“Why give it to me now?” Cassidy asked.
Helen took a moment to regard the younger woman before her. She took a deep breath and then gently touched Cassidy’s cheek. “Oh, Cassidy. You and I are very much alike; I suspect. Alex will always have other commitments. She is very much like her father in that way.” Cassidy swallowed hard. “And you, well, your commitment is to your family. So is hers. She just has a different way of showing it. She is her father’s daughter, even if she would like to deny that. I’ll leave you for a while. Read it or wait. I have no idea what it says. I know two things. Two things I have always known. Nicolaus loved me,” she paused.
“And?” Cassidy gently urged.
“And, he loved his children. No matter what he said or what he did.” A tear trickled down her cheek. “He loved them.”
Cassidy felt Helen place a gentle kiss on her forehead and watched her leave the room silently. She loved the older woman. Helen was quite different from her mother. She was more reserved and quiet, but Cassidy had grown to understand Alex’s mother. She giggled inwardly. “She’s a lot like you too,” Cassidy mused aloud. She often marveled at how much Alex looked like her mother. Cassidy had come to learn that Helen was also extremely sensitive and thoughtful. They were qualities Alex shared with Helen. They were qualities not everyone took the time to see in Alex. Cassidy loved the sensitive side of Alex. It gave her wife a sense of vulnerability. In its unique way, that made Alex the strongest person Cassidy had ever known. “Well,” she sighed. “Let’s see what you have to say.”
“Where are you off to?” the congressman asked.
“Why? Will you miss me?” Claire Brackett laughed. “You have that pretty blonde waiting for you at home. What’s her name, again? Shelly?”
“Cheryl.”
Claire Brackett shrugged. “You like those blondes; don’t you, Congressman?”
“Jealous?” he quipped.
“Hardly. Don’t flatter yourself.”
“So? Are you going to tell me or not?” he asked.
“I have a meeting with my father,” she answered as she buttoned her blouse.
“Do you think he suspects?”
The redhead let out an animated guffaw. “Suspects? What? That I am working with Dimitri?” O’Brien nodded. “No,” she continued. “I don’t think he suspects.”
“Your father is no fool, Claire.”
She turned to him slowly with a smile of satisfaction. “He doesn’t suspect. He knows.”
“And that doesn’t concern you?” O’Brien was puzzled by his lover’s apparent lack of concern. Admiral William Brackett was considered by many to be the most powerful presence in United States intelligence circles.
“Concern me? No. Why should it?”
“Think you might be a bit over-confident,” he chimed.
Claire chuckled. “Not at all. It’s useful to me.”
“If you say so,” O’Brien answered.
“Christopher,” she said, smiling as she slipped her arms through her leather coat. “I am no more on Dimitri’s team than I am on my father’s.” He looked at her skeptically. “I don’t care about their agendas.”
“So? Then why? Why side with Dimitri?” he asked.
“There are no sides, Congressman. You sound as if you think this is cops and robbers,” she mocked him. “No one is in this to protect anything or anyone but themselves.”
“I’m not certain your father would agree.”
“Developing a conscience?” she laughed. O’Brien’s expression hardened. “Be careful with that, Christopher. Don’t go getting heroic ideas now.”
“I know my role.”
“Yes. I suppose you do. I’ll see you,” Claire said as she reached for the door.
“When?” he asked.
“When it suits me,” she answered, closing the door behind her.
Alex walked down the stairs of Government Center and stretched. This walk always reminded her of her father. In spite of all that she had learned these last few months, heading into Boston with the man she once revered as a hero still held fond memories for her. Now, those memories now made her heart ache. She reached in her pocket and pulled out her phone. She walked slowly, drawing out her pace as she waited for an answer.
“Alex?” Cassidy answered.
“Yeah.”
“Where are you?” Cassidy asked.
“I got called to a meeting in the city,” Alex responded. “Guess it was a good thing you twisted my arm into staying at my mom’s.”
