Chapter Thirty-one
Roads Collide
1:45 P.M...
Nile Sector, Commorance Vicinage...
Nikolai and Natasha walked through the revolving doors leading into the lobby of the Bes Hotel, and the area was busy with people checking in and out. The two made their way to an elevator, entered the empty cab, and pressed the button for the top floor.
"Tomorrow is the day," Natasha said in her thick accent. "We can complete the Closing for the Phoenix and leave this dreadful Dark Half."
"This place is not completely dreadful, my sister. I find the Dry Clouds impressive." He held his hat in his hand. "They are like watching a pack of wolves stalk the land."
"You do have an imagination, my brother." Natasha changed the subject. "Are there any special instructions for the Phoenix Closing?"
"There are two." Nikolai removed a H.H.C. from his suit pocket. "We are to wait for the Phoenix to complete his or her Closing before we complete ours and if the Phoenix is unable to complete his or her Closing, we are to acquire the file and complete the task."
Natasha questioned, "There will be a bonus?"
"Yes," Nikolai answered. "Voice will compensate us if we take the second Closing."
Once they arrived at their destination, they proceeded out of the cab.
"Where are we going, my brother? You have been secretive."
"There is something I want to show you. Something I think you will like. We will be there shortly, so for the rest of our journey, we will need to take the stairs."
"Do you believe I will like it? I am curious, so let us continue our stroll."
Earlier on the rooftop...
Kimberly's view...
I make sure no one follows me up and that no one else is there, and then I walk to a ledge over looking Brownstone Street. The sky ever dark dominates the brightly lit city like a black dragon standing before a candle, and with one flick of its tail, the reptile can extinguish the flame and extinguish hope.
I remove binoculars from my knapsack and peer through them at a well lit house across the road. I see a bike messenger run up the stoop and ring the buzzer, and then I see a man answer the door; the Mark has bodyguards. I remove a H.H.C. from my knapsack and open the Closing File, and it's on Melissa Odin. The Mark's Closing isn't until tomorrow. I don't know if I can take the Mark out with a rifle if the Mark doesn't leave the house, so I'll have to go in. If I go in, I'll have to take out the bodyguards. I scan the file; the Mark has a little girl. I hope for her sake the Mark sent her to live with a relative. I don't need another Moscow.
I put the device away and then glance up, hearing a rumbling overhead as a He-Zeppelin soars beneath the Dry Clouds. The airship's twin engines roar, cutting through the thick atmosphere. A raven flies next to the He-Zeppelin, dives, and lands on the ledge down from me, and I look to the bird. The raven tilts its head, staring at me with dark eyes and caws, and then a wolf bays in the distance. I turn my attention back to the airship as a message in green neon letters runs across the He-Zeppelin's side.
Crite. The taste of lemon and lime. Refresh your taste buds. Buy two twelve packs and receive one free, so buy some Crite today.
Stupid ad, now I'm thirsty. The corporation probably placed subliminal messages in it. I remove a bottle of water from my knapsack; it isn't Crite, but it will have to do. I take a couple of drinks, put the bottle back, and peer through the binoculars again. The stoop's empty as several cars drive along Brownstone Street, and people stroll the sidewalk. A yellow taxi pulls up to the curb in front of the house and after about a minute, the taxi continues down the road. I try to see who got out. Whoever they are, they look a little lost. I watch the figure who's standing alone on the sidewalk and the person glances in my direction. Is that Katharine? I focus on her face; it is. What's she doing here? That strange woman stares up at the rooftop and appears to be looking at me. I bet she followed me here. No, I've been here too long, and she just arrived. Katharine turns, walks up the steps to the stoop, and rings the buzzer. A bodyguard opens the door. They speak, and he shakes his head. The bodyguard closes the door, and that woman remains outside, waiting. She seems to be very anxious. What did that woman say to him and what could she possibly be here for? She can't be telling them I'm up here. She doesn't know. I bite my lip. She can't possibly know. I wish I had taken that course on lip reading.
The bodyguard returns with another man, and they both walk out to the stoop after closing the door behind them. This second man's bald and speaks with Katharine for a while. Occasionally, the first bodyguard says something, and the discussion seems heated at times, and after a few minutes, the second man gives in over the objection of the first, and they let her in. For Ares' sake! I stand, placing the binoculars in my knapsack. I have a mind to march down there and drag that woman out of that house. I pace for a few minutes. She has to know that I'm up here, but I can't see how. I start for the rooftop door; I'll worry about the how later. The idiot! I wish she had a phone, and then I'd give her a piece of my mind. No one interferes with my job! I arrive at the door and move my hand to turn the knob when the knob turns on its own, and I quickly duck around the side as two people wearing WM-Bs wander out.
