Laundry Day (Niko)

[The Exodus]

Carmen Vega

Exhaustion permeated Carmen’s bones. She’d been back in France for less than two hours. From the airport, she’d gone directly home. More specifically, she’d gone straight to the laundry room of her apartment building. She needed the clanging hum of the machines, the mesmerizing swirl of the spin-cycle, to soothe her.

It was either this or breaking someone’s jaw in a seedy dive bar in between whisky shots.

Her trip to Malaga had not been a smooth one and she still had to report back to Santiago about it. She had a lot to tell him – about their next big shipment of marijuana, the next big shipment of cocaine, and the firearms he’d expressed ordered that were going to be a tad late.

And of course the fact that he had a younger half-brother. A Basque half-brother, at that.

Also, his father might be dying.

But that wasn’t something Carmen wanted to talk to El Jefe about. She needed a chance to sort the information for herself, to process it, and then maybe sit down with Santiago-her-cousin and talk about it. See if there was any of Santiago-her-cousin left in Diego these days.

Carmen dumped an armful of dirty clothes from her suitcase into a washing machine. Then she reached up to rub her sleepy eyes. It had been a total snafu. I mean, how the f*ck was I supposed to know Tio had a bit on the side?

She poured the soap in over her clothes and then slammed the lid shut. The spin cycle began and she stared at the multicolored pinwheel of her clothes, crouching on the floor for a better view. This week was just going to be worse than last week.

[blueeyeddevil]

Nikolai Tarasova

Nikolai was 28 years old. He was in good health. He worked out, went on jogs. But ever since Linnea had been killed he just kept feeling like everything hurt. It was almost ridiculous really that he should care about a dead girl so much. She hadn't been his girlfriend. He'd liked her well enough and had definitely been attracted to her but that didn't mean he actually gave a d*mn about her...at least that's what he kept telling anyone who asked. It's what he kept telling himself too.

She'd died, but Nikolai was no stranger to death. Not by a long shot. He and death were close friends. Now that Maksim wasn't speaking to him, Death was probably the closest thing to a friend Nikolai had.

That was if you didn't count Santiago Ortiz, the gang leader who had (admittedly) saved his life. Nikolai still ran 'errands' for him now and then, paying back the debt. Santiago still frequented the bar where he worked. They were probably on friendly enough terms for two anti-social types.

Despite however much he tried to convince himself that he shouldn't be affected by Linnea's death, he was still going about the process of things getting back to relative normalcy. His life was still going on even if hers was not. He still had to eat. He still had to go to work every day. He still had laundry to do.

He dragged the bag of clothes down to the basement where the laundry room was situated He'd just gotten off work and figured that no one would be using the place this late at night. He wouldn't have to force inane chitchat with his neighbors. It was a win-win in his book.

But as he got down there, he was surprised to hear one of the washers already in use. He didn't see anyone around though. Perhaps they'd thrown their clothes in and left? Not a smart move in a place like this. Chances were you'd be lucky to still have a pair of socks by the time you got back. He moved to the front of the washers but was startled to find someone sitting there perched on the floor.

He cursed in Russian before throwing his bag down by one of the washers in frustration. Dark eyes had narrowed as he recognized the figure.

"Carmen?!" he muttered in disbelief and not very fondly. One of Santiago's crew, second in command as far as he could tell. They hadn't exactly gotten along. She didn't seem to approve of him being a sort of unofficial member of the gang. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I don't believe this...how long have you lived here," he asked.

[The Exodus]

Carmen Vega

Someone said something in a language Carmen didn’t understand; the loud thump that accompanied it made her snap her head to look at the source. She recognized him almost immediately: Nikolai Tarasova. Her lip curled. Tarasova was among the last people Carmen wanted to see right here, right now. This was her apartment complex. What the f*ck was he doing here?

More to the point: what the f*ck was he doing in her gang?

Santiago had taken the Russian bartender under his wing; God only knew why. From what Carmen understood, Tarasova was in Santiago’s pocket. His little errand b*tch; his loyal connection to the outside world. And Santiago seemed to value Tarasova. More than he should value someone as expendable as a gofer. It bothered Carmen to no end, the people El Jefe chose to trust. Tarasova, the ballet rat from the opera house, Georgette Duguay… It was insanity.

It would get Santiago killed one day, this trusting strangers habit of his. That scared Carmen more than she cared to admit.

