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Chapter 3

Shiho glanced around in the small but rather cozy bar for the umpteenth time and still hoped against hope she was merely having a particularly horrible nightmare. Gin had forced her to come here, had just grabbed her and dragged her with him without even paying attention to her sad attempts to break free. At some point however she had stopped struggling and instead settled to throwing killing glances at him. It was about as useful as struggling but less exhausting by far.

So what if he invited her to drink with him? She wouldn't give him the Apoptoxin anyway.

This was how the litte lab rat Shiho Miyano, the Orgaization member Sherry, barely important enough to have a code name, found herself here in this pretty little bar, sitting vis-à-vis with the most important and also most dangerous man of the whole syndicate. It was warm in here, Shiho decided, almost too warm, the walls draped in black and dark grey, the floor a dark parquet that had seen better days. There was not much decoration, it was too dark to see too much of it anyway and the tables were set up in small niches to grant the guests some privacy that Gin surely highly approved of. No other people came too close and large carpets on the floor prevented them from making too much sound when walking around in the room – it was creepily silent for a crowded bar like this. She could in any case see why Gin had chosen this establishment. The anonymity that came with crowds mixed with enough privacy to talk about things no one should overhear.

Gin himself had shrugged off his coat and now sat opposite her in a grey shirt and without his ever present hat. It was a weird sight, she had to admit – he almost looked like a normal person when not completely clad in black. Almost, because his murderous green eyes were a constant reminder of whom she was dealing with.

When they had entered the small bar Gin had monosyllabically ordered two glasses of Sherry, oddly glancing over his shoulder before getting seated in one of the niches that was not visible from the door. His glass still stood in front of him almost untouched but Sherry's was – and not by any chance voluntarily – empty. Shiho felt the alcohol fogging her brain as well as her sight.

"So, how are you feeling?" Gin asked with a sinister voice.

"Drunk."

"That's what I wanted to hear."

"That doesn't mean I'm going to give you the Apoptoxin, though." She slurred, she noticed distantly and the pronunciation of 'Apoptoxin' was strangely difficult but she couldn't bring herself to really care. However she was not the only one noticing the alcohol starting to affect her.

"We're getting closer," he mused to himself, nodding contently and taking a sip from his sherry. Then, once again he glanced around in the room, as if looking for something – or someone – in particular.

"So you need to get me sloshed to reach your goal? That is pathetic, Gin."

She knew it was playing with fire to provoke him like that but Shiho found she felt somewhat bold. She also knew – theoretically – that it was due to the alcohol but it was so hard to stay silent.

Gin however, didn't seem offended, as he merely smirked at her.

"My patience is limited. And when the limit is reached I'm not too proud to go the easiest way to get what I want."

"It's still pathetic."

That was when his features visibly darkened and his eyes began to gleam dangerously.

"Guard your tongue, Sherry!"

"I will do no such thing! Alcohol is supposed to loosen the tongue, isn't it? You wanted me to drink, now you will face the consequences."

It felt odd, somehow, to be as audacious as she was right now, but strangely liberating to just say what she thought. Gin raised an eyebrow at her but then nodded with a small grin.

"Fine. I'll try."

He looked like he was laughing at a joke she just made that Sherry hadn't understood. She frowned but it only widened his grin. Being drunk was really a strange feeling.

A cocktail and two glasses of wine later Sherry had to admit she was hopelessly sozzled. But it was not only her; Gin also didn't look completely sober anymore after the three glasses of whiskey and the wine he had inebriated. Although he was still far away from being really drunk, probably.

"That's enough. I can't drink any more of this," she finally announced, trying to sound as determined as she possibly could.

"I should hope it's enough by now, Sherry. So let's talk about the Apoptoxin again, shall we?"

She snorted disdainfully.

"What would you want with it, anyway? It's just a prototype!"

"Kill people, Sherry. That's what a poison is normally used for, after all. Or what did you think why you're developing it?"

Shiho frowned.

"At this point I am still able to detect remnants of it in the body, even when using the smallest possible concentration. The police has well equipped laboratories at their disposal, the scientists will surely find out how it works and then it all was in vain. It would be simply stupid to use it now!"

Gin gave her a sinister smirk.

"Ah, but not if I tested it on a member of the Organization, my dear. I would see to it that you would have the honour to examine the body and find your own remnants. But of course you wouldn't tell anyone."

"No?"

"No. Think of it… a member of the Organization is killed by your poison… what could that mean for you, I wonder?"

"Severe punishment if I'm very lucky and would be able to prove someone stole the Apoptoxin from me. Otherwise death," she sighed, defeated. He was right, she knew. She would probably write something about cardiovascular failure, for not reconstructable reasons – maybe unhealthy diet or constant stress or a combination of both.

"But you wouldn't kill someone of the Black Organization unless the attack is authorized by Anokata. So why should I bother to think about it?" she sniffed disdainfully.

"You're so sure about that?" He raised his eyebrows at her and it made him look rather sexy. No, it didn't, Shiho corrected herself in the same moment. She was not attracted to danger. No.

"Yes…"

"Don't overestimate my loyalty, Sherry. I do serve Anokata allegiantly, for several reasons, but that does not mean I agree with his every decision."

"Who would you kill with it?" Shiho whispered breathlessly. This had to be a dream. It just head to be! It was far too dangerous for her to know such things, such plans and yet she couldn't keep herself from asking.

