Trifecta

by Pam Richter

  Sergi hurried after the women in his hard leather shoes with a burning hole in his right thigh and watched the women fly toward the end of the jogging path on Doheny Avenue. He didn't know if he could catch them, but he would make a valiant try. Blood was trickling down his thigh, soaking his sock and making his shoe a sticky mess. He thought he must look a little foolish among the California exercise freaks who made jogging a spectator's sport, with their trendy exercise cloths. He was dressed in a heavy business suit, but he didn't care. Anything was tolerated here in Los Angeles.

  The focus of the KGB had been to find out about a new American weapon breakthrough in computer technology. Sergi was to get the computer to a safe house with all due haste, as the Americans did not yet have it in their possession. Sergi Malcovich was not considered a highly intelligent man, but he was unquestioningly loyal, obeyed without objection and spoke reasonable American English. Anyway, his operative, Willard Modert, was running him personally.

  As he hurried along Sergi cursed Ivar Cousin and vowed eternal vengeance on him for daring to shoot a fellow comrade. Once this was over he promised himself a blood match.

  He watched as the red haired women took her car key out of her shoe lace and unlocked the door. The women was tired and leaned against the top of the car. He hoped they would stop and chat for a while and they did so, over the top of the yellow Mustang, regaining their breath after running so briskly. Sergi slowed down so that he was just another man taking a stroll along the grassy side of the jogging path. Luckily he was wearing dark pants, shoes and socks, so the blood dripping down his leg was not visible.

  Sergi's goal was to drive the women at gun point to the first rendezvous point. Modert would take over with the drugs. Later, arrangements would be made to transport the women out of the country. It was a very unusual for any government agency to seriously attempt to kidnap American citizens, but the intelligence report had stated that the computer-woman was to be used as a new type of weapon, which had convinced the KGB that it was a worthwhile risk. The Americans still thought the whole investigation might be a hoax.

  * * * * *

  Ivar Cousin was running two blocks behind Sergi, gaining fast. He wondered why Sergi continued to follow Eve and Sabrina. Ivar accelerated as he saw Sergi moving cautiously and with utter stealth as he got nearer. He saw Sergi move behind Sabrina. Ivar was astonished when he saw her throw her arms up in the air. It looked like an impulsive movement, because she immediately put them down again. He had the disquieting notion that the man was threatening her with a gun. Ivar started running faster.

  Ivar watched Eve walk around the front of the car. She was obviously following Sergi's orders because he had his gun in Sabrina's ribs. Even from a block away Ivar could see Sabrina trembling. Sergi had his arm around her now, and had pulled her close to him, as though she was a great friend that he had accidentally met up with. No one would be able to guess what was happening.

  Ivar moved forward until he was about twenty feet away and ducked behind a tree. He was completely at a loss. He couldn't shoot Sergi in the back, and couldn't figure what the man could possibly be up to. It looked like he was going to abduct the two women, right here in the open, using their own automobile. Ivar was close enough to hear them.

  "If you hurt her, I will kill you," Eve was saying in a conversational tone. She didn't sound very threatening and she looked so beautiful and fragile it was almost comical.

  "Put out your wrists," Sergi said to Eve. He had not moved the gun from Sabrina's ribs, but let go of her as he pulled handcuffs out of his pocket and snapped them, one handed, onto Eve's wrists.

  As Ivar watched he knew how painful it was when someone used the cuffs like that. They had to be broken open with great force. Eve didn't even wince as he slashed them on her.

  Ivar was afraid if he threatened Sergi with his own gun that he might pull the trigger and kill Sabrina. He had to create a diversion. He did the only thing he could think of. Ivar had not practiced his mimicking ability for years, but he growled ferociously and loudly from behind the tree. It accomplished the desired results.

  Sergi visibly started and turned his head at the sound of a mad dog about to attack. He searched the area behind him with his eyes for just a moment. It was enough time for Eve to take action.

