MARIEL

22~Home~

When Tira arrived to her new home, she had not known what to expect. What she did not expect was an already purchased condo with a new, red BMW X6 SUV. Despite spending her life surrounded by extravagant materialism, having a place to live and a vehicle to drive of her own was something new to her. Certainly, she had her own car in Russia, but now she was miles away from home without the constant harassment of trainers and, of course, Aleksey. Suddenly, she felt like an adult, and she felt as if she was experiencing a rite of passage she had never known.

"The place is already set up," the older agent, who requested her to call him Michael, stated as he exited the car. "You can add what you want, do what you want with the place. It's your home, your responsibility now." He opened the liftgate of the black, Ford Explorer. "The condo is purchased, but you are responsible for the other bills and maintenance with your paychecks."

Tira watched him as he retrieved her luggage. He was of medium height, with cropped black hair and graying, black stubble on his square jaw. He was Russian, but the American lifestyle had clearly affected him. He had played American country from the airport to her new home and, without hesitation, had immediately communicated to her in clear English with a midwestern accent.

"How long have you been here?" she asked, grasping the luggage carrier that he lifted from the trunk.

"Fifteen years. I'm getting too old for this shit." Michael shut the liftgate and turned towards her. "It gets pretty fucking boring too. You're literally getting paid to babysit."

Tira's lips pursed. "I'm...aware. I've apparently been training my whole life for it. Feels good to know I'm strong enough to pour this girl's Wheaties."

Michael chuckled and started walking towards the condo entrance. "I'm sure something good will come of it in your lifetime."

Tira glanced around as he unlocked the door, noting the city lights in the darkness, the consistent flow of traffic on the street. "Do you know why this girl is so important?" she murmured as he stepped inside.

Michael closed the door behind her after she followed him inside. It was a simple, private hallway and there was a winding staircase that disappeared around a wall. They ascended for at least a full minute until they reached the entrance to the actual condo. Once inside, Michael reached past her and flipped the hallway light switch. "The information they gave you is the information they gave me. That's all I know." He answered as if she had just asked the question. Then, he gestured with his head. "Come on, take a look around."

Tira's eyes scanned the hallway, which was short and led to the kitchen before her. She left her baggage in the hallway and casually followed Michael into the kitchen. It was large with an open concept and an island in the center. The counters were of gray marble, and the floors were glossed wood. The kitchen connected to a small dining area, which also led to the living room. The den was large as well, also with wooden floors, and glass, sliding doors opened onto a terrace that overlooked the city. Instantly, she fell in love with the glowing lights of the city, and she realized she had never thought it would be this beautiful.

"It's...stunning," she said softly.

Michael followed her gaze. "Yeah... but you'll get used to it. And it'll get old," he said sourly. "I'll show you the bedrooms, come on."

The condo had two bedrooms, the master bedroom and the guest. The guest room was only slightly smaller than the master, and both looked similar. The major difference was that the master bedroom overlooked the city, whereas the guest room had no windows. Both rooms were carpeted white, and the beds were queen sized with wooden headboards. In the master bedroom, a walk in closet proved a large amount of space, and the room contained a large bathroom with a shower and hot tub combination.