by MacShayne
They arrived at the Crystal Gateway Marriott hotel in the afternoon. It was raining at the moment. Home stepped out of the bulletproof vehicle and helped his women step out of the car. Without saying a word, the three were met by four agents at the entrance of the hotel. Home, Meredith and Crystal were escorted to the fifth floor, room 918. Home had bought this apartment years ago as part of his evacuation plan. When they left the elevator, two hotel guards were standing on both sides of the elevator door. One of them was an enormous man compared to the second guard. The second guard was less tall, les muscled but in a good shape. Home and his family were escorted to their apartment. Crystal looked over her shoulder and looked at the good looking smaller guard. He didn’t give her attention and kept staring ahead of him. But a little grin appeared on his face. Crystal smiled as she looked back at her father.
‘Are we in great danger father?’, she finally asked him.
‘Not yet darling. But I have to take precautions.’
‘You never had to before.’
‘That’s because I did a good job.’
‘So, you say you failed now?’
‘Not really. But you know I can’t give you any answers.’
‘I know, the only answers you give result in more questions’, Crystal concluded. Then they entered the apartment.
Burdines waterfront, Florida keys, 8 February 2010
One of the SUV’s containing Crowne and Turner arrived at the hideout. They were met by two henchmen of Reddington. They were armed and wore black clothes. Mitch was also still armed. Reddington knew that Mitch would never give up his weapon. And there was no reason to believe he would be a threat as of yet.
Turner and Crowne followed the henchmen inside the hideout. They arrived in what appeared to be a living room. Turner was here previously, before she was brought to Washington in order to assist Crowne. While Turner seated herself, Crowne saw a glimpse of another person standing on the balcony. In the distance you were able to see the open sea. It was a beautiful view if you could enjoy the beauty that is called nature. Mitch walked towards the door made of mostly glass and opened it. The other person didn’t turn around. Like he was expecting someone to join him on the balcony. The person that was clearly enjoying the view was 1.83 metres long and took great care of his physique. He had the same hair colour as Mitch himself, the same height. Mitch stopped next to him.
‘This is kind of odd, isn’t it?’, Robert McEachran began.
‘Probably.’
‘I guess I have to thank you.’
‘For what?’
‘Sennen Cove. You saved my bottom back there.’
‘It was not a problem.’
‘Want a hug?’, McEachran joked.
Mitch grinned. ‘Not necessary.’
‘So, we don’t get the how you’ve been and what you’re up to kind of talk now, will we?’
‘Would you want to know?’
‘Hey, my brother assassinated a vice president.’
‘That’s a long time ago. I don’t remember things for too long.’
‘Now you are full of shit Mitch.’
The door swung open ones again. Eveline Turner joined the two brothers.
‘You two, this is insane.. You really share the same mother?’
‘And the same father’, McEachran added.
‘Nice to have met you Robert’, Mitch said as he offered a hand.
‘I don’t know if this is mad shit crazy or legit. But I’m glad you’re still alive’, Robert said as they shook hands. Mitch then left the balcony via the stairs and walked out of sight.
‘You missed me?’, Robert asked Eveline.
‘It was like you were with me all the time’, Eveline said. Nodding towards the direction Mitch disappeared.
‘That sounds wrong. I mean, that sounds really disgus...’, Robert said before Eveline kissed him. Then they made out while one of Reddington’s henchman shook his head.
Seven Mile Bridge, Florida keys, 8 February 2010
The other SUV stopped somewhere at the middle of the seven mile bridge near Reddington’s hideout. Cherikov was looking like a drunk former bank owner that just had a terrible night. He recently already gave up Home as the authorizing man that ordered the hit on Mia’s mother and her stepfather. But Reddington always had his own agenda. Cherikov was led out of the SUV and pushed towards the edge of the bridge.
Reddington, as calm as he always is, stepped also out of the vehicle together with Dembé. He sighed deeply as he put on sunglasses. In both ends of the bridge was no car visible. Then he walked towards Cherikov.
‘You could decide to jump. But we both know you wouldn’t do it.’
‘It’s not that simple Reddington.’
‘I know. Ones you fall into the water, It’s three and a half miles before you reach shore. Or you just sign up for the military.’ Nodding towards a small island in the distance. ‘Like I said. We both know you will give up every information you have, you know why.’
‘I don’t give you shit. I’m not afraid of you.’
‘But you are afraid of swimming, isn’t that the truth?’
Cherikov didn’t answer.
‘I thought so. I have interest in something more than just someone’s head as you might know. I believe I have something in my possession called the Fulcrum. But I need you to get me to the person I can continue my business with. You know what I mean.’
‘They can’t be blackmailed. They won’t surrender.’
‘I don’t want them to surrender, how silly, I want them to look the other way when I feel like it. Understand me?’
‘My business is done’, Cherikov said.
‘Great, mine just began. Shall we?’, Reddington said as he cued his henchmen to put Cherikov back in the SUV.
