Bright Flowers

[Nika Raskov]

The lovely proprietor’s careful selections were not wasted on her latest customer. Everything looked delicious. Some of this would not make it back to her condo. Hopefully she’d be able to keep it off of her shirt though. Nika mentioned as much as she paid in cash. This was a small business and it was customary to do so, at least where she was from. The little guys had to have some sort of benefit over the global dominance of Ascazon. There were even tax laws nowadays in most countries lenient with cash payments. Two decades ago that wasn’t the case but now if your sole proprietorship showed a profit of a million or less...cash transactions were only taxed at something like 2% in Russia (if you bothered to declare it at all). The numbers were a little different here and there but the big tax shakeups a decade ago made for fascinating reading to probably no one who wasn’t a number cruncher. Or you needed something to help you get to sleep.

The gift was certainly unexpected. Nika’s thanks was genuine though. “You’ve done it now. Custom dictates I bake you a lasagna so tell me if you don’t eat anything.” The smaller woman’s face was serious but her eyes twinkled mischievously. “Otherwise Mamma Bella will put il malocchio on me and I don’t know where the nearest strega is.” She winked on her way out the door. “Sorry for babbling while hungry,” she called over her shoulder. “Thank you again.”

Tomorrow’s hours were noted for the lasagna delivery before she drove away. While having passed long ago, the assassin had no doubts about Grandma Bella putting The Eye on her from the grave should she not return gift for gift.
Edited by Nika Raskov, May 7 2018, 07:48 PM.