Erwin chuckled. "My my, has nobody taught you manners, Koula?"
She frowned deeply. "I've dealt with people like you. You don't deserve any better treatment."
"Ah yes, you sure have. I've read your files. From forgery of government documents to your association in the Chinese black market. You did quite a good job erasing your digital footsteps but you have more enemies than you thought." Erwin smirked at her apparent annoyance.
"You're one to talk, State Secretary Erwin Smith... or should I say, Irvin Pavlov,"
It felt like a thorn in the heart the very mention of that name. Erwin looked away from them both. "I am no longer that man."
"And we're no longer the hackers who set up the black market's sites in the darkweb, but hacking is like an itch that we can't get rid of." Koula sighed and slavanimesimp shared a knowing look with her.
"Come in." slavanimesimp said, closing the door behind him and locking it.
How the hell had he found this place? The two partners had worked hard to erase it from every digital map, every monitoring satellite from above. But if he'd known of the location of the hideout, he wouldn't come on his own. He would have sent people to arrest them instead.
No, this man needed something.
"You're not here to arrest us I take it," Slavanimesimp and Koula settled down on their chairs in front of the monitors, now facing the man who sat down on a bench he found nearby.
The place was a mess. There were monitors and papers everywhere. There was a map of their country on the wall with plenty of strings connecting to pictures of Mr Chin and Sofiya and Rose and everyone that had been involved in this entire situation.
"You have done your homework." Erwin commented.
"Spill the beans. We don't have all day," Koula groaned. "Now that you know of this location there's no guarantee that you won't send a task force to arrest us."
"I wouldn't be surprised if there wasn't one outside right now," Slavanimesimp added. "Also, you're so fucking hot, sir," Slavanimesimp couldn't help adding, only to receive a glare from Koula and she shrugged. "What?! You think so too!"
"EVERYBODY THINKS SO BUT THAT'S NOT THE POINT!" Koula cried out until she realised the man had stood back up, looking all around their place, searching through the folders, the picture of his dearest Clare that was pinned on the wall. All the red strings were connected to her.
"All that work... all that thinking..." Erwin spoke turning to look at all kinds of devices spread all over a table.
Tracking devices, specific printers for forging, laptops of any kind. He swiped a layer of heavy dust that had gathered on top of a printer. They clearly hadn't used that for a while now.
"But why?" He turned and looked at them. Both women glaring at him. "Why put so much effort? Why hide for so long down here?"
That place was nothing close to a decent home. As a matter of fact, it was bunker once created during the second world war to keep people safe in case of an emergency nuclear strike. The government had now long forsaken places like this. He was the only man who would think to look here.
"Maybe because we're being hunted down by your wife?" Slavanimesimp suggested arching an eyebrow.
"If it is so exhausting then why have you not yet surrendered? Our cells are much better than this place." Erwin said. He approached them both. Koula was glaring at him and slavanimesimp was trying to focus her attention on a monitor making sure to check the outside cameras for any hostiles.
"Dude, I can be living in the fucking sewers but I'd happy if I was free." Koula said.
"Is that what it is? Freedom? What do you really want, Kyriaki?"
Her eyes widened at the mention of her actual name. No one really ever spelled it right, but he did. "I guess if you can spell Russian names, you can spell Greek names." She smirked.
"Have you been to Greece lately?"
What the fuck was his angle? Mentioning her homeland?
"No."
"You left your home a long time ago."
"Everybody on the right mind left. That place is fucking dead." Koula growled. That conversation was getting on her nerves. "What's your point?"
"You left when you were sixteen... with nothing but a ticket and you came in this... foreign country. Foreign language, foreign people, different way of life... no family, no friends... alone..." he was circling her now, and her glare wavered even for just a moment.
He placed his hands on her shoulders from behind. "Tell me, Kyriaki. What is it that you really want? I will grant it to you. Shrekscobar and I have sources everywhere. Even in a defiled little country like yours. All it takes is a phonecall and everyone who's brought your country to its knees will be dead within the next twenty-four hours. All I ask in return is that you let my wife be."
She laughed.
His eyes widened. The last thing he expected to happen right now was her to start laughing. What the hell did he do wrong? He had read her files hundreds of times. He was absolutely certain that was her weakness. There was nothing else he could struck her with.
But she laughed nonetheless.
"Oh boy..." she clutched on her stomach and wiped her tears from all that laughter "...and here I was starting to get intimidated." She chuckled and she turned and looked at that look of disbelief and confusion on his face. "I don't really have to hurt her..." she patted his cheek "...you'll do it yourself, Irvin Pavlov." She stood up and made her way to the desk, pulling out a file with his name on top. She opened the black leather folder and started fumbling through the papers.
Erwin looked like he had just seen a ghost.
Koula snapped the folder closed and she tossed it aside on the desk. "I won't hurt your wife, because she is a victim of yours just like everyone else. And I won't tell her, because I don't have to. She will find out eventually. The truth always finds a way out. You can't erase the cruelty of your past, and neither can I."
Koula sat on her chair beside her partner and she waved at him goodbye.
Tagged by the lovely @vroombeams and @wanderingblindly to share my last line!!
Were they not in the middle of this heat crisis, Max would take the time to explore Charles thoroughly. He would trace those beautiful thighs with his lips, find all the spots that made Charles shiver. He would revel in the pain from Charles tugging on his hair, directing him towards what he wants.
