He watched as she brought her hand up, through the bright white light above their booth and suddenly he went still. His eyes narrowed and locked on her finger, following her hand as it went back down to the table as she replaced her glass. No, he thought. It couldn’t be that simple but he knew without a doubt it was. They may be worlds apart but he and Nikolai were both schooled in the art of intelligence. He looked up from Elena’s hand and back at her face. She wore a look of concern and he realized she must have been talking to him.
“Sorry what did you say?”
Elena frowned. “I said is everything alright?”
He nodded. It soon will be he thought. He looked at her ring again. “Your wedding ring may I see it?”
Her eyebrow arched, she was probably wondering why he wanted to see it but she didn’t ask. She slid the ring off her finger and handed it over to him. Like a jeweler he studied the rock from each angle, scrutinizing it. Up close he could see that the stone was not actually a diamond, which he had guessed previously and why he had asked for the ring. Satisfied he put it on the table, raised his glass and smashed down hard on the ring, the rock falling loose from its mooring.
Elena jumped up. “What did you do that for?”
She snatched up her ring and the faux diamond. He thought he heard her swear under her breath. She looked downright murderous and thought it best to explain and fast.
“Elena, it’s not your ring.”
Her eyes widened and shocked, looked down at the two pieces in her hand. Lucas reached up and took the stone from her palm and held it to the light. He saw her eyes change and she sat down heavily in her seat.
She breathed, “Oh my God is that a...”
She let the sentence trail off.
Lucas completed it for her, “Data crystal? I believe so. I can just make out some markings inside. Nikolai must have switched your ring.”
She shook her head. “How, when?”
She thought back to before Nikolai was murdered and couldn’t remember any time that he would have a chance to copy her ring. He must have taken it off her while she had slept. She remembered him placing his hand over hers the nights leading up to his death. She understood now that that was him training her hand to get used to be touched prior to when he would switch her ring. The sneaky bastard had been planning it for a long time and she felt stupid that she hadn’t had a clue. What else didn’t she know about her husband, what other secrets were out there?
“Sometime before he died, he must have known the information he had was dangerous, he didn’t tell you because he didn’t want them to target you.”
She sat there fuming, her face flushed with anger. “It’s so frustrating. Who are ‘them’? I’m sick of calling them by ominous names. We should know who they are and what their agenda is. If only my freaking agency would pull their heads out of their asses long enough to see what’s going on.”
Lucas couldn’t stop his eyebrows from rising high towards his hair line. When Elena erupted it was tantamount to Mt St Helen’s. He wondered if she was a Scorpio but didn’t want to risk his life or his anatomy by asking. He watched as she let out a deep breath, her chest rising and falling heavily from the exertion of her outburst. Her red face returned to its normal shade as the flames were put out. It was quite fascinating to him how she could contain such fire burning inside of her and wondered if it spilt over to other areas of her life as well.
She sat in silence, her thoughts running rampant inside her head. She looked down at the gold wedding band and crystal lying on her palm.
“How – how did you know?” she asked.
She focused on the one thing that wouldn’t make her scream in frustration. She had had too many shocks recently that soon she would no longer be accountable for her actions and then God help anyone in her way.
“The wedding photo in your apartment,” he explained. “The sun shined directly on your diamond casting a rainbow of colors, just then when the light was on your ring – nothing.”
She nodded. “I must have been wearing this ring for over six months and I never noticed.”
He once more lifted up the crystal, placing it under the light. He had heard of data crystals but they weren’t widely available - at least not yet. Give it a couple of years and they will be the next hot thing. Lucas had an idea of how they worked, had watched the technology gurus at Langley showcase their design. He vaguely remembered something about each piece of data being ingrained onto multiple 3-D holographic sheets. He should have paid better attention.
“Do you think you can read the data?”
Elena frowned. “If it is not too damaged, yes.”
Lucas squinted at the crystal. “Well we won’t be able to read this at any internet café.”
