The Playmaker Project

by Daniel Peterson

  Peter remembered he still hadn’t found out why Dmitry was there.

  “Aleks and I are excited about being teammates,” said Peter, trying to prolong his life’s usefulness.

  “Yes, you will earn glory together on the field,” said Dmitry standing up and walking to the windows to view the sunrise. “But there is something else even more important.”

  Peter felt a knot in his stomach. This was the moment that he found out why a scary-looking Russian billionaire knocked on his luxury apartment door at five in the morning to chat. He braced himself for the pronouncement.

  “Peter, there are a lot of bad people in the world. Those that would let families suffer without helping them. Try to convince them they can do everything themselves. But then forget them when they need support along the way.”

  Dmitry turned to face Peter. Standing, he was an imposing figure. Peter tried not to stare at the scar on Dmitry’s cheek.

  “We can win many football games with this technology, but that is insignificant when compared with our bigger problems in the world. My mission is to help people on a grand scale by stopping those only seeking an immediate profit at the expense of those that work.”

  Peter searched for an appropriate response but had no idea what Dmitry was saying, so just nodded in agreement.

  “I will be honest with you, Peter. I brought you here under false pretense. I pretended I wanted your soccer skills, which are admirable. But, what I really want is to ask you to join us in our grander mission to help those who cannot help themselves.”

  “Us?”

  “Yuri, Josef, Aleks, myself, and others. We are building a team to accomplish ambitious goals, well beyond football. I will pay you millions to play for Leningrad, but I can tell that you are different. You want something more than cheap fame. You want families to thrive while helping each other. And you want to lead people along this journey.”

  Dmitry took a step closer, looking down on Peter. He placed a hand on Peter’s shoulder and squeezed. It felt like he could crush his bones at will.

  “Yes, I think you’re right. But, what would we be doing?” said Peter lifting his eyes to avoid staring at Dmitry’s chest.

  “You and Aleks would become partners conducting various activities around the world. You would have the full support of my team. You will share in our success, both monetarily and emotionally.”

  “Like, what activities?” asked Peter.

  “I will be happy to explain further. But, first, these activities require you to commit to us before we go into details.”

  Peter bit the inside of his cheek. He had to ask the next question.

  “And what if I say no thank you?”

  “That would be unfortunate, Peter,” said Dmitry, removing his hand from Peter’s shoulder. “Most likely, Josef would find that your football skills are not what we had hoped, and we would void our contract with you.”

  “So, I could go back to Kotka?”

  “FC Kotka would have no need for you. I would send you home to Minnesota,” said Dmitry, turning to face the sunrise. “So you have a choice, don’t you? You can play for FC Leningrad, be rich and famous, while also helping working families around the world.”

  He pivoted to face Peter again.

  “Or, you can return to Minnesota as a failure.”

  Peter looked out the window at the bright morning sky. He wanted to prove himself to everyone at home, but he wasn’t entirely sure what he was getting into. He longed to make his Dad proud of him, who would tell him to take a chance, bet on his future. He would never see an opportunity like this back home.

  “Peter, I am a busy man,” said Dmitry. “I would like your answer.”

  Peter stood to face Dmitry eye to eye.

  “OK, I’ll stay.”

  “Excellent. You are now one of us.”

  45

  The sparse surroundings of Anna's cottage surprised Eddie, given that she was a brilliant neurosurgeon, and her current benefactor was a multi-billionaire. His one-bedroom cabin at the Ansalahti was more spacious than the tiny space where the two of them plotted their intervention with Peter. Sitting together at a square wooden table next to the refrigerator, Eddie pulled out his burner phone.

  "OK, right now, we know Peter is not at the academy, and, if we believe that photo, he's in St. Petersburg," said Eddie logging into Anna's wifi. "Stuart is dead, and Victor is in jail. We have no idea where Jack is, and Markus might know more than he's telling us."

  "And we can't log in to Kognitio," said Anna.

  "Yeah, kind of a big deal. What's Dmitry's last name again?

  "Bogdanov."

