83. Challenge!

83. Challenge!
Author's POV

Arabella turned around and now Arthur had her in deep passionate kiss while Oliver was pampering her neck with kisses. They were almost close to taking off her clothes but then Arthur stopped.
"No!"

Arabella frowned at him. Her hands were on his bare chest which was covered in sand.
"What happened?"

Oliver fixed her shirt and dusted sand from her thighs.
"Kitten, we are on our enemy's island."

Arthur caressed her cheek, trying to control himself.
"We don't know if he is watching us... We don't care about us but your dignity is our responsibility."

She smiled and nodded.
"Thank you!"

They kissed both of her cheeks and held her closer until they heard helicopters arriving.
"They are here!"

They got up and saw Noah and Garry coming for them, they sat inside and finally left the island.
They were in the sky when Arabella glanced at Egon's Castel.
He was on the roof, watching helicopter with eagle eyes.
She froze when he waved her good bye with his evil smirk.
She quickly looked away and took a deep breath.

"What's wrong?"
Oliver noticed her tensed.

"Nothing!"
She forced a smile.

They got out when their mansion arrived and Rose checked on Arabella as soon as they stepped out.
"Thank god! You are fine."

"Mom, your sons are also here!"
Oliver looked at her amused.

Rose chuckled.
"Thanks for coming back alive!"

They freshened up in their own rooms and attended the meeting which Rose has called.

"Sources says that Rancho has already approached Egon for help... He wants us destroyed."
Rose declared.

"The question is, Egon had enough time to kill these three. Why didn't he?"
Damian questioned.
"It doesn't go with the equation."

"We were thinking the same... Arabella was in front of him. It was too easy."
Arthur agreed.

"He is planning something big."
Oliver said.
"Something psychotic!"

"Maybe but Rancho is fueling this war... He has triggered Egon..."
Rose declared.
"Our warehouses in Italy were attacked but Marinos didn't let him take over... In Spain, Damon has helped us on Anamika's request... In Russia, Vladimir is helping us on Grace's request. Our alliances are trying to protect us but for how long? Egon is trying to destroy us economically."

"We need to kill Rancho to stop this."
Arabella suggested and everyone looked at her.
"We have to! He has taken this on ego. He isn't going to tolerate any of his assassin going out of his control and will do everything to make it as a lesson for other assassins... His death will solve half of the problems, then we can turn to Egon."

"I agree, but how do we do that... Rancho is also powerful..."
She questioned, looking around for suggestions.

Arabella thought for a second. She was hesitant and doubtful but there was no other choice.
"There is only one option... One on one fight."

"Can't we just shoot him and get over it..."
Julie suggested.

"No, Julie! We are Knights and we have to keep our own dignity... Killing him like that would give us only mocking... Knights are brave and we will fight like that only..."
Arabella explained.

Arthur smiled at her thought.
"I agree! We are not cowards... We will challenge Rancho... And it will be a fair fight."

"Then we have to be prepared for it... I'll fight with him."
Rose declared.

"No, ma'am! Please let me do it."
Arabella requested, scared that he will hurt Rose.

Rose shook her head.
"You have your whole life in front of you, god forbid if he hurts you badly and your experience in front of him is like a child... I have been trained with Rancho, I know his fighting style... I'll fight!"

"It's not about that. I want to do it for myself, he has ruined my whole life... I want to ruin his."
Arabella had decided.
"If you are with me then I can do it... Please!"

Rose looked at Knight brothers worriedly but they nodded.
They know how deeply she hates Rancho and fighting with him is the only way to get rid of that.
"Fine! I'll teach you some secret moves, Renzo had taught me a few."

"We need to announce that we want to challenge his position... The date will be decided for the face off... This is not going to be easy, Rancho has his own connections and he will do everything to weaken us before that."
Rose briefed everyone.

"I think Rancho is too overconfident about himself, he thinks he is the greatest of all Masters which agency had till now but he can barely match his own father."
Arabella has seen both of them and she respected Renzo more.

"Maybe, but we shouldn't underestimate him... Specially you, because you are going to challenge him and you were his trainee. He knows your moves."
Rose was still worried about her.

"Can't we fight against him? Will it make any difference?"
Oliver asked.

"You fought with Arabella and it was a tie so your skills are same. You can stand against Rancho but that's not the problem. The problem is he has secret moves which he has inherited from his family."
Rose rubbed her face frustrated.

"We will find out the solution, Guys... Let's end this meeting for now..."
Damian declared and dismissed everyone.

He saw how worried Rose looked, he got up and hugged her from behind. Rubbing her tensed shoulders gently.
"You are stressed... We will tackle this problem. Arabella is good in her job."

"No doubt that she is excellent but fighting with the master is not easy, Damian... You think they are fools to teach everything to the people they have enslaved. They have saved great moves for themselves only. Arabella can fight but can she win against him?.. I have fought against Renzo many times during training but not even once I was able to overpower him... He could see with closed eyes, his skills were humanly impossible... I am sacred that if Rancho is just like his father then Arabella's life is in danger... My sons can't afford to loose her after so much pain, we have to find his weakness..."
Rose rested her head on his chest.
"Anything which will free Arabella from him."

Damian caressed her head while getting lost in deep thoughts.
"I might know one, leave it to me."