chapter seven
The young Italian woman was well aware the fact that she was being followed. She even could guess who was following her, but on the crowded street she couldn't do anything without hurting other people. So she just went straight ahead and tried not to think.
"Think about it."
It was a month that she didn't have any big orders from Honda. Just minor issues like debts or recruiting. Despite that Lovina Vargas was still deputy chief of the most powerful mafia in the city. Yes, month ago she lost Honda's trust, but what was going on now?
"Think about it." Another psychological game. Honda liked so much. "Think about it."
Lovina Vargas stood in front of her boss. She had no idea why he wanted to see her. She had bad feeling.
"So, how the case is going?" Honda said without emotions.
So, that's it. It was something wrong, he had never asked before. Lovina swallowed hard, cursing in her head that she couldn't control emotions as well as Honda.
"I had information from a bartender. The girl was in a pub. My people searched her, but she escaped."
"Just like last time?" The voice was still calm, but his eyes gave her a cold look.
Lovina swore again. She had bad luck. Shortly after they found that Estonian made mistake and gave Adnan their data. Honda commissioned her to find them. But they disappeared with Sadik's girlfriend. And it was the moment when Lovina failed her boss for a first time.
And for a first time she saw that he can be rally angry. When Vargas didn't answer Kiku pointed some papers that were laying of his desk.
"This is a report that was given to from my spy in Sadik's group. Read."
She took it and starts scanning.
The answer was too clear.
"It is impossible." She did not try to hide nervousness. "Even today, she was in 6th district."
"Impossible? But you lost her a few times." He growled, slowly rising. He put both of his hands on the table, leaning towards Vargas, his face was now close to the Italian one. "It is impossible that she was caught by Turk's men, when my assistant was running through the slums!"
A hand shot out. Honda was holding her by her shirt. Report fell on the ground.
"I will not allow to play with me like that, you know? Do you understand?" Honda shook her violently. When she nodded, he let go. "I am afraid that you forget, why are you working form me."
"Because you helped me, when I was in trouble." She responded quickly, not even looked at him.
She perfectly remembered why she was working for him.
Also she remembered by whom, she was in trouble
"I helped you, because you were a small pickpocket, who tried to rob me." Honda sat behind his desk. "You were lucky that I like courage. You and your brother. Ow what is with him? He is working as a nanny for a crippled German woman from 9th district. Maybe I should visit him, hmmm?"
Lovina's head jerked violently. Muscle tensed.
She had a few ideas how to kill Honda and ran, but suddenly the door opened.
"Oh, Mrs. Kirklad, it is a good time." Honda greeted a short woman. "How our things are going?"
"I need two weeks more." Lovina recognized the British accent.
"How much time we need to install it?"
"With the people that I recommended you? Also two weeks. In a month you will be able to enjoy the results."
"Well." Japanese muttered and looked at Lovina. "I will have another job for you Mrs. Kirkland."
"And what is it?" She asked laconically.
"Someone lost dates that are important for me. There is a high probability that they are with Sophie Edelstein, the daughter of Austrian immigrants, she was a girlfriend of Sadik Adnan.
Kirkland raised her eyebrow.
"That Adnan, who controls 7th and 8th districts?"
"Who thought that controls them. Yes, that is him. You have to find the girl and find out if she really has my dates. This Italian will talk you about details. If it is comes to money, I will pay well, but you already know that." And he left.
"Think about it."
Honda never threatened directly. He was far too elegant. But she understood, that if she failed one more time…
Feliciano.
Lovina always considered her younger brother as a little bit stupid, but she never allowed anyone to hurt him. She was happy that Feliciano didn't know what she was doing. He found a job in a 9th district, she thought that it could be excellent shelter from the Hondas' eyes, but she was wrong. He knew everything and he wanted to use it.
Suddenly she turned left and walked to the corner. Lovina didn't wait long. The man who was following her came to the corner. She pushed him against a dirty wall. She was holding a knife next to his neck.
"You are better than I expected." Dark haired man said, lifting his chin slightly, a little away from the blade. He had Spanish accent.
"Shut up." She growled. She faced with man who destroyed her life. "What do you want, Antonio?"
"I want to see how are you." Spaniard said without losing the good humour.
"After you left me on the Honda's mercy and you ran away with money? Or maybe after I discovered that you were working for Sadik?"
Antonio suddenly became serious.
"You were a child Roma. You could not understand." He used her old nickname, that he gave her when they met for a first time.
"Don't call me that!"
"Roma."
"Shut up!" She shouted. A trickle of blood ran down Spaniard's neck. "I thought you were a friend when no one wanted me and my brother. Do you understand?" She felt tears in her eyes. But she was furious. "Damn! I trusted you! I trusted you, when you left me, just like that!"
Antonio was still looking at her with this serious look. She hated him. She hated him for all those moments when he wasn't with her and she hated him for now, because he was here and she didn't know what she should do."
"I should kill you." She finally said, without looking into his eyes.
"So kill me." Lovina thought that he was joking. But he was serious. "Kill me like you did it before. You know how to do it. After all you wouldn't work for Honda if you didn't have killed anyone."
She wanted to scream, but a hand grabbed her by a throat. Antonio pulled away from the wall, without releasing Vargas, he pushed her against opposite wall.
"I thought you are better." Antonio said to her ear, gently loosening his grip.
"You, you bastard!"
"All right, listen to me and pass this to your boss. Sadik are not happy that someone are looking for his girlfriend. Tell Honda that he should leave This Austrian."
How Sadik knew that they were looking for her. Vargas was sure that there was a spy. Damn Honda would be furious.
"I have no idea about what you are talking." She said, feeling Antonio's breath on her cheek.
"Never mind Roma, just pass it to Honda. Be useful for once."
"I will kill you."
Antonio brutally pressed his fingers to her chin and he violently kissed her.
Lovina groaned in surprise. She tried to push him away, but he held her tightly, her whole body was pressed to the wall.
Finally Antonio pulled away. For once she was happy, because of wall, her knees were trembling.
"Talk with Honda, he shouldn't play with it. It is dangerous for him and for you, Roma." He walked away.
I hate you Antonio.
Why I saw a sadness in your eyes before you left?
I hate you so much. She felt like fool, when she was crying.
O
Alice Kirkland was angry. The work, which she was doing for Honda took too much time. One moth and nothing! The girl escaped from every trap Alice made. And she was angry, because she had to work in slums with all those whores and drunkards.
It is not that she abhor. Almost all of her life she was working with that kind of people. She just hated looking at this all-encompassing southern districts of poor people, while rich people were doing nothing to help them.
Now she was in 7th district, watching the shop of the Swiss. The Austrian knew him and she had things to sell so maybe she would be here.
And suddenly she saw her. Tall brown haired woman just left the Swiss shop. It was her. Now it would be easy.
She started going after Austrian. But then she saw the man. Shit. She jumped to the nearby corner. What the hell he was doing here? Police. Bad, very bad. This agent complicated everything. It was wrong to be on the police wanted list.
Policeman went directed to the Swiss shop. He passed the Austrian, who didn't even look at him, he stood a little bit surprised and the he followed her.
Then the Swiss came out and shouted something to the agent, he turned to him and waved. At this time the Austrian disappeared in the crowd. He returned to the shop, probably to talk with Swiss.
But Alice didn't care. She went from the corner and slowly followed Sophie.