Number 7

"You seem so quiet today... much quieter than usual. Is something... on your mind?"

Wearing a checkered suit as he sat across from a young girl - no more than 17 years of age - was a man whose sleazy appearance gave off the essence of a big shot.

The girl wore a red dress, and perhaps at first glance she wouldn't seem to be so young - however one could never be too certain.

Yet more striking than the red dress were her eyes, the irises of which were pitch black, completely opposite to her bleach blonde hair.

"Ah... well..."

Taking in a deep breath, the girl seemed to be in pain as she lamented something, however with a weak voice she spoke.

"No."

Her voice was soft yet firm, as if she were denying something to herself.

"I see. Waiter. Another glass for the woman."

"As you wish, sir."

With a fake smile and a bow, the man serving them acted with unnecessary cheer, at which a thought entered the mind of the girl.

'Is everything in this world a lie?'

Looking up to the man who treated her, she glanced up and down him, from his fancy suit to his styled hair, and then down as she eventually landed on his expensive watch.

"Ah... would you like one of these? You know... something as simple as this could be obtained with the snap of my fingers."

Showing off the expensive watch on his wrist, the man took a sip of a margarita which he had barely touched as another was placed before the woman.

Holding out her hand, the woman grabbed the drink as she stared at it.

'And yet... even though I hate it...'

Placing her lips to the glass, the liquid seemed to be sucked up in mere moments as the girl's eyes became more and more reddened.

'I can't escape from becoming one of them.'

Laying her head on the table, the girl looked up to the man, who was grinning with satisfaction.

'Liars.'

At some point, the vision of the girl became blurry.

Slowly, slowly, the top and bottom of her vision became black - and soon her eyelids covered the entirety of her vision.

'Yes... that's all I am.'

'And all I ever will be.'

'A liar.'

----

"That was quite the dip you took. Well? Did you enjoy the dinner?"

Awakening in a bed, the girl looked around her.

She was inside a room which was familiar to her.

Standing at the mirror while gazing at his shirtless body was the man who this girl worked for, and not for a single moment did he turn to look at her as he spoke.

"You never gave me an answer before you fell asleep. Perhaps you could give me one now. Your time is almost up... soon enough you could get a real job, work your way up the ladder... and if you're lucky, someday make a fraction of what I make. Or..."

Turning around as he stood above the girl with a grin, the man looked down on her with arrogance.

"You could just become mine... and never have to worry about such a thing again."

"Why did you wait all this time before offering me something like that?"

Glaring at the man with sinister eyes filled with confusion and suspicion, the girl’s gaze pierced into the man.

"How many times... have I given you everything you wanted? And yet for some reason, this time is the one that you finally decide to give back?"

With accusing words, the woman attacked the man, however he merely shrugged such attacks off.

"Is that what it seems like? But even if you say such a thing... I can make offers as I please, can I not?"

Staring down at herself, the woman grit her teeth as she spit out her next words.

"I... shouldn't be here."

Standing up, the woman stormed towards the door.

However, right before she got to it, she was blocked.

"Now now... take your time on this decision, won't you? After all... this is a limited time offer."

"I..."

Looking away from the man, the woman bit her lip as she considered her options.

Stay with this man - and have everything in the world.

Or leave him right now - and have a sliver of pride.

No, not even.

She had already lost her pride.

Her everything.

She had already fallen deep into sin, and she could not even hope to be redeemed.

Therefore in the end, all she would be doing would be pretending like she had never done anything wrong in the first place.

She would be living out a lie.

'So what do I do?'

'Do I keep on lying?'

'Do I keep on lying to myself, and to everyone around me?'

'Do I keep on pretending like everything is alright?'

However, it was at that moment that she felt something.

The sharpness of a certain piece of glass which was in her pocket was no longer there.

Reaching into her pocket to check, the woman's eyes went wide as she realized that the ring which she had been gifted was gone.

"Oh... that piece of trash? Come now. If you wanted, you could have one made from diamond. I threw it out, since it was worthless."

Looking up to the man who spoke, a needle threaded its way through her heart.

Slowly but surely, poking a hole into it as all of the blood seemed to overflow within her - slowly killing her inside.

And then, in her mind, a face appeared.

The bald face of a certain boy who had fallen in love with her.

'Why... did I betray him like this?'

'For the money?'

'For the power?'

'Because... I didn't believe him?'

It was at that moment that the girl realized something.

'He... didn't break his promise.'

