Break My Walls

6. The Queen of The Game

Steve was driving Melina towards the location she told him. She told him stop, out of nowhere. He stopped the car at the roadside of the highway. Under dead-silence. He looked at her confusingly," What you gonna do here? I don't think your business associates will be ready to meet you here of all places. "

She stepped out of the car and Steve did the same. She looked ahead to the road, a black car was coming their way. She put her sunglasses on with a smirk. " I didn't specify which business I'd be doing. " She fully turned towards him," I've a offer for you. Either you keep your questions to yourself till the end of the day and I'll answer them, or, if you'll keep interrupting me, I'll ignore whatever you'll ask. Choice is yours. "

He became speechless at that moment. What was he supposed to say? Ask her now, or, just listen and see whatever she does and ask them later? Far bigger question was, what was she gonna do, that she knew he'd have questions for her? He kept those thoughts inside while the black car stopped in front of them.

A man came out of the car. He seemed familiar. Steve had seen him somewhere. He's sure. Melina opened the car door and pulled a suitcase out, then handed that over to the man. That man looked at Steve then smirked at her, hugging the suitcase. " It was great to work with you, Mrs Shostakov. Hope we'll never meet again. " He climbed into his car and drove off.

Now he remembered. That's the man, who was trying to harras her, cornering her with his other two allies. The night at the parking area, where he had met Melina for the first time. Malina looked at him raising her eyebrow, as if challenging him to say something. But he kept quiet for now, accepting her first condition. They hopped in the car and drove off towards her office.

In the corridor of her office, the security didn't let him in. Melina turned at him," You can stay with me....I mean, you can come inside. If you want. " He narrowed his eyes at her. Unlike Natasha, he couldn't read her moves. She's not easygoing. He nodded at her and the security let him follow her to inside.

She told him to have a seat at the corner and continued her meeting. Initially he didn't pay much attention, but when he did, he couldn't believe her. She's probably something close to be a mastermind. Still he held his curiosity back.

It's already late evening when her meeting got over. She walked into her chamber and Steve followed him. She nodded at him to sit across him and got herself busy facing her back towards him.

Steve sighed before starting," So... basically, your association is standing against Mr Shostakov for the presidency candidate. It means, you're standing against your husband indirectly. And he has no idea about it. "

She turned around to look at him for a moment then went back to her work with a small smile," Well, everything is fair in politics and...love. " Then she took her seat and sighed looking at him. " Your respected Mr Shostakov is nothing but a hard-core underworld criminal in reality. Now he's running for president so someone has to stand against him. "

He got more confused here," You were talking about some....like...your association is gonna announce a surprise candidate who'd represent this party...so..." He stopped in the middle when he realised something. " Don't tell me it's you....You're gonna stand against your husband for president election?!" He was shocked.

She chuckled a little," You're impressed, it seems. If you're still thinking if I'm betraying my husband just to be the president before him, then so be it. He's not how he looks. He has personal connections in illegal money transaction, illegal weapon deals, drug transport and poisonous human experiment tools. And to keep that in dark, he could kill hundreds of innocent bystanders, even the witnesses. To become powerful in US, you have to be a master in these categories. "