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Krakow, Poland
Thursday, 28 January, 7:55 p.m.
––––––––
One word came to mind – not one suitable for children's ears. How I wished what Ivana told us was a fictional story, the evidence indisputable. Truer than most news reports. I stared at Aidan. Torment, anger and self-loathing filled his handsome face. Commander Walker didn't need me, but my husband did. I marched to him and wrapped my arms around his neck, holding him so close that if he were a lesser man, I might've broken his neck. "This morning I told you, sometimes we can't see the evil in those closest to us."
"I refuse to believe he is a paedophile!" Aidan tried to push me away. I clung to him like a weighted blanket, knowing this was the best way to calm him as we weren't alone in the suite. Ivana and his brothers didn't need to witness how I calm him when we're alone.
"There's no indication he ever laid a hand on a child, but he lied to you in order to get you to execute the very people who knew the truth about his grandfather." I turned to Ivana. "Why did Queen Katja help you?"
Ivana wiped her eyes. "She realised I was pregnant, and she knew what Mikolaj would've forced me to do. His rules were simple. He didn't tolerate weakness in any of us and to him, a pregnant operative was a liability. An Achilles heel. A problem with only one solution."
Queen Katja had taken Ivana under her wing and requested that Ivana be appointed as the head of security for her worldwide tour. Bergia's relations at the time had been strained, because of Mikolaj's lust for power and him annihilating anyone who he deemed standing in his way. Mikolaj had used the BSS for much more than what forms part of most secret service agents' job description. Operatives received kill orders on anyone Mikolaj even suspected knew the truth about his depravity. He considered Max Jefferson, and the other individuals who formed part of the circle, as some of his closest friends. Numerous photos of them surfaced once we started investigating. When you know what to look for it's much easier to find it.
"Katja sent her daughters and granddaughters to boarding schools across Europe as soon as they were old enough to start school. The people of Bergia thought her cruel, but she did it to protect them. Mikolaj wouldn't have thought twice about giving his own blood to his so-called friends." I expected Ivana to spit on the carpet, but she didn't.
Aidan dragged his hands down his face. "Szymon asked me to assassinate all the BSS operatives, claiming he feared for his and his family's safety. We were nothing more than a cleaning crew to bury his grandfather's sins. I'm sorry, Ivana."
She stood and placed her hands on his cheeks. "You didn't know; no one did except the twenty of us. I've long suspected Katja didn't die from a heart attack, and it won't surprise me if Szymon had a hand in Mikolaj's death. Princess Ylva is the first daughter who didn't attend boarding school. Her mother refused. Katja cried when she told me how she had pleaded with Astrid. If Mikolaj touched Ylva, or gave her to one of his friends, Szymon would've had enough reason to kill his grandfather."
"I need to speak to Szymon. Tonight." Aidan came to his full length but didn't take a step forward. "First, we need to get Ivar out of Black Dolphin."
Again, Ivana placed a hand against his cheek. "Ivar is a strong man, and he won't forgive me if we put him above the answers you seek. Piotr won't help a paedophile, but he's close to the family. Maybe he can answer some of your questions."
"Piotr needs to meet with us somewhere discreet. I think his boss is keeping him on a tight leash, one he started pulling against if their conversation in Dubai is anything to go on."
"He told me about the device you put behind his ear." Ivana crossed her arms over her chest. "With a woman like you by his side, Piotr can do much more with his life than the direction he's willing to take now."
"You trained him well; perhaps it's the only reason he's still alive. However, the fact remains, your son's complicit in the murders of twenty-five people and the attempted murder of another. I might spare his life, and we might employ him, but somehow he must carry the consequences of his actions."
Sorrow filled Ivana's eyes. "He's already paying the price for the decision he made. Piotr might be able to lie to himself and the rest of the world, but a mother sees the truth." She smiled, it seemed miserable on her face. "If I didn't understand his heart, I would've concluded he's a psychopath."
I didn't look at Aidan when I asked, "When are you meeting with Szymon?"
"Saturday. He and Queen Astrid are still in the UAE on an official state visit. They've been there since Tuesday."
The implication struck Aidan the hardest. King Mikolaj had been a paedophile, a warmonger, a tyrant. Could King Szymon be a serial killer? Stranger things have happened.
