17

The car flies between the houses and pulls out onto the road.

— Yes, I know. That's it, I have an idea. I've come up with what I'm going to tell the guys.—Darek looked out the window.—If we drive through there, between the shops, we'll cut off another twenty minutes of ways.—

— No, I can't. We need to pick up Lukasz. He was also busy with something of mine...—Cornelius turned around between two parked cars.

— Oh, Uncle Lukasz... I remember how scared he was... Is he the same as before? I wasn't sure it was him at first, but now... Hmm, I'll need to buy a scary mask...—Darek laughed.

— You can't scare him the way you used to...— Cornelius slowed down.— Come on, jump in, Lukasz. You can sit with Darek in the back, or with Kirby...—

— Hi, Uncle Lukasz...—Darek smiled with a picture of peacefulness.

— Wait a minute... Is this the Darek? You told me that Darek died in the crash!—Lukas stepped back.—I thought it was just the same name...—

— No, it's not the same... I am still the same Darek, the one and only Dariusz Kaminski. Outwardly I am an adult, but in my soul I remain the same little child.—There was a brief flash of sadness in Darek's eyes.— It's just that my childhood was stolen from me...—

— And where have you been all these years?—Lukasz asked, settling into the last seat.

— He was the son of Mariusz. He pretended to forget everything... Then he ran away. I decided to escape only when I found out that Cornelek was alive...—Darek froze.— Stop it!—

Jumping out, Dariusz literally buried his face in the urn.

— Wait a moment...—Darek croaked and vomited profusely.

Cornelius jumped out of the car and immediately grimaced, turning away.

— Darek, you... Are you healthy or something isn't good?—he asked.

— Out of my twenty-two years, I have been riding a motorcycle for six years, and I rarely have to ride in a car...—Dariusz wiped his mouth, wiped his pale face with a napkin.— Conclusion: Conclusion: I got carsick...—

— My poor little brother!—Cornelius hugged Darek to him.

— Be careful, don't play with fire - I can ruin your jacket...—Dariusz grimaced.— I'm sorry... I'm detaining you...—

— It's okay... I'll need to buy an antiemetic tomorrow...—Cornelius helped his younger brother to sit down.

***

Darek felt a little better at the club, but he still felt sick from time to time.

— If you feel bad, I can replace you.—I said, coming up with another order.

— Are you crazy? And who will deliver orders so quickly? You walk three times faster than the other waitresses!— Dariusz took a cup of tea from under the counter and made a sip.— Your herbs help...—

— I'm glad...—I said.— My dad taught me how to work with herbs and all the recipes are still kept in his diary.— sighing, I felt that I definitely needed to change the subject.— Ask them to hurry up with the smoked salmon, the customer is waiting!—

Darek laughed. I like his disarming smile so much...

That is, I only like him as a person.

His smile is childishly sweet.

— Now, I'll hurry you up. And you look - there will be a golden number of this show... I saw the rehearsal...—Darek winked at me.

Cornelius and his backup dancers in business suits took the stage.

More precisely, Cornelius led his backup dancers by their ties as if by leashes.

My blood boils right away.

Cornelius looks so good with this tie...

I took an order for beer and smoked salmon to one of the tables and stared at the stage.

Ah, Cornelius... How beautiful you are!

There was a sound of falling behind him.

Dariusz...

I ran behind the counter.

Dariush was lying on the floor, white as snow.

— Darek... Darek, wake up! Who was that?—I asked.

— M... Ma... Mari... Ri... Mariusz!— He croaked.

My heart gave a painful thump in my chest.

I picked up Dariusz in my arms, trying to drag him to the kitchen, and there I need to find Lukasz...

Despite his thinness, how heavy Darek is! He looks so thin...

— Lukasz!— I shouted.—Lukasz, where are you?—

Lukasz ran out of the back room. When he saw what was wrong with Darek, he dropped the vegetables that he was carrying in his hands at that moment.

