CHAPTER FIVE:
THE COUNTERMOVE
The
next evening, Sterling arrived with two bodyguards and a small metal case.
"Your decision?" he asked without preamble.
Maya gestured to her chair. "I have a counter-offer. One more tattoo - my finest work. If you're satisfied, I'll accept your terms."
Sterling's eyes narrowed with suspicion. "What's the design?"
"A ouroboros," Maya said, referring to the ancient symbol of a serpent eating its own tail. "Symbol of eternity, rebirth, the cycle of life and death. Appropriate for our new... partnership."
Sterling studied her face, then nodded. "Very well. But no tricks, Ms. Rodriguez. My men will be watching."
As Maya prepared her station, she revealed nothing of her preparations - how she'd spent the day creating a special ink mixture, adding drops of her own blood to bind her intention to the pigment.
She worked with meticulous precision, pouring every ounce of her skill and will into the ouroboros that encircled Sterling's wrist. The serpent was exquisitely detailed, scales gleaming, eyes alert. But hidden within the intricate pattern were symbols of binding and truth - ancient sigils her grandmother had once shown her from their family's old country.
As she finished, Sterling admired the work. "Exceptional craftsmanship. It almost looks as if it could slither right off my arm."
Maya smiled thinly. "Just wait until midnight."