"I don't believe this...” said Tarasova, calling Carmen’s thoughts to him. “How long have you lived here?"

“Long enough,” Carmen spat. She climbed to her feet. Standing, she was tall, but no where near as tall as Tarasova. Tall enough, though, that drawn at full height, few men wanted to f*ck with her. She’d lived in this building for at least almost a year; since Santiago kicked her out of his apartment. But that was none of Tarasova’s damn business. A sneer curled her lip. “How’s El Jefe’s favorite errand boy tonight, eh?”

[blueeyeddevil]

Nikolai Tarasova

Carmen had been gone for a while. At least he hadn't seen her around. He'd been foolish enough to hope that meant she'd be gone for good; back to Spain, perhaps. Now not only was she back, but she was apparently living in his apartment complex. Fate had a hell of a sense of humor. He wondered if this was some twisted sort of karma for his past. Seriously, all he wanted right now was to do his laundry and get back to his apartment so he could get some sleep. He did not need this right now.

“Long enough,” she told him. Somehow that was almost worse. It was obvious she hadn't just suddenly moved in. How had he not known she lived here?! He really needed to pay more attention if he couldn't even get that much right.

She gave him a sneer. “How’s El Jefe’s favorite errand boy tonight, eh?” she asked.

A bitter sort of grin twisted his lips as he turned to start throwing his clothes in the washing machine. Errand boy...he'd been called a lot worse by people a lot scarier than her. Still didn't mean he liked it. But he knew the score. Knew what it took to survive and stay that way.

"I was better before the loyal little lap dog showed back up," he said, fixing her with a cold glare. "No one knew where you were. The guys were taking bet. Most of the money said you screwed up too bad and went the same way as...what was his name?...Andre?"

[The Exodus]

Carmen Vega

"I was better before the loyal little lap dog showed back up," Tarasova said.

His eyes and mouth were cold. Carmen cracked a grin. Even lap-dogs had teeth. And Carmen’s bite was far worse than her bark. The b*tch was an attack dog, not a lap dog. And if Tarasova wasn’t under Santiago’s protection… Her eyes sparked with amusement at the thought of Tarasova’s pretty-boy face gone utterly lifeless.

"No one knew where you were. The guys were taking bet. Most of the money said you screwed up too bad and went the same way as...what was his name?...Andre?"

“Sorry to disappoint, chico,” Carmen said, not sorry at all. “Sorry to hear that Diego doesn’t trust you enough with official business.”

She wondered how many of the guys thought she was dead. The upper echelon of the gang knew better, knew Carmen made monthly trips back to Malaga on gang funds to ensure that the shipping business was still fully operational and to double check on special orders. She placed one hand on her hip.

“I guess it makes sense,” she continued coolly. Her cheeky grin hadn't subsided. “I mean, he owns you. Don’t think he didn’t tell me about your little agreement. It’s not like you’re an actual person to him.”

[blueeyeddevil]

Nikolai Tarasova

He was not in the mood to deal with Carmen right now. He was tired after pulling long shifts at the bar and irritated after dealing with obnoxious customers. He did not need this when he hadn't been to sleep in almost 24 hours. But if she was going to snap at him, he wasn't going to just let it slide. He'd snap right back at her. He told her about the bets, saying that most thought she'd screwed up and had been killed for her mistakes.

“Sorry to disappoint, chico,” she told him in a voice that said the exact opposite. “Sorry to hear that Diego doesn’t trust you enough with official business.”

He gave a short derisive laugh and shook his head. He wasn't part of the gang. There wasn't any reason why he should be trusted with 'official business' as she put it. Hell, he'd almost be more suspicious if Santiago had given him something more important to handle than the usual pickups or drop offs. Her words were really no skin off his back.

But then she kept talking.

“I guess it makes sense,” she mused. “I mean, he owns you. Don’t think he didn’t tell me about your little agreement. It’s not like you’re an actual person to him.”

Mahogany eyes flashed dangerously and a sneer curled his lips as he looked at her. "That's really rich coming from you," he said with a bitter laugh. "You really think you're that much better than I am? He may not have anything on you but he's still just waiting for you to set a foot out of line so he can finally get rid of you. Don't kid yourself. You'll outlive your usefulness soon enough."