"See Tasha," a man starts as he strolls toward the edge with a woman's arm locked around his. "The Clouds are impressive up here." He places his hat on.
I glance around the corner and get a look at the two. They seem familiar, but I can't place them. The woman wears a white fur-lined black coat that flows to her ankles, and the man wears a white pin striped gray business suit and Fedora. I reach for my PPK, and then I change my mind about drawing the gun. It doesn't matter who they are; I'm going to get out of here.
End Kimberly's view...
Natasha pressed a button on the side of her mask and spoke, "I see what you mean about them, my brother. I can almost see the wolves. The pack is anxious." She released her hold on his arm and put her hands on the railing, scanning the sky. "Is this what you wanted to show me?"
"This is part of it," Nikolai answered and searched the rooftop as if he expected to see something. "I was hoping for another."
While the two had their backs to her, Kim slipped around the corner for the exit.
Natasha reached up her sleeve. "What is the other?" She turned, flicking her wrist.
A throwing knife sped for Kim and cut her cheek, before embedding in the door. "Hades!"
Natasha asked, "Is this creature who you were waiting for?"
Kim turned, faced the two, pulled her PPK, and aimed for the black haired woman.
"Yes," Nikolai answered. "The little fire bird I presume." He removed a Glock 25 from a shoulder holster and aimed for her. "We finally meet the Phoenix."
Admitting nothing, Kim asked, "Who are you?"
"Who are we?" Natasha questioned. "By now, you should know we are like you."
"Like me? Who do you think I am?"
"A Life Closer of course," Natasha answered. "One that has been sloppy."
Kim aimed for the man as she questioned, "Who hired you?" She put her free hand behind her back and reached for the knob.
"Voice," Nikolai replied.
Natasha turned to her brother and asked him, "Are you going to tell her everything?"
He entered his gangster motif. "Does it matter? Soon, she'll be sleeping with the fishes."
"Voice?" The answer surprised Kim, and she paused from escaping, hoping to hear more and continued her act. "Who or what is this voice?"
"Do not play dumb with us," he said. "We know that you are the Phoenix. You cannot deny it."
"I'm not saying I am this Closer you mentioned, but tell me something. Why does this voice want me dead? What did I do?"
"You should not have to ask," Nikolai said. "It is Guild business. Remember you botched the Moscow assignment. It is grounds enough for your Closing."
Kimberly's view...
I admit to them, "Sure I missed the first shot, but the backup took out Mrs. Serqet's little girl before I had a chance to take my second shot."
End Kimberly's view...
"Backup?" Natasha shook her head. "Phoenix, you had no backup."
"Sure I did. I saw Maestro's business card when it was handed to the detective. He or she claimed the kill."
Natasha and Nikolai glanced at each other.
"Do you know nothing?" Nikolai questioned. "Maestro's alias has been retired for ten years. Maestro is dead."
"It does not matter," Natasha said. "It is your alias that was recorded as the Closer. The Assassins League has your ID logged as the one who killed the child. You are the lowest of low. You are a Closer who cannot hit her Mark."
"This is a mistake. I need to clear this up with Voice. I heard the detective say Maestro." Kim reached for the knob again. "I know I did."
"That is not our problem." Natasha reached into her sleeve. "You of all people should know the rules. Only Voice or Thanatos can cancel a Closing."
"Oh, I know." If this came to a fight, Kim would take the man out first. The woman did seem very skillful with the knives, but Kim still believed that at this distance he would be the bigger threat. "I wasn't saying we should hold this off, but you can at least do me the courtesy of telling me your names. You already know mine."
"That was rude of us." Nikolai bowed his head in greeting. "We are the Raven and the Wolf."
Kimberly's view...
Is the Moscow assignment the only reason Voice sent these two after me? Does Voice know I lied about Katharine and I didn't kill her? I bite my lip. Will I have to eliminate her before we finish our deal? I might have to if I want to get back into good standing with the Assassins Guild. I would prefer to wait till after that woman helped me and I have no further need of her, but I can't have everything I want. I study the man and woman, and I believe I've gotten all the information I'm going to get from them, so I prepare to flee as I tell them, "Well, let's get this over w..."
The knob I'm holding turns on its own, and the door opens as I whirl around and aim for the newest member of the rooftop club. The person walks out as I yell, "You've got to be kidding! What are you doing here?"
