by T. C. Clark
“Eden, I will be back,” Dmitri said as he helped her unpack her things. She had been quiet for a while.
“I know. I just have this bad feeling in the pit of my stomach and I’m trying to stay calm because of the baby. It’s taking everything inside of me to keep it together. I just…don’t die, Dmitri.”
“Eden, there is nothing that could make me fight harder than you and our child. I will be back,” he said taking her in his arms. He held her tight against his chest and for once he was nearly overwhelmed with emotion.
There was a very real chance that he wouldn’t come home. But he couldn’t tell her that. This was something he had to do, a price he had to pay for his complicated past.
He would do whatever it took to keep her safe. He would willingly lay his life down for his small family, but he couldn’t stop the desperation that crept through his soul. He didn’t want to miss this potential life with Eden. The birth of his child would be the best kind of Christmas gift. He couldn’t even imagine what their baby would be like. He’d never been around one before. But he knew he would love theirs.
He allowed himself to feel the pain of not sharing their lives. He knew he was holding her too tightly but she didn’t complain. He was sure her thoughts were similar to his. He wasn’t a man who thought about God… with his past he found it hard to believe in him.
But he couldn’t discount the blessing of meeting Eden. He didn’t deserve this, not even a moment of this type of love. He was honest enough to know that was the truth. But somehow, someway she’d been brought into his life and he would protect her with everything he had inside of him.
He’d paid his debt to society by destroying the Red House and he’d tried to walk away and leave the Jackal behind. But they just couldn’t let him be. When he finally released Eden and left the warm glow of her presence he did what they’d taught him to so long ago.
Coldness settled over him, one that replaced his humanity and muted his empathy. The Jackal was a survivor. He’d survived his brutal childhood, his initiation into the Red House, the vicious missions, and ultimately his complicated dismantling of the organization. He wouldn’t lose now, not with Eden waiting for him.
* * *
Julian Stravanos paced outside of the master bedroom in his brother’s penthouse. Eden was crying again. He didn’t like tears and he usually avoided women who shed them. Eden was a friend and he knew she was in pain. But, he didn’t know what to do about it.
No one knew exactly what was going on with the Russian. One of her other friends, a doctor named Aidan, kept calling and demanding to speak to Eden, but she wouldn’t leave the room. She needed to eat and he needed her to stop crying.
Taking a deep breath he opened the door. Eden sat up immediately rubbing her eyes.
“What are you…why are you in here?” she asked pulling her blanket up.
“You need to eat,” he said as if she was a child.
“I don’t think I can.”
“You have to try and I can’t leave you in here like this. So you need to get up and come to the living room.”
“I’ll come out there in a minute,” she said laying back down.
“That’s what you said two hours ago,” he said walking over to her. Before she could figure out his intentions he scooped her up, cover and all. He didn’t listen when she protested. He carried her out to the living room and gently put her down on the couch.
“Julian, what are you doing?”
“I ordered a feast for us and I’m not someone who can enjoy my meal with a woman sobbing, so loudly by the way in the next room.”
“I’m sorry. I just can’t seem to get my emotions under control.”
“Don’t apologize. Just try to eat something, if not for yourself then for the baby.”
She looked down at the plates. He’d ordered Mexican. She loved that style of food and told him so.
“I know. Nikos told me, then Luca told me, and then your friend Aidan confirmed it. Just so you know, a lot of people know what you like and dislike. Apparently no one had any faith I could get you to eat. But they didn’t know I’d use my muscles against you,” he said, winking at her as he tore into a steak and cheese chalupa.
He was right. She needed to find a way to force herself to eat. She had to exercise some control over herself. This wasn’t a time for breaking down. She needed to stay strong and fight the overwhelming sadness that threatened to overtake her at any moment.
She started on the taco salad and by the end of the meal thanks to Julian’s constant joking and her body’s demands; she’d consumed her body weight in Mexican food. Ruefully she looked down at the cleaned plates and smiled at Julian.
“I guess I was hungrier than I thought.”
When she reached for the dishes Julian shooed her away.
“I got this. You go upstairs and relax. Pick us out a movie to watch. Something that will keep me entertained, woman,” he said with a regal air.
“Julian, you don’t have to stay here. I don’t plan on leaving until I hear back from Dmitri and that could be a while.”
“You act like it’s hard to spend time with you. You are the easiest going woman I’ve ever met with the kindest eyes. I just wished I would have realized it sooner,” he said wistfully.
For the first time Eden regarded him seriously. She’d always thought Julian’s flirting was superficial. He was the type of man that constantly complimented women.
“Julian…”
“I know who you love, Eden. It’s written all over your face. I’m just trying to make it clear that staying with you is no hardship. I want to be here and I’m going to stay no matter what,” he said gathering up the dishes.
She went upstairs and found them a movie to watch. As she was re-wrapping her hair Julian crept in and closed the door softly behind them. The expression on his face grave.
She had been so lost in her thoughts that she hadn’t heard it. A foreign noise drifted through the silent penthouse…someone was trying to get in.