Elena agreed, looking over at the crystal like it was some mathematical problem. “No, we’re going to need some high tech stuff. I know someone who can help.”
“He doesn’t work for SVR does he?” Lucas asked.
“No.”
Lucas gave it some thought. He looked her in the eye reading her face like a book. “Do you trust him?”
Elena nodded. “Explicitly.”
He stood up. “Okay then, that’s good enough for me. Let’s go.”
Chapter 16
Special Agent in Charge James Fitzgibbon was not in a good mood. He should be home right now with his wife Maggie eating her succulent roast turkey dinner but instead he was in his plain office that over looked a damn parking lot of all fucking things trying to calm down the Russian Director. He wasn’t appreciated nearly enough as he should. When this was all over he was taking Maggie on a nice long vacation to the Bahamas’ or some such place she was always gushing about.
What the hell have you gotten yourself into now Gates?
James leant back in his chair. Lucas had gone out and had killed a Russian agent. Not only had Lucas shot and killed one SVR agent and escaped into the night. He had taken another along with him as he took off through the streets of Moscow resisting arrest and tearing up the place. On the last count he had stolen one car and evaded the authorities endangering their innocent citizens.
He ran his fingers through his hair. Lucas was known to be rather spontaneous in his pursuits but something didn’t sit right with this investigation. It hadn’t from its inception. But why had he taken his liaison officer with him. Was she in on the plot or whatever the hell was going on? Or was she helping him? It could only be one or the other knowing Lucas. Jim prayed it was the latter. The man could use all the help he could get. He had to find some way to get in contact with his man, find out his side of the story before they had an international incident on their hands.
He picked up his phone and dialed the number off by heart. He hated cancelling on Maggie, she was always so patient with his job and took a lot in stride. Even after she slaved so long to create the delicious meal that would be cold by the time he got to it. Maggie wasn’t going to like it when he told her he wouldn’t be home for dinner, but he had work to do and that came above all else. Besides Maggie liked Lucas, she would understand.
He hoped.
Chapter 17
It took them over an hour to reach the area of Belorusskaya-Radialnaya, even after Lucas had used his gadget to unlock another car, this time a dark blue Ford Focus. It had still taken him and Elena forever to navigate through the night traffic and get them to the apartment complex Elena’s computer friend lived in.
Elena pulled the coat more securely around her body and together they walked up to the small speaker box mounted on the wall beside the front steel door. Elena pressed the button he assumed corresponded with the correct apartment above.
They only had to wait a minute before a wide-awake voice came wafting out. “Da?” was the response.
“Dmitry it is Elena,” she spoke in English, probably for his benefit. “I have a computer problem for you.”
If the recipient, Dmitry, thought it strange she was speaking in English, he didn’t voice his
opinion. A buzzer sounded angrily as if protesting the time of night. Elena opened the heavy door to the complex and started towards the elevator. Lucas noticed briefly the niceness of the apartment building. Clean teal carpet lined the floor and the painted walls were done in tasteful beige and were lined with framed black and white professional panoramic views of Moscow.
The elevator door opened on level three and Lucas followed Elena down the hallway and they turned around a corner. A man still dressed in jeans and a polo shirt as if the time was two in the afternoon as opposed to two in the morning, stood in the doorway of an open apartment. His face widened with a smile when he caught sight of Elena.
“Elena,” he embraced her before allowing her and Lucas to enter. The apartment was the same as the hallway, beautifully rendered and stylishly designed. It was a long way from IKEA, Lucas thought as he took in the polished mahogany furniture. The only difference Lucas could see between the fancy corridor and the trendy apartment was that the residence was obviously occupied with a man. There were empty beer cans and pizza boxes on the coffee table, an odd sock or two lying about and about twenty thousand dollars worth of computer equipment taking up most of the space in the large open room directly ahead of him.
