by Pam Uphoff
And Dad . . . was he being coy about "I always wondered what happened to that boy . . ." No. I think he genuinely doesn't know that Lord Axel is . . . not actually living there, but those week long absences are looking a whole lot like he really wasn't out chasing women.
Contract jobs? Implying accounting or auditing skills? I think not!
Damn. I totally misread this man . . . and was deliberately led astray, with experienced skill. I suspect Dad wasn't the only man impressed by Lord Axel's Presentation. I'll bet the Alliance people here recruited him shortly after. And he's still working for them.
And luckily at two in the morning not too many neighbors will see a big black armored military vehicle drop a neighbor, a pretty woman, and a staggering drunk off at the wrong house.
Or maybe they all will. There are so very many nosy old ladies on that street.
But the big vehicle was actually rather quiet, and coasted up to stop at the house he'd walked and driven past a million times.
The houses had all been individually designed, and built into their bit of the jagged cliffs, fifty to sixty feet tall. He'd always wanted to see if there was an actual yard on a cliff ledge, as it had looked from the street.
He took Lord Axel's elbow and steadied him up the broad steps to the front door. Where the man shoved at the door and frowned. Looked at his wrist. "Oh damn. I fried my watch." Then popped open the panel and tapped in a code. Locks clicked and the door gave to a shove.
"Home again. Whoop-de-do."
Natasha wrinkled her nose. "What?"
"That signals the security system that you're friends." Lord Axel lowered himself onto the couch in slow motion. "You'll have to do the self-guided tour. Your host is incapacitated."
Natasha grinned, swept a look around the living-dining-kitchen and headed for the stairs. Murphy followed her and Vlad shrugged and joined the parade.
The second floor was obviously unused, but it did have a door out to the stone ledge, as he'd suspected. The third floor was open plan, a bed, a couch looking out over the lights of the city, an office nook defined by the wall of the fancy bathroom, and on the other side of the bathroom a door to a small patio, rough cliff walls opening to a slightly different view over the city.
Natasha was digging in the closet and pulled out a jacket. The high necked, thigh length, black with gold embroidery, full formal wear for the highest of the high. "Wow. I've never seen him really dress up. He rarely went to the high class parties."
Murph looked around and shook his head at the bed. "The perfect bachelor's pad and he doesn't have a super sized bed? The man's weirder than I'd thought."
Vlad nodded. "I've got bloody whiplash. In twenty-four hours I've gone from thinking 'cold-blooded money-grabbing snake' to 'nice fellow trying to save his cousins' financial future' to 'secret agent.' Of what organization, I'm not sure I ought to ask, and even less sure I'd get an honest answer."
Natasha put the jacket away. "We knew he was a strong Mentalist, but we just thought he was marking time until he was fifty." She eyed the big Cyborg. "We didn't expect . . . this."
"Heh. Yeah. And no good asking me where he falls in the hierarchy. The man's . . . fluid and hard to pin down. Works for several departments.
“As for Fast Response Teams? He's the top Team Mentalist. Scares the hell out of the Old Mentalists regularly." Murph chuckled, and headed down the stairs. "But he's totally practical and doesn't do snob . . . I always figured he was no-show exec. Obviously not a Lord. And now? I'm going to have to start being respectful."
"Ha!" From the couch. "I'll believe that when I see it."
Yes, friends and battle companions.
A chime.
Lord Axel groaned and pried himself upright. "That's the front door. I hope it's just neighbors . . . actually I hope it’s not neighbors, the only ones I've met are nice people with a handicapped daughter . . ."
He's met Mom and Dad! And Dina?
Lord Axel grabbed Murphy's extended arm and teetered to his feet and over to the door. Peered through the spyhole. "The daughter had a bad grow in and no matter what, please remember that she's basically a nice little girl who is at my door with her poor parents rushing up to nab her." He pulled the door open.
"Red and Brown!" Dina threw herself at Lord Axel, wrapping her arms around him. "I didn't know you were here!"
"Oww! Please stop! I sort of hurt myself today."
