For the rest of the time spent in Taiwan, Mai could imagine she'd be over the moon. She had admittingly stopped being upset with Geese during last night's conversation, but when she figured she had gotten what she wanted, it made no sense in being furious with him. The necklace, pretty that it was, certainly helped mend that.

The fact that Big was a dead man walking also added a little pinch of sugar on top of all the bitterness, dark as that was. If Mai could turn it around for a moment, the world would be a much better place for women without men like Big around to abuse them. If he was willing to strangle one while threatening to violate her, who knew what he could do with others?

Mai tried not to shudder at that thought, opting to stare at the ceiling instead with its many patterns and designer lamps before she shifted under the covers, curling into the arm sloppily draped around her waist. Next to her, Geese began to stir, and his arm moved but he remained next to her for a little while before he moved out of the bed. He probably already figured she was awake, therefore he didn't bother being quiet, moving about, and getting dressed like she wasn't there.

Under the comfort of her blanket, Mai managed to catch glimpses of Geese in various stages of dressing. He seemed in a good mood today, but then again, he seemed to be in control of his emotions for the most part. After the conversation yesterday, Mai had come to further appreciate his deeper emotional core. She knew already that it was there, but she hadn't come to expect that it was this reflective.

It was when Geese was like this that Mai liked him the most.

In due part to empathizing with his regrets and past sorrows. Mai should perhaps let the matter be, but she was a little curious about what type of woman, Marie was. If Rock was to be believed, she was a saint of a woman, cursed with poor health. She must have been a great person. And Geese must have been quite lonely, though not using Mai to fill that hole.

He had taken her in because he had a heart.

The thought caused a blush to spread over her face as she curled into the soft covers. Her stomach began to growl, just in time for Geese to sit by the bed and gently pull the blanket off her. It was a little chilly without its comfort and she couldn't help but shudder.

"We got places to be, Mai. Sinzan asked me to join him for a game of golf," Geese said, and she looked up at him, about to object when his hand slid to her chin and brushed a thumb over her lips.

Oh yes. During yesterday's outing, Cheng brought them to a resort adjacent to numerous high-end facilities. It was his latest project, starting a chain of resort areas across the world. Yet he needed investor money from Geese. Mai had tuned out the rest of the conversation while she sipped on rosé wine. Even if she sat in to listen, she didn't imagine she'd get anything out of it. But she had to wonder if Cheng knew of Geese's illicit activities. Heck, maybe they were allies in crime.

"That sounds…kinda boring," Mai reclaimed the blanket, cocooning herself in its warm softness. Outside, the city was already alive with traffic moving at a merciless pace. Rain began to patter on the window, causing Geese to look outside for a moment.

"It's fun if you know what you're doing," he said.

"If you have an interest in it, you mean."

Only then did he look at her, resting his hand on her shoulder. "I do believe you should come along. You don't have to watch us play and it's likely that we won't with this weather evidently."

"Good!" Mai smirked, humming at the fingertips tracing the shape of her jaw. Momentarily, she closed her eyes and almost leaned against his touch when he kissed her in such a manner that made her wonder if he was thinking about removing her clothing and having his way with her. But before Mai could consider a dignified way of asking just for that, Geese removed himself from her with a smug smirk, that almost caused her to throw a pillow at his face.

Indeed, the rain made a game of golf an impossibility and so, Cheng had decided to waste time showing them around the entirety of his new resort. He had boasted about how luxurious everything was as if he was secretly doing a dick-measuring competition with Geese. It was either that or doing some hardcore selling.

With the way, he'd occasionally let his eyes wander across Mai, she felt as if he was perhaps also trying to woo her in some fashion. Either way, Mai wasn't terribly interested. She liked good things, especially good-looking things but at the same time, she could admire the beauty of simplicity. Beauty came in all shapes and forms.

Even in the unsightly.

Mai didn't listen to the conversation between Geese and Cheng, opting to stare at her surroundings with an absent mind, while they discussed business. She did manage to pick up on old stories between the two of them. Looking at the men, they didn't seem like best buds or anything to that effect, but it did look like they had known each other for a long time on a much deeper level than just business partners.