Tears came to her eyes, and as her knees weakened, the girl forced herself to continue standing.

'I broke it.'

"Now now... there's no need to be so-"

"I've heard enough."

Shoving the man out of the way, the woman’s hand was caught before she could react.

"I'm leaving.", she stated with a firm determination in her eyes.

However as she yanked her hand away from the man who held it, she realized that his grip was as tight as ever - and he refused to let her go.

"No."

With this single word, a corrupted voice slithered its way into the heart and mind of the girl, who pulled away once more.

However, like an iron chain attached to a wall, she was unable to extend it beyond its reach.

"You're not."

At that moment, the girl felt herself forced to the ground.

And then, her world turned upside down, the scenery of the ceiling was soon covered by a fist which rapidly approached her face.

'Eh?'

"You dumb skank... I offer you everything.... everything... and I've done so much for you... and yet... and yet..."

Slam!

As a fist hit her straight in the face, the girl felt the burning sensation of pain as she was attacked.

Slam!

With another pound, she felt blood fly from her head as it began to drip down her forehead, and she began to struggle to get the man off her.

Slam!

However despite her futile attempts to struggle, the blows continued.

Slam!

And then, just as everything felt lightened as the man got off her, the girl found herself unable to stand.

Her head was shaken.

Everything was rattling, and the ringing sound of vibrations echoed in her ears.

Looking around in the confusion, the man was nowhere to be seen.

And then...

Smash!!

A wooden chair smashed to pieces as the object was thrown on her.

For just a moment the pain erupted, however this was soon overtaken as she fell unconscious.

And then, barely able to keep her eyes open, the woman once more laid eyes on the man, who was puffing and panting - completely filled with rage.

"How dare you.... reject me... after EVERYTHING I've given you..."

Holding his hand to cover his vile face, a disturbing smile bared as the man glared his perfect teeth at the woman.

"And for what?"

Whispering as he began to laugh, the man's eyes peeked through his hands as they sneered with enjoyment.

"For the hope that you could one day wash yourself of your sins and live a happy life?"

Dragging his bloodied hand down his face, the man then flicked the blood off as he wiped it onto his suit.

"Such a happy ending... does not exist in this world. No... perhaps it would have... if you had only been willing to sacrifice your soul and come along quietly with me."

At that moment, the girl felt a true pain in her heart, and the shock froze up her body.

A heart attack.

She flailed about for just a moment, everything becoming distorted as her mind filled with hatred, however that soon faded as her eyes closed - this time once and for all.

"And now... you leave me with the trouble of getting rid of the body."

With a distasteful glare, the man seemed to be filled with annoyance.

Thus, Irina died.

For the only time.

----

'Why?'

His heart beat furiously, as if it would explode within his chest.

'Why?'

Clutching it as he ran through the hallways of an expensive resort, the boy wiped his eyes which teared up as he followed his comrade.

"This way. I... I followed them to this point before they..."

As one pointed to the door, the two friends who had accompanied Randov stepped aside, nervously looking at one another as the boy stood in front of the door, panting.

'Why... did this happen?'

Calming his breathing, the boy gulped as he approached the door.

'Was it because... she didn't care in the first place?'

Closing his eyes as he shook his head, the boy denied such a notion.

'No... that can't be it.'

Firmly looking up, he knocked on the door.

'Well... there's only one way to know for certain...'

With a deep breath, the boy prepared himself for heartbreak.

However, he had to know.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

'Is it that she betrayed me?'

Knock. Knock. Knock.

'Or is that man the true enemy?'

Soon, he would know.

----

"What is it? I'm quite busy right now. Wha... Randov?"

Opening the door just ever so slightly, the boss looked Randov in the eyes with surprise.

"Where is she?"

Grabbing the door firmly so as to not allow the man to escape into the safety of his room, Randov pressed his way into the doorway.

"She? What... what are you talking about, Randov?"

The man seemed to be sweating.

He hid his hands from view, showing only his face through the crack in the door, however Randov pressed harder and harder, at which he was met with a great amount of resistance.

"Irina. She's here, isn't she?"

"What would make you think such a thing? What are you trying to pull here, Randov? EH? Why are you trying to force your way in here!? What do you think you're doing?"

"Why are you lying to me?"

Glaring up at the man with a deadly expression, the boy's tone lowered as he took a threatening demeanor.

"I'm coming in."

"What are you... ugh!"

Slamming the door open, Randov bursted into the room as his boss fell backwards.

Storming inside, Randov looked around with haste, darting his eyes around the room as he scavenged.

