Staff Master 2

by Daniel Sandoval

  Chapter 13:

  Lyudmila and Gennady were waiting for Connor and Maria on the other side of the street outside the hotel. As soon as Gennady spotted Connor he started walking. Connor stayed on the opposite side of the street and tried to keep pace with the long legged Gennady. After they had walked a block, Maria briefly paused, but was tugged by Connor to keep going.

  "We have a guard following us." Maria warned.

  Connor kept walking. "Of course we do Maria, that's why they're on the other side of the street."

  "How did you know they'd be on the other side of the street?" Maria asked.

  "I didn't, but if they weren't I wouldn't be following them." Connor was all business.

  Maria increased her pace. "Do you think they know about Billy?"

  Connor grabbed Maria's hand. "He's a politician Maria, he's aware of the danger he'll be put in if Billy catches him doing this."

  "Then why is he doing it?" Maria was full of questions.

  Connor surveyed the street and grimaced. "I don't know yet, but we've got to get this guy off our tail."

  "That's your department, not mine." Maria smiled.

  "If they go down to the subway we can lose him." Connor observed.

  Maria glanced across the street at Lyudmila and Gennady. "It looks like that's where they're going." The nearest entrance to the subway for Maria and Connor was still a half block away. "Hurry up Connor, if we don't get down to the subway we won't know what line they're taking."

  Connor could see a sign with a stick figure going down stairs. "How fast can you go down stairs?"

  Maria moved quickly to keep up with Connor. "I don't know."

  "In London I used to see people move their feet so fast it looked like they were floating down the escalator... are you up for that?" Connor slowed down and put his hand around Maria's waist.

  Maria looked down the long set of stairs and took a quick breath. "Let's give it a try."

  Connor and Maria hit the stairs entering the subway entrance faster than they were walking. Maria fished out some Ukrainian money from her purse and handed it to Connor as they scurried through the subway turnstiles. The money got them past the turnstiles easily; Connor caught a reflection of the guard searching his pockets for money to get through the turnstile through a piece of metal hanging on the wall. He couldn't tell if he got through, but by the time they got to the escalator the two tore off as fast as they could to the bottom. Connor felt like he was running downhill in a full sprint as the escalator kept descending. Maria stayed close behind.

  When they reached the platform below they saw Lyudmila and Gennady entering the rear car on the red line that was quickly departing. Connor grabbed Maria by the hand and raced onto the front car. The door nearly closed on Maria, but they both got in without a problem. Connor sat down to look out the window. As the cars started to move he saw the guard who was following them come to a screeching halt at the bottom of the escalators. He looked right at Connor and Maria reaching for his ear piece transponder. Connor knew he would call in the incident and report the subway line they were on. He thought as quickly as he could.

  He stood up and had Maria follow him as far back in the car as he could. "At the next stop we'll get off and transfer to the next car unless our friends get off."

  Maria nodded in agreement. It didn't take long for the subway to abruptly brake and come to a stop. Connor led Maria off the subway and to his surprise Lyudmila and Gennady were exiting the subway as well. They made their way to a bridge indicating that it led to the green line. Connor felt a sudden sense of relief. He wondered if they had consciously made the decision to switch lines or if it was just good fortune. Connor kept his distance from his new friends, but by the time they got onto the other platform there was a hoard of people. Connor took Maria by the hand and tried to race ahead to keep pace. He saw Gennady's tall head go towards the east bound track. He immediately turned to face the same track. The train arrived shortly after the crowd started to clear. Connor watched the transfer bridge and the escalator entrance for any of Billy's guards; he didn't know how quickly they'd spring into action. As he entered the paused subway he saw the same guard they eluded come racing across the transfer bridge. The green line was pulling away. Connor purposefully knocked Maria's purse on the ground and then grabbed her to make a terrible attempt to crouch as low as he could to pick up the purse.

  When the subway was in the dark tunnel Connor stood up with Maria. He had no idea if the guard caught sight of them or not. His best guess was that Lyudmila and Gennady were two cars behind him. The subway was too crowded to switch cars.

  On the third stop of the green line, Gennady and Lyudmila finally exited their car. Connor and Maria quickly followed the couple up the escalator. Connor was finally able to admire the granite walls of Kyiv's subway system and polished metal on its escalators. While admiring his surrounding, Maria suddenly gave Connor a nudge.

  "He's waving us up." Maria pointed up the escalator.

  Connor looked ahead to see Gennady motioning with his pointer finger to come closer. Connor scooted around others on the escalator as he and Maria caught up to Gennady about two thirds of the way up the escalator. He continued to look straight ahead and started talking.

  "Is good you followed us this far. I'm sure this Billy will have someone in front of our flat. Watch the building we go into, but keep far back. When all is clear, go to number two zero two. Tell woman, noozhna okna. She will get you to me... Now fall back." Gennady sounded militaristic in his directions.

  Connor intentionally started stepping backwards as Gennady and Lyudmila approached the top of the escalator. Gennady was easy to spot in the crowd because of his height. Connor and Maria watched them from a distance as they exited the subway station. After waiting a minute they exited as well. Connor saw Gennady and Lyudmila crossing the street to an apartment building where a police car was sitting with its lights on. Connor saw a small thicket of trees nearby and lead Maria behind them.

  "Do you really think Billy knows where we're headed?" Maria asked assuredly knowing what Connor's response would be.