At times a "he" would be mentioned, and Geese got this intense look in his eyes, that made Mai wonder if he was briefly considering snapping Cheng's neck. She knew enough to figure out, it was probably Jeff, without knowing why that caused Geese to react that way. Whatever it was, it had been potent.

Probably enough to kill him.

At some point during the tour, they walked down a corridor decorated with faux European baroque architecture that made Mai shudder with bad memories. At the of the hall, there were two massive doors which Cheng pushed open with some effort. Inside, there was a massive, grandiose concert hall that didn't limit itself to classical music yet as Mai looked at it, a shiver ran down her spine and she had to look away, feeling her heart race behind her chest and her stomach tying itself in knots.

Bad memories continued to linger and haunt her. Her scar seemed to almost ache in their presence. While Geese and Cheng discussed something or another, Mai slipped out of the concert hall, honing in on the emergency exit door to the downpour outside like a missile. The world spun and she could hardly breathe before she made it past the doors.

Faster, faster, quicker….

Until she stood outside, getting drenched by the downpour. In the rain, her mind cleared, and her lungs regained their normal size. Her heart slowed down to a point where it wasn't about to burst out of her chest. When she looked at her hands, she noted they were turning blue from the chill and more worryingly, shaking quite tremendously. Such reactions confounded her even if she knew why they came. She just couldn't label them properly. They seemed to come up whenever she was reminded of anything relating to Wolfgang or the Stroheim castle.

Her heart would begin to slam against her chest and her lungs felt as if they were shrinking. Her mind would get flooded by memories of that event and actual fear wrapped around her like poison ivy. Some nights, she'd be reliving the nightmare in her sleep. Somehow, Mai found a way to hide it from the nurses and well, pretty much anyone except for maybe Geese. He never brought it up when such an episode came while she relayed her experiences to him.

Suppose he was too busy imagining the ways he could kill Wolfgang. In that department, Andy would have noticed it immediately, but he also wasn't in cahoots with the criminal underworld. There was no battle on two fronts there. If Geese ever took her to Germany, she'd rather jump into a jet engine propulsion than set foot in that country again.

After a few deep breaths, Mai felt somewhat calm if not a little jittery, swallowing hard as she contemplated going back inside and finding a spot where she could "defuse" so to say for a minute or so without getting soaked. As it was, she found herself on the pathway to the massive golf course, spanning acres upon acres of green, roughs, and hazards.

Before she could even move, something loomed over her head and stopped the pattering of the rain and a warm body stood close to her. She turned her head and saw Geese standing right next to her, holding an umbrella over them.

"You look out of it," he said, looking towards the entrance of the resort and then back at her as if to suggest that they should head inside. They probably should but Mai's stomach was still a little tight and her hands were still shaking.

"Huh?" she blinked, then switched to her usually peppy self. "Oh, I'm okay! Just needed some fresh air."

Geese narrowed his eyes a bit, clearly suspicious as his gaze moved downwards to her hands. Crap, he sure noticed now, didn't he? He turned around and swung an arm around Mai's shoulders without a word before they headed back inside. Some of the residue anxiety, still resting within her, began to dissipate just slightly and she figured that he probably had figured things out now.

Him rubbing her shoulder in slow, comforting strokes added to that theory. Soon they were within warmer, dryer surroundings, yet Geese only let go momentarily to close the umbrella before his arm was around Mai again. By the door to the concert hall, Cheng stood, eyeing the pair curiously but thankfully keeping his mouth shut. Maybe Geese sent him a death glare.

"We happen to have an indoor pool with a sauna too if need be," Cheng flashed a wide grin that eased the atmosphere a little. For a moment, Mai looked up at Geese, catching a sideways glance sent her way. He tugged her closer as if to cast a protective veil over her. It probably sends numerous signals to anyone present, ironic for a man wary of showing affection in the open.

He so rarely did but Mai couldn't help but appreciate the gesture.

