The Only Way is Up

Part Fifty

Chapter Fifty

Nicole watched the door close, then stared at the two manila envelopes in front of her. She didn't want to open them; suddenly she had a million questions. He hinted that his father had hurt him, that he wanted to hurt her.

Taking a deep breath, she pulled the first file towards her, and reluctantly opened it. The photos were of the room she'd met Aleksi in, or at least a similar one, the furnishings and colour scheme were identical to the room that she'd tried to hide in the depths of her memory. That didn't mean anything, not really. She was still trying to put together the pieces of the stories that Maxim had received so far. She couldn't fathom why his father would want to hurt her, what benefit that would have to anyone. Other than it would hurt him, that was the sure fire way to hurt Maxim. Suddenly it was becoming a little clearer, though she honestly believed the man that she'd met who she now knew was his father wasn't the cold hearted killer that he'd been described as.

Nicole looked back at the photos and rifled through them slowly. The room - as she remembered it, and the three doors leading off it. Each door photographed both closed, and then open. The first was the bedroom, a typical double room, the second the bathroom. Again a typical hotel bathroom. But it was the third that made her heart stop.

Rather than a bed, a lounge or even a second bathroom, the room only contained a chair, a single chair in the centre of the room which was decorated in the same colour scheme as the rest of the suite of rooms. But there was only one light that shone too brightly on the chair, and the chair itself was adorned with ropes at the arms and legs, and some heavy-duty chains wrapped around the seat of the chair.

It was an object designed to restrain, and the accompanying photograph showed a selection of vicious looking weapons. Knives, skewers, small axes.

Shuddering she snapped the file closed. Had that been the room she'd met Aleksi in? She couldn't be sure, but would Maxim lie about this? He'd know that this would hurt her, and she honestly couldn't begin to believe that he'd hurt her like that deliberately.

Feeling nauseous, she reached for the second file. In that were separate photos of three women, they looked alike, maybe sisters, each smiling warmly at the camera. But the next dozen images were of injuries. In each they'd had their clothes slit open and deep welts formed crossed over each naked breast and each side of their faces. Their eyes vacant, but pain still etched on their faces.

She snapped that folder closed quickly and reached for her drink, sipping at it whilst she fought of the need to be sick...violently.

Steadier, her resolve regained. She stood, then exited the room in the way that Maxim had. Ending up back in the brightly lit reception. She felt as though she was drunk, her mind and body felt disconnected, the conflict with Maxim, combined with the images still flooding her brain were causing distance, confusion.

"Are you alright madam?"

She gave a shrug when she spotted the same concierge from earlier, "I'm fine...I think. Could you direct me to Mr Chertov's room?"

Nicole knew that she had to see him, that was imperative, but it didn't make it any easier a thought. And she wasn't expecting them to just tell her his room number. But as he smiled, he took her elbow and led her around the corner to an elevator that required a pass card.

"Top floor, he is expecting you."

"Top floor?" she asked with a sigh. When the concierge nodded, she followed his commands. It took just over a minute to reach the top floor, and allowed her a moment to plan her next move. She was furious that he'd subjected her to those pictures, but she could, kind of, see why they were necessary, after all she had pushed him to explain things.