Fires of Kiev Read online

  “We’ll drop Kostya by the TRUST headquarters before we go to the Capitol,” Will said. “Ben and Ethan are there, and the security will keep him safe from rogue assassins,” he said.

  “I probably should stay away from Meredith’s townhouse for now anyway,” Kostya said.

  “I agree,” Will said. “Obviously Meredith is going to be watched closely by this guy because she’s the best lead he has. We’ll have to be careful until you go to the Ukraine.”

  They left Kostya at TRUST headquarters, and Will turned the car down Constitution Avenue toward the Capitol. Will fiddled with the radio, but after scanning several channels of the breaking news they just lived through, he just flipped it off. He drummed his hand on the steering wheel and then started playing with a cellophane wrapped mint in the center console.

  “Stop it,” Meredith said. “You are fidgeting all over the place.”

  “You’re right. Sorry, Mer.”

  “Don’t be sorry,” she said. “Just tell me what’s on your mind.”

  “How do you know something is on my mind?”

  She tilted her head and lifted her brow. “Will? Really?”

  “Yeah, okay, there is something on my mind, but I’m not sure I should say anything.” He continued lightly tapping on the steering wheel, staring ahead.

  “Stop it.” She grabbed his hand to still it. “Since when has tact and good taste stopped us from saying something to each other?”

  “Tell me about Kostya,” he said, glancing at her as he drove.

  Meredith paused, unsure where this was going and how much she wanted to own. “What do you want to know?”

  “When you came back from the Ukraine you told me about him. I know how you met, and about the night in Kiev. I also know you have worn that key around your neck ever since, but you never really told me what happened—emotionally.”

  “I thought the weeks of crying and the investment in ice cream told you everything you needed to know.” Meredith looked out the passenger window as they passed along the National Mall. “Kostya and I spent three days together, five years ago. After a while the memory fades into speculation and dreams, and reality becomes blurred with fairy tales.”

  “There’s no doubt how you two look at each other.”

  Meredith felt a shiver of secret hope. Hiding her reaction, she leaned back in her seat still staring out the passenger window. “I can’t fully describe what happened at his family’s house and in Kiev. All I know is that during those three days, I felt whole. I belonged.”

  “What about Scott?” Will listened thoughtfully.

  “That’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it?” Meredith laughed lightly. “On paper, he’s perfect. He’s Southern, politically active, educated, rich—” she sighed “—and Daddy loves him. He could be the heir to the St. Claire political empire, since you don’t want it. Sometimes I wonder what Scott’s getting from me. He’s got it all for himself.”

  “Meredith, you’re beautiful, educated, talented.”

  “I’m the name that opens doors. I’m his conversation starter when he meets with other senators at a party. My career is inconsequential to him. My needs are secondary.”

  “Scott cares about you,” Will offered.

  “Yes, but only to the point where it doesn’t inconvenience him.” She turned toward her brother. “A life with Scott would require me to shift and bend for his goals. I would go from being William St. Claire’s daughter to being Scott Jackson’s wife. When do I get to be just Meredith St. Claire? For once it would be nice if someone would be willing to sacrifice part of himself for me.” She shifted in her seat and studied the ends of a lock of her hair. “That sounds selfish, doesn’t it?”

  “No, it sounds like what love should be.”

  Meredith leaned her head into her brother’s shoulder and patted his hand. “I guess that’s what we all want—to have a place where we belong and to be loved for who we are.”

  “And being with someone who makes your heart beat a little faster wouldn’t hurt,” Will added perceptively.

  “No. No it wouldn’t.”

  ****

  They arrived at the Senator’s office just a few minutes later. No one was at the front reception desk, but the Senator’s office door was open, so Meredith and Will let themselves in. There were no scheduled Senatorial meetings today, so staff assignments were more casual than usual. A couple college interns ran in and out of the office replacing newspapers or placing files on the Senator’s desk. Meredith sat on the couch in the sitting area of the office while Will went to the bar refrigerator and helped himself to a bottle of sparkling water. They had only waited a minute when they heard their father’s booming voice outside, barking instructions and asking not to be disturbed.

