Chupacabra | 18+ | ✔️

▪︎■ 08 ■▪︎

▪︎■ Adrin Bianchi ■▪︎

"Come in."

I didn't look up from the paperwork I was going through, however it was no secret who entered my office, judging by the time and the clicking heels.

Still reading the files, I took some notes and noticed her sitting down and crossing her leg over the other in the corner of my eye. Moreno cleared her throat, attempting to get my attention.

"Yes, Ms. Moreno. I'm aware of your presence." I put my signature under another file and finally turned my attention towards her, pulling my glasses off with one hand. I pinched the bridge of my nose with two fingers.

"I assume that's what you tried to say or do you need something to drink for your throat?" I didn't expect an answer.

She did not look amused at all but I wasn't either.

"How very kind of you. I'll have to pass. Let's get down to business, shall we? We will attack and kill Jiménez as soon as we know where he is. I've got everything prepared; weapons, men, money. There's plenty of ressources. I'm prepared for a mission like this. We can't lose any more time. I refuse to."

I looked at her, taking in her features. Her proposal was the opposite of what we should be doing. The idea displeased me, to say the least.

"I thought we've talked about this... I won't allow it. I have one chance. One chance to kill him. Are you really that delusional? To think I would throw away my definite victory for a plan- if you can even call it a plan- that sounds like a spontaneous idea, made up in the heat of the moment? No, you were the one asking me for help. Your way would only cost me men and money."

I leaned back into the soft chair and clasped my hands. She looked like the only thing holding her back from shooting me was the contract. She was almost ready to explode, I knew it.

Good, if she hurts me, I could count it as a breach of contract and take over. That would be her end. If she doesn't, I at least know she can indeed think. Either way, I can only profit.

"That's your thing, right? Sitting there behind your desk, having nothing but the audacity."

She stood up, slamming both her hands and a gun onto the desk, leaning toward me while looking down on me with her piercing green eyes. I supressed a victorious grin.

Checkmate.

"Don't think for a second, that I didn't do my research. I know what kind of man you are, Bianchi. If it wasn't for the nepotism you wouldn't even be sitting here, for a starter. I know exactly how you took over the last big italian cartels." She smiled sadistically.
"Trying to make me hurt you, hm? Well, you should cover your old strategies up for people like me to not find out. You want me to break the contract so you have the right to kill me, to take everything I have worked for, unlike you? Still enriching yourself with other people's lifes work? Come on, Mr. Bianchi, we're past this childish bullshit. I don't care what you've planned against me, we can fight after our arrangement, if you're up to that. But for now we have the same target- enemy, whatever you want to call it."

I watched her for a moment, calculating, actually kind of speechless for a second. I knew when I had to give in to get what I wanted. I might be an egoistical asshole, maybe even arrogant from time to time, but I could keep my ego out of this.

I touched the stubble on my chin and chuckled. "I see, mouth feisty as always. It won't change my opinion though. You can talk about the plan, but my thoughts are still the same."

She took the gun from my table and sat down again, leaning back against the chair calmly like I did before her speech.

"Listening will do," she answered sassily.

God, if she wasn't getting on my nerves like that, I would've loved to do things to that bratty mouth. On the other hand- I had to let her have the fact that she had a backbone. Definitely not to my advances but she did.

"Mikael will tell us where he is. That alone will take the longest. I accept that we have to work together to get him. And trust me, I do want him dead."

She raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, no, I will definitely not trust you. But I've decided to trust in your hatred for Jiménez. I don't know what he did to you to hate him, but I know what kind of things he's capable of. What kind of monster he is. So I don't have to know anything about your past, that alone is enough."

She looked serious when she was talking about Jiménez. Almost... scared? Frustrated? Angry? Disturbed?

I couldn't tell what it was exactly. Maybe a mix of all these emotions. It was no positive reaction, that much was for sure.

Before I got lost on track, I remembered we had to talk about the next steps. I had to consider her ridiculous idea if I did not bring up my own.

"As soon as we know where he is, we will have 36 hours maximum before he will know about us. After that, he will be gone and the chance to still find him after would be zero, basically. So we only have this one chance," she said, thinking out loud.

"Exactly. That's why we can't storm off to him, holding a gun to his head if we're lucky enough to live until then. Your plan is too bold."

She nodded. "And yours is too defensive. We will have to decide which is the better option."

My hand touched my stubble again.
"No, I think we need both: my defense and your offence. What's his greatest weakness? We need something that makes it impossible for him to stay hidden. We need information. I need to know everything about this man. And then- then we will catch him."

She looked lost in thoughts, like she was unsure of something. Like she knew something I didn't.

I'll have to find out.