Introduction

He parked his black Jaguar quietly and got out, dressed in a dark blue suit and a white shirt, but without a tie. He glanced around before entering an old residential building. The accumulated dust on its crumbling walls told him it was abandoned. He climbed the broken stairs with difficulty until he reached an apartment at the far right. Just as he was about to knock, the door opened, revealing a young man who said, "You're late, Alex."

Alex replied as he entered, "Oh, Bob! You guys picked a place I didn't even know existed, and you expect me to get here quickly?"

Bob smiled as he closed the door. "You know Craig, he loves to exaggerate."

A voice came from another room, "You should always be cautious. That’s the first lesson I learned." Craig then appeared and continued, "Hurry up, Alex, and interrogate her, because I'm going to kill her once you're done."

"Why?" Alex asked.

"Because she’s a scumbag who tried to resist me."

Bob laughed loudly and said, "Why not tell the truth? She tried to kill you and would have succeeded if Bernard and I hadn’t stepped in."

Alex looked around the small apartment and asked, "By the way, where is Bernard?"

Bob pointed to a closed room to the left of the apartment door. "He’s with her in the room."

Alex walked over and quietly opened the door, finding Bernard standing beside a well-proportioned woman—somewhat tall—sitting on a wooden chair. He examined her features: pale skin, brown dyed hair streaked with numerous blonde highlights, and piercing green eyes. He noticed her hands were tied, and there was swelling on her forehead and on the right side of her lower lip—likely injuries from her struggle with his friends. He knocked loudly, drawing their attention, and addressed Bernard, "Alright, I can take it from here."

Bernard pursed his lips and walked over to Alex, whispering, "I think she’s mute." He then left and closed the door behind him.

The woman’s eyes narrowed as she watched Alex approach her. She asked coldly as he stood before her, "What’s your name?"

Alex raised his eyebrows mockingly and said, "That was quick. He just told me he thinks you’re mute."

She repeated her question, "What’s your name?"

"Why do you want to know?" he replied.

She smiled dreamily, "Because I like you."

When she received only silence in response, she asked, "Are you going to kill me?"

"Yes."

She asked nonchalantly, "What are you waiting for, then?"

He circled around her and said, "For you to answer our questions. Who are you? And what is your connection to the two men who were with you on the plane?"

She was silent for a moment, then spoke calmly, "You’re only monitoring the men, aren’t you?"

"That’s none of your business," he quickly responded, then paused and added, "Wait! What do you mean by 'only'? Were we supposed to be monitoring you too?"

She hesitated, then said, "Well, if I tell you who I am, will you untie me?"

"Why would I do that?"

She pursed her lips in disappointment and said, "Certainly not to escape. You’re here with me, and there are three others behind that door. It’s just that my shoulder hurts because I fell on it when they attacked me."

"Alright, who are you?"

"I’m the daughter of the man you were monitoring."

He shouted, "You’re Madoff’s daughter?"

She whispered playfully, "Are you scared?" She then smiled, surprised that she had caught him off guard.

He walked calmly toward the window, then stopped to gaze at the narrow street. Finally, he turned to her, pulling out a knife from his pocket. They exchanged glances for a minute before he walked over to her, leaned behind her, and began cutting the rope, unaware that the tables would soon turn. As soon as her hands were free, she grabbed his wrists tightly, kicked the chair, hitting his jaw with its wooden edge. He yelled in pain, unintentionally dropping the knife. She quickly caught it, then wrapped her arm around his neck, holding the knife close to his throat.

Alex groaned from the pressure on his jaw and said, "If your shoulder is better, my jaw is still hurting."

She raised her eyebrows mockingly, "Wow! I like your sense of humor."

After a moment of silence, he asked, "What now? Are you..."

She interrupted him, "Shhh… something puzzles me. Didn’t your friends hear the commotion? Why haven’t they stormed in?"

"They respect privacy."

"Shut up!" she ordered, raising her voice to call out, "Listen to me carefully! It seems like you’ll shoot as soon as I open the door, so I want to tell you I’m using your friend as a shield. So, step away from the door and lower your weapons, or I’ll drive this knife into his heart."

She waited a moment, then dragged Alex with her to the door and whispered close to his ear, "I want you to know that I’m not sorry." She raised the knife high and brought it down into his right thigh. Alex screamed in pain as she quickly escaped, locking the apartment door behind her with the key she had taken, then fled.