"Oh! Oh!" Wide-eyed and flinching back. "I saw my brother and came to tell him I remembered how to talk!"
Vlad got his mouth shut. "So I see . . . hear. Umm. Hi, Mom and Dad. How long have you known Lord Axel?"
Dad glanced at his watch. "About ten hours."
"And we never did get around to proper introductions. Come in won't you? I'm Axel Vinogradov, this is Miss Natasha, and Murphy who drove me home after I fell down a flight of stairs. And now I see why the senior detective gave me these odd looks when I gave Murph the address."
Mitty was eyeing his son. "Mitrofan Gagarin, my wife Lady Kysusha, and my daughter Miss Dina. Vlad . . . what is going on?"
Oh shit. I can't tell him anything.
Lord Axel snickered. "Did you know he's investigating my Uncle's death? That oversized . . . building has been remodeled and walls moved and Uncle Vladimir didn't want anyone messing with his side of the house . . . well, Miss Natasha and your son went exploring and got lost." He gave Natasha an amused glance. "There may have been kisses involved."
Vlad huffed in disbelief at the sheer magnitude of the misdirection. Not that I didn't think about it . . .
She straightened indignantly. "He did not kiss me!"
"Ah. That's why you're in a bad mood."
Natasha sputtered. Dina eyed her frowning.
"Anyway, I went up and showed them the way out, then I slipped and rolled down most of a long flight of definitely uncushioned stairs. Bruising my dignity badly. And everything else too, so they toted me home."
He looked from Natasha to Vlad. "Fortunately nothing else happened, because today . . . yesterday? The last thirty hours have been over-supplied with . . . happenings." He frowned. "And I don't think I've had anything to eat since ice cream."
"Lord Axel!" Natasha headed for the kitchen. Opened the fridge and frowned. "A snack tray? A cheap grocery store snack tray and not another thing in your fridge?"
"It's pretty healthy, as bachelor chow goes. There's a roast in the freezer that I never did anything with . . . and . . . maybe some cans of something?" He shrugged, winced. Peeled back the lid and snagged a loaded cracker. "The house is an investment. I only come here when I can't stand being around my family anymore."
Dina grinned suddenly. "I think I remember how to cook! Dinner for Red and Brown!" She headed for the kitchen, her horrified mother in pursuit.
Vlad looked around and shook his head. "Lord Axel . . ."
The man grinned. "Keeping it formal in case you have to arrest me? Look, Natasha can keep an eye on me if you prefer your parents’ place, or whatever. Murph, the Boss probably expects you back sometime. And Mitty? If your wife and daughter and Natasha want to cook a solid frozen chunk of meat, who are we mere men to interfere?"
"It won't be ready until lunch time!" Natasha yelled back.
"Good. I'll sleep until then." Lord Axel grabbed another cracker and walked stiffly over to a console, opened a lid and tapped away at it. "Right then, the code 8675—your address—will unlock the front door for you guys in case you need to chase your daughter down again. I'll see you all whenever."
From the kitchen some comment about needing wine.
"I know where it is!" from Dina.
Vlad blinked damp eyes. What the hell happened? I've never heard of a recovery!
Axel lurched over and blocked her as she headed for the stairs. "There's better wine downstairs." He pointed over her shoulder. "The good drinking stuff is at the top, the cheaper stuff for cooking and whatever is lower down. Bring up some of each, I can fortify myself against tomorrow, at lunch."
Dina giggled and looked around, trotted over to a door and opened it. Closed it, tried the next. Stairs heading down. She galloped down and Vlad followed her.
Dad had come too, and closed the door behind himself. "Wait up a minute."
He dropped down a few steps. "Lord Axel has all the signs of an unprotected Portal transit, and I could recognize a military Cyborg, even if he wasn't still wearing half his battle armor. What have you gotten into?"
"Nothing. Else. Happened." He stared into his father's eyes.
The old man huffed out a breath. "One of those, eh? Whatever it is, be careful. And, as for kissing that pretty girl? Before you do, remember she's a servant. She looks close to eighteen, so she'll be getting a servant's chip pretty soon, and then there's the matter of who does she belong to, and is he willing to part with her."
