Unsteady

by Elizabeth York

  “Nikolas Markovich, in the flesh,” he mumbled as Nikolas kept the cane on his throat. “I knew you would come as soon as I saw her scar.”

  “Is my daughter dead?”

  “You will have to be more specific,” Michael sneered defiantly. “Which daughter?”

  Then I watched as Nikolas pushed a button at the top of his can and a silver spike pushed out of the end of it. He stabbed it into the man’s leg and I listened to him groan. I was blood thirsty to hear him scream. To hear his shallow ragged breaths, take their last intake of air.

  “Did you murder my daughter?” Nikolas asked as I stepped forward.

  “I could have,” he growled through the agony as Nikolas stabbed him again.

  “Answer him or I will spend every day of the rest of your life making you wish you were dead.”

  Nikolas narrowed his eyes at me, but gave me a nod telling me he approved. It was enough to make me realize just how far the fury had spread. I wasn’t this person, but I also couldn’t see past Michael’s smile to find a reason not to end him. I pointed the gun at his chest and prepared myself to shoot.

  “Logan,” Nikolas called my name a few times before I could shift my eyes to him. “I have him. Go get my daughter’s body. We need to lay her to rest,” he continued as I heard the break in his voice. His nightmares had come true because the daughter he sent away to save had come back to die. “I have him.”

  It wasn’t that simple. I couldn’t just walk away. To go back inside and see London in there on the ground, cold as ice. There was no more walking away. There was no more looking the other direction. Today I would make my bones in the name of love, but not before I knew every detail of what she went through.

  “Logan, you are a good man. You do not want to do this,” Nikolas warned. “There is no coming back from what you are about to do.”

  “Nikolas,” my voice was gruff and determined as the rains that covered my tears stopped from a break in the storm. “Let’s take him home. He doesn’t get to die yet.”

  Nikolas nodded as Avery yelled for me. I turned back to see London being carried across the field.

  “She’s breathing, but we have to get to a hospital now,” someone shouted. I didn’t hesitate I ran for her I took her in my arms and away from the burly beast of a man who held her once before when I made her cry.

  “Oh God,” I cried as I fell to the ground with her. I wrapped my arms around her carefully as the tears fell like a waterfall from my eyes. I had never really cried – not like this. Not when my dad left me, not when my mom died, not even when London left me, but the thought of losing her forever had me sobbing like a toddler. She was my line in the sand. No one could hurt me as long as she was somewhere in the world happy and healthy.

  “Logan,” her voice barely spoke as she fought to keep her eyes open.

  “I thought you were gone.”

  “Alec used to be a field medic,” Nikolas responded as London fell unconscious and I knew I had to get her into the helicopter if she was going to make it. “He can save anyone.”

  “You’re in the chopper with her,” I told him as he gave me the nod while walking over to Nikolas. Then Alec whispered into Nikolas’s ear and I saw his face change. I saw the furious rage that people write movies about in mobsters. I saw the inner evil rise to the surface and lay on him like armor.

  “You’re not Michael,” he stabbed the man in the other leg. “Who the hell are you?”

  “Sir,” Alec intervened. “We need to get London to the hospital now. Next time we do CPR her broken ribs could pierce her lung,” he explained. I pulled myself together got up off the ground and carried her to the aircraft I prayed we would get her there in time.

  I heard the sirens through the storm that was rebuilding and bearing down on us. I moved to the aircraft as Nikolas signaled his men to disappear. Avery came running up toward me with a woman in his arms and a child holding his hand. There were three more people helping to carry out those who were the most injured. We piled as many emergency cases in with London as we could and three of us headed toward the nearest trauma center.

  “Brooklyn,” I called her name as she answered the phone. Avery had synced his phone into the aircraft so we could let her know London was okay.

  “Tell me you have my baby sister,” she pleaded.

  “She thought she could leave me once again, but thanks to a tyrannosaurus of a man and his medical skills we stopped her. This time she won’t get away. I’m bringing her home.”

  “I think I should tell you something you’re going to find out anyway,” Avery told me in the mic as we flew in the direction of Langley. I turned to see him holding the hand of the little boy that he had walked out with.

  “What’s that?”

  “That’s my wife,” Avery stated when he looked back at the red headed woman. I flew to the nearest trauma center without knowing what to say to him.

  Chapter Thirty Two

  London

  My head ached and my body felt like it had been in a brutal tug of war match as I laid in the hospital bed and listened to the sounds of the machines that kept me going. It was déjà vu.

  “Child, you should be sleeping,” Sister Katherine pushed my hair out of my face. “You need your rest.”

  “I had the worst dream,” I confessed with a hoarse voice that was barely audible. I was wondering if that was all it was. A nightmare. I could have pretended it was, but the bruises I wore, and the pain I felt told me it wasn’t fiction. “How did you find me?”

  “You and Logan are the apples in my barrel. I keep my eye on you so you don’t fall.”

  “I think I have too many bruises to be edible,” I tried to make a joke, but she just gave me a saddened smile as I winced.

  “Your father told me where you were and I signed out of that silly hospital. I heard you went to visit Saint Peter, but decided to come back to us. Smart decision - the people in your life would be willing to storm Heaven’s gates for you, and no one wants that.”

