Dark Matter [Completed]

One

I drum my fingers restlessly on my knee. We've been waiting here for the better part of two hours and there is still no word from Boris. With everything we do for him you would think he would have the decency to debrief us without this ridiculous wait. Apparently not.

"Natalia...," My brother grabs my hand, "You're driving me crazy."

I yank my hand free and lean back with a sigh. "I don't see why he can't just take five minutes from his womanizing, or whatever he's doing, to debrief us. Or better yet, let one of his minions do it."

"You know he's careful, Nat. He didn't get this far by being careless."

"Sometimes I wish he wasn't so careful," I grumble under my breath.

Alex grins wryly at me, but I know he's picking up on my real meaning. Boris' caution is the reason we haven't split before now. Because trust me... if it weren't for the kill chips in our brains we would have busted out of this place years ago. As much as I want to be free, I don't particularly want my head blown off my shoulders.

And so I sit here in this hallway that looks like something from the Palace of Versailles. Boris is incredibly rich from being the head of the world's largest crime syndicate, and he isn't afraid to show it. This fact is clearly demonstrated by his massive, grandiose palace south of St. Petersburg and his extravagant town house in Moscow, which he named Nabesnyy Dom, of the Celestial House. If you couldn't tell, Boris isn't humble either.

Alex and I make our home in the secret catacombs beneath Boris' 'country estate'. For a secret, and very illegal, research facility it is very grand. Our quarters are almost as luxurious as the ones in the main house. Not that that is much consolation.

Finally, one of Boris' cronies, a nasty-looking woman with blonde locks so fake it hurts to look at, comes scurrying down the corridor. "The Master will see you know," she says.

"About freakin' time!" is what I want to say, but I only nod and sweep past her. Alex is more tolerant of Boris's minions than I am so he mutters, "Thank you, Maria," before falling into step beside me.

Another servant opens the massive, mahogany double doors to Boris' office. Heavy, oak furniture, velvet curtains, Persian rugs, and gold trim; everything about this room screams power and authority. I remember the first time I stepped into this place. Terrified and only just recovered from the hideous experiments Boris' scientists had performed on us. I was intimidated by the awe and grandeur of it all. Now... Now I couldn't care less.

As usual, Boris is reclining behind his massive, marble-topped desk. When he sees us, he stands and gives us an oily smile while smoothing his long, equally oily hair. "Natalia, my dear, Aleksei, how wonderful to see you again. I heard about Nikolai Chekhov's 'tragic passing' last night. I can only assume you were successful?"

Ignoring Boris' disgusting use of 'my dear', I say, "Chekhov won't be a problem anymore."

With another oily smile, Boris sits down again. "Lovely. Lovely. Wonderful job. I am afraid Nikolai was getting careless; he was becoming a liability."

I couldn't care less about Boris' motives for ordering Chekhov's death; all I want to do is rest. "Are we dismissed, sir?"

Boris seems surprised at my interruption, but he only claps his hands together and says, "Of course, of course, you've earned a rest. I will call on you if I need your services again."

My voice is dripping with sarcasm. "I wait with bated breath, my lord." I turn and leave the room without waiting for his response.

"Why do you goad him, Nat?" Alex asks when he catches up with me, "It doesn't do any good."

"I don't know," I reply with a shrug, "I can't stop myself. I can't stand to breathe the same air he does, let alone be civil."

My brother laughs, but then his expression becomes more serious. "I get it, sister, but don't push him too far. Even Boris' patience has its limits."

I look sideways at him. "He wouldn't dare lay a finger on us. We're the reason he's sitting in this palace right now. He can't afford to lose us."