-“Don’t hit him on the face too hard! He needs to look decent when he goes to the bank to make the withdrawal.
Michael what have you decided? You know that it’s up to you how early you leave all this behind you.” Boris inquired.
-“Look, I told you that I’m not rich. Even what I do have left apart from the losses in the markets, those assets are frozen in real estate, and invested in my company.
It takes a lot of money to keep it running every month and the orders have fallen drastically, and new credit lines are hard to come by – it’s almost in the red.
I don’t have that kind of money to spare; it would mean that I would not make payroll or overhead for a month. There are lots of families who depend on me for support.
Please ask for a reasonable amount like five thousand.” Mike said attempting to negotiate.
-“Now you care about the welfare of your employees Mike? You do remember me now don’t you?
You’re such a slave driver, that Telsa is not the only one who miscarried while working there. You cut your workforce to the bone, and no one could relieve her of her post and she was prohibited from leaving.
Telsa found out later that other women have miscarried too in the past due to how you abuse your employees, yet she refused to sue you as she wanted to keep her job.
Then even after all the years that Telsa worked for you and even after her loss – OUR LOSS, you still fired her. Now you will pay you putrid son of a bitch!” Raul said with vehemence as he kicked Mike again in the groin.
Boris looks at his watch. It is 8:24 PM.
Standing in front of Mike, Boris retrieves Mike’s cell phone from his coat pocket and scans the contacts list. Seeing too many numbers listed, he proceeds to the speed dial contacts and dials from another phone the first number on that list.
-“Hello?” The juvenile voice of a female answers the phone, this within earshot of Mike.
-“Hi, is Michael there please? I am a friend of his.” Boris says most cordially.
-“Hmm no, my dad is not here. I will see him tomorrow though. Do you want to leave your number and I will give him your message?” The melodious voice asks.
-“Oh, I’m sorry I missed him. Tell you what, why don’t we surprise him! Can you please tell me where you will meet him tomorrow and I will join you there and we will surprise him! We are long time dear friends you know.” Boris said persuasively.
With hot tears running down Mike’s reddened face, Mike gathers momentum and topples his chair lading on top of Boris after taking him down.
-“YOU SON OF A BITCH!” Mikes yells as he bites like a rabid dog any part accessible of Boris in an attempt to cut short the conversation.
Boris immediately drops the phone conversation and straightens the crease of his impeccable slacks.
-“Business is business Michael -- and I do mean business. The only problem is that you are getting to be a nuisance, therefore after we add another element to this equation, the donation of fifty thousand, will simply not be enough!
It will then be eighty thousand for the risk and all the effort involved.
Dmitri please call our friend to trace this number to find the address. We will deal with this tomorrow. Now I really have to get home or my girlfriend will kill me.
Shit! I forgot to get diapers!” Boris said as he gathered his keys.
“Goodnight Michael, I hope that you think about your dilemma and how best to fix it. You will sleep on that cold chair all night, and you will jeopardize those you love – for the love of money.
Think about that through the night Michael. Goodnight.” Boris said while parting.
-“Do we just leave him out here all night? I am going into the office to get some heat, it’s too fucking cold.” Dmitri asks.
-“Okay, I am a nice guy. Just handcuff him to the sink pipe of the employee’s bathroom and lock the door from the outside with the external lock.
Oh, by the way, Michael refused our dinner invitation. He must be famished. Why don’t you force feed him your dog’s shit -- and do use the cleaning gloves.
Goodnight everyone.” Boris said as he drove off.
To be continued…
