“Save me, you dirty bastard!”

“I’m sorry, I would, but you see, I really don’t need you any more.”

“But I got you the documents, the pass keys, the wire tap information! You couldn’t have done it without me!”

“Actually, it wasn’t so much you that I needed. Just someone like you. You just fit the mold.”

“God damn it, I’m slipping! What do you mean? Save me!”

“I mean that I just needed someone who was loyal to the company and who would believe the bullshit I gave them. You’re such a good employee, that I think you should go down with your boss.”

“What are you doing? What do you mean…? NO! Stop! Stop! I’m slipping! I…”

There was a long scream as Mr. Calder plummeted into the flames. Mr. Ulrich listened as though it were the final note of a long and beautiful concerto, the drama of the piece resting in his heart.

One million dollars was quite a lot of money. And it meant so much more, having taken it right from under Daniel’s nose. He hadn’t even seen it coming. Revenge… there was no sweeter poison.

“Roger, take us to Huston.”

The pilot nodded and the helicopter picked up speed, flying high above the smoke and dust coming from the crumbling building below them. Ulrich took a swig of vodka from his silver pocket flask and quietly prayed that his memories would just disappear.

The reality of what he had just done set in on him by his fifth sip. He had killed hundreds of men and women… all for what? Revenge? A million bucks? Yes, that was all very nice, but it wouldn’t keep him out of jail… well, maybe the million bucks would.

He hadn’t even gotten to Daniel! Sure, it was going to be a bitch for Daniel to clean up the mess, but he hadn’t gotten to the root of the problem. The heart of the conflict still beat.

“Roger…” Ulrich felt a sinking in his stomach, “What did I just do…?”

“Sir, I believe you just completed your revenge.”

“Yes… yes that must be it.”

For an hour they flew in silence, Ulrich finishing the contents of his metallic flask and drifting in and out of a light, troubled sleep. When the helicopter touched down, Roger shook his master awake.

With a twitch and a gasp, Ulrich focused on Roger muttering in a half-asleep voice, “Wha… Hm. Ah, Roger. Are we there?”

Roger nodded, “Yes sir.”

Ulrich unfastened the belt and jumped out gracefully, staggering slightly as he walked, but retaining his composure. “How soon can I be in contact with Mr. Evertson?”

“By tomorrow morning, sir.”

The hotel was cold and dark when the two men arrived at the room that Roger had reserved. Ulrich fell back onto one of the beds without even taking his shoes off. With quiet eyes, Roger watched his master quizzically.

Three years. Three long and suffering years had built up to this. The moment that they had met Calder had set everything in motion, like clockwork clicking into place, it was a beautiful thing.

Ulrich had been right. Calder had been very loyal, but also very trusting. It didn’t take more than six months for one million dollars to be taken and for an ‘electrical fire’ to occur.

But Roger knew Ulrich better than anyone. Ulrich could never been happy with the downfall of Daniel Evertson’s company. No, it would have to be the downfall of Daniel himself to please Ulrich.

Tomorrow would settle everything. Ulrich would either sleep peacefully, or sleep forever. Daniel and Ulrich were much the same, Roger believed. Neither could be happy until the other was dead.

Dawn came on silent feet, tapping at the window. Ulrich awoke first, a painful pounding in the back of his head. Roger was asleep on the opposite bed; the silence of the morning was almost unbearable.

The cold water of the shower stopped the painful pounding. Ulrich dried himself off and re-dressed, paying careful attention to center his tie. He wanted this fateful meeting to present him best.

Roger was still sleeping as Ulrich left the hotel. The slight light of the dawn was hardly enough to see, but Ulrich kept walking. There was a rustle behind him, and in the split second he turned, his mouth and nose were covered by a cloth. He took a frightened breath and slumped to his assailant’s feet, unconscious.

When he regained consciousness, he was in a pent house apartment. The sun had shown its yellow face, the time probably around seven in the morning.

“Collin, Collin. What am I going to do with you?”

Ulrich glanced to his left to see the very man he had pursued for three years. Daniel Evertson was holding the silver flask and had an expression like that of a parent with a disobedient child.

“Daniel…” Ulrich muttered grimly, “Kidnapping me was a bit low, don’t you think?”

“Tell me Collin,” Daniel continued, ignoring the question, “Why is it that you hate me so much? Is it because I took your wife? Is it because I killed your daughter? Is it because I ruined your business?”

“All of that and more.”

“Or is it… Is it that you hate yourself more than me? Could it be that I didn’t take your wife? Maybe she ran off. I didn’t kill your daughter, you watched helplessly as she drowned, and you should have known that embezzlement would be punished.”

Ulrich opened his mouth a bit, his eyes widening, “That’s… that’s impossible. You ruined my life!”

“Did I? Or are you just angry that you didn’t do anything as your life got out of control?”

“You bastard!” But there was a truth that hit Ulrich hard as Daniel spoke. There had been nothing he could do, right? It wasn’t his fault… right? “I couldn’t do anything about it.”

Daniel examined the flask and smiled smugly, “Really? Is that so? That sounds like the excuses of a coward to me. What do you think, Roger?”

Ulrich felt his heart drop as Roger appeared from the shadows, “I’m sorry, sir, but I have to agree with Mr. Evertson.”

“Roger… I thought…”

Daniel smiled, “Roger, as you call him, is not his name at all. In fact, he is not actually a he at all! This is Tanya, my spy. She’s very good at disguise and infiltration. I had a feeling that you’d have some tricks up your sleeve.”

A tear welled up in Ulrich’s eyes, “I… I only wanted to right wrongs… My own as well as yours.”

“I know, Collin. You’re a noble man. I would be ashamed to call you my cousin if you weren’t. Now here, drink this, I’ve prepared something just for you.” Daniel motioned to Roger, no, Tanya who pinched Ulrich’s nose and held his head back.

Daniel opened the silver flask and poured the liquid into Ulrich’s mouth. Through the poisoned drink, Ulrich managed to sputter, “Dan…” but his eyes closed and he slumped against the chair, dead.

“I think that went very well, don’t you. I always knew drink would be the death of him. Ironic, don’t you think, Tanya? Tanya…”

Tanya had taken a gun from her bag and smiled sadly, “I told you that I was a spy sir. I never told you that I was your spy. You shouldn’t presume things.”

Daniel fell dead at his cousin’s feet as Tanya pulled the trigger. Then, quiet as ever, she put the gun away and took her cellphone out of her pocket, “Yes, yes. No, sweetie, I just had to take care of the final touches on the project. Yes, dear, I’ll be home in time for dinner.”