Page 74 of Pistols and Plush Toys

***

Breakfast was quiet. Elliot didn’t seem up to much conversation, and Nikolai didn’t try to coax him into speaking. Instead, he passed the meal by telling Elliot about an episode ofChecklists that involved the contestants being driven into town and told to procure a hat, a book, and a picture of a duck. It was more than Nikolai ever really talked at one time, but by the time he was detailing how the winner had found a toy store and gotten a picture of arubberduck, Elliot had finished nearly his entire smoothie bowl, which Nikolai very much counted as a win.

And then another win; Elliot agreed to see a doctor.

“Thank you,” Nikolai said, biting his tongue on telling Elliot how brave he was. Howgood.“My guy, he is very trustworthy. Also discreet.”

“Okay,” Elliot said.

“Would you like me there?” Nikolai asked. “Or is okay by yourself?”

“I-I’m okay,” Elliot said. “It’s okay.”

Nikolai nodded and didn’t press, and when Dr. Williams arrived, he showed him to Elliot’s room, where Elliot was tapping at his new phone. He felt pride over the fact that Elliot was using it, though Nikolai noticed that his stuffed animals were hidden once again.

Elliot gave Dr. William’s a shaky smile.

Nikolai left them to it and went back to his office, to continue going over his new hires with a fine-tooth comb, even though Meredith was also on it.

Two sets of eyes were better than one.

Dr. Willams knocked on his door about an hour later to let him know that while he wouldn’t tell Nikolai the details of Elliot’s injuries because of Elliot’s privacy, Elliot would at least not require more extensive treatment. It was the best news Nikolai could hope for, so he thanked the man and then turned his attention to the group chat conversation with Meredith and Gerard.

They were talking in the secured text app where texts could be timed read and then would disappear like they never existed.

Someone who knew someone who knew someone had sent Meredith a photo of Vitale getting off a plane in Florence. Meredith had posted the picture in the chat with a sixty second timer.

Nikolai looked at the grainy image until it disappeared.

Fucking great.

How long would Vitale be gone? Nikolai doubted the man was gone for good. He’d simply fled to lick his wounds and, most likely, to plan his revenge.

Nikolai didn’t revel in the idea of having to look over his shoulder for the coming days, weeks, months…?

Fuck, it couldn’t really be months, could it?

Gerard:We’re going to need to lure him back

Nikolai:you’re supposed to be asleep

Gerard:I was. Now I’m up.

Meredith:You’ve slept barely seven hours.

Gerard:Plenty enough for this conversation

Meredith:Gerard, I swear…

Gerard:Read me my rights later Meri, this is important.

Gerard:So, a lure for a rat?

Nikolai:He will be suspicious of anything involving Elliot now.

Nikolai sent it, already seeing the beginnings of their conversation start to disappear.

Gerard:Maybe, but he’s also full of himself. I can see him getting pissed off enough to come back

---