Silent Eyes

17, Rat Trap

Emil marched forward, his steps resolute, and came to an abrupt halt, demanding, "Where is he?" One of his men pointed towards a door, and without hesitation, Emil stormed towards it. With a powerful kick, he forcefully broke down the door and entered a dimly lit room, with slivers of sunlight piercing through the cracks. They found themselves inside an abandoned shack, situated in the desolate heart of nowhere. Emil swept aside the debris, the sound of shattered glass echoing beneath his boots, until he finally came to a stop. "You bastard," he sneered. "We've searched high and low for you!"

Georgios gazed up at him, his hands tightly bound behind his back, his face marred by dark bruises. The man before them was a mere shadow of his former self, his teeth decayed, and his eyes weary. Once healthy and surrounded by sexy girls, Georgios had been consumed by drugs, rendering him unrecognizable.

Emil crouched down to Georgios' level, a smug smile playing on his lips. "It's been a while, man. What have you been up to?" However, Georgios remained silent. Instead, he spat in Emil's face and grumbled, "Cut to the chase. What the hell do you want from me?" Rising to his feet, Emil signaled for a rag, swiftly handed to him by one of his guards. He wiped the repugnant spittle from his face, then callously hurled the rag towards Georgios, his voice dripping with disdain.

"What were you doing with Andreas' girl?"

Georgios erupted into mocking laughter, a smile forming on his lips. "Ah, so he is fucking that foreign little thing, huh?" Amidst his laughter, he was the only one finding amusement, while everyone else towered over him with stoic expressions. After a brief pause, Emil pressed his boot against Georgios' head, grinding his cheek against the filthy floor. "You still haven't answered," Emil's voice grew colder. "What were you doing with Andreas' girl?"

Finally, Georgios exhaled. He pushed Emil's foot away from his head and struggled to sit upright. "I was just curious about her," he admitted. "Why?" Emil's brow furrowed, a heavy silence hanging in the air, and Georgios maintained an unsettling smile. Frustrated by his nonchalant act, Emil delivered a powerful kick to Georgios' stomach, causing him to double over in pain. Groaning, Georgios winced as Emil interrogated once more, "Why did you feel the need to snoop around? You're no longer a part of our group, Georgios. So what does she have to do with you?"

Emil's boot lowered, and he crouched back down to Georgios' level. His piercing brown eyes turned pitch-black, emanating an intense seriousness. "I'm glad you've decided to stop playing games because Andreas is not pleased right now," he warned. "We both know it's in your best interest to talk to me. You wouldn't want your former boss paying you a visit, would you?"

The very thought of Andreas bursting into the room with his piercing blue eyes sent shivers coursing through Georgios' skin, and he anxiously swallowed. "Listen, I'm in need of money," he began, his voice filled with desperation. "I haven't been able to find a decent job, and, as you know, my wife left me." Georgios trailed off on a somber note before continuing. "There was this guy who approached me, asked me to keep an eye on the girl and report back to him."

Emil's interest was piqued, and he leaned in closer. "And who is this mysterious man you're referring to?" he inquired. Georgios hesitated, his gaze fixed on the floor, but Emil's clenched fist indicated that patience was wearing thin. "Georgios, the longer you stay silent, the worse it will get for you. You've been on the other side of this equation before, and you're well aware of the consequences."

Finally, Georgios looked up. "I don't know his name, but he's clearly one of those Italian bastards," he confessed. His face glistened with sweat, regret etched in his features. "Emil, I know I messed up, but I've been desperate to turn my life around. I just needed some cash to help me get back on my feet!" Emil slowly rose to his feet, his gaze fixed on Georgios, who pleaded for his life.

Tears streamed down Georgios' face as he sobbed, lamenting his wretched existence. Though the two men shared a history, Emil remained impassive. Georgios was no longer a part of their group; he had become an informant for the police, a treacherous rat. While Andreas had wanted him dead, it was Emil who had decided to spare Georgios, leaving him abandoned in the most desolate part of town. Unlike Andreas, Emil had known Georgios since their childhood, and back then, he couldn't bear to see his friend die.

But times had changed, and Emil no longer harbored any empathy for his old friend. In fact, he was deeply disappointed that Georgios had reverted to his old ways, betraying the group's trust in secret.

"I'm afraid I can't help you this time," Emil almost laughed, shaking his head with a mixture of disbelief and scorn. Sliding both hands into his pockets, he sneered down at Georgios. "You know just how badly you messed up, right? When Andreas finds out about this, he won't be as forgiving as before. And honestly, I don't feel like extending my help this time, buddy." With those words, he turned and began walking away as Georgios screamed after him.

Emil stepped back into the hallway, the guards promptly closing the door to muffle the commotion. Retrieving his phone, Emil dialed his boss' number. It didn't take long for Andreas to answer, and Emil couldn't help but laugh. "You'll never guess who was spying on her at the store," he taunted. Andreas' voice darkened as he demanded, "Who was it?"

Emil playfully glanced back at the closed door, savoring Georgios' anguished cries. Taking a deep breath, he grinned. "It was Georgios, my friend. Some bastard paid him to do it. And while he couldn't identify the man, he knew he was Italian. So it's official, the Italians are onto us, and they know about Monica."

Andreas sat with an eerie straightness, his intentions clear. "You know, this time I won't keep him alive," he warned Emil, emphasizing that he would not forgive the man. Emil shrugged, understanding the gravity of the situation. "It's alright, Andreas. I already gave that backstabbing bitch a heads up," he replied. Andreas exhaled, his expression growing serious once again. "I want him kept alive until I return. When I come back, he should be dead. Make sure he knows this," Andreas instructed.

However, Emir frowned upon hearing Georgios' anguish cries in the background. "I mean, I'm pretty sure he already knows this," Emil said. "If you could hear him right now, he's practically begging for his life." Though he couldn't see Andreas, Emil knew he must be smiling broadly on the other end. "No, go and tell him," Andreas insisted. "That way, his screams can become even worse." Emil rolled his eyes and glanced at his watch. "I can't, Irene is waiting for me at a restaurant, and if I'm late this time, she might kill me."

"Emil," Andreas responded, all seriousness in his voice. "I simply don't give a fuck." With that, he abruptly ended the call, leaving Emil to exhale deeply. Why did he always have to do the difficult tasks? He slipped the phone back into his pocket and snatched a wrench from someone's hand. With a triumphant smile, he sauntered back into the room and declared, "Well, I'm not going to kill you, but I will most definitely hurt you!"