Greyson
Secret Revenge: Book One
A Contemporary Romance with a little Suspense
By Robin Edwards
© Copyright 2019 by Robin Edwards
and Second Chances Press
All rights reserved.
In no way is it legal to reproduce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this document in either electronic means or in printed format. Recording of this publication is strictly prohibited, and any storage of this document is not allowed unless with written permission from the publisher. All rights reserved.
Respective authors own all copyrights not held by the publisher. Names and persons in this eBook are entirely fictional. They bear no resemblance to anyone living or dead. To protect the privacy of certain individuals the names and identifying details have been changed. This is a work of fiction. Any names or characters, businesses or places, events or incidents, are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
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Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
About the Author
More Books by the Author
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Chapter One
Greyson
“Five minutes and we’re going in, guys. Get ready,” CIA Field Director Jack West, announced over the SRAC. Also known as Short Range Agent Communication, the SRAC was the primary way agents communicated with each other while out on the field. It was the safest method we had and was nearly impenetrable from outside interference. In a situation such as the one we currently were in, having minimal things to worry about was ideal. We had enough on our plate as it was, we didn’t need to add more than we could handle.
I was nervous. I bet I looked like it too. Even my thoughts sounded a little shaky. When I was little, my Gram used to say I walked around like a Nervous Nellie and although she wasn’t around anymore, I don’t think after all I’ve accomplished she’d say I’ve changed one bit. I’m as hesitant as I was back then. Despite what my nerves felt like, this wasn’t the first mission I’ve been on since I enlisted with the CIA seven years ago nor was it going to be my last.
When I started out as a rookie, I told myself if the assignments stopped giving me an insane adrenaline rush, then it would be a clear signal that I needed a career change. Fortunately, it hasn’t happened yet. I loved working for the CIA; it gave me a strong sense of patriotic duty I couldn’t find anywhere else. I couldn’t imagine doing anything other than this. This mission, however, felt like we were a few minutes away from winning the Super Bowl or were lambs sending ourselves to a slaughter.
For years, the CIA pursued the world’s most wanted criminal, Aleksandr Baladin to no avail but here we were, hiding in the shadows outside a shipyard in New York where he presumably was, waiting for the signal to make our move. His aggressive nature, lack of empathy and recent killing spree made every other convict and petty thug look like a saint.
For years, we’ve pursued every single lead imaginable and they have always turned out to be dead ends or some kind of prank by a member of the community. We didn’t lose hope though, the second we stopped trusting the leads that came in from time to time, the more room and time Baladin had to disappear. We weren’t willing to give him an inch so here we were, trying to keep him on his toes. Catching him was our main priority and everything else in my life came second. At least until we caught him and all of his known associates.
When you are an agent for the CIA, you are on call twenty-four-seven, especially when assigned code red cases like this one. At any moment, you could get the call or some pre-planned signal while having lunch with family or having a beer with friends. When that call came in, you had to acknowledge it. With those kinds of responsibilities, there were a lot of abandoned birthday parties and broken promises, which left no room for close relationships. That was the sad thing about being in this line of work, having to be okay with being alone. I didn’t know anyone who would put up with a spouse or a significant other being in this dangerous and tumultuous line of work.
I guess that’s why I stopped making effort when it came to my dating life. It’s been so long since I’ve been on a date, I don’t remember when my last one was or what I did specifically. Oh wait, I remember. I took this cute girl named Trina once to a hockey game, my favorite sport. I remember having to abandon her at the game (before calling a taxi for her) to head into the office on short notice. My best friend since grade school, Matt, asked once over a couple of beers how long I thought I could keep this lifestyle up without wanting to have someone to go home to. I didn’t know how to answer him back then.
Matt loved to ask the tough questions to get to the heart of the matter, so when he asked me if getting married and having kids would become more important than being an agent one day, I had to think about it. There was only so much thinking a guy could do over a couple of beers while watching the Flyers game at McMullan’s. He brought up a good point but like I said I couldn’t give him an answer right then because I didn’t know what I wanted. All I knew was I couldn’t give up being an agent, I loved it too much. I also knew I was sacrificing having a wife and a family and for now, it would be a place I occupied alone.
My Field Director, Jack West, who was in his late thirties was the perfect example of an exemplary and dedicated agent but didn’t have any semblance of a support system and a home to go to. For years he had preferred to live his life that way, until now that is. For as long as I’ve known him and his personal story, I couldn’t help but feel pity for him to live a life without a partner in crime to confide in and share his secrets. The lack of sexual partners alone must have been tough but look at him now. If he could find someone like my rookie agent, Mel Antonov, then there was still hope.
When we initially arrived at the shipyard, everyone had to split up into two-person teams as instructed. The teams included pairs such as Woods and Johnson, Mel and myself while Jack chose to go in solo. Although Jack preferred to be on his own personally and professionally, Mel wanted to accompany him, of course. This was one decision she couldn’t force her way into despite the need to drive him batty. In the past couple of months Mel has been with the agency, she’s either been a rookie sensation or a very difficult person to be around, especially for Jack.