Southport, Beach, 16 April 2010
Mitch woke up after he slept for almost thirty eight minutes. He opened his eyes and didn’t move. Something deep inside of him had awoken him. Like an alarm that was sensing someone in the neighbour with bad intentions. After three minutes and forty-six seconds, he stood up and checked if any doors and windows were opened. Then he checked if the others were all right. When he entered Mia’s room, he felt something else deep inside of him. Mia was the very reason he might be alive. I mean really alive. He was not going to say it probably, but he cared about her, much. He left the room and the house there after.
Eventually, he stranded at the marina. He saw that in most houses there was no sign of life. Street lights were shut down as well. Something unusual. Then a car pulled over hundred meters in the distance. Two men left the vehicle. Mitch immediately saw who they were, they were parked near a streetlamp that did work this night. It was Reddington and Dembé. Mitch carried his magnum with him as he walked toward the two of them.
‘It’s been a while Mr. Crowne’, Reddington began. ‘You’re not going to shoot us with that, are you?’
‘What brings you here Raymond.’
‘We have some business to take care off. You know, before you leave the game for good.’
‘My business has already ended.. In sea...’
‘I know, but this is very important also. Shall we talk somewhere more remotely?’
‘I have a boat near-by.’
‘Good, that works for me’, Reddington said with a grin as he looked at Dembé. The two then followed Crowne. Mitch had a feeling that something wasn’t right about this sudden meeting. An alarm was going off in his lizard brain. But what?
Chapter 3:
Long Distance Shot
Mitch, Burdines waterfront, Florida keys, 8 February 2010
Mitch walked into the bushes. He knew that Robert and Eveline we’re the perfect example of a beginning couple. He didn’t want to disturb their luck. It was strange to meet someone that looked so much alike him. And in so many ways that very person was nothing like him. He walked towards the west and eventually stopped near the sea. Mitch seated himself in the sand. A lot of things were going through his mind righ
t now. All the things he had done, all the things that happened to people around him. Shelley, Sandra and what even happened to Jeremy Clegane and Ayda Houser? His father? What was the good in this world, were did he kill for during his career within the agency? Mitch was staring at the far distance, his eye-sight was almost unmatched. He could see better than 99.99% of anyone that had or worked in any agency over the whole world. He received some scars during his life as assassin, but he didn’t lose his sight. So, even though it was almost three and a half kilometres away, he saw barely the appearance of the same SUV he and Eveline came out of half an hour ago...
Then he heard something moving behind him. It wasn’t just something, by the way it moved, it had two legs. In this area, that meant that it was either a feathered creature or a human being. So, who was following him. At the same moment, the car was moving again as Mitch put his hand on his gun and took cover behind a tree. Then the creature appeared, she was blonde. Mitch judged by the way she moved and her clothing that she was unarmed so he stopped being cautious. She was wearing tight blue shorts, slippers, a white mini shirt and a necklace. When she looked at him, he could see in the corner of his eye sight that she wasn’t wearing makeup and had a belly button piercing.
‘Here I thought to have some alone time’, she said. She had a gentle suburban high pitched voice. Like she wasn’t a city girl but had lived in one for years now. It sounded like she was in her twenties. ‘Do you speak English?’, she asked while now staring at Mitch. He judged by the way she said English that she was European. She had an accent. ‘My father always said to me not to introduce myself to strangers alone’, she continued. ‘But, I like your style.’
‘What should I call you?’, Mitch said.
‘Like my father said, you may call me Lisa. Yeah.. Lisa is a nice name.’
‘Not your real name I figure.’
‘Maybe, maybe not. Perhaps you should try better to get to know me’, she said will she grinned.
‘Maybe I don’t want to’, Mitch answered cold.
‘Are you gay? I mean, you look hot for an older guy. But I didn’t picture you gay.’
‘Never been rejected before?’, Mitch asked while looking the other way. She came closer.
‘There is nothing wrong with being gay. But reject this’, she said as she put her arms around Mitch’s strong neck and kissed him on his mouth.
Robert and Eveline, Burdines waterfront, Florida keys, 8 February 2010
If you would ask him, he wouldn’t be able to estimate how long the kiss had lasted. When Robert opened his eyes, he saw the beautiful Eveline smiling at him. It was almost too hard to say how dangerous this beauty actually was. She could kill him in hundred possible ways and still he thought of her as cute.
‘That wasn’t disgusting after all, was it?’, Eveline said with a wink.
‘We might need a room’, Robert answered with a grin.
Eveline grabbed Robert’s hand and let him lead the way inside the mansion. Robert had been living here for days and took her to "his" room. In the house were only two henchmen of Reddington. The one that saw them making out and another that was keeping guard at the front of this hide-out. While at the stairs, they were making out once again, Eveline almost lost her balance but was able to grab the banister. In doing so, she pulled Robert with her which almost caused home to fall. They ended face to face against the wall when they both ended in laughter.
‘Even making out is life threatening with you’, Robert joked.
Eveline kissed him on his lips. ‘Want to quit?’
‘Never’, Robert said as they continued to his bedroom.
Eveline kicked open the bedroom door as she was pushed on bed by Robert. He already unzipped his pants as did Eveline. While Robert dropped his pants he helped Eveline getting out of hers. He started kissing her on her left leg as she took off her shirt. She then helped Robert getting out of his shirt.
