Chapter 2: The Stay for the Study Hours
He stood by the glass walls staring down at the City, eyes scanning the layout, yet looking at nothing.
A man in black suit, black glasses, Viktor Voronin stood by the door. He was almost expressionless, but had a subtle display of hesitation. As he was about to knock the door, "Come in" the voice from inside commanded.
The man came in. He's been his most trusted lieutenant… the man who spoke when he chose silence.
"Sir, that rumours…" he almost started.
But Aaron raised his hand, a silent gesture yet powerful command. "Bring him in," he ordered. Viktor bent his head and left the room.
Aaron sat down on his black chair, or rather the throne of his empire. A file lay open in front of him. He frowned slightly as he flipped the pages over. At 22, he appeared too old to be what he is. Aaron Volkov, the name itself carried weight. No one dared say it aloud but every conversation of the mafia world has his name in it. He had all of the Russian crimes under him. Be it kidnapping, drug dealing, smuggling… he controlled it. You name the crime, he had the criminals in his pocket… with the biggest being the policemen.
The transportation of his goods was intercepted by someone, bold enough to dare touch his property, or stupid enough to call out their death… It was a futile attempt, but someone did try.
How?
How was this possible, when all of his plans are executed in the darkest hour of night, far away from any ear?
A rumour surpassed that one of his men had some hand involved. So feeble, that it wouldn't have survived a whisper of pressure… but it did spread!
He was still looking at the files, absent mindedly, calculating the consequences of every 'if' possible.
Suddenly someone knocked.
"Come in."
Viktor entered with 4 more men. Among them was a man, tall, dark and dangerous, at least his looks were. The scare in his face stretching from cheek to chin felt older than Aaron himself. But his eyes were different. They were filled with fear… fear of the person he was facing.
Aaron casually got up. He took a few slow and deliberate steps towards him. The man bent his head. Aaron stopped right in front of him. His eyes scanned all the way from top to bottom. Every second felt endless. Everyone present in the room dropped their gazes. Their chests tightened with heaviness.
They knew the rule… If he glared at someone for a minute unblinking, that is always the last time the person was seen.
Now he was looking at this man. His hands began twitching… a cold drop of sweat ran down along his temple.
"Why?" He asked. Too calm, too low… that it made chills run down the spine.
The man stiffened. Panic flickered all across him. "I–I didn't do it–I wasn't even there–...!"
Aaron scoffed. A faint twitch at the edge of his lips… Gone in a fraction of second. The man halted mid sentence… his mistake was caught.
"Did I," he asked, voice calm–too calm–"tell you what I was going to ask?"
The man's lips parted. But no sound came. He was already proven guilty…!
Aaron turned to Viktor, his gaze sharpened. A slightest nod from him was enough. The command was passed. Viktor nodded back.
The man began begging for mercy, trying to explain himself… But Aaron had already closed the door behind him, muting the muffling echoes of 3 bullets fired and the man's scream.
He walked across the hallway straight to the dining table, looking for his breakfast, like nothing happened. This was his daily routine.
He casually took the phone out of his pocket about to have his breakfast, then he looked beside him at the vacant chair. The person was absent.
It's 7:30, the usual time for their breakfast, but she was not there. He got up and headed straight to her room.
Her mornings were different. This morning however, came sooner than usual. Or maybe she had gotten up earlier than usual… She reached out and checked her phone. Her screen lit up with a message from Dasha.
"The plan is set, just don't let its downfall at the final moment…"
She stared at it longer than required. Yes, he himself had given her permission… but somewhere deep inside her, she still felt that he might deny the approval.
Nevermind, her getting ready on time was required. She got up and began the mechanical ritual she'd been following since her first day to school.
As she was braiding her hair, suddenly the door knocked. She turned around and he entered.
"Are you not ready by now? It's almost time for breakfast…!" He asked, voice low. But not like from earlier. There was an exceptional gentleness filled in his voice, exceptionally for her.
She nodded, thinking what took her longer than usual, despite getting up early.
Suddenly her phone vibrated again. Another message lit up from Dasha
"Are you sure your brother's gonna send you? We don't wanna ruin it!"
She quickly grabbed her phone away before he could see. He pretended he didn't notice.
"Yeah, I–I'm ready. Can you give me a minute?"
He looked at her for once then simply left the room.
She sighed releasing the breath she held. She replied back.
"Yeah it's all set! I'm coming…"
She read the message carefully twice, not really believing it was true. Then she put her phone in bag and went to have breakfast.
He sat waiting for her. They both started their breakfast.
Every second minute she looked at him wondering why he didn't take back his words till now? Did he really mean it when he said yes?
She quickly finished and got up ready to leave… The driver was waiting at the front door.
"Eight. Not a minute longer than that…" he said, still sipping his coffee, not looking at her.
She turned back, let the words settle and nodded. Eight. Fine she'd reach home before it.