The Code To A Don's Heart

f i f t e e n

9 days later

P E A C H     M C C O Y — T H E     H A C K E R

Nine days of mostly silence passed between me and Viktor.

I spent most of my time at the monitors, he was coordinating with this Javier character or talking to Markov on the phone I'd protected for him. Otherwise, if he wasn't occupied in the hotel, he was out. Scouting, he said. Making sure we weren't followed or being hunted.

I knew we were mostly safe and he didn't need to patrol the area but I wasn't going to keep him back from going away from the room if he wanted. It gave me time to myself as well. I was just glad he always came back with a clear gaze and steady hands.

We shared every meal together, every meal being breakfast and supper. I was always too preoccupied to eat lunch and he was never in the apartment at that time so I skipped the meal altogether. My leg was healing well, I hadn't gotten any infections. My bruises were going down too. They weren't as bad as they were the previous week. They were almost healed.

My hobble had turned into an almost unnoticeable limp. I walked around the room when I could trying to get used to moving about. Things were quiet and safe and I liked that. I wasn't as paranoid now because I had Viktor and he'd keep me alive. That gave me so much reassurance that I relaxed into this whole mirage of comfort. I knew it wouldn't last but I held onto it.

I played Bullet Mercenary earlier today, found a chat and hoped the message would get to this _m.a.r.k.v.i.k_ character. It made me uneasy, the fact that me might know both Viktor and I personally. Our meeting was set up somehow. I was certain of it but I didn't have the proof to back up my accusation. I've just been waiting for _m.a.r.k.v.i.k_ to reply.

deadpoolsucks566: The girl refused to talk. We're trying to find Viktor. He was last seen in Cloudpass. Need more money.

It's been two hours.

I left the monitors because they made me anxious and decided to open up my hair. Viktor was gone though he knew I was texting _m.a.r.k.v.i.k_ today. He told me he'd be back earlier than he usually was. Javier had managed to bring the jeep in yesterday and Viktor was moving the stuff, arranging for our departure to Las Pavita. He told me we'd have a place to stay and lay low. I trusted him because he was the expert here and not I.

Having the bathroom to myself, I undid my coily hair, washed it with shampoo, moisturized and blow dried it with the dryer built into the hotel wall. My hair was large, like a lion's mane, forming a dark halo that fell a little ways past my shoulder. My mother had always loved doing my hair. I wasn't as good as she was but I've done my best to keep it all these years.

I was till trying to get a brush through my hair when the front door opened. I froze, my heart beginning to race as I listened to heavy boots moving around.

"Peach?" I heard Viktor call and let out a sigh, my body losing all its tension. I walked out of the bathroom to the living room, brush in hand, my hair still I slight mess. I was working on it.

"I thought you were someone else," I told Viktor when I spotted him, his back turned to me as he stared at the screen where Bullet Mercenary remained open, waiting for _m.a.r.k.v.i.k_'s message.