Geralyn was so angry she could spit.
Standing next to her husband in a crowded elevator, surrounded by armed strangers and her boss was not the way she pictured spending her Christmas Eve.
"You know darling, these three years have done nothing to age you. I must say I'm impressed." Hans attempted to woo his lover to break the silence only to be met with a hardhearted, stony glare that could have burnt paper.
"The silent treatment then? Very well, luckily I can say I've missed your little tantrums." His arm remained firmly around her waist but his hand rubbed her hip fondly as the elevator stopped and the doors slid open with a hollow ding.
The floor they entered was the last one not under construction, and contained the models of Nakatomi construction projects around the world, which Hans took his time admiring with a sort of reverence.
Geralyn was one of the people in charge of keeping in contact with the ambassadors of each location and ensured the workers and company kept in the good graces of the native landowners.
"And when Alexander saw the breadth of his domain he wept…" Hans recited formally, standing before a model of the Nakatomi Building itself. "For there were no more worlds to conquer." He paused to absorb the quote before chuckling lightly. "The benefits of a classical education."
He allowed his arm to release Geralyn calmly, sure that she wouldn't be able to get away, and approached a prototype of a large bridge built the modern style currently in the works in Indonesia. That was Geralyn's brainchild.
"That is…beautiful" Hans marveled. "I always enjoyed to make models when I was a boy. The exactness, the attention to every conceivable detail. It's beautiful." He eyed his wife with an almost mocking beam of pride. "Leave it to my Girl, to mastermind something like this."
"Save it Hans." Geralyn hissed from the other side of the table, determined not to let her husband have total control of the situation. "We both know this isn't a social call, so why don't you just come out with it?"
Hans eyed her across the table, scanning her with both hands flat on the counter top a moment without so much as blinking before cracking half a smile. "Very well… Mr. Takagi." He motioned to the man.
"I could talk about industrialization and the pride I have in my wife all day, but I'm afraid work must intrude." They were led to a set off conference hall to which Hans held open the door. "And my Associate, Theo, has some questions for you…sort of fill in the blanks questions actually."
Inside sat a black man stationed at a small computer who glance up as they entered.
"Theo, I would like you to meet Mr. Takagi, our most honored guest." Hans motioned and Theo nodded with a friendly smile.
"How do you do."
"And also, you haven't gotten to meet my Wife. Geralyn, Darling this is a good friend of mine, Theo."
"Hello." Theo nodded and Geralyn bit back a grimace and nodded back politely. "Hello" she muttered softly and Hans smirked a little, a hand on her lower back.
"Make yourself comfortable dear, I think you'll find this very interesting."
Geralyn sat in one of the chairs and watched as Theo presented Takagi with a code screen used to access the private files of Nakatomi.
"I don't have that code." Takagi said insistently, "you came here to access our computer?" He shook his head with a bemused laughed. "Any information you get, when they wake up in Tokyo they'll change it. You won't be about to threaten our profits, blackmail our executives…."
"Sit Down."
Hans barked it so abruptly that Geralyn glanced at him in concern as Takagi obeyed.
"Mr. Takagi, I'm really not interested in your computer." Hans regained his normal, calm tone. "But I need the code key, because I am interested in the 600 million dollars in negotiable bearer bonds you have locked in your vault…and the computer controls the vault."
Geralyn couldn't help it, a short laugh escaped her lips before she could stop it and Han's head whipped toward her as her hand covered her lips.
"Something charming, darling?" He asked testily and she regained her formal demeanor.
"You haven't changed at all have you?" she asked and Hans smiled a little.
"Not at all."
"You want money?" Takagi asked incredulously. "What sort of terrorists are you?"
Hans laughed jovially, a sound that in another time Geralyn would have enjoyed above all things, but now only brought contempt.
"Who said we were terrorists?" Hans asked before becoming much more severe.
Slowly he reached into his suit and pulled out a handgun, and calmly removed the silencer from the mussel. "The code, please."
At the sight of the firearm Geralyn looked away, half panicked. "Hans, for Christ's sake."
"It's useless to you." Takagi shook his head "There are seven safeguards on our vault and the code key's only one of them. You'll never get it open."
"Then there's no reason not to tell it to us."
"I told you" Theo simpered and the large blonde man growled. "It's not over yet."
Hans didn't deviate his attentions, "that is a very nice suit, Mr. Takagi. It would be a shame to ruin it."
"He's bluffing."
Geralyn cut in suddenly, beyond furious at this point and making everyone in the room stare at her in either disbelief or horror.