When they were back at the hotel, the weather had worsened. The sky was almost black from thick clouds pouring endless rain on the street below. As Mai sat and stared at the incoming storm, her hands began to shake but she couldn't tell if it was from the cold or the memories of her captivity.

Or Andy.

She had cocooned herself in blankets, warm for once, and a little sullen that she couldn't go out and explore the city. The necklace from yesterday hung around her neck and she found herself caressing the pendant when in thought. She liked it very much, but she couldn't help but wonder if there was some kind of message behind it. A flower, fragile in appearance, strong in body and soul. Then again, Geese wasn't the sentimental type.

Somewhere, she heard him in the process of taking a phone call, although she only listened with half an ear. The trip to Taiwan would end the day after tomorrow and Mai felt as if she hadn't gotten any time to enjoy herself. She didn't know if Geese was going anywhere but in case he was, she'd spend the time exploring the hotel and the streets alone if she had to. Soon after, he returned and sat on the bed next to her.

"What was the call about it?" she asked, still staring out the window.

Geese shrugged. "Administration. I have to exercise some level of control over my company even if I'm not there."

One had to wonder if he ever had days where he just wanted to be lazy.

"Hmm," Mai mused, tugging the blanket closer to herself but stopped at the feeling of a hand sliding underneath its cover and over her legs. Slowly, Geese burrowed his way through the blanket and took her by the hand. She had stopped shaking a while ago, yet she figured that he was testing this.

"I'm okay," she whispered, and only then did he look at her. Or rather, he grabbed her by the chin to make her stare him directly in the eyes.

"Don't lie for my sake," Geese ordered. He was gentle yet direct and his stare was intense despite their cool blue color. "I promised that you can trust whatever I say. I need to trust you as well."

She nodded, closing her eyes when she felt a thumb brush over her lips. It took her all the willpower in the world to not snake her limbs around him. A bubble almost seemed to form within the hotel room, and it felt as if time itself had stopped.

"Sometimes, memories and images just flood and I feel as if I'm drowning," Mai opened her eyes again, feeling the familiar tightness in her chest. A deep breath kept it down for a bit, just in time for her to notice the displeasure on Geese's face.

Yet, he remained quiet, pulling his hand to himself. Without thinking about it, Mai reached out and caught it, bringing it to rest against her cheek. He didn't contest this, brushing her skin with his thumb. His expression softened before he leaned closer to kiss her. It felt so long since he had done that but then again, Mai had spent quite a lot of time being furious at him.

Now, when she wasn't so angry, she allowed him to unwrap her from the blanket, peel several layers of clothing off her and press his lips against the column of her neck. She couldn't help but shudder, but she ignored her own discomfort in order to feel normal again.

Before long, Mai lay on the bed with her shirt slid up over her ribs and hands traveling across her thighs. Above her, Geese removed his jacket and loosened his tie, tossing both to the floor without a care in the world. It reminded her of their first night together. He still had that hungry look in his eyes, subsequently filling her mind with images of lions locking eyes on their prey after a long stretch of hunger. He hadn't quite stared at her like that in a while but now when he did, she had to appreciate it even as shivers of fear shot up her spine.

Slowly, Mai removed her shirt, taking her bra along the way. She caught the way Geese's eyes wandered over her body and his desire ignited like gasoline on a bonfire. Before she could say anything, he descended over her, trailing lips across her collarbone and chest. The heat that spread over her body caused her to suck in a shuddering gasp and it made Geese sit up and look at her.

His eyes were somewhat wide as if to see if she was all right. Mai was, well, she was stable, but she was also afraid. Images of Wolfgang flashed before her eyes, vanishing when a hand rested against her cheek.

She blinked the pricking in her eyes away and took his hand, nodding. The worry on his face dissipated somewhat as he slid her skirt upwards to her hips and ever so gently pulled her stockings down.

"Kiss me," Mai whispered, and he looked up, then complied, settling between her legs. She slid her hands over his broad chest to his belt, fiddling with the buckle while he ran through her hair, fingers snagging on the tangles. Despite the lingering anxiety, her body burned to feel him (and only him) inside of her again. Mai was more than happy to be given such considerations despite the smoldering want in Geese's eyes.

