Commitment Read online

  “We will deal with that as we always have. It is an unfortunate inconvenience. We can navigate Mr. Callier. We have for years. The story will create enough diversion on its own,” Ivanov said. “A member of your diplomatic envoy was carrying nuclear material into Moscow with the intention of selling it to anti-Markov terrorists. He made the mistake of one too many bidders and one too many commitments.”

  “Creative,” Taylor mock complimented Ivanov’s fabrication.

  “They will believe whatever we tell them,” Ivanov said. “That never changes.”

  Alex and Cassidy sat glued to the images rolling across the television screen. Cassidy could feel the tension in her wife. It seemed to rise off of Alex much like heat off pavement in the dead of summer. The news was still sketchy. There were reports of casualties, but no names or numbers had been released officially. Alex began methodically massaging her temples. Cassidy looked to her mother helplessly. She was as certain as she could be that when confirmation came, Russ Matthews’ name would be added to a long list of lives lost to senseless violence. That didn’t stop her from trying to offer some degree of hope to the woman she loved. “Alex, maybe Russ wasn’t…”

  “No. He was. There’s no question about it,” Alex said definitively. “The only question is who will be blamed.”

  Cassidy couldn’t seem to find any words. Words simply felt empty. She watched as Alex’s hand reflexively moved to pinch the bridge of her nose. “What can I do?” Cassidy asked gently.

  Alex turned to her wife and offered her an appreciative smile. “I have to make some calls,” Alex said. She leaned in and kissed Cassidy’s cheek as she made her way off the sofa. “Just keep holding onto the good stuff,” Alex whispered.

  “Cassie?” Rose looked across to her daughter. “They were friends; weren’t they?”

  Cassidy let a nervous chuckle pass. “Yes. They were,” she said. The ache in Cassidy’s heart mingled with a deep sense of resentment for all the loss and upheaval her family had faced in recent months. She covered her face with her hands in frustration. “When will it be enough?” she asked in exasperation.

  “Cassie,” Rose called gently.

  “No. I want to know,” Cassidy dropped her hands dramatically. “When, Mom? When is it enough? Hasn’t she lost enough? Dear God! John, her father….all these,” Cassidy’s emotions were a rising tide, threatening to completely over-flow at any moment. She struggled to press down the advancing tirade she knew was about to break through her normally composed surface.

  Rose moved beside her daughter and pulled her close. “I don’t know, Cassie. I don’t know when it’s enough. All you can do is love her.”

  “What if that isn’t enough?” Cassidy asked uneasily.

  “For Alex?” Rose asked. “Cassidy Rose, Alex loves you more than anything. You know that.”

  “I do. I do know that. But, Mom….it just keeps coming. Lies, death….”

  Rose took her daughter’s face in her hands. “Love, life,” she reminded Cassidy with a smile. “There will always be pain. I don’t know why. What I do know is….the only way you survive it is by loving.”

  “How did you? I mean, after Dad died…you had to feel…”

  Rose smiled and brushed Cassidy’s hair aside as if she were still a little girl. “I had you,” she said affectionately. “That was enough for me. When the sadness started to settle in; I had you.” Cassidy drifted into her mother’s embrace and sighed. “When the bad things happened, I always tried to think of something I was looking forward to,” Rose explained. “Your next birthday party, your concert, just seeing you come home from school. Somehow that always seemed to relieve the sadness. It still does.”

  “It scares me,” Cassidy confessed.

  “What scares you?” her mother asked.

  “Alex needs to understand these things. Not in the way that you or I would. She needs to try and change things, literally. It’s….”

  “It’s who she is,” Rose finished Cassidy’s statement. “Yes, I know. There is a lot I don’t know, Cassie. I am confident of that fact. I do know Alex. You need to trust her.”

  “I do trust her,” Cassidy said confidently. “I just don’t want to lose her.”

  Rose held her daughter close. Alex and Cassidy had almost lost each other more than once in a short period. She vividly remembered seeing the haunted look in her daughter’s eyes after Alex had been shot. It mattered little that Alex was home and safe in abating Cassidy’s fears. Cassidy was a master at self-control outwardly, but Rose could often see the evidence of the inner turmoil her daughter struggled with. Loss was something Cassidy had faced early in life. The sudden loss of her father embedded a deep-rooted fear in Cassidy’s heart. She hid it well from nearly everyone, but it was no secret to her mother.

