The next day, we ventured onward through the treacherous weather and managed to get a ride straight over to Moscow. Erik and I stayed over at a hotel, deciding it'd be best to share a room just in case something went awry.
"I have something to admit," Erik said as he got out of the shower in nothing but a pair of sweats. I couldn't help but blush as he dried his wet, scruffy hair with a small towelette.
"You have six toes?" I laughed.
"What? No," he laughed as well, taking a seat across from me. He looked down at his hands, the laughing dying down. "It's a much more serious matter."
"Alright," I braced myself, "What is it?"
"I'm not just on the run. I'm actually looking for someone," he started off, "The man who killed both my parents when I was a young child."
"Earlier, you told me you were from Germany...did this happen during the war?" I asked.
He nodded slowly, not bearing to look at me. "Look if you want to leave, I'd understand."
"What are you going to do when you find him?"
"Avenge the deaths of my parents."
I sat silent for a moment, not really sure how to respond to that. All the time I had spent with Charles taught me to give people second chances; to use my powers for the good of humanity. And here I was, sitting across a man who was willing to wash that all away to avenge those he loved.
But I wasn't with Charles anymore. I ran away from that. And this was a new me. "I'm not leaving you," I muttered.
"Hmm?" He glanced up at me with furrowed eyebrows.
"I said, I'm not leaving you," I repeated louder with determination. "You helped me, so I'm going to help you."
~The Next Day~
"First person we are meeting is Sergei Abronkovich," Erik said as he adjusted the collar of his button up in the mirror. "I'll need you to stay close to me at all times. He's a malicious man and his employers are not to be trusted."
"What's so important about him?" I asked as I walked over to my bed to see that a silky red dress laid flat on it with black pumps beside it.
"He's made deals with Klaus before. So he most likely might have information as to his whereabouts at the moment," Erik explained. Klaus Schmidt, who I had learned about just the night before, was the man who killed Erik's parents. He spent practically his whole life trying to find this guy.
I nodded, turning my attention back to the dress. So we were really doing this. I was so deep in thought, I hadn't noticed Erik come up behind me.
"Do you like it?" He asked, his breath practically brushing past my ear.
"I love it," I smiled down at the dress, sliding my fingers across the silky fabric. "I'll go put it on." I took the dress and walked back into the bathroom, clinging hard onto the towel wrapped around me so that it didn't fall.
After a few seconds, I got out and walked to the mirror to see how it looked. The dress complimented my curves well and I hadn't noticed that it was backless till now.
Erik walked up beside me, holding a small black rectangle. "You look beautiful," Erik smiled at me through the mirror and opened up the box, revealing a shiny gold necklace with a ruby dangling at the end. "May I?"
"Yeah, sure," I nodded and lifted my curled hair up. He slipped his hands over and wrapped the necklace around my neck. As he latched on the necklace from behind, I tended nervously at how close he was.
"There," he placed both his hands on my shoulders, "Absolutely ravishing."
~A Few Hours Later~
"Where are we?" I looked around the rather minuscule room we had entered through the back of a restaurant nearby. The whole room was clouded with smoke and the thick smell of tobacco, alcohol, and dirty money.
"It's where Sergei makes his deals. But he covers it up as simple gambling," Erik explained, keeping his arm hooked around mine. "Stay close."
We walked up to one table where people were playing black Jack while drinking vigorous amounts of Smirnoff. "May I join?" Erik asked, looking at the man at the end of the table.
The guy had a cigar hanging off his mouth and balding black hair. He was slightly overweight and sat back lazily on his chair, scanning over his cards. "It would be my pleasure," the man said in a thick Russian accent. It didn't take me long to realize that was Sergei.
Erik took a seat across and the others at the table all eyed him suspiciously. "Someone give this man cards!" Sergei ordered.
The dealer frantically handed Erik cards and the game resumed. "That accent. You are not from here are you?"
"No, I'm from Germany," Erik answered, sliding in a few thousand rouble, which was the USSR currency.
"A German! What brings you all the way to Moscow?" Sergei laughed, and decided to bet even more money. There were high stakes here.
"The money," Erik laughed as well, "And of course, I'd like to make a deal."
"My good man, I like you," Sergei smiled and took a swig of the drink. "What are you here to offer?"
"If I win this round, you tell me where Klaus Schmidt is."
Sergei's face faltered a bit, but he kept his composure, "And if I win?"
Erik bet in more rouble. "Then you can have my money."
"I have something else in mind that I desire," Sergei's eyes lied on me.
"No deal," Erik shook his head.
Sergei shrugged, "Then I suppose I can't tell you a thing."
"Erik," I placed a hand on his shoulder, reassuring him. "It's okay."
With a sigh, Erik looked back at Sergei with fierce determination, "Fine. Let's play."
The dealer started shuffling the cards and it was Sergei's turn to roll. I honestly never played blackjack, since gambling just wasn't my thing- so as time went by, I couldn't really tell who was winning unless I looked at their facial expressions.
Eventually, after Erik's turn, everyone gasped in shock as he won all the money everyone betted. The smile on Sergei's face had vanished into a malicious scowl.
"мошенник!" Sergei slammed the table, "You've been counting the cards!" (Cheater!)
"I wasn't counting anything!"
"Hand me back my money!" Sergei shouted.
"No."
"Guards!" All the sudden, everyone in the room had their guns raised at us. "Give me my money or else."
"Why should I? I didn't cheat," Erik wouldn't budge. We had thought up all the possible scenarios that could've occurred that night and had a plan for every single on of them. In this case, if anyone tried to pull the trigger, I had to think fast and slow down time to let Erik make those guns go flying the other way. "Tell me where Klaus is!"
"стрелять их!" Sergei ordered, assuming that we didn't know Russian. (Shoot them!)
I moved quick and raised my hand up, slowing down time right as triggers were being pulled. There were about fifteen guns aimed at us and twelve bullets were zooming out way in slow motion. I quickly pushed each one the other way, facing the direction of the shooters.
Once I was sure we weren't going to get hit, time flowed back to normal. "Erik!" I yelled, giving him a warning for those who didn't shoot yet but still had their guns raised.
Erik raised his hands up and flung them opposite ways, sending those guns flying. Sergei watched in horror as all his lackeys were simultaneously getting bullets zipped through their bodies- enough to injure them but not too fatal.
"How did you..."Sergei trailed off, dropping his cigar on the floor as he backed away slowly.
Erik rushed up to him, yanking Sergei up by the collar. "I'm going to ask you one more time. Where is Klaus?" He asked angrily.
"I don't know!" He whimpered.
"Tell me!" Erik shouted, practically growling. I had never seen Erik that angry before. It was like all that anger and resentment that was manifesting in him was finally unleashed.
"Last I have heard of him was that he was going to a meeting in Finland! Helsinki! Some time around next week!"
"Finland?" Erik furrowed his eyebrows, then slammed Sergei into the wall, "Why is he going to Finland?"
"I don't know! Something about recruitment!" Sergei cried, "Пожалуйста! Let me go!" (Please!)
Erik scowled at him for a while, not releasing his strong grip on his collar. I wasn't sure of his intentions, but I knew they weren't good.
"Erik, let's just go," I told him, "We got the info we need."
Reluctant at first, he dropped Sergei down roughly to the ground. I could tell he wanted to do more than just scare him, but I was willing to fight for Erik's humanity. He wasn't a murderer in my eyes and I saw to it that I wouldn't ever have to think that.