Bargaining Chip

After Max left Nikolai laid down on the couch. He rubbed his temples, I have to do this so I have a bargaining chip with Sydney. 

Nikolai suddenly sat up on the couch. He devised a two part plan to get the jade statue Sydney wants and dispose of Meng Po. I won't need to lift a finger if my plan works. He knew the German that Luc Zaranski wanted to partner with on a resort project sounded familiar and had an idea. 

The Baralov Group outbid the German group on a parcel of land located in South Korea outside Seoul. The German wanted the prime piece of real estate to build a luxury resort and Alexi planned on building a Medical Complex. He wanted to profit from the high demand for plastic surgery then changed his mind.

 Alexi gave the property to Nikolai as payment for eliminating the threat from a rival Underworld Boss.

He clenched his fists, Yes! If I can get him to sign the contract Zaranski might give up the jade statue. As far as Meng Po goes, I just need to light Zaranski's fuse. Use him to eliminate that Chinese fucker. 

 He put his plan into action by first calling Rolf Meyer. The greedy German had no idea why Nikolai would part with the land at such a low price but excitedly agreed to his terms. He was waffling about partnering with Luc Zaranski because his background was murky. But, such an opportunity to grab the land he thought had slipped through his fingers caused him to cast aside his concerns.

 After Nikolai hung up the phone he sneered, now, to light a fire under Zaranski. Meng Po's ugly sister owns that fucking Chnese Restaurant that delivers the drugs to his brother. Zaranski will be furious when he finds out Meng Po is the bastard who got the kid hooked on drugs. That rotten scumbag must want to sabotage Zaranski's deal with the German and is using his brother's addiction.

 He called a friend in Kazan. This should be fun. 

 In an exclusive gym in downtown Kazan, Luc Zaranski was wearing a blue and white designer tracksuit and wiping his face with a towel. He had just finished working out and was in a good mood sitting in his office. After he tossed the towel at a muscular man dressed in a black suit standing next to the desk he flexed his muscles. He was smiling while looking at his biceps. Good workout!

 His good mood disappeared when he received a disturbing phone call. Luc Zaranski threw the phone against the wall and his eyes were blazing.

 He leaped out of the seat and swung his leg at the unsuspecting man kicking him in the chest. He grabbed the man by the throat and growled, "Why did a stranger have information you couldn't obtain!"

 His assistant's face was turning red to purple and he was gasping for air. Luc loosened his grip and through clenched teeth spit out, "I want Meng Po dead."

The man rubbed his throat and coughed, "B..Boss..now isn't the time. The deal with Meyer International isn't finalized."

 Luc Zaranski scoffed, "Do you think that will happen when he finds out my brother is a heroin addict?"

 "Huh? How could he know?"

 "I was just informed the person who got hooked is his motherfucking bodyguard. The person behind him is fucking Meng Po. Go bring Lev to me now. You are lucky I need you alive or I would fucking kill you right now. Who do you think gave him the drugs last night and initiated the raid on the fucking art gallery? I would have been busted for buying stolen goods, he would have been caught with a bag of shit! Meng Po wants the fucking contract with Meyer International!"

 Lev Zaranski was sitting in the game room playing video games when his bodyguard entered the room, "Your brother wants you to go to the gym."

 "Tell him I'm in the middle of a game. I don't want to go. When is your fucking brother going to bring me my fix! I am going crazy here trying to keep my mind off it."

 "I will have him meet us outside the gym. Don't delay, your brother will be angry."

 Lev Zaranski stands up,"FUCK! Call him right now! He better be waiting there for me!"

 "I will. Get your shoes on, let's go."

 The bodyguard turned around and rolled his eyes and as he left the room muttered,"Stupid little shit. What a pain in my fucking ass."

 At the cottage Nikolai was dozing on the couch when he got the call he wanted, " Nik, it went down just like you said it would. That lunatic Zaranski went on a fuckin killing spree! He killed the kid's bodyguard then his men dumped him at Mandarin House.

 They fuckin' OD Meng Po's ugly fuckin' sister, her husband and the bodyguard's brother who delivered the drugs to the kid! They trashed the fuckin' restaurant and cut open the bags of shit then dumped the white powder on the dead bodies. Zaranski had his men force his brother to watch and the kid pissed his pants. Chaos..utter chaos! Meng Po must be going crazy!"