  Eddie searched for his name. He tapped on the first result, a recent profile in the New York Times.

  "He seems to be very rich with other people's money," said Eddie, summarizing the article. "Rumored to be part of a pro-Soviet group of hardliners that want to get the party back together."

  "I only met him once, and he gave me the chills," said Anna.

  From the list of public business holdings, one, in particular, caught Eddie's attention.

  "This says he bought the old FC Leningrad stadium and grounds in St. Petersburg eighteen months ago for way more than it was worth. He was the only bidder."

  "But he already owns Kotka," said Anna, leaning to look over Eddie's shoulder.

  "Twenty-five percent according to this," said Eddie, pointing at the screen.

  "I've never heard of FC Leningrad," she said.

  "That's because it's been dormant for over thirty years. It used to be a trophy-winning force back in the fifties and sixties," said Eddie.

  "So, he bought it to do what? Revive it?"

  Eddie nodded.

  "Yeah. Buy the team you loved as a boy and restore its glory," said Eddie. "And steal recruits from a club like Kotka to get started."

  "And steal technology to accelerate the learning curve," said Anna.

  Eddie looked up and then turned around towards the door.

  "Are you expecting anyone?" he said.

  "No, why?" said Anna.

  Eddie put a finger to his lips then hurried into a corner of the kitchen, out of sight of the door. A loud knock startled Anna. She looked to Eddie for guidance.

  "Answer the door. I'll be right here," he said as he slid open the drawer next to him. All he could find for a weapon was an eggbeater or a hammer. He opted for the hammer.

  Anna tried to make out the shadowed figure through the frosted glass of the front door. She flipped on the porch light then peeked through the living room window.

  "It’s Victor," she whispered with wide eyes back to Eddie.

  "It's OK. Pretend you're on the phone when you answer the door," said Eddie from behind the wall. "I'm right here."

  Anna raised her phone and started an imaginary conversation as she turned the doorknob.

  "Hold on one sec, there's someone at my door," she said to no one on the phone. "Victor, so good to see you! I thought you were, well Helen told us that—"

  "Cut the act, Anna, and hang up the phone," said Victor.

  She continued the ruse.

  "Hey, I'll call you back in fifteen minutes," she said, followed by a press of a button for show.

  "What act, Victor? We heard you were in jail," said Anna.

  "Well, I'm not anymore," he said, raising an eyebrow. "And I asked you to go back to Helsinki. I have some questions for you, and I want some straight answers."

  Anna stood her ground at the doorway, not inviting him in.

  "Like what?"

  "First, who's this American coach you've been hanging out with?"

  "OK, his name is Eddie Alonso."

  "What does he want?"

  "He used to coach Peter and Benny back in the U.S. Why?"

  "What does he know about Kognitio?"

  "Nothing."

  "Anna, I won't ask nicely again. Tell me why he's here and what he knows," said Victor, putting his hand on the door frame.

  "Or what, V
ictor? Are you threatening me?" said Anna with a scowl.

  Victor pushed back his leather jacket to reveal a gun tucked in his waistband. "If that's what it takes, then I will. I just spent the last 48 hours in a cell with a crazy man. I'm in no mood for games," said Victor.

  From his vantage point, Eddie could only see Anna's reaction as she stepped back. He had heard enough.

  "Mr. Niemi, this is Eddie Alonso. I'm going to come around the corner. I'm unarmed," he announced, loud enough to be heard.

  Victor reached across his body with his right hand to grip the gun as his eyes scanned the room. Eddie crept out from behind the wall with his hands raised. Victor drew the gun, pointing it at the floor.

  "It's OK, stay calm," said Eddie, presenting himself in full view.

  "Victor, please, put that away," said Anna. "Come in, and let's talk."

  Victor tucked the gun back in his waistband and stepped inside, shutting the door behind him. Anna directed them back to the kitchen table. Victor stood apart from them but noticed Eddie's phone on the table.

  "I see you're interested in Dmitry, as well," he said, nodding to the screen with a photo of the Russian.

  "So is agent Ara from Supo," said Eddie, returning to his seat.