“What’s wrong?”
Alex sighed. “Nothing; I just got off the T and…”
“Started thinking about your father; didn’t you?” Cassidy asked gently as she allowed her fingers to trace the envelope in her hand.
“Yeah. I did, but then I started thinking about you. I only have a minute, but…”
“You started thinking about me? Really?” Cassidy asked.
Alex chuckled softly. “Cass, I know we are supposed to get the tree, and all. And, we can, but…do you think maybe you and Dylan could come up to my mom’s tomorrow?”
Cassidy tried not to laugh. “Any particular reason?”
“Well, you know…my mom loves you guys and maybe since it is supposed to be nice…. Maybe we could come in here…to the city. The lights are up…”
Cassidy smiled and shook her head on the other end of the phone. They had only made the trip into Boston a few times together over the summer. Cassidy had noticed that each time the short trek seemed to transform Alex’s lingering sadness over her father into a sense of peacefulness. It seemed to be the one place Alex could remember the man who raised her fondly. “I think that can be arranged,” Cassidy smirked.
“Good. Maybe Mom will come back home with us. I know she wants to see Nicky. Then I could leave my car here. And, you know she would love to decorate the tree with you and…”
“I’m sold,” Cassidy responded. “Is it going to be a late night for you?”
“Nah. I doubt it. Unless your buddy Pip wants to go shopping.”
“You’re meeting Pip?”
“Yeah,” Alex answered.
“I doubt it is about shopping then,” Cassidy observed quietly.
“Well, he did mention it,” Alex replied playfully as she caught sight of the topic of their conversation.
Cassidy took a deep breath. She was all too aware that meetings between her wife and Jonathan Krause were seldom of a social nature. The potential realities of those meetings always unsettled her, but she had accepted Alex’s life as part of her own and she was determined to be calm and supportive. “Alex, Pip hates to shop almost as much as you do,” she offered as a weak attempt at humor.
Alex laughed. “I won’t be late. I’ll call you when I get to Mom’s. Cass?”
“Yes?”
“I called,” Alex stopped in her tracks, just shy of her destination. “Well, I just hope our kids love coming here with me as much as I…”
Cassidy closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. “They will.”
“I hope so,” Alex said quietly.
“I’m sure Dylan will convince you tomorrow.”
Alex laughed. “Talk to you in a bit.”
“I’ll be waiting.” Cassidy hung up the phone and contemplated the envelope in her hand again. “I think this will wait until we are home,” she said.
“So?” Alex asked.
“Nice to see you too, Alex,” Jonathan Krause answered as the two began to stroll through Quincy Market.
“Yeah, well. Not that I don’t love spending time with you,” Alex shot back, “but no offense, I can think of places I’d rather be right now.”
“How is Cassidy?” he asked.
“Tired,” Alex sighed. “Truthfully, I’m a little worried about her.”
“The custody hearing?” he asked with genuine concern. Alex shook her head. “What?” he asked.
“Just, well…we’ve had a few rounds of trying and nothing. She just seems; I don’t know…li
ke she feels guilty about it or something. The second time I couldn’t even be with her.” Krause stopped their progression. Alex pinched the bridge of her nose and continued. “Jesus. What the hell? I didn’t want to tell her I was relieved. I mean, I know I am not technically responsible, but I’d like to be there when my kid is conceived. Crazy, huh?”
Krause smiled. “You didn’t tell her that?” Alex shook her head. “You should. I know Cassidy enough to know she would appreciate that. I’ll bet you she felt the same way.”
“You think so? She seemed so disappointed,” Alex said.
Krause laughed. “She probably doesn’t want to disappoint you.”
“She could never…”
“I know that. Maybe you should tell her that,” Krause suggested.
