WANTED

Kopfgeld (Bounty)

WANTED 4

"This better be good." I grumbled leaning back into the office chair, but not before plucking a lollipop out of a container by my feet. Zeigler knew my weakness for the small, round sugar goodness on a stick. Fuck, this must be bad if he pull out these.

"Remove your feet." Zeigler huffed in English. Well he can't be that mad if he is using English.

"What's so urgent, you disturbed my sleep?" Ignoring his command to remove my feet and noisily suck on my grape lollipop.

"Watch your tone. You look like shit."

"Yeah, well give me another 48 hours to sleep. Then I can come back dolled up like a princess."

"Princess?" He had the nerve to chuckle. "You are no princess. In fact, you are WANTED."

The lights dimmed a picture of me popped up on the screen in front of me above Zeigler's head. I popped out of the chair and the force made the chair roll backwards into the wall. I gripped onto the edge of table, mouth wide open in shock. On the screen was a head shot of me with 5 million dollars and the words contract. That slimly, lowlife Italian put a bounty on my head.

"Explain." Ziegler growled his face wiped of emotion. An emotionless Zeigler is a dangerous Ziegler.

I sunk back into my chair defeated. "I can't believe he did this to me, all because I refused his offer."

"I can't believe you let yourself get in this predicament. This doesn't effect you, it also exposes me. You know I don't like exposure. "

"This doesn't concern you, Karl. All he knows is maybe you are my broker."

"Don't be naive. He knows I am a broker that can get in touch with you."

"So What? You can handle yourself."

"This is precisely what I'm talking about. Your recklessness has shine light on me that I have avoided in over a decade. Wie dumm kannst du sein! Wie zum Teufel hast du das passieren lassen? (How stupid can you be! How the fuck did you let this happen?)"

Damn he switched to German now he is pissed. "I will fix it."

"How?" He leaned back in his chair and placed his hands faced down on the table. He had regained his composure, but I didn't relax under his scrunity.

I unwrapped another lollipop and grinned at him. The initial shock had worn off and my confidence restored. I propped my feet back onto the table and plopped the sucker out of my mouth to answer him. "I'll do what I do best. I'll kill him."

Zeigler stared at me for a mooment, before closing his eyes. "I thought I raised a smarter girl. You need to grow up." Zeigler leaned forward clasping his hands together and gave me one of his patronising states. "Can you kill him in the next fifteen minutes? That is the time remaining to accept his job, before you become a mark."

I was back on my feet in outraged. I felt the walls caving in on me as my free will was crumbling away. "What?! No, no, no, I will not be blackmailed into being that Italian's lap dog." I started pacing back and forth trying to come up with another solution.

"You have no choice. You have only yourself to blame." Zeigler didn't move just watch me silently.

I stopped my pacing and angrily point my finger at him. "No, I blame you. I told you I didn't want the contract, but you insisted. Therefore it is our mess."

"Again you are mistaken. It's not my picture up there with five million on my head. It's yours." Zeigler shrugged.

"I can't do it. It's suicide." Several scenarios bombarded my brain of what might happen to me if I go back there. None were good.

"You can and you will." Zeigler insisted.

A beep erupted inside the room then followed by the voice of Sasha through the phone intercom. "Sir, I have Barsotti on hold."

"Transfer the call. Hello, Signore Barsotti." Zeigler hit the speaker to allow me hear their conversation.

"Buongiorno signore,
I trust you have my answer." Antonio's voice full of confidence making my blood boil.

I shook my head furiously, no. However, Ziegler ignored me and sign off on my death warrant. "Yes, she will do it."

"Eccellente! I will send you the file shortly." The line went dead and I stared defiantly at my mentor.

"You know if I go back, I might die."

"I have faith in your abilities. I have arranged a special package for you. Go see Finley and I will send the mission file down there, as soon as I receive it."

"Fine." I huffed and turned to make my exit, but not before stuffing a hand full of suckers into my pockets.

"Phoenix." My hand on the door knob, I didn't turn around to acknowledge him. "Come back alive, mein süßes mädchen (my sweet girl)."

I jerked the door open and slammed it closed. I knew that last statement was his way of saying he cared for me, but I was too pissed to respond. I really wasn't upset at him, but at myself. Zeigler was right, I got careless and landed myself in this shitty place I couldn't get out of.

I was headed back to the lion's den, where I was only seen as a helpless gazelle. That might be my saving grace. Because I be damned if go back as a gazelle. I'm going back as a lionesse and I won't stop until I retrieve my Italian cub, whoever that might be.

Mother Russia here I come.

A/N
Well I know it's short, but had to get it out of the way for my favorite parts of my stories, ACTION! Hope you enjoyed it.
Next chapter coming soon.

Nicci♡