"Well, for example there is this little lab rat that doesn't seem to stop annoying me."

There was no movement in his face, his voice was steady and suggestive and yet Sherry was sure he was bluffing.

"I won't be able to fake the reports for you then."

He laughed darkly and the young scientist once again noticed how seductive that sound was.

"Well, in that case I might spare you."

"How very gracious," she replied drily which made Gin laugh a little bit more.

"Indeed. You could repay me with the poison, you know?"

"Not even in your dreams, Gin."

Gin smiled thinly at that. He caught himself enjoying these conversations with her more and more. And she was beautiful. He glanced at her thoughtfully.

"It's a pity, really, to hide such a pretty girl in one of those labs," he finally said in a low voice and allowed himself to take another intense look at the cleavage she was wearing today. It was clearly visible she was not comfortable with it and it was always interesting how the little scientist reacted when she was unsettled.

"You're trying flattery now?" she asked and clearly tried to sound amused but it had not escaped his observation that her cheeks had become considerably redder than before at the compliment. She was not immune to him after all. It was worth another try, he decided.

"It is true, though. A well shaped body like yours hidden under a bulky lab coat, your beautiful face locked away in a lab deep down in some cellar… a shame, isn't it?"

"My lab is on the first floor."

Again she obviously tried not to look affected, but the small reappearing blush and the short but intense sparkle in her eyes gave her away. The alcohol had finally dissolved her otherwise perfect pokerface. He grinned. He had her, it was clear as day. A little more pushing the right buttons and she would be his – he would have her exactly where he wanted her. Except that he couldn't deny his own growing interest in her any longer. He was a goddamn idiot, he thought darkly to himself. The point in seducing her was to use it to his advantage and get his hands on the precious poison but there was no advantage if he desired her as much as she did him. Speaking of which – she may be flattered at his compliments, but there was still not much desire perceptible.

Sherry meanwhile watched the play of his features intently. Normally it was completely impossible to deduce anything of the thoughts and feelings hidden behind those astonishing green eyes, but the alcohol had left some traces on him, too. He was thinking about something and he was irritated about it. Maybe the fact that she hadn't been responsive to his compliments? Oh, he had flattered her and a small part of herself was already falling even more for the dangerous man in front of her, but she was a smart girl. It could only end horribly and just considering the option was a blatant mistake – which was caused by the alcohol in her system undoubtedly. She really should find a way to go home and sleep it off.

One of the waiters suddenly interrupted her thoughts.

"A little something from an anonymous admirer, madam," he announced with a toothy smile and put a glass of sherry in front of her on the desk.

"Thank you… I guess…"

The assassin silently watched the small interaction, eying the drink and its recipient thoughtfully. His mood dropped considerably as she happily admired that damned glass. What was the point of this? He had paid for more than just one drink and he had only earned glares from her for it so far.

Again his gaze flew to the short man sitting at the bar in Sherry's back. He was sure the 'anonymous admirer' was him, he had been ogling his little scientist all night, had been observing her and looking daggers at Gin himself. He contemplated going to him and pouring the whole bloody drink in his ugly face but eventually decided against it.

The man had noticed he was watching him and looked decidedly uncomfortable at the attention. Good. He deserved to be scared. Although that little cretin looked almost too scared. And anxious. And exited. And he didn't let Sherry out of his sight the whole time… no, not Sherry, but her drink!

With a snarl he snatched the glass away from his little scientist who was just about to take a sip of it and lifted it to his own lips – with a very interesting result: the rat at the bar went white as a sheet in an instant and dropped his glass of wine.

Shiho heard the noise from the bar, and she also noticed Gins particularly interested glare in that direction, but she felt too tired, too drunk, too everything, to care about broken glasses. It was not a conscious decision when she reached for the drink the assassin had snatched away but it lead to a result, that even she couldn't ignore: he extinguished his cigarette in it. Surprised and also a bit angry she looked up at Gin but he didn't say anything or even meet her eyes.

"It's late." He finally announced rather abruptly.

"Does that mean I'm allowed to go home?"

He seemed to consider it for some time although his eyes were not on her but on some point behind her back. Maybe there really was something interesting going on back there but she still didn't care enough to turn.

Gin's face darkened again for a second and then he said something really strange.

"Yes."

Yes as in she actually was allowed to go home? Yes as in this was finally over? Sherry blinked.

"Yes?" was all she managed to say.

"Yes. And now go before I change my mind."

Sherry ran. Well, she tried to, at least. Her shoes were not really made for running. And it was still so hard to coordinate all her body parts. But still she ran as fast as she could. Away from him, away from everything. Away from the dangerous feelings that stirred within her when she was close to him.

But she couldn't run from her thoughts. Thoughts about Gin, about him quirking his eyebrow, about him speaking in that low, seductive voice. And about how strange he had acted. The assassin didn't do compliments and most of all he didn't let people go just because they asked for it. He had wanted the Apoptoxin and he hadn't got it so why was she here? Why did he let her go? Something was wrong.

Sherry stopped short in her tracks.

Something was wrong. And it was something about that glass of sherry someone had sent her.

She felt watched, somehow. It was dark and she was drunk and wore those high heels she couldn't really run in. She gulped. It was her imagination. It had to be her imagination.

Then she heard hurried footsteps on the asphalt.

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