Getting out

"I need to leave," I told Emma.
"No way," she said. "You need to wait for mecenas."
"Ehm, look, I've got no idea what he wants, but this is not the right time, OK?"
Emma sat on the kitchen counter, with her legs crossed. She was dressed with dark jeans and a t-shirt with the word "DESTROY" written on it. It wasn't the catsuit but she still looked incredibly hot. She smiled at me.
"We could have sex again while we wait," she said. mecenas e-mail sprang to mind straight away.
"What? No! I mean, no! Look, I really just need to go, sort out everything. My apartment was destroyed, that's going to be a bit of a hassle."
"No, it won't," she said. "We are going to take care of it, don't you worry."
"What the hell does mecenas want with me anyway?" I asked.
"Well, we are actually thinking about starting a business out of the tech behind blips and lenses. We need your input as one of the early adopters."
"Why the hell would a businessman require a bodyguard?"
"Things are a bit complicated. There are some people who would be interested in not letting us release this tech. They'd rather keep it for themselves."
My brain was starting to make some connections, and I didn't like the big picture at all.
"I see," I lied. "However, I don't think it's a good idea for me to hang too long around here. If things are a bit complicated maybe I should leave and meet you someplace safe."
I knew I wasn't making too much sense, I was trying to find an excuse to leave and I was desperate.
"That doesn't make any sense," said Emma. I was feeling really powerless.
"So what would you do if I simply walked away?"
"I would overpower you, give you some gas and have you sleeping until we need you."


Fair enough, now I had been officially threatened. Up until now it had been a sort of manners thing. They had helped me, I would stay with them and help them. Now it was all changing to a power struggle. Manners were my thing, power struggle was Mark's, so I started thinking to myself "What would Mark do?". Then I realised I had not the guts, the cold blood or the weapons to do anything my brother would. I decided to try something more up my aisle.
"I'm going to use the computer again," I said.
"Fine."
I sat down, logged to my webmail and looked for mecenas mail. I hit reply.


Got no idea what your game is. I'm not meeting you today.
You can either count me out of helping all together or postpone our date.
It's not the best time, sorry.
With love, J.


I went back to the couch and slumped on it. Emma was watching but then she took out her phone and started talking in some foreign language. I had no idea what it was, could have been anything from Ukranian to Romanian. I really wished I had paid more attention while talking to mecenas. I never thought it was going to be important.
Then, after a while of speaking, looking at me and then speaking again, she clammed shut her phone and told me I was free to go. Just like that. I was a little disappointed, actually.
"You mean, I can really go?"
"Sure," she said. "We just want to suggest a business venture, not kidnap you."
"Oh, well, thanks, I guess."
"It's OK, would you like to take the car?" she said dangling the keys in front of me.
"Ehm, no, thanks," I didn't want to admit I didn't have no license.
"Do you want me to drive you around?" she asked with a huge smile that almost made me forget the fact that I hated her.


As I said, I felt disappointed. I had expected a bit of a fight or struggle, not to be left to my own means as I weren't important. It was then that I realised that I was actually, despite the fact that I hated the guts of my brother, having fun.