"We found another rat. He has been stealing information and selling to a group of rogues. They call themselves the 'outlaws'", Eben reported to Christian as they both walked the Halls of the gigantic mansion of the American mafia castle.
"Outlaws you say?", Christian stopped when they were both outside, waiting for a car to pull around. Eben noded his head."Let's make an example out of them then", Christian jumped into the car along with even and the car pulled out of the long circular driveway.Christian Gerrard, a real devil that one. Contrary to his name, he makes hell look stupid and must have been a tyrannical maniac in his previous life, one could say that he is the main reason why the American mafia became the most feared mafia in the underworld since five years he became the Don.One would think he waited patiently for his old man to breathe his last before ascending the mafia throne and they would be right, except that his old man was not the previous Don of the American mafia.With techniques only the devil would teach, he started a coup and successfully overthrew his uncle, making his children unfit to precede him and took his uncle's only daughter as his sex slave but ninety nine percent of the mafia had no idea of his schemes and the only one percent that knew, had joined his uncle very much sooner than they would like.Every mafia pride themselves on one thing, strength in unity which is why they frown at betrayal of any sort so when Christian Gerrard carefully planted doubts in the hearts of the members of the American mafia and engineered situations that could being out the worst in any man, he made his uncle look like the worst betrayer ever known and with a pitiful face and heavy heart he killed the man and his whole family except for his teenage girl whom to the other members of the mafia, she was dead but oh her young and succulent body graced his bed, albeit forcefully and how warm was her thighs after a days hardwork, as said earlier, techniques only the devil could teach."The goods?", He asked Eben."They are due for arrival tomorrow boss", even answered, secretly disgusted at the handsome smile that graced Christian's face at the thought of an underworld auction he had planned.The biggest event in the underworld since Christian throws a mean party and the most enjoyable for men and women with an incurable sickness in their heads.Two years ago Christian started an annual human auction event, which was held after he had carefully studied his victims, abducted them and trained them to please the wicked crowd they would force them to please.This year was the third year and he was bringing in the best goods so far, everything had to go according to plan.The car came to a stop in front of a shady warehouse. Of course it had to be shady, this was one of the warehouses the devil owned.He stepped down and with his long strides, he had Eben running after him towards where the unfortunate human/rat was held against his will."Ah, Dominic…", Christian called, a face splitting grin on his face as he looked at the beaten man tied to a metal chair, that was uncomfortable."You didn't tell me it was Dominic", he whispered to Eben."A little surprise boss", Eben shrugged."I love surprises and this one, the best so far. Everything is coming together beautifully well, I am beyond pleased", Christian clapped the weak Dominic on his scalded back, causing the man to jerk forward when Christian's hand met an open wound."Oh. I'm sorry mate, didn't know they opened up your back. Harsh treatment really, which one of you beat a good man up like this?", Christian said with the most sincere expression on his face and turned to Eben with question."The boys spent a good time with him. We left the best part for you boss", Eben shrugged."Ah. Your grandma ever make the sweetest soup and you stick to the pot? Cause that's where the whole sweetness settles? Hmm Dominic?", Christian asked the weak man."Please man, I beg you, just kill me and get me out of this misery", Dominic sobbed, mucus freely flowing from his nose as if he was a three year old."I'm getting there Domdom. You see, my grandma used to make the best soups and you had the pot each time, perhaps it's my time to have at it", Christian asked, mindlessly using a hot soldering iron to burn off one of Dominic's fingers, eliciting horrifying screams from the dying man."Fuck!!! I curse you to hell! You will get what's coming for you!", Dominic screamed."Oooh what's that? A new game? Speaking of new games. Why don't I go hunting? With your siblings as the games here?", Christian whispered to Dominic whose eyes widened comically."Your sister, Dahlia calls out to me though. I've got lovely plans for her. Plans that involves her and my bed with my cock buried balls deep into her little cunt, sliding in and out of her wet goodness while she screams her lungs off. Now I've gotten a boner", Christian whispered, causing Dominic to gain a new fight in him as he charged at him, or tried to charge at him while restrained on the chair."Don't you dare touch my sister. She's only eighteen you sick bastard!", Dominic roared."The younger the better bro, but you wouldn't know that since you spent your time playing love with Rose", Christian shrugged."Please Christian I beg you in the name of all that you