Chapters 1-4 - A Simple Mission

Chapter 1 - A Simple Mission Day One Ethan Fairchild cocked his head to the right and focused more closely on the deserted highway before him. It was nearly two am and here he was driving on the border of Bulgaria pulling an all nighter on what was suppose to be the eve of his vacation. He eased the rented Jeep down the Bulgarian back roads to a location Philip Lancaster had specified. He knew Philip wouldn't be the contact. Philip would be the drop off point and Ethan was the courier. God how he hated that term. All he knew of the mission was the carefully worded e-mail he'd received on his digital phone this morning. Philip had put a red flag on it meaning that it was important and to be done immediately. As much as he hated the term courier, it's exactly what he was. Well, today anyway. He pushed the pressing nature of the assignment to the back of his mind. No need to worry about what hadn't happened yet. Philip Lancaster was his boss, but somehow he always managed to interrupt him at the most inopportune times. Tonight was no different. "Oh, Ethan," Octavia purred. "So, nice of you to come to my country and visit. We have to keep up Russian, American relations." Her Russian accent was thick and throaty. "You told me to come up and see you sometime," he laughed propping himself up on one elbow and gazing down at her naked body. Her beautiful, naked body. Moscow definitely had to be his favorite tourist attraction because this was his favorite place to sight see -- Octavia Kassoff's apartment. They didn't build women like Octavia anymore. Her only drawback was that she was a high ranking KGB Secret Police Officer. He'd made a deal with himself long ago that he would overlook that stain on her character. They each did what they had to for their country. The only difference between them was that her job was legitimate, his wasn't. "Come and see you sometime. Like your Mae West, yes?" Octavia rose to her knees and shook her ample bosom at him. Her mouth slipped into a slow, seductive smile and her eyes lit with an erotic glow. Damn he liked Moscow! He let out a guttural growl and then a groan when his cell phone rang. "Don't answer it, darling. Work will only take you away from me and I don't' know when I'll be able to see you again." Octavia batted her dark eyelashes at him and her long blond hair fell over her shoulder caressing her breasts. He groaned again. Whoever this was, was going to die a painful and horrible death. Ethan rolled off the bed and walked unclothed to the bureau where his phone was hidden in his jacket pocket. Damn! It was Philip. Double damn! Red flag. The phone call was short and informative. Ethan marched across the room, grabbed Octavia by the waist and pulled her toward him enveloping her in a passionate kiss. Minutes later, without even a goodbye, he left, but she knew he'd be back. Scene 2 - Day One Ethan had a theory. Philip had been the one telling him to take some time off from the Legacy, and Philip knew exactly where Ethan would go once he was out of the country It would be very easy for Ethan to slip into any country once he was already in the area. Damn precept played him like a fiddle, and Ethan did not like being toyed with. First light of morning broke on the horizon, and Ethan pulled the rented black Jeep into the parking area outside a deserted playground -- an almost deserted playground. He could see two teenagers that looked to be brother and sister arguing. He assumed them to be diplomat's kids when he recognized the plates on the long black sedan. Probably two rich kids out for a joy ride. Out for a joy ride and in the middle of a secret spy operation. Figured. Just damn figured. Isidor was already there as Philip said he would be, playing a game of chess by himself. Ethan occupied the seat across from the elderly man. "You should protect your queen," Ethan said noticing the placement of the other players two rooks. "You see only what I want you to see." Isidor moved his white knight up and into position. Two squares up. One square over. Ethan pulled a postcard from his pocket that he had purchased the hour before and laid it nonchalantly down next to the chess board. "Bad move my friend." Ethan smiled, moved his queen and took the knight. With ease he placed the knight on his postcard. As he picked it up again, a thin micro film was left laying on the left upper right corner of the mailable item. Ethan glanced up at Isidor and grabbed a stamp from his pocket. "I think I'll mail this to the family. Emme and the two kids will love it," he joked as he licked the stamp and placed it over the micro film. "Many of my people died for that." "Trust me. I know." Scene 3 - Day One - The Park "You see, I told you we wouldn't find anything. The only people even around are those guys over there playing chess." Phoenix Gray nodded toward the men across the park. "So, little sister, can we go now?" "How do you know they're not the ones the guy is after?" stated Scarlett simply. "I know what I heard. That man is coming here to kill someone!" "All the more reason we not be here when and if he does arrive. I don't think dad would be too happy if we went off and got ourselves executed like mom did." Phoenix leaned on the trunk of the black sedan loaned to them by the American Embassy and crossed his hands over his chest. Phoenix didn't want to be here, and his sister knew that. But she was relentless when it came to stuff like this. She fancied herself akin to Sherlock Holmes except with long straight red hair instead of the pipe and weird hat. This wasn't the first time he'd found himself sneaking around on one of Scarlett's wild goose chases. More often than not, what Scarlett overheard or uncovered had led to solving a case. She just couldn't leave it alone and couldn't keep her nose out of other people's business. This by itself was why he didn't want to be here. The man Scarlett had easedropped on was going to kill someone, and in his opinion, they were way too close to the two men playing chess over there. He wanted to be far away driving in the opposite direction. That would ensure they'd both be alive tomorrow when their father was finished with his NATO business. Scene 4 - Day One - The Park No one noticed the nondescript sedan pull in behind a grove of trees east of the park. From that distance, not far from the chess players, the assassin cocked her rifle. It wasn't exactly the firearm known for accuracy, but today, that wasn't the point. She listened to the microphone in her ear and followed their curt and direct orders. "Maintain a good distance," said the disembodied voice. God, what did they think she was, an amateur? From her oversized purse she pulled what looked to be a can of hair spray. It wasn't. It was a high powered scope. The scope had excellent optics, and offered a good view of the chess players. From this distance, they couldn't possibly see her yet. Not unless they had similar scopes of their own, and knowing how difficult it was to get this particular brand, she wasn't worried. She couldn't see who her targets were but knowing didn't matter. The voice in her ear commanded. She only obeyed. "Move forward till you're two hundred feet from the chess players." The disembodied voice was demanding. Almost like this mission was a personal vendetta. To her it didn't matter if it was a vendetta or a tea party. She only wanted to be paid. And she would be paid well. They always could be counted on for that. The elderly chess player glanced in her direction. She kept her expression neutral even though she wanted to smile. His life was ticking away and he didn't even know it. The younger man's glance followed. They both sized her up, dismissed her, and continued on with their conversation. The fools. Their visual dismissal was based on good reason. For what the agents saw was an old lady, easily seventy, hunched over and walking slowly. From her ear piece she could hear a silent curse. "Pan the lapel camera past the chess players and to the kids across the way." She did as she was instructed and moved to give the voice a view of another grouping of people. The curse came again. This was not good. "Make sure you don't involve the children. They're not a part of our deal. The chess players only." "Getting soft in your old age, Phil?" "The chess players only!" he stressed again. "He's leaving," said a much younger voice. From her assumption, he was probably Phil's technical controller. The one who knew all about the equipment but not much about anything else. It was his mission to stay abreast of the situation. She was only fifty feet from her target when she recognized one of them. Father? It couldn't be. Her father was dead, and the other man was who? This was beginning to feel like a trap. Not only for them, but for her as well. The younger chess player turned and looked at her again offering up a smile this time. She couldn't help but smile back. It was Ethan. "Shoot now!" commanded the younger voice. Her head throbbed. At least she didn't have to kill them both. But which one? How could she choose? "Shoot Octavia! Shoot now!"