That night when Vesper went out to buy cigarettes, Nicole One was waiting outside the apartment door.
Vesper almost didn't recognize her with clothes on. She didn't even have the ribbon in her hair.
"Evening," she said, starting to walk. Nicole fell into step.
"Where are you going?" she asked.
"None of your business."
"Mr Blight wants to make sure you stay safe."
"So you're my bodyguard now?"
"Something like that."
"Right." Vesper shook her head and punched the button for the elevator. "So what's my curfew?"
"We'd prefer you didn't go out at all."
"I'm not going out clubbing, Nicole or whatever your name is. I just want a goddamn cigarette."
"We heard about Hong's sister."
"Kim?" Vesper raised an eyebrow and stepped into the elevator. Nicole was right behind her. "You must have some pretty good spies."
"It wasn't hard to figure out. Are you going to try rescuing her?"
"I'm thinking about it."
"You know what Mr Blight would recommend."
"Yes, I know what Mr Blight would recommend." Vesper groaned. "Is this going to be a problem? Do I get to choose my own cigarettes, or does he have a preferred brand?"
"He gets expensive imports. You can have some if you like."
"I like the cheap ones."
"I thought you might."
Vesper said nothing. They stepped out of the elevator. "Are we done being sarcastic?" Nicole asked. "Can we talk about the Kim thing?"
"There's nothing to say."
"Mr Blight would just like to make his position clear. How you choose to respond is your business."
"Fine. Talk away." They were on the sidewalk now, passing under streetlights, Vesper's hands jammed into her pockets. The streets were quiet. The stars were coming out. She glanced over her shoulder, wondering if one of Blight's bodyguards would be looming behind her in the street. There was nobody.
"According to Mr Blight, Mark Carter and his associates are not important," said Nicole. "They're outside the faction wars. What happens to them is not his concern. His concern is for you. Your safety. He considers you an asset."
"How kind." They stepped into the corner store.
"Two packs, Marlboro Lights," said Vesper, holding up two fingers. The guy behind the counter turned around and fumbled with the case.
"Remember that Carter is still a powerful man," said Nicole. "He has means of defending himself. Mr Blight is concerned that, without his help and oversight, you might fail. To him, the risk is not worth the reward."
Vesper shoved a bill across the counter and took her cigarettes. "That's a very reasonable approach. I'm surprised."
"Mr Blight is a very reasonable man. You shouldn't be."
"So what if I get Kim back and every goes hunky-dory?"
"Mr Blight will be very impressed."
"Right. Well, thanks for the talk, Nicole. You want to come back to Hong's place, maybe get some tea?"
"No thank you."
"Didn't think so. I'll see you later."
"Then are you going to go after Kim?"
"I told you. I'm thinking about it."
"Fine." Nicole smiled politely. "In that case, are you going to light up?"
"Help yourself," said Vesper, holding out the pack. "I don't smoke."
"Are these for someone else?"
"You could say that."
*
Mark Carter was home late the next night. He parked his limited-edition Mercedes in the driveway, hopped out and nodded to the security goon smoking on the front porch. "Evening, Arthur," he said. Arthur grunted in reply. Mark keyed open the front door and stepped inside. He noted Madeleine's black high heels near the shoe rack. She just couldn't seem stay away these days.
He checked in the living room. Sure enough, there she was, in grey sweat pants and her bra, watching football on the massive television. She glanced up as he came in.
"Evening," he said. Then he noticed she'd been crying. "You okay?"
"Yeah, I'm okay." She muted the television, but didn't get up. "You're back late tonight."
"Sorry. Business." He sat down next to her and took a cigarette from the half-empty pack on the table. "What brings you over?"
"I can't stand the apartment anymore. It's just so empty."
"Yeah." Suddenly Mark didn't know what to say. "I guess it would be."
"Are we doing the right thing?" Madeleine leaned against his shoulder. "I mean, I want the truth as much as you do. But do you ever feel like we're being too . . . brutal?"
He brushed her hair. "You can't be too brutal with people like this, Madeleine. They deserve everything they've got coming."
"I just wonder sometimes."
"Well, stop," he said harshly. "You need to stop wondering about things. These people have proved they're willing to cross the line. The only way to stop them is if we cross it too. We need to teach them a lesson they'll always remember."
"Yeah. I guess you're right."
"Of course I'm right."
He puffed contemplatively on his cigarette.
"Still no word from Hong," he said. "I wonder if we need to send him more material."
"Not tonight." She leaned over and put her face on his lap. "I can't do it tonight."
