“Yes.”
“I hope it was painful.” She smiled at him and pressed the petals to his nose.
He gingerly sat back up. “Where did you get the flower?” There weren't flowers in the house last night when Miko went to bed.
“They grow on Malkolm's grave.” A girl who was too afraid to sleep wandered around in the woods in the middle of the night to visit graves. She handed the flower to him, then gave him a tissue as well.
He brought it to his face only to realize that Frank was standing in the doorway, and Miko had no idea how long he'd been there. “Can you give us a moment, Sophie?” Frank asked. She glanced questioningly at Miko as if asking his permission, and Miko nodded. She said something in French to Frank as she walked out and his eyes narrowed, watching her go. “You've made quite the impression on her.”
“What did she say?”
“She threatened me.” He smiled. “Said I'd better be nice to you.”
Wadding up the tissue, Miko hid it in his sleeve as if Frank couldn't tell he'd been crying, or hadn't seen it firsthand. “She is sweet girl.”
“She's something all right.” Frank came and sat on the sofa. He looked uncomfortable, like when Miko fawned on him. “I heard about Hector. I'm sorry.”
Miko nodded, holding the tissue a little tighter and then remembering he was wearing Frank's shirt and pulling it back out. Frank tensed like he was afraid Miko was about to cry again. Miko was afraid Frank was right. “He killed both of our fathers. We are in common now.”
Frank took a deep breath. “I don't do hugs.”
“Okay.”
“Okay,” Frank agreed. Miko wiped his nose. Frank cleared his throat. “You have two seconds and don't make a habit of it.” Miko practically attacked him with an embrace, but he doubted it even lasted two seconds before he'd pulled back in pain. “Hurt yourself?”
“It was worth it,” Miko admitted unabashedly.
Frank nearly smiled, then gasped and pulled his feet up. And just as instinctively, pulled a gun.
“Sorry,” Miko said, far more embarrassed at the cat's behavior than his own. “He is so mad.”
Leaning over to look under the sofa, Frank quirked his eyebrow at the growling and put his gun away. He kept his feet where they were. “Simon's cat?”
“He was Ophelia's.” It occurred to Miko that Frank may not be particularly pleased with having a cat in his home, much less a hateful, angry cat. But it wasn't very easy to tell what Frank's feelings were on any matter. He was quieter than Nasir, and about as unlikely to show emotions. “You are mad too?”
Frank rubbed his ankle, which might've been completely covered in blood, or merely scratched. “No.” Miko blinked until they were only scratches and sighed with relief. “But Hugo's not going to be very happy with you.”
“Big dog is my friend. We sleep together.”
“He's a good dog.” Frank picked up the copy of Hamlet from the coffee table, paging through it in silence for a moment before speaking. “Joe's going to work on your Claudius.”
“Because I am helping you?”
“Because you did help us. You don't have to do anymore.”
Miko twitched at what he saw as rejection, trying to hide it by shifting his weight on the sofa which only brought him pain. “You do not like my help anymore?”
“Did Nasir show you the pictures in Simon's phone?”
“Your friend, he did drawings?”
“Malkolm's handler got a hold of Casey's sketchbook last year. He must've sent them to Simon.” Frank shook his head and set the book down. “We have to locate Yuri. Interrogate him, find out what he knows. And who else saw those photographs.” Looking at Miko sincerely, he said, “We need your help. We need you to call him and set up a meeting, betray him so we can kill him,” he paused and looked briefly looked away before returning his eyes to Miko, “but I'm telling you that you don't have to. You've known him longer than you've known us. I don't expect it and I have nothing against you if you won't.”
Warning them about Yuri and actively assisting them with killing him were two very different things, but Miko didn't hesitate. Yuri had not hugged him for two seconds even though he didn't do hugs. “I will do. You have children and civilians and I have not known him longer. Hector told me about you before.” Hector had told Miko about Rodrigo before. Miko glanced at the doorway where Nasir was standing with Joe. “I will do what needs to be done.”
Nasir smiled and gave him a nod of approval, and he came to sit beside him while Joe sat on the coffee table.
