I do not own The Professionals, or the characters of Ray Doyle, William Bodie or George Cowley. Captain Vasilisa Ananyeva and Doctor Pyotr Ivanov are my own creation. I make no money from this story, having just taken the characters out of my shoebox to play with for a little while.
Bread Upon The Waters
Pain and darkness. He ran through the hammering rain, the water soaking into the thin shirt he wore and the terror that gripped him showed no sign of abating. He looked down at the spreading red stain on his right side and realised he was losing blood. Swallowing he looked up and saw the lights ahead of him. Looking down at his side again he had to fight down a wave of nausea as he saw the redness oozing between his fingers. With the last of his strength he staggered up the tarmac drive and leant against the doorbell. Everything was starting to fade away and ever afterwards he was never sure whether what happened next was real or a figment of his imagination.
The door opened and he found himself staring into the face of a young woman, "Bohze Moy! You're injured!" she turned to someone and he heard her say something in Russian that he couldn't identify.
With what little remained of his consciousness he looked up and saw a man approaching him, he spoke and smiled and Doyle fell forward into darkness. The woman caught him, noticing the shoulder holster and also noticing it was empty. "Blyad'!" She swore, the inflection in her voice unmistakeable and then the other man's arm was around his waist and they were helping the young man into the house.
Pyotr regarded him thoughtfully, "Who is he? Has he been sent by my enemies to silence me?"
"That doesn't matter," the young woman said firmly, "what matters is that he's injured and you're a doctor. Help him!"
"But he could be working for the other side!"
"Dr Ivanov," the woman said, as if speaking to a young child, "you are here for a conference about the viability of skin grafts; not to reveal the innermost workings of the Russian State. You are a doctor – he is injured. Help him."
"I'll need a nurse," Pyotr said, "and you can leave your weapon outside, Captain Ananyeva."
Doyle half awoke some time later, he was lying on what seemed to be a table, but when he thought back he was never sure. He could feel something against his neck and soft voices around him, he didn't even have the energy to speak. A familiar face came into focus above him and he felt another hand against the side of his face, "My name is Vasilisa. You're all right," the voice said gently, "The bullets went through, we've dressed your shoulder and Dr Ivanov is working on your side."
He wanted to nod, to tell her that he understood, but he hadn't the energy and after a few minutes his eyes closed again. Her hand remained on the side of his face for a few minutes longer and he heard her say softly, "You're all right. Relax."
"How's he doing, Pyotr?" she asked.
"He'll live," Pyotr replied.
Eventually he lay, white and silent on the table. Pyotyr took his pulse and blood pressure, "Stable for now. I want you to watch him, Lisa."
He was fighting, fighting to get out of this darkness. He had to get out, his friend, his brother was stuck out there and if he didn't find a way to the light then he'd die! Gathering what seemed to be the last of his strength he began to try and fight his way to the point of illumination in the far distance.
Lisa gently took the man's hand, "Easy, easy, you're all right. Relax." His hand clenched hers and slowly green eyes opened to stare up at the ceiling. She bent over him and said again, "It's all right. You're safe."
To her surprise his lips moved, she bent over him, putting her ear close to his lips, straining she heard him whisper, "My partner...Bodie...still out there...had to leave him...help..."
She looked down into his eyes and said slowly and clearly, "If you will rest, I shall go and find him. All right?"
A faint smile touched his lips and the eyes fluttered closed. Lisa stood up properly and walked through to the lounge, "He's got a partner," she said, "I've got to go out and find him."
"How? You can't drive!
"I'll take Raffles," Vasilisa said, "I can't leave a man out there. Whoever they are. Many years ago an Englishman risked his life to save mine. Let's say I'm just returning the favour."
Pyotr sighed and then said, "Want me to go and sit with your patient?"
"Yours too," Lisa replied. "I'll get dressed and get out. I ought to take a First Aid kit with me too."
"Go," Pyotr said firmly, "I'll watch over your patient."
"Oh, hardly mine, Doctor," Vasilisa replied thoughtfully.
Raffles snorted at her as she saddled him, taking a mint from her trouser pocket she held it out for the horse to nose from her hand.