She kissed the crotch of his pants. He glanced down and casually unhooked her bra, still holding the cigarette to his lips.
"If you want," he said. "We can wait one more night."
She slid down on the floor between his legs, kissing over and over again. He slouched down and looked over at the television. It was advertising a new brand of baked beans. Reflected on the screen he could see someone standing in the kitchen.
"Dave," he called. "Dave, get the fuck out. I'm busy in here."
The figure didn't move. He rolled his eyes. Madeleine had pulled off her sweats and was unzipping his dress pants. "Dave!" he snarled. "What the fuck do you think you're doing, you crazy pervert?"
The reflection of Dave slumped slowly down to the floor. Mark stood up.
"What is it?" said Madeleine, her tongue already running across his balls.
"Something funny's going on," said Mark, stepping away and zipping up his pants. "Get Arthur in here. I think something's wrong with Dave."
He stepped into the kitchen. The light over the oven was on. Dave was lying on the floor, a small knife still jammed in his throat. There was a lot of blood everywhere. Someone had burned a V into his forehead with a cigarette. Maybe the one that was still stuck between his teeth.
"Shit," said Mark, wheeling around. "Where the fuck is Arthur?"
Madeleine screamed. He sprinted to the front door. She was standing on the porch in her panties, hands over her mouth, shaking. Arthur was lying on the porch in a pool of blood. There were two lit cigarettes on his back, lying in the shape of a V. This was not good.
"I'm calling the police," he said, groping for his phone. He'd left it on the living room table. "Shit. Madeleine, get some fucking clothes on and calm down."
"I'm not going back in there!"
"Kim," he said suddenly. "We can't call the police. I'm calling Bell. Get your fucking clothes on and get in the car. We're getting out of here."
"Oh my God!"
"Calm down! We're going to be fine."
He stormed back into the living room. His phone was still sitting on the table. He snatched it up and started dialling.
The knife came in slowly, from behind, jammed into his abdomen. He looked down in shock at the blood.
Vesper gave him a gentle shove. He toppled onto the couch.
"Don't die yet, Dad," she said quietly. "I want to say goodbye."
He twisted around, trying to look at her face. She sat down on the arm of the couch.
"I remember sitting here when I was fourteen," she said. "I remember coming in and sitting here while you were watching TV. I wanted to ask you for money."
He grunted and felt for his phone. It had fallen on the floor. His head felt strangely light.
"You always gave me everything I wanted," she said. "Why did that never make me happy? Why did I run away and join the circus, of all the fucking stupid things to do? For seventeen years I lived a life of luxury, and I ran away to live in a grimy tent with a bunch of freaks. Now I'm sleeping on someone's couch and eating instant noodles for supper. Maybe you were right all along."
She spun the bloody knife slowly between two fingers.
"I'm rambling," she said. "I've never killed anyone slowly before. It's always quick, pragmatic. Even Adam. Even my own goddamn brother. But I hated Adam. No matter what you did, I guess I never really hated you. Maybe I should have. But I never did."
She got up and pulled a cigarette out of her pocket.
"Sorry, Dad," she said.
Madeleine stumbled in moments later, rubbing her arms and shivering. Mark was leaning up against the window, a cigarette still drooping from his lip. There was a V slashed into his forehead.
She couldn't even think of calling the police. She screamed and fainted.
She woke up a moment later and saw Vesper looking down at her. Kim was standing nearby, wrapped in a blanket and shivering.
"I should probably kill you too," said Vesper, "but it just seems bloodthirsty."
Madeleine couldn't find the breath to scream.
"Cigarette?" said Vesper, and pressed the burning end into Madeleine's cheek. The scream got out, loud and clear.
"Probably time to leave the neighbourhood," said Vesper, taking Kim's arm.
She got up late the next morning. Colleen and Kim were sitting at the table. Kim was wrapped in a bathrobe, her head leaning on Colleen's shoulder, looking hollow.
Vesper opened the fridge and took out a can of beer.
"Where's Hong?" she asked.
"Went out," said Colleen softly. "He's pretty messed up."
"Yeah."
Vesper went up to the window and opened the can. There was a black van parked in the street below. Nicole One was leaning up against it and watching the window.
"I think I'm gonna go out for a while too," she said. "Tell Hong not to wait up for me."
She pulled on a pair of jeans and a sweater, stuffed her wallet in her pocket, pulled on her sneakers and a jacket.
As she opened the front door Colleen said, "Thank you, Vesper."