  “Cassie, listen to me. I know how much losing Alex frightens you,” Rose said. She felt Cassidy stiffen in her arms. “No, now listen. You forget sometimes how much Alex needs you. When you came home that night after your abduction; you were upstairs in bed, and Alex came down to talk with Nick and Barb and me. You didn’t see her. I knew well before that moment that she loved you; that you loved her. But, Cassie…I have never seen that expression on her face, not once since. It was as if her world would end without you. All that mattered was that you were safe, that you felt safe and that she took care of you and Dylan. She knows that fear too. One day it will happen, my love. That’s part of life too. Unfortunately, you had to learn that very young….much too soon. Don’t let that fear taint all the wonderful things you have now,” Rose implored her daughter.

  “I know. I do know,” Cassidy answered. “I just wish I could make it all go away.”

  Rose chuckled knowingly. “It will be all right Cassie. Alex has a great deal to look forward to.”

  Cassidy took a deep breath and tightened her hold on her mother. “We both do. I love you, Mom.”

  Rose closed her eyes. She felt transported to a different time. Somehow Cassidy felt so small in her arms at this moment. It was almost impossible to believe that the daughter she held now was carrying her next grandchild. No matter how many ticks of the clock passed, Cassidy remained the most precious gift in Rose’s life. “I love you, Cassie. You are the best thing that ever happened to me. Makes all the bad stuff you keep worrying about seem so small,” Rose said as a tear fell down her cheek.

  Cassidy closed her eyes in contentment. She could faintly hear Dylan above their heads playing in his room and her hand instinctively drifted to her midsection. Her mother’s words and the gentle arms that held her gave her permission to be a small child for a moment. She felt safe and loved, just as she did when Alex held her. Cassidy gave into the emotional fatigue and slowly drifted off enjoying the closeness of the woman who had protected her for so many years.

  Alex slipped silently into the room and caught sight of the two women dozing on the couch. She marveled at them. It was no secret to anyone in Alex Toles’ life that Cassidy meant everything to the agent. Cassidy had come into her life like a tornado. She uprooted the wobbly structure that had been Alex’s life and replaced it with a much stronger foundation. Rose McCollum was a force of nature, and Alex adored her mother-in-law. She understood that Cassidy’s strength and compassion was rooted in her mother’s love and support. It was a relationship that Alex envied on many levels.

  Rose opened her eyes slowly. Alex smiled and nodded toward Cassidy. “She all right?” Alex whispered.

  Rose nodded and looked down at her daughter, still sleeping in her arms. “She’s worried about you,” Rose said.

  Alex shook her head. “I’m okay,” she winked. Cassidy began to stir, and Rose beckoned Alex to them. “What?” Alex asked Rose.

  “This is your place now,” Rose gently extricated herself from her daughter’s grip, allowing Alex to slide into her place. Alex nodded gratefully as Rose left the room. “I’ll have Dylan spend the evening with me,” Rose offered.

  Alex only nodded again, feeling Cassidy snugg
le closer. She wasn’t certain how long had passed before Cassidy spoke. “Is he gone?” Cassidy asked softly. She knew what the answer would be, but she still felt the need to broach the subject.

  “Yes,” the simple response came.

  “How bad?” Cassidy asked.

  Alex nestled against her wife and sighed. “Bad. Twenty-two dead including Russ. At least that’s what Pip was able to confirm. The only good news is the diplomatic team never arrived.”

  “Are you leaving?” Cassidy’s voice quivered.

  “Tomorrow night,” Alex replied honestly. She felt Cassidy shudder against her. “I’ll be fine, Cass. I’m not missing any appointments. I already told you that.”

  Cassidy giggled as her tears began to flow. “I’ll make the appointment for a Friday,” she promised.

  Alex laid back on the sofa, pulling Cassidy on top of her. She still couldn’t rectify in her rational mind how feeling Cassidy beside her could eclipse all of the confusion and pain that surrounded them. Tomorrow would come much too quickly for them both. “Tacos would be good,” Alex whispered.