"That's all you're getting," she told him, stroking him.
For almost the hundredth time she thanked any and all deities in heaven or hell for the assistance of the mounting block. Raffles snorted as she mounted him and gently, she urged the animal forward.
Rain was still tumbling from the black sky and Lisa pulled her jacket more tightly around her, Think! She rested her hands against the saddle, If he'd used the road – and I follow it back, then there's a good chance I'll find him. That's pre-supposing he stuck to the road, her treacherous second thoughts reminded her.
The barn at the end of the road stood out blackly against the lighter sky and sending a silent prayer heavenwards, she urged the horse onwards. Dismounting was harder than she expected, she finally managed to slide off the shire's back, she wondered if she should take the Makarov from her saddlebag and then decided that if this man was armed as well as being wounded then she had a better chance of not being shot if she wasn't carrying her pistol.
She almost didn't see him. A flash of white above a straw bale and she swallowed hard. "Hello?" she called into the darkness.
Suddenly, as if from nowhere, she was forced down onto the floor and found herself staring up into a pale face and a gun was at her nose, "Who the hell are you?" a voice grated. At that moment she heard the car engine and saw the glow of headlights move across the opposite wall.
"Friends of yours?" she queried, raising a dark eyebrow.
"Not really. We've got information they want-" he grinned and she was unpleasantly reminded of a shark. "C'mon."
She was manhandled behind a straw bale and then he was spooned up beside her, a hand over her mouth. "Don't scream." He warned.
She shook her head, trying to convey that she had no intention of doing any such thing. She felt him shift, presumably so that he could see over the top of their hiding place. Then she heard voices and a muffled curse. Keep quiet, Raffles. She thought desperately. The voices spoke again and she caught a few words.
"….nothing here….we'll try the main road…"
"…the other man?"
"…not a chance….Bennie winged him…he won't have got far…dead in a ditch…."
Then they were walking and she heard car doors closing. An engine was started and they both listened as the sound died away. He released her and then she was pulled over onto her back, "Now perhaps you'd like to answer some questions?" he grated.
"Are you Bodie?" she asked tentatively. "Your friend turned up at our house – I came to find you."
"Describe my friend," he said slowly.
"Dark brown curly hair, green eyes." Lisa responded. "You're hurt!"
"One of the bastards caught my shoulder," he replied.
"I'd better get you back," she said gently, "if you trust me that far."
He uncocked the Inglis Hi-Power and then sighed, "Let's see how you do."
She unbuttoned his shirt and examined the wound in his shoulder. Catching his eyes she said, "Do you want the good news or the bad news?"
He smiled, for the first time looking human, and said, "Give me the bad news."
"That's a serious wound and it needs proper treatment."
"And the good news?"
"The bullet went straight through."
He scowled, "So what now?"
"Now we get you back to my home where I can have a look at that shoulder." Lisa replied, "I'm Captain Vasilisa Ananyeva, but you can call me Lisa."
"Bodie," he replied, holding out his right hand.
"Just Bodie?" She queried, raising an eyebrow, "no first name? And what are you doing out here "
"William Bodie." He grinned wryly, "and my partner and I were pursuing some wanted felons." He winced as she applied tape over the makeshift dressing on his shoulder.
"How's your horsemanship?" she asked.
"Fair," he replied slowly. She nodded and then packing up her kit rose smoothly to her feet.
"I'll go and fetch our transport." She smiled brightly and then moved silently into the darkness of the barn leaving Bodie to stare quizzically after her. When she reappeared she was leading a huge, dark shire horse. "Raffles, meet Bodie. Bodie, this is Raffles."
Bodie looked up at the animal and for the first time swallowed hard. Lisa knelt on the floor of the barn and offered him her cupped hands, he gave her a quick, hard grin and then he was up on Raffles's back and looking down at her.
"I'll walk," she told him, her hand on the horse's shoulder. Thankfully the road was clear although the rain seemed to be falling faster, It might delay our pursuers she thought wryly as she led Raffles down the road, her fingers holding onto his cheek piece, she looked up at Bodie, "Are you going to be all right?" she asked.
