Lady Jennifer peered through the curtains as the sound of gunshots resounded in a deafening roar throughout the cottage. She could hear Alba screaming from behind her, urging her to move away from the window... but she was frozen; she couldn't move. They were under attack, and it seemed the cottage was the target and not the palace. What did it all mean? "Alba!" Jennifer hissed in a low voice, certain that they couldn't hear her outside, but leaving nothing to chance. "Go upstairs and call the palace. The king needs to be alerted!"

"Yes, ma'am... but you should come with me. It's d-dangerous down here..."

"Just do as I say!" Jennifer snapped, a gasp escaping when she watched two of her guards falling to the ground, clear victims of gunshot wounds. "Go now, Alba! We don't have much time."

Not watching Alba making her retreat, but hearing her footsteps racing up the stairs, Jennifer kept watching, knowing they would be coming for her soon, and realizing there would be nowhere to hide. She just had to be strong until the king arrived. There wasn't a doubt that he would come to her rescue, nor did she doubt that this must be the imminent attack of the vile man that hounded her son. She would sacrifice anything to help in his capture. Then, Justin would finally be safe.

Jennifer jumped back from the window when she saw a man holding a gun looking toward where she stood. She realized it was an act of futility. Obviously, the man had seen her through the curtain, and would soon be forcing his way inside. Suddenly, she heard elevated voices, two men deep in argument, one was recognizable to her, but in her paralyzed fear, unable to distinguish it. A few moments later, there was silence, but no further gunshots. She wanted to steal another peek but was afraid to do so. Instead, she backed away from the window and the door, hoping that help would arrive before anything happened to her; however, as she heard footsteps loudly rushing up the steps, she realized her chance of being rescued was less than likely.

"Lady Jennifer!" Alba called out. "The phone lines are down. I can't make a call."

Her hand lifting to her chest, her heart painfully expanding, Jennifer simply nodded, accepting they both could be truly doomed now. The king wouldn't reach them in time, but perhaps Justin would be safe. Right now, that mattered most of all. "Try to hide, Alba. I'm sure the king will realize we are under attack." She didn't add her final thought, knowing the last thing her nervous housekeeper would need to hear was her doubt that it would be in time.

At once, there was pounding on the door, unbeknownst to her, the man alone on the other side, but heavily armed and prepared to kill anyone that stood in his way. "Oh, my lady..." the voice sneered. "Let me in before I break the door down; I really don't care which way I come in. Only know this... I will be coming in."

With timid steps, her heart racing, and her hand shaking even more as she reached the door, she stalled in the only way she could think of, knowing it would be laughable at best to this monster. "Who is it?" she asked. "I'm indisposed at the moment."

"I don't give a damn if you're naked and fucking half of the king's army! Open the door now, or I will torture you in front of your son's eyes. Do you want that?"

Jennifer's back stiffened, a sudden sense of strength materializing in her. Now, there wasn't a doubt who this man was. This was the depraved Gary Sapperstein. If she was going to die, she would tell this scum what she thought of him first. Uncaring of the risk she took, Jennifer flung open the door, her eyes spitting fire at the disgusting man, her first sight of him both surprising and revolting. "You are Sapperstein?" Jennifer laughed mockingly. "The king will rip you into shreds!"

"Bitch!" Sapperstein snarled, in one sudden motion, he backhanded her across the face, sending her crashing to the floor. His lip twisted into a look of pure menace when he spat out, "You don't look so regal now."

Her hand lifted to touch her throbbing cheek, her finger touching on blood that now slid from her bottom lip as her teeth had sliced into them during her fall. Remaining as she was, unhurried in advancing his plans, she continued to goad him, "You'll never get near my son. The king has him under protection... and is with him now. You lose again."

"I would kill you now if I didn't need you." His eyes filled with hatred, unwilling to admit that his plan had major flaws, but one he intended on seeing through. Harshly, he ordered her to stand. "Get up! I need to get you out of sight before the king shows up." Gary cackled maniacally. "Then the fun really gets started..."

Justin was silent as he listened to the king, now his lover, issuing commands into the phone. He was positively mesmerized by the strength and power he exuded. Thankfully, the classes in Arabic his mother had insisted he take several years ago were paying off. Living in this country, his mother had deemed it essential, even though his father had thought it to be an unnecessary expense, and that another method could always be utilized to make him understand the Arabic context. Despite her fear of Craig Taylor, she had insisted, and since his father had found it to be a small concession, he had relented. As much as he could understand what was being said, his skills didn't extend as much to speaking what was an extremely difficult language... but this would more than suffice. It had amazed him how much Brian had accomplished in the past half hour. He had briefly gone to his office, and then returned to him, and been on the phone most of the rest of the time, essentially getting his plan of attack in order. The king was both formidable and captivating. He wasn't sure why he hadn't understood that more from the very beginning.

