Shortly after I questioned his bodyguard’s abilities I was rewarded with why they didn’t say much.
“You know you shouldn’t stand in the window, boss.” I heard one of the men tell him.
“I only have you here to play fetch!” His Russian accent was almost overwhelming when he was angry. “In fact, go get me,” he took a moment to think, “I feel like some vanilla ice cream. Fetch, dogs!”
The men left without a word but once outside they complained about Dimitri’s lack of respect for them. I listened to them complain until they sped off.
Again, another missed chance, I thought as I watched Dimitri move through the house. His actions were deliberate, making me wonder what he was up to. I didn’t have to wait long to realize his intentions. The garage door opened and he started to back a car down the driveway. He was going to leave while his men were gone.
I had to take the shot. Thoughts of my mother and Ruben wandering around with his knowledge flashed through my mind but I didn’t hesitate long. I felt the kick of my weapon and the sound echoed through the house, making my ears ring.
My scope lingered just long enough to be sure the bullet had found its place and realize the car was still moving backward. It was coming quickly down the driveway and I knew if it didn’t lose some momentum it would crash right through my front door.
I gathered my equipment and was at the back of the house in seconds. As I opened the door to exit I felt the whole house shake and heard a muffled crash. Though I knew the sound would have been loud, the ringing in my ears dampened it somewhat. The next thing I knew, I was at Dimitri’s side in the living room. The car had deviated just enough to miss the front door and crash through the front bay window I’d recently shot out. I pulled a sealed manila envelope from inside my jacket. It was inside a plastic baggie to protect it from collecting evidence. It was the same as the one Team Grey had placed near the bodies I’d left in Alaska. The small business card inside carried no weight compared to the envelope itself. I shook it out of the baggie and watched it flutter into Dimitri’s lap and raced out the back door and down the street to my waiting car.
Shaking, I checked my speedometer and knew I better slow it down. I hadn’t taken the time to stow my equipment in the trunk and if I got pulled over I’d have a lot of explaining to do. Who drove around with a .50 cal sniper rifle in the back seat?
Regularly checking my speed I decided I better tell White I’d completed the mission, for better or for worse. I dialed his number and waited for him to answer. By the third ring he still hadn’t answered and terrible things began to flash through my mind. I immediately thought of Evans and wondered if Ruben was holding White hostage. The phone rang for the fourth time and he picked up.
“I was just trying to call you,” he said. “You need to get out of the house. The Admiral has sent men back to watch Dimitri while we take care of Ruben.”
“He’s not going anywhere,” I replied coldly.
“Good. You’ll have to tell me about it later,” White then went on to explain the pictures of Ruben had been taken near my parents’ house. He was still there, probably hoping to confront the Admiral. I needed to meet White there so we could take care of Ruben.
I turned the vehicle toward my new destination but was still careful to obey traffic laws. My foot wanted to push to the floor but I held it in check all the way there.
I spotted White’s car immediately and pulled up behind him. I stepped out of the vehicle and quickly ducked inside next to White.
“So, what’s the plan?” I looked around for Ruben.
“He’s inside,” White indicated the house with a nod of his head. “We’ll have to get him out of there,” White’s plan was interrupted by the sight of my puke green mustang pulling up the driveway.
“That was my mother,” I breathed. I sat for two more seconds before I jumped from White’s vehicle and ran up the driveway. I faintly heard White running behind me. My hearing had fully recovered from the earlier gunshot but now my heartbeat was pounding in my ears.
I reached the front door and noticed it had been left open. White circled around the back as I confidently crossed the threshold. My mother was standing in the middle of the room and Ruben had a gun trained on her.
“Ruben,” she was saying. “You know this isn’t true. Why would Robert have you detained for five years?”
Ruben was disheveled and wild looking.
“Because I know who you are.” He noticed me standing there and moved the gun toward me. “Get over here,” he ordered me to stand near my mother.
“Mr. Ruben,” I played her game. “What’s going on?”
“Your mother is Penumbra and I’m going to stop her.”
“What are you talking about? She’s not Penumbra,” I countered as I moved into position.
Ruben reached inside his pocket and pulled out a phone. He tossed it at me. “Call your Dad and tell him to get home!” He was becoming even more agitated.
I did as I was told and called the Admiral. He said he was on his way and I relayed the message to Ruben.
“Put the phone on the floor and kick it back to me,” Ruben ordered again. Again I did as I was told.
“Alexis, I’m sorry about this but I’m going to have to kill you and your mother now,” he took aim at my mother.
