Part 10
Samara
Wednesday, January 28
0900 Hours
Sheer willpower and the need to not look weak in front of Sarah is the only reason I made it from the car to the station’s restroom. We decided we would make our way to the train car separately. Thank God Alexi thought to ask Ulas for clothing for Sarah and Rabb. This trip he’s really proved he’s worth every penny I pay him – even if he’s the reason I feel the way I do now.
Jesus, did I ever think I looked just fifty? In less than a week, I feel like I’ve aged another thirty years beyond my true forty. Sarah could walk in here right now stark naked, and all I’d be able to do is drool. I’m too old for this shit.
I hurt all over. It’s like the pain in my head is trying to escape from my feet. Unfortunately, there are holdouts still residing in my head. I don’t think I’ll ever again be able to move my neck without pain. I’m afraid I’m going to ruin the mission. Right now, a six-year old could take me out. Relieving my bladder helps, and I can understand why Rabb braved the cold. Of course, last night, it’d been pretty chilling in the backseat. Between Sarah’s attentions to me, and Rabb’s snide remarks, I was reminded of an election year cocktail party at the Bi-Partisan Club. But I definitely wasn’t up to my game. Of course, Harm doesn’t need to score points against me; the very nature of my job is doing that for him. If she still wants to be with me after this mission, then I’ll never dare play another card game as long as I live.
After this mission, I’m grabbing Sarah – if she’ll still have me – and getting that damn sailboat. I wonder if she’s got any time off coming.
From the image reflected back at me, I’m not sure my mother would immediately know me. There’s a four-day growth of beard, scraggly at the cheeks, fuller in the goatee area. The bags under my eyes would win best in breed at Westminster for basset hounds. The pain is wrinkling my forehead, and the look in my eyes is… well… let’s just say, I look Russian. Which, if I can maneuver through the pain, might play to our advantage. I wonder how badly Rabb is hurting. Christ, he and I might have to sit back, and let Sarah and Alexi take out Sokol. I’m not sure Sarah can do it. Yes, she has a couple of kills to her record, but this might undo her.
I’ve always known she liked Sokol. Hell, as a counterpart, he was a lot like me: smart and smart-assed. There but for the grace of God, and all that. I just hope that Sarah can see through the mask I have no idea why Sokol turned, but Dosivitch named him. I didn’t ask or even mention the ex-KBG agent’s name. Regardless, his actions are too suspicious. If he were actually acting on the orders of the Russian government or Army, he would’ve taken the gas to Rudnyy, or any number of sites in Russia to the east. They’d tested extensively during the cold war, and several of those cities would have containment labs. No one takes Sarin into a crowded metropolitan area unprepared.
The door behind me opens, and Rabb, followed by Alexi, comes in. I nod at one of the stalls – almost gasping at the pain that shoots through me – to let them know we aren’t alone, and proceed to wash my face. Rabb’s moving kind of slow, and for the benefit of our fellow traveler, I ask in Russian, "Are you okay?"
Alexi takes the signal and replies. "My brother was in an accident, very bad; we are taking him to Moscow to a specialist."
"Good luck to you, then." I force myself to not shuffle out of the bathroom. Oh, God damn, I hurt. I wish Sarah had something stronger than aspirin. I know the vodka won’t help.
I look up at the steps to the train, and I don’t think I can make them.
Sarah’s right behind me. "Come on, move it," she says gruffly in Russian. She pushes me out of the way and mutters, "Grab hold of my pants’ waist, and I’ll try to pull you up."
To stay in character, I make it look like I’m pulling her back. "What’s the matter with you? The young have no respect!" It works, and I’m able to reach the top step. The compartment we’re sharing is half way down the car, and I’m almost sure that I can make it.
I’m sweating buckets by the time I enter the small compartment. We close the door, and pull the shade to the corridor. Outside, people are hurrying down the platform. Mac peers out the window, looking for Rabb and Alexi. The worry on her face eases a bit. "I see them. Harm looks like he’s in as much pain as you are." She turns to me, and her look softens to the point where I think my heart will break. "Are you going to be okay?"