"I think so," he replied, managing a smile through a face white with pain.
He almost slid from the mount and without thinking, Vasilisa put her arm around him to help him inside. Pyotr opened the door and took the man's weight from her.
"Bullet wound," Lisa said tersely, "went straight through but probably took some clothing into the wound, copper jacketed bullet so entry and exit wounds relatively small, and although he won't admit it; I suspect that he's in a certain amount of pain and possible shock."
"I'll take a look," Pyotr replied grimly.
"How's our other patient?"
"Still out cold, but he's holding his own. Help me with this man."
Bodie managed a weak smile at her as they helped him onto the gurney and then faded into unconsciousness. Pyotr gave a grunt when he saw the pale face, "At least it means I can probe without him being aware of it, help me roll him onto his side."
Bodie grunted softly as the man rolled him so that he was facing her, she gently touched the man's face, feeling the soft skin beneath her fingers. As Pyotr probed, Bodie groaned softly and his eyes opened, "You're all right," Lisa said gently, "the doctor's just dressing your shoulder."
"Where?" he blinked at her.
"Safe," Lisa replied, her hand gentle on his shoulder. "You'll be all right."
He didn't respond, merely gave her a quick, tight smile and then his eyes rolled and he slid back into unconsciousness. Lisa met Pyotr's eyes over Bodie's shoulder and then his eyes flicked back down again.
Eventually, Bodie lay white and silent on a bed next to his partner an intravenous set up in the back of his hand. Pyotr checked the i.v. he'd set up for his first patient and then nodded to the woman, "He's stable, His i.v. needs changing. What do you want to do now?"
"I'm going to contact this friend of mine," Lisa responded grimly, "he might be able to know what to do next."
"Cowley?"
"Mr Cowley." She confirmed, "I know that he said not to contact him unless it was an emergency, but this might qualify. At the very least he might know who I can contact regarding these two men. I don't think they're here for you, Dr Ivanov."
Pyotr nodded, "All right. You'll use the code?"
"Just in case the phone lines are being monitored," she said quietly.
The doctor nodded, "Go. I'll watch these men."
Lisa lifted the receiver and swallowed, she hadn't dialled the number for almost five years, and normally she wouldn't have bothered, but there was something about the situation that worried her, she checked her watch again and then taking another deep breath dialled George Cowley's private line.
"Yes! What now!" the gruffness in his voice hiding a real concern.
"Uncle George!" she forced a smile into her voice, "I've just discovered two bags of yours that were left in the weather; the black one with the green piping and the leather one with the blue piping."
"Are they all right?" She thought she heard the catch in his voice and then dismissed it. Cowley getting emotional? Stones would weep before George Cowley got emotional.
"I think now I've got them in the dry, their contents will be all right." She continued guardedly, "I'm just worried as they've been outside that they might have been damaged. There appears to be some leaking from both bags. I've done a basic repair but you really need to get them to a specialist leather worker."
"Fair enough. You know the drill with leather. Keep both bags warm and dry and I'll be there as soon as possible. I'll have to bring a Team with me; see if we can repair the bags."
"Yes, Uncle George," she heard the laugh in her own voice and then she replied, "I'll be waiting."
"Well?" Pyotr demanded when she re-entered the bedroom.
"He's on his way. Now we just sit tight."
"What if those men come here?"
"I don't know," she replied, "I'll wing it."
"That's not the response I was looking for," Pyotr replied darkly, "Ty durak." You're a fool.
"Vozmozhno," she replied quietly. Perhaps. She regarded the man quietly, "If they come here, where will you stand?"
Dr Ivanov looked uncomfortable, "I don't know." He swallowed, "I'd like to know your connection to this Mr Cowley."
"He was a friend of my father," Lisa replied, "and he saved my life."
"I hope that your faith in him is not misplaced." Dr Ivanov replied darkly, "Osteregaytes' vashikh druzey, Vasilisa."
Beware your friends, Vasilisa. She translated. Forcing a bright smile to numb features she replied, "Vsegda, Pyotr." Always, Pyotr.
