The legend
1747 Words
*Sebastian*
"Where did you last see her?" I ask Holly, scanning over the floor.
She had called me halfway in panic, saying that Karolina had disappeared while dancing, and she had no idea what happened. I have sent Visily to the room with the rest of our men, telling him I will find her, whatever it takes.
"Dancing with that fat i***t," she says, shaking her head. "Then that old Italian hag all but jumped me, talking and pulling me along… and next, I see Mattia is dancing with some stripper, and Karolina is gone."
"Okay, you go talk to Mattia and his stripper... I will try the Italian lady," I tell her. I am a bit annoyed, but I also know Holly is good at her job. If she was fooled, someone really smart is at play here.
She nods and disappears in the direction where the i***t guy is not at all aware that the girl rubbing against him has no doubt been paid to do so.
I walk over to the elderly lady. "Signora Pignatelli... a word, please?"
"Of course," she smiles at me, her English broken but understandable. "For such a handsome young man, I will always have time."
"Well, thank you, darling, and may I say, your English is excellent," I smear it on thickly. I need her to cooperate.
She smiles, planting a hand on my chest. "Too bad you are a married man, doctor. I happen to be looking for a new husband, and I seem to have lost my handsome date."
"Well, that is..." I freeze. Her date… that flashy count, I had not paid much attention, but now I see him with my inner eye. "Dammit... it’s him... from Russia."
"No, no, he is Italian," she says.
I shake my head. How he has managed to make an Italian believe he is local is beyond me, but I have no doubt it’s the ghost, and I want to hit myself for not seeing before now.
"Where has he taken the girl? Tell me," I use my most demanding tone, leaning slightly over her, staring into her eyes.
"I... I think they went out through that side door," she says, pointing with a shaking finger, mumbling something about not being nice as I hurry off.
I throw open the door, listening... there are muffled sounds down the hallway, and I follow it, reaching a locked door. Someone is yelling inside. So I measure the door, ensuring it is opening away from me... believe me, you only kick at a door that opens towards you once... and then I kick the door open.
"Karolina!" I stop. I admit the scenario is not what I expected. Karolina is standing in a corner, screaming at this huge guy, the Russian... or Italian or whatever he is, hurling little balls at him from one of those bingo wheels.
"Oliver," she stops for a moment.
I look at her, then the guy, who is eyeing me but not looking scared. "Are you okay, Karolina?"
"This i***t abducted me," she points at the man, grabbing another ball, throwing it at him.
"I borrowed you," he bites back. "And only because you wouldn’t cooperate."
She huffs. "You threatened me with a weapon."
"It was a flashlight," he looks about to roll his eyes. "And I apologized."
"Oh, but then everything is fine... stealing my necklace, kissing me, abducting me with threats of death... but you apologized... arg." More balls fly through the air.
The guy actually looks at me and says with a northern English accent, "She is very Russian, huh?"
"Hey, wait... who the hell are you?" I ask.
He shrugs. "I know who you are... Oliver Steele, or should I say Sebastian Grant... or maybe Agent Hal... MI6... senior agent, protection of special targets."
"How...?" Who the hell is this guy? "Why have you abducted Miss Romanov? And why did you steal the necklace?"
He blows out a breath and changes to German, seems he knows that I speak the language fairly well. "I need the phone in her bag, her father's phone... to prove he is planning... something really bad."
"Bad?" I shake my head. "He is planning to overthrow the president and bring democracy to Russia."
"Yeah... no," he shakes his head. "I have been listening in on his private conversations... and no, he is planning to take the power, but democracy, no... I need the phone to hopefully make... someone listen."
I want to object, but something is nagging in the back of my head. Also, if this guy wanted to hurt Karolina, her little balls would not have stopped him. "Can you prove this?"
"I can..." His eyes roll back, and he falls flat on his face.
"Ha... teaches you to kiss me," Karolina laughs. She stands with a frying pan lifted over her head, having knocked him out. Where the hell did she get a frying pan?
Honestly, I am lost for words, but I know I can’t turn this guy over to the police or let Karolina’s father know we got him. I need to see his so-called proof first... and find out who he is.
*Ryan*
I sit up, rubbing my head. "That little b***h hit me."
