Nikolai Has a Plan To Save Merri

The handsome Chinese man squinted his Phoenix shaped eyes as he spread his hands on his desk. He leaned forward, and his voice was tinged with both anger and disappointment. "Violence will only draw attention. You are an astute businessman."

Exasperated he purses his lips into a thin line. "Little boy, why do you revert to being a gangster when someone pokes you. Haven't I taught you well enough? Did I waste my time trying to help you rise to the pinnacle and find peace? Giving you the weapons needed to wield power so you can have the ability to control your own fate and the fate of others? Why? So you can succumb to your inner demons. Don't be impetuous!" 

 Alexi laughed, "Uncle, only you have the balls to talk to me like that."

He took a lighter out of his pocket and flicked it. A flame rose in the air and he continued. "It's true what you say, but after crawling out from hell I don't want to lose even a drop of what I have. I will set this city ablaze if anyone threatens my power."

 Sydney put his outstretched slender hand on the back of Alexi's hand and snapped the lighter shut. His voice was calm as he affectionately gazed into Alexi's dark eyes filled with an insatiable thirst for power. "Listen to me as an elder and someone who cares about you. Be measured in your actions. Your temper must be controlled if you are to maintain your dominance."

 He pressed the tip of his bony white index finger on Alexis' heart and continued, "Once you let emotions dictate your course you will lose your edge. Do you understand? I taught you to be someone who uses their intellect to solve a problem when needed and violence as a last resort. Use someone else's knife to kill whenever possible. If you need to kill to vent the anger that lingers in you... do it in a way that can't be traced to you."

 Sydney's dark eyes flickered with an unfathomable light as he stroked the red sandalwood Buddha beads on his thin wrist. "The Sanchez family isn't worth annihilating, they are ants that can be crushed under your heel using legitimate means."

The boy's volatile temper will be his downfall. I wish Alexi would find a discreet therapist to help him deal with his childhood trauma. But, unfortunately the boy is too stubborn. He refuses to dredge up the memories from the orphanage and afterwards as a child in a gang. If I hadn't pulled him out of that cesspool he wouldn't have lived past thirteen.

 Alexi realized he was angry at the effect Merri had on him and wasn't thinking clearly. He respectfully bowed at the waist. "I'm sorry to have troubled Uncle. I will handle the situation in a reasonable manner."

 Sydney patted Alexi on the shoulder, "Very good. I will have Su Lin compile information on Karl Wu."

 He noticed Alexi's strangeness when he entered the room, "Is something on your mind?"

 Alexi sat on the couch and lazily crossed his long legs, "No."

He drank the vodka then leaned back on the couch and closed his eyes. I wonder if Nikolai delivered the little mouse to Klaude. He thought about her delicate body, the little girl's waist can be encircled with a hand...she is so thin she could break so easily. Her hands that she treasures ...white and soft they almost felt boneless when I held them. She was terrified I would break her finger and she wouldn't be able to play the piano. He thought about her tenderly kissing his scars and calling him husband.

 Suddenly Alexi opened his eyes and rolled his neck, "Send Gigi to me, I am tense."

 Sydney looked up from the paperwork he was reading. He pushed up the rimless glasses on the bridge of his nose and lifted his lips into a pampering smile. "There is a new girl, do you want to try? She is an expert in acupuncture and massage. I bought her from Sun Woo."

 "Whatever. Either one."

 "I will send her in, I am going to check the moniters in the security room. Remember to deal with Old Man Sanchez in an amiable fashion."

 "Hmm."

 After Sydney left the room Alexi stood up and walked to the bar he took out his phone to call Nikolai then changed his mind. Ignoring Sydney's advice he called Dimitri, "Arrange for Hector Sanchez to have a car accident. I don't want him dead...just a broken leg...maybe an arm." He had an evil gleam in his pitch black eyes. "The little punk is extremely vain so a few cuts on his face would be a nice touch."

 "Will do."

 After he hung up Alexi had a faint smile, Uncle, I heard what you said but I'm not in a good mood...not at all... 

 Nikolai had his hands on his thighs sitting in a chair next to the bed. Watching Merri sleep he was conflicted, he was an assassin who without blinking could kill but faced with harming a young girl he had a knot in his heart. He was at a loss as to what to do.

If I take her to Klaude she will be tortured by the perverted bastard...if I don't...Alexi will be angered that I disobeyed his order. Why didn't I move quicker and find a substitute? A professional woman who could handle a client like Klaude with his weird fetishes and come out of the situation unscathed. Happy to have a fistful of cash...Fuck..

 Full of self blame he stood up and paced around the room. Knowing that he needed to make a decision soon he decided to bathe Merri while considering what to do. He removed his suit coat and rolled up the sleeves of the black silk short he was wearing, then took long strides into the bathroom. 

 He turned on the faucet and checked the temperature of the water. He knitted his eyebrows together deep in thought, how can I deliver an innocent weak girl to a despicable man like Klaude.

 As the bathtub filled up with warm water he clenched his fists at his side. I have never directly gone against Alexi's wishes. But, this is different...it involves destroying a weak and helpless girl.

 After Alexi left the gang when they were young he said he would be back to help him escape but he had no expectations. He believed once Alexi was out of the hellish gang the friendship they developed would be forgotten.

Surprisingly, six months later Alexi returned in the dead of night for him and Dimitri. He brought them to Sydney Long who trained the two teenagers to be assassins along with Alexi. He had clothes, food and a comfortable place to live. When his little sister was sick, Sydney paid for her medicine and helped his poverty stricken family. Nikolai was extremely loyal because he felt he owed Alexi and Sydney.

 Nikolai walked back to the bedroom and picked up Merri. He thought her face was flushed because of the drug but she was burning with a fever. Fuck! He was panicked then he had an idea, this might be an opportunity to save the fragile doll like girl. 

He carefully put her slender body into the water and ran a cloth across her forehead then down her face. The tips of his ears turned red when he realized he had carried a naked woman into the bath and was now washing her breasts. He quickly pulled his hand away and coughed. 

 His body involuntarily reacted from the strange feeling of touching her soft breasts and he shook his head. Nikolai was a virgin and never touched a woman's body. Okay... control your emotions...Don't think of her as a woman... think of her as Anya.. your little sister..you had to bathe her when she was young...but...whatever... forget it..just do it.

 He placed a folded towel under Merri's head on the edge of the tub then returned to the bedroom and picked up the gray chiffon dress on the floor by the bed. He shook it out then laid it on the bed then nervously grabbed the underwear. The bra was intact but the panties...he gulped his saliva...they were wet. Well..

 Merri was still unconscious when he returned to the bathroom. He lifted her out of the bath and dried her thin body with a towel. He thought Merri having a fever could be a good thing. He could take her to the hospital then call Alexi and say she was convulsing from the high temperature. Dropping her unconscious and feverish body off at Klaude's would only anger the perverted man.

He quickly dried her hair with a blowdryer then held her panties in one hand. Waving the blowdryer across the lace undergarment he did his best not to think about why they were soaked. His fingers were trembling as he slid the underwear up her straight legs. Once he put the bra on Merri he lifted her thin arms and with some difficulty finally zipped the back of her dress. 

 Nikolai rolled down his sleeves ignoring the fact his shirt was wet and put on his suit coat. He heard a noise in the office and broke out into a cold sweat thinking Alexi had returned. and his plan would be disrupted.

Calling him would be much easier than explaining in person. He might even refuse but if Merri was already safely at the hospital she might be able to avoid being tortured to death by Klaude..