“His check-in is sometimes turned on. Not always.”
“What the hell is check-in? Can’t you two speak normally?”
“It’s a feature on Facebook,” Marina explained, “allowing everyone to see your location. And Facebook, just so that you know, is the American analog of our VK[15]. It means that Phil could use it to follow Valiadis’ movements.”
“Yeah, sort of,” I agreed. “He was in a gym.”
“No, wait a sec,” Cyril insisted. “Surely you don’t want to say that one of Russia’s richest people reveals his movements on Facebook? What, just for his enemies’ convenience? How stupid is that? So you just stumbled across his actual location, went there and spoke to him, is that it?”
“Not really,” I said, faking honesty, while in fact I was simply unable to keep up with all the lies. “I know a girl who works there. She pinged me when he arrived. So I just went there and pretended it was a coincidence. I was just lucky, that’s all.”
“Hah!” Greg said, visibly relieved. “You should have said so! Checking in, yeah right! That calls for a drink! Where’s that bottle?”
“You go and get it,” Cyril told him. “I need to take a leak... oops, sorry, Marina, I forgot you were here!”
Both of them left. Marina and I stayed alone on the balcony.
“So how was your first day at work?” I asked.
“Awful,” she lit up another cigarette.
“Want to tell me about it?”
She paused, unsure. Then she took in a deep breath and blurted it all out, hurrying to finish before the other two returned,
“There’s nothing to tell. They paired me with Den — Dennis. Apparently, he’s married — yeah right! He was all over me. He invited me to have dinner with him. And I don’t have time for dating at the moment, I need to prepare for my term exams. So I said, sorry, I can’t. He took it very personally and stopped helping me at all. Then he said I was wasting my time. Said I wasn’t going to make it, anyway. And here at the restaurant he started up again. He openly asked me to have sex with him. He said he’d help me with sales then and might even put in a word for me with Pavel.”
“What a prick, excuse my French!”
She smiled. “It’s okay. Nothing I haven’t heard already on campus!”
“Just tell him to get stuffed. I’m gonna help you myself.”
She gave me a wary look.
I laughed. “I don’t need anything from you. Don’t worry. Go do some reading for your exams. Deal?”
With a smile, she shook my hand on it. My Reputation with her had grown. Soon it would reach Amicability.
A new quest window opened.
Help a Struggling Student
Help your fellow trainee Marina Tischenko to close a sales deal for packaging products produced by Ultrapak, Ltd.
Deadline: the end of Marina’s trial period
Rewards:
XP: 900 pt.
Reputation with Marina Tischenko: 30 pt.
Current Reputation: Indifference (25/30).
Penalties:
Reputation with Marina Tischenko: -30 pt.
Current Reputation: Indifference (25/30).
Quest accepted
I was surprised at myself. Before, I’d never really bothered to do anything even if I needed it myself. And now I was going all out trying to help absolute strangers. Not to earn more Reputation or XP points, mind you. It just felt good doing it.
I double-checked my own decision. I had no doubt I should do it. I was all for it.
“How long does it take to fetch a bottle of booze?” I mumbled, just to break the uneasy silence.
I took a peek into the restaurant. Greg had already forgotten all about us, busy drinking with someone else. Good. Time to make myself scarce.
“I’ll be off, then,” I said. “I’ve got to get up really early tomorrow.”
“Me too,” she said.
“Do you need a lift?” I asked. I didn’t mean anything untoward, I just wanted to be helpful.
“What are you two doing here?” Vicky’s shrill voice came from behind my back. “Hope I’m not intruding?”
“Of course you’re not,” I said. “We’re waiting for Greg and Cyril to come back. One is gone to fetch some booze. And the other is at the gents’.”
“Mind if I stay? Or are you two-”
“No, we’re not.”
It looked like I might have to stay for a while. Leaving now would confirm her worst suspicions.
Victoria “Vicky” Koval
Age: 29
Divorced
Children: a daughter.
