Alex And Cassidy: Betrayal Part 24

"My...." Ca.s.sidy raised an eyebrow. "I promise."

imitri," Claire Brackett greeted the man before her. Dimitri Kargen nodded his greeting. The Russian SVR agent was tall and rugged with jet black hair that stood in stark contrast to piercing green eyes. He was familiar with the younger female agent standing before him and he was cautious. "Sparrow," he said, "that you would call my uncle tells me much. What is it, little sparrow, that you have done?"

Brackett pursed her lips and narrowed her gaze. She slowly walked toward her Russian counterpart and as she reached him, she allowed a sly smile to begin to creep across her face. "Now, Dimitri....Why do you a.s.sume I did anything at all?" She reached out for him and his hands swiftly and firmly grabbed hers, placing them back at her sides.

"I do not know who you think I am. I am not a lovesick Frenchman and I am not your American president." He stopped momentarily and let his eyes travel over to the smaller American man standing in the corner of the hotel room. He shook his head and snickered. "I am not so foolish, Sparrow."

"Does it matter, Dimitri?" He watched her without changing expression. "Well?" she continued as she stepped away from the man a few paces. "You have little use for my father, we both know that."

"So, then...you killed Rooster because he was your father's arm..."

"No."

"Mercier; you did kill him; no? And the admiral says what to this?"

Brackett walked directly up to the man whose posture remained rigid and whose expression remained stoic. "I don't know what my father says. He made a mistake."

"Is that so?" Kargen asked.

"It is."

"You refer to the death of your lover?"

"You mean the president?" she asked and then smiled. "No, Dimitri. That is all part of our game and I am certain you were thrilled with that outcome." Kargen tipped his head upwards and his eyes narrowed further. "No. No...My father does not see my value."

Kargen allowed the hint of a smile. "Backed you into a corner, did he?"

"Umm," she looked across to the congressman. "I needed my own insurance. You understand."

"So, you want that I make it appear a Russian intervention." She shrugged as Kargen continued to regard the man across the room. "Your father will know..."

"Yes, he will. And I want him to....But to the rest of our world it must look as though it was a deal gone wrong. We were never there. An..."

"I understand. That is easy. What will not be so easy, Sparrow, will be the favor you will one day return."

Claire Brackett inhaled deeply and nodded. "I would like to think we can make agreeable arrangements."

The Russian laughed. "The arrangement is, when I call... either of you," he looked at the man in the corner who was clearly stricken by fear. "You will answer. That is the only arrangement."

"Fine," she agreed.

"Good," he replied. "What of the American?"

"Toles? She'll live, I am sure."

He shook his head. "The sparrow has truly fallen from the nest then."

"What do you mean?"

Kargen licked his lips and gloated. "The man...NSA... Mitch.e.l.l has him."

"Why would Ian..."

"That is the question."

"Where?" she asked.

"You will go home, Sparrow. That is not your concern," he told her.

"It is if...."

Kargen took a deep breath and made his way to the congressman. He stopped, standing just in front of Christopher O'Brien, close enough that the congressman could feel the heat of the larger man's breath on his face. The SVR agent looked the congressman straight in the eye as he continued. "There are many things here, Sparrow. We will do as you ask and you will do as expected. Nablyuday za etim vnimatelnom Vorobey (Watch this one closely, Sparrow)."

"Eto, ya mogu kontrolirovat (That, I can control)," she said a.s.suredly.

He did not answer right away as he searched the eyes before him coldly. "Dva bezdushnix cheloveka opasnee drug drugu, chem ostalnomu miru. Ya Sovetuju vam, bit ostorosznoj. (Two who are absent of soul are more dangerous to one another than to the rest of the world. I suggest you be careful)."

Brackett nodded, though she was unsure what the Russian meant. "When should..."

"You will leave Sunday night. I will need that time to secure things as you wish."

"Dimitri," she began.

The Russian turned and reached the door in a heartbeat. "Enjoy your time together here," he said with a smirk. "I will speak to you." With that, he was gone.

"What the h.e.l.l, Claire?" O'Brien asked as the door shut.