  “I thought you were dead,” I cried. “I didn’t want to live in a world where you didn’t exist. That’s not a place I’m prepared to live in.”

  “Child, when my time comes God will ensure you can survive without me. I’ve raised you well enough to know that you’ll be fine,” Sister Katherine tried to give me comfort, but the thought of losing her in my fragile state of mind was unbearable.

  “You’re the only mom I have,” I told her as she wiped tears from my eyes.

  “You’re my only stubborn daughter,” we both chuckled. “Seems God was on my side,” she explained as she pulled out a large iron cross she wore when we were kids. “I put it on when I feel I need more direction,” she continued as she turned it and I saw a crater from a bullet. It had went into the right arm of the cross, but never broke it. Didn’t even bend it very far.

  “What happened to Michael?” I asked and she shrugged.

  “No one has seen him since your father and Logan caught him. I’m going to go get the doctor. He’s been waiting for you to wake up.”

  Sister Katherine walked out, as I looked around the darkened room. I shivered at the isolation it was like I was back in that train car. The door to my room opened and I turned my head to see a unfamiliar face.

  “London,” his voice was deep and rustic. I’d know him anywhere.

  “Avery,” I tried to smile for him, but it hurt. “Thank you so much for what you did for me.”

  “Don’t thank me just yet,” he countered as he came and sat on the edge of the bed. “I came because I have a story to tell you and wanted to ensure you knew the truth.”

  “You’re scaring me,” I was honest with him as he took my hand.

  “I’ll never hurt you London,” his eyes said he was genuine, but his tone told a different story.

  “Okay, I’m listening.”

  “Years ago, my wife’s sister was taken by a man. I went to try to find her, but I was out of my league. I couldn’t even get the man’s
name she was dating at the time. It’s what happens when a computer geek steps into a criminal’s realm. I called on a friend named Alec, who knew Nikolas Markovich was in need of a new right hand man. A liaison. He got in with your father and agreed to spread the name Michael Pierce around, so I could have clout to get information.”

  “Wait, you asked Alec to spread word of that asshole who hurt me so everyone would fear him? To keep people from going after him?”

  “No, the man who hurt you is Harry Neiche.”

  “Then who is Michael Pierce?” I asked with contention in my voice. I was ready to fight to the death. We had to get the bad guy. I couldn’t breathe if he was still out there.

  “I’m Michael Pierce,” his words echoed in my ear as my heart dropped. “My real name is Michael Avery Pierce. My friends used to call me Maps, which was fitting because I had a knack for getting people where they needed to be in any situation. Sort of like the skill you retain of being able to track anything and anyone. I used this skill until he took my wife…”

  “Did you find her?” I interrupted and he put his finger over my lips and made me be quiet.

  “Her sisters body was found in Cairo just before you were assigned to the case. My wife was with you in Harry’s slaughterhouse.”

  “I don’t understand,” I honestly was confused how all this came together.

  “Harry or the man you know as Michael heard about the faceless man who stayed off every radar. He decided it was a lucrative business to get into. The disturbing trade of buying and selling people. While everyone was looking for me because of rumors we spread, they weren’t looking for him.”

  “So while we were looking left, he was able to create this façade and hurt people to our right?” I asked and he nodded.

  “I tried to handle it on my own, to go after him and get my wife back by buying her back, but I made a mistake. I dropped a photo of our son at a meet one night. Harry knew I had more to lose than money and it became a game.”

  “Why didn’t you alert the authorities?” I asked, and he shook his head.

  “If it was a Senators kid or the Presidents wife everyone would rush to find them, but the wife of a computer technician was at the bottom of their priority list. They told me that she might have run off with him instead of being taken. I had to force someone to get involved because soon he came for my son. Killed our nanny in a car crash and took my son from his car seat. Nothing is more devastating than knowing your child is out there and you don’t know who has them or if they are safe.”

  “I can understand that. I feel that way about my sister when she chases after the bad guys,” I softly mumbled and Avery pulled my blanket up to cover my shivering body.

  “That’s part of how I came to know you. I needed access to the database to find him. I needed someone who knew the lifestyle. I didn’t know you hadn’t grown up with your father until they partnered me with you. You were this quiet guilt-ridden woman who flinched when you killed a fly, but you had unparalleled skills as a tracker and translator. I knew if they assigned you to him you would take the bait and go after him. I knew you were the person who could lead us to them and I could save their lives,” Avery looked over his shoulder when voices were outside the door and hesitated.

  “What happened Avery?” I asked because I had to know. I understood he needed me to track him, but at the same time I didn’t. That man had come for me, not the other way around. Looking from it on the outside I merely taunted a killer.

  “What I didn’t count on was him taking a liking to you. I never anticipated what came next. I was the voice in your ear, but you were the person capable of finding the Holy Grail if we sent you after it. You kind of suck as an agent, but I never want to be on the run with you chasing after me.”

  “He chased me,” I finally spoke up. “You found him because everyone was coming for me.”

