__PDV KIRA___
ITALY.
Thursday 25th, 12 PM...
I start abruptly, the car sliding slightly under acceleration as I head towards the airport.
I'm running late. Of course, who hasn't had a little delay? 11 AM, not 12 PM. As if it only happens to me.
Honestly, it's pointless to get worked up over my tardiness... But thankfully, I caught my mistake just in time. A mix of luck and chaos, that describes me pretty well.
Upon my arrival, I scan the room with the agility of an eagle. People come and go, but I'm searching for her brown silhouette among the crowd, instinctively following the familiar movements.
There! I finally spot her, dressed in an elegant brown suit that perfectly accentuates her slender figure. She has clearly changed. She has visibly lost weight.
But she has lost much more than that.
I approach her, my thoughts already in a frenzy. Her eyes, strikingly clear, meet mine, and I'm captivated. Her radiant smile lights up her face.
She opens her arms wide, and I take refuge in them, realizing that despite the years, our bond is still there. We are still the same height, closely connected in the shadows.
- I really missed you, I whisper in her ear.
- I'm definitely staying, she says, as if apologizing for a choice that weighs on her. I've caused too much damage.
- Come on, let's talk in the car, I say, my voice softened by our reunion.
I confidently take her briefcase and start moving forward, the weight of her story mingling with mine.
- Could we take a detour? Her eyes drift into contemplation of the road, revealing a palpable nostalgia, as if the walls of her hometown were calling to her soul.
- Sorry, but Hren is waiting for us. Important meeting, first day on the job, boss. I laugh, but I know there's a subtext behind my words.
She sighs, a sigh heavy with emotions. Too much past. I know she can already feel the storm brewing as she returns to this family she has distanced herself from.
Five years is a long time. Too long.
- So, the United States? Your years of peace? I can't help but ask, feigning ignorance.
- Um, honestly? she says, her eyes sparkling with a light that's uniquely hers. I nod, the road unfolding before us, with two hours to talk, to clarify everything that has happened.
- Educational? She hisses between her teeth with a sarcastic smile. Very, very educational.
- Kol dies, Dane follows two years later. Fate wants your virginity, I'm sorry, but it's simple. I say, a laugh escaping me despite the sadness piercing through.
She must say all this to be freed.
- My relationships didn't last more than eight months. I didn't have time to truly suffer, I didn't have time to love them. She falls silent for a moment, as if the truth is gnawing at her.
Her silence invites me to reflect.
She suffers, that's undeniable. But she thinks it's not enough. The word suffering takes on a very different meaning here, especially for us.
- I didn't love them. Not like they loved me. She shrugs, a gesture so laden with nonchalance that it tears at my heart.
- Can you imagine, one died for me, the other died because of... me, she continues with a deafening intensity.
I can only remain silent, as their disappearances seem distant and insignificant to me. But I know she carries that weight, hidden behind her smile.
- You'll talk about them like a distant memory, I whisper, turning the wheel to embark on a rocky road, a path that takes us away from our city.
- Some time has passed. I don't suffer anymore when I talk about them. Knowing the circumstances of their deaths frustrates me so much sometimes that I can't control myself; I don't feel the need to avenge their departure... of course, I'll wait for them to come to me. Vengeance is too light a word for what I have planned for them.
She says this with a determined air, as if chasing away the shadows surrounding her were as simple as two claps of the hands.
She claps her hands twice, laughing, as if to erase the weight of the past from her mind.
I steal a quick glance at the necklace around her neck. A small ruby, shaped like an N, hanging there like a talisman.
Nashtia isn't just back from America to manage her deceased parents' mafia network.
She's here to reclaim her throne, to take back what is hers with the force of a tornado.
- Take it as a warning. I'm not back to clean up. I'm here to build an empire on the ashes of what remains. Every memory, every loss,transforms into power. She finishes, looking at me with a smile, her gaze burning with a passion that vibrates the air around us.
Exus will rise from its ashes...
Thursday 25th, 3 PM...
I step into the alley of "EXUS," a place filled with memories and emotions. For Nash, it's been five years.
The echo of our past resonates with every step.
Being behind Nash, I can't see her face, but I can sense the nostalgia washing over her a palpable emotion. The feeling of coming home must be powerful for her.
She turns around, a radiant smile on her lips, and beckons me to follow, quickening her pace.
- Finally home, she murmurs, her eyes sparkling with joy.
A smile warms my heart.
The two hours spent in the car have allowed us to weave our bonds anew. I'm rediscovering my sister; she's reclaiming her strength.
"EXUS" is a refuge, a place where she can heal her wounds, even if, under Hren's watchful eye, who manages everything from another office, this place sometimes feels cold and distant.
I follow her into the living room, where she collapses onto the couch.
- Our life isn't rosy, she says. But we're not that unwelcoming. She sits up, crossing her legs, scrutinizing the dark blue of the sofas, every detail reminding her of a moment from the past.
Her gaze, always analytical, explores the old corners. I follow her gaze, and my eyes stop on the tinted black windows, the blue-black curtains dancing with the wind.
- It's beautiful, she says. This place resembles us, dark and mysterious.
She seems to change her mind; all of this feels new to her.
- Let's go to your room, or at least your office, she suggests, not realizing the weight of her remark.
Our darkness isn't just dark; it's deep and abyssal.
I check the time, still holding Nash's briefcase. I gently place it in our room—or rather, the office—then take a seat on the bed, my heart racing with a mix of anticipation and worry.
- Everything will be ready in 30 minutes, I say as I cross the room. Take a bath, refresh yourself; I'll be downstairs if you need anything.
She looks at me, but her eyes are vacant, as if she's already far away, disconnected from the present moment.
I feel a shiver run through the space between us, a distance I can't bridge. I sigh, closing the door behind me, the sound echoing as the only response.
Hren is going to be surprised. She's not the same. A shadow of mystery hangs around her, and I wonder if the past has left indelible marks on her soul.
****
Hren approaches the desk, and I scan the rest of the room. Black sofas invite relaxation, and a door on the right side of the office catches my attention.
I see him advance with a book pulled from the small library nearby, then he sits down with Nash and me on the couch.
Taking on a serious demeanor, he slowly opens his mouth.
- Furz, an organization like ours that controls 72% of Russia, one of the branches will do business with us. Imagine a network of mobsters, woven with complex ties and overlapping interests, where every move is calculated, every decision weighed. They have connections in every corner of the country, and their influence extends far beyond borders.
He pauses, letting the weight of his words settle in the air.
- The plan is still in progress. Lega Echi, these organizations have contacts everywhere in Russia and often act brutally. Let's use Furz to confront them. Lucas will be essential, he says with determination.
Nash nods, her mind racing.
- We need to establish a backup plan. If things go south, we need an escape route. I don't want our mission compromised.
- I can take the lead, I exclaim. I'll go out tonight to assess the situation. I know the Russian underworld well, and I'll be able to spot the warning signs.
Nash looks at me, impressed.
- Excellent idea, Kira. If we can use them, let's do it right. It will prepare us.
I nod, serious.
- I'll gather all the necessary information. I'll remain discreet and report back as soon as I have news. I finish, taking a deep breath.
I rise, ready to leave, aware of the importance of my mission. Though it may be premature, EXUS is coming back to life.
As I step out, I can feel the weight of the past and the promise of the future intertwining, a new chapter beginning for all of us.
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