“Watch out for the cat under the sofa,” Frank muttered, and they raised their feet.
“Okay,” Joe started. “Now that we have his number this should be pretty straightforward. You call him, let him know that there was trouble with your job, and that Simon isn't answering his phone. Do you want to practice, go over some scripting?”
Miko shook his head and took out his own phone, looking over Nasir's shoulder at Simon's contact list to dial Yuri's number. Yuri had never given Miko his direct number, but with their shared experiences Yuri wouldn't doubt that Miko needed help.
As it rang through Miko thought of Ophelia, so skilled at her job despite hating it. Miko was terrible at his, but he loved it. “Allo?” Yuri answered. Miko remembered Fee showing him how to cry. She'd sat there across from him, a perfectly normal expression as her eyes welled up with tears for no reason. It had upset him greatly, so much that he'd started to cry too and then they were both terribly embarrassed.
“Yuri?” he asked. “It is Miko.” Yuri gave a noncommittal grunt as a response. “Um...I have big problem?”
“Where did you get this number?”
“You gave me your number. Remember? In Stockholm I think?” Miko knew his panic showed clearly on his face. It felt like forever as he waited for Yuri to say something, the three of them staring at Miko in silence.
“Yes. What is it?”
“I...Simon is not answering and it is all bad.”
“What happened?”
“I have job and the mark was not where they should be and then something happened and I am shot.”
Frank flinched just slightly but the shock of what came out of Miko's mouth was far clearer on Joe's face. Nasir cocked his head inquisitively, neither surprised nor alarmed.
“Are you all right?”
“Yes. No. I think it was Frank. Simon told me other handler was with Frank and against us. You know who Frank is?” Miko smiled in an attempt to show he had a plan. Frank curiously raised his eyebrows.
“Yes. Where are you?”
“At hotel,” Miko said. Joe hurriedly pulled out his phone, typing away and bringing up the photo of a hotel in Paris for Miko to give him before Yuri could even ask Miko where.
“Give me a few minutes, I will call you back.”
Miko started to say okay but he'd already disconnected. Simon's phone rang immediately and they all watched it, vibrating in Nasir's hand. It went to voicemail. Yuri didn't leave a message. Miko turned to his own phone, his heart pounding as he waited for it to ring, thinking what Frank and Joe must've been: that Miko had fucked this up. Then his screen lit up with the call and Miko had to stop himself from smiling before he could answer it.
“How bad is the wound?”
“I am not sure. It is my leg so I cannot get up well. The blood is still there but stopping.”
“Try to stay hydrated. I can be there in four hours.”
Miko nodded to Frank and said, “Danke,” as Yuri hung up again. “He is coming four hours.”
Frank smiled widely, wider than Miko had ever seen. Joe and Nasir might've also smiled, and Joe patted Miko on the back, but he barely noticed. “Thank you,” Frank said, and he left to get ready for his meeting.
As much as he would've liked to see Frank in action, Miko didn't think he had the stomach for what Frank would do to Yuri. Miko had no desire at all to see Blondie in action with him, not after feeling Blondie in action. He and Nasir stayed at the house with the c
ivilians instead while Joe and Bella went for backup just in case. Miko took it as a badge of honor that he'd been left responsible for Bella's children, and her civilian, but in reality they probably wouldn't have taken the risk if Nasir hadn't been there as well. Nasir was way better at responsibility.
Miko watched Nasir as he sat with Casey, going over any of the assassins he knew so Casey could draw them. Sophie was lying on the floor at Miko's feet, playing with the cat. It had finally come out of hiding, and calmed down, and then it had seen Hugo and scared him away so it was reveling in its victory. The children weren't awake yet. Miko was ready for a nap himself.
Sophie's attention flitted to Miko when Miranda came to change his bandages. “Joe just called,” Miranda said. “He and Bella are on their way back. Frank will likely be awhile.”
“They have him?” Miko asked, starting to unbutton his shirt. It was far easier than buttoning it back up with one hand.
“Yes. Everything went fine. He believed you.”
