"Do you like hurting other people?"I froze upon hearing his voice. It did not help that I was in a dark room, all my belongings gone - I noticed as I instinctively pat my now empty pockets.
"Do you?" repeated him.
I tried to play it cool - talking seemed about the only way out of this: he was a much better fighter than me. "You know the answer to that, man."
The room was in almost complete darkness, but I could still notice his malicious smirk. "I want to hear it."
Shit. "I do."
He came closer, enough to pat me in the shoulder. "Also, we've known each other for long enough, don't you think? It's about time you start calling me by my name, Key."
I sighed, trying to figure where this was going. "Okay. So, what's this place, anyway?"
Andrei burst into laughter. "Does it matter?"
Shit. This wasn't going overly well. "What do you want?"
"I... happen to need someone who can take care of some business, you see. I thought you'd like to do it." He commented as he hugged me from my back, hard enough so I couldn't move.
"I'm willing to listen, but it doesn't help that you're being creepy as hell ... "
"Am I?" He interrupted me, softly whispering into my ear. "You know me, Key. I hate when people act like pretentious jerks."
He pulled a knife out of nowhere and gently placed it against my throat. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I knew it was all witty banter, but it wouldn't be the first time someone had ended in the ER from it.
"So... will you stop it? Pretty-Please?" He said in the most condescending tone he was capable of.
I sighed again. "Okay. Okay, I'll listen."
"You'll be working for me, at least while this lasts. I don't want any objections. At all. Understood?"
Shit. "Well, I'd like to know what this is about before agreeing to it, Andrei."
I felt the knife digging into my skin as he replied. "And I'd like you to stop being such a blockhead, but it seems we're both out of luck, don't you think? ... So, will you work for me? Or do I need to tell you why you should?"
Shit indeed. "Look, I..." I paused as the knife finally tore through my skin, and I felt blood sliding down my neck. "Okay. Okay, I'll work for you."
He freed me from his hug, handing me a napkin while he searched his briefcase. "Take care of that, you don't want to bleed out, Key."
I couldn't help to smile. "It's not that bad, you know."
"See, that's why I want you for this. People tend to freak out for way less, even if they have experience."
"Not all people know you're just bantering, you know."
"Am I?" He grinned.
The old tale. We're all playing games 'till shit gets out of control. Every single time.
"I honestly think so." I smiled back.
Lights finally on, Andrei handed me a folder, but didn't let go as I grabbed it. "Our man has been a headache lately. A bad one, at that. I need it to stop - it has come to a point where we have lost one too many opportunities because he keeps interfering in everything."
As I finally opened the folder, my heart sank. John.
Andrei saw it and kept explaining. "I'm aware of your... current relationship with our friend. That's the reason you're here. With some luck, he may listen to you. Anyway, I want you to bring him here."
"What for." I snapped at his words.
His cruel grin said it all. "Not your business. And cut back on that attitude, I absolutely hate it."
No. I wouldn't - couldn't give up without a fight. "Look, you've made a mistake. He's one of the few things that you should have never asked for." I warned him.
"Calm down, Key. I just want him out of the way. I'll offer him a job, if you wish. Whatever it takes to keep him from interfering in my plans." He offered, his soft voice betraying his words.
I couldn't help to yell back at him. "I know you're lying, you ..."
"Now, seriously. Stop being such a jerk. You'll only get hurt." He interrupted me, dead serious behind his threatening smile, his hand casually gripping the knife in his pocket.
I tried hard to be polite. "He'll never accept to work here, Andrei."
"Then do whatever it takes to convince him, for all I care. Or kill him, if that's what it takes to get him out of the way. I don't care what you do, or how you do it - I want him out of the committee. The rest is up to you. And, Key," he grinned devilishly, "I'm not joking. You don't do it, I'll take care of him myself - and trust me, you don't want that to happen."