He lifted her legs, letting them rest on his shoulders, grunting something or another under his breath while he searched through his pocket and pulled out a small square-shaped package.

"Geese, please," she begged, a sheet of warm pink spreading over her cheeks, her body throbbing at the urge to have him right away.

He looked at her for a moment, warmth sparking in his eyes as he tore open the package and applied the condom. His cheeks and neck were flushed and a few strains of hair had gotten loose from his hair as he slid his length into her – gently. Having him inside her was just as intoxicating as it had been the first time. She barely had time to purr in need before his lips pressed against hers and she gladly surrendered to him and the feeling of him pushing deeper into her.

Then, unlike the encounter before, Mai fluttered her eyes open to half-mast, just as he sped up so she could see his expression. She fumbled to cup his face between her hands, noting his furrowed brow and a layer of sweat on his forehead. Satisfied, Mai closed her eyes, pleasure eroding her fears. Geese released her legs as he leaned forward and pushed against her fervently, burying his face against her shoulder. He shuddered inside her, his hands on her hips tightening to the point of bruising, losing what remained of his self-control, then stilled.

The room fell to quiet then and Mai lay with the wish to wanting to stay like this for the rest of the day. Geese was just the right amount of heavy, resting on top of her like this so it was bit of a loss when he rolled off her, tidying himself up to the best of his ability. Mai curled where she lay, content with things as they were, although wishing he'd cover her again, so she'd feel protected.

He seemed partly preoccupied with buckling his belt, only for his eyes to move upwards to meet hers. His face was slick with sweat and his chest steadily rose and sank from the effort. He looked like a real hot mess but the way he stared at her, almost made it seem like they didn't just have sex.

"Stay…" she murmured, and he hummed something resembling compliance. For all the issues that had marred their lives, Mai wanted to forget them all for a while. She wanted to feel his closeness and warmth. In a time of great struggle, she could only hope for comfortable and quiet moments like these.

Mai was beyond elated when he ditched the shirt and pants, dropping them onto the floor and pulling her closer to him until she could put her hands on his head and ruffle his hair. It was always slicked back so to see it layered over his forehead was always a treat – confused look included. Gingerly, Mai pressed her cheek against his chest, feeling the steady movements of his breathing.

Almost sense his heart beating.

When Mai looked at Geese again, he was asleep. He looked tired now, perhaps as a result of all that had happened. And worrying about her and everyone in the tower. For all his faults, his strengths were admirable, but Mai already knew that. As she rested a hand against his cheek, his eyes slid open to half-mast.

"Your hand is cold," he smiled, the vocal fry in his voice apparent. Quickly, Mai pulled her hands to herself, nestling them between her chest and his. It was easy for them to gain some warmth like this and Mai snuggled closer against him while the rain continued to patter on the window.

It was late at night when the plane finally landed in South Town, having spent most of that day flying from Asia to North America. Mai had come to mildly appreciate the beds in the jet, but she would take a regular mattress over those any day and the promise of the tower's comforts was a like a lighthouse in a storm.

Even from the airport, one could see the outline of the tall structure with a few blinking lights to highlight its massive structure. It looked ominous to anyone who wasn't familiar with it. Or heck, maybe even a little foreboding to those who were and hated it. Either way, Mai couldn't help but look anticipate being home. Home had a nice ring to it.

She sat back in the seat of the car, staring out the windows as the city light zoomed by as neon streaks, hardly registering that the driver decided to do a sudden turn that left them on a path out of South Town. For a moment, she wondered if she had fallen asleep with how dark everything became and she sat up, rubbing her eyes, only to find them sleepless. Next to her, Geese sat with his arm resting against the door of the vehicle and…a slight smirk on his lips.

"Where are we going?" Mai asked, unable to not feel just a little bit concerned.

"Someplace hellish," he answered casually if going to Gehenna was like taking a Sunday stroll in Central Park.