Compared to Marina, she was slightly worse for wear. Still, she was taller, perfectly groomed and seemed to have a very high opinion of her charms. In the dimmed gloom of the restaurant, she looked just as attractive as Marina — and her eyes sparkled with promise.
“Would you like a glass of wine?” Marina offered.
“What a great idea, sweetie!” Vicky readily agreed. “We might as well paint the town red! What do you think, Phil?”
“Absolutely,” I chimed in.
Not tonight, my little friend, I told my darker side. Not with her. Not in this situation.
You didn’t have to have an alien interface installed in your brain to know she had the hots for me. Her Interest indicator showed as much.
The balcony doors swung open, letting in Greg and Cyril carrying an open vodka bottle, some glasses and some snacks on plates. Greg got busy distributing the plates and pouring out the vodka.
Marina arrived next, holding a wine glass for Vicky. She kept nursing it in her hands, not knowing what to do with it because Vicky was already holding a glass of vodka.
Cyril lit up another cigarette. “Well! They say that life has to be lived so that you have something to remember. And I propose we drink to the things that tomorrow we might be ashamed to remember!”
Vicky and Greg laughed. Yawning, I clinked my glass on theirs, took a symbolic sip and set the glass down on the window sill. I couldn’t stand straight anymore. It had been a very, very long day.
“Actually,” Greg took a hearty bite of his food, “the top brass have already gone. They’re going to play some normal music in a minute so we can dance. Girls, you fancy dancing?”
“I luve dancing,” Vicky said.
“I don’t,” Cyril grinned. “But I can stand and watch. Phil, what about you?”
“Sorry guys, I really need to get back home,” I said. “I’m so tired I might just drop dead any moment. No offense.”
“That’s all right,” he assured me. “The party was all thanks to you, anyway!”
“I don’t feel too special, either,” Vicky hurried to add as she kicked off her stilettoes and changed into some street shoes. “Phil? Mind if we share a cab?”
“Not at all, but we need to drop Marina off first. She needs to go too.”
“It’s okay, I can manage,” Marina protested.
“Marina? Are you going too?” Greg sounded lost. “Please stay! It’s gonna be fun!”
“Sorry but I really can’t.”
“Greg, how about you drive Marina home?” Vicky asked.
I looked at Marina. She gave a barely perceptible shake of her head. No.
“Right,” I said. “Greg, it’s up to you whether you want to stay or go home. Your wife is pregnant at home, isn’t she? I’m gonna take care of the girls.”
Greg looked askance at Marina.
“He’s right,” she said. “You can stay. Or go back home to your girlfriend, whatever you prefer. I’ll go with the guys,” she walked back into the restaurant.
“I’m gonna call a cab,” Vicky said, following her.
Greg heaved a sigh. “I’d better see you two off, then.”
I turned to Cyril, “Well! Enjoy what’s left of the party! It’s been a pleasure meeting you.”
“Wish I could say the same,” he slurred. “I really didn’t like you at first. I’m sorry to say that but it’s true.
But you seem to be okay after all...”
“Are you staying?”
“Absolutely. There’s nothing for me at home, anyway. The place is empty; no one’s waiting for me there...”
He doubled up in another bout of coughing. Unable to stop, he waved his hand at me, motioning for me to leave.
I headed back into the restaurant. As I walked past all the gyrating dancers, I met Dennis’ unfriendly gaze. The company guy Marina had been paired with.
Ignoring him, I walked down the stairs toward the girls who were waving their hands at me from the entrance. Vicky was dancing on the spot. Marina stood hunched up like a ruffled bird. Greg was shifting from one foot to the other next to them, looking utterly pissed.
We walked out of the restaurant. The cab had just arrived. The two girls climbed into the back. I took the passenger seat next to the driver. Greg mumbled his goodbyes and scurried back in. A great big Envy debuff dominated his stats.
“Where to?” the driver asked.
The girls waited for me to reply.
