"You want to meet me, Sir ?" I ask to Mr. Chekhovsky the moment I open his office door.
"Yes.. come in," he anwers, shifting his sight from a document he read. "Have you taken care of Liam ?"
"I have, Sir."
Mr. Chekhovsky sighs in relieved. "I'm sorry I put you in this mess."
"It's okay, Sir. It's my job," I say in calm but trying to cover my trembling hand with my other hand.
"You had killed people, hadn't you ?"
"I.. I had, Sir.. but..," I shut my eyes to escape a tear and pursed my lips, "But.. it was self-defense," I continue my act.
"I'm so sorry," Mr. Chekhovsky utters his appology.
I sigh and clear my throat. "Like I said, it's okay, Sir. My job is to protect you. I will do what it takes to make sure you are safe," I say in full determination. Mr. Chekhovsky raises a smile.
"Thank you. Please, sit," he tells me. I go to one of chairs in front of him and sit.
"I need another favor from you," Mr. Chekhovsky says, "This time is not killing someone." I sigh in relieved
"I know that you were lips reading back then," Mr. Chekhovsky's words genuinely surprised me, "I saw your eyes were watching at our lips the whole time."
"I.. I'm sorry, Sir," I say in stammered. "It's one of a gift I have. I can't help it. I.. I won't do it again," I continue, slowly opening the lock of my gun holder, preparing to be attacked.
"No, it's fine. Since you knew the matter already, I don't need to tell you," Mr. Chekhovsky says, then gets his back off of the backseat and leans it closer to me. "I need you to secretly investigate this matter."
"Pardon me, Sir ?" I ask in surprised.
"The missing weapons. It's obvious that it's an inside man's job. Everyone involves is a suspect, even.. Sternov," he says, whispering the name of his most trust man.
"But, Sir.. Mr. Sternov is.."
"Trust is temporary, Chang. With the right amount compensation, it can be bought."
"I see.."
"So, I want you to secretly investigate who did it. You can't use the company's facilitie since they will get suspicious. I will give you a great bonus if you succeed, but I will deny you if they ever found out. Thus, you will be.. executed."
I swallow my non existing saliva. "O.. okay, Sir."
"Good. That's all. You can leave."
I'm walking out from Mr. Chekhovsky's office with a smile
-----
"What is exactly you are up to ?" Thief asks.
"I want to destroy his empire if I could."
"What ? Are you nut?"
"He supplies weapons for terrorist."
"You are only paid to kill the man."
"Yes.. but if I can do it at once.. it will be great, right ?"
"Why do you care ?"
"Because terrorists kill innocent people."
"I will edit your algorithm to know whether you are an angel or not."
I burst a laughter. "My main purpose is still killing him. But if I can crumble his empire as well.."
"So, you're the one who steals his weapons ?"
"No, of course not! I'm going to find out then tell it to him."
"So he will kill the traitor ?"
Another call just comes in. I glance at the monitor. Bob.
"I'll talk to you later," I say to Thief, "Bob calls."
"You are handling too many matters," Thief responds as a warning.
"I can handle it. Bye for now."
Once I end my call with Thief, I accept Bob's call, "What is it, Bob ?"
----------
I sit in front of a bar table, gulping my bottle of beer while staring at a crowd made by a group of people at my three o clock. They are not teenagers. Infact they are a group of prosecutors. How can I know ? Well, despite from their clothes, all of them still wearing their formal office suits, one of them is Jennifer.
Actually, I'm almost sure it is her innitiative to bring those people here, based on how she dominantly orders things for them. Maybe others who accompany her are her subordinates. Seems like they are celebrating something. It's only Tuesday and she finally goes out after work, according to Bob who has been lurking on her under my request from Monday.
Jennifer walks into the dance floor with a glass of cocktail on her hand. I drop my head low when she walks behind me, to make sure she doesn't see me. She dances on the dance floor with some other people. It's weekday so the pub is not that crowded.
Suddenly a guy approaches her. I quickly stand and walk to her, trying my best to stop the guy. But a couple blocks my way. I am so tense, afraid that I might be late I push the couple to aside harshly, ignoring their scold.
When I arrive in front of her, I see her talking intimately while giggling with the guy. I am stunned for a moment before I quickly turn around, but it's too late, she already recognizes me.
"Bennet!" She calls me with a loud voice, "What are you doing here ?"
I turn my body back to face her with a grin. "I thought I saw you from a far, thus I approach to make sure my sight," I say to her. She nods, still moving her body in rythm with the music.
"Who is he ?" The guy asks her.
"Just an acquaintance," she answers indifferently. She puts both her arms on the guy's shoulders as a signal for him to dance with her. Of course the guy accepts it wholeheartedly. I finally decide to go back to where I sit, but don't take my eyes off of them.
---------
I was only waiting under the tree in front of Jennifer's apartment for fifteen minutes when the same guy from the pub comes out from the building front gate. I quickly tailing him until we reach a blindspot area of CCTV, then I grab his neck from behind and point my gun to his head.
"Hee.!!." he exclaims in surprised.
"Don't make a noise or you'll die," I order him before he could finish his shout. He nods, raises both of his hands beside his ears.
"Who told you to approach her ?" I ask.
"What ? No.. no one," he answers.
"Don't lie to me!" i hiss.
"I'm.. I'm not lying," he utters. I tightens the grab around his neck.
"Why do you approach her ?" I ask again.
"Why ? She's.. attractive.. that's.. that's all.. Are you her boy.."
"What did you two do in her apartment ? Why was it so quick ? Do you have premature ejaculation or something ?"
"Whaat ? Noo!" He struggles to break free, but fail. He sighs. "I didn't do anything to her, okay. She says she doesn't do it on her first date." I grab tighter, almost chocked her. "I'm not lying. I didn't even go into her apartment. We just kissed in front of the door."
"Then what ? you killed her ?"
"Whaar ?!?! NOOO !!"
"Call her !"
"What ?"
"As a proof that she is still alive, call her"
"What ? Why don't you just go and see her .."
I press the lip of my gun to his temple. "Call her!"
"Alright.. alright!" He surrenders. Grabbing his phone from his pocket. "What should I say to her ?"
"Anything you want. Put it on speaker so I can hear."
He dials Jennifer's numbers. She answers it on the fourth ring.
"H..Hi, Jen.."
"Hi, Marty. What's up ?" she answers casually.
"N..Noo...Nothing. I think.. I think I must cancel our second date tomorrow."
"Oh.. do you have something urgent to do ?"
The guy, Marty, glances at me while a drop of sweat falls from his jaw. "Yes. Kinda like that."
"Oh, well.. okay, then. Good night."
Marty mumbles a good night before ends the call.