Chapter 364 - The Deal

Qing Zihao's father did not waste time and steered her to his home office. Once she was finally seated with a glass of cold water, he nodded at her, signalling her to start.

She took a deep breath and launched into the story that she just told Qing Zihao earlier that night. She was astonished at how much the two looked alike. They bore the same expression when she finished—a blank face.

Christina raised her eyebrows as she waited. "Are you going to kill me?"

The father leaned back against his seat and asked, "Are you that eager to die?"

A smile formed on her lips. "Well, I'm more useful to you alive than dead. I can even help you with your revenge. I will be your bait of some sort."

"Just what made you think that I am going to keep you alive after everything?"

She shrugged. "My life is in your hands. It's not in mine anymore. It's on yours or on The Order. It would be just either the two of you that would catch up to me in time."

"What else can you offer us?" he asked, getting all business-like.

Christina almost scoffed. "What do you mean what else? I have the names of the people that you want to kill."

"There has to be something more. You have to know something about the other countries. Ways that we could get a hold around their necks."

Christina felt the urge to swallow even though her mind had gone dry. What was this old man was planning?

"Ah," he smiled. "You do know something. You hesitated. I could see it all in your eyes." He chuckled and waved Qing Zihao over. His son replenished his drink before sitting down on the couch again. "Tell me more."

"I don't know what to tell you. If I knew anything it would be just bits and pieces of the other cases. If we're not assigned to that mission, we don't dip our hands in it. That was one of the ways we could ensure our survival."

The man sipped from his glass. "Well, let's start with why you are here in Chengshi and why my father is on the list of your targets."

Christina did not know all of the details. Mainly, Jaws would only give a single sentence that would encompass all of the people inside the list.

The last list she got was described as: people involved in production of a new drug—a vitamin (in their opinion) that would keep a person fully functional 24/7.

"Caffeine then?" the old man asked.

She shook her head. Before she was sent to Chengshi, she reviewed most of the missions to familiarize herself with the cases that she would be possibly involved in. "Something worse. There are scientists making genetically-engineered plants that would give them something stronger than caffeine. A lot of businessmen are investing in the research in the hopes that they would be able to use it on their employees in the future."

"And one of them is my father?"

Christina nodded. "I don't know if your father was involved with the investing or the distribution in the future, but he did play a part in all of this."

"Wouldn't you think it was a mistake?" there was doubt and confusion in his eyes. He probably didn't know that his father was participating in shady business. But hell, they were mafia lords. What did he expect from his own father?

"My boss never made mistakes," she said. "He was always certain. A hundred percent accurate."

The old man appeared to be thinking, his hand closed upon his chin and he looked out the window where the sun would rise soon enough. Christina glanced back at Qing Zihao over her shoulder. His face did not let out any emotion so she turned back to the other man and await her fate.

About another minute, the old man spoke again. "There is more information, right?"

Christina nodded. "I'll tell you everything you want to know."

"In exchange you want protection from us. A new identity and papers."

She nodded once more. "That's all I ask."

The man smiled at her and there was something predatory in it. "I see you have some negotiation skills in you. Can I offer you a better deal?"

"What is it?"

"Lifetime protection. The best you could get. Guards around you all day. A pile of money you can sleep on."

"What would I have to do?"

"See you're a very skilled woman… I want you to be my son's bodyguard."

"WHAT?!" exclaimed Zihao. He was out of his seat in a flash. "I don't need a bodyguard, father!"

His father waved him away with a disdained look. "We all know someone could murder you in your sleep and you would not even open your eyes."

True, Christina's mind whispered.

"You are my sole heir. You are to be protected at all costs until you sire your own child that would take over you when you die."

Christina wanted to laugh. But her glee was cut short for the older man turned to her.

"You are going to be his wife."

Her smile slipped off her face. "What?"

"This is it. This is the deal. You are going to be his wife and bodyguard until you bear an heir. For that, you're going to be rich—richer than anyone you know and would know, you're going to be protected. We are going to end the people that would come after you. You are going to be a free person."

She was going to say yes immediately, but something held her back. "But what of Zihao? It's clear he doesn't want me around!"

"Tsk," the father said. "He has no choice in this. You're negotiating with me not him." 

But she could not help but look at him. He didn't even fight back. But then he nodded after a few seconds.

Then she shook hands with the devil.