I still had a few more difficult decisions to make tonight.
Chapter Seventeen. Double-Pointed Spears
I hate myself when I get feet so cold
That I can watch how innocents are hit;
I hate it when they break into my soul,
And hate it when into my soul they spit.
(Vladimir Vysotsky, The Things I Hate)
Translated from Rusian by George Tokarev and Robert Titterton
THE DRIVER PATIENTLY waited for me to give him an address.
I replied unhesitantly, “Marina? Where’re you going?”
That was the right thing to do. Had we dropped Vicky off first, the entire office would be buzzing tomorrow, discussing Marina’s easy virtues. Vicky would never have believed the contrary. This kind of notoriety was the last thing Marina needed. She was only a child, after all.
The two girls in the back seat got busy discussing some latest Instagram sensation while I closed my eyes and drifted off, losing my battle with sleep.
I must have really needed it. When Vicky opened the door and began to shake me awake, I struggled to find my bearings.
“Phil? Phil! Wake up! We’re home!”
“Vick? Is that you? Where’s Marina?”
“She’s back on campus, don’t worry.”
I looked around. The cab was parked next to some high-rise building. The driver tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. Vicky looked at me expectantly.
“Well...” I said, “see you tomorrow? Or would you like me to take you home?”
She laughed. “That would be very nice of you! Come on, I’ve already paid.”
She’d paid! Unwilling to embarrass her in front of the driver, I climbed out of the cab. It looked like I’d have to play it by ear.
In a perfectly natural motion, Vicky’s hand reached for mine. Her fingers interlaced with mine. She led me toward the building.
Her Interest in me remained high. Her motives were pretty clear. My Sexual Frustration debuff was clocking up its last minutes. Liberal amounts of oxytocin coursed through my blood. The only thing that still stopped me was my married status and the wedding ring on my finger.
She paused by the building’s front door and dialed the entry code. The lock clicked open.
Without stepping inside, I swung it open for her, letting her in.
“Phil?”
I showed her the ring.
She shrugged. “Please. Is it so serious?”
“Not really. We’re getting a divorce.”
“So? Don’t you like me?”
“I do,” I replied in all honesty. “But-”
She was a pretty girl. She liked me. She was free and so was I — well, almost. The night was still young. Had I had one extra shot of vodka back at the restaurant, we’d have already been all over each other.
No idea what was stopping me. Still, I hesitated. I’d never cheated on Yanna before. With this ring on my finger, I didn’t feel free. It just wasn’t the right thing to do.
She peered me in the eye, apparently weighing up her chances.
“Well, whatever,” she finally said, unable to conceal her disappointment. She swung round and sashayed away, her back straight and proud, her head high.
My blood boiled. I couldn’t take it any longer. With the tips of my fingers, I pried the almost-shut heavy door open again.
I took the ring off my finger and slid it into my pocket. I caught up with her by the elevators and draped my arm around her waist as we stepped inside. Smiling, she pressed the button and turned to face me.
I kissed her.
With a weak groan, she greedily answered my kiss. Her hands brushed over my hair, my neck, my face... until we gave in to the impulse.
About an hour later, my Sexual Frustration debuff was successfully lifted.
Task Status: Remove the Sexual Frustration debuff
Task completed!
XP received: 50 pt.
+15% to Satisfaction
The system message had appeared at the least opportune moment. Still, its arrival added to the climax, their synergy showering me with some out-of-this-world sensations. This called for a second go, slow and unhurried.
Later, a new skill message appeared in my view,
Congratulations! You’ve received a new skill level!
Skill name: Seduction
Current level: 4
XP received: 500
We never got any sleep that night, sharing with each other the excess of our sexual energy. As Vicky took a smoke break, I checked my stats. My Stamina had grown a few percent.
With the first rays of sunshine, she dragged me into the shower with her to wash off the tangy aroma of our nightly exploits. From there she brought me to the kitchen. Despite the lack of sleep, we were both wide awake. She sat me down at the table and began cooking breakfast.