 Nikolai laughed, "Better than I expected."

 "Yeah, Zaranski's assistant took the kid to a private rehab clinic."

 Nikolai's phone beeped and he said, "I will call you later. "

 A man speaking Russian with a German accent said, "The contract is signed."

 "I will forward the land deed we discussed after I receive what I want from Zaranski."

 After Nikolai hung up he took a piece of candy from a dish on the coffee table and unwrapped it. Shit! What a fucking joke...that fat German prick had such moral integrity until his insatiable greed got the better of him. It is worth giving up that valuable piece of land if I can have the little angel.

 He stood up and walked to the bedroom to check on Merri and stopped when his phone rang again.

 Luc Zaranski was pleased when the Director of Meyer International called to inform him the contract was signed. He wondered who the man was who orchestrated the events of today but didn't really care. He got what he wanted, the lucrative contract signed and revenge on the man who fucked with him using his little brother. "Well played. The statue is yours in exchange for the jade dragon as discussed."'

 Satisfied that he could successfully persuade Sydney to intercede with Alexi, Nikolai entered the bedroom. He sat on the bed and brushed Merri's hair back, soon you will be mine, little angel. I will marry you and leave this hellish world of murder and deceit.

 When Nikolai touched her forehead he was relieved that the fever was gone. Merri felt his cold fingers on her forehead and slowly opened her eyes. She gazed bleary eyed at Viktor, "Mr..Mr. Rushkin."

 He smiled, "How do you feel?"

 Merri touched her face..it seemed earlier I was on fire...I must have had a fever. "I am sorry to have troubled you."

 "No trouble."

 She glanced around the comfortable room, it had a homey feel. "You..you changed hotels?"

 He chuckled, "No. The doctor said you should rest to recover so I brought you here. I didn't think I should leave you in the hotel when I had business meetings to attend. This is..ah..this is a cottage on my parents' farm in a village outside Kazan."

 Merri's amber eyes widened and she tried to sit up. He gently held her shoulders, "Don't try to get up. You were burning up all night and the fever just broke."

 "I..I am so sorry."

 "There is nothing to be sorry about. Are you hungry? My mother made porridge. I will heat it up. It is time for you to take the medicine too."

 He reached over and took two pills from a bottle on the nightstand. He handed her the two pills and a bottle of water. Merri's hand was trembling and she quickly took the pills then drank a gulp of water.

 Noticing the red flannel pajamas she was wearing Merri blushed. He noticed her embarrassment and lied, "Do you remember I told you I have a little sister? She changed your clothes last night. Anya, will come and stay with you when I go back to the city in a bit."

She nervously clutched the quilt, "I really am sorry to be such a burden."

"Please don't feel that way. It is not your fault you got sick. I am going to get the food. Rest."

 He stood up and Merri nodded. After he left the room she put her hands on her head, Merri..Merri...what the heck! Flustered she bit her lower lip, I can't remember anything after going to the art gallery and playing the piano! 

Merri was sitting up in bed when Nikolai returned to the bedroom carrying a bowl of steaming hot porridge on a wooden tray. While he was in the kitchen she had freshened up in the bathroom and felt much better.

 He noticed her complexion was pale but her eyes were clear and focused. "Feeling better?"

 She shyly smiled, "Much better."

 Nikolai placed the tray on the nightstand then sat on the chair next to the bed. He dipped the spoon into the porridge and scooped out a spoonful of the creamy white porridge. He blew on the porridge then put the spoon to her lips. Merri was flustered watching him and placed her hand on his, "I..I can feed myself."

 He held onto the spoon. "The bowl is too hot for you to hold. Eat."

 Merri blushed and opened her mouth. After she swallowed her eyes lit up, "Umm...Delicious."

 Nikolai scooped up another spoonful. "There are clean clothes on the chair. After you eat you can take a bath and change. I need to leave soon but I will be back in a few hours. I will bring your clothes from the hotel."

 She gazed at the incredibly handsome man feeding her the porridge and her heart fluttered. "Thank you."

 "You are my friend, it is what I should do."