Miko nodded. Yuri would be tortured. He was likely being tortured right now. But with all of the excitement that had happened the past few days, being welcomed into Frank and Bella's family, getting shot, finding out about Simon and Rodrigo, betraying Yuri, all he could think about was having Toby's arms around him. Having Toby change his bandages. He looked to Miranda as she applied fresh gauze, her hands beautiful but not Toby's hands, and he asked, “When can I travel?”
“Travel in what way?” Miranda stood up and took off her gloves.
Miko could feel Nasir's eyes on him. Sophie's eyes had been on the wound but now she stared at him in disbelief like she was being dumped. “Fly,” Miko said.
“Well, you're not particularly mobile.”
“But I could?”
Sophie got up and quickly left the room. The cat followed her.
Miranda sat beside him and took out her stethoscope to listen. “There wasn't any damage to your lungs.” Hanging the stethoscope back around her neck, she sighed. “But I wouldn't necessarily recommend it. How long of a flight are we talking about?”
There was a pain in Miko's chest that had nothing to do with his ribs. He still had the plane ticket in his coat pocket. He should've been home days ago. “Eight hours eleven minutes.”
She raised her eyebrows at his specific response. “From a medical perspective, I'd say give it a few more days, minimum.” She paused as Miko pouted, glancing to Nasir for guidance as if she suspected Miko was about to act against medical advice. Again. Nasir shrugged. “Tell you what: if Joe can afford to spare me I'll go with you.”
“Do you think he will spare?” Miko didn't mind if his friends knew he lived in Boston, but he was torn between how upset Toby would be if he stayed away longer, and how upset he'd be if Miko showed up with a medical escort.
“I might be able to put a good word in for you,” she said with a wink. “That way if something does go wrong I'll get to operate on an airplane, which is something I've always wanted to do.” Miranda smiled like she might've been joking, but Miko suspected otherwise. He hoped for his own sake that nothing went wrong.
Joe did agree to spare her, and got them plane tickets for later that day. Yuri had not given up any information, which made Miko feel queasy for more reason than the state of Frank's hands. He'd clearly done significant damage: his knuckles were bleeding and bruised. Miko regretted that Yuri had to suffer, but he regretted it more that the suffering had been unfruitful. Frank was basically right back where he started before Miko's help, but somehow Miko knew it was more than his imagination that Frank seemed sad to see him go.
But not as sad as Sophie.
She was sitting on the porch, squeezing the cat and staring off into the woods. Miko sat beside her. “Hector told me stories so I would understand and not be afraid. I used to pretend that they were with me all the time, Bella and Frank and others, like they were my friends.”
“They are your friends,” she said quietly.
“Yes, now. And we are friends.”
Sophie nodded unhappily. Miko wondered what his life would've been like if he had met his idols at that age. If he'd babysat for them.
“It will not be middle of night in Boston when it is middle of night here. If you get scared you call me and I tell you stories.”
Glancing at him over the cat's fur, she nearly allowed a smile to reach her lips. “You will?”
“And I will write you letters.”
Now she did smile. “Okay.”
He stood back up, petting the cat's head and then petting hers. “You will take care of him?”
“I can have him?” she gasped.
The cat didn't seem quite as sure, but Miko nodded definitively. “He will sleep with you and keep you safe. Better than Kevlar.”
“Can I have the vest too?”
Miko cocked his head. The vest was covered in his blood. “You have mental problems.”
“We are in common,” she said, repeating his words to Frank without the slightest hint of remorse on her face for eavesdropping.
“We are. You want hug?”
Sophie came to him, keeping the cat in one arm and gently hugging his right side with the other. “I'll look after Nasir for you too.”
“Thank you,” Miko said. Nasir was honestly a little unnerved by her but he had to keep his head down until they could be certain he was not a suspect in Simon's murder, so he was staying with Frank. Simon's body hadn't even been found yet.
Miko walked back inside to say goodbye to everyone else. Frank simply shook his head when Miko came in for a hug, but the others were far more obliging. Miko shook his own head when Blondie approached. “No, you are painful.” Blondie smiled and wrapped his arm around Frank instead, like he was putting a stake in his property.
