"What are you talking about ??" I deny it in instant, making a shock hurt face to ensure her.
"Don't lie to me!! I know you are an assassin!!" she screams at me.
"Whaat ??! Where did that thought even come from ?!?!"
"Someone dropped me a folder of documents about you and your activities. You.. you are Scorpion!!"
I bulge my eyes, truly in surprised to hear Jennifer mentioned my name.
"I am right, aren't I ? You have Scorpion tattoo on your chest just like your profile document said."
"Who sent it to you ?! I'm telling you.."
"One more step and I will shoot you!" she threatens me. She gropes her bag and throws the folder on coffee table. "I read it. It's solid enough."
"Babe come on! How can you trust a document that was sent anonymously more than me ?!"
"No more step!!"
"I has been nothing but protect.."
She pulls the trigger with eyes close. A split second later I feel smarting on my left cheek. I scream and curse in pain as a reflect.
"I said no more step," she says in low tone. I touch my cheek. It is bleeding.
"Okay.. you're the one who's holding the gun. Whatever you say," I say to her, raising both of my hands. "I can say nothing if you don't even believe my words."
"Give me your phone," she orders.
"You know I can sue you by doing this act, right ?"
"Shut up! Give me your working phone."
I take my phone and throw it to her. "It's dead. I forgot to charge it," I tell her.
She snorts and throws the phone to the couch when she knows I told her the truth. Jennifer is pacing in nervous while still pointing the gun on me.
"What are you going to do, Baby ?" I ask.
"Shut up!!"
"Look, if you were so certain that I am an assassin, you would already report me to the police."
"I said 'Shut up'!"
"But you are not so sure about it, aren't you ?"
"What part of the word 'shut up' that you don't understand ?"
I don't say a word, but instead I step closer to her. I know she is going to shoot, but this time I'm ready.
When she shoots another bullet, I dodge it then run and nuzzle her. Jennifer falls down on the floor with a loud scream. I quickly steal my gun away from her hand. "Sorry, Babe.. but now I'm the one who has the gun," I whisper to her ear.
----------
"You really accused me as an assassin based on this crap ?" I ask her in disbelief while throwing back the folder I just read to the coffee table.
The folder contains files of my 'artwork', which are the death reports of my targets. All of them, surprisingly. None of them mentioning clearly about me, though. The closest one is my last job, you remember, the paranoid Mr. Chekhovsky.
Since 'Timothy Chang' was found beside Mr. Chekhovsky's body, the police asked around about him to some of the bodyguards and from their description made a 3D sketch of his face, which is kinda similar to my face, of course. They ran it on the database and couldn't find any face similar to the sketch. So they searched for Timothy Chang, and found nothing accept for his DNA and teeth.
I turn to Jennifer who is in silent. Her face is in grim, looking at her now tied hands and feet. I tied them with plastic straps. "Jen ?" I call her.
"That Chang was you, wasn't he ?"
"No"
"It was just too much coincidence. You're out of town the same day the victim's died. Then you were missing for days. You were hiding, weren't you ?"
I shake my head in amused. "So you think that the world can only have one accident a day ?" I ask her, trying not to smirk. "How about we call any random hospital now and ask how many accident were there on that date ?"
"How about we call YOUR hospital now to confirm whether you really were hospitalized there or not," Jennifer challenges me. I sigh, cursing her intelligence inwardly.
"We can't, can we ? Because.."
"I was helped by local," I cut her, lying of course.
"Yeah, right."
I shrug. "So what did you say about that Chang body ? The body was found and confirmed as Timothy Chang based on his DNA and teeth. Or do you also think I have conspiracy with the police ?"
"It's possible," she says. I laugh.
"Okay, how about this. We go to the police, and tell them all about your presumption. I bet they can't even arrest me based on your story and proofs," I challenge her. She snorts then throws her back on the couch.
A ding sound is heard from the kitchen. I walk to it and take out a bowl of mac n cheese from the microwave and toward back to the living room.
"Eat." I order her, putting a spoonful of mac n cheese in front of her mouth. She presses her lips, not letting the spoon in. I sigh. "You have to eat," I tell her. She turns her head away from me.
I sigh then eat the mac n cheese, deliberately moan in pleasure to attempt her. "This is so good," I say, closing my eyes to exaggerate it. She glances at me with the corner of her eyes when I moan again.
"I put extra parmesan in it. You want ?" I offer to her. Jennifer loves cheese, especially parmesan.She looks away. I end up finishing the whole bowl by my self. After that we watch television in silent.
"I need to pee," she finally opens her mouth to me.
"Okay," I say to her, about to carry her to the bathroom. She glares at me. "What ? I can carry you there"
"Then I suppose to pee standing up ?" Jennifer rebukes me.
