by Linda Ladd
“She just needs sleep, my friend,” he told Novak. “I give you my word this place is a safe haven for her.”
He kept giving his word about everything, which meant zero to Novak. Time would tell if he kept it. “I am not your friend. You need to understand that. I don’t trust you or your word or anything else about you. I needed help getting Lori out of that hospital or I wouldn’t be within ten miles of this place.”
“You think I do not know these things. I find that the intelligent thing to do. You do understand that sedatives are still in her system. That is making her appear weaker and woozier than she really is. When she awakes in the morning, she’ll feel much better, and you will see that she will be fine. I have worked at hospitals. I read her chart while she was unconscious. Her concussion is moderate but her bruising is severe because of the seatbelt restraint, similar to your own injuries. She will be all right, given time. The same can be said for you. You were very lucky to survive a crash like that.”
Novak frowned. This guy was coming off as weird. What was with all the concern for two veritable strangers? That was a danger signal that Novak couldn’t ignore. Sokolov stood up and walked into the adjoining kitchen. Novak kept waiting for something bad to happen. He sat down and kept the Ruger in his lap. He could see Lori in the bed through the half-open bedroom door. A few minutes later, Sokolov was back, holding a cold bottle of Mamont Vodka and two short glasses. He sank down in an overstuffed chair across from Novak. “You need a drink, Novak. You deserve one.”
Novak watched the Russian pour the liquor. He handed the first glass to Novak. Then he slouched back on the couch, propped his foot on his opposite knee, and tossed down his drink in one deep draught. He sat back up and refilled his glass. Novak didn’t touch his. He was not going to impair his reflexes and mix alcohol with the remnants of the sedatives he’d been given. He needed to be alert and wary of this guy. He felt fairly clearheaded at the moment, but occasionally a fog steamed up his mind and obscured his clarity. He needed sleep. He did not need vodka. They sat there together for a while, neither saying anything. The only sound was the popping and crackling of burning wood. The heat felt good.
“I watched that semi cab ram your Jeep,” Sokolov told him at length. “I thought all of you would be killed. Especially after I saw Petrov get out of that car with his gun.”
“How do you know him? Was he a colleague in your spy games?”
“We both served our country, yes. We belonged to a special paramilitary unit for a time. We performed difficult and highly classified missions. Black Ops, I believe is what you call them here. Vasily was the most infamous man in our ranks, known for his utter ruthlessness. We did not know each other well, not back then. He was already an officer, and I was a new enlistee. He was trained by members of the old KGB. He is dangerous when crossed. Actually, he is dangerous at all times.”
Novak wasn’t going to share military secrets with this guy. “Yeah, I figured that out. So let’s get down to what’s what. Who are you? Why are you here? Why are you going to so much trouble to help me?”
“One thing’s for certain, I am not your enemy. To the contrary, I am the farthest thing from that. I’m on your side. You have no need to worry about my betraying you.” His eyes held Novak’s, their black depths reflecting firelight like two glowing white stars. He looked and sounded sincere. “I am also the only one who is not out gunning for you and your woman right now.”
“Yeah, we’ll see about that.”
“When you aligned yourself with Irina, you became a target. Just like poor young Justin.”
Novak waited for Sokolov to tell him something he didn’t know.
“What will it take to make you believe me?”
“The whole truth might do the trick. Look, I don’t know you from Adam, never have laid eyes on you before tonight. I don’t know if you’re legit, or if you’re playing me for a fool. I do know we’ve made some enemies around here. Feel free to fill me in on the particulars of that, since the guy gunning for us is your old army buddy.” He stopped and waited for answers. Sokolov only stared back at him. “So what’s your angle in all this, Sokolov? Better yet, why are you so reluctant to answer my questions?”
“I need your help more than you need mine. You’re no use to me if you are dead. Neither is the woman in the bedroom. I know she works at the Pentagon for an important General, which could be helpful to me down the road.” He trickled another portion of vodka into his glass. “I took you out of that hospital because I knew Petrov would return to finish the job he started at that petrol station. He always takes care of loose ends, and that’s what you and the woman are right now.”
Novak was tired of talking. His head was absolutely killing him, thudding jarringly like a broken fan, and he was worried about Lori. “I’m only going to ask you this one more time. Who are you? Why did you involve yourself with us? Why are we here? What do you want?”
Sokolov laughed. “And here I thought you’d be thanking me for saving your skin.”
“I’ll save the gratitude until I know who the hell you are and why you’re doing this.”
“Fair enough, I suppose. I would do the same.”
They moved into another unblinking staring contest that lasted a full minute before the Russian stood up and threw a log on the fire. He poked and stabbed at the grate until the flames shot up. Novak got up and moved to the front window, and looked out at the road. Once the fire was roaring and throwing out heat, Sokolov turned and faced Novak. “Okay, I’ll tell you everything. Once you hear me out, you can leave this house, or stay and help me save Irina’s life, whichever you choose.”
Novak waited. He needed some sleep, and they were wasting time.
