Do Or Die

Now they both stared at the small man, who grinned like the Cheshire cat, just realizing he had the full attention of the crowd.

The look on Viktor's face was priceless, Xin thought. Without looking in Viktor's direction, he whispered to him, "One of yours?"

Highly rhetorical, Viktor mused silently. "Dr. Eli, I presume?"

The Asian man lowered his head slightly. "For the man married to one of the top information theorists in the world, you truly are slow, aren't you?"

He thinks himself to be very clever…

Viktor then did the unconscionable; he chortled with irrepressible mirth. His burst of laughter surprised the little man. Dr. Eli's eyes narrowed on the billionaire diplomat.

Viktor slapped his face with his left hand. "You called. You called to ask after her." Viktor continued with his burst of laughter. He bowed and hugged his stomach as though not able to contain his glee. Uncontrollable.

Xin gave Viktor an incredulous look and staggered back. Both men were engrossed thoroughly by Viktor's unfathomable display. Amazingly, a long, thick silver chain spewed forth from his mouth, landing with a loud clang on the floor.

Slowly, a deeply composed Viktor righted himself. Looking at Dr. Eli with somber eyes, he yanked on the chain, whose reach suddenly extended beneath the earth. The strength of the pull caused the earth to break apart as more of the chain came above ground. At the end of the chain a massive, silver, circular instrument escaped the earth: a bear trap. The equipment jerked, sharp teeth clamping down on the doctor's legs.

"Argh!" Dr. Eli's face contorted in pure agony as the teeth of the bear trap bit into his legs. Blood streamed out from exposed flesh and bone.

"Is this one of the scenarios you anticipated in your playbook, doctor?" Viktor wrapped the big anchor chain round his forearm. The gesture caused Dr. Eli to fall hard on the floor. If not for the brutal agony of the painful, jagged teeth in his legs keeping him cognizant, the impact of the fall might have knocked him out cold.

"Surely now my actions have earned more than a vague interest from you?" A second coil wrapped around Viktor's forearm drew the doctor closer over the rubble of displaced earth.

"Arrrrrhgh." Dr. Eli's fingernails scraped against the bloody earth. His blood soaked into his clothes as he was dragged. Dr. Eli gritted his teeth against the torturous, overwhelming pain. "Mr. Maxcksmilli-"

"No-No." Viktor's stare became less relaxed. "You don't get to say my name. My name is her name. You've scorned her trust, her honest faith in you. You've scorned my wife…"