This was, of course, all for a country who had four law enforcement agencies who wanted him to spend at least the next few decades of his life in prison. Vincent had promised, as a reward for saving the world from Surkov and his plan for world domination, he’d make sure the other agencies backed off. However, the lack of conviction and belief in what he was promising had Sean more worried than anything else they had discussed that night.
Sean checked his watch and adjusted the time zone again, it was nearing lunchtime and he wondered how Katie and James had fared last night. He had Katie’s number but it wasn’t for social calls. Katie and James needed to move on with their lives. Sean was a reminder of a huge void in their lives that would cause them nothing but upset. He retrieved his new CIA smartphone from his pocket and called the number the US Marshall had given him the night before.
“Hi Tom,” said Sean as the Marshall answered. “Just wondered how the guys were doing?” he asked as casually as he could, just in case Katie was to overhear.
“Hi Sean, actually I’ve just left them.”
“They’re on their own?” queried Sean instantly concerned.
“All set up in a new apartment, she didn’t waste any time, 7 am this morning she was pounding the phone.”
“Fantastic, nice place?”
“Not bad, nothing like the place she left, mind you.” Tom had picked up a few of Katie and Sean’s personal items before leaving Laredo. Sean had made it clear she was not to go anywhere near the old house, too many dead bodies and memories for her and James.
“I’m sure they’ll be just fine,” concluded Sean, surprised at how quickly they had moved on. Austin had been chosen as Katie had lived there before Laredo and knew the hospital where she had worked previously were always hiring.
“You’re not kidding, she’s some lady, even got herself a job by 10 o’clock!”
“Thanks for helping them out Tom, much appreciated,” said Sean as he ended the call.
As he waited for a cab to take him to the Governor’s mansion, he couldn’t help smile at the thought that he had given James back to Katie. Fuck the consequences he thought. What will be, will be.
***
Katherine had been up and about for hours, she had a busy day ahead and some minor miracles to achieve. Top of the list was convincing the governor of the national, no, international importance, of his Moscow trip. Statesmen had to put country before personal. She had been trying lines all night and nothing worked. It all sounded clichéd. She had the rest of the day to think of something. The flight was scheduled to leave early the next morning.
As she made her way into her office, the secretary caught her attention. “I have a call for you Katherine,”
“Who is it?” she asked.
“Sean Fox,” was the reply that inwardly floored her. Katherine’s face remained unchanged, a wonderful ability her mother had taught her. Katherine rarely showed emotion and even then never spontaneously.
“Thank you, just put him through, please,” she asked politely.
She closed the door to her office and took the seat at her desk. She composed herself as the light flashed highlighting Sean was holding.
“Mr Fox, how can I help you?” asked Katherine as she took the call.
“Sorry I thought I was holding for Governor Brown?” replied Sean.
“As you can imagine the Governor is taking some time to mourn,” she replied sincerely.
“I’m scheduled to be joining the Governor on his trip to Moscow, he hasn’t cancelled, has he?” asked Sean a little too desperately, showing his hand a little more than he would have wished to.
Katherine liked the sound of what Sean wanted. It was exactly what she wanted, the Governor on the plane to Moscow.
“I’ll see if I can get…”
“Actually, it’s OK, I’m just pulling up outside as we speak, I’d rather see him face-to-face, thanks,” interrupted Sean, handing twenty bucks to the cab driver.
“Of course, that’s fine,” she replied calmly, while her mind raced.
She walked through to the entrance hallway and watched as Sean grabbed a bag from the trunk of the cab and walked into the mansion. Katherine watched Sean carefully as he first opened the door and walked into the hallway. Her mother had shown her every little detail to be aware of. To date, she had never been wrong. Katherine could identify exactly how to work a man from his physical actions and facial expressions within the first few seconds of meeting him.
Katherine walked over and offered Sean her hand. “Katherine, I’m the governor’s Chief of Staff,” she offered.
“Sean,” replied Sean, looking around the mansion’s stunning hallway in an attempt not to stare at what had to be one of the most beautiful women he had ever met. “Lovely,” he said. “A stunning room,” clarifying he meant the room and not Katherine.
“Thank you,” she said, knowing exactly what he meant. She watched Sean as his eyes had devoured every inch of detail in the hallway. It had taken him the briefest of sweeps but his eyes had moved far quicker than required, checking and double-checking before evaluating the next obstacle or exit. To the untrained eye, he was any other guy entering a hallway. To Katherine he was a finely tuned killing machine, who was aware of his abilities but not over confident. Tall and powerful, but walked like a man half his weight, lightly and easily. Minimizing the sound of every step he took.
Katherine dropped her pen and Sean’s hand reached out and caught it easily. His actions were so smooth, they belied their speed. The fluidity of the motion proved just how in tune Sean was with his body. His reaction time was exceptional, hand to eye coordination must have been off the charts. Katherine made an executive decision. There was no way her assassin could deal with Sean. He was going to have to be dealt with in Moscow. It also ensured she had an ally in helping secure the Governor’s agreement to visit Moscow, never mind the chance for her to bed what she concluded was quite an exceptional specimen. A tingle of excitement, one that she had not felt for many years, brought an unexpected smile to her face.
