Interlude: Four Hours Earlier...

Earlier that day, as James was waiting in the villa...

---

Phil stopped his Porsche. He recognized the house that the address he was given had led to. After all, he had been here before.

A unmarked white van pulled up behind him, and two men dressed in suits disembarked.

They waited patiently until Phil had gotten out from his car, and then followed three steps behind him.

Phil walked to the front door and knocked politely.

The sound of running footsteps was heard and the door was flung open.

"Back already? Did you forget something silly? I've got a surprise for you." Gina's cheerful voice rang out before suddenly cutting off. Her eyes flicked from Phil's unwelcome face to the two goons he had standing behind him.

"Hi Gina, yes, I'm back. And, it looks like I did forget something silly. Do I get the surprise too?" Phil said flirtatiously.

"What do you want Phil. We're done, remember? I don't owe you shit anymore." Gina said coldly, her smile evaporating off her face.

"We need to talk. Would you rather talk here, where any curious neighbor may poke their head out and witness, or would you rather invite me in and we can conclude our business in privacy?"

"Fine. Come in. The goons too." Gina said resignedly.

---

"Look Gina, I have a soft spot for you. We had some good times together." Phil said, as he lounged on the couch and put his feet onto the coffee table. His goons were standing conspicuously at the doorway.

"Get to the point Phil, and no, they were not good times." Gina rebutted.

"Oh they were very good times. You were a most skillful and enthusiastic partner." Phil teased.

"Enough. Are you just here to play games? If so, please leave. I have nothing to say to you." Gina asked curtly.

"Playing hard to get eh? Alright. It's fine. I don't like sloppy seconds anyway. Here's the deal. I know you and James have been shacked up here for the past month, and I know he's been turning other chicks away." Phil said.

"So what? What he and I do is our business, and definitely none of yours." Gina countered.

"Unfortunately, when it comes to James, it is my business." Phil said with mock sadness.

"Doesn't he just owe you money? I'll sell this house and pay off his debt. How about that?" Gina said forcefully.

"It's not quite that simple. I'll let you in on a little secret. I'm not the one interested in James. If it were up to me, you'd never have been able to meet him properly. I would have just taken an arm or a leg and called it quits. Why would I be interested in someone like that?" Phil explained patiently.

"What do you mean? An arm or a leg?" Gina asked, horrified.

"He owes me a lot of money, and ceteris paribus, it was unlikely he was going to be able to pay. No one is going to investigate me over some loser. So yes, an arm or a leg. Broken, hacked off, I don't know. It depended on my mood at the time. Maybe I would have had him roll a dice for it." Phil boasted.

"You're fucking sick, you know that?" Gina exploded in anger at the thought of her man being harmed.

"Yes I do, and you have first-hand experience of that." Phil leered at Gina again. "So, as I was saying, I'm not the one interested in James. I'm just following orders."

"Orders? No. You don't mean..." Gina stopped.

"Yes Gina dearest. The organization behind me is the one that is interested in James. I'm just following orders. Now, you've seen what they're capable of, digging through a haystack and finding your dirty secrets. Do you really think that they'll let him go if you quote unquote sell the house and pay off his debt?"

"But why? He's just an ordinary guy."

"What do I know? I'm just following orders. Do you seriously think I give cars away to all of my guys?" Phil asked rhetorically.

"Alright, so what do you want from me? You want me to see him less?"

"No Gina. I want you to stop seeing James at all." Phil stated.

"That's not possible. I actually love him."

"Oh, it's very possible. Once again, here's the unvarnished truth. Despite the goons behind me, I'm not allowed to maim or kill you."

"So you're actually just here to bluster?" Gina gained some confidence at his words.

"I think you misunderstand. The operative word in that sentence, was 'you', as in, I'm not allowed to maim or kill Gina." Phil bluffed with a poker face.

"I don't believe that. If your superiors are interested in James, do you seriously expect me to believe they'll let you hurt him?" Gina threw the bluff back into Phil's face.

"They just want him to play poker. You can play poker with no legs, and one broken arm. Hell, I've even seen people play poker in a wheelchair hooked up to oxygen. He doesn't need to be in one piece to fulfill the organization's desires." Phil continued bluffing.

"No, okay. Don't hurt him. I believe you. Alright, I'll break things off with him." Gina conceded.

"Look. I'm not saying I don't trust you, but I think your word isn't going to be enough here." Phil paused for a second, "Here's what we'll do. I'll get Harvard to offer you a fully paid spot for your Master's and PhD, and then find you a job there."

"What's the catch?" Gina asked suspiciously. Like Phil had said earlier, he was not altruistic without a reason.

"Simple. You sell me this house today, and you move out there tomorrow. Basically, you disappear. I don't want, and I cannot afford, James being distracted by you. Do that, and I guarantee I will continue treating James with respect. I'll even treat him as a friend."

"I don't know... I can't make this decision now. James means a lot to me. I love him." Gina hemmed and hawed.

"Look. Just so we're clear, I'm not allowed to physically maim or kill you, but I can probably hurt you a little and then make your life very difficult for as long as you decide to stay here. Do you miss me enough that you want to replay our encounters together? Also, don't forget, James is mine now. If you love him, you'll do what's best for him." Phil stated matter-of-factly.

Gina thought quickly. She was in a tough conundrum. She loved James, but if she stayed, she would bring harm to him and not help. If Phil carried out his threats, she might even drag him down with her. Also, she was now responsible for more than just herself.

"You're not leaving me with much of a choice, are you? Fine. If you promise to help and not harm James, I'll do it. Two more things. One, you promise to help him get out when he's done. Two, you forget I ever existed." Gina negotiated.

"First thing, yes. Third thing, yes. Second thing, if the organization decides to let him go, yes. I'll even tell him where you went so you can have a happy reunion if that happens." Phil agreed.

He was more than happy to do the first as it had already been tasked to him. The third was no big deal, there were plenty of other women around, and if it wasn't for James he would have already forgotten her. The second was probably moot. The organization never lets go of anyone.

"Done. Now get out." Gina said.

Once Phil and his goons had left, Gina broke down in tears. All of the happiness, security, and peace she had felt over the past month were now leaking away as if she were a popped balloon.

It wasn't that she wanted to leave James, but she just didn't see another possibility. Gina went into the bathroom and looked at the little stick she had left on the sink. She had been hoping to surprise James with it.

On the stick, there were two lines.

---

"Hey dude, car's at the entrance. See you there."

James' angry musings were scattered by Phil's summons.

He still didn't believe that Gina had broken things off. What they had was supposed to be something special. James had even entertained thoughts of proposing to her and living happily after once he had paid off his debt to Phil.

Now, with a simple declaration from Gina, he was left adrift on the seas once more.

James picked up his phone and left his room, slamming his door shut on the way out.

---

A gleaming white stretch limousine sat at the entrance porch of the building.

As James stormed out of the elevator, a uniformed chauffeur opened the door, allowing James to join the only other passenger.

"You look pissed. Everything alright?" Phil asked with seeming concern.

"No. It's fine. Where are we going?" James swallowed his anger and responded calmly. He could not afford to let Phil hold even more of an edge over him.

"Somewhere you can let off your steam."