  Both Will and Meredith stood; even they were affected by their father’s larger-than-life personality. He grinned widely as he entered and opened his arms to Meredith for a hug.

  “Are you okay, Meredith? Things got a little dicey, from what I understand.”

  “I’m fine. Just a little shaken.” She flashed him a timid smile. He frowned, but turned to his son giving him a manly handshake, shoulder thump.

  “Aren’t you supposed to be protecting your sister in that defense group?” Senator St. Claire walked back to his desk and used a remote to turn on the twenty-four-hour national news.

  “Now that we know where the threat is, she’ll be fine.” Will glanced over at Meredith. “She’ll have twenty-four-seven protection until this is over.”

  An aide twisted the cap on a sparkling water and handed it to the Senator as they watched the latest news cycle. Within minutes, the hospital story ran.

  “That’s my girl.” He sighed, “International news sensation that she is.”

  “Daddy,” she protested, hardly flustered by the press attention, “You know I just command the domestic press.”

  “Ha!” the Senator burst out. “Good thing you have a capable lawyer.” He gestured to Will as he stepped back and looked at Meredith. “Did he help you write that beauty of a press statement today?”

  “That was mostly me,” Meredith bragged, “but maybe Will helped a little.” She playfully smirked at Will who shook his head while feigning irritation.

  “I realized a long time ago that I could not know every secret that my children had. But things are getting complicated, and I want you both to know that I am here if you need me. I need to have some information, however, if I’m going to be successful wielding my mighty power on your behalf.” His eyes twinkled at them as he spoke. “So spill. What’s going on?”

  Meredith glanced at Will. “My stuff isn’t classified, so maybe we should start there.” She explained how she had originally met Kostya and how he was fleeing because of his knowledge of reactivated missiles in the Ukraine.

  The Senator’s face went from interested to grave in an instant. “Does Scott know about this?” Will and Meredith exchanged looks.

  “He does, but he’s not very sympathetic to the danger Fire of Dawn poses,” Meredith said carefully as her father frowned.

  “I can’t blame him.” He ran his hand through his graying hair and leaned toward her, putting his elbows on his knees. “Unrest in the Ukraine is a controversy that’s not going away, and many Americans stand to make a profit from a civil war there.”

  “Profiting from a war? That just seems slimy,” Will scoffed.

  “Not so fast, Will. Some of those profits help build businesses here. For example, Scott’s been working with Arthur Lennox for months to support our campaign, and I guess I don’t have to tell you how he feels about the Ukraine.” He nodded at Meredith. “He stands to make a bundle in real-estate if the Russian Spring movement takes off.”

  “Do you need Lennox’s money that badly?” Meredith asked. “If his support means investing in terrorists…”

  “Whoa, Mer. Investing in real-estate in a conflicted area of the world isn’t illegal, and there’s no evidence Lennox is tied to Fire
of Dawn.” He laid his hand on Meredith’s arm and tried to console her. “Arthur Lennox talks a lot, but in the end, I doubt he’ll spend a dime until the people there have determined their destiny on their own.”

  “Even if that destiny includes a nuclear missile pointed at targets around the world?” Meredith snapped. “We need to stop this threat, not invest in it.”

  “I assume this is where Will’s group at TRUST comes in,” their father segued smoothly to Meredith’s sibling.

  Will nodded. “TRUST is involved, yes, but I can’t get much more specific than that at this point. Let’s just say there is an operation planned to take care of the problem.”

  “And the hostage situation at the hospital, how is that related?” their father asked.

  “The suspect was trying to find Kostya, and he had intelligence that Meredith was his sponsor through INS,” Will explained.

  “So, because of Kostya, you have intelligence that the missiles are in the Ukraine?”