“Julian,” Eden whispered clutching her belly. He led her to the closet, his shoulders tense.
“Eden, I need you to stay here until I come and get you,” he whispered.
“I want to come with you.”
“If you come out there it will distract me. You can’t fight, Eden. Save your strength in case I can’t stop whoever is out there. You understand, this isn’t a game. Dmitri gave us strict instructions. There is no way a regular person could get past all of the security Nikos hired.”
“I know that, but I don’t want anything to happen to you because of me,” Eden said, her eyes filling with tears.
“Eden, stop trying to get in my pants…you’re taken and while I will fight Dmitri for you, I’m not sure I could win,” he joked and placed a light kiss on her head. He couldn’t stand the fear in her eyes, but could do nothing to comfort her.
“Find something to use as a weapon, Eden.”
He liked her. Sweet, Eden. He’d never really noticed her because she always chose to hide in the background. He wouldn’t let anything happen to her. He’d already hit the panic button alerting Nikos to the break in.
He left her in the closet and headed for the noise. He moved quietly on the balls of his feet. His gun was in the other room. He had to pass the living room to get to it and he was pretty sure whoever it was…was in there.
He walked across the foyer as quietly as he could so he was surprised when a massive forearm wrapped around his neck. He pushed his body to the opposite side using his weight as leverage to slip out of it
The man grabbed at him again and for a few seconds they fought, Julian using his memory of ju jit su. Finally, the man cursed and he felt a needle enter his neck. The energy drained from his body, he went limp, and fell to the ground
He’d failed Eden. Why had he thought he could do this by himself? In case he didn’t die from whatever was now flowing freely through his veins, he forced his eyes to take in every detail of the man.
>
The man was massive, as big if not bigger than Dmitri with blond hair and gray eyes. He had a scar going up his neck. No tattoos, nothing other than the scar as far as he could see.
“Damn Dmitri, he should have told me he had someone else watching over Eden. You aren’t going to die. I just dosed you with a chloral hydrate solution. When you wake up tell Nikos and the others that Dmitri sent them a file detailing exactly what is going on. Nighty-night,” he said, his voice heavily accented. He was Russian but with a firm grasp of the English language. As Julian slipped out of consciousness he swore to himself. Whatever happened next he would find Eden again.
The Sandman watched him fade out of consciousness with emotionless eyes. This is what happens when you put civilians in the line of fire. He was lucky he’d realized that he was a friendly. When he’d pulled out of the choke, he’d almost pulled his blade from his back pocket to end the fight. But something about his movements alerted him to the fact that he was not one of them. He lacked a killer instinct that anyone who’d been trained in the art of death had.
He stood up and tensed when he heard a gasp behind him. He turned and let his gray eyes wander over the woman who’d turned Dmitri the Jackal inside out. Even standing barefoot, she was tall. She wore small navy blue shorts and a pink tank top that barely covered her swelling belly.
Her hair was pinned up in a bun and her dark brown skin had a distinct gray tint to it. Naked fear shone in her brown eyes as she looked down at her friend knocked out on the ground.
He knew how this must look, but he didn’t have time to explain himself. He could only hope that Dmitri had told her what was going on. The lack of screaming made him think he had. He waited patiently for her eyes to find his.
Eden forced her legs to stop shaking as she addressed the menacing man. His eyes were colder than Dmitri’s, but were filled with the same determination. Julian was sprawled across the floor, unconscious but alive. She could see signs of him breathing.
This man was the Sandman. She just knew it and he was exactly as Dmitri described. Cold and efficient, Julian hadn’t stood a chance. She recognized him from the wicked scar that crossed the front of his throat. Her eyes watered as she tried to determine what to do next. If he was here then that meant she was in imminent danger.
“Sandman,” she said quietly her soft words more of a statement than a question.
When he nodded she moved closer to Julian and placed her hand on his chest.
“What did you do to him?”
“He started it,” the enormous man said absently bending down to open a silver case on the ground, clearly turning his back on the conversation.
Dmitri had been clear. If there was a viable immediate threat the Sandman would move in to act as her protector and she needed to listen to everything he said. He would put her safety and the life of their child above everything else.
Each member of the Sanctuary had to follow the favor of the golden card completely or else suffer the consequences of the overseers.
His dark blond hair was cut short in a military style. He wore understated expensive clothes, gray slacks, and a navy shirt. He looked like the owner of the penthouse suite. That must of have been a purposeful choice. She would have to force him to hide Julian. If those people were coming for her he wouldn’t be safe here.
“We have to move now,” he said harshly. Damn Dmitri for putting him with some helpless woman. He didn’t have time for this shit. He needed to get her out of here before the team he’d followed this morning moved in.
The Greek fighter had been difficult to put away. He’d almost been forced to kill him. But he remembered the parameters of the gold card and he knew he wasn’t allowed to kill innocent bystanders.
He needed to find a way to get her downstairs and out of the way so that he could deal with the team heading their way. He’d hidden his sniper rifle away on the third floor. Once he got his hands on it, he would be able to pick them off one by one.