hold dear, kill me, kill my brothers, hell kill Dahlia but don't keep her as your sex slave please. Christian please she's a child, God!", Dominic sobbed uncontrollably."You lost the bargaining rights when you tried to sell me out Dominic. Why did you do it? Money, hmm? Or did you want to become the new Don?", Christian asked."I didn't have a choice alright. I didn't get a say man. You think you are crazy, eccentric and brutal? Christian whoever leads these people is unhinged, he could kill you and spoon-feed your child your brains", Dominic replied."Seems like we would make wonderful friends", Christian mused."Oh he's no friend. He wants you down""Does he have a name?""None that I know of but I know one thing, "the outlaws" is a fake name. They want you down, you think I'm the only one giving information out?", Dominic asked."Let me get one thing straight Dominic. The outlaws or whatever they are come for you to give them the gist about me and my mafia and you choose not to tell me? Knowing that either way, you're dead", Christian asked."Christian you are a bastard, a ruthless bastard. If I'd known you'd turn out like this I would have killed you all those days in boarding school. You think I didn't see the way you looked at my kid sister? The way you objectify and rape women? Rose? I was not quick enough to stop you from getting to Rose but I sure as hell was not going to allow you to stay alive and end up hurting my sister too so shoot me for taking the fairer option when I had it", Dominic spat out at Christian, dribbles of spit falling from his mouth.The next thing that was heard was gunshot, ricocheting off the walls as Dominic's screens followed next."Jesus Christ!", Dominic looked down at his toe as blood squirted from his left big toe, where Christian shot him."Itchy trigger finger, I promise. And hey! You asked me to shoot you", Christian defended himself, almost too innocently."Now let's get back to it. I didn't think you'd be bold enough to stand up to me about Rose. Now either you have a dick even a child would be ashamed of or you didn't hit it often because boy she was tight", Christian taunted Dominic who tried his best to muffle his cries by biting his lips but to no avail, he was in so much pain."She killed herself", Dominic accused weakly."At least she can tell her wretched ancestors that she had a taste of Christian Gerrard", Christian boasted."Now what are the names of these outlaws?", Christian asked."Elijah Smith, Roman Witt", Dominic answered."Fake aliases too if I'm to guess""Boss. His siblings", Eben spoke up when the warehouse door opened and some thugs dragged three boys and a young girl in, kicking and screaming but their struggles subsided when they saw their brother."No! Please Christian. Think of the good old days", Dominic begged."Now the show got interesting", Christian mused."Brother! Dom! Christian what's the meaning of this?", The older looking one in the bunch that was dragged in asked."Rudolfo, really you are like a brother to me but business is business", Christian once again displayed that honest expression that could put the innocent to shame."Dahlia, darling, come here", Christian beamed at the young girl who sensed danger and hid between her brothers who immediately stood in front of her protectively."You are not laying a finger on her, not while I'm alive", Rudolfo spat."That's where you are wrong boy. You will be alive for now and watch me lay my hands on your sister. Dahlia", he warned this time."Christian", Dominic called out to him."Shhh, I will be nice", he shushed Dominic.Christian's thugs ripped a screaming Dahlia from her brothers arms and threw her into the Lions cage, literally. Christain grinned evily and with a single attempt, he tore dahlias gown from her body, leaving her in her underwear that he tore off immediately.The next thing that happened was not something anybody should have to endure."That's more like it little girl, enjoy it", Christain grunted as he had his wicked ways with her.Her brothers screams filled the room as the girls cries and pleas harmonized with their screams, Christain was hitting his peak.In and out he slammed into her, mercilessly enjoying the pains that unconsenting sex brought the girl."Christain just kill her please!", Dominic screamed as he tried and failed to free himself from his confinement.After long minutes he shot his load into the girl and stood up from the destroyed girl, panting and smiling with satisfaction going through his body."Here's the game plan boys", he demanded their attention."Nobody betrays me and goes scot-free and oh your family will learn this the hard way. You will all determine if your darling little sister here will live or die, you will participate in the hunt and the outcome of it decides Dahlia's fate. As for whatever you told your outlaw friends, you will tell me before I send you off to your maker", Christian sneered at Dominic's face which he grabbed harshly.He turned on his heel and walked out of there, leaving the siblings to comfort each other while he goes to think of more sinister antics.