Sicarius

17. Looks first.

We walk up the steps of the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts five minutes later. Still being tailed. "i hate to remind you of the police in the museum." Now not only is there a hitman that wants our head, there's also a pair of guys with sunglasses on a cold, cloudy morning. 

"They're barely policeman, with the recent budget cuts they've let go of most of their staff. the metal scanners aren't even in use. they do do random body checks so you might want to do something with your Beretta" he knows what i'll do, and it's what he'll do too. when no scanners are in place body checks are a breeze. there's four main areas someone who looks suspicious will be touched. the ribs for holsters, the hips, the thighs for holsters as well and shoes, specially boots. the one area no one touches is the crotch and that's if you're lucky. works for knives, not for guns. However, the best hiding place, is right in front of their eyes. I put my gun on the pocket in my coat knowing I will be asked to remove it. Kaden goes first and goes through easily. There's no one behind me in line so i stall.

i'm asked to take my coat off but i pretend to not understand what the woman says. "lo siento mucho pero no la entiendo" i fake a concerned look. She gestures the movement i should be doing. "el abrigo?" i ask and she nods. Meanwhile Kaden is on the other side and seeing i'm trying to stall the woman he looks around and finds a group of 10 year olds that look like they're on a school trip. While i talk to the women he goes over and hands a child money. Once he's back everyone, including me turn toward the screaming kid on the right end of the room. it takes five seconds for me to retrieve my gun and throw it to Kaden who takes it seamlessly and drowns it in his pocket. Once everyone's settled again i take off my coat i'm the woman's hands travel down my ribs, hips, thighs and boots. "that was graceful Ryan" i admit once i'm beside him again.

"That cost me 20 bucks" he rolls his eyes and grabs my hand. 

"where did you put it?" i ask with sudden curiosity, only imagining where he could have put it. he laughs and i take my hand off his throwing them up in defense. "you are disgusting, don't talk to me" i start to walk away but then turn around harshly. "that can not be comfortable. does that even fit down there!?" i point out whisper/yelling.

"my pants are baggy, and that lady won't touch my dick for the life of her so..." he explains and walks beside me until i slow down enough to let him catch up. Turns out Kaden's quite the tour guide, guiding me through the museum as he's in some history lesson about the Degas painting i lace my fingers with his again. He explains the pieces, the Van Gogh, the Picasso, the Degas. Even corrects my pronunciation. It's degAh, not degaS. He's been here before, i can tell. i can also tell that his appreciation of art isn't just obvious in his mother's house. i rattle about my poor drawing abilities but how truly exceptional my explosives were. 

"What happened at the clinic?" he smirks remarking my behavior. 

"I had time on my hands. And dry ice" i roll my eyes. "i think i injured Alex by mistake, he was in the room and got scared." Bringing up Alex guides the conversation in his direction. They used to be friends, good colleagues, obviously they were both part of the same covert team. now alex thinks Kaden is a murderer. Which he's not wrong about. hiring him speak of alex, it's hard to think that he could ever do him harm, or anyone else for that matter. he's intimidating as he is but when he laughs and it reaches his eyes there is vulnerability, there's interest, curiosity. he's the type of person that teaches you what it's like to miss someone. I didn't know what it was like to feel lonely. I never even considered myself alone. That's because when you feel lonely, it means there is someone for you to miss. And it's then.... When it happens. 

A quick nod in my direction makes me look over my shoulder and see not only the two men from before. But now they're accompanied by a woman i can barely make out. we n=both react immediately by sliding quickly into the next gallery. "we can't go back to the hotel" Kaden whispers as we walk through the maze of rooms. it's gallery after gallery of light blues and reds. people. sounds. noise. there is a point when you're being followed where you play it off. you first make sure it's you they're tailing. and then, if you don't run you risk a greater window of time where anything could happen. "you had to wear those shoes"