The car continued to be surrounded by endless darkness as if it had driven into a realm of shadows. Looking through the front window, Mai couldn't see anything but the enveloping blackness and the headlights struggling to penetrate it. At most, she saw the road vanishing to gravel and then grass. The ride became uneven with a few bumps before it finally came to a stop.

Amidst the darkness, there were a few other lights from vehicles already present. Mai stepped out into tall grass that tickled her shins through her jeans. A scent of wild greenery permeated the air alongside the lingering smell of gasoline. Some of the cars' headlights were pointing towards a debilitated building, that looked moments away from collapsing in on itself. Windows were boarded up and the door looked ready to fall off its hinges.

Geese had an odd definition of hell, but Mai figured she'd be in for one heck of a surprise that would make sense of such a statement. She looked at him, hoping he'd explain himself but instead, he directed her towards the door and opened it for her. Inside, it was empty and bear with a musky smell filling her nostrils. Curiously, there was a latch on the floor, which was opened by a couple of people in black suits.

A steep staircase led to what could just as well have been a catacomb. The smell down here was even worse, Mai concluded as she latched onto Geese for balance while they descended into this "hell". It was dark until a light was switched on. For a few seconds, the glare of the lamps almost blinded her until the glow dimmed and she could see again.

There was no litter of skeletons, only a single makeshift dungeon with someone laying behind bars. They lay bound on their hands and feet, squirming and mumbling under the strip of duct tape over their mouth. For a moment, fear ran through Mai like live electricity, and she stared at the person laying there, her mind struggling to find the proper words as Ripper and Hopper walked down the staircase and unlocked the dungeon. They grabbed the person by the shoulders and forced them to face their captors, tossing them to the middle of the dirty floor.

And when Mai saw his face, whatever discomfort she had felt, was siphoned out of her.

Hopper ripped the tape off Big's mouth, and he gasped for air before he stared at Geese with wild, furious eyes. He was almost frothing at the mouth and red-faced with rage as he began shouting; "You piece of shit! I'll kill you! I'll bloody kill you!"

This man, with veins almost popping from his bland head, was a far cry from the suave womanizer turned attempted murderer Mai had first met. He had gotten dirtier and a little bruised since she saw him last. No longer dressed in expensive furs or shades, he lost some of his mystique. And in turn, he lost power.

To see him like this shouldn't be as satisfying as it was. But something deep within Mai squealed with joy at the roles being reversed. Finally, she was the one from the outside looking in. Now, she was not the prisoner at the mercy of monsters.

She was the monster.

Dangerous thoughts like these gave her a rush of something exhilarating, she hadn't experienced in her life ever before. It tickled in her stomach, and she had to clench her fists in order not to make a sound. Was this what hell felt like? Then why did she like it so much?

"Your threats are white noise, Big. Be careful how you conduct yourself," Geese drawled, his voice so frosty it could freeze the oceans. Upon realizing that intimidation didn't work, Big shuddered, looking around for any means of salvation until he lay eyes on Mai.

"You! What have you told him?! I thought we had a deal," his voice was almost shrill. She noticed that his eyes were bloodshot.

"I told him exactly what you did to me," Mai answered, shuddering a bit at the intensity of the glare.

"You-" Big began, bewildered with a blank look on his face. Then his expression morphed into white-hot rage again. "You worthless whore! You lying, vile cunt. How dare you! I'll rape you to death and force that asshole to watch!"

Geese's expression darkened in a way Mai had seldom seen before. A shiver ran down her spine at the sight of it. If looks could kill, Big would have been six feet under by now. It was as if all the cruelty, Geese was capable of, gathered itself into one intense stare.

"You ought to-"

"Fuck you. I'll snap your neck and piss on your corpse next, you scumbag!" Big interrupted him, ignorant of the way it made Geese silently fume.

Some part of Mai couldn't help but pity Big while he was in the process of digging his own grave. Perhaps some part of her humanity caused her to ease the consequences of his actions a little, despite what he had done to her.

"You're not in any position to levy threats. Think about that while you find yourself in my shoes."

