The Bodyguard

20

I wrap my dripping hair with the hand towel Nik had gotten me. It'd been about a week since the awful incident. The week for me, was a sleep filled one. I couldn't remember when last I slept so much. I sip the cup of coffee freshly brewed for me by Nik.

I take my phone, my hands itching, and my mind tempting me to search what I'd been trying so hard to avoid. I had thought about asking Nik severally, but for some weird reason, I didn't want him to know Irina was behind my abduction. Like all the other books I'd read, I didn't want to be a villain in their story. If there was any.

I google Nik and Irina. There are no results. I google Irina. There are no results. I google Nik. No results either. Fuck! It was really a hassle not being an agent anymore. If I was, I'd have instant access to intelligence. I'd find out just who the hell Irina was, and what relationship she had with Nik to make her kidnap me. What a crazy woman.

There's a knock on the door.

"Who is it?"

"It's Nik. I'm here with Irina. Can we come in?"

"Yes, sure. Give me a sec." I quickly turn off my phone. They enter as I unlock the door.

"Hey. . ."

"From the look on your face, I'm guessing you feel much better than before." Nik asks.

Irina hands me a bouquet of flowers. "He told me what happened. Sorry." She says.

I want to roll my eyes, but I hold back the urge. "Thank you." It would've been nicer if Nik handed them over.

Nik's phone rings, but he doesn't take it.

"They smell lovely, Irina. Thank you." I say. Nik's phone rings again. He takes it out, and declines the call.

"So, can we like talk in private?" I ask Nik.

"Is it about the Volkov case? If so, then Irina can hear. I've briefed her about it."

"Oh?" He told her about it. It made me mad. I chuckle, somewhat uncomfortable. She had to be his girlfriend. I continue, "Right. So, um, have you done anything the past week? Any new leads?"

Nik's phone rings again.

"Aren't you going to take that?" I ask. He looks at me, then at Irina, then at the phone.

"I'll be back." He says, heading out, when the door opens slightly. We look at each other. Nik brings out his pistol, and I quickly rush to the bed for mine.

We wait for the person to enter, and he does. It's a man.

"Who are you?" I ask, my mind already wandering. Could he be connected to Volkov?

Nik drops his gun. Irina says something in Russian, and goes to hug him. Hold up. Why did she hug him? Could that be her boyfriend instead? Or husband, better still?

"You can drop your gun now, Ms. Leister." Nik says, and I nod, realization setting in that they knew whoever the man was.

"Brother!" The man says, and the men hug.

"Why have you been ignoring my calls? And the phones right there, in your hand L— Irina grabs his arm, "He was just going out to attend to your call." She says, taking him out.

"I'll go with him, Irina. You should stay with her, and keep her safe." He tells her. Why did I feel like there was another meaning to his words? Did he know?

They leave. Irina and I stand opposite one another, awkward silence filling the room.

"I know it was you." I say.