Mr. Peak slaps me across the face.
“Don’t be scared!” he orders.
I slowly calm down. I wipe the tears from my cheek and try my best to maintain a normal breathing pattern. “You recovered faster than I thought,” my boss says as he puts the gun away and sits back down.
I look over at the bar of soap, floating in the water. I try to grab the soap but my hands are shaking. Mr. Peak is watching. I try my best to steady my hand and grab the soap. Then I continue to take my bath. This time, I look directly into my boss’s eyes. I want him to know that I am not scared.
“You handled yourself well with Sir Gerald,” my boss explains as he puts the gun away. He zips up the bag and places it on the floor. Then he crosses his legs and watches me continue my bath. “What I have planned next is the ultimate acquisition. It is something I have obsessed about for years. It is something I have delayed out of...,” Mr. Peak says as he measures his words. “...trepidation,” I have a feeling that my boss wanted to say the word “fear” before he caught himself. Good God. If this is something that scared my boss, then what the hell does he have in mind?
“Are you familiar with the Republic of Odostan?” he asks me.
“No.”
“The Republic of Odostan is a former Soviet Bloc nation. After the collapse of the U.S.S.R, Odostan became a failed state. Unlike other former Soviet Bloc nations, Odostan was not able to easily transition from a satellite region to an independent country. In short, chaos reigned. Former Soviet soldiers fought with police officers, criminals and outsiders for control of this oil rich nation. The place became so violent that not even the Russian Republic wanted anything to do with it. So it seemed like Odostan would become another Somalia. Well, that is until a former KGB officer was able to restore order and take control of the country. His name is Yurgi Modilak. Today Yurgi is still the President of Odostan. So, how does one man control a chaotic, oil rich country for over two decades? Simple, he imprisons, tortures and kills his rivals, he intimidates his people and he pays his miliary well. This little formula has kept President Modilak firmly implanted in power for over twenty years. But nothing lasts forever.”
I listen to my boss spin this yarn and a little lump develops in my throat. Is he actually talking about messing around with a whole other damn country?! This is certainly a step above stealing inside information. My boss lights up a cigar and blows a puff of smoke into the air while he further educates me on this country I never even heard about until now.
“President Modilak and the Commander of his Army, General Zhukov share a tense alliance. You see, the General has been demanding more than a simple salary from the Dictator. He sees President Modilak siphoning billions from the country while General Zhukov makes a fraction of that amount. The Dictator doesn’t like to share and he is beginning to consider simply having General Zhukov killed and replaced. That’s where I come in. For the past three years, I have been helping General Zhukov embezzle money from the Republic of Odostan’s military budget in return for a ten percent cut of the money. The General has been asking for my help in an overthrow of the country. He would become dictator and I would control the Republic’s finances and more importantly, gain control of Odostan’s vast oil deposits.”
Now, I am wondering if my boss has lost his mind. Dictators?! Generals?! Overthrow?! What the hell am I getting myself into?! Mr. Peak stands up and walks over to the tub. I do not recoil in fear of offending my master. He grabs my hands and looks me in the eye.
“In two days, we will fly to Monaco to meet with General Zhukov. We will finalize the plan to remove President Molidak from power,” my boss announces.
“What would like me to do, Sir?”
“The Dictator trusts no one. Not even his own General of the Army. That’s why the President always sends his eldest son, Sergey, to watch over the movements of General Zhukov. You, Sarah, will need to seduce, distract and ensure that Serge never knows about the General’s meeting during our time in Monaco.”
Even though I am scared, I can’t help but feel a little exhilarated.
“Getting Serge’s attention shouldn’t be too hard. He loves young little things like you. And he has a weakness for gambling, drinking and drugs. Keep Sergey plastered and horny and we’ll be able to get this done without his detection,” Mr. Peak says as he paces around the large master bathroom.
Yeah, I know, this sounds too easy. I am waiting for the other shoe to drop.
“Sergey Molidak is the Commander of the President’s Secret Police as well as the President’s Elite ‘Tiger’ Guard. While the 24-year old man is not highly intelligent, nor highly skilled as a soldier, he is extremely unstable, deadly and psychotic. Sergey is known for torturing his own people for fun. He routinely forces members of his entourage to fight to the death. And he has a deviant and violent sexual appetite.” Mr. Peak lets those words hang in the air for a while. He is watching my reaction. I want to remain calm and cool. And what is the best way to show no fear? A simple smile. I continue to wash off my body. My boss sits back and enjoys the show. Deep down inside, I am scared.