— Darek! What's wrong with him?—He stared in fright.

I leaned over and whispered the name of the poison in his ear. A possible name, of course...

— Okay, I'll take Darek to the office, and you run!— He said.— Catch up with that bastard!—

I ran out into the corridor, which ran just around the hall.

Most likely, Mariusz has already disappeared from here...

when I went to the exit, I saw our fake taxi driver coming out of here.

I took the poisoned hairpin out of my hair and ran to him.

— Call Mariusz right now!—I said, pressing the hairpin to his throat.— Call him and tell him that he has to come here!—I squeezed the fingers of my other hand on his wrist like this,

That there was a crunch.

— Come on, stick it down my throat, Mariusz will never come here anyway!— he grabbed my arm and tried to break it.

A gunshot thudded over our heads.

— Kirby...—I sighed and elbowed the fake taxi driver in the face.

— Did you hear what my sister said?—Kirby said, coming over.— I shoot well, and the distance here is small. Call Mariusz and tell him that the devil's squad iwants his soul!—

I fought down the urge to smile.

The devil's squad! It sounds good...

The fake taxi driver hit me in the solar plexus and ran, it seems, not even paying attention to the fact that instinctively I plunged a hairpin deep into his throat.

Kirby fired a couple of times.

Either he didn't get in, or this taxi driver doesn't feel pain...

Wheezing from the pain in my chest, I fell to the floor, clutching the thing in my hands that had escaped from the fleeing man - the phone.

— Eddie! Adrianna, look at me! Are you hurt?—Kirby ran up to me.— I'm sorry that I missed...—

— I'm fine, Kirby... It's not a big deal that you missed. I don't always hit the target either...— I got up.

It doesn't seem to hurt anymore in my chest...

I showed Kirby the phone.

— Look. It will be necessary to study it thoroughly. If there are at least a few missed, that is, not erased SMS or calls in time, it will a real treasure!—I said.

***

Cornelius found Kirby and me in his office after the performance.

— And where is Dariusz?—he asked.

— Darek is poisoned with poison number three. But Lukasz is about to put him in order, he's here, behind the screen. Our taxi driver came here, he dropped this while running away.—I handed Cornelius the phone.— If he called someone recently, who will be able to find out who and where he called?—

— The one who can is in front of you now.— Cornelius walked away for a couple of seconds and looked behind the screen.— Lukasz, how is Darek?—

— It's almost back to normal!—Lukasz answered from behind the screen.— Mariusz is here, he says it all the time.—

— What does he look like? Darek, has he changed his appearance?— Cornelius went behind the screen.

— The phone...— finally, we all heard Dariusz's weak voice.— I know the taxi driver who delivered the mercenaries... If there's a contact list left, find the Mark Hall contact. This is Mariusz...—

Cornelius ran off to Darek's place, looking for the right contact as he went.

I went to get Cornelius, and Kirby stayed to guard Lukasz and Darek.

Cornelius quickly flipped through the contacts, sitting at the shelf with alcohol.

— There's even you here.— he said, without turning around, when I approached him.— And look at this! Just don't tell Kirby.—

He turned the phone with the open contact "Janika Ahonen-Kaminski" towards me.

— To think Kirby's having an affair with my aunt! When I was tracking Mariusz, I heard that my uncle has a young wife...— Cornelius has found the desired contact.

Gathering his courage, he pressed the call.

We began to listen warily and look around.

— Alas...—I sighed.

— While the call is in progress, we can try to track it...— Cornelius ran back to his office, to his computer, and I followed him.

— Well, have you found Mariusz?—Lukasz asked, sitting down with a clipboard in his hands.

— No, alas...—Cornelius sighed.— How is Darek?—

— Falls asleep... And how did a cute twelve-year-old crazy angel turn into such a big guy?—Lukasz waved behind the screen.