[The Exodus]

Carmen Vega

Triumph tasted sweet. But as always, it soured quickly, curdling in her mouth as Tarasova glared at her. She’d wounded his pride, for sure, but he wasn’t out of arrows in his quiver. Against better judgment, Carmen wanted him to take a shot at her.

Go ahead, she thought. Make my day, *sshole.

"That's really rich coming from you," he said with a bitter laugh. "You really think you're that much better than I am? He may not have anything on you but he's still just waiting for you to set a foot out of line so he can finally get rid of you. Don't kid yourself. You'll outlive your usefulness soon enough."

“Don’t be so sure of that,” Carmen said. “Ask him. Blood’s thicker than water. That’s all you are, chupaverga. Water. Or haven’t you figured it out by now?”

She smiled sweetly and leaned against the washing machine.

“Diego’s my cousin, f*ckwit. ‘S how I got in the business,” she said. “But don’t think for a second that means I’m haven’t earned my keep.”

She was constantly tested – by Diego, by the other gang members, by rivals – to make sure that she was worthy of her place in the gang. Her status as Diego’s cousin meant that he was unlikely to kill her; her skill with weapons and computer systems ensured that she ranked above others. He needed her too much to demote her and loved her too much to kill her.

Well, as close to “love” as either of them came these days.

[blueeyeddevil]

Nikolai Tarasova

Honestly, it bothered him that this scrawny little scrapper of a woman was able to get under his skin so easily. It wasn't like he actually cared what she thought of him and she certainly wasn't saying anything that he hadn't already known himself. But he was tired and irritated enough as it was and he was certainly not in the mood to try and placate Carmen and keep the peace. He snapped about Santiago just waiting for her to screw up so he could take her out like he had the boy from the bar.

“Don’t be so sure of that,” she said smugly. “Ask him. Blood’s thicker than water. That’s all you are, chupaverga. Water. Or haven’t you figured it out by now?” She lounged casually against the washing machine. “Diego’s my cousin, f*ckwit. ‘S how I got in the business. But don’t think for a second that means I’m haven’t earned my keep.”

Nikolai smirked. "And I assume you earned it by blurting out sensitive information to outsiders, such as your relation to the gang leader," he asked with a note of sarcasm. He too leaned against his washing machine and folded his arms. "You're lucky I really am on your side."

He gave another knowing sort of grin. "Blood may be thicker than water but while blood was off on a business trip, water was here rising the ranks without even being an actual member," he said. "Remember that next time he sends you off. You're still an errand boy just like me, not matter how you spin it."

[The Exodus]

Carmen Vega

It wasn’t a secret exactly that Carmen was Santiago’s cousin. Once upon a time, it had been common knowledge among Las Gardunas, simply because they’d once been a smaller group and a group filled with contemporaries. But most of the members Carmen had known all her life were dead now. With them, common knowledge also died.

"And I assume you earned it by blurting out sensitive information to outsiders, such as your relation to the gang leader," said Tarasova with a sharp smirk. Carmen grinned back and shrugged. "You're lucky I really am on your side."

Don’t I know it, Carmen thought, with a mental eye-roll. Cocky pr*ck. What would he actually do knowing I’m Diego’s cousin? Blackmail him?

The night she’d turned over Garduna leadership to him on Lorenzo’s behalf, Santiago had told her something: I don’t have a family. And he’d said it so fiercely, she almost believed him. If Tarasova wanted to really get under Diego’s skin, it wasn’t Carmen’s life he’d have to threaten to do it. She thought of that little ballet brat, Cordova, and knew that Diego would rather die for her than risk his neck for Carmen. Funny, how Tarasova thought he knew so much now. He didn’t know a useful bit of information. Not really, anyways, unless he wanted in on the next Ortiz family reunion. Which might be a lot sooner and a lot more draining than Carmen cared for.

"Blood may be thicker than water but while blood was off on a business trip, water was here rising the ranks without even being an actual member," he said. "Remember that next time he sends you off. You're still an errand boy just like me, not matter how you spin it."

“You wish,” Carmen said, straightening up. “But if I told you what I was doing besides running errands, that would be ‘sensitive information’. Until you’re an actual member, don’t pretend you're any kind of special.”

