The Bodyguard

14

"Can you handle that?" Nik asks me, as I scan the gun. "It's a Russian— He says, as I point the gun at him.

"What is this bitch doing?!" One of the men shout.

"Kill her!" The weapon sellers begin to point their guns at me.

"Does it look like I can't?" I ask him, a small smile on my face. Oh, how I missed the thrill of this life! Nik nods, signaling to the men with his hand to lower their weapons.

"I forgot to not underestimate you, Ms. Leister. I keep forgetting that you're not a regular woman." He says. I ignore his words, and adjust my shirt, as I place the gun in my jeans. I pick a blade from the table, and begin to shove it in my shoe.

"You're going to the lions den, Nikolai. I don't know if you understand the gravity of what you're doing." A man who's been seated by the far corner of the restaurant-like room finally speaks. His accent was thick, a deep Russian accent, that Nik somehow did not have.

"I appreciate you for concern, but don't interfere in my personal matters." Nik responds.

"Do they know about you? Does he?" I whisper to Nik.

He looks at me, his brown eyes glistening under the fluorescent bulb. I blink, as he stares at me. I raise an eyebrow, waiting for his response. "Only Igor knows about me. Why?"

"I just got the feeling. It seems like he cares about you." I respond.

"How? We are not friends. Why would he care about me?"

"I've read a few books, and seen a few things too. Can we leave?"

"No. Not without a plan." He responds. I fold my arms, waiting to hear what he has to say.

"Babin's a dangerous man. It's like making a deal with the devil." He says.

"I won't be getting Volkov for free. I know that."

"On getting there, you must not shoot at anyone unless it's absolutely necessary."

I scoff, "You're telling me not to shoot, unless I'm shot at first?"

"All we need to do is cause a commotion, something to get him interested in us, and then, he'll come to us. Babin's house is heavily guarded, and it won't be easy to penetrate. We must be as fast as possible in finding a way to let him know we're there. That's the only way he'll come to us."

"And to do that, we have to make sure we don't get hit." I state, understanding him.

"Precisely." He responds.

"People are going to die tonight. . ." I say to him, as I pick up another gun from the black duffle bag on the table that lay before us. I cock the gun, certain that I had made the right choice. "But it won't be us." I say, prepared.

******

As we approach the huge mansion, there's a long courtyard littered with guards in view. Nik is driving, and I'm sitting beside him, scanning the road ahead, as I begin to count the number of men on ground.

"There's about fourteen men there, if not more." I say, my heart pounding.

"Are you ready?" He asks, as he throws the duffle bag to the back seat. It would be our plan b, if needed. I nod a yes. Our car stops, and about 6 men surround us, pointing their riffles at us.

"Get down." One of the men commands. Nik and I exchange knowing glances at one another, as we begin to unbuckle our seat belts and get down.

"Hands on your head!" One of them kicks Nik behind his leg. We both obey.