•••••••••••••••••"Get up you lazy slut!", A magnanimous woman kicked a young girl who had maintained a slumped stature as tears flowed freely from her eyes."Stop kicking her you filthy pig, if you were a mother, you wouldn't do this to a child but I'm sure you sold your womb along with that wretched soul of yours to the devil", a fiery red head woman pushed the big woman and covered the little girl with her body while casting a withering glare at the woman.The next thing that happened was this big woman bringing down her heavy hand on the face of the red head as the sound of the slap resonated through the room.The red head spat blood out of her mouth and made to stand up to the woman but the young girl that she was shielding clutched her arms."Freya, please", the girl pleaded, her eyes wide as saucers at the thought of the heavy devil dragging her savior out of the room for standing up to her."Never in your life, you Irish whore, talk back to me, unless you want me to send you to the pit for an early product testing", the woman grabbed Freya's face and spat in her face.The pit. The one place that none of the victims want to be. With an avalanche of horny bastards there, ready to 'test the product' before they are delivered to Christian. Only that these victims that go through 'product testing' do not get to Christian, they have a long list of lies to tell Christian on how they died."Now get that stupid thing up with you and get a move on. The cook suffered to make the lot of you ungrateful cunts a good meal, the least you should do is eat it", the big woman snapped and walked out of the room."I didn't ask to be kidnapped you fat lizard", Freya mumbled, helping the young girl up."Gloria I know this is not the life you wished for but you have to be strong now that you've been dealt a bad hand", Freya spoke softly to the girl that leaned on her for support."Freya I just want to die. I don't want to be a sex slave Freya", Gloria sobbed uncontrollably, cuddling to the only motherly person she met in this wicked place."No Gloria. Don't die before trying to survive. You will go out there, with your head held high, your shoulders squared and you will eat whatever concoction the blasted cook conjured up for us. Hey, look at me. You are not a sex slave, you are a sweet little girl who met a cruel world and you will make it out of it, a survivor", Freya spoke firmly but gently to the girl as she lead her out to an open space where other abductees carried slimy looking things in plates in the name of food, their postures deafeted."Line up folks. Ain't nobody waiting for your slow asses to get fed. You don't get here now, you won't eating till we get to our destination and you ain't gon' like what's waiting for you there", a guard yelled, standing close to the grumpy cook who dished out food to the prisoners."Seems we are getting to whatever place we are going tomorrow, I heard", a young sexy man, with a cherubic face that makes him look like a girl said when Freya and Gloria got their mashed food and sat down."Yeah, I heard fatso over there discussing it with scarface over here", a raven haired lady with a distinct beauty mark on her face said, pointing at the big woman from before and a particularly ugly man with a nasty scar marring his face."We can escape then", the cherubic faced boy said, eyes darting around."You saw what happened to those two girls? I am not dying like a pig", raven hair commented.Two girls had tried to escape but met a gruesome fate when they were caught so thinking of escaping is like the worst suicidal attempt ever."Save your strengths. Trying to escape is human instinct but don't get yourself killed", Freya shrugged, picking at the puddle on her plate but sticking it into her mouth when she caught a guard eyeing her, they were not to waste food.While they were discussing and trying not to let there woes get to them, Freya thought about her little angels at home. She was not supposed to get them from school that day but when her husband called her to pick the kids up because he had the most important meeting of his career to attend, she had to close early from work to pick them up and that's when she was abducted.'I hope you're safe where you are'She thought wistfully when she thought of them, knowing that as much as her husband was their father, he was a man without emotions and a poor excuse for a father. She only hoped that her mother and sister would step in and take care of her children since it's been two months now and she didn't know when she will be free from her bondage.Two grown adults, a man and a woman rounded each other in a steel cage, blood smeared across their faces as they growled at each other. The crowd outside erupted in cheers and screams at the thrill of someone killing someone.A fight to death. The worst type of test and the last one that is needed to be inducted into the Hell Hall fraternity. If you managed killed your opponent in the 'last supper' as named by the intending members of hell hall fraternity, you will gain the lowest rank in Hell Hall which to outsiders, was one of the highest ranks one could attain, that is after being trained for five years.The man sneered at the woman and and lunged at her but she skillfully doged him and landed a brass knuckle aided punch to his chest, making him groan and growl at her."That the best you have, big boy?", She taunted him."Small always wins against big but….", She started but stopped to dodge one of his hits."You will only agree in death", she tutted and landed a roundhouse kick, s
