Chapter One: A Voice From The Past
The rain beat a heavy rhythm against the floor to ceiling windows of his expansive office.
It was a dark, cold, dreary day in Seattle as the winter continued into its second month. GEH was busy tying up the loose ends on a major contract with China to allow him to import into the country. It had been a massive amount of work, a lot of his competitors were not happy about GEH scoring the deal. But fair's fair in business wasn't it?
'Christian, Ros is on the line' Andrea spoke efficiently on the intercom. Sighing from his computer he patched the call through.'Ros,what is happening over there?' Christian asked his second in command who was in China smoothing the waters for the first shipment of equipment to arrive as soon as the contracts were signed. 'Christian- it is a shit fight over here. Hyde Holdings is trying to hold up the signatures. He told me to tell you to back off or there will be consequences'. Christian had to laugh. Jack Hyde of Hyde Holdings was such a pain in the ass. He was always two steps behind GEH and always busy threatening him and his staff with all sorts of things. Running his hand through his copper hair, Christian wondered what the consequences were this time.'Forget about him Ros, just keep the pressure on the Chinese and get this done.' Sometimes Ros just needed a little pep talk. 'Will do, keep you posted' She replied and rung off.
Leaning back in his leather chair, Christian sat preoccupied staring at the rain for a moment, lost in thought. He should contact Welch to get him to dig up what Hyde might have on him. Just before he could call, his cell phone rang. The number was unknown.
'Yes' Christian said tersely into the phone. 'Chr-ristian?' Came a breathless voice. A voice that is etched into his brain and heart forever. Sucking in a big breath Christian whispered into the phone 'Anastasia?'. 'Yes- yes its me' He could hear the tears in her voice. He hadn't seen her in three years but he would know every emotion she could project in her voice, hell, he could even imagine how her beautiful face would be splotchy with tears. All the love and pain that he had suppressed over the years came flooding back in a few short seconds. 'Christian, I need your help' She said rapidly into the phone and immediately Christian became alert. 'Ana, are you ok? He asked shutting his computer down and grabbing his grey suit jacket. Somehow he knew he would need to leave as soon as Ana finished explaining the reason for her call. 'No!' She cried 'I need you to come to me, I-I -will explain everything when you get here. Im in hospital- Portland Memorial'. Shit, he could hear the beep of the monitors in the back ground as she spoke to him 'Im coming now' Christian said striding to the door for Taylor who would be waiting for him outside. 'Thank god. But Christian, when you get here-' She broke off. 'What Ana? What do you need?' He asked quietly stopping before he got to the door, he didn't want anyone else privy to this conversation. 'I need you to be calm. Im not well. Well, I will be ok soon but I don't look ok at the moment' She whispered. 'What the hell is that supposed to mean Ana?'He asked tersely, panic setting in. 'Christian, please just come. We need you'. 'We?' He asked. But the phone clicked off.
Wrenching the door open Christian yelled out for Taylor and barked out orders for Andrea to hold all calls and meetings until tomorrow, unless it was Ros. 'Whats going on Christian? Taylor asked calmly as they took the elevator up to the roof where his helicopter, Charlie Tango, was. 'Ana called' Christian said and watched Taylor become concerned. 'I should never had pulled security off her when she left' Christian thought to himself out loud, scowling. Taylor replied 'You thought you were doing the right thing'. 'Well she needs me, we need to get to Portland memorial now' Christian said buckling himself into the harness while Taylor made the prep for take off. Taylor had been his CPO for years and knew instinctively that Christian was in no state to fly.
As they took off toward Portland, Christian sat back and dwelled on what was happening to Ana and also back to that fateful morning three years ago when he let her walk out of his life forever...