Chapter 31 "Wicked Game"

Wednesday, moments later.

"Wicked Game"

The grandfather clocks rings seven times, and I continue to wait in the dark silence.

Then from above I hear two sets of heels clicking down the stairs towards me. Neither speak as their silhouettes come closer. The string lights illuminate their long dresses. One black, the other red. Both with slits towards the lights.

They come through the door, arms locked. 

Both look absolutely stunning.

The blonde wears the black dress. Her shoulder bare, the dress clings to her. Her makeup and hair is styled to perfection. 

The brunette wears the bold red dress, silver sparkles up the slit. Her hair perfectly runs down over her shoulders in flawless waves.

They stand together allowing me to catch my breath, before I stand. Letting them take me in as I gentlemanly offer their seats to them. The brunette first, she offers her hand gingerly, and I take it. I walk her the couple of steps to her seat, and slide her in after she sets.

I return to the blonde, who smiles at me. I feel her uncomfortableness with being too feminine, so I advert my eyes from staring. I offer my arm, and she locks hers into mine. 

"You, are breathtaking." I say so only she can hear.

I don't have to look, I feel her squeeze my arm affectionately. I pull her chair out, and she sets. I tuck her chair into place, then return to my place. 

I look, and see both, eyeing me like a piece of meat eagerly.

"I clean up ok?" I ask, knowing their response.

Both smile, and the brunette calls out, "Show it off! Let's see the other side!"

I smile and turn, showing off the tuxedo they picked out for me.

"This custom fit?" I ask, unsure how they'll answer.

The brunette looks over, and the blonde responds still smiling, "We took your measurements. The first time we drugged you."

 "Of course you did." I smile to myself, as I uncork the wine, and pour their glasses.

"So, what is this? Today, no masks, freedom. You putting me down?"

The brunette hesitates, but the blonde speaks immediately. Covering.

"Hah-hah, tonight, we don't talk about the future. So go ahead, you've earned it...ask away about the past."

I stop pouring my glass, and give them both a look before responding. 

The brunette's face goes back to her smiling character. I notice the split second change. 

I set the bottle down, and rest my knuckles on the table. I tongue a tooth, thinking of my response.

"This is it, huh? My last day...the whole day, the uncensored you. My reward?"

 The blonde elegantly takes the wine glass, "Can we talk politics after we toast?"

The brunette takes her glass, looking at me, "To moments. The happy, few, precious moments. Tomorrow isn't promised, so enjoy today."

The three of us salute, and sip. My eyes never leave the blonde's.

"Fine." She finally responds, wetting her red lips.

"We're letting you go home."

The words like daggers in my heart. 

"Before you cut me to shreds, I want you to know, this, was not an easy decision for us."

My face is tight. My eyes go razor sharp.

"You don't know...who, you're dealing with."

I shake my head. They're breaking up with me.

"Don't...don't, you honestly can't think-"

"I can think whatever I want. Just another mission, right?"

The brunette's face is hurt. The blonde's seems prepared for my venom.

"None of this really happened, none of it mattered, right?"

My anger grows. I see the brunette getting nervous. The blonde sets stoic, her eyes unflinching. 

"Just get rid of the mark and move on to the next. Continue to break the man, right!?"

The brunette's eyes move to her right. The blonde grows tired.

"Whatever I say, you're just going to get angrier. Yes, this happened. Yes, this, all mattered. You, you are no mark. You-"

"Let me guess, I'm the one-man, to change you. To make you quit your evil feminist agenda to take over the world!"

"Don't do this." She calmly states.

"Don't do what!? React like a man!?"

The brunette slowly moves her arm, her eyes watching me. Scared.

"Don't end it like this." The blonde states without moving.

I'm broken by hearing it again. There's no hope. I can see it in her glass face. They are leaving my life and I can't fight it. I shake my head in frustration. I want to go to them, but there is a chasm between us now. My emotions get the better of me, and I pace.

"Why!? Why does this have to be it!?"

"Because-"

"Fuck the rules!" I interrupt, knowing where she's going. 

She lets me continue, her face torn.

"If this meant anything to you, how can you just disappear from me? How can you do this? How, how can you possibly do this again?!"

I go to step forward, but I hear a familiar click.

"Don't." The brunette finally speaks.