— Time is running out... And it goes even faster on this planet...—Dariusz sat down on the sofa behind the screen.— Cornelius, I'm sorry... I stopped watching everyone, I didn't notice danger... And I'm in serious trouble...—

— Nothing, Dariusz... The main thing is that we are all alive...— Cornelius has already turned on the tracking program.— Kirby, can you stay at the computer? I have entered my data here, we are with Adrianna, we'll go after him...—

— Do I have to be your navigator?—Kirby asked.— All right! Shall we start now? —

— Of course, but when? —

***

Kirby turned on a video call on his phone, and Cornelius and I went along the route that Kirby had indicated to us.

— Turn off the street to the next street, then you will be in the distance. You're too close to each other right now! Mariusz wants to see you!—Kirby said softly.

— I don't care, let's pick up the pace and kill him!—Cornelius pressed hard on the gas.

We cut a few corners in the alley, and a little later we were, as they say, nose to nose.

Our car pulled out right in front of the one where the signal was coming from.

Cornelius called again to be sure.

When he heard a horn honk from the opposite car, he immediately opened the car door.

And he seems to have noticed something.

— Turn off the video call.— He said in a hoarse voice.

He smashed the window with his fist and opened the door himself. More precisely, he tore it off...

— Before the connection, Kirby. Hang up for now...—I said and interrupted the call.

When I heard a woman's screech, I also ran out of the car.

— Janika! My brother almost went crazy because of your death... It's a pity that you can't see your rotten essence behind your deceitful exterior...— unable to stand it, I tried my best and slapped her in the face.

The sight of the splattered blood roused me like an animal, and one blow was followed by another.

— Don't, Adrianna...—Cornelius said softly.— I think it's better to do something else...—

He took a long syringe out of his pocket and forcefully stuck the needle into the neck of the resisting girl.

— Now, maybe the conversation will go better...— he said, showing her the syringe.— There was a strong decomposing poison in this syringe. I'll give you the antidote only then, when you take us to Mariusz...—

His eyes flashed unkindly again.

And Janika's eyes are scared, the pupils are barely visible and her breathing is so fast.

— You know my husband won't make a deal for me...— She said.

Cornelius smiled maliciously.

— I know him...— He said calmly.— But you want to live...—

Vessels began to shine through Janika's body.

— Think about it...—I said.— Only you don't have much time left, the clock is ticking...—

The girl's eyes darted.

— Come on!— She said psychologically.

***

I can't expect a bigger nightmare: on the one hand, Janika is alive, but on the other...

she turned out to be Mariusz's wife!

I'm fighting a strong urge to knock the hell out of her.

— Don't hit her again.— it seems that Cornelius is already reading my mind with might and main.— The poison will spread through the veins faster... In the meantime, we need her...—

—Are you really going to give her the antidote?—I asked.

— If she shows human qualities, why not help her...—Cornelius said softly.

I sighed.

— Human qualities? And she's not even human...—I followed Cornelius, glancing at Janika from time to time.

I don't think I want to treat her like a human being.

I am ready to kill anyone who harms someone I care about...

For this huge number of turns, I did not realize how far we had come.

— Cornelius... Why do you trust her?—I asked.

— Who told you that I trust her?—Cornelius pushed the branches aside.— Come forward...—

Suddenly he froze with a look of obvious incomprehension.

— That's him...—His voice faltered.

— What do you see?—I asked.— Do you see Mariusz there?—

— Better! I am... I see my lovely "Sapphire"! Damn... Well, that's not why we came here...—Cornelius poked Janika in the side.—Is he down there? And where did Mariusz get the Sapphire cruiser from?—

— And how can I know that? He's always digging into his hardware and doesn't tell me anything about it at all... So I don't know where he got the cruiser from!—Janika took out her binoculars.— There, look. Do you see the burnt door? This is the entrance. It's impossible to get in there and not get caught on camera...—

— We'll get over it...—Cornelius tossed her a syringe.— Take it and leave...—

Suddenly, an air raid alarm sounded.

Cornelius rolled his eyes.