Deals Can't Be Broken

"He's lying?!", Farabi looks at Kuro with wide-open eyes. "No wonder his messenger pigeon story seemed sketchy."

"Oh shut up, will you Farabi?", I glared at the brunette man. "Why do you think he's lying, Kuro?"

Kuro took in a deep breath, "He told us that he was picked up from Chinatown to Islydena and that he figured it out by mapping out the whole thing in his head."

"The problem is that Chinatown and Islydena are in two completely different areas of Miwori. There's no way to go from Chinatown to Islydena in a matter of a few hours by car. It takes a minimum of 5 hours by the plane itself."

"And Mr. Burton lied about knowing the City of Miwori inch by inch. The last time we were on a mission together, he couldn't navigate through downtown without a map so yeah. I can tell he doesn't know Miwori that well.", Damien said with a sure look.

Farabi seemed to be pondering about something before speaking up, "Mr. Burton is always stationed at Port Whitehound, his hometown. It's very unlikely of him to be at Miwori unless there's an assigned task or meeting."

"I should have seen this coming.", I murmured to myself. "Alright, anything else?"

"I think we should focus on finding the person who's interested in Madame Achlys. We should strengthen our security and start investigating this matter.", Damien crossed his arms and expressed his worry for my safety. "We can also talk with our government associates and-"

"It's better to not bring the government into this. Madame Achlys has enough on her plate already.", Kuro cut off Damien and looked at me.

"Madame, Mr. Burton was never reliable. I think all his statements are just to throw us off and catch us off guard. Not paying attention to this matter and just staying aware will be our best course of action.", he said cautiously. "...What are your thoughts, Madame?"

"Oh! I have something to say!", Farabi raised his right hand and smiled big. "I think I figured out who the mystery man might be!"

Kuro gets excited, "Finally you're using your pea brain for something useful!"

Farabi clenched his teeth, "Ugh shut up, will you?" He cleared his throat before continuing again, "The person I think who might be the mystery is-"

"Im Mingyuk.", I quietly whispered to myself.

"Excuse me, Madame?", Farabi bent down to look into my eyes worriedly. "Seems like you figured it out too."

I sigh and gain back my composure. "Oh look! The sun is about to rise!", I exclaim and point at the sky through the window. "I should be letting Mr. Burton go…based on our contract.", I was about to walk back to the room when Damien stood in my way and stopped me.

"After all this, you are letting Mr. Burton go?", he asked. "He keeps betraying you every single time yet, you let him go."

"How much longer, Madame? How much longer are you going to endure this? Why are you doing this to yourself?"

I look up at him and smile. "Achlys has always kept her word, Damien. It doesn't matter if the person is my friend or foe."

Damien nods and moves out of the way. I walk back to the room and find Mr. Burton waiting patiently.

"You're back!", he cried out. "Are you going to let me go now?"

I signal the guards standing in the room to untie his restraints. "Let me escort you outside, Mr. Burton."

He stands with a pleased look on his face. "The Madame Achlys herself will be escorting me out of here.", a deep chuckle left his mouth. "The pleasure's all mine, Lady Achlys."

We reminisce about the old times as we walk side by side out of the place. By the time we were at the exit, the sky had taken a soft orange-reddish glow from the new rising sun.

"Mr. Burton.", I call out, making him stop in his tracks.

"What is it, Madame Achlys?", he turns back and looks at me.

I stare at his face for a while. One night, this man took me in and saved me from the attacking gangsters. He raised me and the boys with his daughter. Growing up, I never felt deprived of the fatherly love that was once snatched away from me.

He introduced me to the mafia scene when I was just 20. A lot has happened since then. I watched my own empire grow from scratch. I watched Mr. Burton grow from a father figure to a fraud.

If money and wealth weren't that important of a thing, would we be standing here today?

"Nothing, Mr. Burton. Let's meet each other again soon, very soon."

"Yeah, let's go out and play golf one day, like the old times."

"Like the old times."

My eyes lingered on his back as he slowly walked away. I don't know what took me over at that moment. Was it years of pent-up anger or extreme hate? Or was it years of hidden pain?

"I'm sorry Mr. Burton."