  "You've talked to him?" asked Victor.

  "Yes, and he's not a fan of Dmitry," said Anna. "I know I never was."

  "Anna, I've told you, he's just a Russian who won the Soviet lottery,” said Victor.

  "Then who killed Stuart?" asked Eddie, sitting back to look at Victor, who was leaning against the counter.

  "Not me. But I hear you two were talking to him hours before he died," said Victor, folding his arms on his chest. "I came here to find out why."

  Anna looked at Eddie, who gave her a slight nod.

  "Stuart called the meeting. He was concerned about Peter and was convinced that Kognitio had something to do with it," said Anna.

  "Nonsense," said Victor with a glance to Eddie.

  "Victor, he knows," said Anna.

  "Knows what?"

  "Eddie knows everything. I told him."

  Victor began to pace in the tiny kitchen.

  "Dammit, Anna. You realize you just violated your confidentiality agreement," said Victor. "Not that it matters, but did you tell Stuart too?"

  "No, she didn't," said Eddie. "He left that night frustrated that he didn't get the answers he wanted. He said he would talk to you next."

  "Well, he never got that chance, did he?," said Victor. He stopped pacing and looked away. "He was a good man. I never thought someone would die over this."

  "Yes, he was," said Eddie. "Can we agree that none of us did it?"

  "I didn't put him in that water if that's what you mean," said Victor.

  "And you don't know who did?" asked Eddie.

  Victor hesitated, then he nodded to the phone and looked back at Eddie.

  "I can't prove it. But he had a motive, and God knows he has the people to do it," said Victor.

  "So, our priority right now is getting Peter out of Russia," said Eddie, looking at Anna then Victor.

  "Russia? What the hell is Borg doing in Russia?" said Victor.

  "Markus showed us a photo of three people boarding a charter to St. Petersburg two days ago. Peter was one of them," said Eddie.

  "Does Markus know that?" said Victor.

  "No, we didn't tell him. But it was Peter in the photo."

  "And the other two?"

  "No idea."

  "That Soviet bastard," said Victor under his breath.

  "What did Markus tell you about him?" asked Anna.

  "That he's not all about football. He's got a dark side," said Victor, shifting his weight.

  "And you're just learning this now?" said Eddie. “I thought you said he was harmless.”

  Victor glared back but then answered.

  "You learn in this business not to ask a lot of questions. I wanted Dmitry in my corner."

  "But you don't need his money," said Eddie.

  "I don't need anybody's money. I've made plenty of my own. But he knows people, at FIFA, at other clubs, in governments. He gets things done that my money can't buy," said Victor.

  The conversation paused as the three of them processed the situation. Eddie stared at his phone, piecing together the sparse fragments of Dmitry's life.

  "So, we know he wants to build up the old FC Leningrad," said Eddie. “And he just lured away two Kotka recruits.”

  "Leningrad?" said Victor, processing the news. "So he just poached Peter and my technology to build his own club. Who else?"

  "Aleks is also MIA from the academy."

  "Well then, we just shut the whole damn system down. Screw him," said Victor.

  "It's too late, they already have taken control of it," said Anna.

  Victor started pacing again, this time extending his steps out into the living room, looking up at the ceiling for answers.

  "I did that. I gave that son of a bitch my login," said Victor, looking back at Anna.

  "We know," said Anna as her eyes dropped to the floor.

  Victor put his hands on top of his head while he wore a path into the carpet. Then he stopped and came back to the kitchen.

  "Let's start with what Dmitry knows as of right now,” said Victor. “He thinks he framed me for Stuart's death. But he'll find out soon through his people that I'm out. If he thought Stuart was asking too many questions, then he will think the same of us. Anna, I mean it, you need to disappear in Helsinki for now. Alonso, you need to go back to Minnesota or wherever you're from. I'll take it from here."

  "I'm not leaving without Peter and Benny," said Eddie.

  "Alonso, you're out of your league here. Just go home," said Victor, shooing him away with his hand.

