by K. S. Ruff
He relaxed into his seat with a disarming smile. “How was Portugal?”
Like that would evoke a pleasant conversation. I stabbed my lasagna with my fork. “Portugal was nice.”
“Surely you can do better than that,” Maxim countered with a chuckle.
I forced a shrug. “I enjoyed visiting their palaces.”
“You should see Mariyinsky Palace, the presidential palace in Kyiv,” Oni interjected.
Maxim’s gaze remained squarely on me. “Would you like to live in a palace?” he inquired softly.
“Please don’t,” I whispered fearfully.
“Every president needs a first lady.” He studied me over the top of his wine.
“She’s already engaged,” Jase gritted. He stood, menacingly.
“Engaged is not the same as married,” Maxim rebutted coolly. “I’m simply ensuring she’s aware of her options.”
“Stop trying to get everyone riled up,” I chided. “Jase, please sit. We are not discussing this.”
Reluctantly, he sat.
“Is there anything special you’d like to do before school begins?” I asked Oni. I figured that was a pretty safe topic.
“I’d like to familiarize myself with the university campus, see some of the monuments, and visit the Capitol,” she answered hesitantly.
I breathed a small sigh of relief when the tension eased. “I’ll call my friend Patrick to see if he can give you a VIP tour of the Capitol next week. We can visit the campus this weekend. Have you received your dorm assignment yet?”
Oni nodded. “They offered me a studio apartment in Beacon Hall.”
“You might want to show her how to access the metro and the bus from George Mason,” Kadyn suggested.
“That’s a really good idea.” I reached for my wine. I was trying to ignore the fact that Maxim was watching me so intently.
We pushed through dinner, as nerve-wracking as that was. Brady and Oni offered to clear the table and wash the dishes afterwards. I asked everyone else to sit in the family room while I brewed coffee and served dessert.
Lev’s eyes widened when I handed him a plate. “What is this?”
“Chocolate and pistachio cake.” The miniature cakes glistened with a dark chocolate glaze, edible gold shavings, and gold leaves. This was, hands down, the most exquisite dessert I’d ever made.
“A dessert fit for a king,” Maxim announced decidedly. He patted the couch. “Please, Kristine, sit next to me.”
Jase scowled when I complied.
I’d promised Maxim anything… well, anything but sex… when he agreed to help me find Kadyn in Mexico. I was anxious to know how that promise could possibly factor into his bid for the presidency. “Maxim,” I began hesitantly.
He reached for my hand after setting his dessert aside. “Kristine, I want you to know this is not what I intended to ask of you.” He eyed Rafael’s engagement ring and sighed.
My heart clenched when his eyes met mine.
He peered deep into my eyes. “You’re aware of the difficultly we’ve experienced in extending the Odessa-Brody pipeline.”
“Yes.” I studied the issue before traveling to Ukraine. I glanced at Kadyn and Jase and made an effort to explain. “The Ukrainian government has been trying to extend this pipeline to Plock, Poland so they can transport oil from the Caspian Sea into the EU. This would strengthen their economy and reduce EU dependence on Russian fuel.”
“This project has proven difficult to fund,” Maxim noted bitterly. “Now I know why.”
“With the amount of money Yanukovych was embezzling, there weren’t enough funds to complete the project,” I surmised.
Lev braced his elbows against his knees. “Putin paid Yanukovych to connect the Odessa-Brody pipeline to the Druzhba pipeline. They reversed the flow of oil so the Odessa-Brody pipeline now transports Russian oil to Mediterranean countries.”
“But that would only strengthen Russia’s economy and hurt Ukraine,” I objected. I hadn’t heard the flow of oil had been reversed.
“Precisely,” Maxim agreed. “I want to disconnect the Odessa-Brody pipeline from the Druzhba pipeline, reverse the flow of oil, and complete the extension into Plock so we can transport oil from the Caspian Sea into the EU as was originally intended.”
“Putin will fight you every step of the way,” I stated speculatively.
Kadyn cracked open another Sprite. “How does Kri factor into this?”