"Randov... how dare you do this to me? Do you understand your position right now?"

Standing up slowly as he dusted himself off, the man glared back to the other two who were waiting by the door.

"Ah... you two. So should I take it that you are in on this as well?"

"Er..."

"N-no! We just..."

"Then leave. NOW."

With a menacing tone, the man kept himself out of the sight of the boys, closing the door with haste as the two nodded, rushing off.

"Randov.... Randov Randov Randov... such a good employee, you were... and yet... there was one flaw in you."

Clicking his tongue with distaste, the man closed the door fully, locking the door - however this did not stop the boy from scavenging from room to room, opening one door to the next.

"Where is she? This one? This one? Why have you..."

"Why have I what?"

Turning to look at the man, Randov realized immediately on seeing him that something was off.

His hands... were covered in blood.

Stepping back in fear, Randov glanced up and down the man as a realization dawned upon him.

"What..."

Tripping as he fell backwards, Randov bumped into the final door which he had not yet opened.

"Go on. Open it. Or should I help you?"

Reaching back as he slowly stood up, Randov did not take his eyes off the man.

'This man... what did he....'

Grabbing hold of the door handle, Randov opened the door behind him - yet it stopped halfway with a thud.

He could not open it all the way - for something was blocking it's path.

Slowly, the boy turned around as he glanced down to see what was stopping the door from opening, and as he did so - he saw it through the crack.

A human.

Not just any human.

The woman he loved.

Her face, smashed to pieces and bloodied to the point where it was almost unrecognizable - yet there was no way Randov would not recognize her.

His hands trembled. His lips quivered. His entire body began to shake as he fell to his knees, reaching into the crack as he caressed the head of the girl.

"Why?", he squeaked, tears filling his eyes.

"Why?"

A hand was placed on his shoulder.

"Why indeed, Randov. Why, why, why. You know... you're something else. That girl... for how many years had I known her? For how many YEARS did she give in to me, in the hopes of receiving something in exchange? She hoped, and she hoped, and she hoped - and for not a second did she stop hoping that one day I would give her everything she wanted if she kept on doing exactly as I asked. And yet..."

Feeling two hands around his neck, Randov was too overcome with grief to even move.

"When I finally offered her everything... she rejected it."

With fury in his tone, the man spoke as if he were spitting.

The hands tightened around the neck of Randov, who grabbed them in retribution.

"Why did she reject me, Randov? Why did she reject living out the rest of her life with everything she could have ever wanted? It was because YOU went and made things complicated... by making her think that she could live a decent life. You made her believe that she could somehow turn around and become a DECENT HUMAN BEING."

Ripping the hands away from his neck, Randov turned around as he shoved his boss backwards, with such force that he landed in the wall with a bang.

Pulling himself out of the plaster which was torn, the man then seemed to be laughing.

"Hah... hahaha.... yes.... Randov, it was you. It was you who deceived her. It was you who made her get those crazy ideas.... she was a whore. A useless... worthless... piece of GARBAGE. A runaway from an enemy nation that no decent person would ever consider marrying... and yet you gave her the hope that one day she would be accepted into this society... that one day she would be able to overcome her situation. And LOOK at where that got her."

"YOU'RE THE ONE WHO DID THIS TO HER!! NOT ME!!!!"

Shouting out in fury, Randov cut off the man, barreling towards him with fury unlike anything that he had ever felt before.

With a tackle, Randov shoved the man all the way through the wall, into the next room as he wrestled with the man.

However this was met with a series of blows.

"Get the hell off me, you lowlife...."

Thrown to the side as he slammed into a cabinet, Randov started to feel dizzy as his sight became blurred.

Pulling out a phone as Randov reeled back in his daze, the man dialed a series of numbers while panting.

"Yes... yes... officer? I... I'm being attacked. A family friend of mine was killed already, and I came in only to meet with this man... he's trying to kill me as well... I... I don't know how much longer I can hold on... please send help as quickly as possible..."

"Yes."

"Yes."

"Thank you."

Throwing the phone to the side, the man put up his fists as he approached Randov, who had finally caught his breath.

"Time is against you, Randov. And with this... you'll take the blame for me."

With a kick straight to the gut of the boy, the man glared down upon him with disgust.

"UGH!"

As a volume of blood was ejected from the mouth of the boy, he bent over, however he caught the very leg which kicked him in his hands, gripping it firmly as he glared up at the man.

"You monster.... I'll kill you.... if it's the last thing I do."

