DEATH BEFORE DISHONOUR

(AOKI)

"Let's get it started " Ivan barked as he walked right past us.

Rigor led me right past the room Ivan had walked out of, led me up a flight of stairs to a narrow hallway with doors facing each other. He opened one of the doors, peeked inside before shoving me inside.

"Don't get any stupid ideas" he said and walked out. I heard him order one of the guards to stand watch at the door and see to it that no ones walks in or out of the room. He also added that someone should go clean the mess downstairs where a pet had been put down.

I looked around the room as the reality of what I was in slowly dawned on me. A pet had been put down. Am I just another pet? I wondered. Did the other pet get put down because of me? Will I get a bullet in my brain too when my master gets a new pet? I have to escape this place. I thought as I started looking around the room for anything that could be weaponized. To my frustration everything in the room was either plastic or too heavy to lift. I checked the window to see if I could jump out. The windows were build with thick metallic grills like they had anticipated an attempted escape .

"No silly ideas" Rigors voice startled me from my preoccupation. I turned a little frightened to see rigor standing at the doorway with a tray of steaming potatoes, grilled chicken and a glass of what appeared to be mango juice.

He placed the food on the bedside table.

"Eat and have a shower, you smell like a fucking swine. You have 10 minutes, boss wants you in his office" he said and walked right out without waiting for a response.

I stood rooted in place for a minute or so before the aroma of the chicken got the better of my still starving self. I sat at the edge of the bed and quickly gobbled down the potatoes and chicken. I ate so fast that I could barely taste the food before washing it down with the juice in one long gulp like it was a glass of water. It was after that my mind went back to the present moment.

I then walked over to a locked door where I expected the bathroom to be. I unlocked the door slowly unsure what to expect. Half expecting a body to fall out, the previous pett. To my relief all I saw what a white bathrobe, a pair of sandals and a set expensive shower gels and soaps lining the bathroom window. I looked to the other corner and saw a set of neatly stacked towels, like I was in a five star hotel. Won't lie, I was impressed.

Magnificent prison, I thought to myself as I got out of my clothes that were by now in tatters and soaked in sweat and blood from the events of the previous few days.

Just days ago I was a feared member of the mafia. Right now I'm at the mercy of the mafia. How did I fall from predator to prey overnight? The cost of pussy. I thought as tears of anger welled up in my eyes. The worst part was that I understood Satoshis anger. I would have done the same if I was in his shoes.

I stepped into the bathroom and turned on the hot shower . I proceeded to let the tears flow at the water flowed. Before long I was crouched sobbing quietly as the water ran over me.

I do not know for how long I had been lost in my pity party when the bathroom door swung open. Rigor was standing there with a expression halfway between amusement and anger on his face.

He threw a towel at me still under the running shower and thundered "Your time is up! Let's go!"

"Let me dress up firs…" I tried to protest but I was cut off.

"You are here to be seen. Not heard. Now shut the fuck up and follow me like my goddamn shadow!" He barked as he motioned me to follow him. I knew better than to press any more buttons.

I dried my hair and body quickly and threw on the bathrobe as I hurriedly followed him out. They were surely not going to kill me right after feeding and washing me. So I was at least confident that I had some more time left breathing, more time to plan my escape.

We went up a flight of stairs to the third floor to a door with two men in black suits armed with semi automatic guns manning the door. "Just how insecure is this man" I wondered as I approached the door, with my heartbeat slightly quickening.

One of the men in suits opened the door motioning for me to get in. Rigor walked right on past the door without even acknowledging the presence of the men in black. He clearly had other matters to attend to as I walked alone into the lion's den.

The door closed behind me with a soft click. I looked around at the well furnished office.The wall was lined with the heads of different game. An African Buffalo head, a lion, a deer, a Siberian tiger and what appeared to be a large snake head. Ivan was seated behind a mahogany desk going through some paperwork. He did not even look up as I walked in slowly, one step at a time.

I stood a few steps from the door with my hands clasped together like a student in the principals office, a deer in headlights. My attention was still fixated on the giant snake head.

Ivan spoke up finally.

"Man." He said, startling me.

"Man, is my favorite game to hunt. I find that wine tastes sweetest when drank from the skulls of my enemies." He said with a matter of fact tone.

I did not know how to respond so I just kept silent.

My eyes now on Ivan, I could see him scanning me from to to bottom with a certain look that I can't explain. He then linked his lips in some lusty way before remarking…

"You're beautiful when clean. You will need a couple of days to heal those scars before I can inflict some of my own."

I did not know what exactly to make of his statement. I was not sure I wanted to know, because I had a bad feeling I knew exactly what he meant. BDSM. I was about to open my moth and ask what he meant when he continued.

"Go sleep. Victor will give you details on your first job first thing in the morning. Any questions?"

"Yes" I said, "what is my job?"

"Whatever I like" he said, "play nice and you might live long. Play mr. Smartypants and I think you already know what happens to stray pets." He said coldly before dismissing me with a wave of his hand.

I stepped out and walked back the way we had come. It was only now that I started noticing the cameras positioned in all corners of the house. Escape is going to be impossible here, I thought. Difficult takes a day, impossible takes a week. I thought again as I went down the flight of stairs to my room in the second floor.

I got into bed. Appreciating the feel of soft cotton against my skin for the first time in a while as I got in and covered myself with the electric blanket.

I was just beginning to drift into sleep when I heard footsteps approaching my door before stopping. There was a shuffling sound before a handwritten note was slipped under the door followed by the sound of footsteps hurriedly moving away from the door. I quickly went and picked up the note which had unmistakably fresh bloodstains, written in non other than Satoshis own handwriting. with my heart slamming against my ribcage, I read the note.

"DEATH BEFORE DISHONOUR."