Chapter 68
Sean had listened to the transcript almost in disbelief. He asked for clarification more than once that it had been recorded in the eighties and not the thirties. The hate and rhetoric were like nothing he had heard since Nazi Germany. Mike had explained that he had obtained the recording first hand. He had heard it first hand and he had struggled to believe it first hand. Recorded in a university auditorium that of course the KGB had no knowledge was being surveiled by the CIA. Mike had never forgotten the day or the name of the doctor. When Vincent had explained what had happened with Sean, the memory of Dr Boris Surkov came flooding back.
Little was known of the doctor other than what had been gleaned from the transcript. What was uncovered after exhaustive investigations was little other than confirmation that a Boris Surkov had in fact studied under Joseph Mengele. Surkov was listed as a young hospital assistant at Auschwitz and thereafter popped up in a number of facilities linked with Mengele. He had then effectively disappeared from the face of the earth until he delivered his speech to the KGB hierarchy. This fact alone was concerning, the list of attendees at the speech meant that Surkov was connected at the highest level and his work was classified as extremely important. The fact that the CIA had no knowledge of such an important project, nor could they subsequently find any, caused even greater concern. The CIA knew everything, or so they had thought.
The uncovering from his investigations that Dr Boris Surkov was due to be the guest speaker at the upcoming State banquet meant only one thing. He had instigated the project which he had promised would deliver Russia back to her former glory and beyond. As far as Mike was concerned, the Sean situation proved his work had been successful and the subsequent determination to eliminate him, proof that something had gone wrong. President Alexey Gagarin, son of one of Russia’s greatest ever heroes, was quite frankly the single best vehicle Surkov could have picked with which to launch the new Russia.
As far as Mike Ritter was concerned, it was their only hope to stop something before it started. Quite frankly, it was the first time in fifty years they even knew where to find him.
The inclusion of Sean in the Governor’s party was a Godsend and his lightning fast VISA approval, yet another sign that pointed back to Dr Boris Surkov’s original plan.
As Mike was about to continue, Jane raised her hand to interrupt.
“There’s one little problem with that plan,” she offered cautiously.
“What?” asked Mike looking at the diagrams and names he had detailed on the board. He had spent every waking hour over the last day working through his conclusions.
“The Governor’s wife!”
“Yes?” he asked impatiently.
“She died this morning. I’m not sure he’ll be going anywhere!”
Mike looked at his ramblings on the whiteboard. “How did she die?” he asked.
“A freak accident I believe, slipped in the shower, or something like that, I just caught it on the late news. I can’t believe we missed it!”
“Neither can I!” said Mike. His level of agitation had just increased as he grabbed his laptop and typed away furiously.
“What?” asked Vincent.
Mike waved his hand to stop anyone speaking. He was working through a theory. As Jane, Sean and Vincent waited, Mike tapped wildly and scribbled notes like a man possessed, none of them dare speak.
Finally, after twenty minutes, he dropped his pen and looked at them in horror.
“Oh my God, its brilliant!” he exclaimed.
“What’s brilliant?” asked Sean.
“Surkov, I mean his plan. Oh my God, why didn’t I see it before!”
“See what before?” asked Sean frustrated at Mike’s rambling.
“It’s because I came at it from the wrong agenda!” he chastised himself.
“Jesus, Mike, will you try and explain what you’re thinking,” said Vincent, breathlessly.
Mike did and watched the color drain from each and every one of their faces.
Chapter 69
Sean woke up as the CIA jet touched down in Austin. It had been a long night planning exactly what they needed to do. Unfortunately, 'they’ had very quickly become Sean. He was the only one who would have access to the banquet and as such, the ability to stop Surkov. Of course, all of that was on the basis that he managed to convince the Governor to still attend despite his wife’s death and without divulging what they believed. While in Russia, if he did pull off the miracle of getting the governor to go, he was not to allow the governor out of sight while ensuring that he dealt with Surkov. How he was going to succeed with that part of the mission was beyond him, unless of course he just pulled out a gun and in front of the Governor and shot Surkov. But then the Governor was to be kept blissfully unaware of Sean’s real mission at all times. So even that didn’t work.
This was, of course, all for a country who had four law enforcement agencies who wanted him to spend at least the next few decades of his life in prison. Vincent had promised, as a reward for saving the world from Surkov and his plan for world domination, he’d make sure the other agencies backed off. However, the lack of conviction and belief in what he was promising had Sean more worried than anything else they had discussed that night.
Sean checked his watch and adjusted the time zone again, it was nearing lunchtime and he wondered how Katie and James had fared last night. He had Katie’s number but it wasn’t for social calls. Katie and James needed to move on with their lives. Sean was a reminder of a huge void in their lives that would cause them nothing but upset. He retrieved his new CIA smartphone from his pocket and called the number the US Marshall had given him the night before.
“Hi Tom,” said Sean as the Marshall answered. “Just wondered how the guys were doing?” he asked as casually as he could, just in case Katie was to overhear.
“Hi Sean, actually I’ve just left them.”
“They’re on their own?” queried Sean instantly concerned.
“All set up in a new apartment, she didn’t waste any time, 7 am this morning she was pounding the phone.”
“Fantastic, nice place?”
“Not bad, nothing like the place she left, mind you.” Tom had picked up a few of Katie and Sean’s personal items before leaving Laredo. Sean had made it clear she was not to go anywhere near the old house, too many dead bodies and memories for her and James.
“I’m sure they’ll be just fine,” concluded Sean, surprised at how quickly they had moved on. Austin had been chosen as Katie had lived there before Laredo and knew the hospital where she had worked previously were always hiring.
“You’re not kidding, she’s some lady, even got herself a job by 10 o’clock!”
“Thanks for helping them out Tom, much appreciated,” said Sean as he ended the call.
As he waited for a cab to take him to the Governor’s mansion, he couldn’t help smile at the thought that he had given James back to Katie. Fuck the consequences he thought. What will be, will be.
Katherine had been up and about for hours, she had a busy day ahead and some minor miracles to achieve. Top of the list was convincing the governor of the national, no, international importance, of his Moscow trip. Statesmen had to put country before personal. She had been trying lines all night and nothing worked. It all sounded cliched. She had the rest of the day to think of something. The flight was scheduled to leave early the next morning.
As she made her way into her office, the secretary caught her attention. “I have a call for you Katherine,”
“Who is it?” she asked.
“Sean Fox,” was the reply that inwardly floored her. Katherine’s face remained unchanged, a wonderful ability her mother had taught her. Katherine rarely showed emotion and even then never spontaneously.