[blueeyeddevil]

Nikolai Tarasova

Nikolai wasn't an idiot. By no means did he think himself indispensable to the Garduna gang. Whatever twisted sort of friendship he shared with Santiago Ortiz was a fragile thing and could easily be forgotten about should Nikolai step foot out of line too far. But that didn't mean that he couldn't exaggerate a little to get under Carmen's skin. He explained his theory that while she was calling him an errand boy, she was really not much more than that herself.

“You wish,” Carmen said. “But if I told you what I was doing besides running errands, that would be ‘sensitive information’. Until you’re an actual member, don’t pretend you're any kind of special.”

Nikolai raised a brow and smiled with something akin to satisfaction. "Not your best comeback..." he mused. "Did I hit a nerve? Something tells me you've been considering that for a while." He sighed and lounged against the machine. "Don't worry 'chica'," he told her, using the Spanish word he'd heard so often. "You couldn't pay me enough to be an actual member. I've had enough of being in gangs to last me a lifetime. You don't have to worry about me joining your ranks."

His tone held a note of sarcasm, but it was definitely the truth. Being in a gang hadn't done him any favors in the past and it certainly wouldn't in the future.

[The Exodus]

Carmen Vega

"Not your best comeback..." he mused. "Did I hit a nerve? Something tells me you've been considering that for a while."

Carmen sneered at Tarasova’s casual position. If she wanted to, she could kill him here and now. The police would write it off as a domestic dispute on this side of town. It happened all the time. The only thing stopping her was the knowledge that Tarasova was Diego’s favorite pet at the moment. It would be like shooting his dog point-blank. Unnecessarily cruel.

"Don't worry 'chica'," said Tarasova. Carmen snarled. Boy, did he make it tempting to kill him. "You couldn't pay me enough to be an actual member. I've had enough of being in gangs to last me a lifetime. You don't have to worry about me joining your ranks."

“You poor, naive b*stard,” she said, pushing herself up on top of one of the unused washing machines. “You may not wear our markings, but you’re in the gang, all right. Right where the boss wants you. Don’t believe me? Try running. I won’t be sad to see you go.”

[blueeyeddevil]

Nikolai Tarasova

He wasn't joking when he'd said that he'd had enough of the gang life to last him for the rest of his days. There was a reason he was on the run from the Mafiya and still in need of help from the Gardunas. He was tired of that kind of life where was constantly following other's orders and was nothing more than a faceless mook to the higher up. He assured Carmen that she had no reason to fear him joining their ranks because in no way would ever consider being an actual member of their gang.

“You poor, naive b*stard,” she said, moving sit on one of the machines. “You may not wear our markings, but you’re in the gang, all right. Right where the boss wants you. Don’t believe me? Try running. I won’t be sad to see you go.”

Her words made him grind his teeth. Was she right?! He'd been up for the arrangement mainly because it had essentially been on his terms. He'd been in trouble and he'd been the one to strike the deal. But was he really no better off than when he'd been with the Mafiya? Had he inadvertently gotten himself into an even bigger mess? He liked to believe that Santiago would allow him to leave if he decided that was what he wanted, but Nikolai knew better than most that people in gangs were not exactly ones you could trust...especially when it came to trying to leave said gang.

He snarled a Russian curse before closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. When he was a tad calmer, he slowly looked up at Carmen and sighed heavily. "You know, in the gang or not, it doesn't matter. It's obvious you and I going to be working pretty closely," he said in a resigned tone. "I think everyone involved would be a lot happier if we at least tried to be civil. What do you say?"

[The Exodus]

Carmen Vega

Temper, temper… Carmen thought when Tarasova cursed. And it was a curse. Even if Carmen didn’t speak Russian – she didn’t – she knew that tone of voice could only be one type of word. A little smirk pulled at her lips. Gaining Tarasova had been a well-played move; even though he was probably little more than a showpiece. A pawn or a knight. Not a rook or a queen. Not all that valuable, but taken just to show how powerful Las Gardunas really were.

"You know, in the gang or not, it doesn't matter. It's obvious you and I going to be working pretty closely," Tarasova said, looking at her. He sounded defeated and for a glowing moment, Carmen enjoyed her mini-triumph. "I think everyone involved would be a lot happier if we at least tried to be civil. What do you say?"

“I say ‘What’s the catch?’” she said, eyeing him carefully. “I can do civil, Tarasova, but don’t expect me to treat you any better’n I treat any other of the boss’ lackeys just because you aren't "offiically" a marked man.”