Alex nodded as they resumed their pace. Jonathan Krause was not someone Alex would ever have imagined regarding as a friend. It was strange; she thought. There was an effortless nature to their relationship. They seemed to understand each other intrinsically. At first, Alex chalked up her inclination to trust the man to the devotion she knew he held to her wife. Over the last few months, she had begun to realize it was more than that. Jonathan Krause was a literal genius. He was as articulate as he was cunning. He was also fiercely loyal to those he cared for, just like Alex. Everything in Alex told her to trust Krause, and she did. She loved Brian Fallon, and she felt a deep sense of loyalty to her NSA roots and Michael Taylor and Steven Brady, but Krause was different. She could read his expressions, and he could anticipate her actions. It was uncanny. Sometimes, when Alex allowed herself a few moments to dissect their relationship, she would begin to question her sanity. After all, Jonathan Krause was a ghost she had hunted for years at the NSA. Now, in what she often considered the strangest turn of events in her life, he had somehow become not only her partner, but her closest friend.
“You didn’t call me here to discuss my family issues,” Alex said. “What’s going on?”
“Got a lead on the Cesium Brackett took,” he explained.
Alex stopped abruptly. “When?”
“Matthews contacted the admiral last night. Bucharest. Final destination? Unknown. But, Matthews seems to think it is headed toward The Russia-Ukraine border.”
“Jesus. Whose play?”
Krause shook his head. “I don’t know. I don’t like it. The admiral called in the sparrow.”
“What the hell would he call in Claire for? He knows she’s in Dimitri’s pocket,” Alex said in disbelief.
“I don’t know. Maybe he thinks he can rattle her somehow. Shake something loose,” Krause offered.
“She’s got plenty loose already,” Alex rolled her eyes.
Krause chuckled. “I don’t know, Alex. Just be ready for anything. Any luck on the ASA shipments from Carecom?”
Alex shook her head. “Not much, no. It looks like my father cut off the funnel to ASA sometime just before he died. The trail just stops. Completely.”
“That doesn’t make sense.”
“I don’t know,” Alex admitted. “Does Matthews think someone is planning on using it against our interests?”
“We both know if anyone uses it….no matter where, it will be against our interests. Shit, Alex. Its origins are American. Count on the fact that they will play that hand,” Krause told her.
“Where does that leave us?” she asked.
“Waiting. Nothing else we can do until there is some more movement. Matt has put some assets near the border. The admiral is pushing Strickland to send some diplomatic assistance to the embassy in Moscow.”
Alex followed Krause into Faneuil Hall and stepped into a line for coffee. She shook her head again and pursed her lips. General Matthew Waters was someone they both trusted. Admiral William Brackett remained an entity that Alex still regarded with considerable skepticism. This tangled web concerned her for a number of reasons. Russ Matthews was more than simply the American ambassador to Russia. He was a friend. He had worked closely with President John Merrow from within The Collaborative, seeking to shut down operations both regarded as imprudent and dangerous quietly. She was certain the Russians suspected his involvement in thwarting several exchanges of technology and weaponry. Living in Moscow increased the risk to the ambassador. Alex suspected his dealings would not play well with President Lawrence Strickland, either. “Krause?” she began.
“What?”
“What about Russ?”
Jonathan Krause nodded. “Yeah, that thought crossed my mind. I’m surprised they haven’t acted before now. Kargen and Ivanov clearly know he is not on team Russia.”
“Yeah,” Alex said under her breath.
“Wait.” He stopped and leaned into Alex more closely as she stepped away from the counter. “You’re not thinking they might implement the Cesium in an attack aimed at Russ?” he asked, his stress visibly increased.
“I don’t know what to think, but I’m confident that crossed your mind as well,” Alex shook her head slightly and handed Krause a coffee. “Maybe it’s time I made a friendly call to my old friend Ambassador Daniels in London.”
“Under what pretense?” Krause asked.
“Carecom works closely with several British corporations. All of them have ties to ASA. I’ll find an opening.”
Krause laughed as he watched Alex head toward a bakery counter. “Hungry?” he joked as Alex pointed to several desserts. “You sure you aren’t eating for two?”
