EPILOGUE
Three months later, Jake lifted his chiming cell phone to his ear. “Your Majesty?”
“Yulla. Hurry up.”
Jake patronized his wife. “If Her Highness requests the honor of my presence, she should’ve sucked it up and climbed the mountain with me.”
“I don’t miss you. I’m hungry, and you said you’d get back in time for lunch.”
“I’m sorry, Your Grace, but it seems that age has been cruel to my colleagues. Henri’s doing okay, but Pierre and Claude are dragging their asses. Claude in particular looks like he was ridden hard and put away wet.”
Linda chuckled. “That’s funny.”
“Well, I meant it to be funny, but it’s not really. I think smoking has caught up with him. Lucky for Pierre that he cut back a lot. But it looks like you’re going to have lunch without me.”
“When will you be back?”
Sitting on the concrete base of the six-meter-tall Croix de Provence capping Montagne Sainte-Victoire, Jake scanned the verdant foliage covering the rocky slopes that fell upon the small village of Château de Vauvenargues. The breathtaking panorama was serene. “It’s nice up here. Maybe I’ll stay forever.”
“Hah hah. You know you can’t live without me.”
“Yes, Your Eminence. You’ve called my bluff.”
“Did you walk ahead of the bodyguards?”
Jake grunted. “Two came with me, Henri, Noel, and Julien. They’re back in the cabin waiting for the slow pokes. The other two guards stayed back with Claude and Pierre.”
“That doesn’t help with my hunger, and since you lied to me about lunch—”
“I didn’t lie! The old farts are taking forever. They aren’t even here at the top yet.”
She giggled. “Since you lied to me about lunch, I’m going to see if I can break your credit card while I shop in Aix-en-Provence today.”
“Oh really? You’re going to buy an entire building?”
“No, but I can do damage with shoes and purses on the Cours Mirabeau, and that’s after I order the most expensive thing on the menu at the most expensive restaurant.”
“Your husband forbids it.”
“My husband’s out of luck.”
“Aren’t you late for a Disobedient Wives Club meeting or something like that?”
“Hah! After that smartass remark, I’m going off-menu at lunch to really jack up the price.”
“Have fun, Your Excellence.”
“I will. And then you’re taking me somewhere nice for dinner.”
“Where?”
“You tell me. You’re the man.”
Jake snorted. “Hell, no. I’m not falling into that trap. You’re the most finicky foodie on the planet. Even if I guessed what you wanted now, your mood would change by dinner.”
“Hah. You’re right. I’ll pick a place, and it’s going to cost you.”
The line went silent, and Jake slid the phone into his jeans. As the June sun warmed his cheeks, movement below him caught his attention.
Renard strode up the rocky path, ascended the final slope, and sat next to Jake. Given their location, he started the conversation in French. “Sorry to keep you waiting.”
Respecting his friend’s homeland, Jake responded in the indigenous language. “I’m fine with it, but be aware that Linda may tease you when you see her. She just called me.”
“Ah, and how’s Linda. What did she say?”
“She said she’s going to abuse my credit card for missing our lunch date.”
The Frenchman shrugged. “Sorry. You can blame that on me.”
“Already done. But don’t worry. She’s not really mad. Just playing with me. This is our first vacation since school started, and she wants time alone with me. But she understands that I needed my climb with my French buddies.”
“Indeed. Our lives together didn’t exactly start on this mountain, but this is where it pivoted from a solitary mission of vengeance to something magnificent. I struggle to define in words what we’ve accomplished.”
Saddened by the group’s disbanding, Jake sighed. “Yeah.”
“Are you okay? How’s that ancient anger of yours doing?”
“Better. It’s still simmering down there, and I may never be completely cured. But our last mission helped ease a lot of pain, and my studies are taking all my extra energy. I mean, I love it, having professors to add context and fellow truth seekers to explore the material with, and the effort brings a sort of tiring peace. Like the end of a long run.”
“That’s wonderful. We all needed this time to reflect.”
Jake gave his friend and mentor a hard stare. “Do you plan to ever bring us together again?”
Renard held his gaze but then aimed his face at the dirt. “I still don’t know.” He reengaged Jake’s stare. “And that’s the truth.”
“Well, shit, Pierre. If all this time off is supposed to somehow reinvigorate you, why are you dragging your ass up this mountain so slowly and letting Queen Linda get upset?”
“Part of the reason was to accompany Claude so that he wouldn’t feel singled out. He was struggling.”
“Okay. What was the other part? And don’t blame Claude for the rust in your joints, you old geezer.”
Renard smiled and then surprised Jake by laying on his back below the cross. The Frenchman had never shown such a vulnerable posture. “I’ve been coming up this mountain all my life. I’ve taken this climb at least fifty times.”
Analyzing the Frenchman’s mannerisms, Jake wondered if his friend had undergone a life-altering transformation. “Yeah. And?”
“And this is the first time I’ve ever stopped to look straight up at the sky. It’s blue, you know.”
“So I’ve heard.”
“Well, there’s no need to blame Claude for anything. I took my damned time climbing this mountain to enjoy the scent of the lilac, the green of the slopes, and the cry of the terns.”
“You’re a poet now.”
“Not a poet. Just exploring a life free of burdens. Free of that gnawing need to accomplish something. I’m discovering contentment.” After answering, Renard sprang upward and then crouched forward to reach for Jake’s feet.
“Um… what do you think you’re doing?”
“Preparing you for the descent.”
“Are my laces untied?”
“Don’t worry about it. I’m taking care of it. As for this retirement, I’m finding it wonderful. Will I never bring our fleet back together? Like I said, I can’t say. But never say never.”
“And Olivia’s keeping quiet?”
“Miss McDonald assures me that all debts are paid. You and I are clear, per her ledger. I verified this with Congressman Rickets. Her power is still growing, but it’s not unchecked. Even if she were to change her mind, those in power within the American intelligence community have acknowledged our cleared ledger. In other words, neither Miss McDonald nor anyone within the CIA shall ever bother you or me again. At least, that’s the message today. I won’t be so naïve as to expect a permanent guarantee.”
Jake felt hard tugs around his insteps. “I can live with that. I guess I’ll have to.”
“And if you question my vigor, I’ll offer you this. If you can beat me down the mountain, I’ll cover all the charges Linda places on your credit card today.”
“Seriously?”
With youthful exuberance, Renard sprang forward and raced down the mountain. Ten steps away, he stopped and turned. “Are you going to question the opportunity, or are you going to capitalize upon it?”
“You asked for it, old man.” As Jake stood and stepped forward, his foot stopped. Glancing down, he saw two double knots tying his boots together. He looked up.
The Frenchman gave a sardonic grin and shrugged before turning and disappearing down the path.
As he knelt and recovered his footwear, Jake knew he could catch the Frenchman. But after all Renard had done for him, he questioned if he could exploit his friend for another dime.