by Jonas Saul
“I understand,” Kierian slipped in.
“Then tell me, who is this guy and how could he be so connected to know about Aaron and me? The kind of power we’re talking about is enormous. His resources must be vast. And if you don’t have that kind of information in your files, then your files are incomplete and we’re going after someone who we really don’t know enough about.”
Kierian waited. Aaron looked between the two of them.
“I’m done,” Sarah said. “For now.”
“Our files are extensive, but you do have a point. It seems he’s more resourceful than we previously thought. Also, I stand behind what I said in Lyson’s office. The protection offered to you is right here. I showed up. I pulled you out of that car.”
“Yeah, but how did it get that far? We were duped and found ourselves in a car driven by one of Marconi’s men. When you called to warn us, you said a driver was coming to pick us up. What happened to him?”
“Car accident. He was run off the road six blocks from Aaron’s apartment building. After I called to warn you, I got in my car. When I couldn’t raise my driver on the phone, I doubled my speed. As I approached, I saw two people get into an Impala that drove out of the building’s parking like its ass was on fire. I made an assumption that it was you two getting into the wrong car.”
“So it was dumb luck that you got there when you did? That doesn’t make me feel any better and it doesn’t inspire a lot of faith in the FBI having our back.”
“Evidently we’ll have to make some changes.”
“What will Aaron do? They know who he is now. He has a life here, a dojo where he teaches martial arts to hundreds of students. He can’t be brought in like this. Nor can he live in protective custody. This has the potential to ruin his life.”
She glanced at Aaron, a tear in her eye.
I’m so sorry my life has spilled into yours.
“I understand all that and we’re working on it. I called certain people in the car on the way here. We’re attempting to see how Marconi could do this. A full investigation will take place to determine who requested the permit to shoot a movie and stage this entire thing. We’ll get to the bottom of it and close the loophole or whatever it is that allowed this to happen.”
“And in the meantime? What do we do? What does Aaron do?”
“I don’t know. I’m sorry, but I don’t.” Kierian looked at Aaron. “You’re welcome to go back to your life. I’m convinced Sarah was the target. As long as Sarah isn’t with you or in your apartment, you won’t be at risk.”
Aaron had finished his coffee and was fiddling with the lid. “I’ll be fine. I can even have one of my other instructors at the dojo stay with me for a few weeks. But what gets me is how serious these guys are.”
“What do you mean?” Kierian asked.
“Are you sure Sarah should be involved in hunting criminals of this nature—”
“Are you serious, Aaron?” Sarah’s mouth dropped open. “What did we just talk about earlier this evening? You know why I do what I do. So that assholes like the one who orchestrated tonight’s festivities are put behind bars.”
Aaron turned in his seat and met her eyes. Worry coursed through the lines in his forehead.
Sarah continued, “After what happened tonight, all Marconi did was motivate me even further to bring him down. Nothing will stop me now. How could we ever feel safe with someone that powerful out there running around?”
“You’re right, Sarah,” Aaron said. “But why you?”
She shook her head and looked down at her half-eaten bagel. “I’ve been asking myself that same question for years.”
“Look, guys, we have to get to Italy as soon as we can. There are people in Rome who can help us. We have an investigative reporter who has information to share, and a high-ranking politician in the Italian Green Party wants to divulge information on Marconi. We need to get there, hear them out and decide our next move. Agreed?”
“Absolutely,” Sarah said. “Sitting around here, on the other side of the ocean, is too risky. It’s better to run into the enemy’s lair and be done with it.”
“Does that mean you agree or you don’t agree?” Kierian asked.
“I’m sarcastic because I’m pissed at what happened tonight. If it was just me, I would be calmer, nicer. But when I saw that weapon jammed into Aaron’s forehead … I just felt responsible. I’m pissed off, but I agree. Let’s go to Rome. End this thing right now.”
“We can fly out in the morning.”
“What happens to Aaron in the meantime?” Sarah asked.
“That’s up to Aaron.”
“What are you saying?” Aaron asked.
“Do you want protective custody until this is over or maybe an agent could move into your apartment? What would give you peace and comfort?”
“Having Sarah come home with me.”
“Not going to happen, Aaron,” Sarah said. “You know me better than that.”
“Then I want no one in my life. I can take care of myself. They’re after you guys, not me. If I feel I’m being watched or something, I’ll call the authorities like anyone else would.”
