In Cold Blood [Ash Lynx] - Banana Fish

Twenty-Five - In Cold Blood

"Ash told me about that day."

Eyebrows raised, Tora's attention is drawn away from looking out the car window. She turns to the side. "Huh?"

"When you saved him outside the library," Blanca continues. "Thank you, Tora."

"Why are you thanking me?" She questions.

He shrugs. "The boy is important to me, both of you are."

"Did he tell you that he's still injured?" She asks in response. "Max asked me to keep an eye on him while he's here."

"His body has been through a lot of trauma."

Tora nods, looking back out the window. "He'd lost a lot of blood, Blanca. I'm surprised he survived it. Any later and he'd be a goner."

"His body is a machine, that's for certain." He huffs a laugh. "But he still has his weaknesses."

The black Sedan pulls into the circular driveway of the tall white building, the driver —a trusted associate of Tanaka— pulling the handbrake up and climbing out of the car.

Brushing his hair back, Blanca places a hand on her shoulder. "This is it. Once we leave this car, it's go-time."

Tora exhales deeply, tapping her manicured fingernails on the handle of the car door.

"You ready?"

She glances at Blanca, sending him a curt nod, before opening the door and climbing out, a small handbag in hand.

The driver tips his hat at Tora. "Mr Lynx and I will be ready to collect the pair of you later."

Tora thanks him as he climbs back inside the driver's side.

Wearing a dark green trouser suit and white shirt, her black heels clicking on the pavement, she awaits Blanca's company before they begin their walk towards the building.

Opening up her bag, Tora grabs their name tags and hands one over to him as they walk up the stone steps.

"There you go, Mr Bakhtin."

Blanca pins the name tag to his dark grey suit, glancing at her tag. "Thank you, Miss Varishikov."

The pair walk in silence, both deep in thought as they open the door to the building and make their way over to the large reception desk.

One of the two receptionists turns to them and smiles, talking in English.

"Good afternoon, how can I help?"

Tora smiles back, adjusting the pair of slim silver-framed glasses perched on her nose. "We're here for a meeting, this is Mr Bakhtin."

Studying the clipboard on the desk, the receptionist nods, ticking a box. "The meeting is taking place in Conference Room 4 and will be commencing shortly. Let me show you the way."

Waiting as the receptionist walks around from behind the desk, the pair follow her down the corridor, past various other offices and people hard at work. They share a look, Tora speaking up.

"Is this building used for any specific company?"

The receptionist nods. "It's an online banking service. We have over 100 workers in this building day in and day out."

The pair share another brief look, following as the receptionist stops in front of a conference room, the glass clouded to maintain privacy.

"In here, Mr Bakhtin," She smiles at the pair. "Any refreshments required, just let us know."

They thank her before she quickly walks back down the corridor. Blanca sends Tora a nod of reassurance, opening the door to the conference room.

Inside the bleak room is a long white table in the centre of the carpeted floor with 30 or so chairs around it and almost all of them are taken; occupying them are Government Officials, Investors and members of the Military from around the globe, including Italy, China, France and America. Blanca's role today is as a member of the Russian Military Squad.