"Okay people, focus. If we need to be in Bergia on Saturday, it gives us a couple of hours to get to Orenburg, break Ivar and the other man out of Black Dolphin, and get to Bergia."
Rowan cleared his throat and stared down at his mobile phone. "Ivar can wait." He shrugged. "Sorry, Ivana, but you said so yourself. Kelly and Rob have a meeting with one Günter Kuhn, who happens to be here in Krakow. On our way back we can pick up Piotr. It's time for him to tell us what the hell is going on."
"Leave Piotr in the field. I'll contact him and ensure he's wherever you'll meet with Szymon. He's much more than Ylva's bodyguard."
I paced the length of the sitting area; everyone stepped back to give me room. The Walkers knew this is how I do my best thinking. Formulate a strategy to get Ivar and Vladimir out of Black Dolphin. Meet with Günter Kuhn. "What time are we meeting Kuhn?"
"2200 hours, at a bar not far from here." Rowan leaned his shoulder against the wall.
Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath and tried to do the calculations. "I'm going to need at least thirty minutes to put the Kelly face on. That leaves us with forty-five minutes to come up with an extraction plan. Rowan and Liam, I want you both in the bedroom. Now."
Liam grinned. "Yes, ma'am. I waited a long time for this. Just never thought Rowan would be watching. Can you wear the outfit you did in Dubai? I've been having dreams about you in it."
I closed the distance between us. My fist connected with his jaw. The alcohol on his breath smacked me in the face. Liam never drank much; something wasn't right. My heart told me to ask what happened but my head and gut demanded I stay focused on the operation. Lives were at stake. "Your conduct is unbecoming of an operative, and even more so in front of our guest. I don't need you on this operation. This would've been your chance to redeem yourself, but I won't tolerate your behaviour another second. Head back to HQ. Now."
Liam looked at his eldest brother; Commander Walker crossed his arms over his chest.
"I out rank you, Sergeant. But then again, I'm not the one sleeping with the boss." Liam's right eyebrow raised. So did my temper.
My nails dug into my palms. I had dealt with this sexist crap during my years in the military. I wasn't about to take it from my family. Liam might be the super soldier, but serial killers and criminals are my field of expertise. Rowan stepped in front of me and covered my fist with his hand. He shook his head, hard.
Ivana pushed to her feet. "If I may?" she asked Aidan. He nodded. "You're a family, a unit unlike any in the world. It has been an honour being a part of Fortius and I will die protecting what you stand for. It's not about rank, it's about who brings the most to the table for a specific operation. That's the only good thing about the time I served in the BSS. We all had our strengths, and instead of undermining each other we used our collective abilities for what we believed were for the greater good of our country."
Ivana walked to the suite's door and turned to us. "I've tried to keep tabs on how Fortius operates since I joined, for I refuse to ever be in the same position Mikolaj put me in. Your parents have sacrificed more than you ever will, and they would be ashamed of you, Liam. You might not realise it, but women need to work much harder at being taken seriously in any line of work. The way you spoke to your sister-in-law is despicable."
She reached for the door handle. "Aidan, I'm going to go freshen up. I promise not to contact Piotr until you order me to." Ivana stared at Liam, her eyes cold. "The lives of innocent children are on the line, and I won't do anything to jeopardise it. The mission always comes first."
My fist wasn't the only one to connect with Liam's face. So did Aidan's – after Ivana left.
Aidan pushed Liam down in the desk chair and towered over him. Rowan and I stood next to each other, bracing for the blow even though we weren't on the receiving end.
Fury erupted from Aidan's mouth but his calm, calculated word choice made the impact devastating. "Twenty-five people are dead. Alicia Rideout is still in ICU. An international paedophile ring has been operating for decades. This is the reality of what we face at the moment. We might not be in a war zone, dodging bullets or laying down fire every minute of every day, but make no mistake Liam, this is war. One I refuse to lose. Countless children were brutalised for the sheer pleasure of despicable people hiding in the open behind their money and positions. I will bring the full force of this organisation down on them and anyone else whose name pops up during this investigation."
Commander Walker's voice remained low. "Liam Walker, you're relieved of your position in this organisation. Finley's request to speak to you and Rowan in private wasn't the time for your crude remarks." He held up a hand. "None of us have time for your juvenile comments, not when the lives of children are at stake and a serial killer remains free to kill again any minute."