“I’m not leaving without him,” Eden said quietly unable to meet his intense gray eyes. He flashed an expression of disgust and turned away.
“You will come with me even if I have to throw you over my shoulder,” he said menacingly. He moved closer to the glass window and used his binoculars to look down at the street. The two vans were empty which meant they were moving up the stairs.
“The letter said you couldn’t hurt innocents and if we leave him here for them to find, they will hurt him and you know it.”
“How the hell do you know about the decree….of course, fucking Dmitri.”
“Do what you want, but I’m not leaving unless you put him somewhere safe,” she bluffed, her dark brown eyes narrowing as he moved closer.
“I can’t carry him and protect you at the same time,” he said through gritted teeth.
“He was trying to help me. We can’t leave him.”
“She’s right you know,” a voice sounded from the doorway. Within seconds the Sandman grabbed Eden, and threw her behind him, and drew a gun from his waistband. It happened so quickly that Eden lost her balance and fell on the bed.
Eden found the voice and was shocked when she saw who it was.
“Librarian. What are you doing here?” She wore a cute heart printed dress with a black cardigan.
She had the same cat shaped black glasses on as before. She looked adorable. Eden watched as The Sandman stalled at the mention of the name.
“Card number?” he barked, still keeping his gun trained on her. He ignored the tightening of his body as he watched her. He’d worked with an agent named the Librarian multiple times, but he’d never seen her in person.
“Your gold card’s number was 8478821256. I’m here as a favor, no golden card needed,” she said in a bored tone.
“First off, why would you help him without a sanctioned request and second, how the hell did you get past my traps?”
“First, me and Dmitri are friends outside of all of this,” she said, pointing to the gun in his hand. “And, secondly, I know you intimately Sandy. I’ve worked with you so many times and I know how you work.”
“Don’t call me Sandy. It doesn’t matter. A team is moving up the stairs. We still have to bypass them and get her down to the street.”
“You think I’m an amateur because I don’t do a lot of field work anymore. It would be a mistake to underestimate me. I’ve already set up a few diversions, which is why I’m talking so calmly with you right now. But first we hide the man.”
“Dmitri said I could trust you,” Eden said taking a deep breath to calm her nerves.
“And you can. Dmitri saved me once, from something that would have been worse than death. I owe him, which means I owe you.” She turned and addressed the Sandman who still had the gun trained on her.
“Dmitri asked me to help because he knows you are... how do I say this? Rough around the edges. You handle the recon team and I’ll handle the boys heading up through the stairs.”
“How can I trust you? You could have figured out the case number.”
“I know. I had Dmitri make this for you.” She handed him a phone. He watched the video and rolled his eyes. She was legit and now he had someone else to worry about.
“We are going to carry him out. I have a utility closet we can put him in on the way down. It’s not listed on the building’s design. It must have been added after it was built.”
Eden watched as the Sandman reluctantly gave the Librarian control of the mission. He knew it wasn’t worth the fight. She was stubborn as shit, and he didn’t have time for anything to go wrong. He had to get Eden out of the building unharmed.
He picked up the unconscious man and grimaced as the full weight of him landed on his bad shoulder. They walked out into the hallway using the maintenance entrance connected to the stairs. Two flights down, she showed him the utility closet. She was right this was definitely not on the building’s design plans.
“How did you know about this?” His eyes narrowed.
<
br /> “It’s called creative thinking. I always go through a building before I work it. You would be surprised by how easily I get into places. People tend to think I’m not a threat.”
As he packed him inside of the small room a man walked up behind them. Before Eden could scream, the Librarian moved. She was quick, striking at him with such precision that he hit the ground before the Sandman could turn around to help. She didn’t know if he was dead or alive.
Eden closed her eyes as bile rose in her throat. She couldn’t break down now. She had to keep it together. She would allow herself to fully freak out later when she was safe. Right now she needed to focus on getting out of here safely. Again she patted her belly using the touch as a talisman for strength.
“Good, Eden. Just breathe and relax. Sandy, I need you take the rear and both of you follow me. There is a third emergency exit that leads to the main floor. It’s a security precaution for anyone located on the higher levels. We will have to walk. I’m sure our passed-out friend knew all about it.”
“Why does everyone keep looking at me like that? He’s alive, isn’t he?” he said closing the door.
“Eden, I promise you it will be okay,” the Librarian said taking a moment to pat her on the back.
Eden smiled at her, surprised that such a seemingly gentle woman was an assassin. Her light brown skin was glowing and her eyes were filled with mischief, she didn’t seem stressed about their current situation at all.
They descended the stairs slowly following behind the light steps of the Librarian. She seemed to know exactly where to go. By the time they got to the bottom Eden was breathing heavily. When they stopped walking the Librarian slipped off her dress and removed a bullet proof vest underneath and handed it to Eden.
“Take off your tank top and put this on,” she said ignoring the giant Russian assassin standing behind them.
Eden didn’t even fake modesty. She was too terrified to care if the Sandman saw her without her shirt on. She knew that danger awaited her just outside the door.