Flipping the man on his side, Randov obtained the eyes of a beast.

Gritting his teeth so hard that they cracked, his bald head was covered in veins to the point where not a single spot was left unwrinkled.

"I'll murder you...", he whispered as he lurked over the man, raising his foot with immense power.

STOMP!

Smashing the man in the face, his boss let out a groan of pain - however the blows did not stop there.

STOMP! STOMP!

CRACK!

First his head, then his neck, Randov broke the windpipe of the man who spit out even more blood than Randov had just before.

"I'll... destroy you."

Grabbing the arm of the man, Randov held it over his knee as he slammed it down, breaking it in two as the man let out a gurgle, unable to even scream in the horrible pain.

Then, grabbing the other, he did the same.

Another gurgle, and Randov felt the man wrap his legs around him tightly, as if trying to pin him with the few limbs he had left.

"She.... bet.... rayed.... you... yet... why?"

Even as his windpipe was broken, the man spat out these words.

His life flickering, he glared at Randov with an immense amount of hatred - at which Randov grabbed the man by the neck, bringing his face close to his own.

"You... you're the one who directed her to that betrayal. EVERYTHING IS YOUR FAULT!!!"

Throwing the man to the ground, Randov turned as he grabbed a vase.

"YOU'RE THE REASON SHE.... SHE...."

Lifting the vase above the head of the man, Randov stopped himself.

Tears came down his head, and he threw the vase to his side as he fell to his knees.

"Why?", he cried.

Unable to move or speak, the man beside Randov whose expression was filled with hatred soon dulled, and his body became cold.

Closing his eyes, the man expired without further resistance.

"What... what do I do now?", Randov whispered, slowly getting up as he walked across the room, heading towards the body of the woman.

Had he truly been betrayed?

Had this woman truly chosen the boss over him?

And yet, at the last moment, had she decided instead that such a thing was wrong?

Had she chosen Randov in the end, and that was why she was killed?

Kneeling before the woman, Randov glared at her.

She was disgusting.

Blood was everywhere.

Her face was mutilated.

And Randov felt nothing more than emptiness.

He felt no satisfaction at killing the man who had murdered her - and his rage remained.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

"POLICE!!! OPEN UP!!!!"

Slam!

The door burst open and in that instant, Randov was surrounded.

Covered in blood and wounds, numerous firearms were aimed right at him.

"Put your hands in the air right now!!! You're coming with us!!! On the ground!!!"

Randov was forced down, to the point where he felt he was about to choke as three police officers restrained him.

'Is this it?'

'I'm going to jail?'

'After everything?'

Biting his lip, the boy bitterly thought.

'No.'

'No.'

'I can't let that happen.'

'Not after everything.'

'Not after everything I've lived for.'

"Randov.... it looks like you've forgotten about your original goal."

However in that moment, as he was being restrained, from across the room a voice resounded in his head.

"You've focused too much on a woman... and forgotten about the reason you live for. About what you are trying to DO."

Step.

Step.

Step.

"HEY! Who are you!? Freeze!!"

The police officer shouted out, aiming his weapon at the newcomer which Randov could only see in the corner of his eye.

"Oh... me? Officer, please. Lay down your weapon, will you? That boy is my PAWN. And I can't have you going and arresting him after all these years."

"That's it!! I warned you!! Open fire!"

The officer shouted this - however no shots were heard.

The pressure was released from behind Randov, and he once more was able to move as a number of bodies hit the ground with a thud.

"You don't open fire on me."

Speaking with disappointment in his tone, the man now stood in front of Randov, at which he looked up to witness him.

A strange man, dressed in an all black military uniform.

All sorts of badges, sashes, and awards littered his coat, and his smile was that of an evil genius - plotting and planning every action he made.

And on his cap was a three pointed star.

"After all... before you even can pull the trigger... I have already taken action to stop you from firing."

Glancing backwards, Randov witnessed the bodies of the men - all of which seemed to be perfectly intact - yet there was a foam at each of their mouths.

And then, looking back to his hand, Randov noticed it.

A vial, filled with a purple fluid which wafted about.

"Ugh!"

Holding his nose instinctively, Randov looked up to the man with shock, to which the man looked down on him with confusion.

"Oh come now, Randov. I've already given you the antidote to this substance. Quite a simple little trick. One of the deadliest of poisons, which can kill in just a few instants, yet it is completely harmless to those who have already been prepared beforehand. If I wanted to kill you... I already would have years ago."