"I play hurt, Sarah." It comes out harsher than I mean, and she looks hurt for a moment. Then she steps up to me, and caresses the mess on my face.
"When we get back, I’m going to baby you." Then she leans in and kisses me. It’s a sweet, chaste kiss, but still it brings forth a groan.
"Oh, God, please tell me you have leave coming. I want to hide with you for at least a month."
She smiles. "Well, I’ll see about a week."
I pull her to me. I’ve never been so glad that we’re near the same height. Moving my neck hurts like hell. She arches the last inch and our lips fuse. There’s nothing chaste about this kiss. No matter what’s happened, she still wants me as much as I want her. When we pull apart, I gaze into her eyes. "I’m really sorry, I’ve been an ass. You can’t know what it means to me that you ignored my message and came to Russia for me."
"Ah. That’s what Harm didn’t tell me."
"He didn’t tell you what I said when I was climbing down the ladder?" I’m furious with him.
She sighs softly. "He probably thought I wouldn’t believe him. He did tell me you wanted a rain check. Of course, if this plays out right, we can just spend the evening in Paris – the city in France."
"If AJ doesn’t report you UA AND, if the time doesn’t count against my week. I want to rent a sailboat and…"
She pulls back as the door handle twists. Damn you, Rabb. She goes to him, and pulls him to the couch. "Sit down. I want to look at your chest."
He looks at me in surprise, but I show him nothing but calm resolve. Sometime this morning I had an epiphany. She wants to be with me. She has shown that to Rabb. I accept what she and Rabb have together. I’ll deal with Harm, only if he forces the issue. His eyes flicker over her as she gently opens the coat and two shirts that Ulas sent. Thank God, Ulas has Cossack blood in him. He’s wide at the shoulders, and even though he’s closer to my height than Rabb’s, the pants are baggy enough to hang down so Rabb just looks poor – like I said, Russian. He, however, took the opportunity to shave in Turkey, so it will be difficult to hide his face from Sokol. And, I’m sure that the man traveling with Sokol – Vostof – would recognize him too.
"How are we going to check on Mark?" Sarah asks. "He can recognize everyone in this compartment."
"Well, we’re a little short on the makeup to change our appearances more than they are right now, unless you travel with something more than a lipstick."
"Not even that, I’m afraid." She’s incredible. Even without makeup, she the most beautiful woman I know.
"Then that’ll be me. I look the worst of all of us."
She finally gets Rabb’s undershirt rucked up, and I gasp. "Jesus, you’re lucky you didn’t have a heart attack from the impact."
He gingerly touches the purple bruise that’s spreading across his chest. "Tell me about it. I’ve taken bullets that didn’t hurt this much." He looks at me. "How bad is the neck? I saw you flinch in the bathroom trying to nod."
Normally I’d lie, but these are now team members, and they deserve to know. "I’m not sure what I did when I fell. I don’t know if I sprained a couple of muscles, or what."
Sarah’s rummaging in the bag that’s serving as her carryall. She pulls out the backpack and the food that Alexi had taken from Dosivitch’s kitchen. She finds the vial of aspirin, and I greedily take four. She doesn’t say anything, in fact, she hands the same number to Rabb who shakes his head and swallows two. I down an entire bottle of water. I hadn’t realized how thirsty I was before.
"What’s the plan?" Rabb demands.
"Well, I figure we’ll let the train get moving. Ulas is watching the station. If either Sokol or Vostof pulls a fast one and gets off with the case, Ulas will strike our window with a snowball. However, once the train starts, it doesn’t stop until Penza. Then it turns north to Nizhney-Navgorod. This is the express, thank God, just two stops along the Volga Route before we come to Moscow. At least we don’t have to worry about getting stuck in a mountain pass. We’re mostly below sea level here. They know how to keep the tracks clean."
