Operation: One percent

Chapter 5-part three

Margaret

She opened up the hologram and typed in an invisible password and what I suppose was the sum.

I checked the screen on my phone. 35 000 as promised.

"Pleasure doing business with you Victoria."

I wanted to tell her how everything was her fault, but a better part of me knew that was a lie. I shared the blame for taking this path in my life for taking me up to this moment. Biting my cheek, I walked back to my room where Maryem was. I wrote her a note and transferred 15.000 right away.

With an unsteady hand, I proceeded to scribble:

"Check your device. For your dreams."

As I was leaving her a message, I noticed a pretty drawing that she made when she was 4 years old, on the nightstand. It wasn't framed as I pinned it with magnets. Removing it from the pins of the magnet, I took the drawing and snuck it deep into the safe nest that was in the inner pocket of my jacket.

I had to make haste. Scooting into the dark bathroom I dialed a number:

"I have a job for you Juht."

"Well, well. Hello, my sweet Maggie."

His voice was giving me the creeps, but Juht was the only reliable person right now, admittedly, doing business with him was kind of like making a deal with a devil. Even though he would complete what you pay for, there was always some kind of a side-effect.

For example, I bought paint from him once, and the colors were completely mismatched. Or when I bought a lace dress from him, I got a silk one.

Minor mistakes but still annoying, however, he would admit to his mistakes and replace or refund whatever went wrong.

He was just one of those people that you know is measuring you up to see how much money your clothes are worth, and how much you are worth with them.

"I need you to arrange transport to Glenrit. It's urgent." Glenrit was a neighboring country, with less strict and better education policies. Homelessness was at a low percentage, as mostly the country cared for its citizens. They did however have a culture of working to the bone, and most would develop an alcohol addiction as a countermeasure to the pressures of jobs. 

"Also send out a strong man to my address, but most importantly I need a new identity ready for a 7-year-old girl."

"I don't do those things. I only sell merchandise."

"I am sure that Lydia would say otherwise."

Lydia was his favorite girl. Older and wiser, she unveiled to me this morning that he did a similar thing for her cousin, so I was quite lucky that I was close to her. 

"But that kind of service is quite expensive."

"I am aware."

"Look there is too much risk. I am not sure ...."

"It's a life or death situation Juht. Just name your price."

Juht playing coy is not something I want to indulge in, but I know that money drills where other tools cannot.

"Fine. It will cost you 20.000"

That was most of the payment from Victoria, and I really need to be careful with money now.

"Aren't you willing to give your old friend some slack? And I might tell Lydia to take better care of you, you know."

"I have already. It would have cost you 40.000, but you know, anything goes for my friends."