“Kristine knows Senator Rockefeller, the great-grandson of an oil tycoon. She has connections in the U.S. Senate, she believes in this cause, and she knows how to lobby Congress,” Maxim said, swiftly connecting the dots.
My jaw dropped. “You want the U.S. to help fund this project.”
Maxim nodded.
“How much?” I held my breath.
Maxim fingered the gold leaf on his cake. “Seven hundred eighty million dollars.”
I turned the idea in my head. “That’s a lot less expensive than I thought it would be.”
He eyed me thoughtfully. “The terrain is relatively flat.”
“Why would the United States fund another country’s pipeline?” Brady inquired before polishing off his cake.
“Not only would this cripple Russia’s economy, thereby reducing the threat they pose to the United States, but this would reduce EU dependence on Russian oil so Putin can’t force them to side with him in international politics. He wields fuel like a weapon, cutting oil and gas supplies off when political leaders don’t do what he wants,” I answered easily.
Maxim smiled. “You are the perfect person for this job.”
“Konstantin and I want to help,” Oni insisted. She was sitting in the chair across from Lev.
“Konstantin and Oni can serve as your support staff. They can conduct research and craft the bill, but I want you to take the lead with Congress,” Maxim amended.
My eyes remained fixed on his face. “How soon do I have to accomplish this?”
“Sixty days,” he answered apologetically. “I need to incorporate this into my campaign, and the election is in ninety days.”
I took a deep breath and blew it out. “We can’t introduce this as a bill, Maxim. Even the most pressing bills don’t pass Congress within sixty days. We’ve got to identify another bill that is really close to passing and attach this as a rider.”
“You’re already working and attending school full time,” Jase reminded me. He’d been following the conversation closely.
“I’ll invite the congressmen out to lunch or take them out to dinner. Those types of meetings are far more productive than lobbying on the Hill.” I was already generating a mental list of all the congressmen I wanted to meet with.
“So you’ll do it?” Maxim pressed. “You’ll help me secure the funds?”
“I want to speak with Rafael before I commit to this,” I hedged. “Oni, do you mind brewing another pot of coffee while I call him?” I rose from the couch.
Maxim’s eyes darkened. “I’d like to hear your thoughts on how we might strengthen security along our eastern border,” he said, shifting his attention to Kadyn.
Jase followed me upstairs. “Kristine, what he’s asking… it’s too much.”
“Too much? Maxim saved Kadyn’s life… and mine. That counts for something, Jase. Besides, this doesn’t just benefit Ukraine. This benefits the EU and the United States. I want to help Maxim free Ukraine and put Putin in his place.”
“You want to punish Putin for what the SVR did to you,” he countered softly.
I released a long overdue breath. “Maybe,” I confessed. “I’d like to reduce his power and influence… limit his ability to hurt others the way he hurt me.”
He stopped just inside the doorway to my bedroom. “This is going to make you an even bigger target.”
I grabbed my cell phone off the nightstand. “I’ll be flying under the radar for the most part.” I thumbed through my recent calls and tapped on Rafael’s name.
Jase sho
ok his head. He pulled the door closed as he stepped into the hallway.
Rafael’s voice drew me back to the phone. “How’s it going?”
“Oh, just ducky,” I answered in a saccharine sweet voice. “Maxim’s called in his favor, and I promised to run it by you before committing.”
“Well?” he pried impatiently.
I bit my lip while trying to suppress a nervous laugh. “Maxim is running for president, and he’s asked me to serve as the First Lady of Ukraine.”
“What?” Rafael exploded across the phone line.
My eyes squeezed shut. “Actually, it’s not quite that bad… although he was hinting around about that.”
“Kristine,” Rafael growled. “What exactly did Maxim ask?”
“He wants me to lobby Congress so he can secure funds to extend the Odessa-Brody pipeline into Plock. He feels he can win the election if he secures that funding.”
“Wait,” Rafael interjected. “He’s really running for president?”
