Four
He was stubborn, that was all there was about it. Petric hated that about Domitri, but he was use to it. And he knew that it wouldn't change. He grew to work with it, though it still bugged him. Petric has been with Domitri from the beginning, Domitri chose Petric and stuck with his decision. He suited the job, he was a butch and intimidating guy that came with a brain, for most guards that specialty was sold separately, and Domitri was satisfied. They grew to understand each other, though neither would ever agree that they were friends, they kept it professional, Petric got paid, then he did his job – properly. He knew the line of insubordination, but pushed it further; Petric was thus considered insane from his colleagues due to the fact that Domitri could have anyone killed in a heartbeat. But Petric knew Domitri deeper than the average person.
Domitri coughed and spluttered before downing the last of his shot. This was what made Petric annoyed, for two months he insisted he get checked out, but it came with complete refusal.
Domitri placed the shot glass on the table and looked at Petric. "Okay, send him in." With that Petric went to the door and opened it to allow three men dressed in suits walk in. Domitri looked at the men, two he presumed were guards for precautions due to the last meeting. The third stood in the middle with a briefcase in hand, in which the handle was cuffed to his wrist.
"Guards?" Petric asked gesturing towards them.
"Precaution. My government didn't like the stunt you pulled off."
"Your government? Your government should provide better means of negotiating Mr...?"
"We followed the deal, it was you that broke it."
"I did not accept to hunt down men for you in return for a small cache of weapons, weapons that we already have access to. Now if you don't have anything of worth to offer, I'm sure Petric would be glad to show you out." He said gesturing at the door.
The American walked forward and placed the briefcase on the table and opened it up to reveal a laptop. He switched the PC on and clicked through various windows before a password screen appeared.
Domitri hesitated, then said "Mercury?"
The American nodded at Domitri and replied "The first step for its creation. The first ingredient shall we say. Now your deal."
"What? You aren't providing it all?"
"Not at once. For every man you bring in, another part of the formula you'll get." "This wasn't the deal!"
"Neither was the body bag. Our way or no way." Domitri hesitated then looked at Petric and nodded. Petric left the room and returned a minute later with a man, bound at the hands and feet. The man appeared battered and bruised, but stood his ground. His head was covered in a linen bag, but he sounded not even a grunt. The American looked at the prisoner and asked for the covering to be removed. The bag slipped off revealing a beaten man, bruised throughout the face. "This man of yours put up quite the fight, killed two of my men and broke the arm of another. All with his bare hands." Domitri said taking a seat back at the mahogany table. The American signalled a guard who then walked forward and grabbed the prisoners head pointing it upright before feeling below his Adams apple. He looked at the American and nodded. "Good." He said un-cuffing himself from the briefcase.
"Who exactly is he?" Domitri asked. The American walked over and wiped the sweat dribbling down the man's forehead and rubbed it with his fingers. He bent down to eye level with the man and starred at him. The room was quiet.
He stood back up and walked away before subtly reaching into his jacket. Swift and precise he swung round; the pistol recoiled in his hand emptying at round into the man's chest. Petric, startled removed his pistol in defence.
"A ghost is who he was."
"Do you care to tell me why you just shot that man after you requested we take him alive?" Domitri asked standing Petric down.
"We are looking for one in particular." The American said before walking over and typing in a password on the laptop. "Everything you need is there. You want more, bring me another body. I don't care how you do it; just make sure they're breathing." He told his guards to grab the body then walked out of the room placing the pistol back in his jacket "Take care." He said closing the door behind him. Domitri coughed again then sipped his whiskey. "Mother Russia always will."
