Captive in Plain Sight

Douazecisidoi || Trouble

"It's time," he said.

Olga and Raul were in his office to discuss unpleasant affairs.

"As you know, I've been working to find another way, but all resources are exhausted. I have no option but to pull from the emergency fund."

He was between a rock and a hard place. A hefty debt had been racked up to Cordelia, and now, she was calling the loan. For years, she had been the only thing keeping the ship afloat. The combination of the family cutting him off, and years of going in and out of rehab had finally caught up.

"What about our hazard pay?" Olga asked. She kept calm as she chain-smoked her hand-rolled cigarettes. A habit he despised but accommodated considering the circumstances.

"I need access to the entire fund." he replied. "It's the only way."

Raul sat up in his seat. "If we run into problems, we'll have no way out."

"I'm aware." he replied.

"You're the genius." Raul said. "Can't you rob a bank with your computer? Like you did with Mila's parents?"

"Hacking into a bank account is one thing." he said. "Withdrawing and using stolen money is another entirely. That's how even the best get caught. If you remember, I only temporarily removed those funds."

Not that he couldn't do it if he had more time, but he had too many irons in the fire. It would be frivolous to attract unwanted attention from something as trite as money.

Olga tapped her cigarette on the ashtray. "Can't we just take care of Cordelia?"

"I've thought about that too." he said. "It'd be more trouble than it's worth. She's too high profile."

"We can make it look like accident?"

"Not an option." he said.

"I miss Nicu." Olga said, fondly. "He was the master of accidents."

"He was an asshole." Raul chimed in. "Mihal was the reliable one."

"Let's take a step back and entertain the idea of killing Cordelia." he said. "Say she dies unexpectedly, in an accident. Even if the police don't find anything suspicious, her family would never give up on finding the truth, and they have the resources to keep digging. If they did find anything amiss, who do you think would be the number one suspect?"

He raised his hand.

"Me. Her indebted ex-boyfriend who's been trying to move on with his new relationship. The same person she's been spreading rumors about."

"I see your point." said Olga.

"Yes, this is a setback, but we need to be patient and diligent. We have a plan and it's going to work out." he said.

"Yeah, a plan that relies even more on her." Olga referred to Mila.

"We're screwed." Raul ran his hands through his scalp.

"Ok, I'm going to need attitude adjustments from the two of you." he said. "Let's keep things in perspective. Everything is still on track, we're in HSG, and we still have some cash left. This isn't the largest setback we've had nor the most difficult we've been through."

"Have you checked on your ward lately?" Raul asked. It was a recent nickname Raul had been using for Mila, and he wasn't a fan.

"I'm not sure if you've noticed, but her mental state is fragile, and has been for a while." Raul pulled up video feed on his tablet. Surrounded by a bunch of pillows and a very expensive Italian throw, Mila was sleeping in the bathtub.

"A lighter hand may be needed."

"I know you think she's tough." Olga said. "But she's not the same girl you knew. You can try and deny it, but I know you see it. If you push this one too close to the edge, she may fall off. I think we can all agree we don't want to go through that again? You have to guard your heart, but you can't completely close it."

As much as he didn't want to admit, he knew they were right. It seems they had reached a quiet agreement.

"So, I have your blessing?" he said.

Raul confirmed.

"I've always had faith in you, my little pui." Olga put out her cigarette. "Take the money. Do what you have to do. I just have this foreboding feeling the walls are beginning to close in."

She wasn't the only one.

*****

"Is something wrong?"

Mila was in her bed reading. On alert, she put the book facedown, giving him her full attention.

"I'm doing my best at work. I just need a little more time."

"That's not what I'm here for." he said. "How have you been sleeping?" His question seemed to confuse her.

"Oh-ok, I guess."

He moved toward her and she instinctively backed away. It was game over as soon as he closed in and swung her over his shoulder. She immediately began fighting, kicking and scratching.

As they left the room she managed to grab hold of the doorframe, which almost made her slip off his shoulder. He managed to catch her in time and continued on with ease.

"I won't go back there!" she said. "I can't."

"Does it look like we're going to the basement?" he said.

Her spastic movements lessened as she began looking around. "Where are we going?"

"My room." he said. Once they were in his space, he put her down. His living quarters would be more comfortable for them. The warm colors of his room and blackout curtains were much better for rest than her bright walls.

"Why am I here Alec?"

She looked frightened and nervous, the opposite of what he was going for.

"Because you haven't been sleeping, and I know from experience you're a mess when you don't get your eight hours. So, since you can't sleep comfortably in your own bed, you're sleeping with me."

She froze, unable to say anything.

"This isn't sexual." he reassured. "You know my feelings on that." He moved her hair over her shoulder, exposing her ear. "Don't you miss intimacy?" he whispered. "I do."

"No." she said defiantly, moving away.

He ignored her. "We've both been feeling lonely, this way we can be a comfort to each other."

"I'm only lonely because you've made me this way." she said.

He tried so hard to be nice.

"I've been thinking." He turned down his comforter. "The holidays are approaching. Should we pay a visit to your family? They haven't seen you in a while and I'm sure they miss you."

It seemed to do the trick, and without another word, she got into bed. She attempted to stay far away from him, but he pulled her close.

Holding her in his arms, he lightly stroked her collar bone and took in her scent. It reminded him of all the cold winter evenings they'd fallen asleep this way. 

She was very tense at first, but eventually relaxed little by little. Her head resting in its familiar place, like no time had passed. As soon as he felt her heart rate slow, he began telling a story.

"Once upon a time," he said. "There was a boy named Santiago. He was a shepherd, who dreamed of a golden treasure beneath the pyramids of Egypt..."

It was her favorite. A timeless story about destiny.

And for the first time in years, she fell asleep in his arms, and he, with his arms around her.

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