Sean smiled in return, a cheeky smile that suggested he was reading her just as she him.
“I’ll just see if the governor can see you now, if you wouldn’t mind taking a seat,” offered Katherine.
As Sean took the seat, he watched Katherine as she walked back to her office. Her body was toned to perfection. He knew because her shirt and blouse hugged every part of her tightly leaving nothing to the imagination. As Katherine had given him credit for, he had identified every risk and safe point within the hallway. If a gunman were to run through the door, Sean knew exactly where and what he would do. But when it came to Katherine, the only thing that had crossed his mind was what she would be like naked and exactly what he would do to her. After all he had been in Afghanistan for over a year and available women were not exactly falling out of the trees, not that there were many trees and that was the point. A year, first Katie and now Katherine, two beautiful woman and a year’s worth of pent up frustration. He spotted the water fountain and poured himself a drink. He needed to refocus his mind.
***
Katherine closed the office door and rushed to her telephone device. She dialed Surkov’s number. She didn’t have time to wait for a text reply.
“Katherine, my dear,” answered Surkov.
“We have a problem,” she was in a rush. “Sean Fox has arrived and I’m not sure I can deal with him before the trip.”
Surkov remained silent. Katherine continued, realizing he would hear her out.
“I don’t think the man I have locally is capable of dealing with Sean and, more importantly, it seems that Sean is going to help me convince the Governor to come to Moscow. If he does and then he subsequently dies, I can guarantee the Governor will be going nowhere. You can arrange for him to be dealt with in Moscow, no?”
Surkov digested every word and kept coming back to the same ones 'going to help me convince.’ Why on earth would he want to do that, thought Surkov.
The question of which Sean Fox still survived suddenly became more intriguing. If he were his Sean, there was no way he would encourage the Governor to travel to Moscow and if he weren’t his, why would he care? Surkov loved it! “Fine, let him come, we’ll deal with him here! Just hold on a second.”
Surkov had realized there was one other potential wrench in the works. He called Borodin.
“Dr Surkov,” answered Borodin cheerily, still walking on air from his upcoming promotion.
“Call your man off Sean Fox,” ordered Surkov.
Borodin did not answer.
“What’s wrong?” asked Surkov.
“You may be too late!” replied Borodin cautiously. It seemed when it came to Sean Fox, he never got it right.
Surkov slammed down the phone and returned to Katherine’s call.
“It seems Borodin’s man may be an issue!” offered Surkov.
“Fox is here just now, it’s fine, just get Borodin to call off his man. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Katherine ended the call and replaced the device in the hidden compartment of her handbag. She checked her make up in the mirror on the wall and opened her door to see Sean Fox tearing out of the main entrance.
***
When Sean’s phone began to ring, he dug it out of his pocket and fully expected Vincent’s dulcet tones. When he saw the caller id said Katie, a smile instantly filled his face.
“Hi Katie!”
“Hi Sean,” she replied nervously, a wobble in her voice that instantly had Sean on edge. “Where are you?”
“I’m in Austin, what’s wrong?” he said, standing and looking out the window, irrationally hoping to see something.
“How would you like to pay us a visit?” she asked, trying her best to remain calm. Sean could almost see the vision of James being held while Katie tried desperately to sound normal.
“Of course, when should I come?”
“Now would be good!”
“I’m on my way!”
Katie gave him the address. “Oh and Sean,” she added. “Please don’t bring anyone else!” she pleaded.
He was already out of the Mansion’s door by the time he had ended the call. The governor’s car sat ready should the governor wish to go anywhere. Sean jumped in and gave the driver two choices. The driver seeing Sean’s size and agitated state took the healthier one and hit the gas.
Chapter 70
Sean quizzed the driver how far they were from Katie’s address. Just over 10 minutes he had thought. Sean used the time to check the weapons he had packed for his trip to Moscow, as the governor’s bodyguard. He replayed what Katie had said in his mind, over and over again, 'don’t bring anybody else’. Her final warning. Nothing, although she hadn’t said 'anybody’ she had said 'anyone’, one. She was telling him there was only one guy.
One thing was certain, whatever happened, it seemed that Katie Fox was in danger. They had assumed that with Sean leaving, she would be fine but that had obviously been wrong. He was going to have to arrange alternative arrangements ongoing but first things were first. He needed to rescue them.
The Governor’s driver pulled into the hospital parking lot. He explained to Sean that the apartment block he needed was just around the corner in the street. Sean thanked him and climbed out. His weapons bag clunked as the magazines Sean had prepared in the car cracked together. An MP-7 and H&K UCP had been his weapons of choice for protecting the Governor - a small submachine gun that offered decent firepower along with a highly accurate pistol that shared the same ammunition. He took out his smartphone and hit the maps button. A map of his location with a blue dot highlighting where he stood appeared. He selected 'satellite 'and the image changed to an actual overhead view of the street and building, again highlighting his position.
