10 Chapter 10: Negotiation

Charles came back to the banquet hall and was currently having a drink while observing his surroundings. He kept on checking his watch.

"I wonder what Elle is doing right now. Why is it she is taking so long to finish it? " Charles frowned as he was getting impatient.

"I couldn't wait to see what would be the reaction of everyone present here tonight when they will find out that Jorge Arison was murdered in his own Mansion."

*****

Meanwhile, the two persons upstairs continued their conversation...

"I recognized your dagger. Only Phantom has this kind of dagger, this was his trademark."

Jorge explained to Elle the reason why he assumed that she was a disciple of Phantom.

"You are really familiar with him. You could remember even his weapon. I have to commend you for that."

"How about you?" What are your alias and your mark." Jorge asked curiously. Elle picked something inside her robe's pocket and revealed a small card with a symbol of a cat and an eye.

Jorge was stunned for a moment upon seeing the card. "You are the Catseye, the devilish assassin as others are saying."

Elle just responded with a smile.

"He really trained you well, a killing machine who would follow his footsteps," he added.

Elle suddenly chuckled "Nope, I have no plan in following the footsteps of that old geezer. Don't compare me with him. Enough talking already. We are really wasting a lot of time now by talking nonsense, are you just buying some time so that you can escape?"

"I'm not a fool. I know what you are capable of. One wrong move and you can kill me right here right now in just a blink of an eye. So before it happens....let's talk about business first." Jorge suggested.

Elle raised her brows, "Whoah, that's an interesting topic to talk to. Are you going to negotiate for your precious life? Let me hear your proposal"

Jorge stared at her intently, this time he was serious. "Who hired you? How much money they offered you?".

"Dark Knight offered 50 million at first but I refused. I said I need 100 million to close the deal." Elle answered.

A loud chuckle coming from Jorge erupted in the room. "Hahaha, you're joking, right? Do you think my head is only worth 100 million? You should have asked them to give you a Billion if I were you." Jorge sounded amused.

"So are you telling me that you will give me a billion just to spare your life and abort the mission that they have given me?"

"Haha, No! Call them right now and demand more. Heh since they want me dead why not grab this opportunity to make them lose more money? It would be my greatest revenge for them." Another laughter erupted coming from Jorge.

"Why is that so? You should convince me to spare your life by paying me a billion rather than telling me to call them and demand more money." Elle stared at him, observing him with her cold dark eyes.

"I said I am not a fool. If I said that, we never know, you might have the urge to throw that dagger again and I will end up with the same fate as him" Jorge pointed to her the lifeless body of Peter

"I know even if I offer you a billion, you will never let me go. No one knows Catseye's identity until now. You are very mysterious. Knowing your identity and showing me your card only means death."

"Sooner or later you'll have to silence me. So there is no use for negotiation about sparing my life," he added.

Elle clapped her hands "You are really a clever one, a smart one. I should follow the advice of a wise man." After saying that, Elle contacted Charles.

"Charles...

"Hey!!! Elle, what are you doing now? Have you already finished the mission? Where are you? I am so bored waiting for the outcome of our mission."

Charles interrupted Elle and bombarded her with questions as soon as he heard Elle call his name.

"Call Dark Knight. Tell them there was a change of plan. Jorge already knows about them and he offered us a billion to spare his life."

"Tell them if they could not give us more than what Jorge had offered then let's forget about this mission and prepare for the counterattack of Skull Gang. I need their full payment right now."

She said to Charles directly to the point.

"Copy and noted Madam!" Charles picked up his phone and called the leader of the Dark Knight.

10 minutes  passed  and then Charles called her back.

"They offered us 50 Billion.....and", Charles hesitated.

"and What?" Elle asked him

Charles sighed "Promise me first that you will not torture me."

"I promise I will not torture you but I will definitely kill you if you won't talk right now.! Elle sounded annoyed.

"They offered us 50 billion and they said you are a devil bitch that should rot in hell. They cursed you and me." Charles sighed.

A sinister smile appeared on Elle's face as if she didn't mind what Charles just said. She was now looking at her phone when she saw that the money was already deposited into her account.

Jorge was just observing the lady assassin and waiting for her final judgment. Elle glanced at him.

"Judgement time I guess." Jorge smiled at her

"Thank you for helping me gain more profits today. Because I am in a good mood, I will not give you a bloody death. I will not spill your blood today."

Elle picked up a tiny tube in her pocket and gave it to Jorge.

"I'll give you a peaceful death through this poison. Drink this."

Jorge complied and drank the poison. Elle gave him a final look before she turned her back and started to leave the room.

"Thank you." Those were the last words that Jorge uttered before he died.

She stopped. She was stunned and surprised when she heard those words.

She turned back and saw Jorge smiling at her. She gave him a confused and questioning look.

But Jorge would never talk again. 5 minutes later. Jorge collapsed on his bed. Jorge Arison was already dead.