Capítulo 5: Plan

It's actually sad, Andrzej thought, his head resting on the pillow, still looking forward to sleep. To love someone of the same sex is to go against nature and social norms. Śliwiński should forget about his affair and become a decent heterosexual guy for his own good. The photo scandal should help him get back on track.

But it can also destroy him.

To hell with him, to hell!

'No, I can't do that to him,' Andrzej continued thinking. 'I may have to work for this tabloid, but I'm not that rag to ruin someone's life. After all, the media will eat him alive, and someone with such a poetic expression must have a sensitive heart. Who knows how hard it will be to survive the scandal and this fall. What if he doesn't survive at all?'

Nowicki shuddered. After all, such things have happened - alcoholism, drugs, and even celebrity suicides who have sunk too low to rise. No, Andrzej could not afford to hold his conscience responsible for someone else's life or even death.

Damn it! Go to hell! Damn it!

'I can not do that. I cannot sell these photos. But I also don't want to work in this vile place forever just because I have debts. Maybe I won't go with the photos in public, but I can still earn money from them.'

With a broad smile on his lips and an undoubtedly brilliant plan in his head, Andrzej was finally able to sleep peacefully.

***

Buying two starters was nothing, but he had to invest a bit in phones. It is true that he chose the simplest and cheapest models, but his pocket felt unpleasant lightness before paying. Nevertheless, Andrzej was completely convinced of his simple but brilliant plan and its success.

The purchase of phones was the first step.

The second was the proper preparation of the photo.

Andrzej chose one of the better ones, clearly showing the act of penetration and faces, and then in the photo processing program he erased all marks that could identify any of the partners. Only someone who participated in the act or was a witness to it will recognize who is in the photo. He prepared the printout on his own printer, as did the short text: "I know what you were doing yesterday afternoon. Get twenty thousand ready. Wait for further instructions. " For a moment he considered adding "Don't notify the police," but it seemed completely unnecessary to him. There was no option for Śliwiński to inform the authorities. It is true that Poland is not America and the actors' salaries were incomparably lower, but twenty thousand was a very reasonable price for not revealing such a shameful secret.

As for this amount, Andrzej thought about it for a long time. This money would not even buy a car, but Nowicki did not want a new car, but freedom. To pay off the rest of the loan, he needed ten thousand, twice as much to set up his own studio. Sure, it wouldn't hurt to have more money, he could then buy better equipment or rent a place in a really good location, but the higher amount could make Śliwiński more nervous. Andrzej decided that he would be able to get the sum of twenty thousand without major problems. Each magazine would pay him as much or more for one of his photos without batting an eye. Twenty thousand is a small price to pay to save your career.

Andrzej's plan was simple and therefore brilliant. He already knew the habits and schedule of the young actor's daily activities, so he decided to pack the photo, letter and telephone in an envelope and when Śliwiński was gone, he would drop it in his mailbox. He himself will go back to the house he was observing from to check his reaction. He will see everything clearly at hand and when Śliwiński lays down in uncertainty and fear, he will give him instructions. He will know all the time if the actor is up to something thanks to lurking in an empty building. In this way, the plan will go exactly as expected.

Satisfied with himself, Andrzej set to work as a blackmailer.

***

This time to the place where Dominik Śliwiński lived. Andrzej Nowicki went on a high-speed train. It is true that there were not many people at the stations at this time, so he would not disappear in the crowd, but he did not want to risk showing his car there. He did not have to follow Śliwiński today and he did not even intend to do it outside his home, so he preferred not to show the same car again, so that someone would not remember it. Andrzej dressed as plain as he could, took a small travel bag with him and headed towards the station.

Although blackmail is against the law, Nowicki did not feel like a criminal. The money he wanted was earned by him - he was a photographer taking pictures is his job, and selling them is. It seemed fairer to him to sell them to someone who would get into trouble because of them than to someone who might have caused the trouble. Anyway, it wasn't even blackmail - after all, he didn't threaten anyone to publish these photos if they didn't get him the money. Rather, it was a normal commercial transaction. If that customer chooses not to purchase, another will. Śliwiński was lucky to get a discounted price.

The two stations that separated their houses were quickly passed by the train and Andrzej left his unit as one of the few passengers. As he suspected, there weren't many people here. Wola Grzybowska has always been a calm and quiet district, which is probably why Śliwiński bought a house here. The buildings weren't too dense, the greenery was everywhere, and although aliens were rare here, no one paid any attention to them. After all, it was Warsaw, where new people were constantly appearing in search of lodging, work or just visiting. Besides, in this city you didn't even pay attention to your neighbors, which in the present circumstances was very convenient for the photographer.

Andrzej entered the street where Śliwiński lived as if nothing had happened. His heart was pounding hard, but it was more excitement than fear. Passing by the actor's house, he put an envelope in his mailbox. He walked on, but didn't turn right to his hideout. He walked a bit more and then turned back. He settled into his usual observation post, set up the tripod, mounted the camera, and waited.

Śliwiński rarely left the house. He seemed to be uncomfortable with his popularity, so he usually went out shopping in the early mornings, when the adults were already at work, the children were politely in school, and the retirees had already returned from churches and waited in lines to see the doctor at their favorite clinics.

It was exactly the same this time. Dressed in a gray T-shirt without print and fashionably washed jeans, Śliwiński, carrying his groceries, stopped in front of the mailbox and took out a brown envelope prepared by Andrzej. He looked at it carefully from all sides, but all he could find on it was the address and the name of the recipient. Nowicki saw the actor thinking for a moment what to do with it and felt a feeling of unease that he might want to throw it away without reading its contents. However, Śliwiński was interested, because holding the parcel in his hand, he entered his yard and home.

The envelope landed on the table in the living room and the actor went to the kitchen to unpack his purchases.

Andrzej felt a rush of frustration. He had not thought before that Śliwiński could ignore his letter or at least postpone its reading for later.

Hopefully not very later, Nowicki sighed. If he waits until the evening, his banks will close and Andrzej will not see any cash today. Damn it. Because such an amount is unlikely to be withdrawn from an ATM.

Śliwiński turned on the water, unpacked the groceries and made coffee. Cup in hand, he went to the living room, sat on the couch where he had been playing with his manager yesterday, and picked up the envelope. He looked around it again, weighed it in his hands for a moment and decided to open it. He set the cup aside and tore off the edge of the envelope. The first thing he took out of it was a photo.

Andrzej watched his face turn pale and panic appeared. The young man's hands began to tremble and for a moment the photographer was afraid that the mere prospect of revealing his secret would be too hard to bear for Śliwiński. The actor, however, pulled himself together and, as befits a tough guy, whom he played in films, he reached for the second page.

There was fear in his eyes, but also determination. He looked at the phone from the envelope as if he expected it to ring in a moment, but the phone was silent.

"That's it," said Andrzej quietly. "Wait for instructions."

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