DEAL WITH THE DEVIL

Thor picked up on the first ring, like he had been waiting for me long before I made the decision to place it.

“Gianne,” he said. “Didn’t think you’d call again.” There wasn't a hint of surprise in his tone.

I stayed seated on the edge of the bed, phone pressed against my ear, while Mia remained across the room, watching without interrupting. “Well,” I said, keeping my tone steady, “here I am.”

“What do you want?”

“I need out of the country.” The line went quiet. “I need everything arranged tonight,” I continued. “Documents, travel, somewhere to stay until things settle.”

“And how are you planning to pay me?”

I gripped my phone harder. “I have intel on Trinity.”

The silence stretched longer this time. “You know what you’re stepping into,” he said after a while.

“I do.”

“And you’re still choosing it?”

“I’m choosing not to stay here.”

A faint sound passed through the line. Almost a laugh, but not enough to be called one.

“Okay.” The answer came too easily.

The line disconnected. For a moment, I didn’t move. I just stared at the screen in my hand.

“Gianne...” Mia's voice came from across the room, softer than before.

I ignored her, moved to the bedside, opened my laptop, and crouched in front of it.

“You’re really doing this?”

“I already saw what staying does,” I said. “I’m not repeating it.”

“Thor isn’t someone you just make deals with.”

“I know.”

“And that intel? You're sure about it?”

“Hmm.”

Mia leaned back, watching as I started copying files onto a drive.

“So what now?”

I closed the laptop and slipped the drive into my bag.

“I leave.”

“I don’t like this,” she said, fanning her face.

“I know, I don't like it either,” I said, avoiding eye contact with her.

“But I’m still here.” She made an attempt to hide her face.

“I'll be back,” I said, patting her head, her eyes glowing with tears.

“Stay safe,” I whispered into her ear and pulled her in for a hug.

---

London at night doesn't feel like an escape anymore. It felt like distance, the city was still alive. Rainlight spread across the streets in broken reflections.

The building Thor sent stood between older structures downtown. No signage or branding. Nothing that gave it identity from the outside. Dark windows stretched across both floors while security stood near the entrance.

Security scanned me at the entrance and opened the door. “Incoming,” he said into the walkie-talkie in his hand.

The elevator took me straight up. When the doors opened, I found myself on a private floor. Thor was already there, seated and patiently waiting. I stopped a few steps away.

“Gianne,” he said again. “You’re early.”

“I don’t like delays.” I dropped my bag on the table.

His eyes stayed on me for a second, then he gestured toward the chair.

I sat down; the leather was slightly cold beneath me. A folder was already placed on the table between us.

“You asked for arrangements tonight.”

“I did.”

“It’s done.”

I opened the folder, and everything was already prepared: travel routes, documents, and confirmations. I closed it.

“This wasn’t arranged tonight.”

“No.”

“Then when?”

“Chill, it was, don't underestimate me.”

I exhaled once, unconvinced by his last statement, and stood up.

“I don’t like decisions made before I speak.”

“You would’ve ended up here anyway.”

I adjusted my bag strap. “I’ll take the documents.”

“You already have them.”

That made me look at him again. Collecting myself, I turned toward the exit. “Next time, don’t assume things for me.”

“Then stop making predictable choices.”

I exited the area, and outside, the air felt ordinary again. The car arranged for me was waiting. I got in. The city moved past the window in long streaks of light. My phone stayed in my hand for a moment before I set it down.

The car kept moving until the driver changed lanes toward the international terminal exit. The longer we drove, the quieter it got inside the car.

The car came to a halt, and the driver finally spoke. “Your clearance step starts here.”

“Okay,” I responded.

This was the beginning of the end, without the Pinkett name holding me back.