"So?..."
"..."
"You're not even listening, Zaire. C'mon, dude."
Amelia's frustrated screech made Zaire sober up—just a fraction.
Inhaling deeply and looking around like he was in an unfamiliar place, Zaire stretched.
Finally focusing his gaze on Amelia, he nodded solemnly.
"No. No, no, no, no, no, Zaire. You didn't get what the fuck I just said."
Zaire looked flabbergasted.
Pointing at himself, he wordlessly expressed: Who? Me?
Irked, Amelia immediately snapped,
"Okay, then. Tell me what the fuck I just said."
Zaire was about to speak up. Then he realized he didn't know what Amelia had said.
Slurring, he replied,
"Fuck, man."
Suddenly, Zaire started to sob.
"Fuck, Ari. I miss you, man..."
It was loud and ugly.
He desperately wiped his snot and tears with his shirtsleeves, only for them to be immediately replaced.
Amelia, frustrated, sighed.
Fuhhck...
Approaching Zaire, she hugged him.
Zaire, hugging her back, rested his head on her shoulder. There, he sobbed.
His tears and snot began staining Amelia's sweater.
Amelia was grossed out, stressed, and annoyed.
Nonetheless, she let Zaire break down on her shoulder.
After a couple of minutes, she moved his head away and seized his cheeks with her palms.
"Baby, we have to go now. It's already a quarter past three. Time is of the essence, yeah?"
"Yes, yes, but... I'm scared of what I'm about to do... Why are you doing this to me?"
"Zaire, I know sound logic sways you, right? So understand this: you're going to kill someone to save your own life. Very sound and understandable. I'm forcing you to kill someone because I don't want to be some damned creature's slave... also very sound and understandable?"
"It is, but... maybe I should just die. What the fuck reason do I have to live in this godforsaken world?"
Fuck this shit!
Amelia pushed the grieving Zaire.
Extending her palm, she saw a golden opportunity.
Another contract to override the older one.
"Zaire, baby, don't say I don't do much for you. Let's agree to another contract. You don't need to kill Messiah. Deal?"
Zaire was drunk and unreasonable.
This version of Zaire usually spoke a lot and thought he knew a lot.
The conversation he otherwise would have had in his mind was now happening with Amelia.
"Sniff... okay, but you'll probably push me into a deeper hole?"
"Boy, what!? Am I only this conniving bitch to you?"
"... I don't know. I'll hear you out, though. Should I? I am... I know it's probably the craziest conclusion I've come to... but I'm trusting you. I look into your eyes, and I see this pain and ache. I understand. So please, for once, understand me. Give an offer that, you know, makes us more like partners."
"Okay, here's my offer. I'll be the one to kill Messiah. But like planned—tonight, right now. You don't need to do much. If things go south and others like Bright, Jeff, Siobhan are alerted, it'll be your duty to keep them at bay."
"... that's it?"
"One more thing. Minor, like the last condition. I promise. You can never ever act in a way that harms me. Period. And you must proactively act in ways that benefit me in every circumstance. And finally, the condition of me telling you where Nala is becomes void. Deal?"
Zaire rationalized the two contracts.
One: he only had to kill a person.
The other: he had to make sure Amelia was never inconvenienced in any way in his presence. He had to put her convenience before his own.
Zaire's glazed eyes tried to bore into Amelia's.
Then, sullen, he looked down at the floorboards.
Louring his face, he asked,
"I don't have to obey you, right?"
"No, absolutely not. If I say something, you don't have to follow me. You just have to genuinely think that what you're doing is the best for me, in a practical sense, and you're golden."
"... fine. Bet."
Amelia beamed. She was elated.
Things were progressing better than she had planned.
If she had known Zaire's alcoholic version would be like this, she would have doused him in vodka long ago.
"Perfect. Oath of Life: I, Amelia Skylance, sign this contract with Zaire Zontes. This is an amendment to the conditions of our previous and only contract. It is now I who is tasked with the killing of Messiah Ate. I am relieved from my condition of telling Zaire Zontes where Nala Von Naisom is. Zaire Zontes, meanwhile, must assist me completely in regard to the assassination of Messiah Ate. He will also, in a practical sense, act in ways that benefit me until the death of one of us, or until further amendments. Do you agree, Zaire Zontes?"
Zaire, for the last time, looked at Amelia's extended right palm.
The golden hue was mesmerizing.
Moving his eyes to meet hers, he bit his lip.
Sigh.
Sighing, he extended his own right hand.
And after a twitch of hesitation, he clasped her hand.
"Deal."