  “What?” Cassidy asked.

  “We haven’t had them in a while. When I get back,” Alex answered.

  “I’ll see what I can manage,” Cassidy promised before allowing sleep to reclaim her.

  “Yeah,” Alex said as she held Cassidy close. “You, me, Dylan and tacos. Good stuff.”

  “Get out!”

  “Claire…”

  “Marcus, get out of here!” Claire Brackett screamed.

  Agent Marcus Anderson looked on as his partner’s cool façade crumbled in front of him. Gone was any evidence of the brazen siren he had come to know as Claire Brackett. In her place stood a woman shattered. Anderson had never seen his partner show compassion for another human being, and he wondered what compelled him to make such an overture to her now. Perhaps it was the transformation of her features that seemed to soften her. He puzzled over the form in front of him. It seemed as if within seconds, her manufactured bravado had been stripped away revealing a vulnerable child cowering beneath the surface. He stepped cautiously forward and called to her again. “Claire, it’s all right.”

  Claire Brackett collapsed onto the end of the bed and hung her head. Her mind was clouded by a dense emotional fog that her thoughts could not penetrate. “No,” she said so quietly that he strained to hear her. “Nothing will ever be all right again.”

  “Where are you?” a man’s voice asked in desperation.

  “Still in Moscow,” was the rattled response.

  “Can you get to the border?”

  “I don’t know. My contacts here….they’re gone,” the voice trailed off.

  “Sit tight. I will get you out.”

  “Non! père, vous ne pouvez pas risquer une autre personne. Je vais trouver un (No! Father, you cannot risk anyone else. I will find a way),” she scolded.

  “Eleana, il y as beaucoup de chose pour nous a discuter. Ce n’est pas l’un de ces points. Tenez-moi au courant. Ils vont vous rejoindre. (Eleana, there may be much for us to discuss. This is not one of those points. Keep me apprised. They will reach you,” Edmond Callier answered. “Rester en sécurité (stay safe),” his voice softened.

  “Je suis désolé (I am sorry),” she said as the call disconnected.

  Edmond Callier collapsed back into his chair and placed his face in his hands. He had managed to keep his nightmares at bay for many years. Now, they seemed to manifest in his waking life. He retrieved the phone at the center of his desk and placed the call. “I need your help.”

  Tuesday, January 20th

  re you sure about this?” Alex asked her partner as they disembarked the small plane. “I’m betting you didn’t tell Edmond your plan.”

  “No, I didn’t. Trust me when I tell you that Eleana will agree. With what you saw on Daniel’s desk and her knowledge…. well, Eleana is our best chance to get into ASA headquarters,” Krause answered.

  “You have an affinity for her?” Alex observed.

  Krause kept his movement steadily forward. “I do,” he said.

  “More than an affinity?” Alex questioned curiously. Krause continued to focus on their destination and remained silent. “Pip?” she grabbed his arm.

  Jonathan Krause spun around and faced Alex. “She’s a friend.”

  Alex narrowed her gaze. “Krause,” she drew out the length of his name slowly.

  “It’s not what you’re thinking, Alex. I’ve known Eleana for years. I was the one who convinced John to bring her in. He was reluctant. Edmond never wanted her in this. For years, he managed to keep her away from this life. She’s persistent,” he said affectionately.

  Alex slid into the passenger seat of the car, considering the tone in Jonathan Krause’s voice. It seemed evident to her that his feelings traveled deeper than mere respect for the young woman, and that piqued her curiosity. Although Alex was aware of her friend’s history with Jane Merrow, she knew that Cassidy still held his heart. She couldn’t pinpoint the exact mannerism that gave him away, but the change in his demeanor when he spoke of Eleana Baros was apparent. “You’re concerned for her; aren’t you?” Alex asked.

  Krause set the car in motion and nodded. “She reminds me of someone else I know,” he said. Alex watched him closely, waiting for him to continue. Krause glanced over to see the anticipation in Alex’s eyes and chuckled. “She’s honest, Alex. She has integrity. Somehow she’s managed to keep that intact.”

  “Who does that remind you of?” Alex asked sarcastically and shifted her gaze outside the window.