I blew out a breath. “Yes. The Ukrainian President fled the country after embezzling billions of dollars’ worth of public funds. They’re holding a special election, and The People’s Front has asked Maxim to run.”
The line grew quiet.
“Rafael?”
“I can’t believe he’s running for president.”
“Do you mind if I help him with this? There’s so much good that could come from this… for his country and mine. I really want to help him secure that funding, Rafael. Please? I want to help.”
He sighed. Loudly. “He’s not asking you to serve as first lady?”
I laughed. “No. He was just trying to get everyone riled up when he said that. Maxim isn’t in love with me. He’s in love with his country. He’s asking me to secure the funding so he can win the presidency, strengthen their economy, and lift his people out of poverty.”
“How are you going to find time to do this?” he queried reluctantly.
I paced across the room. “I’m not in this alone. Konstantin and Oni are going to help. I can juggle this with school and work. I’ll meet with the congressmen over dinner and lunch.”
“Could you be any more ambitious?” Rafael bemoaned. “Let me talk to Jase.”
I tugged on the door. Jase nearly fell on the floor. “Rafael wants to talk to you.” I handed him the phone.
I stepped inside the bathroom so I could freshen up. Jase handed me the phone when I returned. “Well?” I inquired of Rafael.
“You can help Maxim secure funding on one condition…”
“Oh, God, not another condition,” I blurted. “Why? Why does everyone have conditions?”
He ignored my rant. “If Jase determines you’re being monitored or followed by the SVR, you end this.”
I met Jase’s piercing gaze. “Fine. If Jase discovers we’re being followed, I’ll stop lobbying Congress.”
Jase’s eyes narrowed. He didn’t believe me.
“Text me when Maxim leaves,” Rafael reminded me.
I glanced at the clock on my phone. It was two o’clock in the morning in Portugal. “Okay,” I agreed. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” Rafael answered softly.
Maxim and Kadyn were hunched over a hand drawn map of Ukraine when Jase and I returned to the family room. Maxim motioned for me to join them.
Kadyn scrutinized the map. “Where’s the pipeline going?”
Maxim sketched Poland to the left of Ukraine before drawing two lines across his country. “The pipeline begins here, at Odessa. Currently, it ends here, at the Druzhba Pipeline. I want to disconnect the Odessa-Brody pipeline from Druzhba and extend it up to here.” He lengthened the first line until it crossed into Poland. “Poland plans to extend it from their border up to Plock.”
Kadyn studied the diagram. “You’re going to need an early warning system, surface to air missiles, and an anti-ballistic missile system to protect this pipeline.”
Maxim and Lev exchanged glances. “We have surface to air missiles and an ABM system, but the ABM system is only capable of tracking fifty targets at once.”
Kadyn hid his surprise. “What’s the deployment time?”
“Eight minutes,” Maxim replied.
Kadyn scanned the diagram again. “How long are you going to be in town?”
“Two maybe three days,” Maxim estimated. “Why?”
He met Maxim’s penetrating gaze. “Would you be willing to discuss your economic strategy with the United States Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates?”
“Are you offering to arrange a meeting with him?” Maxim countered. His voice dripped with sarcasm.
Kadyn nodded, slowly. “Do you recall the missile defense system we were planning for Poland?”
Maxim laughed. “How could I forget? Russia threatened to bomb Poland if you installed that system.”
Lev leaned forward, thoroughly captivated. “I still cannot believe you abandoned those plans.”
Kadyn braced his elbows against his knees. “We’d like to install that defense system in your region so we can protect Europe against an attack from Russia and Iran. You need a defense system capable of protecting your eastern border and the pipeline you’re building to transport fuel into Europe. Seems like a pretty good fit to me.”
The smile slid from Maxim’s face. “Putin would attack us.”
Kadyn shrugged. “Putin is going to attack either way. He’ll bomb the Odessa-Brody pipeline the same way he bombed the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline in Georgia in 2008. Wouldn’t you like to have that defense system in place before he does?”
Maxim stood abruptly. “Why would you help me?”