‘Have you been working out the last few days?’, She asked.
‘Might took on running luv.’
‘Impressing.’
Then they made out while Robert unclipped her bra.
Mitch, Burdines waterfront, Florida keys, 8 February 2010
‘That wasn’t so bad after all, was it?’, she asked Mitch. ‘Maybe it’s been a while for you.’
Mitch grabbed her ass and pulled her up and kissed her this time. They made out once again. Then they broke the kiss once again. ‘You know how to make an effort Mr. stranger’, she said. Mitch reacted by putting her down. ‘Where do you come from Lisa?’
‘Really, you wanna talk instead of playing with fire?’
‘Women weaken legs. I need to stay fully focused.’
‘I see. That’s why the gun and the knife.’
‘You noticed?’
‘After your huge boner, yeah, I noticed. People would say I should be afraid I guess. But I’m not.’
‘You should be.’
‘I’m from Czech. At least, that’s where I life mostly. I am on a holiday. My boyfriend found this the perfect place to break up with me.’
‘And...’
‘I kicked him in his nuts and might have broken his nose.’
‘Good for you’, Mitch said with a grin.
‘You know, I think I recognize you.’
‘You do?’, Mitch asked impressed.
‘Family of Tom Cruise?’, she flirted.
‘I need to go Lisa.’
‘I guess you have. But since you didn’t give a name, how else am I supposed to call you.’
‘Tom, suits me well.’
‘It’s not your real name.’
‘Lisa isn’t yours.’
‘Point taken’, she said as Mitch walked away. ‘Come find me when you’re in Merklin.’
Mitch retreated himself in the bushes where he practised his fighting skills and trained his muscles. Then he performed some meditating for the first time in his life. He remembered Mia telling him it might get him find inner peace with his sins. All that slipped in his mind, was the moment where he would kill Home. After what must have been hours, Mitch returned to the hide out after having taken a swim in the ocean. Peace with himself? F*ck that. He was only good in bringing hell to others. And that was exactly what was going to happen now.
Crystal Gateway Marriott, 9 February 2010
Richard Bennard Home, his wife Meredith and his daughter were all in his safe apartment. Everything so far, so good. But did he feel safe? Did they feel safe? Ask yourself when you’re being hunted, how much protection would it take to make you feel safe? Richard still had to take a shower, but as he was about to walk to the bathroom, his private cell phone began to ring.
‘Is there any news?’, Home began the conversation.
‘You know what you have to do, right?’, Fitch said in an formal but deep tone.
‘Is it that bad?’
‘We believe, you won’t last three more days. Can we build on you? Can we trust you to protect the greater good?’
‘Where?’
‘It has been confirmed that Mitch Crowne was seen in the Keys via satellite images.’
‘Exact location?’
‘At the international airport.’
‘So, we can assassinate him when he heads towards DC.’
‘You know how well he was trained.’
‘Indeed’, Home said after some hesitation.
‘This is our final call Home. Your legacy will not be forgotten.’
‘Thank you sir. For giving me a chance to make America safe again.’
‘You be good Richard.’
Richard sighed deeply. It’s funny, his wife normally used to be the only person that called him Richard. She was sleeping after taking her medicine. His daughter was in the living room. Home decided to take that shower.
Reddington’s hideout, Burdines waterfront, Florida keys, 8 February 2010
Mitch returned to the hideout after his practice. It was a long day, a strange day. Not that often he meets someone that fi
nds a way to take his interest. Then he practised his skills for a few hours. He was ready to take the shot. But, before he entered the house, he heard some noise coming from a different direction. It came from the garage. Mitch crept towards the smaller building and found out that the door was open. So to speak, he noticed the two henchmen holding guard at the house. To keep them inside probably. Which meant they were amateurs, they could have known that Mitch wasn’t inside the house yet. He entered the garage. It wasn’t complete dark inside. There was one of the SUV’s parked inside. Behind it, there was a hatch. Light found its way from beneath it. The hatch was also not locked. Mitch opened it slightly. He didn’t notice anyone except the stairs. Mitch entered the basement without making any noise. The only noise he heard, was almost loud enough to hear.
Cherikov was strapped in a chair in the middle of the room. He was punched multiple times on his face before Reddington came downstairs to question him. Dembé was the only other person in the room. The man that worked on Cherikov’s appearance left before Mitch entered the garage. They missed each other by seventeen seconds to be precisely.
‘So, I heard you were ready to share some valuable information’, Reddington said as het took a seat opposite him.
‘You need to promise me something..’
‘I’m not in the position to make any promises. We passed that moment at the bridge.’
‘Fuck you and your organization Reddington. You will never succeed.’
‘You have no idea. In fact, it’s not of your concern.’
Dembé noticed a shadow coming from the other side of the door. Maybe, it wasn’t even a shadow, perhaps it was a spider or something. But he noticed something moving at the other side.
‘Alan Fitch, he’s the person you’re looking for. That’s all I know..’, Cherikov said.
‘How do I know you’re telling the truth?’
‘It’s all that I know. Richard Home is also part of it. But he addresses to Alan Fitch. He’s your man. He’s the asshole you need to talk to.’