The city felt more full than usual but any observant person could tell that it is this time of the year, in any country that a city fills up to the brim. Vacationers, tourists, families, work and so on.Deck of card sees a city burst to the seams, with thousands of people coming from all over the world, some with their families. Now the government could complain about this annual meeting but the kind of revenue that deck of cards brings to a country, makes it a dream come true. Government officials call it Vendetta annual meeting but amongst the cult members, they know the real name.Sydney, Australia got lucky this time and within the last three weeks, the city hotels had been fully booked and the markets were selling like crazy.Inside one of these prestigious hotels, Wilbur's snore reverberated within the suite he got with Amina and Zayn, one would think there was a tired pig nearby."For a dangerous man he sure snores louder than a train horn can try, Jesus Christ", Amina grumble
Christian literally skipped everywhere, a beautiful smile creasing the corners of his beautiful face, one might be fooled to think that innocent thoughts brought on the charming smile.His mansion bustled with activities, people running around like headless chickens, each person seriously praying for their heads to remain on their shoulders till the next day because Christian had a reputation of going from zero to one million in a split second.Eben was particularly uneasy. The shipment was coming in today and he had to do everything in his power, even outside his power to make sure that nothing went wrong and the day was not starting on a good note for him."No matter what you do, do not let them check the shipment. I will be there soonest", Eben ordered over the phone."Eben, darling, how are the arrangements going?", Christian snuck up on Eben, causing a high pitched shriek to come out of the startled man."Sometimes I don't know what to do with you. You're worse than a woman", Chr
The part of the christian holy book that insists that there's no peace for the wicked could be wrong if translated literally.The wicked derive unfiltered joy and peace from whatever it is that they do. The thrill, the high emotions. It is like performing in a little orchestra and being the concertmaster. It is a feeling above high clouds, the tingles on their feet and the swelling of their hearts when they perpetrate a pure act of evil thoughts.One could insist that the Bible is wrong in that context, but can one deny that in the place of wickedness is uneasiness? The feeling of being watched? The fear of anybody besting you? Most importantly, the fear of being served your own medicine, with your own cup? The wicked has no genuine peace. They come close, yes, but even in their deepest slumber, their own shadow haunts them and paints gory pictures of what could go wrong and the possibilities are too much.Christian Gerard jerked from his sleep earlier today. His mind doing one twent
The underworld holds many parties in a year. Infact every mafia looks for a reason to host the largest party. Wether it was to show off their achievements or to make allies or to simply show off the fact that they had money.Earlier in the year, the Russian mafia held a ball in honor of the Don's daughter who had completed her service to the country and had returned home. It was the largest ball the year had seen and it was the first party for the year. Every mafia had gone there to see for themselves just how the Russians outdid themselves and boy did they throw a mean party.The American mafia is no stranger to parties, infact if there was a mafia that threw one hell of a party, it was the Americans. Every year Christian found reasons to host two big parties and co-host the largest mafia conference but when he found the treasure hidden in human trafficking, his parties became something every psychotic person out there couldn't wait for.As for psychotic people, out of one hundred ma
Christian sat behind his huge desk, his brows furrowed as he looked through his system. He had Eben and another nervous man in the office with him."Stephan Devaraux, director of Zirock construction, is that all you have on him?", Christian asked."Yes boss. No family life, no friends. He paid the whole money in cash so no transaction details"It had been two days since the auction, a whole day since he delivered all the abductees to all their buyers but failed to deliver Freya to Stephan."I'm not comfortable with this", Christian murmured."How did he get tickets to the auction?", Eben asked the IT guy."Uhh, through an account with the name, Maddy Nimble. That one too is not a name in any database", the IT guy answered."You said he is the director of Zirock construction, look into his company, he must leave traces somewhere"Christian discharged the IT guy, leaving only Eben and himself in his office."It's been a whole day boss, what happens when he comes for his goods?", Eben as