“I bear you no ill will, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“You keep saying that. I don’t believe you, and it seems you’re avoiding telling me the truth. Why is that?”
“I need your help. I am alone in this. My movements inside your country have limitations, while yours do not.”
“Okay. And?”
“All of this is about Irina. You see, they’ll kill her eventually, now that she’s old enough to cause them trouble. It’s already started now with that boy, Justin. She’s been pliable enough until now. Unfortunately, she is an impetuous child. The Senator is growing concerned that if she throws one of her tantrums, she’ll do it in public, or go to the cops, or maybe even contact the press. I want to get her out of there before she gets hurt or worse—Petrov kills her.”
Now Novak was interested. “What’s it to you?”
Petrov looked down at his glass. He raised his somber eyes to Novak’s face. “She’s my daughter. I’ve been searching for her for years. I finally found her earlier this year.”
“Irina Blackwood is your…daughter?”
“I can’t say one-hundred percent that she is, not without a paternity test, but I know it in my heart.”
He was actually serious when he said that. “You do realize how that sounds, right? Enlighten me. How could you not know?”
“Because I wasn’t home when he took her. Now that I’ve watched her and followed them, I know she’s being abused by that monster. Even if she isn’t my child, I want to get her out of there. She’s an innocent they’ve corrupted since early childhood, and he’s victimizing her in every possible way.”
Novak knew what that meant. He also knew it was true. Irina had told Novak herself. “So I’m just supposed to believe all this and get involved with a gang of Russian murderers? That’s why I’m here?”
“It’s the truth. Irina doesn’t know who I am, of course. I doubt if she even remembers me. I was gone most of the time after she was born, and it was a long time ago. Blackwood kept her first name but I doubt he’s told her what her last name was or anything else about me and her mother.”
“She knows she’s adopted. She told us Blackwood
bought her for a few rubles off a Moscow street. She said her mother sold her.”
“Lies! My wife would never do that.”
“So what is the truth, Sokolov?”
“The truth is, Blackwood saw her, wanted her, and stole her away from us. I was not in Moscow at that time, but deployed to Somalia. My wife was a maid inside his house when he stayed there on a Senate diplomatic mission. He took Irina out of the country.”
Novak was having trouble with his story. “That doesn’t sound credible, to say the least. He was a U.S. Senator, in Russia on official business, but there are limits to diplomatic privilege. Kidnapping children is one of them.”
“Not if you’re dirty and doing criminal favors for a foreign government.”
“You can prove that?”
“Of course not. I may never be able to prove any of it, and it doesn’t matter anymore. I just want to get my daughter back before Blackwood tires of her and she ends up dead.”
“How old was she?”
“Almost six. It was ten years ago.”
“So all this time passed before you show up here looking for her?”
“I was still with the military at first and unable to get back home. I wasn’t sure who took her, and when I started asking questions about Blackwood, his friends in my government didn’t like it. They trumped up terrorist charges and threw me in prison. I got out two years ago. After that, they put a watch on me. It was almost impossible for me to get out of Russia.”
“How did you get here?”
“I have ways.
Great, Novak thought. This guy is probably a suspected terrorist. “Yet here you are plotting a kidnapping of a senator’s daughter and asking me to help you. No dice. I want nothing to do with this, or you.”
“I infiltrated your country via the Canadian border. I came across on foot.”
“I want nothing to do with you, Sokolov.”
“I’m not a danger to anyone except Blackwood. I don’t plan to stay here any longer than necessary. My wife wasn’t sure it was Blackwood who had taken our child. Irina just disappeared one day. My wife knew that he had become overly fond of Irina and liked to hold her on his lap and feed her sweets. There was little she could do after our child disappeared. But it happened the same day Blackwood returned to America. I knew in my heart that he’d taken her. When I got out of prison, I started researching Blackwood’s past. I’ve been gathering proof here, in this house, for several months. Now that she’s grown up, Irina closely resembles my wife at that age. I know she is our daughter, and she is in danger. Blackwood will get tired of her, and he’ll eventually end her life.”
Novak wanted to see Sokolov’s reaction, so he told him the truth. “Irina told me herself that Charles Blackwood has been molesting her.”
The muscles in Sokolov’s face contracted and went hard as he set his teeth. The pain in his big dark eyes was easy to read. He watched the Russian struggle with his emotions. His face reddened with contained rage. “I know what he is doing to her. It’s hard for me to wait even a day to get her away from him, but I have to. And after I do, I’m going to kill him for what he’s done. I swear to God, I am. I promised my wife that I’d find her, and now I have. My hope is that she’ll remember me or something about her early years with us, but I can’t count on that. She was so young, and I was always deployed. A DNA test would prove it, if she’d agree to cooperate. But I fear she won’t. Blackwood abducted her, and I’d like to bring him down and Petrov along with him, but I think he’s too powerful here in his home country for that to happen. Just so long as I get Irina away from him, that’s got to be enough for me.”
