🔍 Silver Tongue (Slow Updates) 🔎

Sometimes Glasses Help You to See...Other Times They Blind You

Oh, why did that rat bastard have to give me a choice? Without the glasses case, I could have put this off, day after day. Maybe even grown used to this new house. It wasn't much different than the situation in my duplex. A slight upgrade, even.

But no, Dudley fucking Do-Right had given me the means to contact Virtue for reasons that were beyond my comprehension. If he was working with them and they were in the area and still scanning the frequency, he could have just opened it himself. It was a long shot, really. We'd crossed so many borders, I wasn't sure where we were anymore. I was fairly confident we were in Guatemala from the news, but if I found out we were elsewhere it wouldn't surprise me.

Hell, giving the box to me was more likely to draw Ivan's wrath. If I brought the box to Ivan...I wasn't naïve enough to believe the Doc would survive something like this. He'd put his life in my hands. On my TV stand if you're being technical. I liked the Doc well enough, but didn't realize we'd reached this level of trust.

If I opened the box, it would easily be the worst decision of the month. Without question. Right or wrong. I was holding my own little Pandora's box, but with more bullets.

I snatched it from the counter and stared at the pattern of circles within squares in lighter black and the silver trim encircling the seal. Such a nondescript box for this occasion.

I slid it inside my sock drawer. I needed more time and information. However, I didn't want to see it anymore. I wasn't hiding it as much as I was getting it out of my sight.

At least that's what I told myself.

It finally gave me the will to talk to Ivan at the very least, so I owed Humility a giant thank you. The kind that ended with bruises and embarrassment.

I tossed on a pair of black sneakers and marched over to the main house. The guards' eyes widened as they saw me coming. It was strange to see, I guess. I'd usually saved my trips to the main house for the evenings, but it was only mid-morning. They looked at each other, then back to me. Finally, one lunged for the door, opening it just as I hit the stairway.

I looked to my right and left. No one in either of the sitting rooms. During my adrenaline-filled trek, I'd forgotten how big the house was. I should have probably asked for directions. I'd feel even more stupid if Ivan was out. That would serve me right though. I finally get the strength to talk and he's out shopping or some shit.

As I walked deeper into the house, I started to hear voices. Spanish, of course, so I couldn't even eavesdrop, but someone was here. At least three people, maybe more. I stepped slowly across the burned brass-colored tiles, hoping not to distract them from whatever was happening.

As I got closer to the dining area, the volume picked up. I could at least make my way there. It was the one place in this house I'd been to several times. It was an open space, spreading into the main hallway, so they'd see me. No slipping quietly into a corner.

I stopped midstride, wondering if I should wait until the meeting was over, but that alone was enough to make me second guess if I should even talk to Ivan. If I waited, the moment would pass.

Again.

I steeled myself again and walked into the dining room. Ivan would answer my questions and if he didn't, well...

I shrieked when a hand touched my shoulder.

Then all eyes turned my way.

Suddenly, I forgot what was so important.

These men who sat at the table, whoever they were, had the look of people who weren't accustomed to skittish Americans involving themselves in their world. There wasn't a person among them free of tattoos. And they weren't the hipster "hey look at me" type, these were the "I earned this ink so mind your business" type.

I might have peed myself. Just a little.

"Ms. Caceres," a voice next to me said.

I shrieked again, before I realized who it was.

"Max," I said. "I..."

"Bad timing," he said. "As you can see, we're a bit busy..."

"Nonsense," Ivan said. "I'm never too busy for you, Em." He stood up from his chair, smiling. Then he spoke to the men at the table, sending a chuckle rippling through the room. He walked towards me and after making eye contact with Max, nodded his head towards the table. Max took Ivan's spot at the table's head.

"I'm sorry, Ivan," I said, searching for the words. All that purpose, just gone. "I didn't know."

Ivan put his arm around my shoulder, guiding me away from the room. "It's fine, sis. What did you want? Need Max or Darren to take you into the city?"

"No," I said, suddenly furious. He was just trying to distract me. Is this what he'd been doing all this time? Distracting me? "What's going on?" I snapped.

This time, when the eyes turned my way, I gave them a sneer back and Ivan guided me further away.

Ivan sighed. "What do you think, Em? I'm working. Why don't you-"

"No," I said. "I'm not doing another thing until you explain to me exactly what I've gotten myself into. All of it."

"I don't think you really want to know," Ivan said, smiling.

I didn't really. He was right. If Humility hadn't dropped that glasses case at my room, I probably wouldn't have brought this up...

"Oh my God," I said, my mouth hanging open. "Did you just try to 'silver tongue' me?"

Ivan frowned. "Em, I wouldn't. I think-"

"Stop," I interrupted. "Just stop, Ivan. If you're not going to tell me, then don't. But don't you dare try to sweet talk me out of answers. That's low."

Ivan drew his lips into a line and put his hands on his hips. "You're right. That was fucked up, Em. I'm sorry." He looked back at the dining room. "Meet me here for dinner, tonight. I'll tell you whatever you want to know. Deal?"

"Deal," I said, thrusting out my arm and holding out my pinky.

He snickered and wrapped his pinky around mine and we shook. He closed his eyes, standing there in silence for several moments, not releasing my hand.

"Just promise me, Em, that whatever happens, you won't hate me. There are a lot of things I can handle, but that's the one thing I can't." He released my hand and walked back to the meeting.

I watched his retreating back, wishing I'd just stayed in my room.

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Instead of showing you my arm sling and making excuses for not posting on Friday, I'm just going to drop this here, with the follow-up chapter to come on Thursday or Friday.

Prepare yourselves. :)