Despite the constant frustration he has had to endure because of his petulance and her lack of professionalism, they had grown surprisingly close. I wasn’t sure how close because neither one of them wanted to talk about it, but we all could imagine. Their closeness was a shock to everyone, including me. I was her supervising agent and the one directly responsible for her training during the standard probationary period. Despite what I’ve dished out during training sessions, I didn’t have the slightest clue how Mel managed to spend enough time with Jack in order to develop whatever it was they had going on.
They were polar opposites in every single way and he was way too crabby for a free-spirted woman like Mel. I mean he was old enough to be a very young uncle of hers. Don’t tell him I said that, otherwise I’d never hear the end of it. I guess everyone had his or her fantasies. Despite all of the odds stacked against them, they were inseparable, at least from Mel’s perspective. Jack, on the other hand, was more likely tolerating her but then again he never had to tolerate anyone before. Normally, he would
cut them off but he hadn’t cut her off…yet. Most days, however, he preferred to be left alone. If someone like Mel could penetrate that cold heart of his and wear him down, then it must have been destiny. Not that I believed in it. The other possibility could be that she wore him down by sheer persistence and despite all of his denials, he probably liked her back.
“Why can’t I go with him?” Mel whispered from the passenger seat next to me. Her impatience was evident through her repetitive finger tapping on the dashboard but there was nothing she could do about it, protocol had to be followed.
“Jack works best alone and between the two of us, I need the backup more than he does. Besides, you aren’t even supposed to be here, you’re still in training. Consider yourself lucky Jack let you tag along because this is a dangerous situation. We all need to focus and have each other’s back.”
“I’m in field training which is what this is, obviously. Why can’t Jack look out for me while I accompany him?”
“I like you a lot, Mel, but I really need you to act like an agent for once.” I sighed.
“I know you’re just trying to deter me, but I don’t need you to be my bodyguard. Bad guys don’t scare me, I’ll be just fine.”
“One day you’re going to have to explain to me what’s going on between the two of you, but I know enough about it to realize that he’s a distraction to you and possibly vice versa. You are my responsibility; this isn’t pick and choose your partner day. Now, shh.”
“Fine.” Mel harrumphed as she crossed her arms and then looked out the passenger window.
“Alright, everyone. Get ready to move out. Countdown in ten seconds.” Jack announced a few minutes later.
“Okay, here we go.” I repeated as I pulled out the Glock 22 9mm from the holster strapped to my chest. “Are you ready?”
“I’m always ready.” Mel answered pulling out her own assigned Glock 17.
“Alright, stay close to me and don’t make any noises or sudden movements. We need to catch them off guard.” I instructed. “Stay behind me at all times.”
Mel raised her hand in a mock salute, “Affirmative, Captain.”
“Jesus Christ, we need to have a talk later.” I shook my head in disbelief.
Mel and I opened the doors slowly and stepped out of our unmarked CIA issued SUV and made our way through rows upon rows of rusted shipping containers four levels high. They surrounded the decrepit steel warehouses in the distance where we were sure Baladin and his team currently assembled. As prepared as the CIA was for a situation such as this, we were still going into it blindly. We had every reason to believe Baladin and his associates were on site and if we were going to nail him once and for all, we had to be smart about it.
“There are lights coming from inside the offices to the right. Do you see them?” I whispered as we snuck behind a couple of wooden pillars.
“Yeah, I can see their shadows. Let’s go check it out.” Mel suggested as she made her way through the rows of shipping containers toward the buildings without me.
“Mel? For Christ’s sake, what are you doing? Get back here. This is not the plan we discussed, you’re supposed to stay behind me.” I said as I rushed to catch up to her as quietly as I could.
“Well then hurry up, slow poke.” Mel urged as she darted in and out of the rows of containers.
“I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“For one, there’s probably cameras everywhere.” I whispered as I caught up to Mel behind a small stack of wooden boxes.
“So what? They may not have access to them. If they knew we were here, they would have done something by now, don’t you think?”
“Not necessarily.”
“Ugh, why are we wasting time? Let’s get them already.” she whined.
“There’s always a method to the madness, Mel. We can’t just run in there with guns blazing like it’s the Wild West. Besides, we were instructed to clear out the loading docks. Besides, Jack’s headed in there, remember?”
“What? Jack’s going in there alone? What if he’s outnumbered five to one?”
“Jack’s been with the agency longer than both of us combined, he’s not going into a building on his own and bum rush them. He’s too smart for that. If anything, he’d call for backup when he needed help.”
Gunfire and explosions erupted off in the distance, pulling Mel away from our argument before she ran towards the sounds, “Jack!”
“Mel, come back here!” I called after her but it was too late, she was too far gone and too far away to listen to me. Jack was just too important to her. “Fuck.”