Aidan stepped backwards and crossed his arms over his chest. "You won't work in the field again, or be considered part of this organisation until you undergo a psych evaluation and basic training. You're dismissed."
Without saying a word, Liam stood and headed for the door.
"I have a better idea." Liam stopped walking but didn't turn to look at me. "We need someone in Russia to oversee whatever strategy we decide on. Someone with extensive combat experience if things go south. You'll wear lenses in both eyes, and earpieces at all times. You'll follow Aidan's every instruction. This is your last chance with me, Liam – as a fellow operative and as your friend. If you fail this mission, or lose focus for even a split second, I'll ensure you never work with Fortius again. I will voice my concerns about your lack of professionalism to your parents as they are still in charge. For now. Commander Walker?" I turned to Aidan.
He turned towards the window and took a deep breath. "Fin is right, we need someone with your experience on the ground. Marika and Dmitry are brilliant covert operatives, but they'll need backup."
I checked the time on my mobile phone's screen and realised we were yet again wasting time because of Liam. Every minute added to the time Aidan and I weren't home with our daughter, but my heart kept screaming Liam's name. "I want to speak to Liam. Alone."
"I'll get started on the blueprints for Black Dolphin, and we need to prepare for the meeting with Kuhn. I never go in blind." Rowan slapped a hand on Aidan's shoulder and together they left.
"In case you haven't realised it yet, I'm the closest thing you have to a friend at the moment." I retrieved a can of Coke from the mini bar and held it out to Liam and called reception. "While we wait for the ice, put the can against your eye and tell me what happened. I've never seen you have more than two drinks, the odd chance that you do drink. Now you're drinking every day – and on an operation like this."
Liam pressed the can to his eye. "I'll head back to Marcel; get out of everyone's way. I'm not made for this."
Frustration swirled inside me. I didn't have time for another pity party. "I want to tell you I'm done with you and that you should leave. However, I can't turn my back on someone who needs a friend, and that's what I'm trying to be. If you walk out that door, I won't try to convince Aidan or your father to keep you on. Why can't you get it through your thick skull that we need you? Dammit, Liam. You bring so much to the table, yet you focus on what everyone else offers, and forget you're a valuable member of this team. I love you like a brother, you insufferable man."
Liam sank down onto the floor, his back pressed against the wall, his head resting on his arms. "What's the point of surviving war just to be killed at home?"
I sat down next to him and placed my arm around his shoulder. "Who, Liam?"
Liam shook his head, his body trembling.
"It's just us. You're safe with me."
The turmoil pouring out of him reminded me of a time when I had cried similar tears. A time when I too had been powerless to protect or save. I waited and offered him no comfort other than my arms wrapped around him. His tears soaked my shirt down to my skin.
Liam wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and stared straight ahead. "We enlisted at the same time, went through training together, fought alongside each other." He tried to smile. "We even saved each other's lives." Liam lifted his shirt and showed me the scar on the left side of his stomach. IED.
The scar on my right side mirrored Liam's. A keepsake from the night my squad had been ambushed and taken hostage.
"After the war, Daniel joined the police; said he wasn't done protecting the innocent. He died trying to do just that. Ironic, isn't it? He survived war, and gets killed while serving an arrest warrant, as well as his partner, Laura."
I shifted until I faced him, took his hands in mine, and waited for Liam to meet my stare. "What are you going to do about it?"
"He's dead. Nothing to do about it."
A grin spread across my face; the darkness paced. A constant reminder of the thousands of wars being waged across the world. "Right now you can do something. Go to Russia and free two men who shouldn't be in prison. They protected the innocent and they don't deserve their punishment. Then you focus on the next war, and then the next. You're a warrior, Captain Walker, you always will be. Use your talents and abilities, and for as long as there is breath in your lungs, you keep fighting. You didn't join the military because you didn't have other options. Daniel died a soldier in a different war. The media and people in general just don't call it that."
I pushed to my feet and held my hand out to him. "Stop drinking and get your head in the game. Aidan's right, we might not be dodging bullets or laying down fire, but this is a war we will keep on waging. One battle at a time. The enemy's face might change, but what we do isn't any less important. The victims need us. Fortius needs you. Our name means stronger, and that's what we must be in every war. Our strength is in our collective vision to better the world, for as long as there is fight left in us."