She points the taser gun at me. Her eyes watery.

In this moment, I'm heartbroken all over again, and I can't hide it. My eyes go watery.

"I don't know what hurts worse. You breaking up with me." I eye the blonde.

"Or you thinking I could possibly hurt you." I turn my eyes towards the brunette.

I set down in my seat, grabbing my wine glass, and down it. 

"We can't be together," I hear.

I grab the wine bottle.

"Our decision, about you...is going to cost us," Blah-blah-blah.

I notice my tears have dotted the white linen, and I drink straight from the bottle. My eyes won't look to either.

"We're giving up...our future, because of you," I hear.

"Look! We're targets now! Because of you! We're giving up this life, because of you! Because of some stupid man!"

My eyes slowly make their way back to blonde's. Both their eyes are leaking, and none of us care to wipe them dry. 

"I'm serious." She says, wanting to calm me. Pleading with me to listen.

I can't. Not now. I have to hurt them. My eyes search metal trays, pulling the lids free from the three in front of me. The first, uncovers a gourmet steak. The second, a double chocolate cake. The third, a salad full of my favorite veggies.

My eyes, dart thinking.

"Don't." I hear the blonde say solemnly.

My eyes go to the chocolate cake, then to hers. Her face scared, openly shakes sideways. 

I grab a handful of cake, my eyes never leaving hers. Raising it to my mouth, "I have to hurt you. Somehow."

She gasps in shock, silently protesting.

"Don't leave us yet." The brunette says out of my blurred vision.

I stuff a handful of cake in my mouth. Defiantly chewing the delicious drugged cake. Swallowing it, and looking hurt to the now distraught two. Both not wanting it to end this way, this fast.

I shove all the cake into my mouth, wiping my hand on the tuxedo out of spite. The three of us strife tears. The blonde closes her eyes, tears run black streaks down her perfect face. 

I regret it right then.

"Not like this! We had a great night planned! We could have-"

I cut the brunette off, "It's better this way. You can use this to forget me. I'm just another shitty man in your life. Another disappointment-"

"We're never going to forget you." The blonde responds, not opening her eyes. 

"Thanks, nameless blonde! That's going to matter to me, because you keep all control! You know everything about me, and I know jack-shit about either of you! You, you can walk into my life, spy on me whenever you want, and I get no say, no clue, if I really mattered!"

Both set in silence. The blonde still sets with her eyes closed.

"If I really mattered, you would tell me your names! Just you're fucking first names! I don't care about your families, or you mission! I, I just wanted you."

They both set in pained silence. Both wanting to respond, but both being held.

My thoughts echo, and my head feels a familiar rush.

"It's...it's starting...already." My hand awkwardly rubs my eye, and the brunette looks to the blonde.

I can't remember my last meal exactly in this moment, but my stomach is empty. Fucking working fast. 

I grab a cigarette, and light it. My breathing is slowing. The nicotine rush, flushes my head with new chemicals. I'm spinning. My posture slouches in the chair.

Both refrain from responding. The brunette openly cries, letting her tears run; as she bites her bottom lip. The blonde has two dark streaks under both eyes. Her face looks like a cracked porcelain doll, still not looking to me.

My pride bends, and I regret my every second with them.

I wish in that second to start over when I wake.

"Ok...ok, so this is it. Ok, I want...I want you both to know, I was a very lucky man. To have both of your hearts. I will never get to forget you. You will haunt me forever. I...I love you..both...find me...find me again...when it's over."

The blonde forces her eyes open. She distorts in my vision, and her face is lost to static. The brunette's body distorts, and color streaks starts to take my vision. I can't hear anything but the beat of a song I can't place. 

I see the brunette get up from her chair and rush to me. Her arms hug me tight. My mind focuses on the song, and I think I hear myself sing, 

"I never...dreamed that I'd love...somebody like you..."

The brunette's holding me, and saying something. Her words are muted, her face is close to mine.

"...I never...dreamed...I'd lose...some...body...like...you..."

My head bobs, and I see the blonde's face in agony through waves of static. I feel both of them holding me. My arms feel like anchors, trying to lift them. I want to hold them, but I'm weak. I flail grabbing at their backs. I feel one's spine and the others ribs before all goes black. 

I repeat, "I'm sorry," into the abyss