“You’ve got bigger problems than that. Blackwood’s got her addicted to heroin, and God only knows what else, so she’s totally dependent on him. She thinks he loves her, but when she finds out he had her boyfriend murdered, she’ll leave him. That’s when he’ll have her killed, and he’ll kill us if we try to help her.”
“All that is true, I know that it is. I need you to help me. She needs you to help me. I don’t know you or why she turned to you, but she must trust you. If I am with you, she will trust me. She will believe me. What is your interest in her?”
“I have no interest in her. She identified me as the father of her baby so Justin wouldn’t get killed. It was a random thing. Lucky me.”
“She’s with child?”
“Yes, and that’s what got Justin murdered. I got caught up in this mess through no fault of my own. I’ve seen nothing but grief ever since.”
Novak rose to his feet. “Okay, I’ve heard enough. We’re getting out of here. Good luck with the kid, Sokolov.”
“Wait—I am only here for my daughter. Nothing else matters. I worked in espionage while in service to my country for years before I went to prison. I admit that. I am not ashamed of it. It was honorable. But your CIA knows about my work here and will pick me up if my presence becomes known. I am no longer interested in espionage. I’m only here for my daughter.”
Novak shook his head. “You’re saying that you’re a known Russian agent here in the United States illegally? That’s what you’re telling me.”
“That’s right. I worked here for a time, and yes, I spied on your government, but that is long past. They never could prove anything, but they just kicked me out of the country on the suspicion that I associated with Russian agents. This was all long before Irina was taken.”
“What was your mission here?”
He hesitated. “I was tasked with setting up sleeper cell units back then, but I never did gather any kind of intel myself. They were contacted through other channels.”
“I want nothing to do with you. I’m getting Lori, and we’re getting the hell out of here.”
“Wait. There’s something else you must know.”
Novak didn’t want to hear anything else. This thing had become more complicated than he’d expected, and he had expected the worst.
“I can make a deal with you.”
“I don’t make deals with people like you.”
“You might this time.”
Novak sat down, reluctantly willing to listen to Sokolov’s deal. On the other hand, he was leaving this house before dawn, no matter how the Russian played his hand.
Chapter 9
Sokolov sat down directly across from Novak. He made a show of leaning in closer in order to show how earnest he was. “Let me tell you what I did while I was in your country.”
“I’ve heard enough already to know I could never trust you, not in a million years. You’ll be lucky if I don’t call ICE and the CIA as soon as I get out of here.”
The Russian ignored that. “Years ago I was assigned to help Vasily Petrov place Russian sleeper cells on the East Coast. Most were family units trained to speak American English and schooled in your culture. We completed our mission successfully. After I was expelled from America, I moved on and served in Somalia and Syria.” He stopped. “Those sleepers? I think some of them might still be in place, or Vasily has formed new ones for his own purposes.”
“I’m going to turn you in, Sokolov. You should never have approached me and told me all this.”
“No, you won’t do that. Because I need your help bringing him down. Most of the families I helped put in place here returned to Russia long ago. Some defected and disappeared into the heartland of America, and we don’t know where they are. You need to help me locate the ones still operating. Do you want to know why?”
“I can guess.”
“Because Petrov is doing all this unsanctioned by my government. The Kremlin has ordered them found and taken down.”
“So you’re still working for the Russian government? They sent you here to get him?”
“Not exactly, I went to a trusted friend at the Kremlin who works in foreign intelligence and asked her to help me locate my child. She told me that Irina
was here, and that Petrov was working for the man who took her, a powerful American politician. I agreed to let her know if Blackwood is still using the sleeper cells for his own benefit so Moscow can shut them down. Her superiors will look kindly on her if she can bring Petrov in. The last thing they want is for Petrov’s drug smuggling to become a diplomatic problem for them. I believe now from my surveillance that he has possibly turned some of his cells into a drug pipeline. I need your help to destroy it. First, however, I’ll help you track these people and give you information that will help you find them. They are bringing drugs into your country, I am sure of it. Tons of them: cocaine, heroin, meth, opioids, even fentanyl. I think they’re into human trafficking as well. I only want my daughter. That’s all I’m here for. Petrov has committed treasonous acts in the past against the United States and Russia. I don’t care what happens to him.”
“What kind of treasonous acts?”
“He’s ordered or committed atrocities everywhere he’s been. I saw him kill a whole village in Somalia. He just mowed them down: men, women, and children. I tried to stop him but couldn’t. The Kremlin wants him dead, and they don’t care how it’s done. So do I, but he’s not my priority. My daughter is and always will be my primary concern.”
Novak studied him. Sokolov was not lying now. Novak believed him, but wasn’t sure why. He knew he shouldn’t. He had just admitted to being a former Russian espionage agent and even worse, Petrov’s colleague. His grudge was personal.
“Say I do help you take Petrov down. How can you get Irina out? She’s back in Blackwood’s house of her own free will, because, trust me, I tried to talk her out of going there. I think she still loves Blackwood. Probably another reason is that he gives her all the drugs she wants. That’s going to change, once we tell her that her father had Justin murdered. I saw it happen, and I think she’ll believe me. That might just make her cut ties and believe you.”