"So American... interesting," I hear Sebastian's voice and open my eyes. He and that female agent, Holly, are leaning side by side against a table, arms crossed on their chests. "Morning, sunshine."
"Yeah, American... so I guess it's a good start that you did not kill me while I was out or something." Had they been smart they would have tied me up. I rub my head again, what the devil did she hit me with?
Sebastian shrugs. "Let's see, you might change your mind. So how about you answer some questions... How did you listen to Romanov?"
"In Moscow... remember the drunk homeless knocking down the little miss ballerina. I planted a very sensitive little device in her bag... it was just to plan stealing the necklace honestly... but I heard other things and… well I continued listening... it’s really cute how much you love your nanna by the way?"
"I am starting to get why people want to hit him," Holly mumbles.
I smile at her. "Hi there, darling, we haven't met."
"You are right... we haven't." She pierces me with a hard stare. "Who are you?"
"Where are my manners?" I give her a light bow. "Ryan Fox at your service."
I kind of love the way they both drop their jaws. Always nice to be… recognised.
Holly blinks. "Holy fuck."
"Are you telling me you are Ryan Fox... special ops, CIA legend..." Sebastian looks me over.
I shrug. "You said that, not me... the legend part I mean."
He lets out a huff. "So these conversations. Do you have proof... Did you tape them?"
"Not really." I stretch, ignoring the headache. "As I said, I was looking for other information. I did have a couple of tapes, but unfortunately, my apartment in Moscow kinda blew up, weird gas leak... good thing I smelled it."
"So you want us to... just believe you?" Holly asks.
I shrug. "I am a legend... remember?"
"So you wanted Romanov's phone, hoping it had something on it," Sebastian says. "Why didn't you go through the official channels?"
I send him an indulgent smile. "So you think anyone would let me, without proof? Risking their whole plan for Russia... the government in America is not... really easy to work with these days."
"I am still not getting why you are creating an image as an elusive thief throughout Europe," he c***s his head slightly.
Yeah, I am not gonna tell them that. I shrug, “I like shiny stones, move on... are you gonna get in my way or get out of it?"
"Really, you feel in a position to make demands? Who says we are not gonna arrest you or... worse... after all, you kidnapped our client's daughter," Holly huffs.
"Firstly, you want to know if what I am saying is true... also, she did more harm to me than I did to her... by far." I flash her my best smile. "Secondly, I wouldn't let you."
She rolls her eyes. "Wouldn't let us... hey buster, we are..."
*Holly*
I have to be honest, I have no idea what the heck happened, but the next second I am pressed against his hard body, my arm locked, and a long slim knife is at my throat. He is not hurting me, but a flick of his wrist and I am dead.
"Didn’t he tell you, I am a legend," he says in the calmest, sugary voice.
Sebastian has his gun drawn, pointing at him, shock in his eyes, and annoyance that he let this happen. Both of us know that he can’t shoot Ryan without hurting and possibly killing me.
"And to show my good intention I am letting her go," his grip slowly lessens. "Please don’t shoot me, I am not in the mood."
I curse to myself as he lets me go, the knife disappearing back into his sleeve. Sebastian waits for a moment, then he holsters his gun and tosses a phone to Ryan. "So what do you think you can get from this?"
"Smart guy, you nicked the phone," Ryan grins, turning the phone over in his hand.
"Borrowed," Sebastian says.
Ryan just fiddles with the phone. "Borrowed... Nicked... details details, all the same in the end... let's see... hmm, this is locked."
"Then unlock it," I say.
"Hmm, it seems to require a fingerprint to open... I could go and cut off Romanov’s finger," he says thoughtfully.
I grab the phone from him, pushing a button on my watch, it pops open, and I take out a small brush. I dust it over the glass, a fingerprint suddenly visible, then I take a small square tape, lift off the print, put the tape on my own finger, and use it to unlock the phone, tossing it back to Ryan. "Are all of you legends cavemen or just you?"
He ignores my comment and starts looking through the phone. "Thanks, luv... faster than going to cut off a finger."
"Seriously," I look at Sebastian. "I still vote that we kill him and toss the body."
"I like her... she’s spunky," Ryan chuckles, winking at me, then returns his attention to the phone. "Let’s see what we have here."
- Writer