The rain pelted down on the unlucky people that found themselves outside but inside the American mafia mansion, the cooling effect of the rain failed to calm Christian's anger.The news anchor on the TV happened to be one of those unfortunate people outside the rain but this act of God may have been a way to stop the raging fire going on behind her from spreading.Despite the heavy downpour, thick black smoke hung over the neighborhood that housed three of the American mafia's major warehouse. If your guess is on the warehouses then you couldn't be more right."The cause of the fire is yet unknown and as you can see the firemen are desperately trying to put it out", the news anchor said into the microphone, raising her voice a little because of the background noise.Just then, a collective booming sound came from three of the burning warehouses, sending splinters of wood flying about, causing the middle building to collapse as the beams and pillars gave way."Is that a bomb?", One of
"I heard a certain someone isn't eating these days”, Eben sang as he walked into Freya's room, a goofy smile on his face and a plate of pancakes on his arms as he tried to close the door.Freya rolled her eyes and looked out the window, her eyes taking in the green scenery below her room.“Captain America to the save, yay!”, She sassed.“C'mon, don't be like that. I worry about you”, Eben dropped the food and shuffled on his legs when the woman made no moves to sit down.“It's the best pancakes in town. I had Xen make it specifically for you”, he sad again.Freya still cast her eyes ousde, a forlorn look on her stressed face.One look at her and one could tell that she was not sleeping well. Her face looked drawn and she had lost a bit of weight since she got here.A bird flies far and high but it never fails to visit it's nest, bringing food to it's chicks and doting on them. More times than Freya can count her mind has strayed to her children. A painful squeezing feeling makes itse
“Madam, where you dey go?”, a man with a chewing stick hanging from his mouth said. (Where are you headed to, Madam?)The sun was so high in the sky, so bright it gave meaning to the word “sunshine”. The bright sun wasn't as hot as it looks, at least on an African's skin but for Klaudia, yeah it was one hell of a sun but the scene before her was as entertaining as it was intriguing.Luggages, packed together high as a bungalow and as big as a car were being pushed around in small trolleys and the laugage owners were just one person to one “mountain” and they were all headed for “departures”.“Madam?”, the man called out to Klaudia, waving his chewing stick in her face.“Hi”, Klaudia said to him, jumping back a little at the sight of his chewed chewing stick very close to her own mouth. She will try not to kill anybody on her first day. This man's mouth set off like a treadmill set at a high speed because of a single “hi” and from the look of things, he was throwing in some inults ther
WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENTTip tap. Tip tap. Tip tap. The steady dropping of water on a wet surface could be heard all through the dingy cell. To the left there was a toilet and a very little shower stall, the room was pure mockery to it's occupant. What was left of the formerly handsome Christian Gerard was broken limbs and a swollen face. The toilet and shower stall were entirely useless since he didn't have the limbs to go, he did his business on the bed, emitting a very offensive smell in the whole room and everyday he was punished for doing his business on the bed.The guards would come in and whip him with belts and animal tails for finding him in a pool of his own excreta and urine that would explain the angry welts all over his body. He would be dragged down from the bed, dump him in the shower stall, and they would strip the bed and dump clean sheets on his bed.The excruciating pain of having to crawl around with his busted knees, broken shin bones, dislocated ankles and two
It had been twenty six days since Zach went into a coma, twenty six days since he had been lying still, except for the little rise and fall of his chest to show that he's alive and today he woke up.Freya had been changing his diaper when he wiggled his big toes and in a haste she punched the emergency buttons a few times, alerting the team of doctors and nurses that something was going on in the room.Alan had sprung up from where he was seated and was by Freya's side in a flash when he saw what was going on and the rest, Bridget, Lauryn and Pippa who were camped just outside the room rushed in when they heard the commotion.He groaned and tried to shuffle around the bed, his little hand trying to lift from where it lay by his side.“Mummy”, his eyes fluttered and closed, his voice croaked.“I'm here baby”, Freya said, choking on her words.“I'm here. Your mummy is here”, she reminded him over and over again, her hand clasped arpund his own that had lost that childish robustness and
Stephan walked through Hyde park with his hand stuck in his pants pocket and his phone in his ear. He was meeting a group of three men and two women in an apartment around there and he was close from the look of things.England was looking, well how England would look during winter and the cold was bone chilling, Stephan made a wise choice by rocking a coat, a hat on his head with leather gloves on his hands.He got to the entrance of the ordinary looking apartment building and checked himself in.He knocked on the door and waited for a response from the other side.“Who?”, a female voice asked.“My God. Are you a dog?”, Stephan sighed exasperated.The door opened to reveal a slender woman with a dark makeup going on, a crop top showing off her toned stomach and her fake blonde hair completing the look. The minute she saw Stephan she straightened.“Sir. Wasn't expecting you around now”, she said, making way for him to enter the apartment.“I see”, Stephan said, looking around the diso
