Switchblade

Chapter 74: What's The Date?

Tati saw through her window that the sun was coming up.

She'd spent the entire night doing...research...on her laptop.
Research that she'd started purely based off of Killian. She didn't watch any videos, she mostly just read what to do especially people's preferences. She'd learned much more than she anticipated. All just to understand what it is Killian might want from her. And she thinks she got a gist.

But now she was tired and realized she really needed to go to bed. So she closed her laptop tabs. She shut the device then set it aside to finally fall asleep.

~•~

"Happy birthday, boss man." said Kanan.
Killian gave a nod.

Kolson saw Killian and walked up to him. "Working on your birthday?"
"Just another day."
"You say that every year."
"Then why do you ask?"
"Hoping for something different one of these days." The two stood waiting for the elevator.

It finally opened and they stepped inside.

"You alright?" Kolson asked once the doors closed.
"Why?"
"Your girlfriend went home didn't she?"
"Yea."
"Well?"
"I'm fine." The elevator got to its floor and Killian got out to walk to his uncle's office.

Kolson watched him walk off and sighed. The elevator closed then rode back down with him inside.

He got out on the first floor.

"What happened?" Kanan asked. He and Teo walked over to Kolson.
"Nothin'."
"Don't seem that happy about his birthday."
"He never is."
"He should celebrate. It might be his last." Kanan scoffed.
Kolson hit his head. "Shut the fuck up."
"Damn, I was kidding." Kanan said and rubbed his head.
"Are we still doin' the dinner?" Teo wondered.
Kolson sighed. "Yea."
"Really? He don't seem in the mood."
"Didn't he bring that girl back home yesterday?" Teo questioned.
"Tati?" Kanan wondered.
"Yea. Think that's why he's pissed." Kolson replied.
"Why? Her mom couldn't rake up the cash?"
"The problem is that she did rake up the cash. He's mad she left early." Kolson explained and tried his hardest to not call Kanan an idiot. "He was gettin' somewhere and now she's gone."
"He wants to date the girl? I thought he just fucked and left." Kanan stated.
Teo and Kolson just walked off in different directions.

~•~

Segal sat in his office chair as he dialed on the work landline.

The phone pressed against his ear while he sat there with an angry expression.

"Hello?" answered Detective Park.
"You wanted evidence. I got it. My top employee has gone missing for the past few days and is nowhere to be found. THAT LUNATIC KIDNAPPED, KILLED, OR BOUGHT OFF MY FUCKING EMPLOYEE! YOU INVESTIGATE HIM AND I'LL BET YOU'LL FIND EVIDENCE!"
"Mr. Segal, please calm down. What was your employees name?"
"Drake Cho. He was my righthand man and after telling me that Cermak tried to scare him, he went missing. I have not seen him at work in days and he's never so much as called in sick. You either find my employee or you arrest that bastard that did this. I'm sick of you motherfuckers not taking this seriously."
"When was the last time you saw him?" Park asked and ignored Segal's sassiness.
"Four days ago."
"Do you know where he lives?"
"Yes, we checked. His vehicles are still in the driveway." Segal replied.
"How old is he and can you describe him for me?"
"He's 32, around 6 foot, 6 foot 1, black hair. Mustache. Goatee. Around 195 pounds. Asian American."
"Alright. We'll do some searching and get back to you but you need evidence in order for us to trial Cermak on this. If you can't prove he's behind it, we can't do anything about it." Park explained.
"MOTHERFUCKER, THE PROOF IS IN THE BACKSTORY!"
Park sighed.
Segal took a deep breath to calm himself down. A startling grin slid onto his face. "Who else...would harm my employee aside from the gangster who might have found out I was working with you to take him down?"
"I understand."
"Do you?"
"Yes. You'll be contacted soon enough." Park swore.
Segal hung up.

He left his office and spoke to the secretary.
"Call Patrick up here." he commanded.
"Yes, sir."
He stood there and rubbed over his face in thought.

The elevator opened shortly.
"Yes, sir?" Patrick greeted.
Segal pointed at him. "I want you to get someone, anyone, to find that boy. Cermak's nephew. And get a picture of him. Then send it to the employees. Let them know that if and when they see him, put a bullet through his skull."
"Yes, sir."
"No. Bring him to me. I'll kill him myself."
"Yes, sir."
Segal scoffed.
He turned around to head back into his office but his anger got the best of him.
He forcefully kicked a chair into the wall before going inside.

•

Tati's eyes blinked awake and saw the sun peaking through the blinds of her bedroom window.
She grabbed her phone and checked the time.

5:13pm. She hadn't meant to sleep that long.

Then she saw the date and gasped out of her bed.

She went to Killian's contact and began to message him.
"Happy birthday"
She looked and thought that was too bland.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!" With celebratory emojis.
She thought that might be too much.
Am I really overanalyzing a birthday text? she asked herself.

She remembered something else.

His birthday dinner. She'd gotten a dress for it and everything. A $3,150 dress.
She left the message box and instead went to her keypad. She began dialing a number she remembered easily for this very reason.

She held the device up to her ear and listened to it ring.
It was hung up.

She groaned and dialed again then put the phone back to her ear.
Kolson finally answered.
"I know you?" he began.
"Yes, you fucking do." Tati snapped.
"Oh, hey, Tatiana." he replied.
She rolled her eyes.
"I expected you to forget about us once you got back home."
"Forget the people that housed me for two and a half months while I was on...hiatus from my normal life? Never." she sassed.
"Right. What do you need?"
"The restaurant. You set one up didn't you?"
"Technically Niko did it. I told him your plan and made him set the reservation and shit like that. Why?"
"What restaurant is it?"
"Luigi's."
"He likes Italian food?"
"It's a weird place. Italian and Brazilian. I think the owner combined his and his wife's cultures or some shit. But it's his favorite and it don't have too many windows."
"Interesting."
"Five star like you wanted."
"Good. Still for 8?"
"Yea. Rented it out too."
"You're great. Thank you." she smiled.
"Yea."
"And Kolson?"
"What?"
"Don't tell Killian you spoke to me." she said seriously.
"I hear you."
"I know you said he doesn't like surprises, but-..."
"Nah, he'll like this one." he argued.
Tati smiled to herself.

"We'll talk soon." Kolson stated.
"Yea."
They hung up.

Tati sighed.

She quickly got up and rushed to start getting ready.
She ran into her mother on the way as Denise was heading to her bedroom.
"Oh. You're finally up." Denise noticed.
"Yea. I accidentally stayed up all night."
"Ah."
Tati continued to the bathroom. Then stopped.

"Mom." she spoke up.
"Yea?"
"I won't be home tonight."
Denise froze, immediately stressed. "Are you okay?"
"Yea, I'm fine. Just have plans."
"Oh. Okay." Denise nodded and the two continued on their way to their destinations.