Part 3. Kristoff Bjorgman
"Elsa, just because of her… a bit childish behavior, I'm not going to look for a new partner for her."
"B-but Hans! It's impossible to work with her! She's unprofessional!"
"Snowden, I know it's difficult, but I hope that you do understand the whole instability of the situation we're in!"
Elsa threw her head back and groaned loudly. She was hoping that Hans would understand her, that he would see that it was difficult for her. But no! Hans decided to be his most usual douchebag self and let that woman turn her life into a living Hell.
"Do you, Elsa?"
"Hans, please, spare me the moralistic. Of course I do."
"Good." He smiled.
The blonde remained in the position with her head thrown back. The two just sat in silence. Hans knew it was unfair to her to ask what he wanted to. He had no evidence — or what was more important, no right — to suspect Elsa. But still, he needed to ask her that or he wouldn't be able to sleep.
"Elsa. I- I know how it sounds, but you know that I would never ask you this without having any evidences or just being unsure about you."
"Hans, please-"
But he continued, ignoring Elsa's plea. "And you know that I trust you with my life, but I need your answer. Elsa, do you have anything to do with this?"
"Hans, you do know that in other circumstances I would smash your face and tear out your sideburns for asking me this?" She said calmly, leaning in to him.
"That's not an answer, Snowden." There was a silent battle between them. Their gazes were locked and each tried to break another. In the corner of his eyes Hans saw the blonde clenched her fists, knuckles turning white.
I know it's difficult for you and I'm sorry. But I need to know.
"You know how I feel about all this. I feel that there's something more in here. I feel it with my guts." She looked up at him, taking off the glasses. "And — just don't tell her — I think that Anna is right. There is a rat among us. But, Hans, I hope that you will believe that it's not me."
The pause went for too long and the blonde began to worry. She watched her boss scratching his chin. She wondered why it was taking him so long to tell her that he believed. He knew it wasn't her. He knew. Right?
"I know, Elsa. I know that's not you. I believe you." He smiled reassuringly at her.
"I'm really glad to hear that." She put her glasses back on, clapped her hands together, and stood up. Her mood getting better and better. Hans could be a jerk, but at the same time he was a really good friend. Just like Kristoff (who also could be an ass). "Okay, I think I will go now. Thank you for a good talk. And not thank you for not helping me out of this."
Hans watched her went to the door. He grinned slyly.
"Snowden!" She turned to him. "May I give you a piece of advice?" She nodded, not sure where that all was going. "I'm sure that if you go down on her, and vice versa, it'll ease the tension between you two."
"Screw you, Sideburns!"
"Admit that it's a good advice!"
Slam!
"I don't understand what you want from me, hotshot." Kristoff looked up at Anna, petting his two-year-old German shepherd — Sven. He scratched his head, behind the ears, and then his neck. Sven was wiggling his tail in delight.
How little you need to be happy.
"I just want you to answer my question." Anna said innocently, watching the man playing with his dog. She took a whistle that was lying by a pile of papers, looking closely at it. "Sven" was written there.
"Whether Elsa is a lesbian or not?" He looked up at her. Anna could clearly read the do-you-want-my-death look on his face. "Sorry, red, but I like living, so I won't tell you anything 'bout Elsa's personal life. Especially something like this!"
"I'll take that as a yes."
"I didn't say that."
"But you meant it."
"No, I didn't."
"Yes. You totally did."
"Look, Summerfield, think whatever you like, just don't get me involved. Els will slaughter me because of this."
There was silence for some time. Anna just watched as Sven had lied down on his back and Kristoff patting and scratching his belly. It wasn't a happy petting, he was deep in his thoughts and that was just an excuse not to talk to Anna.
What has she done to you that you care so much about her?
"Tell me about yourself." The redhead said suddenly, bringing the blond man back into the world. He stopped playing with his dog and leaned back into his chair, looking Anna in the eyes.
"What do you want to know, hotshot?"
"Just tell me whatever you're comfortable with me knowing." Kristoff thought for a moment, and then took a deep breath.
"Well, as far as you know my name is Kristoff Bjorgman. I'm twenty six. My homeland is Norway, though my mom is from France and dad spent his childhood in Germany. My parents are still there, they have a house in the countryside. I like burgers, black coffee, action films, horrors will do too. I also like all those trashy movies, they're hilarious. I'm working for the CIA for four years. I was originally hired as a dog trainer."
"Dog trainer?"
"Yup. My father is a dog trainer as well. So when I first came here I started to prepare dog for special operations, people and drug searching. Nothing fancy." He laughed heartily. "You should've seen me all those years ago." He lifted his arms up, flexing his muscles. "I wasn't always this sexy man I'm right now." He wiggled his eyebrows, grinning slyly. Anna laughed. Seeing him being so ridiculously proud of his present body-build was, somehow… prepossessing.
"I can't imagine that." She leaned in closer.
"I'm telling you, red! I was a damn bone sack! No meat at all! It was Els, who've made me start visiting the gym!" They laughed together. Like they were best buddies.
"Still, I'll believe this only when I see the proof."
"Sorry, forgot my childhood photos at home." He took the whistle from the desk and started twisting it between his fingers.
"Speaking about childhood," Anna started slowly. "Are you and Snowden childhood friends?"
"No. No. We've met on the end of my first year here." His expression felt and his eyes darkened. "We were put in a team three and a half years ago. We weren't at our best. I was that awkward, unsocial guy, who only knew how talk to dogs. While Elsa was that badass agent who knew how to make the job done. I was spending time away from any action, talking to dogs and people who were as much socially awkward as was I. While she was spending her time training in a gym, shooting range, and just studying."