Sean looked at the building pointed out by the driver as the target and decided he had little choice but to enter from the front. He took what he needed from the bag and began the walk towards the block. Had he misread Katie’s warning, there was every chance he could be dead already but the more he thought about it, the more he was convinced she was telling him just one. If there were just one, he’d be in the apartment waiting, gun to James’ or Katie’s head. Sean wanted to crush the fuck’s throat with his bare hands, the more he thought about it. The anger swelled as he drew closer. He knew he had to remain calm but after yesterday and getting James back to his mom, the thought of anyone else threatening the boy infuriated Sean like he had never felt before.
He entered the building. So far, so good. Katie had said the third floor, apartment five.
Sean walked towards the door, careful to make no noise. No peep hole, good and bad. They couldn’t see him but he couldn’t see the movement that would tell him if they were behind the door. He stood to the side of the door and knocked loudly.
He heard footsteps approach the door, one set, not light not heavy, Katie’s. The guy was holding James at gunpoint. Motherfucker. Sean’s blood was boiling. Sean heard the door unlock and it began to open.
The explosion caught them all by surprise.
Sean burst through the door, he had done it many times before, clearing rooms in hostage situation, hard and fast. As Katie had opened the door, before it was open even an inch, Sean had the flashbang in the hallway. He burst through the door, knocking Katie clear across the room and saw the man holding James by the throat at the end of the hallway. His hand had gone to protect his eyes but far too late. Two taps on his trigger and the man was down. Hard and fast, no mercy.
Sean checked the other rooms just in case but just as Katie had warned there was just the one. James detached himself from the gunman and ran to Sean and latched onto his leg.
Katie picked herself up and looked at Sean with some confusion.
“What the hell was that?” she asked, recovering from the effects of the flashbang and being hurled against the wall.
“Don’t mention it,” said Sean having just saved their lives.
“What if there had been four or five of them, how the hell did you know there was only one?!”
Sean suddenly realized what could have happened and just how reckless he had been. Jesus, what if there had been three or four, he thought. None of that, however, would calm the current situation.
“Heat sensor,” he said, lying through his teeth. Three heat sources, one small,” he said, pointing down at James. Then, pointing at Katie, “A medium one and a big fat dead one,” he pointed to the gunman.
Katie gave him a look that made it clear she’d believe him but wasn’t convinced. Jesus, she really could read him like a book.
“Any idea who he was?” asked Sean checking the gunman for id and finding none.
“He made me call you and said little else. I think he was going to kill you the second you showed your face though.”
“It’s got that effect,” he said but it obviously wasn’t a time for jokes. Katie frowned and removed James with some effort from Sean’s leg.
“So what now?” she asked, taking Sean into a small bedroom away from the body.
“I make a call and you cease to exist!”
Chapter 71
Vincent promised to make the call and place Katie and James within the Witness Protection Program. How he was going to achieve that was another matter. The wife and son of a drug dealer with nothing to offer in return for their expensive and lifelong protection were not the usual beneficiaries of the service. Vincent used every ounce of his charm and when that failed miserably, he offered to allocate funds in excess of the actual cost to the US Marshalls for doing him the favor.
An hour after Sean had arrived at the apartment, the full force of the US Marshall’s relocation and witness protection program rolled into action. Katie and James Fox were swept away and would, as far as the world outside the US government was concerned, no longer exist.
Sean watched the car drive off into the distance before walking back to the hospital to find a cab. The governor’s driver sat waiting and waved to Sean. He folded the
newspaper and started the engine, as Sean walked towards him.
“What are you still doing here?” asked Sean quizzically, as he climbed into the car.
“Katherine told me to wait and bring you back,” he replied, selecting 'Drive’ and pulling away. “And trust me, what she wants I give her!” he said with a wide grin.
Sean gave the driver a look, the look that men know, the look that said, you are fucking kidding me. The driver was in his fifties overweight and had not been blessed with looks.
“Fuck no, man, but I can dream!” he laughed.
With a few minutes to spare, he called Vincent.
“Sorry I never asked, how are you feeling?” asked Sean.
“About a million times better than yesterday,” he replied, the strength had still not returned to his voice.
“You really should be taking it easy, V,” replied Sean. Vincent may have been a million times better than the day before but he was still a million times worse than he’d been the day before that.
“There’s too much to do, Sean,” replied Vincent.
“Let somebody else deal with Surkov!” he argued.
“I can’t Sean. There’s just not enough evidence to convince anyone, we’ve lived it, we know it’s real. Other than that, what do we have? Mike’s been retired since the cold war and to the boys on the Russian desk, he’s a dinosaur. Christ, half of them don’t even know who the KGB were they’re so fucking young now!’
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