Chapter 1 - Simba Mwangi
“Deep breaths, deep breaths. You’ve got this, why are you worrying? Stop worrying, hakuna matata.” I told myself as my foot bounced anxiously on the stark grey carpet of the waiting room. I readjusted the manila folders in my grasp as my eyes darted from the receptionist at the desk before me and the closed door to my left. A shrill cry of the telephone caught both of our attentions, only making my nerves run more rampant.
“Yes. Yes, of course, sir,” The receptionist set the receiver back down before turning in her chair to face me, “Director Elias will see you know.”
I nodded with a soft “thank you” as I stood for the door. Before advancing any further, I snuck a look back to the receptionist who only mentioned me ahead. Taking a deep breath for courage, I opened the door enough to poke my head inside. “Director Elias, you wanted to see me?”
From the desk perked up a pale faced man with a thin moustache perched above his lip and an equally thin head of hair. Walter Elias wasn't a broad man, more height than muscle, but I knew to keep all comments to myself on the matter. “Agent Simba Mwangi, as I live and breathe! Look at you, last time I saw you you were still a Zaki, clinging to your father’s leg and were about ye high,” He hit his hip with the edge of his hand a couple times to prove the point. “I still remember when your old man would bring you to the office. Good man, good man.”
“Yes, he was. It’s almost been two decades now.”
“You’re making me feel old. Stop making me feel old kid, that’s a direct order,” Though there was very little bit in his remark.
“Yes sir.” I couldn’t help but laugh along with him at the memories, “I actually haven't been a Zaki for years. Mwangi is my mother’s maiden name. Zaki is the name of the man who killed my father, we didn’t want to be connected to him. Even if it distances me from my father.”
Director Elias’ smile faltered and with a tired sigh, he motioned the chair across from his desk to me and sat down himself. “Simba, I hate to be a broken record, but there is no proof that Taka Zaki killed his brother, your father, Mufasa Zaki. I’m sorry.”
“No, no, no. I can find the proof, I know he did it. I will not leave this as a cold case. He deserves far more than this and you know it.”
“Alright. Alright. What did you have in mind?”
“If we can not first find proof of the murder, we can start with the Black Market dealing and go from there. No one is bigger than him. And he has a web of associates that are as dirty as he is. It could take years to pin them down for what they have done, but if we have confessions from their children, that is where we come in. We can then work out the proof of the murder, that is the ultimate end game, the dark web would just be a cherry on top.”
“Children, Simba? Really?”
I knew he would be skeptical of the idea, I couldn’t blame him. And so I opened three of the four envelopes and set them on the desk before Elias. “Zephyr and Edgar De Vil, sons of Cruella De Vil, poached illegal animal fur and overseas child labor. Roux LeGume, daughter of Gaston LeGume, personally has had a hand in the extinction of several species of animals. Allistor Vinderand, son of Katrina “The Queen of Hearts” Vinderand, he heads the New York division of the Wonderland drug trade. Zaki had four children: Makori, Nuka, Vitani, and Kovu. The youngest three were extracted after the divorce with Zari over a decade ago. They’re relatively untouchable. But that leaves Makori, let’s just say he’s been groomed for the family business. That is all just to name a few.”
I watched anxiously as Elias took the folders into his hands and looked over the contents, “You found this all by yourself.”
“There has been a confidential informant, I must confess. He’s got eyes and ears on the dark world, just what I needed. But this is a task that cannot be accomplished by one man and one man alone. I need help, manpower, anything. Please.”
“I…” Elias gave my plea more thought and sighed once more as if all of this was too tiring for him to fathom under the sudden pressure of my request. “I can give you one man. He’s young, but he's the best you'll ever come by. Name’s Jakob Fitzherbert. Yeah, that Fitzherbert. Solid agent, just keep him on the straight and narrow.”
I gave my thanks again, but made no effort to leave and Elias was quick to notice, “Was there something else that needs to be addressed?”
With that out of the way, I handed over the final envelope, “James Henry “Thatcher” Clayton, son of William Patrick Clayton. When his father was killed on a hunt, the younger changed his name and changed the game of the poaching for his family, transitioning to human targets rather than simply animal. Add on three years of trailing and tracking, and Clayton found himself in the high courts of Great Britain for dozens of counts of murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault, poaching. And that is just at the top of the list. He’s been in prison, jumping in and out of solitary ever since. My request is to temporarily release him, have him infiltrate with the children and try to pry out the proof we need. They wouldn’t trust Fitzherbert and they most definitely would not trust me. Clayton is one of them, and with luck on our side, they’d accept him. It would be completely temporary, he would be on a tight leash as I give the commands, regardless of that, you will pull the strings on the whole operation.”
“You’ll have Fitzherbert, but I will need time on Clayton, especially to see what it would take for the release. You definitely did not pick an easy man to pry out. But before anything begins, I want everything: your files, notes, findings, recordings; all of it and whatever you continue to find as you find it. I would like to know what ever you can give on this informant, this amount of information by a single person worries me.”
“Of course, consider it done sir.”
“Tread lightly my friend, you are playing with elements you do not fully understand. I know how much this means to you, just don't let the vengeance consume you because you will not return the same man. This was for your father, he would be proud of you regardless if you find his killer, do not let this mission make you forget what you wanted in the beginning. This is a world beyond your own, things are different than what you know. There is wickedness seeping in through these stories, keep to your course and do not let it come to you.”