Alexi stands at the compartment door. He has on a heavy watch cap and a scarf covering his face. "I’ll be right back, boss." Without another word he leaves us alone.
Rabb groans and pulls down his tee shirt, and begins to button up his shirts. It’s cold in the car. "You’re sure you trust him?"
"I’m no fool, Rabb. All I want is to find Sokol and the gas. I’m not playing into anyone’s hands, and no one here wants you. Your enemies in Russia are all dead." I smile at Sarah. No one wants to kill her either. "Look, we need to get some sleep. There’s no bunks overhead in this kind of compartment."
"That’s okay, I’m not lying down for a while." Rabb pats the seat beside him. "You should stretch out, Mac can sit next to me. Alexi, when he comes back – if he comes back – can squeeze in, too."
Mac nods and gently pushes me until my calves hit the side of the seat cushion. She keeps me from falling into the seat, and she helps me recline. Pulling down a blanket from the overhead compartment, she rolls it up into a pillow. It smells of countless bodies, but I ignore it. "Get some sleep." Instead of moving back to sit next to Harm, she settles in the space in front of my stomach. "I’m right here."
I didn’t sleep last night. I wanted to make sure that Alexi didn’t fall asleep at the wheel. I drift off as the train jerks forward. I’m only vaguely aware that the compartment door opens and shuts again. All I know is that Sarah is caressing my sweaty hair off my forehead.
"Clay?" I open my eyes. Harm hasn’t moved, but the compartment is darker than it was before I took my nap.
I brace myself for the effort to sit up. Sarah’s crouching on the floor before me. Alexi’s sitting next to Rabb just taking everything in. I’m surprised that some of the pain has dissipated. Even my neck has some flexibility to it that was missing before my nap.
"How are you feeling?" she whispers.
"Damn, in comparison? Like I can actually do this." Rabb just snorts, but he’s looking better, too. "How long did you let me sleep?"
"It’s 1500 hours."
"What!?" I’m completely awake now. "You let me…"
"Clay, Alexi and I handled it. We’ve both seen Mark." At my worried look, she stands and crosses her arms under her breasts. Her glare is convincing. "Give me a break. We did what had to be done, and Mark didn’t even look up as we passed by. I covered myself from head to foot." She held up a holds up a chador. "There are Muslims in Russia, particularly in this part of the country."
"Where the hell?"
Alexi blushes. "I stole them." He shrugs.
"From where!?"
"Calm down, Clay. She’s not on the train. She was getting off. I saw him do it." Harm gazes at Alexi with something akin to respect. At least I think that’s what that look is. He’s never looked at me like that. In fact, the only time he’s ever looked at me with anything beyond distrust, was the night I returned Sergei to him. "Slickest move I ever saw. He took that old suitcase that Ulas put our clothes in, and switched it out with hers. It was just like in the movies. Until she opens it, I don’t think she’ll even realize what he did."
Alexi is still blushing under the praise. "I was thinking I might ‘borrow’ one of the conductor’s uniforms, but…"
"Don’t!" Sarah and I say in unison. She continues. "You said you did just fine slouching past his compartment."
"What excuse did you use to go forward?"
Mac holds up a baby blanket. Her look turns rather sad. "There were baby clothes in the suitcase, too."
Damn, I hate it when we have to make other people’s lives more difficult to do our jobs. I’ll do it in a heartbeat, but it doesn’t mean I like it.
Reading my mind, and Sarah’s expression, Alexi gets a big grin on his face. "Pretty Colonel, do not fret. The money that I left in the suitcase will more than pay for the paltry pickings I stole."
"Well as long as she doesn’t call the police once she discovers it."
"Not likely, boss." Alexi looks damn tired. I struggle to my feet. "Your turn. You should have woken me sooner."
Sarah’s touch on my arm feels good. Rabb doesn’t like it; his face hardens. But, he doesn’t say anything. "Alexi took a nap next to Harm. About four hours."