  Ivar, who had been planning to rush forward and disarm Sergi, was stunned to see Eve, standing in front of Sergi, growl fiercely herself and lean forward fast as a snake and bite him in the neck. She took out a large chunk of flesh and then turned her head and spit out skin, muscle and blood. Sergi yelled shrilly and covered the wound with his free hand. Since he was concentrating on his wound, Eve brought both of her cuffed arms down on top of the gun, whacking it away. She was so fast that when the gun discharged it didn't hit anyone. Then Eve pulled her arms apart sharply and broke the handcuffs in two.

  Ivar's brain was telling him that handcuffs were made of steel. They could not be broken in half like that, no matter how strong a person was. There was blood on Eve's mouth. She had looked, for a moment, like an enraged animal. It was so shocking he was immobilized.

  Sergi was holding the side of his neck and gazing in shock at his broken hand. He slowly sank down to a sitting position.

  At least she had not bitten into his jugular vein, Ivar thought, or blood would have been pulsing out of Sergi's neck.

  Ivar watched as Eve went to the side of the jogging path to pick up the gun. She stuck the gun in the side of her shorts with the barrel sticking out. She walked over to Sergi and looked down at him.

  "He'll be all right. I think we should leave now. Before we attract attention."

  Sabrina looked stupefied. She walked woodenly over to the car, and taking a roll of paper towels from the back seat, handed a bunch to Sergi. He immediately tried to staunch the blood dripping from his neck wound. Then she walked over to Eve and wiped the blood off of her mouth.

  Ivar watched Eve and Sabrina get into the car and drive off. Ivar had no doubt who had broken the Steinbrenner brother's legs, now that he had seen Eve in action. She was a very dangerous woman. He had visions of her biting into Sergi's neck and breaking his hand with one violent blow, and he had another of her laughing and talking with him after the movie they had seen the night before. He didn't know if he could call her as he had promised. She was a very disturbing and dangerous person.

  Eve looked at Sabrina as they drove up Doheny toward Sunset Boulevard. Eve thought she could drive. It appeared simple, and Sabrina did not look well at all. She was still shaking and tears were running out of her eyes. Eve thought it might be because she had bitten the evil man with the gun, but she hadn't had much choice. It had been necessary to immobilize the man quickly and effectively. She had rapidly gone over all possible options and decided upon the least expected way to hurt him enough so that she and Sabrina could get away. If she had threatened him with her arms or legs, he might have shot Sabrina. Also, Eve knew that Ivar was behind a tree. He would have heroically tried to save them. Ivar might have been shot.

  Eve was sure she had been in total control of the emotions during the whole incident. Anyway, the Russian agent had shot Stephen as he sat helplessly in his wheelchair. Eve felt totally justified.

  Eve explained exactly why she had behaved as she had, and thought that Sabrina was calming down. Especially when she told Sabrina that it tasted nasty to have skin and blood in her mouth, until Sabrina drove straight through a red light. Sabrina seemed to be totally oblivious to the cars honking at them.

  Eve looked at Sabrina with concern and wondered if she was in a state of emotional disturbance. Eve touched Sabrina's forehead, but it was not clammy or cold like a shock victim's. She seemed to be breathing fine. She was just trembling. And driving very slowly. Cars were getting mad at her.

  "Will you teach me to drive?" Eve asked.

  "Yes."

  "Now?"

  Sabrina pulled into a parking place on Sunset Boulevard and they traded places.

  "
I have watched a lot," Eve said, to reassure Sabrina.

  "You don't have a license. Of course you can always use mine. No one could tell the difference."

  As Sabrina was thinking about how to teach someone to drive, Eve put the car in Drive and pressed the accelerator very carefully. The car shot into traffic. She moved the steering wheel, got the feel of moving right and left, and then rapidly started weaving through the heavy traffic.

  Driving was fun.

  No wonder there were so many cars. It was wonderful to be able to move so fast just by pushing the little pedal. She was enjoying herself so much she didn't see the look of sheer terror on Sabrina's face.