"Me?" Katharine yells as she glares at me with eyes that accuse. "What are you doing here?"
Panic sweeps across me as I step back, and that woman raises her gun in response to me aiming at her. I don't know if I should fire or not. There's something in the way Katharine looks at me; it's as if I betrayed her.
"You didn't answer me." Controlling her outrage, that woman steps further out onto the roof as she breathes hard from running up the stairs. She notices the man and woman standing near the ledge. "Kimberly, what are you doing here?"
He aims his Glock at Katharine and questions, "Natasha, who is this?"
"Perhaps another Closer," Natasha answers. "Maybe Voice is not convinced we can complete our Closing, Nikolai or maybe Voice has sent another to make sure we kill the Phoenix's Mark if she does not do so."
Katharine's view...
I peer at the man and woman, trying to figure out why they're here. I thought the Russian woman said they'll kill Melissa if Kimberly fails. I turn my attention to my partner. I'm right, Kimberly's here to kill Melissa, but how can she take on another Closing when she told me she wouldn't?
The tension increases as those of us with guns divide our time between pointing our weapon at the other two as something else crosses my mind. They could be Closers, and they could be here to kill Kimberly. I can't think about that right now. I have to focus on one thing at a time. First, I have to deal with Kimberly. My tone makes it clear I'm not too happy with my partner as I state while I keep my Beretta leveled on her, ignoring the others, "We need to talk."
"Fine with me," Kimberly says. "But could we do it some place more private? It's getting a little crowded up here."
I glance at the other two; I've seen them somewhere. I take a second look at the man and woman, and I realize they were at the Genesis Arboretum.
I ask my partner, "Making new friends?"
"Funny," Kimberly snaps. "Are you wanting that talk or not?"
"Then you know why I'm here? Because I know why you're here."
"If you know why I'm here, then I can guess why you're here," Kimberly replies.
"Then you know I won't let you do it. I'll stop you. I won't let you kill anyone."
Natasha leans to her brother and inquires, "What are they bickering about?"
"I am not sure. I am very confused. And I am not even sure they know what they are arguing about. The conversation seems to be going in circles."
"Kill anyone?" Kimberly interrupts me. "How could you possibly know I'm here to..? Never mind. The more important thing is..."
Natasha clears her throat and then speaks to us, "Excuse me. Do not forget about us. We are feeling very left out, and we were the first guests."
"I haven't." Kimberly turns to Natasha. "But do you mind, I'm trying to have a conversation here. Talk about rude." She turns back to me and asks, "Where was I?"
"Maybe this conversation would be better in private," I tell her. "Truce till we're done with these two?"
"Truce," Kimberly answers. "What's the plan?"
End Katharine's view...
"We should find better cover. After you..." Kat motioned to the door with her head. "And hurry. I think the Closers' polite talk is coming to an end."
"You don't have to tell me twice." Kim backed up and raced down the stairs.
"It was very rude of you to interfere," Natasha told Kat as she unsheathed a knife. "Do you not know there are sweets that are treats and Sweets that can kill?"
"Sweets that you eat? And sweets that can kill? You mean like choking on a cookie?" Kat questioned. "I almost did earlier this morning. I thought I was going to die, but before I actually choked..."
"Cookie?" Natasha uttered. "No, I am talking about this." She lifted the knife.
"Oh. Sorry. Sometimes I'm a little slow on the uptake." Kat triggered the Beta Phase. "Why don't you drop the knife?"
Natasha noticed the light coming from her eyes as she drew her hand back and questioned, "Why would I want to drop my knife?"
Kat fired before she threw it, and the bullet struck the blade, knocking the weapon from her hand. Kat turned the gun on the man before he reacted. "Don't do it!" she warned. "Just take it easy."
"She hurt me!" Natasha rubbed her hand. "Kill her, Nikolai!"
He snarled like a Medved (a bear) then he yelled, "No one hurts my sister!" Nikolai opened fire.
"Oh crap!" Kat ran through the door and down the stairs as several bullets whizzed past. One nicked her on the side of the chin as she fled, and she raced down the stairs, hearing the two pursue. Kat burst through the door to the highest level the elevator came to and ran to the cab, finding Kim waiting for her. Kat rushed in.
"About time you got here." Kim pressed the lobby button, and the cab doors closed.
"Actually," Kat spoke out of breath. "I didn't think you would wait."
"Well... I wouldn't have, but we still need to have that talk."
#2 Shades of Gray: From Moscow, With Love Page 35