Slowly, feeling as though he was swimming through molasses Bodie forced open heavy eyelids. Where was he? Slowly, aware of the throbbing pain in his shoulder, he sat up. His left arm was strapped to his side and an i.v. was running into the back of his hand. Carefully he pulled out the small needle from the back of his hand.
Exhaustion tugged at his eyelids, but forcing it back he sat up and leaning back against the headboard, looked around. A soft groan made him turn his head and he saw Doyle lying unconscious in the bed next to him. Slowly, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and moved across to the supine figure in the bed.
"Ray?" he murmured, laying a hand on his friend's shoulder. Doyle's mouth moved and the eyes half-opened, but then they closed again.
"He's all right," a gentle voice said behind him. Shocked, Bodie wheeled round to see the young woman who had found him in the barn standing behind him, "he's lost quite a bit of blood, that's the only reason he's still unconscious. You should still be resting."
"Captain Ananyeva," Bodie said slowly, relief colouring his voice as memory rushed back.
"Lisa," she said. "How's the shoulder?"
"I'm fine," he muttered.
"Yeah," she replied, "you're sweating buckets; your face is as white as milk and your whole body is tight as a drum. Yeah, you're definitely fine."
A weak smile touched Bodie's lips. "Perhaps not that fine," he admitted.
"Do you want a painkiller?" Lisa asked, compassion gentling her tone.
"Depends how powerful," Bodie replied.
"Paracetamol probably won't touch it." She said thoughtfully, "and morphine is probably too strong; you'll be asleep in minutes. So we're reduced to codeine."
"And I'm not sure I should take anything," he smiled, and again she was reminded of a shark. "Whoever was after us may be coming back."
"Very possibly." She sat down on the bed Bodie had vacated and regarded him quietly. "I've had to call a friend of mine, but I have no idea how long he'll be. So maybe you'd be better off not taking anything for the nonce."
Bodie raised a dark eyebrow and replied, "Who did you call?"
"I doubt you'd know him," Lisa smiled, "Major Cowley."
Bodie's face blanched even further, "Bloody hell!" He spat, "how in the name of all that's Holy do you know Mr Cowley?"
"He saved my life many years ago," Lisa replied, "I take it you're familiar with Major Cowley?"
Bodie laughed, the harshness of the sound echoing oddly in the room, "We," he gestured at the unconscious man, "work for him. New unit. CI5."
"Oh." Lisa nodded, "Interesting?" She queried thoughtfully.
"You could say that," Bodie replied. He sighed, "I never thanked you for saving us."
"Not necessary," she shrugged. "But we're not out of the woods yet."
Bodie nodded again, closing his eyes against the wave of pain that almost overwhelmed him. A cool hand touched his arm, "I think you should take something and lie down." Lisa said.
Bodie nodded tightly and Lisa rose smoothly to her feet, "Back in a moment."
When she returned with the pills and the water, his eyes were closed and his face was paler if possible. She gently touched his arm, watching as he struggled to open his eyes. "Take these," she ordered firmly.
Bodie swallowed the pills, grimacing at the bitter aftertaste. "Let's get you lying down," Lisa said, the grip on his arm firming as she prepared to help him out of the hard plastic chair.
"No-no," Bodie muttered, "don't want to go back to bed."
Lisa eyed him thoughtfully, "All right. I'll settle you down in the easy chair with a blanket, as long as you promise to keep still."
Bodie sighed, "All right, Mother."
She tucked the blanket around him, being careful not to touch his injured shoulder. He managed a tired smile at her and laying back, closed his eyes. She stuck a plaster over his left hand and he heard her ask, "Will you be all right?"
"I think so," he forced open heavy-lidded eyes to stare at her. "Thanks."
"My pleasure, Mr Bodie," Lisa smiled, "try to rest."
Vasilisa checked the second man, his breathing was even and regular. Gently she raised an eyelid, "Pupils reactive and responsive to light," she muttered to herself, "breathing even and regular. It's just a waiting game now."
Pyotr was pacing the kitchen when she walked through. "Captain Ananyeva, we must get rid of these men. If the gangsters come back-"
Lisa regarded him quietly, "Is there something you aren't telling me, Doctor?"