"Don't think you're better than me, bitch. Acting like you're hot shit just because you flashed your tits at the right person. You're nothing but a cheap slut. I bet all his goons ran a train on you. If you kill me, there's someone ready to avenge me," Big spat at her, a mad smile twisting on his face.

For a moment, fear filled Mai and she swallowed hard. She had been promised that this was the beginning of the end but she never considered that there might be another chapter to this nightmare. What if he was right? What if Big died but then someone else would come to take his place and they'd be stuck in an evil circle?

A booming silence filled the dungeon, almost deafening and absolute, only to be broken by hearty laughter from Geese. He folded his arms over his chest, looking mighty pleased with himself.

"You stupid fuck. While you were busy hiding, all your underlings were taken care of. All your recourses belong to us, and they'll serve well to prevent more vermin from opposing me. Why else do you think it was so easy to capture you, J? Or should I say James? You have nothing to your name. Not even Krauser gives enough of a crap about you to watch over you. You're nothing but a bug, about to get squashed. Be very afraid of-"

"Me afraid?!" Big jeered loudly. "Are you stupid like your cock sleeve over there? To insult me with such a-"

Before Big could finish his insult, Geese moved with the speed of a viper and clasped his hand around Big's neck like a beartrap. Instantly, with a single hand, he tightened his grip around the other man's neck to the point of full-on strangulation. Ice-cold fury filled the spot left behind by prideful confidence.

"Interrupt me a third time and I will rip out your tongue through your teeth and make you eat it until you choke. Am I understood, maggot?" Geese growled, tightening his grip until his knuckles were chalk-white. His voice was frigid and hard like steel, in a way that made Mai shiver with anxiety.

Cruel and kind in equal measure.

Big couldn't feasibly give an honest answer as he was busy gurgling and croaking out mangled words. His face turned almost blue before he was let go and he dropped to the floor, coughing and wheezing. Completely indifferent, Geese stepped away from him and settled next to Mai.

"Your fate is in her hands," he said, a little less verbally lethal. "If she tells you to jump, you will jump. If she says die, you will die. For your own sake, you better grovel at her feet and beg for forgiveness. Had it been up to me, you'd be six feet under by now so consider you and your worthless existence lucky."

The words seemed to have tempered Big and his fury morphed into primal fear. His eyes stretched wide, and his mouth dropped open.

"Wait! I-I-I can offer you money! I can give you info on Krauser!" he turned to look at Mai, inching closer to her feet. The way he moved, reminded her of a caterpillar.

A gust of cold air from somewhere within the dungeon caused a chill to skate down Mai's spine as Big nearly reached the toes of her feet. She stood, unsure of what to say or do while Geese looked on with quiet anger. Yet all Mai could think of was Big touching her, even grazing her shoes. It was a pitiful thought born from a fear of their last physical encounter, but it was all her mind could focus on. It made her step back and Ripper grabbed Big by the collar of his shirt and yanked him away.

His eyes lingered on Mai, desperation evident in their stare. "Say something! Are you mad about what happened?! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you!"

A bitter taste emerged in her mouth and with it, came vestiges of anger. It was almost insulting like he was taking her for a fool. She couldn't stand to look at him, opting to stare at the floor. A hand landed on her shoulder and Geese stood beside her, shaking his head calmly. His expression was gentle but in the blink of an eye, it turned to icy fury as he looked at Big.

"This is what I meant with someplace hellish. No good people go here. Only those with scores to settle and the will to do it. How this night will end will be determined by you, Mai."

Geese continued to rest his hand on her shoulder, letting his words hang in the air as if he was physically putting this burden onto her. Handing her the reigns over another person's life. Power for her to use as she saw fit. A one-way ticket to hell. The promise of revenge had been presented to her on a silver platter. The sudden task being shoved onto her made the world spin and in the blink of an eye, Mai somehow found herself tumbling over, her vision blackening.

Everything felt so surreal, that she began to wonder if she was dreaming.

Just a nice lil reminder of the type of people we're dealing with, eh?