you made your peace with your foe. Now where do I stand in this whole drama? Nowhere! What did I get from this whole hand crafted mess? Misery, confusion, and mental breakdown! For some strange reasons, which I myself don’t understand, I’m still alive to talk to you. Then you hired an assassin to do the dirty job; just like Pavlov had encountered his death. But I’m still alive. I’m sure, your men are still looking for me. Where do I stand in the conspiracy? Nowhere! As I said, I’m still lucky to be alive and know about all the behind the scene plots. And what do I want from you? You!”
Before Lord could open his mouth, Lam aimed the gun at Lord, with the right finger
on the trigger. There was a moment of unforgivable silence, as both pairs of eyes locked into each other without even the muttering of a word. But that silence had several years of history, and that was coming to an end. Lam pulled the trigger and the bullet pierced through the right brain hemisphere splattering blood in all directions.
Lord slumped face down, his weight crushing him to the ground. Rubyhall sat shell-shocked, and then looked at Lam angrily. He rushed to Lam like a thunderbolt for a physical match. His colossal Panda like body had all the physical stature to crush Lam to a pulp. But Takashi was a bit faster. He shot Rubyhall in the knee preventing that gruesome encounter. Rubyhall was mumbling in all foreign languages he had learned with time to curse Takashi, but he was helpless. He struggled hard to get on his knees to grab Lam, but Lam stayed out of reach.
Lam aimed the gun at Rubyhall, and looked straight into his eyes, and then squeezed his right finger on the trigger.
“Noooooooooooooooooooooooo!” Rubyhall screamed like a wooly mammoth, as the bullet pierced his brain spraying blood everywhere. With his swollen eyes and blood- stained suit, Rubyhall rose again from the ground to face Lam.
Lam shot him again and again, till Rubyhall completely slumped to the ground.
“You did it, pal,” shouted Takashi. “Congratulations!”
Takashi rushed toward Lam to hug him.
“What are we gonna do with Osman?” Takashi asked firmly.
Osman had never seen so much blood in his life, as he sat like a statue watching his friends die like in some horror movies. He gazed at them, as if he was already dead. All the blood and water in his body had dehydrated into some chemical phase, he was pleading but couldn’t utter.
“Let him go, Takashi,” said Lam, consciously. “He is innocent. We have no business with him.”
“Are you nuts? What do you think he is gonna do first? Pack his bag and wives to Dubai? Come on, you can’t let him go. If you have problems with him, then I’ll do it for you,” said Takashi hurriedly.
“I said, let him go,” said Lam firmly.
“Hey, this is not the old Jay. You look different. Why such a sudden change of mind?” Takashi asked, puzzled.
“I said, let him go,” answered Lam firmly, again.
“You’re fucking screwedup,” cried Takashi, confused. “Look at you. You killed only two, and suddenly you feel like you conquered the world like Alexander the great.”
Lam aimed his gun at Takashi, and locked his eyes into his.
“Hey, hey, what are you trying to do? Are you drunk with so much blood to kill me too? You shouldn’t forget this. It’s me who stood behind you, and now you’re turning that same gun to my brains,” said Takashi shockingly.
“We all need to go together,” added Lam. “That’s our destiny.”
“How about Osman?” Takashi asked, again.
“He is not in this equation. He is an accidental witness. Our time has come. We must all go together,” said Lam without any emotion.
As Takashi rushed to grab Lam, the bullet raced much faster to hit Takashi’s forehead crushing him to the floor. Lam shot Takashi repeatedly.
Takashi was dead.
Osman had nothing to say other than to stare at Lam. He believed his end had come and closed his eyes tightly. He mumbled some last minute prayers he had learned at home to boost his consciousness, and then he heard a sudden gunshot. He thought he was dead, as he closed his eyes much tighter.
Instead, he was breathing heavily and faster than before. He was alive. He slowly opened his eyes. Osman couldn’t believe his eyes.
Jay Lam had shot himself.
Osman sat shell-shocked, as he got a glimpse of his two assistants lying dead besides Takashi and Lam, while on the other side, Rubyhall and Lord, lying dead with blood flowing out of their wounds like an angry lava. Never in his life had he witnessed such a near death miss, and he just couldn’t understand the logic of why he had to be spared. He opened his mouth wide enough to let out the built up scream, but he couldn’t do it. He felt like crying first and then laughing, and doing both when he realized that he was still alive.
But first, he decided to call the hotel. He didn’t want to leave the room to watch another blood bath; instead he preferred to stay in the room and call the police. As the thought subsided, the telephone rang.
A high voltage chill flashed through his spine, as he approached the table to pick up the phone. Osman hesitated first. He checked the rubies, and then put them in his underwear hurriedly.
“Hello!” The caller hung up the phone.