  Krause looked across to Alex and shook his head. He wondered if she would ever realize what a rare commodity she was in the life that they led. He returned his attention to the road as his thoughts turned to the mission they now faced. If they were lucky, they might gain greater insight into Viktor Ivanov’s connections and agenda. Failure would equate to nothing less than their demise. Success, he determined, would be defined in all three returning safely home. Tensions between the United States and Russia were escalating by the minute. Krause was acutely aware that if anyone discovered Eleana was alive she would immediately become a liability.

  Krause had arranged to cross the Estonian border into Russia. It was too risky to attempt a border crossing from Belarus or the Ukraine. Advanced Strategic Applications housed its headquarters in Novgorod. Utilizing assets in Estonia was both the safest and most logical plan for a means of exiting Russia once they completed their mission. The attack on the American embassy and Eleana’s presence created complications for Ivanov and opportunities for Krause and Alex. Eleana had extensive knowledge of the inner workings of the Russian government. She was an expert in communications technology, spoke multiple languages, and as Krause had once learned firsthand, Eleana Baros was adept at navigating an unexpected crisis. He was convinced that he and Alex, with Eleana’s assistance, were the best hope of ever infiltrating ASA on Ivanov’s home turf.

  “Alex,” he began, “are you sure you want in on this? Getting in might not be as difficult as getting out.”

  Alex turned slowly to her partner. “We’ll get out,” she said assuredly. “I just hope your friend is as good as you seem to think.”

  “She is,” he said definitively. “Trust me.”

  “I do,” Alex admitted.

  “What are you doing here?” Christopher O’Brien asked.

  “Not a very friendly greeting,” Claire Brackett responded.

  “I’m not feeling all that friendly, Claire,” O’Brien snapped. “What do you want, anyway? Come to gloat? Dimitri send you? You his exterminator; come to snuff out the pest?”

  “Clever,” she offered her phony compliment. “No. No one knows I’m here. I was careful.”

  “So? What is it then?” he repeated.

  “You’re screwed, Christopher,” she chuckled.

  “Thank you,” he sniped back.

  “No, really. You are. Trust me when I tell you, you are headed right back to the
pokey,” Claire laughed in earnest.

  “I wouldn’t be so certain,” he responded.

  “I would,” she said.

  “Are you suddenly a lawyer?” O’Brien asked.

  “No. Not at all.” Claire flopped onto his sofa. “Got any wine?” she asked.

  “Excuse me?”

  “You’re not a very good host, Christopher. I mean, all those years hosting political functions and you haven’t even offered me a drink. That must be what you kept those little blondes for, huh?” she chided.

  “Fuck you, Claire.”

  “Ooo…not now. And not before wine,” she responded with a wink. “You have two options as I see it.”

  “And what might those be?” O’Brien asked.

  “Well, you can stay here, drowning your sorrows in that bottle over there…..just waiting for the hammer to fall or…. you can get out of here, someplace safe and comfortable and help me,” she explained.

  “What the hell are you talking about?” O’Brien asked skeptically. “Have you lost your mind?”

  “Not at all. You see, you and I now have something in common.”

  “Enlighten me,” he implored her.

  “You are caught in the middle, Congressman. My father, Toles, Krause…they want you out of the picture. Dimitri and Viktor? Well, you have betrayed their trust now too. You are a liability to everyone. They enjoy the suffering, though. They’d rather watch you squirm in insignificance than kill you,” she said as she kicked off her heels and heaved her legs onto the table in front of her.

  “And how exactly does that make us alike?” he inquired.

  “My father doesn’t trust me. Can’t say I blame him. Toles, Krause…well, they would be more than happy to watch my demise,” Claire said.

  “That’s nothing new,” O’Brien observed.

  “No. But you see….none of them ever betrayed me. It’s just a game we play. Oh, Agent Toles and my father can delude themselves with a belief in some honorable cause. It’s a game. Pieces on a board, matching strength and wit; nothing more,” she said plainly. “It isn’t personal. Dimitri, that’s….well, all you need to know is that it is personal. And, I have every intention of seeing Dimitri and his uncle fall. How much money did you move that they’ve yet to discover?” she asked the congressman. O’Brien offered her a hollow stare in response. “Oh, come on, Christopher. We both know you’ve been moving money for years.”