Freya sat cuddled up to Alan who held her close to his body as he scrolled through his phone. They were in Zach's hospital room as the doctors had started chemotherapy for him and he looked weaker than before. He had still not woken up and Freya set up camp on his room, making Alan too decide to stay with her while the others came, spent the whole day there and went back home to return the next day.“Thank you”, Freya whispered.“For what?”, Alan looked down at her, ignoring his phone for a moment.“For being with me through this trying time”, she said.“I want to be here”, he shrugged and went back to his phone.Freya looked up at him, sitting up from his hold and making him turn his attention to her.“You are a good man”, she whispered, peering at his dark orbs.“Because I stayed?”, he quizzed, genuinely confused.“Because you can be selfless and human”, she shrugged.“I am human”, he reminded her, causing her to chuckle.“Yes. When you're not being an iceberg”, she said, earning a
A doctor came out of a ward with a solemn look on his face and faced the group of the O'Hagan women and Alan.Freya sprung up, her reddened eyes begging for some sort of relief for her pain but the look on the doctor's face was not giving her that hope.“Parents of Zachary McIntyre?”, he asked them, his eyes looking at each of them.Alan carried a tired Pippa in his arms who had fallen asleep on Freya after hours of waiting and he had to take her at some point since everyone was tired too.“I am his mother”, she said.The doctor looked at Alan and back at Freya and sighed.“I'm sorry I just… You are all his family. Come with me please”, he requested and started towards his office and all of them followed him until they all got settled in his office, Alan still carrying Pippa and standing beside a scared Freya who was seated on one of the two chairs, Lauryn on the other one and Bridget standing behind the two of them, their hands clasped together.He looked at all of them and sighed ag
His eyes fluttered open and went shut again, protecting his eyeballs from the bright light that filtered into the eerily white room. The long curtains were left wide open, giving way to a harsh sunlight that bounced off the bright white color in the room and it's effect could mess with a person who had been asleep for a while.He moaned and held his head that seemed too heavy for his neck and threw his legs out of the bed to try and stand. It seemed woozy for a while but he got his bearings and went to the ceiling to floor windows to know exactly where he was and all he saw was men on suit, scattered all over the very big compound but nothing gave his location away.He looked down at himself, stripped to pyjamas and he tried to remember the hours before he slept but nothing was coming to him. His memory was scrambled but he knew that something was wrong because this was not his room, nor was it his house.He picked up the AC remote controller that was on the beside table and cautiousl
Winter was in full swing and the ground was being covered with layers of thick snow. The cold was bone chilling and it actually became a brazen act to step out of the house with the temperature dropping below zero degree. With the sun nowhere near the skies, smell of baked goods and hot beverages wafted from every house as no one actually dared to step out and Alan's house was no exception.The heaters were turned on full blast and even fireplaces were on, yet you could still feel the cold once in a while and everybody slept in every morning but this morning a tiny happy boy zapped through the house, jumping on every body to wake up, it's his birthday and no one was allowed to sleep in on Zachary's womb escape day. It started with jumping on his mother who tried to wrangle him into a cuddle after so many kisses and wishes but he was all bouncy if that was one way to describe it and Freya had to get up and get ready for her little man's big day.The second person was his sister who ac
Alan's eyes followed the man that walked into the bar and the smile that lit up Freya's face was not all that enticing for him.What was so funny or so interesting about the blonde guy that Freya was smiling so big? The bar bustled with patrons who had not seen the sisters for a while and now that the business is back up, it's like the whole city wanted to drink there while the slimy men kept trying to engage the sisters in whatever inconsequential discussions their silly heads could bring up.Alan was pissed. Beyond pissed even. From the moment Freya came down the stairs at their house, with a jade green gown that hugged her curves and left her back bare, he knew that he was going to spend the better part of the night feeling angry and he wasn't wrong.The strong headed woman would rather bend backwards than listen to him when he not so subtly whined about her choice of clothes, only deciding to go with a jacket that he knew she would take off at some point, like right now.Now whil