  “We found you because you have an amazing support system from both sides of the law. We were able to track you because you told us how to. Your notes on the man who pretended to be our boss made the difference. Your gut was telling you what your head didn’t know. He wasn’t who he said he was. Even though it doesn’t seem like it everything you told us helped us find you and know where you were headed.”

  “I didn’t do anything,” I argued.

  “You did everything,” Avery got louder. “Do you remember the red headed woman you were locked in the cable car with? The one you kept alive talking to her? That’s my wife. She was ready to give up and then you showed up and you gave her hope. Like I said I think you would need massive training to be an agent, but you’re selfless, compassionate, and when you get a clue you go the distance.”

  “You’re Michael Pierce?” I asked as my body started to tremor harder and my ribs ached as the reality of the whole thing set in.

  “I would never hurt you,” he repeated as I pulled my hand away from him and tried to scoot away. “I know this is a lot to take in, but I needed you to know because I have a job for you when you get back on your feet.”

  “What’s that?” I asked with hesitation.

  “I want to track down everyone he sold and get them back with their families.”

  “I work for the CIA,” I shook my head as I answered. “I can’t work for you and them.”

  “Actually, you can,” he smiled. “Avery Michaels has been named the new director of clandestine affairs. If you keep my secret of who I am then we can go after all those people and get them back before their lives are ended because of this asshole. I need to make this right, and I am asking you to help me.”

  “Why me?” I asked wondering still why he felt I could do this.

  “You’re a human lie detector. You hear the truth in multiple languages. I saw the work you did for the man you thought was your boss. You were able to determine who was lying based on their tone. I need that on my team.”

  “That’s not a good enough reason for me to lie to everyone about who you are,” I countered as that moral line between right and wrong seemed to blur.

  “How about because you have the biggest dick in the office, and we need it to find two hundred and thirteen men, women, and children before they wind up on a missing person wall at Walmart. This man would’ve never got this big had I not asked for the fake clout to get information.”

  “Have you ever killed anyone?”

  “Not yet,” he gave me an answer that sent chills down my spine. My breathing was erratic, and it was making the pain the only thing I could focus on. “The man who did this to you, to my wife, to my son, and all those people he’ll be the only person I ever kill. His time is coming, but not until everyone has a chance to see him strung up, naked, tortured, and terrified - the way he left them.”

  “You have him?”

  “We have him, all of us,” Avery stood up as the doctor stood outside the door and talked to Sister Katherine. “I know this is a lot to take in, but take the time to think about it. You are two sides of the same coin. You have both good and evil on your side and we could conquer men like Harry using your resources and your training. I do want you to train to be a field agent while I go back to being in your ear as you kick ass like Batman.”

  “I’ll think about it,” I rushed my answer to get him to leave. I no longer trusted him. He had used me, and I couldn’t trust him. I don’t know if it was the pain or the tone in his voice, but I couldn’t believe him when he said he wouldn’t hurt me. He nodded and walked toward the door.

  “London,” he turned back and looked at me with a crooked smile. “You always had the biggest dick in the office, but you were naïve and needed more experience to go out in the field. You just earned the golden cock, so now the question is what are you going to do with it?”

  Chapter Thirty Three

  Logan

  “You should go home and get some sleep,” Nikolas told me as I punched this terrorist we had captured again. “London will want you rested now that she is awake.”

  “I’m packin
g up some things and leaving to stay down there till she is transferred tonight. Until then Sister Katherine is with her.”

  “I still do not trust you Logan, but you have shown you love my daughter. I won’t murder you yet, if you intend make an honest woman out of her,” Nikolas spoke with a thickened accent as if he was searching for the words to use.

  “I have to know something,” I turned to him and he waved me into his home office that looked like a library as I cleaned the blood off my fist. I saw walls of books, a antique desk that looked like something Brooklyn would have picked out, and a walking station where people usually do rehabilitation.

  “Ask,” he ordered as he waved to the chair in front of his desk.

  “Sister Katherine told me the story of when London was coming to tell me she was pregnant. She told me that she called you from the hospital, and then the story skips to Brooklyn finding London locked up. What happened?”

  “It’s more of Brooklyn’s story, but I will tell you a little,” he agreed as he leaned back in his chair.

  “London called me from the hospital terrified because her aunt had hurt her. She had done the one thing her mother and I feared would happen if London had stayed with us. She didn’t tell me she was pregnant, she only told me what was happening. I went for her as Brooklyn got assigned to the District Attorney’s office and her first case was to take on a serial killer. I was confident I could protect them both. I stepped out of my protective bubble to get her and found myself in the hands of a killer. I wound up in the hospital without the ability to walk. I could barely talk, and it was my own fault.”

  “What happened?” I asked as Nikolas stood up and used his cane to walk around the desk.

  “You see me as old and feeble?” he asked and I nodded because I was honest to a fault. Then I watched as he dropped the cane and walked over to the tread mill across from the rehab station. I watched as he got on and ran like a twenty-year-old. “Just like you have done. I underestimated my enemy because I forgot to remember that what’s on the outside can be deceiving. You see my scars and see someone who is incapable, but what you don’t see is the fact that I use them to disarm my enemies.”