"Shut up, Christopher. He will make it look as though the deal was interrupted by the SVR; that you were never here."

"How..."

"He will."

"And your father?"

"Oh, I am certain he knows everything by now, but that is exactly how I want it."

"Claire....If Agent...."

She laughed and collapsed onto the bed. "You were never here, Congressman. And, my father will know I took control. Relax...it's time for a changing of the guard."

"Coffee?" Ian Mitch.e.l.l asked.

Steven Brady bristled. "What is it you want?"

"Why do you think I want something, Agent Brady?" The NSA agent s.h.i.+fted in his chair uncomfortably, his left hand bound to it securely. "I am not such a terrible host; am I?" Mitch.e.l.l smiled. "So, Agent...coffee?" Brady nodded. "We have things to discuss. I want to be certain I have a captive audience."

Brady watched as Mitch.e.l.l politely handed him his coffee. "I suppose I should thank you then?" Brady asked sarcastically.

"Well, that is courtesy, after all," Ian Mitch.e.l.l smiled and took a seat across from the American agent.

"You really should let me help you with that," Brady observed, nodding in the direction of the bullet wound on the MI6 agent's arm.

"This?" Mitch.e.l.l shrugged. "A scratch."

"What is it you want to discuss, then?"

"You have a family, Agent Brady?" The NSA agent s.h.i.+fted again. "Relax," Mitch.e.l.l smiled. "Brothers? Sisters? Children?" Brady nodded. Mitch.e.l.l stood and paced across the floor. "As do I." He stopped his movement and turned back to the agent in the chair. "What would you do to protect your family?"

Brady's answer came swiftly. "Anything."

"Yes, and if your father; if he killed your brother...if your sister; if she killed your brother...what then?" Brady watched the man before him carefully. Ian Mitch.e.l.l's jaw had become taut and his eyes seemed to have grown a shade darker. The MI6 agent nodded and made his way back to the table. "A question, Agent." Brady narrowed his gaze as Mitch.e.l.l continued. "Agent Toles, is she your family?" Brady was confused. "Agent?"

"Not as..."

"But is she your family, Agent Brady?" Brady sighed. "You love her, not as a partner, not as a friend, as a sister?"

There was a bond between agents that few could understand. It was similar to what soldiers often formed during war. Facing violence and death, lies and betrayals required a trust that sometimes seemed to supersede traditional family. Brady began to understand the questions. "Yes, she is."

Mitch.e.l.l took a deep breath. He made his way to the agent and knelt beside him. Brady momentarily felt his body stiffen. The British agent pulled a key from his pocket and held it in front of the American. "I don't think we will be needing that anymore," he said.

Ian Mitch.e.l.l began to remove Brady's restraints. Steven Brady looked to him with questioning eyes. "I don't..."

"You would trust me? If I leave you tied to a chair?" Brady nodded his understanding. "Families can be complicated, Agent Brady. They can change. I did not bring you here to kill you. I brought you here to help me."

"Agent Toles..."

"My brother has that well in hand," Mitch.e.l.l a.s.sured.

"You mean Krause. Agent Toles and I have been...."

"You think you understand things you do not, Agent. Your sister, I promise you she will be safe. He will ensure that."

"Why? What does Alex..."

Mitch.e.l.l laughed. "Families are complicated, Agent...but those who deserve our loyalty will always have it."

"Are you telling me that Alex is..."

Mitch.e.l.l shook his head. "Agent Brady, it would serve you to drink your coffee and listen to what I have to say. This is not as simple as it may seem to you. I suspect we have similar goals, as does my brother. Not everyone in this family shares that vision. You understand?"

"You want me to believe that you and Jon Krause have the same objective as Alex and me?"

"Hum. Well, yes...perhaps not for all the same reasons, but yes. To betray the trust of those you claim to love..."

Brady was not certain what was happening but two things had become clear: Ian Mitch.e.l.l was not a threat to him and Ian Mitch.e.l.l wanted his help. "I'm listening," he said.