Kadyn glanced at me before pushing onto his feet. “I’m not making any promises, Maxim. I’m just offering to arrange the meeting. I was working for Secretary Gates when we developed the defense shield for Poland. He was livid when that deal fell through. Ukraine seems like a viable alternative, given your proximity to Poland. This would allow both of our countries to achieve our objectives, as long as this system is installed discretely. If Putin were to get wind of this…” he trailed off ominously.
Maxim stared at Kadyn for a couple of heartbeats. “The enemy of my enemy…”
“…is my friend,” Kadyn agreed. “We want Putin contained as much as you do.”
His eyes locked on me. “And you, kotyonok?”
My heart beat a thunderous score. “I’ll secure the funding.”
Kadyn pulled me close before Maxim could touch me. “And I’ll arrange a meeting with the Secretary of Defense.”
Lev slapped Maxim on the back. “See? You will make a great president.”
His eyes remained steadfast on me. “Not without a first lady.”
* * * * *
Shae tackled me in the hallway. “Kri! I can’t believe Maxim is running for president. Like, seriously running for president. And he left the mafia!”
Jase groaned. “I’ll meet you in your office.”
I followed Shae into her office. “I know. How crazy is that?”
“I want in on whatever it is you’re doing for him. Konstantin said you’re trying to secure funding for the pipeline,” she prattled on excitedly.
I dropped into the chair across from her desk. “Yes. Oni is researching legislation on congress.gov now. She’ll have a list of energy and oil bills along with the names of the congressmen supporting those bills by the end of the day. I plan to request meetings with those congressmen, but I want to speak with Senator Rockefeller first.”
She eased into the black leather chair behind her desk. “What can I do to help?”
“You can help me generate talking points over our lunch break. I’d like to have talking points and a one page briefing crafted by the end of the day.”
She blocked that time slot on her calendar. “Where’s Oni working?”
“At the house, on my laptop. Brady’s there too. Jase didn’t like the idea of her staying there by herself while Maxim was in town. He was worried
she’d let Maxim plant bugs or cameras inside my house.”
Shae rolled her eyes. “Maxim asked Konstantin to establish an internship position for Oni when he stopped by last night. She’s supposed to begin next week.”
“I should show her how to access the metro sooner rather than later then.” I typed a reminder in my phone.
Shae tapped her pen against the desk. “What did Rafael think of her?”
I met her inquisitive gaze. “Rafael’s been working twenty-four seven the last few days, so he hasn’t met her yet.”
Her pen stopped mid-tap. “Maxim was inside your house, and Rafael wasn’t there?” Her eyes narrowed. “There’s no way Rafael would allow that to happen. What’s going on?”
I forced a shrug. “He’d already committed to this assignment.”
Her eyes narrowed even more. “We’ve known the date Maxim was delivering Oni for weeks now. When did he commit to this assignment?”
“In December.” I hated dancing around the issue, but at least I was still being honest. “Did Maxim mention what Kadyn’s doing for him?”
“No,” Shae admitted grudgingly. Clearly, she didn’t want to change the topic.
I leaned forward and lowered my voice. “He’s helping Maxim secure the pipeline and their eastern border.”
Her jaw dropped. “Are you serious?”
I nodded. “Kadyn’s going to arrange a meeting between Maxim and Secretary Gates. He thinks the Secretary of Defense might be interested in positioning the defense shield we developed for Poland in Ukraine.”
“Kri,” she breathed. “That’s brilliant.”
I pushed up from the chair. “I’m worried Secretary Gates will refuse to work with Maxim when he discovers his ties to the mafia.”
“Our government has collaborated with far sketchier people,” Shae bristled. “Maxim is pro-democracy, pro-NATO, and he wants to join the EU. Besides, that defense shield and the pipeline further a lot of U.S. objectives.”
“I hope you’re right,” I stated sincerely. “I need to finish developing that simulation for Sierra Leone. Stop by when you’re ready for lunch.”
“Will do,” Shae called. Her voice followed me down the hall.
* * * * *
“What took you so long? You were supposed to be here a half hour ago,” Kadyn growled.