The Questionnaire

The first thing that came into FeiLong's mind while being ushered into the dark, dingy quarters of Asami's "Cellar", was that it smelt of rotten meat and dried blood. The efforts had been made to make it look clean, but the brutality of the attacks on the poor victims of those dreadful questionnaires that had evidently been conducted here, remained, not unlike the grotto of some frightful man-eating beast in the heart of the forest. Asami's men, on either side of FeiLong, as cold and lifeless as the walls of the basement itself, quietly led on as they walked down the path into the Beast's lair. As they walked down further and further, the stench became unbearable, and the sight of the tattered tapestries here and there as well as the fetid air that surrounded them, quite begot the eerie feeling that they were in the midst of not a normal basement but rather an ancient Labyrinth, that once entered, was impossible to find the way back out of.

As he walked on, FeiLong could only imagine the plight of those poor victims who were captured and made to rot inside these cold quarters till they begged for death to salvage them. No one is aware of what inhuman torture befell those destitute souls, no one knows what even became of the last morsel of their bones.

Dead men tell no tales, FeiLong sighed to himself as he wondered. If indeed some stranger was shown these torture chambers before he knew Asami, he would almost be certain that he had met the most ingenious and vivid incarnation of The Devil in a human form. However, that would not explain Asami's countless acts of charity that go unheard and unknown, for no one could ever account for the sender of the much-needed medicines that arrive at the doors of the emaciated little boy lain on his death-bed of cholera. No one ever asks or is answered for the question of whom or what had sent sufficient provision to save millions of lives during Japan's Great Famine. Most dismissed it as a miracle sent by the Gods in answer to his childrens' prayers, and some believed it was the anonymous deed of some foreign nobleman who had taken mercy on the city's plight.

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For someone who loved infamy more than fame, there could never be a positive image in society, and what better example could there be.

Asami was turned on his back, facing his latest catch tightly bound on the 'questioning chair', when FeiLong was finally shown into the room.

Asami wasn't aware of his arrival, and FeiLong forbade the guardsmen to announce the same; the frigid, bot-like men departed therefore and left FeiLong looking alone into the scene playing in front of him, while watching which, he would be lying if he said a cold shudder did not run down his spines, more than on one occasion.

The Boss faced his victim, cross-legged, and calmly sipping into the freshly brewed contents of his glass.

"So you refuse to divulge the intentions of your sender", he said in a voice as calm as if we were addressing one of his own business partners.

The victim was left gasping for air and panicking to escape, for although known as one of the best Soviet spies, this man was evidently not fully aware of what he was getting himself into, this time around.

Apart from a few indistinct appeals for mercy, the man could make no other response.

Asami eyed his victim in silent contemplation as he drew his fore-finger gently along the rim of his glass, "you see," he resumed, "if you are so unwilling to talk for yourself, then I'm afraid we have to assume other means."

The warning was so subtle it seemed like a gentle fact. After some moments of fruitless waiting, his cold eyes shifted from the victim toward Suoh, who was standing by the side of the prisoner.

His glance was met with a nod from Suoh, who thereby plucked at a switch that was connected to the wires wrapped around the man's bare body.\newline

Almost immediately the room filled with heart-rending cries of agony that would have moved even the coldest of souls. But the boss smoked at his cigarette calmly as he nonchalantly watched the drama unfold.

FeiLong looked away, and very honestly, leaving the place that very moment and never again returning to that site, played in his mind very viciously.

I want to forget I have seen this side of him, he found his mind whisper to him.

For a moment it seemed as though the man would say something, but the pain won't let him speak.

Asami noticed and raised a hand to signal Suoh. The switch was turned off.

"Yes, Mister Svetlana?" The Boss asked in his ever genteel, almost painfully invariant tone of voice.

The man was finally heard blurting out an address along with a name, following which, without another word or preamble, Asami left his seat, snatched the coat hung on the backside of his chair, as he gulped down the remnants of the glass. With some mild instructions to hospitalise the man and do the needful with the information, Asami turned to leave.

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FeiLong would have left, or at least hid, to not so embarrassingly appear as if he was eavesdropping on Asami's personal questionnaire, but at the most vital time, he had discovered that his feet won't move an inch.

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Asami, as his eyes met with that of the Chinese beauty, he held his gaze in a frozen stare, as always, as he found himself unable to pull away his glance at once. An attractive billion-dollar business offer and the beauty of FeiLong Liu - Asami Ryuichi could not look at these two things unaffected, even then, when thirty-five winters had chilled his blood.

"What a rare guest", Asami heard himself say as a gentle smirk formed on the corner of his lips.

The flare of vengeful hatred and seething anger had all but lifted from his yellow eyes, just a glance of FeiLong was enough to caste away the Devils that were induced in his person every time he had to visit the torture chambers.

"I hear you called", FeiLong was aware of the light quaver in his voice that he desperately hoped Asami didn't notice. The last thing he wanted was for Asami to think that any of his dirty business had an effect on his nerves. He had a reputation to guard, he was the leader of Baishe, after all.

"Yes, about that", contemplated the Boss as he lightly knitted his brows, as if recalling a temporarily forgotten matter, "Do come inside," he offered at length.

FeiLong entered the chambers and let his eyes scan around the place, loathing everything he saw, wishing their meeting were held in any other place on Earth or even in Hell.

He watched in silence as the partly scathed and partially inflamed man being taken away in groans of pain and agony by the guardsmen.

FeiLong's eyes followed him, as he was taken away down the long, dreary corridors and up the stairs of the dungeon, and away into the locked quarters. I wonder what will become of him...