  "Should I stop by Markus Ara's office on my way and tell him more about what I know about FC Kotka?" said Eddie.

  Victor's eyes narrowed as he sized up Eddie. "And maybe I'll tell Ara that you were jealous of Stuart and were the last person to see him alive," said Victor. "Don't mess with me, Alonso."

  "Both are bad ideas. How about you convince Dmitry you're still on his side and want in on Leningrad and whatever else he's got going? Visit him in St. Petersburg. Confirm Peter's location to me, and I'll get him out of there," said Eddie.

  "What are you, James Bond now? You think you're just going to skip into Russia under the nose of an oligarch and snatch one of his players out of the country all by yourself?" said Victor with a smirk.

  "No, you're going to help me."

  "Why?"

  "Because you created this mess. And Peter Borg trusted you. And you owe it to Stuart," said Eddie extending his hand out to seal the deal.

  Victor rubbed his salt and pepper beard as his eyes wandered around the room.

  Eddie's phone pulsed with an incoming call. He sighed and showed the caller ID to Anna, then answered.

  "Hello Karen," said Eddie in a cheery voice.

  "Eddie, thank goodness. Listen, I just got off the phone with Benny, and he said Peter is not at the academy," said Karen.

  Eddie could hear the fear in her voice.

  "Did Benny say where he was?" asked Eddie.

  "Eddie, please, I feel like there's something that no one wants to tell me. I haven't heard from Peter, and now my text messages don't even get delivered to his phone. Please tell me you know where he is."

  Victor looked up, hearing one end of the conversation and seeing the concern on Eddie's face. He leaned into Anna to ask who it was.

  "Well, Karen, I'll give you my best information as of right now, but I am also trying to sort this out," said Eddie. "We believe he is in St. Petersburg, Russia, at the training grounds of FC Leningrad."

  There was silence on the line.

  "Karen, this will be OK. I believe Peter impressed the owner of Leningrad and wanted him to go there for a tryout."

  "I do not want Peter in Russia. I don't care what they pay him," she said.

  Eddie heard someone
in the background talking to Karen. He heard Karen's muffled replies as she held her hand over the phone. After a pause, she came back on the line.

  "Eddie, I need to call you back," she said.

  "Karen, was that Sam?"

  "Yes."

  "What's wrong?"

  "Nothing, he just said to let it go.”

  "Karen, just answer yes or no. Did Sam know Peter was in Russia?"

  "Yes, I think so."

  "But he didn't tell you?"

  "No."

  "Karen, you must trust me. I will find Peter and bring him home."

  "OK, thank you," she said with a quivering voice.

  Eddie ended the call then looked at Victor and Anna.

  "So Sam Borg knew his son was in Russia?" asked Anna.

  "But he didn't tell his wife," said Eddie.

  “Fuckin’ idiot,” said Victor under his breath as he left the kitchen fidgeting with his phone.

  Anna’s eyes shifted to Eddie.

  “Do you know something about Sam that we should?” asked Eddie, raising his voice so Victor heard it in the other room.

  “No,” said Victor. “Nothing that you should know.”

  Anna moved across the kitchen and leaned against the doorway into the living room.

  “Do you know anyone else in Russia besides Dmitry?” she asked in as calm a tone as she could muster.

  Victor looked up from his phone without raising his head.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “Anyone that could help us find Peter,” she said.

  Victor’s eyes diverted to the side.

  “Just the assholes at FC Zenit,” said Victor.

  Anna shrugged at the insinuation.

  “I pitched FC Kotka to them as investors. To get a foothold in Finland for development. They slammed the door on me when they heard I was also talking to Dmitry.”

  Eddie overheard from the kitchen then joined Anna in the doorway.

  “Are they rivals?” asked Eddie.

  “They hate each other’s guts, if that’s what you mean,” said Victor.

  Eddie stepped back and paced in the kitchen, his hand rubbing his forehead.

  “What are you thinking, Alonso?” said Victor.

  Hearing no reply, Anna turned to watch Eddie. She gently touched his arm as he passed.

  “Eddie?” she said.