“Running after Mel was singlehandedly the stupidest thing I have ever done but I couldn’t allow her to get into a situation she wouldn’t be able to get out of. She wasn’t ready for any of this.”
“Jack?! Where are you?” I could hear Mel shouting in the distance.
“Shit, we’re going to get ambushed for sure because of that nut.” I muttered to myself.
It wasn’t until I arrived at the warehouse Mel ran towards did I realize how deep we had gotten ourselves into. As I crept up to the rusted building, I overheard voices coming from inside that sounded a lot like Mel but I didn’t recognize the other voice. It was another female.
“Mama, what are you doing?” Mel asked.
She sounded horrified.
“I’m doing what you couldn’t do, Amelia. We knew you were still weak and fragile. Did you think that you’d be able to pull it off for once? You care too much for the Americans.”
“Mama, you don’t mean that.” Mel cried out. “Let Jack go, please!”
Who was holding Jack hostage and how did Mel know her? Did she really call the other woman, ‘mama’? I have to do something and quick.
“What about your Uncle Nicolai, huh? Did you forget to avenge his death?” the mysterious voice asked.
“Just leave him alone!” Mel shouted again.
It all happened so fast, one minute I was running toward the warehouses to join the fray and the next minute I ran in to see Mel getting struck in the shoulder by an oncoming bullet by a woman that looked a lot like Natalia Petrovich. After pouring over case files for years, I’d recognize her anywhere.
I didn’t get a chance to tell the rest of the team while I was on vacation, but I came across information that implicated a lot of individuals that were involved in Baladin’s handiwork over the years. Natalia and her husband, Denis, were often associated more than anyone else.
“Mel!” I shouted as I started firing back at Natasha Petrovich who quickly ducked out of the way and ran out through a back entrance as the bullet from her gun struck Mel causing her to fall backward
“Go after Natasha, I’ll check on Mel. Go now!” Jack shouted as I quickly untied him. It didn’t matter though, no matter where I checked, it was as if she just vanished into thin air. Reports from the rest of the teams confirmed Denis and Aleksandr Baladin also escaped.
Fuck.
“You’re going to be okay,” I heard Jack saying as I ran back to where I had left them.
“Looks like Natasha, Denis and a few others got away.” I said.
“Baladin with them?” Jack asked.
“It looks like he might have escaped too.”
“What about everyone else?”
“Deceased or caught.” I answered before turning toward Mel. “Hey, you’re awake! How are you holding up, buddy?”
“I’m okay. I think it’s just a surface would but I wouldn’t mind a stiff drink right about now.” Mel chuckled before wincing in pain as she sat up slowly.
“I bet you’re regretting joining the CIA aren’t you?” I laughed. “Come on, let’s get you back into the car so we can get you checked out at the hospital.” I said as we walked her back to the vehicles where most of the surviving agents were already waiting.
“Everyone’s handcuffed and loaded, sir.” Agent Woods announced to Jack. “Johnson and the others are going to stick around and wait for the Coroner�
�s Office and the Forensics team.”
“Okay, good. Great job everyone but we cannot rest on our laurels. Baladin is still out there somewhere. His usual pattern is to flee for a few months and then pop up again when we least expect it. We must remain alert and vigilant always.”
“Looks like you took one for the team.” Agent Woods snickered and patted Mel’s shoulder before he hopped into one of the accompanying SUVs.
“Hardy-har-har,” Mel mocked as Jack started to handcuff her wrists.
“What are you doing? Is this some kind of post-mission foreplay?” she teased but Jack wasn’t joking at all.
“Hey, why are you handcuffing Mel?” I asked.
“Her name isn’t Mel, at least not entirely. Her real name is Amelia Petrovich, the adopted daughter of Denis and Natasha Petrovich. She is also the goddaughter of Aleksandr Baladin. Their plan was for Amelia to infiltrate the CIA headquarters and gather intelligence. Their goal was to find out who was responsible for Nicola Petrovich’s death.”
“Is that true?” I asked. I was bewildered about what was going on. Mel was speechless and unable to find the appropriate words to defend herself before Jack led her to the vehicle he had driven to the shipyard.
“Wait, Jack. Listen to me.” Mel resisted the handcuffs and Jack’s grip on her wrists.
“No, I made a mistake,” Jack finally answered. “I should have realized the reasons why you signed up for the CIA and were accepted so quickly. I thought you were just exceptionally qualified, now we know you weren’t. You were here to fool us all.”
“No, listen to me. Do you honestly believe my mother? That I was here because of a plan they concocted? It was my plan and all I wanted to do was find out who was responsible for my Uncle’s death.”
“When you found out who was responsible for his death, what were you going to do then?” I asked.
“I…I don’t know. I was so angry. Jack, do you think I kissed you because I wanted to make everything more believable?”
Greyson (Secret Revenge Book 2) Page 1
