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Layers – Chapter 2 Page 14

Descending in the elevator of Tatyana’s apartment building, Greg commented “you were right. I did kind of enjoy that”.

Paula did not react.

“Greg, I’m afraid I miscalculated the urgency of the situation. I thought we had more time”.

Paula was dead serious. Her demeanor had changed once again. Her expression was that of all business.

“What did Tatyana whisper in your ear?”, Greg inquired.

Paula looked directly into his eyes.

“What do you think I do for a living, Greg?”, Paula asked in all earnestness.

Greg was thrown for a loop. He tried to reign in his imagination as he searched for an appropriate response.

“Either you work for an intelligence agency, or, um, no, that is what I imagine you do”.

“You said ‘either’, and you only mentioned only one possibility. What did you hold yourself back from saying, Greg?”

“You want to hear what I was going to say? Why? I thought about it and quickly dismissed the thought”.

They exited the elevator and were walking through the lobby and towards the building’s exit.

“You were going to suggest that maybe I was part of the ‘Russian Mafia’. Am I correct?”

Greg sheepishly nodded his head in affirmation. He held the door open for Paula to leave the building.

At the bottom of the apartment building’s stairway, Paula stood still, causing Greg to do the same.

“We have known each other for less than a day”, Paula said to Greg in all seriousness. “You have no real cause to trust me, but that is exactly what you’re going to have to do in order to stay alive. Complete, unquestioning trust. Do you understand what I’m trying to tell you?”

Greg could detect her utter sincerity by the intonation in her voice as she delivered this statement.

“I understand, Paula”, Greg found himself replying.

After buckling their seat-belts in Paula’s car, she turned to him and asked, “do you know how to use a gun?”

He thought for a moment, then replied. “When I was a kid, my uncle, who was a cop, used to take me to the shooting range every once in a while”.

Paula reached under her seat, and pulled out a handgun.

“This is a snub-nose .38 Special. It’s a great weapon, light, accurate as all hell. The only drawback is the recoil. Are you paying attention?”

Greg nodded his head.

“It has a punishing recoil. If you have to use it, hold it with both your hands as tightly as possible”.

She handed him the gun as she leaned down and inserted the car key into the ignition.

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