Vlad shook his head. "She's already got a no-show executive plate, and Lord Axel is planning to take her as part of his payment for managing the Trusts."
"In that case, kiss her, and start saving your money."
"And he's training her in espionage, and probably won't part with her." Vlad shrugged. "Now let's go select some wine before Dina gets into trouble. Speaking of which . . ."
"She tried to climb from our patio to his. He rescued her, cementing her certainty that he's her hero."
"And that triggered her improvement?"
His dad smiled. "Nothing else happened."
Chapter Twelve
Domestic Bliss?
Friday, November 16, 3738
Axel woke to wonderful odors wafting up from below. Beef. Plus onions and garlic? Frying in butter? No, bacon.
He stretched carefully. Didn't hardly hurt. He rolled out of bed and headed for the shower.
When he came down, the women were busy making delicious smelling things in the kitchen and Vlad and Mitty were watching the news on the screen in the front room.
Vlad looked over. "I'll bet you didn't know that you and your beautiful accomplice have been arrested."
"Huh. Somebody ought to have told me! Honestly! No consideration these days." He took a deep breath. "That smells wonderful! Is it ready? I'm starving."
Dina grinned. "Five minutes to crisp-fry the green beans."
Damn, she sounds close to normal!
When someone finds out I've been doing unauthorized experiments, I'm dead.
He looked at the happy woman, her happy mother. Worth it. And maybe I ought to go up to Research and propose an experiment.
Plates started hitting the table and he went in for the best meal he'd had in years.
Dina looking like a child trying so hard to mind her manners, every once in a while glancing over at a side table to make sure her book was there.
Vlad sighed. "She can't read. She just remembers a few words. That's her favorite book."
Dina nodded. "The Adventures of Red and Brown. Number Twelve."
Axel grinned. "Is that the one where he goes under cover as Mr. Brown?"
Her eyes widened. "And he forgets and every time someone says, 'Hey, Brown' . . ."
Axel nodded. "He looks around to see if his horse has followed him. Funniest one ever."
"You read them?" Mitty looked astonished.
"Yep. Well, I read everything. Or tried to. Worst thing about growing up was how badly it cut into my reading time."
And after dinner he picked up the book carefully. Dina scooted over, hovering in alarm. He opened it to the first page. "What's that say?"
"Red and Brown." She dipped her head. "I can't really read."
"Do you remember how to sound out words?" He framed the next word with his hands.
"Er. Oh. De. Rode. Red and Brown rode . . . duh ow n from the mountains!" An incredulous smile, bright eyes tearing, "on a bright Friday morning."
Then her mother was hugging her, her father was wiping tears, her brother grinning.
Axel caught Vlad's eye. "And now, having accidentally made someone happier than I've ever made anyone in my entire life, I suppose I should go find out what's happening at my other home."
***
Forty-one, in a police car, picked them up and drove them back to Vinogradov House.
His cousins and their wives all seemed disappointed that he hadn't actually been arrested, and why were there Alliance accountants everywhere? And were those Military Cyborgs?
"I suspect it's because some people went out of their way to turn the natural death of a Councilor and member of the Intelligence Committee into a murder investigation." He gave Andre and Nikoli a glower apiece.
He headed for his office and pulled up his own trust for the wording, Dear Uncle's for some clauses he hadn't had to consider, and started changing names and other things. Found a template for a Trust Manager's Invoice. Filled in the blanks for two different ones.
Sent it all off to his actual human lawyer for a read through.
He got pulled away from the paperwork to release the Lock Impressions on the doors of his rooms, and then again the third floor home he'd locked up solid when his father died. The Mentalist assigned to the project was impressed, and a bit wary of him. Much to the amusement of the people who knew him.
He tried hiding in his own office, but everyone knew where to find him. Including the "Rangers."
"They don't want our help. Not even Pauli's, with the electronics." Dimitri complained.