The only thing she had on was a misshapen black Armin van Buuren T-shirt. That morning, I saw her in a different light: not the office femme fatale but a rather plain girl, tall and fit. She had the broad shoulders of a swimmer which suited her a lot, adding to her posture and offering a great landing point for her long dark-blond hair.
The rising sun highlighted the smattering of freckles on her face. As she paused thoughtfully in front of the fridge, she wrinkled her nose in the cutest way. Without all the makeup, she looked at least ten years younger.
She dashed around the kitchen, slicing ham, cheese, bread and tomatoes, making coffee and pouring out the orange juice. Before I could protest, she’d grabbed the iron and pressed my office shirt.
“I have a daughter,” she informed me. “She’s at my parents at the moment.”
“Cool. If she’s anything like you, she must be a very pretty girl.”
“She’s pretty, yes, but in a different way. She took after her father,” she must have noticed my uneasiness because she added, “He left us on her first birthday. He just didn’t come back home.”
“Why?”
“Well, I suppose it’s about me. I had an awful character back then. He just couldn’t take it any longer. We were too young and unwilling to compromise. Both of us. Come on, eat your breakfast now.”
“I am eating it,” I mumbled through a mouthful of food.
“What’s on your agenda for today? I could give you a lift to work,” she said jokingly.
“I still need to get back home, feed the animals and walk the dog.”
“Do you have a dog and a cat? How cool! I wish I could have a dog! I love German Shepherds.”
“That’s exactly what I have. His name is Richie. He’s not my dog, actually,” I told her Richie’s story.
I liked the fact that she wasn’t fishing into all the details of my failed marital life and upcoming divorce. She hadn’t even asked me about my wife’s name. Strangely enough, I felt perfectly at ease with her which normally isn’t the case after a spontaneous one-night stand like this. I felt at home at her place.
>
She was still interested in me. She kept casting glances at me. Her Interest bar stayed at 100%. Also, my Reputation with her had jumped directly to Amicability, bypassing Indifference altogether. Between this and my improved Seduction, I only had 700 pt. till the next level.
Having finished my breakfast, I received a Caffeine buff and an improved Happiness buff.
Happiness II
Your Satisfaction levels have exceeded 120%
+75% to Vigor
+2 to all main characteristics
Duration: as long as Satisfaction levels exceed 100%
I really should go back to the gym while the buff was still active, just to see whether I’d indeed become 2 pt. stronger.
Vicky saw me to the door. No idea what was going on in her head. Still, I could see that her Mood had plummeted.
I really didn’t want to see her sad. I gave her a hug. She clung to me. I kissed her neck, then whispered into her little ear,
“Would you like to go to the movies?”
Her Mood rapidly improved. She beamed. “Why not? When? Today?”
“How about tomorrow? Tonight I have dinner at my parents’. Also, we could use some sleep, don’t you think?”
“Okay,” she released her embrace. “Now go. See you at work.”
I barely made it home. Both Richie and Boris told me everything they’d been thinking about me, then demanded their food. While the cat head-butted my legs, Richie reared up, laid his front paws onto my chest and barked in my face, “Whassup, boss?”
“Sorry, guys,” I said. I didn’t promise it wouldn’t happen again, though. I laid out their food and topped up their water bowls.
This time, I had even less time to walk Richie than the night before. “Sorry Rich, no time for ceremonies. Just do it, quick quick!”
He understood. He headed for the first suitable spot without sniffing around in search of that one unique place good enough to do the deed.
What a shame I didn’t have the time even for the briefest of runs. Still, in my current state — twenty-four hours of rushing around with barely any sleep — any physical exercise might do me more harm than good. Strangely enough, I hadn’t received a Lack of Sleep debuff yet. If I remembered rightly from my college years, it might probably appear closer to lunchtime.
Restart (Level Up Book #1) LitRPG Series Page 21