Ca.s.sidy reached the front door when the agent stopped suddenly. "Alex?" Ca.s.sidy turned and took hold of Alex's arm, concerned that she might be faltering. "Are you all right?" The agent looked forward blankly and Ca.s.sidy could see her trembling. "Alex?"

Alex looked off to the side and noted Nick's car. "Ca.s.s..."

Ca.s.sidy took a deep breath and let it out. She quietly pulled Alex aside on the front porch. "Alex, they were all worried. I didn't know Nick would be here." Alex nodded. "What is it?"

"Dylan..."

Ca.s.sidy understood immediately. She had shared the same concerns when they first arrived at Nick's after her abduction by Carl Fisher. "He will be all right when he sees that you are all right. Didn't you tell me that once?"

Alex looked down at Ca.s.sidy and smiled. "Using my own words against me, huh?"

"Did it work?" Alex nodded. "Come on, you need to get inside and get off your feet." The lack of protest from the agent a.s.sured Ca.s.sidy that she was correct. Alex was still weak, she was tired, and Ca.s.sidy knew the reality of attention from all that awaited them inside was adding to the agent's stress. Alex stopped her as she was about to open the door again. "Alex?"

"Thanks," the agent said.

"Let's go," Ca.s.sidy winked as she opened the door.

"ALEX!" an exuberant voice bellowed. In seconds Dylan was barreling down the hallway.

"Dylan James! SLOW IT DOWN!" Rose called.

Dylan paid his grandmother no mind and headed for the agent, plummeting straight into her. Seeing Alex wince, Ca.s.sidy began to pry Dylan away but she stopped when she noticed that Alex was pulling the small boy closer. "You're home," he said still holding onto the agent.

"Looks like it, huh?" she said, trying to keep her balance.

He pulled away slightly and studied her arm in the sling, his small face dropping in what was quite obviously a mixture of concern and fear. Ca.s.sidy and Alex had explained that Alex had gotten hurt, but that she was safe and would be home the next day. They left out most of the details, but when Dylan pointedly asked if someone shot Alex, they answered truthfully. Alex had hoped it would be a conversation that could wait for her arrival home, but Dylan had been worried since Alex had left and Ca.s.sidy was determined they would neither lie to, nor keep it a secret from him. It had been a difficult conversation for them all, made more so by the distance between them. The small boy looked at the agent and whispered, "Does it hurt?"

Alex smiled, and although she could feel the pain traveling through her body with the slightest motion, she squatted to meet his eyes directly. "Only a little, Speed. I'm pretty tough," she winked.

Dylan wrapped his arms around her neck and Alex took the opportunity to lift him onto her with her good arm. "Alex," Ca.s.sidy warned. The agent looked at her lover and shook her head. The message was clear. Ca.s.sidy sighed in protest but remained silent as the agent gritted her teeth and propelled herself and the boy forward onto the couch a few yards away.

"Alexis," a familiar woman's voice called.

"Mom?"

"You sound surprised," Helen Toles said as Nick followed her into the room; Barb and Cat close behind.

"You didn't say anything when I called you yesterday," Alex reminded her.

"No. I didn't," she turned to the blonde woman who was laying her jacket across a chair. "Thank you for that, Ca.s.sidy." Ca.s.sidy smiled.

"You didn't have to come," Alex started.

Dylan was pressed up beside the agent and Helen took note of how her daughter's hand absentmindedly continued to run through his short hair. "Of course, I did," her mother answered. "I was worried about you." Helen looked back to Ca.s.sidy. "All of you."

Alex heard the sincerity in her mother's voice. Between the boy next to her and her mother's words, she began to struggle with her own emotions. Ca.s.sidy studied the scene and sighed softly. "How about I go make us all some cocoa? Dylan?"

"I can do that," Barb said. "Sit down and relax."

Ca.s.sidy winked at her friend. "I've been driving for over three hours. I need to stretch," she said. Alex looked up at her lover, silently pleading for her to stay. Ca.s.sidy just raised an eyebrow. "So, Alex; what do you say? You and Dylan want some hot chocolate?" she asked, leading the agent. Dylan just nodded, staying close to his hero.