  "I'm almost certain he knows. He didn't like it the last time he lost us and he doesn't trust us right now." Connor kneeled down behind the trees. "Everything we do is going to be suspicious from his perspective."

  Maria scanned the apartment building. "Well how do we get in?"

  "Hopefully Gennady and Lyudmila get past the police without any problems and we'll just have to wait."

  Connor watched Gennady and Lyudmila questioned by the police and then were approached by one of Billy's guards. Connor cringed knowing that he wouldn't be able to just walk in the apartment. Billy would have it staked out until he found his missing staff master. Connor watched intently for nearly a half hour as the police car and the guard stood watch.

  Maria grew impatient. "We're not going to get in."

  "I've got to see the video Maria." Connor said intently.

  "You know if you get up there that Billy will find out you're there." Maria said flatly.

  Connor turned to her in frustration. "What else am I supposed to do?"

  "Just fight with your instincts like you did in El Djem." Maria felt like abandoning the adventure. "Let's go back."

  "These fighters are going to know what they're up against this time, I've got to know what they've seen." Connor insisted.

  Maria's patience had worn thin. "It shouldn't matter Connor. You are the better fighter for studying them when they fight and you can't put Gennady and Lyudmila in any more danger."

  Connor kept watching the apartment. "They want to help."

  "Maybe they want to trap you?" Maria stood up.

  "This is ridiculous." Connor stood up and grabbed Maria's hand. "It's ten thirty and I've got 90 minutes before midnight. I'm going to get in there to see the video."

  "Then I'm going back to the hotel!" Mari
a pulled her hand away and motioned to walk away.

  Connor's full attention swung to Maria. "Are you joking?"

  "No... I'm going back."

  Connor put his hand on Maria's shoulder. She sloughed it off. "I can't do this alone."

  "You've done pretty well without me." Maria pouted turning away from Connor.

  "Maria wait... Can we get a note to Gennady?" Connor offered.

  Maria turned around with tears in her eyes. "The concierge at the hotel will get him one... Why?"

  "I need to apologize for not coming." Connor said softly.

  Maria smiled and then turned her head as she heard a police siren. Connor turned to see Billy's guard jump in the police car and drive away. He looked at Maria, his face holding back a huge smile.

  She shook her head. "You'd better hurry up there, because they'll be back soon."

  Connor gently grabbed Maria's face and kissed her. As Connor pulled away he saw Maria's closed eyes and soft lips completely still. He wanted to kiss her again, but knew he needed to hurry. He raced across the street and took the stairs to apartment two zero two as Gennady had instructed.

  He rang the doorbell and an old woman opened the door and stared at Connor as if she was looking at a ghost. Connor tried to remember what Gennady had said to say. After several pauses he finally opened his mouth.

  "Nooznah Okna?"

  The old woman invited him inside. She took him to the corner of her one room apartment and pulled over a stool. She pointed to the ceiling where there was small latch. Connor stood on the stool and opened the latch. The latch opened a piece of the ceiling. On the other side was another latch. Connor opened the other latch and pushed up to find a brightly lit room. Within a few seconds Gennady was coming over to the opening and helped pull Connor through the opening into his apartment flat.

  "We don't have much time... there was an attempted break in at your hotel five minutes ago." Gennady winked at Connor and lead him to a large screen on the wall of the room. Gennady manipulated icons and images with his free floating hands on the screen until a window appeared with Connor frozen on it ready to fight Shuji. Gennady played the video for Connor. Connor stood in amazement watching himself fight Shuji on the giant screen in front of him.

  The fight was edited, but he could see why Billy chose it. Connor and Shuji exchanged rapid attacks with one another over and over again. Billy played the similar sequence over and over again until the final segment of the match was shown. It showed Connor absorbing a blow by Shuji while he swept his leg out from under him, causing Shuji to violently land on his already injured shoulder. The video made Connor look glorious and vulnerable all at the same time.

  After the video was over Gennady pointed to the opening in the floor. "This is all I can show you. There is more, but it's too risky for you to stay."

  "Thank you for showing me... it means a great deal." Connor nodded in gratitude.

  "You're welcome Connor." Gennady smiled.

  Connor started to crawl back down through the hole when an idea flashed in his mind. He paused and looked up at Gennady. "Do you know anyone who'd be willing to write an article on Billy?"

  "I'm sorry Connor, you've got to know that I've already done too much... But your friend Lena knows." Gennady replied.

  Connor's eyes widened. "What? How do you know Lena?"

  "Kyiv is big and small at same time..." Gennady started to close the hatch. "You ask Lena and I cheer for you in tournament."

  Connor smiled and crawled back into apartment two zero two. He could hear knocking coming from Gennady's front door. Connor latched all the latches, thanked the old woman, and raced out the back door of the building. When he got back to the thicket of trees Maria was waiting for him. He looked to see that the police car had returned to the building.

  "What happened?" He asked.

  "After you went inside it was quiet for a while. Another police car showed up a couple minutes ago, I thought they'd find you." Maria started to tear up again. Connor walked over to her and embraced her tightly.

  Connor hugged her. "It was worth it Maria, the video set my mind at peace."

  "Good. How are we going to go back?" Maria asked quietly.

  Connor brought her in closer to his chest. "We'll start walking and catch a taxi."

  "Good, cause I hate the subway." Maria tearfully laughed.

  Connor put his arm around Maria and led her to a street on the opposite side of the subway station to find a taxi.