A Number, Not a Name

Bound to the Dark

A week earlier:

Milena walked quickly on the cobbled pavement, her eyes scanning every direction to make note of the people gathered in the alleyway. Her right hand was placed directly over her gun, ready to draw it at a moment's notice. Around her tall dark buildings cast their darkened shadows on the ground, illuminated by the nearly full moon that hung in the night sky.

Milena stopped outside of an old bar, her eyes focusing on the sign fastened above the door. Almost all of the letters had gone out, leaving only the "k" and "o" of "Zakázáno" illuminated. Her father had once told her the meaning of the word. If she recalled correctly "Zakázáno" meant "Forbidden" in Czech yet the passage of time had clouded her memory. She walked into the establishment and up to the wooden bar at the back of the room. The bartender placed the glass she was drying behind the counter and turned her attention to Milena.

"Hello. What can I get you? We just got a new shipment of rum in, all the way from Cuba. Though of course, it'll cost you extra." The woman grabbed another wet glass and started drying it off.

"No thanks. I'm not here for a drink. I was hoping to see Emin. Is he around?"

"Yeah, he's around. But he's busy going over the books."

"It's rather urgent that I see him. I have some important business to discuss."

The woman placed the glass she was holding on the counter and sighed. "Fine. I'll take you to see him. But he better not fire me for this." She walked from behind the counter and motioned for Milena to follow her. "This way."

The two of them walked through a swing door marked "Employees Only" and down a winding hall. At the end of the hallway was a door marked "Private" which Dalita knocked on.

A few seconds passed and an answer came through the door "Yes?"

Dalita opened the door. "Sorry to interrupt Emin. But this woman here said she had some urgent business with you."

Emin started collecting and stacking the papers and bills spread across his desk. "Fine. Send her in."

She turned back toward Milena "He'll see you."

Milena entered the office. Dalita closed the wood door behind her and started making her way back to the bar. Milena sat down in the seat across from Emin. He folded his hands together on the desk. "Judging by how anxious you were to see me I assume you're here for my 'other' services."

Milena slightly smirked. "You could say that."

.....

Dalita reached the bar counter and picked up the still-wet glass she had left there minutes earlier. She looked up as she heard the creaky door to the bar open and saw a familiar face walk towards her. The blond-haired woman had become one of her most regular customers as she had frequented the bar many nights over the last few months. From the consuming look of pain that from time to time shone in her eyes, Dalita suspected the woman had suffered a significant amount of suffering in her life, pain which she tried as much as possible to drown out and forget.

"The usual?" Dalita asked as the woman reached the counter.

"Yeah," she softly replied.

Dalita poured the woman a shot of vodka and pushed the glass across the counter to her. The woman picked the glass up and quickly downed its contents. The woman placed the glass back down on the counter and reached into her pocket to grab some cash. She placed the money down on the bar and walked silently away from the counter. Dalita's gaze followed the woman for a few moments before she turned her attention to the other customers making their way to the bar.