Niko’s Eye

Chapter 7

Belucci was at the end of Rome. The end of Rome looked very like the end of the world: and the last lamppost of the streets like a lonely star in space. They arrived on a drizzling evening as they drew up outside of the building. It was a fashion design company. She rubbed shoulders in the elevator with a man she found to be quite attractive. Men spend billions of dollars every year on making themselves more attractive to the opposite s*x. Yet, for fifty bucks, you could just buy an inflatable doll that replicates the feelings that a woman can give you. With that, she immediately dismissed the sentiment. Master Akimitsu's hands were dug into his pockets and he was watching his feet as he walked.

"Ms. Akari." A firm grip on the hand sent chills down Niko's back. He was more gruesome in person. What an old toad.

Niko looked around the office and spotted a leather chair that she assumed only Akio Asahi sat on. "You don't mind, do you?" She eased herself back into the armchair, without waiting for a response. She fixed her eyes on the white-bathed projector screen, and then back at Asahi's desktop screen. She quickly picked up that he had just discovered his wife's infidelity. If I was utterly despicable, I would turn the projector on right now. But what a tough day this will already be for him. She felt like she was in a film noir. Akio cleared his throat and fixed his tie. "Kenya and I have already signed the documents, everything is ready, but I think that you have the wrong idea." He said as he eyed Niko sitting comfortably in his seat. Niko smiled, assuming he had forgotten the contents of his desktop screen."The Tories would be holding their annual conference in a week or two. They're opening new offices too. Maybe you should send your CV there." The Tories was a cleaning company in Italy. Niko had just insulted Akio Asahi. Asahi burst out laughing. Shaky laughter of uncertainty. "Excuse me?" "Only another moment or two. Kenya should be here soon."

Just then, the elevator door opened, and out came Mrs. Thing, swaying her hips and luscious black Peruvian hair. The girl was a good walker, she had the fine figure of a typical Nigerian woman. Her cream-colored cashmere sweater clung to her heaving breasts. Kenya always awakened questionable feelings in Niko. But she had so much s**t to deal with that she never did well with relationships or anything of that sort. She knew Kenya had wanted Niko to pursue the tension between them but she did not want anything serious, therefore she let sleeping dogs lie. She was not even sure of her s****l orientation, and besides that, she wouldn't want to hurt Kenya. At times, she was attracted to men, and other times, to Kenya. She should've been named Nigeria. Her thoughts traveled. She closed her eyes and saw him standing there.

Running one hand languidly through the water, he was down on his haunches in an oversized marble tub. They had spent the night together in a luxury suite hotel roughly equidistant between the ones in which they were living. That morning they were headed in opposite geographical directions and, she had asked him to be headed out of each other's emotional orbits too. Perhaps Asahi saw Kenya's reflection on the projector screen. Perhaps it was sixth survival sense. He turned at the last second, saw her coming in with his whole board of directors and shareholders, and suddenly understood what was going on. He collapsed over the arm of the chair, his hands scrambling to hold onto the chair, his face purple with pain and terror, and simple plain astonishment. Niko watched in amusement. He caught on faster than I expected. Not so torpid after all. "Easy," she said. "Don't fall on me. But just in case you do, there's an ambulance outside for you Mr. Asahi." "Wh...what...what's going on?" Niko stood up, hovering over Asahi. And with the serenity of a bipolar priest, she said, "I took your company Asahi. The contract you had prepared for us had been changed without your knowledge. You were so confident that there was no need to double-check the documents just because they had been drawn up on your side." Niko sighed and sucked her teeth multiple times. Asahi's back stiffened and his mouth shut like stars on a very frosty night. "You are torpid after all. Mentally, in this case. But also physically because you're taking the whole night to get yourself off of my seat and out of my company. And, don't worry, I'm not a scammer. The money that I transferred into your account on grounds of the purchase of "shares" is in safekeeping for your wife and kids." Niko was an heir to her biological father's properties and wealth. She had made sure to always make wise use of it. Asahi attempted to stand up to Niko, but instantly fell and slipped into unconsciousness. "How thoughtful of me to have an ambulance on hand."

With Mr. Asahi on his way to receiving medical attention, Niko had given the board of directors orders on what changes to make in the building, how the company would operate from then onwards, changes in their positions, salaries, and responsibilities. "Grazie per la vostra partecipazione" was what she had dismissed the meeting with. Niko was a scholar who had taken Greek, French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Mandarin and Arabic lessons and was fluent in every one of them. She thought of changing the company's name but just did not know what she would call it. She made a mental note to think about it later. And surely, moments later she found herself alone in the broad space, envisioning what her new office should look like, according to her taste and style. She took a deep breath and brought a pack of cigarettes out of her handbag, casually bringing one up to her lips and lighting it quickly. Niko took a long drag of smoke and forced herself to relax into the chair. She leaned in to flick ash onto the office table. I'll be getting rid of this junk anyway. Considering Akio Asahi's disheveled appearance, his office was generally clean and smelt of citrus, something woody, and a warm leather smell coming from the large armchair that she was seated on. She thought of her luxurious studio apartment back in America. It was Winter back in the states and Winter was never Niko's favorite time of the year. The permanent threat of snow from the angry, grey skies left little room for light or warmth in a singleton's life. Niko finished her cigarette and stubbed it out. She sat up from the seat she had forcefully taken and walked over to the massive glass windows of the office. Despite the rain, the evening hues were still present in the polished sky. The rain had ceased, and down below, in the trees along the Italian street, every leaf reflected the evening sun from a hardness like a mirror surface. A hardness that resembled her own. Most days I am at peace with how my life has turned out now. I own businesses, I have many houses, cars, wealth. I've been luckier than most people in this economy. But, sometimes there is a big hole where meaningfulness used to be. I need to buck up and take it as a man would. This world has no room for self-pity or weakness. "Already hard at work?", Master Akimitsu strode into the office with a mischievous grin on his face. Niko still had her face turned towards the window. "Congratulations Jin-Ae."

"I'm only getting started, but thank you." Niko turned on her heel and reached for her cellphone, it had been ringing in the background while she was taken by her thoughts.

"Yes? Milenio? It leaves in about two hours," she said, with a quick gaze at her wristwatch. "Mmh. Sure."

It was getting dark outside, the late afternoon sun disappearing behind neighboring buildings

She slid her phone into the pocket of her tailored blazer, touched up her makeup, grabbed her Hermes handbag, and made her way to the next part of her mission. "Xiansheing, I'll see you soon. Take care of Kenya. Make sure she doesn't f**k the entire Italian Mafia." She did not need to tell anyone where she was going to, ask for permission, or notify anyone that she was leaving. After all, she was the President of Belucci.