Asami's voice broke into his chain of thoughts abrupty,

"Do take a seat", he said calmly as he poured a breezer into two separate glasses. FeiLong sat down on the chair that was brought in by an attendant. I wonder what he wants with me... FeiLong wondered as he watched Asami pour out the drinks. Something about the man always deeply attracted FeiLong to him, even if he wasn't talking or moving, there was something in his presence and the strong fragrance of his mens' cologne that held all of FeiLong's attention captive, even against his will.

"Here", Asami offered a drink to FeiLong as he took a sip of his own and sat on the opposite chair facing the other.

"Thankyou...", said the latter as he accepted the glass and began to sip into it slowly.

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"I lately heard of a particular gentleman by the name of Mr. Mikhail Abratov, who has recently taken interest in our, particularly your, affairs," Asami said matter-of-fact-ly as he continued sipping into his drink and casually flipping the pages of a document. FeiLong didn't respond, he tried to appear unmoved as he continued drinking, although he felt a significant rise in his heart-rate all of a sudden. He was secretly hoping that Asami wouldn't find out about that affair.

Getting no response, Asami looked up from the pages of his document into the face of the other, as he resumed, "I hope that information is correct, unless I am very much mistaken," he said in his same non-varying tone and pace of voice.

FeiLong only took his time so his voice wouldn't appear affected,

"Yes, that is so. But I do not see your point..." FeiLong answered at length but he was aware that he was drinking faster now as his nerves began to betray him.

The very thought of Mikhail messed with Asami's otherwise perfectly balanced mind. The very thought that someone else wanted what was his, some other man had the audacity to defile his own property with his filthy hands, sent all his senses into a state of fury.

For a long moment he looked at FeiLong as the other tried hard not to let any signs of discomfort show in his person. As he stared, he began to feel all those lustful beasts leap into his mind as they always did, even at the very thought of his beautiful love-prize. They wouldn't stop till they had filled every corner of his mind with unholy thoughts.

FeiLong was aware of that gaze as he was accustomed to having it lavished on him by many men across his lifetime, he kept down his glass and perked up on his seat, "I still do not see how that concerns you, and I believe I am wasting both our times by being here," he said as he got up to leave and headed for the door.

Asami sank back into his chair as he sipped slowly into his drink. FeiLong pulled at the door handle. Locked...

"what is this, a joke?" FeiLong turned back and seethed. Sometimes he really did feel Asami overdid his part as a fanatic for drama.

Asami slowly pulled out a Dunhill from his pockets and lit it, taking a long puff at it,

"On the contrary, this matter has more seriousness than you give it credit for," he said languidly,

"he made you an offer in return for your body, and you complied. And now that that offer has turned out to be invalid anyway, you regret everything you did, and want to expose him, but...", he stopped to take another puff into the pipe.

FeiLong's wrathful arrogance gave way as his face assumed an unnatural palor, "B-But...?" Could it be that he knows...

That warm summer night of March the 10th ran through FeiLong's reminiscence.

"You may have to reconsider your choices," FeiLong fairly warned, "I am very expensive."

Mikhail didn't seem to budge from his offer.

"I am aware of that", he said as he loosened his necktie and undid his first few shirt buttons.

FeiLong put his hair behind his ear as he smirked, he knew what price he had to pay, but he knew that it was well worth. Anything for Asami... he hated to admit the truth of it, and he would rather have let his mind believe that it was a small playful night of his own with a man who wanted him, rather than that he was so lost a cause in love with Asami that he was ready to give himself up to another man for him.

The night was blissful and indeed the experience was more pleasurable than Mikhail had imagined in his numerous wildest fantasies, reality seemed sweeter and more savory than any of those imaginations.

Near dawn, FeiLong awoke and immediately felt a cringe in his guts for being asleep in Mikhail's arms. He got up slowly and left the bed, wrapped in the clean white sheets, and did up his hair and began to dress back. He turned back as he was aware of someone's gaze. Mikhail lay resting his head on his hand and watched him with a smug smile on his face, "you are more beautiful than you know," he couldn't help the compliment.

FeiLong knew better than to react to such lowly pick-up attempts. He ignored the praise and continued arranging his cheongsam.

Mikhail slowly sat himself upright on the bed and as soon as he did so he was aware of the bite and claw marks all over his body. He chuckled to himself as he remembered that it was after all a wild kitten he was dealing with. FeiLong had finished dressing up and he was about to leave.

"So, is that all?" his admirer wanted to know.

"I'm afraid yes, once and for all", FeiLong snapped as he turned to leave.

"I am sure you will not breathe a word of it to Asami," Mikhail finally said in a tone that was rather too confident for a request.

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FeiLong turned back and faced him, "And if I do"? He asked.

Mikhail got up slowly and dressed himself, then walked up rather leisurely to FeiLong while adjusting his cuffs,

"Well, if you do, then," he pointed toward the ceiling.

FeiLong's expression changed as he felt his guts churn with disgust and resentment. He didn't wait for a single moment in that room. He turned and left, slamming the door behind him.

Asami's predator eyes searched FeiLong's face as he was lost in his train of thoughts. "He had threatened you with exposure, should you venture to do the same to him," he said at length.

FeiLong offered a light nod in response, the embarrassment and remorse written large on his features. Asami offered a glass of water and watched the other one drink it down in one gulp.

"Say, I help you to recover those files," said Asami, "will you give me what I want in return?"

Even before FeiLong could hear him out, he knew what he wanted.

All these men are the same. They all want just the same thing. He didn't bother to look up, "go ahead", he said dryly.

"Will you smile for me?" the Boss asked gently.

FeiLong stopped drinking as he felt a light blush adorn his nose and cheek. He couldn't answer.