Dmitry turned to Elena, his English flawless, “I’ve heard all about you on the police band, wanted by SVR and all that.” He shook his head, mock scolding her. Lucas could see that Dmitry found the whole thing quite hilarious.
Elena’s hands went automatically to her hips. “Dmitry, you know you’re not supposed to have a police band, what if you get caught?”
Dmitry rolled his eyes which only made Elena madder. Her left foot began to tap in a repetitious beat that Lucas recognized from his childhood as one his mother would often do when he had done something he wasn’t supposed to. His poor mother had often tapped her foot at him. He had always been surprised that the thing hadn’t fallen off. At this point he was expected to promise her never do it again, which they both knew he would most likely do the moment her back was turned.
“Oh come on Elena,” Dmitry argued. “We both know I can always go onto your agency’s website and hack them. If I was caught which offense do you think would get me less time?”
He grinned at her and she was surprised at how much it looked like Lucas’s grin. Little boys, she thought. They both thought they could sweet-talk or charm her into believing them or getting her to follow them into a downright ridiculous situation. But Elena had news for them. She was onto the pair of them. No more will she let herself be suckered into something she didn’t want to do or found no viable reason to do so.
“Besides,” Dmitry said, continuing to make his case. “It’s more fun than Satellite,” he turned to Lucas. “Am I right?”
Elena shook her head, but couldn’t help but smile. Dmitry always did that to her. When he was little she always knew when he was up to no good by the look on his face, years later that still hadn’t changed and she was glad for that. “Lucas Gates, Dmitry Ivanov – my little brother.”
Dmitry’s eyes widened as he took in Lucas as if he had only just realized that they were not alone in the room. He studied Lucas’s face before saying, “Nice hat.”
“Hey,” Elena said slapping Dmitry on the shoulder. “I bought that for him.”
Lucas grinned. “There’s no accounting for the woman’s taste.”
Dmitry shook his head. “I don’t know about that, have you seen her apartment?” he suddenly became serious, his face changing in an instant. “You’re the American right, the one the SVR is out for blood?”
Lucas nodded and held out his hand. “Hope you don’t hold it against me for getting your sister involved in this mess,” he said, looking in the man’s eyes. Elena’s cool grey ones looked back at him. It was definitely the same man from the wedding photo.
Dmitry grinned, looking younger when he did. “Knowing Elena, she probably brought it on herself.”
“I most certainly did not Dmitry, why would you say that?” Elena’s automatic defense of herself came from the kitchen where she had disappeared to after introducing the two men.
Dmitry and Lucas smiled at each other, their smiles quickly disappearing when Elena walked back to them carrying three mugs of coffee on a tray along with some biscuits she must have found in Dmitry’s pantry. She handed them each a mug and then offered some biscuits, Dmitry declined and Lucas and Elena gobbled them all up. She hadn’t realized just how hungry she was.
“So what have you got for me?” Dmitry’s face turned serious again. It was amazing how versatile the man was. He was probably only a couple years younger than Elena, Lucas put him at around twenty-six. Where Elena was fair haired, Dmitry was dark – almost black. He was tall only an inch shorter than himself and they both towered over Elena. He could just imagine some of the horrible things Dmitry would’ve done to Elena growing up as only a little brother could. Although Lucas didn’t have any siblings, he knew what boys got up to and he and his best mate had always teased the boy’s sister. They even had competitions on seeing who could make her cry first. God, he had been terrible to the girl, he suddenly realized.
Lucas brought out the small data crystal and Dmitry frowned as Lucas placed it in his palm.
“Do you think you can read it?” he asked.
“I’ll give it a go,” Dmitry said. “It may take some time, so if you want to get some rest. I’ll wake you if I find anything.”
Elena smiled at her brother. “Thanks I might catch a few zee’s right after I take a shower. I feel horrible.”
