Twisted Fixation

『 Chapter 4 』

The first thing Yuri noticed about the bar is how lax the security is. She is unsure if this is being done on purpose or not. She has worked as an undercover agent in places like this before, but this was the first time she had entered a building without having to go through a walk-through metal detector or even have her purse examined by security.

She mentally cussed to herself. If she only knew about this beforehand, she could've brought a gun. But perhaps even George does not know about it considering that it was not mentioned to her.

Even though it is already after midnight, everyone is still gathered there. Smoke is present and the air is chilly. Her head was hurting from the neon lights, but she persevered until she arrived at the long table. She sat down on one of the high stools and placed her order for a glass of brandy.

She furtively looked around but she hadn't noticed anything strange yet. She has memorized the blueprint of the place so she knows where to go when things are bound to get ugly but the fact that she does not know what the assailants look like is putting her in an uncomfortable position.

No matter how skilled an assassin you are, not knowing what the target looks like puts you at a disadvantage.

Yuri drained a sip from the cup. The brandy does not taste at all strong, but she purposely made a wincing expression just in case anyone is watching her. She relaxed by observing those nearby as they danced to the music. She realizes that many songs are featured on the Billboard Chart, so it makes sense why everyone is having a good time.

She was halfway through her second glass when she noticed someone sitting next to her. It was a man, possibly her age, dressed in a plain white shirt and tattered jeans. She thought it was a pity she had to kill him because he appeared dashing.

But, in any case, no one can tell whether someone is a good person based solely on their appearance, can they? She suddenly remembered some of America's most notorious criminals who were attractive, allowing them to manipulate the public.

"I wonder if I could accompany a beautiful woman like you? I have been watching you for a while now and it's such a waste to have someone as beautiful as you to be left alone," the man finally spoke.

She gave him a sweet smile. "Well, I do not know anyone around yet because I just arrived from the United Kingdom. I am here for a vacation."

Through the blinking lights, she noticed how the man's face brightened at that and the sinister smile behind it.

Bingo

"Does this mean I will be the first friend that you made here? My name is Mark," the man who called himself Mark reached out his hand to her.

The first thing Yuri notices is the man has a tattoo of a scorpion on his forearm. She is certain that she has seen it before.

Isn't this the mark of Blackwater? She thought to herself and at the same time contemplating whether her guess is correct or the tattoo is just a mere coincidence.

If Giancarlo Costa is truly involved in this, he will not be working with this gang. One of his family's archenemies is Blackwater, and there's just no way that the mafia boss would associate himself with a rival organization.

Before the man could notice that something was off, she quickly accepted his hand and even gave it a squeeze in a bit flirtatious manner. But she can't help but still contemplate what's really happening.

If it is true that two notorious groups are involved, it is no surprise that George's friend has already requested assistance from the St. George Army. But it also means she must keep her guard up at all times.

"So, what are the places you would like to visit while you are here?" Mark inquired as he drank from his beer bottle.

Despite the fact that Gillian had prepared her for questions like this, she still feels uncomfortable having to name the places she had grown up in.

"Well, for starters I want to visit Central Park. And then maybe the museums and the restaurants here. I heard from a friend that New York has a lot of restaurants and that it would take many years for you to try them all."

The man laughed indulgently at that and she suddenly felt his hand at the small of his back.

"Just in case no one has also told you, the night life here is also the best. Do you want a taste of it?"

Mark had already placed his lips on hers before she could respond. She instinctively closed her eyes because it had been three years since a man kissed her, so the moment right now completely surprised her.

She dislikes the fact that the place is dark, but she is thankful for it because she was able to avert her gaze from the table without being noticed. She observed Mark's hand slipping something into her glass as he resumed kissing her.

That intensified her blood thirst further. I cannot wait to kill this bastard.

When he finally let go of her, she gave him a shy smile. He responded by raising his bottle which is an indication that he is proposing a toast.

"Cheers to our friendship. To the last drop."

She smirked at that. "To the last drop." To the last drop of your blood.

She raised her glass and clinked it with his. The man pretended to drink and instead, watched her as she brought the glass to her mouth.

Of course, it was spiked, as she saw it with her two eyes. But if she puts her mind into it, no matter how strong the substance is, she could resist it, especially if it's a new one.

When she has drained the contents of the glass, there is a lingering bitter and metallic taste on her tongue. She secretly celebrated as the realization hit her that the drugs did not have an effect on her.

She let a few minutes pass before she touched her forehead, groaning in pain.

"What's happening?" Mark asked with a faked worried voice and held her by the wrist.

"I suddenly feel queasy," she answered dramatically and even covered her face with both of her hands to make it more believable.

"Oh, you do not sound good at all. How about I take you to a room so you could rest?"

She just moaned in response when Mark wrapped his arms around her waist. While he was busy with her, she quickly grabbed her purse and made sure she was able to put it on. 

It's a pain to walk like a drunk woman on purpose, but all Yuri could think about was how she'd spend the two hundred fifty thousand dollars. She does not yet have all of the evidence she requires, but she has already declared the job completed.

The bar has rooms on the second floor which is reserved for VIP guests. Mark pushed one of the doors open where there were several men inside. Through the darkness, she silently counted how many there are.

Five.

"That's the fresh meat you have there!" one of the guys exclaimed as Mark just dropped her on the leather couch without a care.

"Hey, don't come near me.." she said in a weak voice as the men gathered around her already including, Mark.

The others also have the identical tattoo as Mark. She huffed at that. If only she knew that she would deal with these gangsters, he would have demanded a higher compensation.

But perhaps there is still a time for that later.

The men, as usual, paid no attention to her objections. Instead, they drew nearer and began to touch her. While the others are touching her all over her body, one of the guys is almost biting her lips. One is groping her breasts while another is stripping her of her clothing.

Yuri can't help but feel enraged as she considers how the other women must have felt while being treated in this manner. It is a sickening situation. The bastards are not just irrational lunatics but also members of a significant gang. Their behavior is unacceptable, and it's clear that they have no respect for women.

She knows that something needs to be done to put an end to this kind of behavior. She can't just sit back and let these men continue to terrorize innocent women. It's time for action.