He wouldn't have moved but he recognized LingLing and heard she had connections. If he didn't respond he could eat shit later for preventing her from being bullied.
By the time he arrived at the cell the angered woman was kicking LingLing in the stomach and chest as she writhed in pain on the floor.
He rattled the cell door with a nightstick. "Knock it off or you are going to the basement cell where you will fuckin freeze to death!"
The big woman tossed LingLing like a ragdoll into the wall. "Send this bitch. She started it."
He entered the cell and kicked the emaciated woman preoccupied with scratching her face and arms out of his way.
When he saw LingLing's swollen face he slapped the muscular woman, "I told you last time you fucked someone up. Control your goddamn temper! I get it you are so fuckin ugly when you see a beautiful woman you explode. I will be back for you."
The young guard shook his head and lifted LingLing off the floor."Can you fucking walk?" She was in excruciating pain and leaned on him. Blood was flowing into her eyes from the gash on her forehead.
LingLing was barely conscious, she weakly gripped his sleeve and muttered "Ca..call the Mayor."
The guard took LingLing to the infirmary then went to report to Mikael, during the night shift he was the officer in charge. When he entered the small office, Mikael was eating a cold sausage sandwich.
Mikael finished chewing and was unhappy about being disturbed. He had been working for twelve hours and it was supposed to be his day off. He hadn't eaten and with the problems he encountered during the past few hours he was in a bad mood.
He snapped at he young guard, "What?"
The guard scratched his neatly trimmed beard, "You know the woman you sent to the cell..."
Mikael paused,"Which fucking woman? Five were booked in the last two hours."
"The snobbish bitch who said she knew the Mayor."
Mikael took another bite of the dry sandwich then drank some water,"What about her?"
"Well..Baldy's sister fucked her up."
"How bad?"
The young guard was surprised Mikael wasn't more concerned. From the tone of his voice he didn't give a shit. "She is unconscious and looks like she has a couple broken ribs, a gash on her forehead."
He frowned and took a sip of coffee. " Shit! Ice cold!"
In a bad mood he ordered. "Send Baldy's sister to isolation...make sure to turn off the heater. I'm sick of that ugly bitch causing trouble."
"Are you sure you want me to turn it off? It's freezing down there, she could die.'
" If she freezes to death, that is her fate. If the slimy fuck was that concerned about his psycho sister he would have bailed her out yesterday."
The young guard thought about covering his ass, "As soon as I saw what was happening I rushed to the cell. I don't want the chief to come down on me tomorrow because of the Mayor."
"Don't worry about it. As long as the woman doesn't die it's not a problem."
He tossed the half eaten sandwich into the wastebasket by his desk then reached into a drawer for stomach medicine."Your shift is almost over, after you toss Baldy's sister into isolation you can go home. That way you don't need to worry about seeing the Chief when he arrives."
"Hey, thanks! I want to get the hell out of here before he comes. He has been on my back about the shit going on in the cells. But...seriously... how the fuck is that my fault? Those crazy bitches are always fighting."
Mikael rubbed his bloodshot eyes, " It's those lazy bastards in Vice! They should have sent some of the prostitues they rounded up to District five instead of bringing them all here. The cells are overcrowded and full of problems. Anyway, go the Chief should be here in forty five minutes."
Mikael called Nikolai to inform him of the situation but his phone was turned off. He lit a cigarette and looked at his watch, I'm off soon also, I will call when I get home.
In the morning, the sun was coming up and Nikolai's parents were in the kitchen. His mother was making breakfast and his father was sitting at the kitchen table.
The pleasantly plump woman looked in the refrigerator and frowned, "Honey, did you get up again in the middle of the night and eat the leftovers?"
Her husband put down the map in his hand and took off his reading glasses. He rubbed his messy head covered in thin gray hair, with a puzzled expression, he replied,"I don't think so."
"..."
Anya heard them talking as she came down the stairs and quickened her pace to the kitchen. Both of her parents gazed at her in surprise. Her mother flipped over a potato pancake, "Why are up so early on a Saturday?"
She couldn't contain her excitement. Anya tossed and turned all night thinking about her stone hearted brother bringing home a woman. "If I tell you something you can't let Nik know I told you. You have to promise."
Nikolai walked in the back door and gave Anya a displeased look. "I will tell them myself."
His parents both stared at him with shocked expressions and his mother wrinkled her forehead. "Son, why didn't you tell us you were coming? Your room is a mess. I have been using it as a sewing room."
"I am going to stay in the cottage."
"Sit. Sit. Do you want a cup of coffee?"
"Yes." Merri was still sound asleep so he thought he would bring her breakfast.
His father folded the map spread on the table and his mother set a cup of steaming hot black coffee in front of Nikolai. "Are you hungry? Breakfast will be ready soon ."
"Could you make porridge?"
"If that is what you want."
His father squinted his eyes studying Nikolai, it has been over a year since he returned and he wondered why he didn't call first. "What brings you home?"
"I have business in Kazan. I would have called but I didn't think I would have time to visit. My assistant suddenly got sick and I thought Anya could keep an eye on her for me. I have to return to Kazan later today for a business meeting. I didn't want to leave her alone in the hotel. She doesn't speak Russian. I contacted a doctor from town who will monitor her condition."
Nikolai's mother dropped the spatula in her hand and stared at her son in disbelief. "You...you brought a woman...she is in the cottage?"
"Yes."
" That's why you want me to make porridge?" She thought it was a strange request, Nikolai doesn't like the texture so he would never eat it.
"Yes."
Nikolai's phone rang and he walked into the living room.
After he left his mother grabbed Anya's arm, "That was what you were going to tell us? He brought a woman."
'Hmm...I think he likes her! He came in the middle of the night and asked me for pajamas and a robe. He even emphasized 'the warmest pair you have'. Mom! I can't wait to see her..she must be a goddess!"
The father interrupted the gossipy women, "Don't jump to conclusions.Nik only said she was his assistant."
Anya rolled her eyes, "Dad, do you think that iceberg son of yours would care about an assistant? Pfft! He would leave the woman at the hotel and go to the business meeting. At the most, have the hotel doctor examine her. He brought her to his home! He must be in love!"
His mother wiped her hands on a towel and nodded her head in agreement. "Honey, I think Anya has a point. This isn't like Nik...to show concern for an employee."
Nikolai was talking to his cousin unaware his family in the kitchen was analyzing his relationship with Merri. "Go to the store and bring groceries also. Juices, tea, honey, chicken, rice, vegetables, staples. We will be staying at the cottage for at least three days."