Pyotr glared at her, "No! Not in the way you think! But those bullet wounds were serious – the men after them meant to kill them."
"Da, ya znayu," Yes, I know. Vasilisa regarded him thoughtfully, "What are your intentions Doctor?"
Pyotr turned to her, agony etched on his face, "I don't need this! I'm just here for a conference! You're supposed to be my bodyguard!"
Lisa sighed, "I am here to make sure you reach your conference safely, in the interests of Anglo-Russian Relations. Will you support me? Will you do what I tell you?"
"What we both tell you." A dark voice behind her, made her turn and look up into the white, furious face of William Bodie.
"You should be asleep!" Lisa stared up at him, her eyes wide.
"Can't sleep yet," Bodie replied, "too worried about Ray – my partner." Their eyes met and she gave him the briefest of nods before turning back to Dr Ivanov. Bodie gave her shoulder a firm squeeze before returning to the bedroom.
"If-if they come he-here-" Pyotr stuttered.
"We'll deal with that if it happens," Lisa responded shortly.
Bodie was sitting in the hard plastic chair, one hand resting on his friend's arm. He looked up as Vasilisa entered the room. "He's unstable."
"He's afraid." She replied, "and fear makes people do stupid things."
"He's unstable," Bodie replied.
Lisa regarded him sympathetically, "and what about you?"
"I'm fine," he replied shortly.
"Oh sure!" She responded giving him a scathing look.
He glanced up at her and she caught the edge of a grin on his lips, "So speaketh the doctor?"
"So speaketh a young woman with some rudimentary knowledge of medicine," she retorted. "You should be resting."
"I won't be able to while my partner's incapacitated," he replied. "And you may need my help."
Lisa nodded, "You really think they'll come here?"
"I don't know," he replied, "but if you were after two men who'd witnessed the murder of one of their colleagues and you'd seen this house-"
"Point taken," she replied, "so what now?"
"Now we dig in," Bodie replied, "you armed Captain Ananyeva?"
"A Makarov 9 mm," she replied, "but I only have 2 clips."
"I'm down to my last clip," Bodie replied.
"Great," Lisa muttered, "Eto pizdets."
One of Bodie's eyebrows went up, and she shrugged, "This is fucked up," she translated.
"Now that I would agree with," he muttered.
"What do you want me to do next?" She asked quietly.
"I'd like to move my partner somewhere out of the line of fire," Bodie explained.
"The cellar," Lisa replied, "we'll wrap Mr Doyle in a sleeping bag; I'll check that his dressings are holding and put another i.v. in. Then we dig in and hope."
"Hah," Bodie grunted, and returned to his partner's side. Lisa swore violently in her own language and went to ferret out a sleeping bag. As she entered the bedroom she could see Bodie bent over his friend, he was talking softly and for a moment she was transfixed, Bodie's face had softened and there was a look of such tenderness in his eyes that Lisa was rendered speechless.
"Any sign of life?" she asked, putting the sleeping bag down.
"He opened his eyes," Bodie replied. "But he's not conscious yet."
"He lost a lot of blood," Vasilisa explained, "if it helps, I think he knows you, he just hasn't got the energy to respond yet. He fought his way to consciousness before to tell me that you were still in danger."
Bodie sighed and giving Doyle's arm a final pat, stood up. Lisa caught him as he swayed and would have fallen over. "Sit down," she ordered, "you aren't going anywhere."
She settled him back in the armchair and glared at him, "Keep still. That's an order."
His eyes half-opened and a half-smile touched his lips, "You know it's possible that I outrank you."
"Yes," Vasilisa replied. "Very possible." She laid her hand on Bodie's arm, and then quietly slipped from the room. Pyotr was sitting at the kitchen table, he raised his head and glared at her as she entered the room. "What are you playing at?" He demanded, "don't you know the danger you're putting us in?"
"I wouldn't be much of a person if I'd left them," she replied "and neither would you. You're a doctor Pyotr – and I know you're afraid. But we couldn't leave them to the mercy of those men. You know that as well as I do."