Axel grinned. "Well, how about . . ." and shut his mouth as Mr. Solovsky tapped at the open door.
"The Lawyer wishes to know when you want the reading of the will."
Axel groaned.
Two back-and-forths, a check on Andre's and Nikoli's availabilities, ordered up the big limo, because, as he'd suspected they would, Veronika and Anastaciya invited themselves along. And the twins brought their secretaries-in-training.
Good.
It was all beyond the Trust . . . a boring, long list of who got what personal belongings.
Axel got all the used bath towels. The twins howled with laughter.
When he finally reached the end, Axel handed over the Executor certificates, ignored the man's outraged expression, and requested a copy of the lists.
"And any other information, especially bank accounts, annuities, and real estate."
Then he made an appointment with Mr. Chaykovski. "As long as we're all free."
Since they'd already gotten the bad news about the state of their father's Trust, they glared at each other and then him, but accepted his decision to just split the capital into two trusts.
"Keep in mind that I'm still tracking down accounts and investments outside the Trust. There should be more money coming in."
The ladies exchanged horrified glances.
"I should hope so!" Lady Anastaciya raised her nose.
"Now you've already had your quarterly stipend deposited in your accounts, so as of the first of the year . . . well, the first stipend is going to be low. Especially depending on my fee."
That got their attention.
"You said you'd save us money over a Council appointed Trust Manager!" Nikoli growled.
"And I suspect I shall. By law, I could charge twenty percent of the eight point two million ruble value. Which would run one point six four million. My first offer is simple: four hundred thousand, in the form of ownership of four specific servants."
They all frowned.
Andre snorted. "So you want Mr. Solovsky? And what other ones?"
"No. These four." Axel brought out the papers.
Andre snatched them, Nikoli craning his neck to see . . .
"You wuh want Puh Pauli? Whatever for?"
"Why are you valuing them so high?" Andre scowled. "Are they your get?"
"No. But they all got executive plates on their eighteenth. So I'm offering full price despite partial training."
"Exec . . . why?" Nikoli looked stunned.
"I believe Lord Vladimir was going to gift two of them to you two on your birthdays, and Pauli to me." That got snickers and grins
. "However, since you seem to be training up your own that no one has interfered with . . ."
Andre turned to eye Lenni. "But the exec plates cost nearly a hundred thousand . . ."
"Or thirty, if you take over all the training. Mr. Solovsky is good on the technical aspects, and you've already got a start on the rest." Axel shrugged. "Or, I can charge one point six million and cut into the capital and reduce your stipend . . ."
Veronika leaned and glared. "We want an additional hundred thousand to cover the costs of replacing these very valuable servants."
"A hundred and twenty-five thousand each? Really?"
Andre and Nikoli eyed each other and exchanged nods.
"Yeah, really." Andre smirked.
"They are your fee plus you add a hundred thou to the cash account." Nikoli looked smug.
Axel hissed. Scowled. "Well, it'll be worth it to get this done and over with."
Lots of signing and notarizing, and it was done.
He shook the bank officials' hands. The twins caught on and did as well, and they headed out.
He pretended to not hear a low hiss from Anastaciya. "Four million! A miserable four . . ."
He paused long enough to let the others get ahead.
The Bank Manager walked out with him. "Thank you for being so reasonable. And I'm especially grateful that you sent Mr. Chaykovski to a doctor. His blood pressure was sky high and his heartbeat irregular."
Axel nodded. "My Uncle . . . was perfectly capable of running all over others. He simply didn't care what he did to people."
He glanced out the front, where the limo was pulling away. "Thank God! Now I can take a cab in peace and quiet."
The manager coughed.
"I'm sure you'll get along splendidly with them, once they buckle down and realize that they need you . . . Umm, now that I think of it . . ." he turned back to the meeting room.
"Oh, Lord Axel?" Mr. Chaykovski looked hopeful. "Have you had any luck with the receipts?"
"Still looking. There are some truly excellent people on the job . . . Mr. Chaykovski? How much of these investments are in other Worlds, or involve the sale of target Worlds to other Alliance Worlds?"
