As Kirov drove back to the safehouse, he noticed a black SUV driving two cars behind him. Taking a closer look, he sees a familiar sight: the tinted windows, reinforced chassis, and modded suspension. The typical car used by colleagues and enemies alike. To confirm his suspicion, he made four left turns, only to see the car was still behind him. Then he decided to act. He kept driving normally, going toward Boyana, where he had another apartment. He pulls into a dead end.
The door was open before the car went into park. Kirov appeared at the SUV, dragging the driver onto the asphalt.
"Who sent you?" The man choked on the barrel, Kirov pushed it further,
"I'm waiting!" Removing the pistol from his mouth, the man, gasping for air, replied,
"Ko- Kolev sent me!" Kirov was taken aback. He slaps the man, shooting out the rear tyre, and gets back in his car. Driving away, he gets on the Holo,
"Kolev, want to explain why your goons have been tailing me?"
"Orders from above, Kirov. The old man asked me to see what you've been up to. Don't take it personally."
"Don't take it personally? At any given moment, there are at least ten people in this city who want me dead. How personally would your guy's family take it if I blew their dad's head off?"
"Kirov, we are on the same side, I believe that. Others… are starting to worry. Just keep that in mind." Kirov hung up the phone.
He took out a cigarette, and as he went to light it, the lighter slipped out of his hand. Reaching down to pick it up, horns started going off. Looking up, he saw a car on a collision course with him. He swerved to avoid the oncoming traffic. The road started to blur. White spots started appearing in front of him, and he couldn't take a full breath. He pulled over to the side of the road and practically fell out of the car.
Gasping for air, Kirov took out his Holo, but before dialling anyone, he paused. Taking a deep breath, he composed himself and got back into the car. Turning the car back on, he put his head on the steering wheel.
"This needs to stop." Getting a hold of himself, he turned the key in the ignition and kept driving.
Once he arrived at the safehouse, he poured himself a glass of whiskey and shouted,
"Everyone, get down here!" By the time he sat down at the table, the others had arrived.
"You guys need to go tonight." They were a bit surprised, but no one said anything until Krisi blurted,
"What about Vasko? I got my cover from Kang Tao. Marto is going to the NUSA, but Vasko… What's the plan for him?" Kirov took a sip, looking at Vasko, who started to sink in his chair.
"Vasko, you have three options: to live on the run in Serbia, work with my NetWatch connect there, or stay here and work for me. There is no such thing as a guarantee in this life, but working under me is as close as it gets. The choice is yours." Vasko looked at Kirov with an unsure gaze,
"Kirov, I appreciate what-"
"Don't give me an answer now, tell me what you want at the border tonight. Take some time to think." Vasko just nods, Krisi just gives Kirov a look of disapproval.
"What about me?" Marto looks at Kirov, uneasily waiting for his response, seeming jittery.
"Tonight I'll drive everyone up to Serbia, drop them off, and then you and I will go down to Athens. From there, I will sort out your transport to the USA."
"Okay.." Marto begrudgingly approved, seeming unnerved.
"Alright, you guys, go pack your bags, I'll get my bag packed, and get everything ready for your arrival." Kirov stood up from the table and went over to his room. He took out a go-bag and started packing some clothes.
KNOCK KNOCK
"Come in." Kirov keeps packing as Krisi comes into the room.
"So that's it? We leave and everything goes back to business as usual?" Krisi asks, hand on hip, standing in the doorway.
"That's what I was hoping for," Kirov responds, still not looking at her.
"I know you don't really believe that."
"You know?" Kirov turned to face her with a mix of confusion and frustration on his face "You really think you know me? I've had packs of cigarettes last longer than our little endeavour together."
"Our little endeavour? As opposed to the life that is full of acquaintances and lacks friends?"
"I have friends-"
"What friends?" Krisi shouts,
"Have your friends ever seen you dance? Or have fun? Or even smile sincerely?" Kirov bit his tongue as he was starting to get annoyed.
"The answer is no! For less than a week, I've gotten to know a part of you that the people in your life haven't seen for years. And do you know what I found out about you?" "Enlighten me!"
"You don't do this for the money or the power. You do it because you are scared!"
"Scared? I don't know where you get off-"
"Yes, scared! You're scared that you can be good! You're scared that you don't have to live this life, then you don't have to be alone, that you can start anew, without the crime, and stress, and your father!" Kirov took a step closer to her, close enough to feel her breath on his lips.
"You don't know me, you're just a small-town girl who got too caught up in a gangster fantasy. I'm not your project. I'm a man, and you are just a girl who mistook a drunken moment for something real." Krisi took a step back, her eyes starting to water. She looked away from Kirov and turned to walk out the door.
BANG
Kirov turned to keep packing, but the neatly folded clothes started to be thrown more and more aggressively until he sent the entire bag flying at the wall, his fist going through the wall.