"I want to check out Sokol for myself. Plus, I need to use the men’s room." I give her a brief smile, hoping to convey how good her touch feel. I’m sure I fail miserably. "Why don’t you stretch out and take a nap?"
"I’m fine." However, she looks at Alexi. "You! Lie down."
Alexi doesn’t fight her. "Yes, pretty Colonel." I swear, he’s asleep before he’s head hits the seat. Harm is struggling to his feet. "Sit down, Mac. I’ll go with Webb."
"I am capable of using the bathroom by myself." It’s petulant, and Mac gives me a hard look. She realizes she’s the one in control, and she knows just how to play us both. "Fine."
She sits and picks up the handgun lying on the bench. Putting the veil of her costume over it, she’s prepared to stand guard.
Rabb and I make our way to the lavatories. They’re just like the ones on US trains, small, smelling of too many people, but reasonably clean. The mirror tells me that I needed the sleep. I only look sixty.
After Rabb has his turn, we carefully make our way forward. There’s a small dining car – more of a snack bar – between first class and us. We buy tea and sit near the front. Hopefully, it’ll get crowded, and we can sneak forward to check out the situation. Frankly, I’d love for it to all fall together. But it’s the Rabb and Webb show, so I know that’s not going to happen. Hell, it wouldn’t happen so easily even if it were Chegwidden or Gunny sitting next to me. "You going to be able to move, if necessary?" I whisper.
"You just worry about you, Webb."
"Damn it, Harm." I hope the use of his first name shocks some sense into him.
"I mean it – CLAY – I’m fine. I won’t let the team down. I won’t let Mac down."
The door to the snack car opens, and the man I recognize as Vostof enters. Sokol isn’t with him. Vostof never sees me, but fortunately, Rabb’s aware enough to drop his chin to rest on his chest. The cap that Alexi gave him effectively covers his face.
Vostof scans the car. But he only glances down at us before making his way to the bar. He orders drinks and food, and quickly returns forward. Before I can stop him, Rabb stands and starts to follow him. Damn it. I should’ve known better. We’re halfway up the second first-class car before I reach him. Vostof’s already through the connecting doors. I grab Rabb. "What the hell do you think you’re doing?"
He jerks out of my grasp. "I wasn’t going any farther than the connecting doors. I want to see what compartment he’s in."
"Well stay here and look, but be prepared. I turn back see a door that’s ajar. Pushing it open, I discover that the compartment is empty and doesn’t look like anyone’s occupying it this trip. A kernel of a plan forms. Grabbing Harm’s arm, I pull him inside.
"Hey."
"Shut up and listen." I pace and work the meager plan out in my head. I’m rather surprised that Rabb doesn’t say anything further. "Okay, here’s the way I see it, if you can come up with something better, spit it out."
"Okay."
"Sokol isn’t stupid. He’ll only leave the compartment to use the toilet."
"Agreed. And when he does, he’ll leave the gas with Vostof."
Thank God we’re on the same page. "But he’ll send Vostof out for other things from the snack car."
"Yeah. Alexi said we’ve got another twelve hours before we reach Moscow."
"Hey, where are we anyway?" I hate to ask, but we aren’t competitors right now. We’re partners, and we’re slipping back into hard won territory.
"We pulled out of Penza about an hour before you woke up." At my look, he grimaces. "Trust me on this, I only woke up because we jerked to a stop. Mac was sitting next to you, and you didn’t even feel it."
"Did anyone even bother to make sure Sokol…"
He holds up his hand. "Mac was in full charge." He shakes his head in wonder. "Eight years I’ve know her, I don’t know why I’m surprised. She does like to take charge."
I can’t help it. "Unlike you."
"Yeah." He says it softly, and I wonder if he’s reached some kind of epiphany, too. But now’s not the time to ask. "Sokol never left the car. Neither did Vostof for that matter. Alexi went and made sure of it. Mac donned her veil, and kept an eye down the aisle from the woman’s lavatory in first class. They left me in charge of your sorry ass." There’s no animosity in his voice. We’re back to the bantering that’s marked our relationship for eight years. "So, what’s the plan?"
