18 A Night in Russia

Nancy's curiosity had no end. She was suddenly reminded of the fact that Samuel used to live in Russia. He had admitted to it.

Despite the fearsome event, she wished to stay and feed her curiosity till it became bloated and more fearsome than any other thing she had been through or she would have to go through in the future.

She had figured that Samuel wouldn't let her stay here no matter what. He probably left the motel room to arrange their return.

But she had her ways to make him understand.

She scoffed as she waited for his return. At least she wasn't going to go out alone.

Suddenly, she heard a knock at her room's door. She kept seated awkwardly, thinking it was Samuel and he would just enter. But the door knocked again and this time, heavily.

Oh no, that couldn't be the courteous boy Samuel.

Nancy quickly stood up and looked through the peephole. It was a stranger she had never seen.

He had an envelope in his hand. Maybe he wasn't a bad guy.

Nancy slightly opened the door as she swallowed the lump in her throat.

"Yes?" She tried to ask politely.

"We got the tickets." The man said in Russian.

Though she could understand him thanks to the chip, her mouth didn't want to utter Russian words at the moment.

'Curse you, mouth!'

She stared at the man wondering where to begin. He was there to deliver the envelope. She thought if she should just take it or not.

"Mikhail!" Samuel called the man, Mikhail, as he walked towards him from a distance.

Good thing he was here as Nancy had nothing to say to Mikhail.

"We got the tickets, Sir" Mikhail diligently replied to Samuel regarding the tickets.

"Thank you for your time." Samuel thanked him as he received the envelope.

"Anytime, Sir." Mikhail expressed his loyalty through a salute before he turned around to leave.

All in the tongue of Mother Russia!

Nancy had inscrutability and seriousness over her face, as if she was going to use the hardest Russian language phrases and have a language-off with Samuel.

And Samuel simply passed a smile to her twisted expression. A fake smile, of course.

But the meaning was the same.

"What was that for?" Nancy asked sternly.

"Mikhail?" Samuel asked, "He is an old subor-" He shook his head. "Friend."

"Subordinate, huh?" Nancy scoffed. "Tch. Annoying."

Her mood seemed to be all over the place.

"Are you feeling alright?" Samuel asked in concern.

Funny. She should've been the one asking that after allegedly offending him. She was positive she triggered him in all sorts.

Nancy just looked away.

"When are we going back?" She asked.

Samuel opened the envelope to take the tickets out.

"We must leave in 2 days," Samuel said. "During these 2 days, you are strictly advised to stay indoors no matter what. We are not to step outside at all. Are we clear?"

Nancy scoffed before bursting into laughter. She walked towards him and looked up to glare straight into his eyes.

He was so goddamn tall, and it was so goddamn annoying.

Nancy ran her hand on his collar. She snuck her index finger in between his tie and shirt and pulled him towards her so he could match her height.

The man, unfazed by a gunshot, had a shocked expression on his face by this woman's actions.

His expression made her scoff as she tightened her grip on his tie.

"What are you to me?" Nancy whispered as she brought him close to herself, leaving only a few inches apart.

"B-Bodyguard." Samuel stuttered involuntarily.

"And what are bodyguards supposed to do?"

"Protect the employer."

Right. Nancy had the upper hand here. And she was damn confident she did.

"So, should you be telling me not to go outside or accompany me like a dog?" Nancy raised an eyebrow.

She tightened her grip on his tie further when she didn't receive an answer. She could feel him clear his throat.

"The latter." Samuel diligently replied.

Obviously, he did. Nancy's point was correct in any sense.

Nancy slowly loosened her grip upon his tie, causing him to raise back to his height. She then brushed the creases off and set his collars in place.

She could tell he was flustered.

If he could deny disclosing personal information, Nancy could also state her conditions at work.

All it required was courage. And Nancy had it by birth.

Now that Samuel's lectures were out of the way, it was time to explore Russia!

Nancy chuckled in success before trying to walk towards the door, but her sprained ankle wanted otherwise.

"That is why I had requested we stay at the motel," Samuel muttered in a low tone.

"HUH?!" Nancy loudly exclaimed, making sure he heard it loud and clear.

"My apologies. I shall never step out of my designated boundaries." Samuel said politely.

"Well, I guess… I could use some sleep for tonight." Nancy sulked before walking towards the bed when a sudden thought clicked in her head.

Were. They. Going. To. Be. In. The. Same. Room?!!!!

Nancy hesitantly looked at Samuel.

"Are you not going to bed?" Samuel asked his hand on standby, waiting to turn the lights off from the switchboard.

"Uhhh…." Nancy rolled her eyes about.

Was he dumb, or was he pretending to be dumb?

Samuel anticipated an explanation.

"I have failed to understand why you are hesitant to go to bed when you feel sleepy. Is something troubling you?" Samuel asked, cluelessly.

"Yeah. You." Nancy bluntly replied.

What kind of a person was he that wasn't able to grasp the situation?

"Oh." Maybe he finally understood. "I am afraid you might have to sleep under my presence as I cannot leave you alone when we are currently present in the lion's den."

Nancy raised an eyebrow.

"So… Where are you going to sleep?" Nancy asked as she sat down on the bed, tucking her legs under the blanket awkwardly.

"I… Do not sleep. I shall stay awake and guard you. That is my appropriate duty."

"You don't sleep?"

"Fret not. I suffer from chronic insomnia. I cannot sleep."

….

Okay… This man was strange.

Nancy eyed him down for a solid 10 minutes before sighing.

"So, when was the last time you slept?" Nancy asked.

"Insomnia is not similar to what they show in films and movies. I do sleep. But only for a couple of minutes or sometimes even seconds. But I do fall asleep."

Nancy nodded before falling on the pillow. She was tired. She had been trying to stay active and ignore whatever happened, but it wasn't that easy.

It was for a fact that Sebastian had abducted her and was examining her. She could only escape due to sheer luck.

Not only that, she had her suspicions too.

She knew Samuel was somehow related to all of this mess. Sebastian knew his passcode.

Was Samuel pretending not to know anything, or was he innocently involved, or was he not involved at all?

"Samuel," Nancy called him in the darkness of the room.

The little inches of moonlight scattered throughout the room from the window. Samuel's face was highlighted, yet hardly visible.

"Yes? Have you not fallen asleep yet?" Samuel asked politely.

"It's been a minute, Samuel," Nancy murmured. "I wanted to ask you something."

"I am all ears."

Nancy sighed deeply. She knew he felt uncomfortable talking about personal issues, but she had to bring this up.

"Just so you know, I don't trust you at all. So don't expect me to fall asleep today, just so you can carry out your missions or something." Nancy made it clear in one go.

"Are you implementing that I may have a possibility of being an accomplice for Sebastian?" Samuel calmly asked.

"Quick." Nancy sat up. "Yeah. I can't trust you because of obvious reasons."

"I understand."

"You do?"

That was unusual.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Even I do not trust myself. Hence, I do not expect anyone to trust me. However, I shall let you know that I must give my all to protect you. As it is a duty-"

"Fuck you and your duty. I don't care about that. Your sweet, sweet words are not going to make me trust you magically."

"I am well aware."

"Then, how about you try answering my questions?"

"I think we had agreed to the fact that you shall ask Sir Roth for queries rather than asking me. He knows more than me."

"And?"

Samuel looked at her in confusion.

"How do I trust him?" Nancy backfired.

Samuel deeply sighed.

"Very well then. You shall ask me questions, and I shall try my best to answer them."