“Then it’s settled,” Kierian said. “We’ll get a hotel room by the airport for the night. In the morning, I’ll arrange to have tickets at the airport and, Aaron, you can drive my car back home. Deal?”
They nodded in unison. Sarah wondered what Aaron was thinking but was sure he would tell her everything at the hotel later when they got there.
“There’s one thing you have to open your mind to, Kierian,” Sarah said.
“What’s that?”
“Marconi isn’t working alone.”
“We already know that. He isn’t here in Canada, yet he orchestrated the well-planned attack on you two tonight. He has a multitude of employees scattered all over the world.”
“I don’t mean that.”
“What do you mean?”
“He’s working with someone very high up in the Mafia or the government in Italy. Or both. Whoever runs things over there has Marconi in their pocket or he has them in his.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Because an agenda is coming together.”
“What agenda?”
“You said a Green Party member has information. An investigative reporter has stumbled onto something.”
“Yes.”
“The driver of the car we were in tonight told us to watch what we eat. What could that possibly mean? And could it be connected to the Green Party? Let me just say, something’s brewing and it’s deeper than we know or than your files on Marconi will tell you. At least that’s my opinion.”
They all got up and started for the door.
“Think on these things,” Sarah added.
“I will,” Kierian said.
“What hotel are we going to?”
“One near the airport. It’ll be hard to track us with so many hotels in the area. No one would be able to locate us too easily. We’ll get two rooms adjoining—”
“I think not. Put us on a different floor.”
“That’s not tactically sound.”
“It’s the sound part I’m worried about. I don’t want you hearing us all night.”
Sarah slipped her hand into Aaron’s as they headed for Kierian’s car.
“Sarah, you have to get some sleep.”
“I’ll sleep on the plane. This is my last night with Aaron until I fly back from Europe. I’m going to lick his wounds.”
“Too much information.”
“Just drive fast.”
Chapter 4
They agreed to meet at Kierian’s car at ten in the morning.
Five minutes late, Sarah exited the hotel’s sliding doors and stepped into the morning sun with Aaron behind her. She felt the heat on her skin immediately.
“You’re late,” Kierian said.
“We’re not that late,” Aaron said. “We were busy.”
They stopped at the side
of the car.
“Aaron, I need you to do something for me,” Kierian said.
Aaron shielded his eyes from the sun. “What is it?”
“Take my car and drive back home or wherever you’re going this morning. I’ll come back for my car when we return from Italy.”
“You said that last night.”
“How are we getting to the airport?” Sarah asked.
“Shuttle bus, courtesy of the hotel.”
She shrugged. “Sounds good.”
Kierian handed Aaron the keys. “I need you to take this, too.” He pulled his weapon out. “Because I bought our new plane tickets last night, the paperwork won’t be completed in time to take this with me. We’ll get new weapons once we’re in Rome.”
Aaron took the gun and slipped it in his pants, covering it with his shirt.
Sarah looked around but no one was watching them.
“Yours too, Sarah.” Kierian added.
Sarah grunted, but removed the Magnum and gave it to Aaron.
“Now go,” Kierian said. “Stay out of trouble and stay low. Watch your back.”
“Are you worried about me?” Aaron asked, a wide sarcastic smile on his face.
“I’m selfish. If something happened to you, I would lose her.” Kierian pointed at Sarah. “So stay safe until we get back.”
Kierian moved a few feet away to give them privacy.
“We’ve got five minutes. Say your goodbyes fast.”
Sarah wrapped her arms around Aaron. “Take care of yourself.”
“I will.”
“I’m serious. These guys are animals. If something happened to you, I would never forgive myself.”
“Nothing’s going to happen to me, Sarah.” He hugged her tight.
“I will smack your corpse if I come back to find you dead.”
“Don’t talk like that,” he whispered in her ear. “We both know that strength comes from a place of pain. You don’t have to worry about me dying. I’m young, fit and security minded.”
She pulled away. “That’s what I’m worried about.”
They kissed long and hard.
“Sarah …” Kierian said behind them.
Aaron moved away. “You gotta go.”
“I know. Be well. Stay safe.”
Aaron let go of her and opened Kierian’s car door.
“Oh wait, Aaron. Here, take this.” He handed him a cell phone. “A pay-as-you-go phone. There’s fifty bucks on it.” He took another phone out of his jacket pocket. “The number to my cell is set on speed dial. If anything happens from when you drive away right now until we return from Europe, call this number. You’ll get me or Sarah. There’s one other number programmed in your phone. Only call that in an extreme emergency. That’s my office. They won’t talk to you unless it’s life and death. Understand?”
