NERVES OF STEEL

CHAPTER 56- ONCE A TEAM

The next day when Diane woke up she was surprised not to see Nikolai anywhere near the house. He must have left the night before. She finally came to realize. She was grateful for his presence. For all he had done the day before. Seeing her through that chaotic moment.

Even now, she didn't feel any better. She wondered if she ever would. Everytime she remembered the tragedy her heart always seemed to split in half all over again. She picked up her phone to call him but was met with an answering machine instead.

"Not in at the moment. Leave a message if it's important."

Beep!

With a sigh, she said anyways; "Good morning, Nikolai. Thanks for yesterday. I'm sorry I had to be such a burden. I'm grateful to have you. If there's anyway I can pay you back for the hospitality, please don't hesitate to let me know. Thanks again."

She set her phone down on the table and decided to go about the chores ahead of her. Life goes on. With or without Russo. Even if it hurts to think about it. To think, her last memories of him was when she argued with him and called him a monster. How stupid of her!

As the hours rolled by, she expected Nikolai to have returned her voice message to him or visit atleast but none of that happened and she started to worry if he was okay. His line was still connected to the answering machine even at six in the evening. That was so unlike him. She decided she would go see him herself.

More strange was the fact that Nikolai wasn't home. She went to the S.A headquarters and his men told her they hadn't heard from Shadow since yesterday. What was going on? She thought, frustration creeping in. She just lost Russo.

She wouldn't be able to take losing another. The world has better be going through some simulation or matrix glitch or whatever they called those crap in Sci-Fi movies, and returned the two of them to her sooner than later. Screw logic! That had to be the only explanation. She winced within herself.

She decided to wait for him at his house. It was exactly 10pm when Nikolai arrived. He was stunned to the bones to see her waiting at his front door.

"D-Diane?"
"Where have you been? My God! Do you know how worried I was."
"I'm sorry. I never meant to."
"You clearly did."
He sighed, holding both her upper arms in place. "I had some urgent business to get to. That was all."
"You could have atleast called. I was starting to think you had died also."
"What the hell?" He chuckled.
"Sounds funny to you doesn't it?" She frowned.
"I'm sorry. Have you had anything to eat?"
"I was too worried too."
"Allow me make us something for dinner. Will that apology be enough?"
"It's a start."

With a smile, he unlocked the door and led her in. Nikolai left his phone on the table and made his way to the kitchen. Her eyes followed him till he was out of sight. He had been fidgeting. She could tell he was trying to hide something from her and that wasn't like the Nikolai she knew.

Diane reached out to his phone and quickly scrolled through only to discover it had a passcode. Right! She rolled her eyes after a few failed attempts, she set it back only for a message notification to pop up right at that moment.

"Thanks for today, bro. Will be expecting you for the finalization of our plans tomorrow. 8pm sharp. Make sure you aren't followed."
-Felix Sergei

Diane gasped holding her hand over her mouth. Her eyes were so wide open in shock she had to force herself to blink them close in fear that they may pop out of their sockets. What the hell in the twisted world was going on?