Dark Sensations

The Deal

"Calm down, Jones. I've never made you worry before."

"That's a lie and you know it." Came the retort over the ear piece I was wearing.

It made me smirk behind the flute of champagne in my hand. It might have been a lie, but just a tiny one. My eyes scanned around the sea of people in the tightly packed nightclub and let out a loud exhale of annoyance.

"What's wrong?"

"They're late and I'm getting impatient."

"They'll show, just wait."

I rolled my eyes and ran my hand through the blonde strands of the wig that I wore. It was nice to be lost in a crowd, where no one knows your name, where you come from, or who you are. It was easy for me to do. I had no friends really, no one I could count on except for myself and Daniel. That was more of a love hate relationship. He was a lot like me though, alone in a world that would eat you alive if you let it.

"Wearing enough stuff so you can't be identified?"

I rolled my eyes and glanced up at the camera above my head, knowing that Daniel was watching me. He knew me better than that, and I could only assume he was trying to help me pass the time and keep me calm so that I didn't sass a potential client.

"Of course. Do you recognize me?"

He didn't respond and I downed the rest of the bubbly liquid and placed the now empty glass on a passing waiters tray.  It was then that my eyes connected with the man I was waiting for; Dimitri Kozlov, head of the biggest Russian crime family and a man who had heard about me through the grapevine. Although he had no idea that it was I who would be doing the job. Most thought me to be a man, and I allowed them to think so.

He was an older man, blonde with blue eyes and a kind smile that someone who didn't know him, or his sins could enjoy. However, I knew the truth that laid behind it, the evil he was capable of. It took some time to get used to dealing with people like him, to have nerves of steel under a killers gaze. 

Standing from my seat, I smiled and smoothed down the skirt of the white dress I wore and I stepped forward to shake his hand. On each side of him was two burly men, no doubt part of his own little family.

"Well, what a pleasure it is to meet such a beauty as yourself." Dimitri's thick Russian accent broke through the music going on around us. 

I chuckled and shook my head, watching as one of the men behind Dimitri stepped forward. How cute. They actually thought I would come with a weapon. Raising a brow I looked to the man who smiled once more and sat down in front of me.

"Merely precaution. You understand."

Running his hands over my body, I glared at him the minute they lingered too long. "Shall we talk business or is your henchmen going to continue to try and grope me?"

Dimitri pulled out a pack of cigarettes and motioned to the man, "Сядь" (sit down)

The man stepped back from me and took the seat to his right, and I followed suit sitting back on the couch, crossing one leg over the other.

"You must forgive him."

"No, I must get on with this meeting. You're late and you want something in a short amount of time. Time that we don't have to waste." I responded, lounging back against the plush couch.

He paused before nodding his head, lighting a cigarette from the pack before holding out his hand. The man placed a black folder in it and handed it to me. I opened it and flicked through the images and other papers located inside. Now wasn't the time to get into it all and I closed it, placing it on the seat beside me.

"What I want is in Sicily. A painting that means much to my family is there, stolen from my father who acquired it from his own father. It's time it comes home, yes?"

I paused, licking my lips absently before clearing my throat. "Mars does nothing for cheap. If you're willing to pay the price, he's willing to deliver it. Not in rubles. American cold hard cash."

The man shrugged his shoulders and waved a hand aimlessly, as if it was nothing to him. It probably wasn't, honestly. Men like him never had a shortage of cash lingering around.

"He delivers, he gets paid."

"Oh no, no," I paused, leaning forward to brace my elbow against my knee, "half now, half upon delivery. Payment doesn't adjust with every client. If you want that painting within a weeks time, you'll follow the rules."

Dimitri sucked on his teeth, taking a pull from his cigarette and letting out the plume of smoke into the air.

"Careful Mia," Jones spoke into my ear, "you're playing a dangerous game."

I sighed and licked my lips, "I assure you that the painting will be delivered and in perfect condition. Have you ever heard of Mars not coming through with his end?"

The blonde man shook his head, making a face before shrugging. "I also know no one who has seen him."

Rolling my eyes I gave a quiet laugh, shaking my own head. "That's because it's best that way. People don't care who he is, only the results he brings." I grabbed the folder and stood, tucking it under my arm. "$500,000. 250 upfront and the rest on the day of the delivery."

It was easy to tell by the look on his face he wasn't happy, but I wasn't about to back down. This is what I had been trained to do since I was a child. There was never any room for error or showing feelings.

He nodded and stood, putting out the cigarette in the ashtray on the small table between us. "And what if we take you for collateral?"

I smiled and shook my head, adjusting my stance. It was words meant to frighten. To strike fear in the hearts of those involved. It did nothing.

"I'm expendable. I knew what I was getting into the minute I started this job. Taking me doesn't get you what you want and I think we both know that."

He just... looked at me, as if he was trying to find an ounce, even the smallest of fear on my face and body language. There was none. He wouldn't take me, if only because he wanted that painting so badly.

"Then we have a deal."

I smiled and nodded, reaching my hand out to shake his own. "I'll be leaving Paris tonight to hand this over to him. Once he has the painting, you will be contacted. He expects the money to be in his account by the end of tomorrow. Failure to do so will result in us never meeting again, and your painting to remain in it's current location."

Dimitri gave a curt nod of his head and I walked around him and his men, making my way to the exit. What laid in the folder in my hand was of no concern me. It was just going to be another easy job that would come and go, leaving me to move on to the next one. Yet, I couldn't help a weird feeling in the pit of my stomach and in my ignorance I pushed it aside.

How foolish that was of me.