“No,” I stepped in front of her. This allowed White enough time to cross the distance to Ruben.
The years in jail hadn’t hurt Ruben’s reflexes and he turned and fired. White dropped to the floor and I heard myself scream. All sense left me and I started to advance on Ruben.
“Explain to me why you’re here, Ruben,” my slow advance made him falter.
“Your father put me in a detainment camp for five years because I know what your mother is! You all will die for that!”
“You think my mother is Penumbra?” I was incredulous.
“I know she is.”
“Then you don’t know the truth. She is not Penumbra,” I paused for dramatic effect then added, “I am.”
I’d closed the distance between us and now he was within reach. I dove for his legs just as he fired at me. He missed but I didn’t. He fell to the ground and the gun was knocked from his hand. It skittered across the hardwood floor and my mother ran for it.
She had the gun trained on the both of us before we stood from our tumble.
“You wanted the truth, Ruben. Now you have it. Meet Penumbra,” my mother said just as I landed a punch across his jaw. He fell to the floor once again.
Cowering on the floor he whimpered, “But you were a child.” He was obviously confused.
“I was. You’ve messed with the wrong family.” I let him regain his feet. My mother tossed me the gun and I shot him at point blank range. Hot blood splattered my face and the smell almost made me gag.
I turned to White, lying on the floor. He was taking short breaths.
“You are Penumbra,” his face held the same awe Colin wore when he looked at my mother.
“Shhh,” I said as I moved around to cradle his head. I didn’t know tears were streaming down my face until one dropped onto White’s forehead. I took a deep breath and told my mother to make sure the Admiral was bringing medical help.
“The Admiral?” She questioned me as she dug in Ruben’s pocket for the phone. This made me realize I’d been calling him the Admiral since I found out what he’d been training me for my whole life.
“You shouldn’t be so hard on your father,” she said as she dialed. “I had to threaten divorce to get him to agree to your training.”
For some reason, my mother planning my entire life wasn’t as offensive as if it had been my father.
My father, Colin and all of my partners showed up in the chopper minutes later. Blue immediately came to White’s side.
“Are you okay, buddy?” he asked White.
“Oh, just great,” White’s voice was weak.
“Well, you’ve lost some blood. We’ve got to get you to the hosp
ital.” The rest of the partners had accumulated around us. Black reached down and pulled White up by his arms. Red came around to his feet and lifted him into the air.
I remained on the floor, unable to move, until Blue said, “Grey, we’ve got to hurry.” This brought me out of my stupor and I jumped up and followed them to the chopper.
After White’s surgery my partners and I sat near his side. Eventually they each took their leave but I remained. It was because of me White had been shot. I shouldn’t have run into the house. I should have grabbed my rifle and taken Ruben from a distance.
Early the next morning Colin woke me up gently.
“He’s still asleep?”
“Yes. But the doctors say he should wake up soon.”
“Alex, I just want to apologize,” Colin said sincerely.
“What for?”
“What for? For letting that lunatic out. For not giving you enough credit.” This last sentence was barely audible.
“Colin,” I began, but he cut me off.
“No. I truly am sorry.”
“Colin,” I started again. “It wasn’t your fault you let Ruben go. My father should have informed you of everything before he gave you the power. You couldn’t have known. As for not giving me enough credit…” I smirked at him.
“Speaking of,” his look became one of pride. “Dimitri Glaskov was found dead last night, with a bullet right between the eyes. Can you guess who’s calling card was in his lap?”
“I bet I could,” I answered.
“Oh, the Admiral told me to tell you that Ruben can’t be attributed to Penumbra. Too many witnesses.”
White stirred in his hospital bed. I turned toward him and took his hand.
“Alex?” he asked before he opened his eyes.
“I’m here.”
“Good,” he fell back to sleep.
Colin stayed an hour longer then left me alone with White again.
White recovered after several weeks in the hospital and another with me at his beck and call in his apartment. Finally, the feelings of guilt dissipated and I told him to get his own coffee.
“But you do it so well,” he chided.
“Maybe so, but I’m sick of it,” I watched him climb from the couch. He grunted and groaned as he tried to stand and I grinned, knowing most of it was for show. When he reached the coffee pot in the kitchen I yelled, “Grab me a cup while you’re up.”
*****
Discover other titles by J.C. Phelps at Smashwords.com
Color Me Grey: Book One of the Alexis Stanton Chronicles
Shades of Grey: Book Two of the Alexis Stanton Chronicles
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Reflections of Grey: Book Three of the Alexis Stanton Chronicles Page 20