"Oh, right," I say. I take a scissor then cut the strap on her legs. I follow her to the bathroom.
"Really ?" she asks irritatedly seeing me standing next to the door frame.
"Hey, I saw you naked many times. This won't affect me," I tell her, moving not even an inch from where I stand. She grumbles something but eventually does what she needs to do.
After we go back to the couch, I tie her legs with a new plastic strap.
"Is it really necessary ?" she asks. I shrug.
"You don't believe me. I'm afraid you're going to do something stupid," I say casually.
"I still need to go to work tomorrow," she reminds me.
"I can always call for sick on your behalf," I return. She sighs in defeated.
"I need to sleep," she says. It is only 8 PM, but I guess that's the only way she can avoid arguing with me. I help lifting her legs on the couch while she is shifting her body into laying position then shift my butt down to the floor to give her space she needs.
She covers her head under the blanket so I really don't know whether she is really sleeping or not. I turn my attention back to the television that shows a documentary of animal life.
After half an hour, I get bore, thus playing the remote to change channel unintededly. A local breaking news catches my attention. The title text says that a billionaire owner of a telecommunication company is dead. Walter Waddleson.
"Babe.. Babe.." I shake her legs to wake Jennifer up.
"What ?" She asks with sleepy voice.
"Your biological father passed away," I tell her. Jennifer stares at me blankly.
"Should I be sad ?" she asks, not in sarcastic way. "I don't even know him," she adds.
I'm about to respond her when I hear a voice from the television, "I, on behalf of the Waddleson, sadly announce the death of our dearly father.."
Ivan Radwansky.
"It's him !" I exclaim in a sudden, pointing at the television that is no longer showing the man.
"Whaaat ?"
"Radwansky!! He's the mastermind!"
"How can you be sure ??"
"I recognize his voice ! He was the one who cal.." My lips are too late to halt my words.
"Called you for what ?!" Jennifer is just too clever to not notice.
"Nothing," I deny in vain
"He called you to order you to kill me, didn't he ?" she pursues. I pressel my lips. "Didn't he ?!" She demands an answer.
"No"
"Then where the hell you recognize his voice ? And how can you be sure that he is the mastermind ?!?!"
I stare deep into her eyes. My mind arguing between to tell her the truth or not.
"Just go back to sleep," I finally decide to not tell her. "I was just babbling," I add.
She gives me a dagger look. "I don't trust you," she says in bitter. That, somehow, hurts me.
"Look. Whether I am an assassin as you accused or not, I.. not only don't have intention to kill you, but also have been and will be protecting you," I tell her with serious tone and expression to show her I really mean it. "That is my vow to you, Jennifer."
"How can I belie.."
"That's not merely a promise. I have proved it for several times, haven't I ? I have protected you the best I could do. And I will still protect you. no matter you trust me or not."
Jennifer stares at me. Her lips are open, like going to say something. But she eventually just sighs. "I'm going back to sleep," she says then covers her head under the blanket.
"Can I have a glass of water please ?" she asks, around ten minutes later.
"Okay," I say to her, walking to the kitchen and bring her a glass of water.
When I'm back to the living room, she is already in sitting position. She lets me give her drink since her wrists are tied up.
"Thanks," she says, in trouble wiping water that dripping from her lips.
"It's nothing," I return her gratitude, adding a sweet smile.
"Scott.. may I.. If not too bothering.." she says in doubt, then looks at me. "I'm hungry."
I chuckle. "Instant ramen will be okay ?" I ask. She nods. I walk back to my kitchen with the empty glass.
When I just press the Start button on the microwave, I hear sound of door to be opened.
"Shit! Jen !!" I shout while running to the empty living room. A cut plastic strap is on the floor next to the scissor that is supposed to be on the coffee table.
"Damn it, Jen !!" I cuss her while running out straight to the emergency door. I can hear rushing steps couple of level below.
I rush my steps, trying to catch her. When I open the emergency door of the first floor, I hear her screaming, "No!! Let me goo!!"
I see her being dragged by two men, one of them is the new front door man I saw earlier. Shit!!
I fasten my steps. When I reach outside, they are about to push Jennifer to a minivan. I pull one of the men's shoulder and hits him on his jaw while my kick is hitting the other man's hip so hard that he is jolted and hit the sidewalk.
"Are you okay ?" I ask Jennifer once I took care both men. Instead of answering, Jennifer shouts at me, "Scott!!"
I'm too late to understand her shout when I feel a sting on my neck. I have a chance to turn my head, seeing the guy who did it. But then all of my body feel weak. I just drop down on the sidewalk with blurry brain.