Striding in quick steps to the only entrance to his suite of rooms, outside of the balcony that was too many stories up to be a factor, the king opened the door, nodding curtly to his guard, relieved to see another had already joined. Tersely, he told them, "You are to be on high alert. There is an intruder, possibly more than one. No one is to enter my rooms unless accompanied by me. No exceptions!"

Bowing their heads, they answered in unison. "As you wish, Your Highness."

Looking away from them, the king watched the long corridor anxiously, his eyes anticipating the arrival of two people. He slightly grimaced when he saw four people turning the corner, Lindsay one of them. How could he have forgotten about her? Immediately, he discarded that thought. It wasn't as if Sapperstein would ever view her as a source of leverage against him. He was quite sure she would be ‘up' for the task of reminding him of his immense neglect, once the dust had settled. Holding up a forestalling hand as Benjamin and Michael both made the gesture of kneeling, he waved them off impatiently. "There's no time for that. Benjamin, please secure Justin and the others in the secret room. Once I speak with you, I will close you in with them."

"Y-your Highness, I should be with you..." Ben uncharacteristically disagreed. He lowered his head as he met the disapproval in his master's eyes. He had never contradicted his king's edict in the presence of others, most especially not in front of Lindsay, and the guards in particular.

Lindsay mockingly laughed. "Obedient servant you have there, husband."

Brian gritted his teeth, the reference of ‘husband,' not to mention her insolence, grating on his very last nerve. "That's enough, Lindsay. The door is open. Secure it behind them, then we will proceed." He smiled fondly down at his son that Ben was carrying in his arms, sleeping as if nothing irregular was developing on this night. He followed them into the suite, his eyes watchful as Ben followed his commands, waiting in the hallway that separated his bedroom from the spacious living room, his eyes attentive on Ben's return.

His head bowed as he made his way forward, Ben told his king, "I've failed you, Your Majesty."

Shaking his head, Brian asked, "Failed me? How can you say that? You have just brought my son to the safest of havens. Justin is here, out of Sapperstein's reach as well. There is no one that he can use as leverage against me."

"Let's not forget about Justin's mother, My King." Ben knew the ruler was well aware of how much danger she could be facing, but wondered how much that truly concerned the fierce monarch. Despite his obvious fondness for Lady Jennifer, the king was clearly prioritizing two people - Gus and Justin. He doubted the king had considered how difficult Justin would be to handle if anything happened to his mother. And in all honesty, he hated the idea of the sensitive young man losing the parent that truly loved him.

"I haven't forgotten anything!" the king snapped. "I'm heading to the cottage now. I guess that if my guards haven't surrounded him, then he's killed them, and probably moved her to a hidden location." He didn't bother with the reminder that he would know Sapperstein's precise location long before he arrived at the cottage. Ben should know he had every possibility covered.

"Please let me come with you..." Ben interjected, hope shining in his eyes.

"No!" Brian answered adamantly. "I need you here, making sure that nothing or no one gets to my son." He didn't add the other member of the secret room that he was so zealously protecting... but Ben already knew that. Brian looked into Ben's eyes, trust and determination displaying in his own. "I trust you with the people that mean the most to me, Benjamin. I can't finish this if I don't know they are safe."

Ben smiled, pride making his chest slightly swell. "I am honored, Your Highness." He winked at him discreetly, knowing he was safe to do so in this room, needlessly reminding him, "Our plan might have gone a bit awry, but our goal remains the same. This madman will be out of our lives tonight."

"Indeed he will." Brian patted Ben on the shoulder. "It's to be expected, Ben. Sapperstein never really trusted you. He was toying with you for information, knowing he had someone else on the inside. Your heightened security tonight has revealed that man... and they will die together."

"I was saddened to make the discovery, but glad I followed my instincts." Ben shook his head as he remembered the sight of Sapperstein slithering through the front gates, his partner in crime aiding in his easy entry. "Tucker was a good friend and a warrior of immense skill. I don't know why Tucker betrayed you and his countrymen, but it's a senseless tragedy."

A muscle jerked in the king's cheek, revenge glowing in his unmerciful eyes. "The reason doesn't matter, Benjamin. I have reviewed the surveillance cameras, something Sapperstein hadn't counted on me discovering so soon. His every movement is now being tracked. They have both killed loyal soldiers tonight. I will show NO mercy. Within the hour, they both shall be dead!"

TBC