  “Yes, that is why TRUST got involved,” Will said. “We are going to intervene to prevent Fire of Dawn from taking rash action.”

  “Bullshit. You’re going to try to disable the missiles covertly.” The Senator spoke evenly. “Will, when are you leaving for the Ukraine?”

  Will pursed his lips, but didn’t speak immediately. He glanced over at Meredith. “The operation’s specifics are classified.”

  “Come on, Will. I’m a senator on the Armed Services committee. TRUST has briefed me personally on other ops…”

  “He’s not going,” Meredith interrupted. “He’s not going, Daddy. I am.” Her words drew a line of silence across the room, until her father, weighing his children as adversaries, crossed it.

  “The hell you are.” He glowered at his daughter.

  “Hold on,” Meredith said, holding her own against her father. “The last I checked, I was in charge of my own decisions. Although you will always be my father, you cannot use your influence to prevent me from participating in this operation. Besides, I’m just going on a medical aid trip. Kostya is coming along.”

  “Even if your ‘medical aid trip’ was legitimate, it’s just serving as a front for the operation. It’s putting you in danger.” Her father rose and gently sat on the coffee table in front of Meredith and took her hands. “There’s bound to be someone better trained to take on this op. You don’t have to.”

  “Dad,” she said quietly. “If you didn’t notice, I’m in danger here in Washington, too. And as for qualifications, there are few people who could legitimize this trip more than I can. My trips to the Ukraine to help in the clinics are well-documented by the press, so we won’t be suspicious. Dr. Singh is working closely with the team to make sure that everything goes smoothly, here and in the Ukraine.”

  “And although I won’t be there physically,” Will added, “I am part of the intelligence team set up here in Washington. I will be in communication with both Meredith and Kostya during the entire covert operation.”

  “Can we trust this Kostya?” their father asked. “What do we know about him?”

  “We know he was Special Forces in the Ukrainian Ground Forces, decorated after the Euromaiden protests in Kiev a few years ago. He’s very smart. A high-level programmer and engineer, he’s fluent in English and five other languages. Superiors give him high marks for honesty, integrity, and honor. Kostya is top notch all the way. He’s someone that I would try to recruit if I needed someone in the region.”

  “High praise,” their father said. “Meredith, what do you know about him?”

  “I know he was kind and helpful when I was most vulnerable. He loves his family, and the death of his parents is probably killing him, although he doesn’t allow it to distract him from what is important. Kostya is the most genuine person I’ve ever known, and I’d trust him with my life.”

  Senator St. Claire considered what he heard. “Will I have hourly updates while they are out?”

  “Of course, Senator,” Will responded.

  He chuckled at the formality of Will’s promise, but it communicated the seriousness with which Will approached this operation. Their father frowned at Meredith. “What does Scott think about you going?”

  “He knows I’m going on an aid trip, nothing more,” she said flatly. “I would imagine after today’s situation at the hospital that he’ll have more questions tonight, but I do not plan to tell him everything. For the security of the mission, of course.”

  Her father’s lips twitched into the hint of a smile. “Of course. Not to mention he probably wouldn’t support the mission.” He walked over to his desk, pulled on his readers, and looked at a paper. “He’s scheduled to be in his office today. Why don’t we go over and talk to him? I know he’ll be glad to see you’re all right, Meredith.”

  “I was going to stick my head in his office after we talked, but I hate to surprise him,” she said.

  “Nonsense,” the Senator said as he exited his office and walked across the busy common area with Meredith and Will right behind. “I’m sure he’s been anxious to see you since your brush with danger this morning.”

  Approaching Scott’s office door, he knocked twice and boldly opened it wide. He stopped and raised his hands.

  “You stupid son of a bitch!”

  Sitting on Scott’s desk was the twenty-one-year-old intern, Jen. Her skirt was hiked up to her hips and her shirt was unbuttoned. Her arms were around Scott’s neck, and he was leaning into her with his hands on her bra. Another few moments, it looked like they would have cleared the desk.