But she continued to sit in the chair sideways, one arm resting on back of it and her forehead resting in her palm, not bothering to look around her until she opened her eyes and looked at Hans dead in the face challengingly.
"He's handsome and he's charming…and he's bluffing." She repeated the taboo objection once more and Hans smirked knowingly.
"Am I darling?"
"Yes…" Geralyn rested her temple in her hand instead of her forehead now, "you are."
"We'll see." Hans picked up the gun from the table, turning to the business man.
"I am going to count to three. There will not be a four…give me the code. One."
There was a moment of silence.
"Two…"
"Hans this is ridiculous." Geralyn sighed and closed her eyes once more.
"Why do you care sweetheart, I'm only bluffing remember?" Hans shot back and began to raise the gun.
"Three."
Takagi finally spoke up once more, "I don't know it. Get on a jet to Tokyo and ask the chairman. You're just gonna have to kill me."
Hans paused then shrugged. "Okay."
Geralyn felt her heart stop beating for a full three seconds when the shot rang out and Takagi fell dead to the floor.
"We'll do it the hard way." Hans stood up and began to give commands as Geralyn, in a state of shock, covered her mouth and stared at the corpse on the floor.
Everything moved in slow motion and sounds became louder, muffled, and incomprehensible.
She didn't know how long she sat in that state of fearful astonishment, but she jumped like a timid mouse when she felt a strong hand on her shoulder.
"Come now Darling, we must stay alert." Hans shook her out of her revelry and kneel down to look her in the face. "We still have business to discuss."
Hearing, but not understanding, Geralyn gaped at him silently before blinking a few times and forcing her brain back into reality. "What?" she whispered, as if she had not heard him, and Hans smirked, taking her arms and pulling her up slowly.
She allowed herself to be towed along silently, not even struggling at this point.
She had never seen a person die before. But now the imagine was fully engraved in her brain, the gory splatter on the glass pain, the pool of blood being soaked up by the carpeting, the way the body fell limply to the ground in a crumpled pile.
Before she realized it she began to cry softly, scared out of her mind as Hans gripped her arm firmly and prompted her to follow him and Theo to the vault.
She didn't listen to Theo drone on about the lock, instead she tried to think of a way to flee this situation. Hans had most likely cut the phone lines, or else the police would already be here, and there were armed guards everywhere.
They were all trapped, like birds in a menagerie cage.
Before she knew it she and Hans were arm in arm walking away from the vault and down the stairs, back to where the hostages were being held.
As they walked back the group, Geralyn could feel a hundred eyes on her and she was tempted to look out at them. To see if someone, anyone, could help her.
But before anyone could bravely step forward to her aid she was pushed into Holly's office and Hans followed, locking the door behind them.
"I trust you know why I'm here." Hans began and sat at the desk coolly.
Geralyn blinked and shook her head. "After what just happened, I'm not sure if I know anything anymore." She muttered and Hans growled a little.
"Then allow me to refresh your memory Darling." He reached into his suit jacket and pulled out a folded up set of papers stapled together. Across the top they read PETITION FOR DIVORCE.
"Divorce papers? Really?" Hans almost laughed but it was bitter. "What did I do to deserve such an honor?"
"It's all there in the papers."
"Oh yes…" Hans filled one of the pages. "I've read the papers, believe you me, let me see here. It would seem you had no cited reason." He dropped the papers and folded his hands expectantly.
"Well?" Geralyn sat down, "Have you signed them?"
"No." Hans replied coldly, "and I have no intention of doing so."
"Why not?"
"Why not?" Han eyed her and for a moment she could swear she saw a flash of hurt in his dark eyes. "Because I love you Geralyn. We've been married for twenty years."
"We've been separated for three."
"You wanted that." Hans snapped, "You wanted to take the job and I agreed, you said you wanted to take a break and I agreed to that, but hear me loud and clear when I say I will not allow this."
"Haven't you ever heard the phrase, if you love something, let it go?" Geralyn sighed and Han's face twisted into a hot rage.
"I did let you go, Berlin, London, Cuba, Bloody California, I've let you come and go as you please for the past five years but you're not running away this time. This time we are going to sit down right here, in this very office. And we are going to talk this out like adults."
Geralyn flinched at his hot tone but didn't look at him until he stood with an angry sigh. "I have somethings to take care of. I'll leave you in here to think things over, but there will be an armed guard just outside the door so don't get any ideas."
He made for the door but stopped at her chair, placing his hand on the back of it. "I will not lose you Geralyn. Not without a fight."
She looked at him from the side of her eye but looked away quickly, shifting her body away from him until he swallowed a sigh and left in silent disappointment.