  Eve wondered why cars drove so slowly. She noticed that most people were considerate. They were quickly moving out of her way.

  "Eve?"

  "What, Sabrina?"

  "Do you know how fast you're going?"

  "Eighty," Eve said smiling.

  "The speed limit is thirty-five. You'd better slow down. We might get a speeding ticket."

  Sabrina was about to warn Eve about the power brakes, but she was too late and they spread rubber over twenty feet. Both women were hurtled forward into their seat belts.

  "The brakes work real well, don't they," Eve commented with satisfaction as she began a more sedate pace down Sunset. "I love to drive cars."

  "Good," Sabrina muttered. "Did you notice that we were almost kidnapped, right out in the open? In the light of day?"

  Eve nodded.

  "And the man had an accent?"

  "Russian."

  "How do you know?" Sabrina asked.

  "I saw the movie 'Russia House' last night. I recognized the accent."

  "We aren't safe anywhere. The Russians and the Americans and the Japanese want you."

  "Where shall we go?"

  "Home."

  They drove in silence until they got to Sabrina's condominium. When they got to the lobby Sabrina decided they needed a hiding place. She walked over to Jack, the security guard, and asked him if there were any more apartments in the building for rent. She explained she wanted to rent one for Eve.

  Sabrina had to sign a years lease and put down a security deposit. She hoped she would be able to sublet the apartment after the emergency situation was over. It was pretty expensive.

  During the next hour, Eve and Sabrina moved clothing and a supply of food and syrup into the little studio apartment on the floor above Sabrina's apartment. They used the stairs so that no one would see them. When they made their final trip and were surveying the place, Eve asked Sabrina if she could stay there tonight.

  "Sure."

  "Oh, Good. Good. Good. Good." Eve punctuated each word with a jump that took her to the ceiling. "My own place!"

  Sabrina laughed. Eve looked pleased as a three year old with her first doll. "I didn't know you wanted to live alone."

  "Doesn't everyone want their own place?"

  Sabrina thought back to her years at the orphanage, where she had slept in a dorm with twelve girls when she was little. Then, during her teens, there were three other girls in the same room. She had longed for her own place and some privacy. Eve had those memories, and probably her own longing for independence.

  Sabrina nodded and smiled at Eve, not wanting to take any of her enthusiasm away.

  CHAPTER 19

  Mark was remarking to Sabrina how nice it was not to be awakened in the middle of the night by bloodcurdling screams. They were having their morning coffee in her kitchen. He said it in a quasi-joking manner. Sabrina thought she would keep Eve's method of preventing a kidnapping a secret, for maybe ten or fifteen years.

  The intercom rang and Sabrina ran to answer it. She pushed the Speak button. Jack told her there were Census Takers downstairs. They wanted to ask her some questions.

  Sabrina was silent for so long Jack asked, "Sabrina, are you there?"

  "Yes. No! Tell them I'm not here."

  "They heard you answer," Jack whispered.

  "I sent the forms in, months ago."

  "They're going to each apartment. It only takes a minute."

  "Okay. But tell them to wait a while. I have to get dressed."

  It was probably government agents, trying to spy on her and using a ruse to get inside her apartment. Apparently Jack was satisfied with who they said they were. Now they had access to the entire building.

  Even worse, Eve would be coming down any minute. They would probably ask her where she was living. They had the right because they were supposedly checking each apartment for their periodic population count. If Eve told, their safety-escape apartment would be gone.

  Sabrina ran and told Mark.

  The doorbell rang.

  There were three men. One was carrying a red, white and blue briefcase with the word Census on it. Sabrina invited them in and asked them to sit down. One of the men opened the briefcase and took out the form that she had filled out several months ago. They were very organized; Sabrina recognized her own writing on the questionnaire.

  All three men apologized for taking up her time since she had already answered the Census, explaining that they were 'spot-checking' in the neighborhood.