Aaron examined the phone. “Yeah, I got it. You know, Kierian, you’re all right.”
Kierian slapped Aaron on the shoulder. “Thanks. Now stay safe. Godspeed.”
Aaron got in the Impala, started it up and pulled out of the parking spot. As he passed Sarah, she was sure he was crying.
“Bye, baby,” she whispered.
Sarah had showered that morning and dressed in the same clothes from yesterday. Kierian already had a passport for her, and he would supply all the money she would need. They would shop once they arrived and get new clothes. She didn’t need anything as they took the shuttle bus to the airport.
Their tickets waited for them at the KLM Dutch Airlines counter.
“Have you heard from Vivian lately?” Kierian asked as they walked through Toronto’s vast airport.
“Last night. It was a note about the attack, but I didn’t see it until the attackers were banging on the apartment door.”
“Why not?”
“Long story. Let’s just get to Italy, deal with what needs to be done, and then I’m coming home.”
Kierian followed her toward the security gates.
“That’s the plan.”
Without interruption, they got through security, found their gate and took a seat by the window overlooking their plane.
“I’m curious about something.” Sarah crossed her legs and watched a family of four walk by, all wearing backpacks. “Why us?”
Kierian turned to look at her. “What do you mean?”
She met his gaze. “You do know something isn’t right, right?”
“No, actually, I don’t. What are you talking about?”
“If four FBI agents went to Italy and came home in a body bag, why are they sending only one—you and a civilian? What does anyone expect of me?”
“We haven’t had time to talk. We were supposed to be on a flight in ten days. In that time we would’ve talked more. Marconi’s file is in my office. I was hoping you could read through it. But now that we’re leaving right away, all that’s out the window. After what happened last night, I can’t go back to my office.”
“You still didn’t answer my question. All you said was why I didn’t know the answer. Since we’ve got time to kill, tell me why us and why not a larger team.”
Kierian cleared his throat and looked around at the people gathering by their gate. After a minute, he turned to Sarah and lowered his voice. “We’re going in under the radar. When the four men went previously, it was an official visit. No one knows that you and I are coming.”
That doesn’t sound good. “No one knows, eh?”
He shook his head.
“Then how did Marconi know?”
He shrugged. “I have zero idea.”
“What are we supposed to do in Rome? I don’t speak Italian. I don’t know the city or the people. For all I know, I could end up in an Italian jail rotting away because no one knew I was there.”
“Not going to happen. I’ll know you’re there.”
“And what if something happens to you?”
“Don’t say that. Nothing is going to happen to me.”
She decided to change her line of questioning. “Who employs you?”
“What do you mean?” He chuckled. “The FBI.”
“No, a name. Who is your boss? You know, in case something happens and I need a contact.”
Kierian was clearly perplexed. His face hardened and he looked away, his hands fidgeting.
“What’s the problem?” She uncrossed her legs and leaned forward. “I need more than just you and me. If you’re my only lifeline, then who do I call if you’re gone?”
“Look, Sarah.” He twisted in his seat to face her. “It goes deeper than offering you a name. This is supposed to be so far off the radar that no one knows anything. By isolating you, I’m protecting you. You’re going to have to trust me on that.”
The trip to Italy looked a lot grimmer.
Why am I doing this again?
“You’re not inspiring me to go,” she said.
“I know and I’m sorry. But I need you. You’re the only hope we have.”
“And why’s that?”
“Because you have an ability that almost guarantees you stay alive.”
She leaned back and rubbed her chin. “Interesting way to look at.”
“That’s how I see it. You think you’re answering prophecies from your deceased sister and saving people’s lives, which you are, but you’re also saving your own. You should have died at the hands of that gang leader back in Toronto. Or the Leap Year Killer who snatched you from them. You’re constantly put in the hands of the worst human beings and you have a unique ability to stay alive.” He cleared his throat again. “That’s the kind of person we need in Italy. Marconi is a difficult man to stop.”
“Is that all I’m going to get out of you—more about me?”
“For now.”
Kierian looked anxious. Something was bothering him as he scanned the people gathering by the gate. He checked his watch, got up, and stared out the large windows onto the tarmac where the planes parked at their gates.