“We gotta go,” Joe said. Miranda just had an overnight bag so she carried Miko's bag. Nasir was waiting by the car.
“I will come to you as soon as I can.” Nasir hugged him around his head in a futile attempt to keep Miko from hurting himself by hugging him back.
“I am sorry that I must go,” Miko said, but really he was sorry that Nasir couldn't come with him. Seeing him in such a state after murdering his oldest formerly living friend had shaken Miko. Until he'd witnessed it himself, Miko wouldn't have believed Nasir could cry.
“Do not be sorry for what you must do.” Nasir straightened Miko's hair as if it wouldn't be a catastrophe again by the time he got home to Toby. “Be safe, my friend.”
Miko got in the backseat of the car—another of Frank's cars, and he watched Nasir until he could no longer see him through the trees. Joe did not blindfold Miko on the way out.
“It may take some time for Rodrigo to trust me,” Joe said, breaking the rhythmic sound of leaves brushing against the sides of the car. “I don't want to rush it and have him disappear on us completely.”
Revenge is a dish best served cold. Miko thought again of the phrase Toby had said to him in the hotel room closet in Nevada after Miko had trashed the place. After Hector told Miko to back off. He leaned against the seat, pressing his H tattoo to the leather and closing his eyes. He pictured Simon's red front door. He pictured Simon's red living room. There was so much blood to lose. Ophelia had less. Hector hadn't shed any. Rodrigo would be exsanguinated. “It is okay,” Miko said. He'd already waited over a year. “We have time.”
Miko did not need emergency surgery on the airplane, and he couldn't help but think Miranda held a bit of a grudge about it. “Do you have someone picking you up?” she asked as they headed through Logan International Airport.
He should've. He wanted to. But he hadn't even spoken with Toby since the first night in Frank's house. Casey said he tried not to think about it, but he also admitted to being afraid for them. Miko had survived two attacks on his life. Toby hadn't taken the first one very well, and that had only ended in a few cuts and bruises. Miko had promised not to scare Toby again. “No,” he said, putting a candy in his mouth.
“Would
you like to share a cab? I'm going to get a hotel for a few days before heading back just in case.”
Miko was about to nod, not particularly feeling like being alone even for a moment when he saw Toby standing there waiting for him. He was carrying a large enough bouquet of flowers that he hadn't seen Miko over it, and Miko smiled to himself, shaking his head. “Nas.”
“I'll leave you to it then,” Miranda said with a smile, Miko's body language unmistakable.
Toby was still wearing his work clothes, a white Oxford shirt and black pants. He always looked so lost at airports, just one more endearing quality about him that reminded Miko of how much more amazing a normal person could be than a houseful of assassins.
Finally spotting Miko through the daisies, Toby gave him such a purely sympathetic look that Miko's eyes filled with tears and he went the rest of the way to greet him practically blind. Toby hugged him tightly, painfully enough that Miko might've started to cry if he wasn't already, but that meant Nasir hadn't told him everything.
Toby didn't say a word, he just held him, rocking him back and forth. Miko shifted in his arms so the pain wasn't unbearable, resting his head on Toby's shoulder. He smelled like he'd been working all day, savory spices and sugar, that undertone of sweat that went straight to Miko's head like cinnamon schnapps.
Miko knew he shouldn't say it there, not in public, not at an airport, but he felt like if he didn't get it out right then he would start seeing blood again. “You were right.”
“About what?” Toby tried to pull back to look at him but Miko held on.
“Simon.”
Toby tensed. “He killed Ophelia?”
“He had her killed so I would go after the book.” Miko took a deep breath, which hurt worse after Toby had squeezed him. “He killed Hector.”
Toby's gasped, but it wasn't why Miko thought. “You're bleeding.” Miko looked down, blood blossoming up Toby's white sleeve. Toby grabbed him tighter to keep him from fainting. “Are you okay?”
Miko closed his eyes tight. The blood was spreading. “I am fine but we need to leave now or I am sick.”
The Mercy of the Mako Shark Page 18