The idea of Elena in the shower sent blood coursing hotly through Lucas’s veins. Why did she have to bring that up? That was sure to put ideas in his head. Not that they weren’t there already. He could see so clearly Elena standing in the shower, wet all over, soap suds sliding down her body. Lucas wanted to climb in with her and run his hands all over her flawless skin, to lick away the beads of water resting on her shoulders. He could feel himself growing hard and knew at once he had to move away from the fantasy. He shook his head clearing the erotic images playing through his mind.
Elena collected the empty mugs and returned them to the kitchen before wandering down the hall to the bathroom. Lucas settled himself on the couch nearby the studious Dmitry and stretched his legs out. He was just drifting off when he heard Dmitry’s voice.
“You’re going to get my sister out of this aren’t you?”
Lucas opened his eyes and turned his head to face Dmitry, he looked into the eyes just like Elena’s and said very clearly, “Yes I am.”
Dmitry nodded. “I thought so, you seem the type to finish what you started but I had to make sure. Elena’s the only family I have left since Nikolai died, I don’t want to lose her too, for any reason,” he added.
Lucas could see the brotherly concern for Elena on Dmitry’s face. He knew that they were close, the two of them alone in the world with only each other to rely on. Lucas liked Dmitry instantly from that moment. The guy would do just about anything for his sister.
“Did she love him a lot?”
Lucas immediately regretted the impromptu question when Dmitry raised an eyebrow. He knew what the man must be thinking and hated the fact that he had left himself as open as a book.
“Yeah she did,” Dmitry answered, not asking the question that was clear as day on his face. “The thing is with Elena, she loves whole-heartedly. It’s amazing to be on the receiving end of such unconditioned love.”
Lucas didn’t disagree. Elena was one hell of a woman. One in a million, he thought, thinking back the night’s previous events. Not many women would have, first, risked everything to help him. Second, would not have put up with the scenic drive around Moscow and to top everything off a visit to the unfriendly neighborhood mob.
He heard the shower cut off from down the hall, after a few minutes the door to the bathroom opened and they heard Elena ask, “Dmitry do you still have some of Olga’s clothes?”
Dmitry looked towards the bath
room. "Yeah, in a box in the spare room,” he replied turning back around and catching Lucas’s eye, a blush rose from his face and Lucas pretended not to notice. “An ex-girlfriend,” he explained. “Haven’t had a chance to get rid of her clothes.”
Lucas nodded having had to remove his ex-girlfriend’s clothes from his home on more than one occasion.
“I’ve never understood how they can spread their shit so far then forget to take it with them when they leave,” he commiserated with a fellow male.
Dmitry nodded. “Elena’s not like that though,” he added.
Lucas wasn’t sure why Dmitry had felt the need to divulge in Elena’s housekeeping so he kept quiet and soon was fast asleep on the couch.
Dmitry Ivanov turned his full attention to the photorefractive crystal. He was fascinated and loved a good challenge. He hadn’t found any computer system yet he couldn’t crack although he liked to think of himself as a grey hat, using his powers for fun and thrill not thieving or terrorism. He made quite a bit of money in the private sector designing software for businesses around the country. He also designed web security programs along with spy ware and Trojans. Dmitry loved experimenting with certain systems seeing what worked and what didn’t.
Dmitry turned as his sister approached. Elena glanced over at Lucas asleep on the couch. His mouth was slightly open, devoid of drool. His head was on an angle and didn’t look quite comfortable but Lucas didn’t seem to mind. He was probably so exhausted he could have slept standing up.
“You know you’re not cheating on Nikolai right?” Dmitry asked softly, sensing the attraction between the two. He had liked Nikolai, thought him as a brother but he wanted nothing more than to see his older sister happy and if the American currently conked out on his couch did it for her then he was glad.
Elena turned her shocked grey eyes on him. “What?”
Dmitry shrugged. “I see the way you’re looking at him, don’t think I haven’t noticed. The air around you two is charged.”
Russian Law (Law Series ) (Volume 1) Page 11
