Click here for pt. 3 (Links to 1 & 2 also )
The Doctor Is In
Emil didn’t bother changing out of his tuxedo yet. Instead, he went to his office, poured himself a drink, and sat down at his desk. He lay Eva’s black leather clutch in front of him and proceeded to empty it’s contents onto the desktop.
For a spy, Emil thought, she seemed woefully under-equipped. Lipstick, compact, small atomizer of perfume, credit cards under various aliases, and a small assortment of currencies; rubles, francs, and USD. He ran his hand along the inside of the bag, feeling every line and every corner. It felt clean, but he would have it put under x-ray, of course.
He pushed a small red button that sat to his left. In moments, Driver came through the door.
He dropped the cosmetics back in the bag. “Take these to Dr. Xi. Ask her to check them out. And ask her to come see me, please. Tell her to bring her kit,” Vasilev instructed Driver. Driver nodded and dutifully went to fetch the doctor.
Very little was know about Xi Xiao. She was a mystery even to Vasilev, who was a very well-informed man.
There were rumors that she was sold into prostitution at a young age, and that she gained her freedom by killing her owner during an intimate encounter. After that, the story goes that she vowed never to be controlled again, and set about learning everything she could in the realm of interrogation and indoctrination.
Two simple facts that everyone did know about her; She could just as easily end your life as save it. And she could make anyone talk.
She opened the door to Emil’s office, walked in, set her bag on the floor, and sat down across from him. She was the only member of Emil’s staff who refused to knock, and the only one who could get away with it. She knew her worth and would not be treated like “hired help”.
“Eva Kovalenko,” Vasilev said flatly. “She has joined us as an honored guest. You know who she is, I assume?”
“I know of her,” Xi said plainly, clearly unimpressed.
“Good. Obviously, I would like to know what she knows,” he stated with a slight grin. “Her mission, her contacts, how she found me. Everything.”
An evil smile crept across Xi’s face. This was a woman who truly enjoyed her work. Some even speculated that she became physically aroused during interrogations. It mattered not if the victim was male or female. It was the feeling of manipulation and control that gave her a thrill. There were even whispers of the times she had left the grounds post-interrogation. Rumor said that she would go to town on those nights and find a partner to quench her raging thirst.
No one ever dared follow her to confirm the rumors.
“I look forward to meeting Ms. Kovalenko,” Xi said with more than a hint of pleasure in her voice. “Shall I begin immediately?”
“Yes. The sooner the better,” Vasilev replied. “I need answers.”
Xi picked up her bag and made swiftly for the door. Her eagerness shone like a flare in the night sky.
“And Xi,” Emil called to her. “Try not to damage her too much.”
“No promises,” Xi said, without even a backwards glance.
The Beginning At Last 
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