LINDEN
What the fuck did I just do?
I felt fucking terrible. My eyes felt hot with inconvenient tears. I told her before my father that I would never hurt her, yet I did it in the worst way possible.
It broke my heart because I let my emotions get the best of me. I couldn’t unsee the look on my wife’s face, the pain in her eyes— the woman I loved, the mother of my unborn child.
That was the most foolish thing I’d ever done.
It was unfair.
I broke her heart to save another life. And my child— I wished she didn’t feel her mother’s pain, and I hoped one day she could forgive her father for what I’d done if I didn’t make it back.
Lately, I doubted my action— I questioned myself if I was still doing the right thing.
It was three in the morning, and I was already in my office. And I didn’t know where to begin because expressing my feelings and writing a letter wasn’t my strong suit. With modernization, who still wrote letters these days? And writing a sorry letter to my wife wouldn’t cover how I terribly hurt her.
On the other hand, Estelle would understand why I was doing this, why I chose this, but Jasper had only one life.
Estelle, Baby,
You are my entire world. You and our baby are the reason why I smile and live for you every day. I hope you’ll find this letter before it’s too late. Forgive me, my love, for everything that I said. I will make it up to you for the rest of my life. Those were lies, but I had to go to save Jasper one last time.
I love you with every beat of my heart.
Gabriel
I folded the paper. Before I slipped it into the last book I read. I wrote down the coordinates with an invisible ink on the book’s page.
I knew she was smart, and she would come to my office to find clues if I didn’t make it back in two days. I took off my watch and turned off my phone before placing them on the book.
Under my desk, I pulled out the carpet and opened the safe. I took the passport under one of my aliases, some cash in two currencies. I prayed I was not too late.
I hoped Jasper was still alive. Otherwise, Gustav won. I could not forgive myself for that, and I could not forgive him for that, and I would not let it go without getting my revenge.
My wife would hate me, but her father took it way too far to get to me, break me— to get to her and my family.
I discreetly got out of the Osmium using my exit, and I knew who to avoid cameras, or otherwise, Gustav would find out I was going to Jasper or meet his handler. So, I was doing this on my own without any backup, just a solid plan. If this worked and I managed to get Jasper out of that country, I would make sure Gustav would pay and later ask for forgiveness from my wife. Right now, I have a mission that cannot wait.
***
Twelve hours later, I made it. I made it to Jasper’s post, where he kept his things, reported to his handler, and tripped the button if something went wrong with his cover.
I looked around at the old apartment building. No one seemed to be watching me. I climbed through the exit door to the third floor. Pushing the window open, I checked for the booby traps he had planted. It was clear.
Once I got in, I slowly shut the window close. I scanned around, and it seemed like he hadn’t been coming here for weeks. The small coffee table was covered with dust. The small vase on the shelf was untouched.
Tiptoeing, I took steps slowly to make sure the wooden floor wouldn’t creak, but the footprints of my boots left marks, and others, smaller than mine. My guess is a woman. Shit. But it could be his girlfriend if he had any.
My heart began pumping fast. Adrenaline rushed through me as I pulled out the handgun from my back that I had bought from the local gang. Slowly, I slid off the safety and pointed forward. I grabbed the door handle to his bedroom and twisted it. It was locked.
The footprints also stopped there, just right before my foot.
Before removing my hand from the door handle, I felt a cold steel pressed against my neck.
I froze.
My heart nearly stopped. My breathing held.
Fuck.
This should be the time when you prayed and asked forgiveness for all the sins you’d done. But I shut my eyes and prayed, hoping I got the chance to see my wife and family again.
“You’re dead.”
I couldn’t contain my relief as I recognized that voice.
With my legs wobbling, I opened my eyes and blew the breath I’d been holding on. Thank God.
I turned around and smiled. “You could have blown my head off, but you saw me coming, didn’t you?”
“Why I’m not surprised to see you here, Linden?” She slipped the gun on her side waist.
“Good to see you again, Grace.” We hugged.
“You looked for me?” She was surprised that I knew her name. What did she expect? How did I think I got this address? And it was not easy or cheap. I had to trade vital intel.
“Don’t worry. No one knows. And I thought you could use my help. Remember when you told me you might need me? Our friend is in trouble.” I slipped my gun back.
“I know.” She looked guilty.
“What happened?”
“A hacker named Vermont hacked into our system and took only one specific file.”
“His file?”
“No. Not only him— the list of our new enlist.”
“Jesus. So, everyone on that list is compromised and in danger. I thought you have NSA level of security.”
“Everything is hackable, Linden, even the Hover Defense. How did you know he is compromised?”
My nose flared. I didn’t know where to put my anger. “Not yet, since twelve hours ago. My father-in-law. He’s not very fond of me. Long story short, I confronted him yesterday, but he showed me a picture of Jasper and Ilya instead. He will call Ilya if I don’t divorce my wife.”
“Son of bitch. Gustav Bladwyn has the guts. Not just a capitalist, after all. He put you in a tough spot.”
“You have no idea. I have a feeling he might have something to do with this. Is everyone informed?”
“It’s not Gustav who has the copy. It’s Tyrion Weston.”
“That piece of shit,” I growled. “Now I say, why am I not even surprised? He does more than make yachts.”
“He’s losing control over Weston Yachts. He lost a lot of money, making him desperate.”
“I can’t say I’m happy after what he put my wife through, but yeah. He deserves it.”
“I already told Jasper to come back three weeks ago because I know what is happening. Weston is selling guns to Vasilyev and other organized crime lords. Jasper confirmed that, but there’s another person involved that he wants to uncover. He said he’s not done yet.”
“That’s Jasper. Now, he might not come back. Is that why you are here?”
“I was hoping I would find him here.”
My worry leveled ten times now that I knew the threat was real.
I drew a deep breath. “We should find him, Grace.”
“No. He won’t come over here. He should have been here two hours ago if he had managed to get out of Ilya’s compound safely. That’s when he reports. I know where he could be if something doesn’t go as planned.”
“Let’s move. Do you have trans?”
“Yeah. A beat-up car.”
“As long as it starts.”
We used the elevator this time. It still worked, but it looked like it was about to fall off. It squeaked as it took us down.
“It’s right there.”
As we dashed out of the building towards where she parked the car, I scanned, afraid Jasper’s post was also compromised.
I followed Grace to the car she parked at the back of the building. All of a sudden, the hair at the back of my neck rose. I almost shivered.
“We’re not alone,” I informed Grace.
She manually unlocked the car, and I went to the passenger’s side. Then a whooshing sound passed through the air, causing me to lower my head and duck to cover. But there were no sounds of gunshots. My guess was the gun had a suppressor. I pulled my handgun out, searching for the hostile.
Another whoosh, and then a thud followed. A body just dropped.
“Grace?”