  Mark walked into the living room and stood with his arms folded in front of him. He started tapping his foot.

  One of the men brightly asked if he lived in the Miller household, also. Sabrina said he was a guest.

  All the men smiled, but Sabrina was thankful Mark was there. They couldn't harass her in front of a witness.

  One of the men, still smiling, asked her if she was indeed Sabrina Miller. Sabrina said yes.

  He asked if another woman was living in the apartment.

  Sabrina shook her head, no.

  They had heard that there was another woman who was living here. A couple of people in the building had mentioned it because the two women looked so much alike. Except for their coloring. The tenants had described a woman with black hair.

  Even with all the care she and Eve had taken not to be seen together, Sabrina realized her neighbors had noticed them and had been willing to gossip.

  Sabrina looked at three bland smiling faces. Not a hair was out of place. All six shoes were shining with a mirror-like polish. She felt intimidated by snowy white shirts. They didn't appear threatening, but Sabrina was terrified. She hoped she was not noticeably trembling, but could feel moisture beginning to form on her upper lip.

  Mark mentioned they had to go to work.

  Sabrina said they must mean her cousin, Eve Miller, who had just left the day before. She had been visiting for a while.

  Mark pointedly said that he would bring the car out in front to take her to work. He left the apartment.

  Sabrina was shocked that Mark had abandoned her, but the three men did not ask any more personal questions. They declined coffee and smiled their way out the door.

  Sabrina watched from the peep hole as they got on the elevator. When the doors closed, she grabbed her keys and ran out of the apartment, over to the stairwell. She raced up the stairs and made sure the hall was empty before running to Eve's apartment. When there was no answer to her knock, Sabrina used her key. She quickly checked all the rooms.

  The apartment was empty.

  While she had been talking to the 'Census Takers,' some other people had taken Eve. She looked outside the window and saw that Mark's car was down below, waiting for her. She sped down the stairs to her own hallway, got an elevator to the lobby and hurried outside, leaning into Mark's window.

  "They took Eve! We have to do something right away. Call the police. Get help!"

  "Stop yelling. Get in. Everything's fine," Mark said.

  "No it's not. She's gone," Sabrina wailed as she got in the car and Mark started away from the curb. "You don't understand. They might hurt her. Experiment on her. We have to do something, Mark!"

  "Mark came and got me."

  Sabrina swiveled around and looked in the back seat. She craned and saw Eve lying on the floor in the back of the car
. She felt relief so great she almost went limp.

  "Turn around and act normal," Mark demanded.

  Sabrina turned around and smiled at him. "I love you, Mark."

  Assuming that the Census Takers had indeed been agents of the United States government there was only one solution. They had to look identical again, if only to cause confusion and buy a little time.

  Sabrina and Eve walked into a beauty salon next door to Sabrina's Fashions at lunchtime. Sabrina stated their hair color had to be the same exact shade of blond. She also wanted her's cut so that it would be the same length as Eve's. The air was permeated by penetrating noxious chemical odors that caused both Sabrina and Eve to sneeze repeatedly.

  While Eve was under the hair dryer she had time to think about Ivar. He had not called her last night as he had promised. It pained her heart. When she thought about Ivar she could feel the heart skip a beat and then thump again, real hard. Eve wanted to see his face; his nose and chin and the way his mouth curled up on the sides. And she wanted to feel safe and warm again in his arms. She supposed he didn't understand why she had bitten the Russian spy, and maybe she would have to explain it to him, like she had to Sabrina, who still liked her.

  When their hair was finished and brushed out Sabrina and Eve stood side by side, looking in the mirror. The process was a success. The small differences were apparent to them, but they thought no one else would notice.

  When they got home that night Sabrina immediately looked at the blinking light on her answering machine. There were three messages from Sato Hashimoto for Sabrina and Eve Miller. There was a message for Eve from Ivar.

  Eve started jumping around in circles and clapping her hands. She pushed off the ceiling when she jumped too high and almost hit her head.