“Cute,” she drawled out sarcastically. “Cass and Dylan are coming up tomorrow.” He nodded his understanding as she accepted her bag from the cashier. “Why don’t you talk to Callier? See if he has any clue why my father would stop the flow to ASA,” Alex suggested.
“I will do that. He’s been preoccupied lately. Worried about something. I can see it.”
Alex listened carefully to the tone in Krause’s voice. He held affection for the Frenchman. That was evident. “Well, seems there is plenty to worry about.”
“Yeah, Alex…about that…”
“What?” she asked.
Krause took a deep breath. “What are you going to tell Dylan? I mean…are you going to tell him about his father?”
Alex remained silent for several moments as they weaved through a slight crowd. “That’s up to Cassidy.”
“What do you think?”
“I think sooner or later he will learn the truth,” she answered. Krause nodded, and Alex could see the slight grimace on his face. “You know, he’s grown quite fond of you,” she said, receiving a nervous chuckle from Krause. There were a few things Alex understood about her new partner. Jonathan Krause adored Cassidy; he loved John Merrow, and Dylan was a part of them both. Krause had been put in the strange position of claiming Dylan as his own within their professional circles, and Alex knew part of him desperately wished that were true. She continued softly. “I hate keeping it from him, but if it keeps him safe. Well, I will do anything to keep him safe. I know you will too.”
“Yes. I will. I take it you are staying at Helen’s?” he asked.
“Yeah,” Alex’s voice dropped as she spoke the word.
Krause considered the woman beside him for a moment. He admired Alex, a sentiment he never intended to share with her. It was not simply because Alex commanded Cassidy’s heart. Some days he hated to admit that he understood why the teacher had fallen for Alex. He suspected he would always love Cassidy McCollum. But, Cassidy McCollum was a girl he knew many years ago. Cassidy Toles was a woman. Krause was certain Cassidy was the strongest and most compassionate person he had ever met. The reality was that she loved Alex. What surprised him the most, was that Alex had come to command his heart in a much different manner. After John Merrow’s death, Krause was convinced he would never trust anyone again; not completely. He trusted Alex completely. More than that, he cared about her. The misssion that he and Alex had embarked on had taken a toll on both his partner and the woman he had loved for many years. It was odd; he thought. He had always been convinced that avoidi
ng any attachments was the safest course in life. Now, that seemed an impossibility. “I’ll see Edmond. Work on the Daniels angle,” he said.
“What about Claire?” Alex asked.
“I’ll follow up with Fallon on that,” Krause replied. “I’ll make sure he is cautious but more aggressive in his surveillance before I leave.”
Alex’s face grew concerned. “Maybe we should call Taylor in. Fallon is not…”
“I trust Fallon,” Krause interrupted her. Alex shook her head. She hated that her former FBI partner and friend, Brian Fallon, was embedded in this life, but she had to agree. Fallon was smart; he was resourceful, and most importantly he was trustworthy. “He’ll be fine, Alex.”
“Yeah. Is that your personal guarantee, Pip?” she raised her brow.
“No.”
Alex let out a chuckle. “That’s what I thought. Tell Fallon to be careful.”
“Watch yourself, Alex. Daniels is…”
“A viper. I know,” she said as she began to walk away.
“Alex,” Krause called after her, causing Alex to stop abruptly and turn. “Tell her.”
Alex shook her head with a smile and then nodded. She scanned her surroundings silently and recalled a similar December afternoon with her father many years ago. “Yeah. Maybe I will,” she whispered to herself.
r. President, Prime Minister Kabinov is on the secure line.”
“Thank you, Robert,” President Strickland replied. The president waited for the door to close and slowly lifted the receiver to his ear. “Sergei. What, may I ask, compels you to call?”
“Ah, Mr. President. Has it been that long that we are no longer friends?” the Russian prime minister answered.
Commitment Page 2