"Studying?" Anna looked at him quizzically. "Studying what?"
"Different things, but mostly computers. If you haven't noticed yet, she's a damn geek." Kristoff said in a tone like Elsa being computer genius was a wide known fact. "So, we were put together in a team… It was — erm — my first action experience and… well, telling the truth," he sighed heavily, "The whole mission went to Hell."
"What case was it?" Anna asked carefully.
"I bet you've heard 'bout it. Shit, the whole world did." The redhead quirked her eyebrow, waiting for an explanation. "A serial killer called Minor. Heard 'bout him?"
"The guy who was terrorizing New York and Allentown?" Kristoff nodded. Anna remembered that case. She was at Japan at that time, though she couldn't remember what she was doing there. Probably nothing important.
"That psychopath was killing men who looked like a guy that was sleeping with his wife." Kristoff was swaying his chair right and left. "It… well, I was the reason why everything went wrong."
"I'm sure that's not true."
"Believe me, that's how it was. The high command decided that I need to gather experience. So, those idiots thought that sending an unprofessional boy, who only knew how to teach dogs different tricks, on a high rang mission, will be a good lesson." His voice rose on a few octaves and he clenched his teeth. He took a few deep breaths, calming down. "It took us three month to track him down. And when we finally cornered him… I screwed up. We found that bastard hiding at the docks. We had a fight. I let him corner me. That fucking dick was out of his mind."
"You know that you don't have to tell me anything, right?" Anna jumped of the desk and walked around it, now seating in front of Kristoff. She put her hand on his shoulder, making him look up. "Don't force yourself." But he only shook his head 'no'.
"I can finish if you want to know how it ended." He smiled, his expression calm, but his eyes weren't as bright as his smile. Anna looked at him for some moments not sure if she should ask him to continue. She nodded slowly, still not sure about it. "So, we've found him. We had a fight. He- he cornered me. When he threatened his damn pick at me, the only thing I did is close my eyes and pray that I would go to Heaven." Kristoff smirked bitterly. "But then- Hell, it's been almost four years since that day and I still can't believe in what happened." He leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes with his palms, taking another deep, shuddering breath. "Elsa appeared right in front of me, shielding me with her body. Oh, God, it was…"
Anna felt her body tremble with the information she'd just got. Her imagination was more than happy to help her with it. She could see the picture clearly. Heard all the sounds. Barbaric raw. Loud sobs. The sound of ripping clothes and flesh. Blood drops hitting stone floor. Loud, pained scream, echoing through the air.
"She had a God damn bulletproof vest on. It helped. Somehow. Not much, but helped. If you ask me I will tell you that she was — and I think that she still is — blessed by God. 'Cause not everyone can survive such an injury."
"God…"
"Yeah, I think He was the one who helped."
"And what happened with this man? What is his real name, by the way?"
"Was." Kristoff corrected. "Jeremy Smith. He — erm — he was sentenced to the electric chair." He scratched his chin, looking up at Anna. "Supreme Court decided that he was way too dangerous. He tried to kill a policeman who was guarding him through the process."
"What?! There wasn't such information in the papers."
"It was… cut out. The government decided it would be for the best. Okay!" He smiled, sat up straight, and clapped his hands together. "The outcome: we coughed the bastard. We both survived. Elsa saved my sorry ass and now I own her till the end of my life. And," Anna looked suspiciously at Kristoff's sly smile, "If you, somehow, get the chance to undress Elsa… well, you'll one Hell of a scar." The redheads eyes went wide. "It's coming all the way up from her left side and down to her right hip."
Fuck…
"You saw it?"
"Yeah. Right after it healed. Elsa also made a joke 'bout it. It was something like some women liking badass scars, or something."
"Shit…" Anna looked somewhere aside, smiling admiringly to herself. "This woman really is something."
"That's right. You know what, hotshot?" He added after a short pause.
"Hmm?"
"Try not to push her. She, actually, likes you." Wow! Just… Fuck yeah! I've got a chance! "Eventually, she'll warm up to you."
Elsa entered her apartment building. A good place. Neighbors were quiet, never making too much noise. At least after the curfew. Perfect.
"Good evening, Jim." She greeted a security man in the lobby.
"Hey, Els! How is it going?"
"Fine. Yourself?"
"The usual." He called after her, when the blonde went to the elevator. The door opened right in front of her.
"Oh! Good evening, Missis Brown." Elsa smiled warmly at the old woman that exited the cabin.
"Oh, Elsa, dear, evening." The woman smiled up at her. She was half of the blonde's height. "How have you been?"
"Good-good." Elsa smiled, letting the woman exit the elevator and entering herself, holding the door open. "You, Missis Brown?"
"Oh, I've been great."
"Evening walk?"
"Yes. By the way, Elsa, did you know that we have a newbie here?"
"Really?"
"Oh, yes. She moved in few hours ago. In that flat that's opposite to yours. Sweet girl. I think that she's around your age."
"Thank you for the information, Missis Brown. I'll say 'hi' to her."
"Don't miss your chance, dear." The woman winked at her and went to the security stand. Elsa rolled her eyes at her, but smiled, pushing the button to her floor. Leaning on the wall of the cabin she unbuttoned her. Jacket and eased her tie. It was one hell of a day. She was glad when Anna left somewhere after lunch. That woman was going to be the death of her.
The cabin went to a stop and Elsa exited, taking out the keys out of her trousers' pocket. She stopped in front of her door, choosing the right key from the bunch. She didn't hear the door behind her coming open, but the voice got her attention and she turned around.
"Good evening. You must be my neighbor. Elsa, am I correct?"