"I’m going back to tell Sarah and Alexi to make their way up here. I speak the language…"
"Yeah, yeah. What’s the plan?"
"You watch, and if Vostof makes his way past the compartment, grab him. Hopefully, he’ll go back to the snack car for lunch."
"What if Sokol goes to the bathroom?"
"No. The only way to get both Sokol and the case, is to corner him in his compartment."
"Fine. He’s mine, Webb. He stole the canisters from me, on my watch. Got it? I’ll play ball, but I want a piece of the action."
"Of course."
Three hours later, we’re all in first class. I had to bribe the conductor, but that’s why I brought all that money with me. The plan’s simple, and needs no fine-tuning. However, I sense something going on between Rabb and Sarah that has nothing to do with our personal lives. Sarah keeps going back to the same old song, and for once, Harm and I are aligned against her.
"I can’t believe that Mark could’ve changed so much. There’s something else going on."
I played the hardliner in the car. It won’t make any difference. We can’t all traipse down the corridor. "Regardless, Mac, we have to get the case back."
She looks at me long and hard. "But you don’t have to kill him."
"I don’t have to kill anyone but the people I’m ordered to kill. If he gives up the case, and I can figure out a way to neutralize him, then I’ll let him live." Rabb’s giving me that wide-eyed stare of his. Mac’s just glaring at me. We’re certainly pushing the envelope on our fledging relationship. But this is too important to let emotions get in the way.
"Hey, boss!" Alexi’s been keeping watch. "Here comes Vostof."
Of course, it doesn’t go quite as we planned. Vostof doesn’t come gently. In fact, he fights like a trained killer. He gets off a couple of vicious blows. And when it’s all over, the only one still standing is Sarah. She’s panting hard, but there’s a triumphant grin on her face as she hold up the gun she used to hit Vostof in the head. I just hope the bastard hurts as much as I do. In fact, when he landed the punch to my head, he did something that snapped my back, and I almost feel good. Sure I do. Unfortunately, Rabb took the brunt of the attack.
Mac kneels at his side. He’s out cold. "What is it with you two?" she demands. She and I lift him to the seat and stretch him out. She lifts his eyelid. "He’ll be no good to you now."
"I turn to Alexi who hasn’t said a word since we finally subdued Vostof. "Oh, shit." He’s clutching his arm to his side. "Is it broken?"
"Sorry, boss." He grimaces as Sarah approaches him.
"Cover Harm up, Clay. Alexi, let me see."
He doesn’t argue. Hell, I wouldn’t argue with her in the mood she’s so obviously in. She wraps his arm close to his tee shirt, then pulls his shirt and coat around his body. I’ve never seen him blush so red. He hasn’t stopped looking out the window since she approached him. "Thank you."
"You’ll have to watch Harm and this bastard." She looks at me, and I don’t dare try and dissuade her. She starts to kneel next to the prone commando’s body, and Alexi has his gun pointed right at Vostof’s head. I kneel next to her, it’s a tight fit, and pull his hands behind his back. She pulls off his belt and deftly secures him. I reach out to help her stand, but she manages on her own. Then she nails me with a stony look. "Now, let’s go get the gas."
If the conductor even suspected what had happened in our compartment, he says nothing. In fact, when he sees us approaching the door to the next car, he quickly goes into the men’s lavatory. Neither of us says a word. Sarah braces her back against the wall next to Sokol’s door, and holds her gun at the ready. I lean against the opposite wall, and raise my foot. One swift kick and the door crashes open.
He’s standing with his back to us. The lights are blazing, and we can both clearly see him. His hands are splayed against the window. The case is clearly [you’ve got "clearly" in the previous sentence, too.] visible on the seat. He can’t reach it unless he moves. His eyes meet mine in the reflection of the cold black night. He knows I’ll kill him if he so much as flinches.
"Tell me that you killed Vostof."