  “Shit,” Scott said, and pulled away from Jen who squealed as she tried to cover herself.

  “That’s a good word for it,” Will commented, turning away.

  The Senator’s face reddened, and his fists clenched. Scott started spouting excuses, and he stared through him scowling, not believing a word.

  Meredith, however, stepped forward, causing the whole office to freeze to observe her reaction. She looked both of them up and down.

  “Nice—I hope she’s worth it.” She pivoted on her heel and sauntered out of the office to scattered applause and stifled laughs from the staff. Will and their dad nodded at each other knowingly, and Will strode out to drive his sister home.

  Chapter 23

  The ride home was understandably quiet, and as soon as Meredith and Will arrived home, she ran upstairs to get her things for the trip. Meredith, being type-A, had most of her packing ready to go and needed to round up a few last items. Will had just turned on the television when Meredith pulled her suitcase down the stairs, banging it on each step. She carried only her purse and a small suitcase. Having changed out of her scrubs, she was now wearing a short-sleeved blouse and cardigan sweater in coral pink, some smart, black slacks, and black heels.

  “Way to go, sis. I know few women who would go to the Ukraine packing so little,” Will said, watching her come down the stairs.

  “I’ve done this a few times, you know.” She thumbed through some papers and her passport before she slid them in her purse. “Will, can I ask you something about Scott?”

  “Yeah, sure. What do you want to know?” Will coughed lightly.

  “How long have you known?”

  “Known about the girl or known about him being a prick?” The words were out before he realized how rude it sounded.

  “Both, I guess.” She burst out laughing.

  Will swallowed hard. “Well, I only found out about Jen from Kostya earlier this week.”

  “Wait. Kostya knows?” Her face flushed. “How did he… I mean… What did he say?”

  “Kostya caught him returning just before you got home from your night shift. He had the wrong color lipstick on his collar and a guilty conscience.”

  “Oh my God.” She covered her mouth with her hand, ashamed by Scott’s betrayal. “Why didn’t he tell me?”

  “He wanted to, but it was awkward with things the way they are between you. He thought you might think he was making it up to impr
ove his chances.”

  “He still should have told me.” She frowned, sitting on the edge of the chair. “How long have you known he was a prick?”

  “Since the first time he ogled you in Dad’s office. He didn’t know I was your brother and he told me he wanted a piece of you.”

  “And you never told me because…”

  “Because you seemed to like him. And you deserved some happiness.” He put his hand on her arm. “Mer, no one is ever going to be good enough for you in my eyes. Especially someone who has an office pool betting on the first time he’ll sleep with you.”

  She snorted. “You heard about that?” He nodded. She leaned back in the chair shaking her head. “No one’s ever going to be good enough, huh?”

  “Well,” he answered, “Kostya comes awfully close. The more I learn about him the more I like. He’s a real bad-ass.” Will stood up and offered a hand to Meredith. Helping her up, he mischievously pulled her too hard. Meredith laughed again, playfully pushing her brother. Will grabbed her luggage and began to leave. She stopped at the doorway and surveyed her townhouse.

  Scott never earned a place here anyway.

  “Do you think Daddy can arrange for Scott to move out while I’m gone?”

  Will huffed as he pulled her suitcase out the door. “If he doesn’t, I will.”

  ****

  Everyone arrived at TRUST Headquarters around the same time, except Dr. Nichols who had returned to his home in New Mexico to continue his research at the Los Alamos National Lab. He was going to teleconference into the meeting, however, and Ethan was busy getting that set up. Meredith had never seen TRUST headquarters, and it was exciting to be in the middle of the action. It was obvious the small group had a comraderie that allowed for teasing and fun, but would become serious when they needed to do their jobs.

  “Let’s get started,” Dr. Nichols called from the video screen. “I’ve asked Ben to run this meeting since I’m not there. There should be handouts.”