"But what if they come here?" Pyotr's face was a mask of agony.
"Then we'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Lisa regarded him quietly. She left him sitting at the kitchen table his hands wrapped round a mug of coffee. Cursing softly under her breath, she considered that maybe Bodie was right Pyotr was a liability whether she liked it or not. She had tried to convince him that he did the right thing but fear was making him dangerous.
The rain was still sleeting down outside, pulling on her coat she slipped out into the cold air, wiping her gloved hand across her face she looked out into the midnight darkness. A two foot drainage ditch stood about thirty yards from her front door, its primary purpose was to drain the excess water off the dirt track that passed as a road. Although she couldn't see it as sudden thought occurred to her, and biting her lower lip she slipped out into the night.
Her first stop was the rickety old shed that stood adjacent to the house she and Pyotr were renting, for some reason there were bags of what she could only class as 'rubble' in the corner of the shed. Great concrete breeze blocks from some defunct building project. She briefly wondered what they were doing in this particular location when the house seemed to be composed entirely of red English brick. However the very fact that they were here made a sudden thought occur to her. She'd spotted the handles of a wheelbarrow under a dusty tan tarpaulin; flinging it back she pulled out the rickety conveyance and hefted the two bags of concrete bricks into it wiping her hands on her trousers, she pushed the wheelbarrow out of the door into the freezing rain.
Bodie seemed to be asleep when she returned to the house. She fetched herself a cup of tea and stood watching the two men, water pooling around her feet and wisps of steam rising from the mug. "Penny for them?" a dark voice asked sardonically, and she looked up into Bodie's dark eyes.
"Just hoping that my plan will work," she replied, taking a sip of the beverage. "I've read the manuals and seen it done; but I have no experience of it myself."
Bodie frowned at her puzzled, "What are you talking about?"
"There's a two metre ditch outside the house – runs for about a mile and a half – I've packed the bottom with explosives and filled the remainder with breeze blocks and old bricks – I've run electrical cord to the house and primed a blasting cap and now I need a -" she paused and Bodie's face cleared, "you've set up a fougasse!"
"That was the general idea," she replied, "whether it works or not – is another story."
Bodie frowned and then said, "you need something like car battery for the electrical charge – yes?"
Lisa nodded, "That's what I was thinking of – but it isn't my area of expertise."
"I can help you wire the car battery up, if you can take instruction," Bodie replied.
Lisa regarded him quietly over the edge of her mug, a wry grin curling her lips, "I've never been that good about taking instruction, Mr Bodie, but I'm willing to learn, if you're willing to teach."
The beginnings of a smile touched Bodie's lips, "I can do that." He grinned wolfishly, "Where's the battery?"
"Out in the car," Lisa replied, "I'll go fetch it." As she stepped outside she saw the silver grey Volvo draw up and a sudden sick feeling began in her stomach. She turned to see Bodie standing behind her, a grim look on his face.
"They've found us haven't they?"
She nodded quickly, and then said, "I'll get the battery. Stay here – try and control Pyotr if you can."
"What about my partner?" Bodie asked, Lisa saw the tightness around his lips and swallowed hard.
"Let's get him on the floor beside the bed." Lisa said, "hopefully that should provide some protection. I might be able to bluff my way out of this – but don't count on it."
"What you going to do?" Bodie asked.
"Lie through my teeth," Lisa responded. "Go stay with your friend."
She watched as Bodie slipped through to the bedroom, and then wiping her damp hands on her trousers walked to the door. As she opened it she saw the three men and the sick feeling in her stomach intensified, "Da? Kto ty?"
A puzzled frown crossed the face of the three men facing her, and Vasilisa swallowed hard, "Sorry. My English not good. Who are you?"
One of the men stepped forward and Lisa saw his hand drop to his side, "We are searching," he said slowly "for two men – they are very dangerous. Have you seen them?"
"Me seen no one," Lisa responded, hoping that her dumb blonde act would fool them. "No one here."
One of the other men touched the first man on the arm, "Rafe, there's no one here. This bint's too dumb to hide anyone." The one called Rafe pulled his arm away with a snort of disgust, and then to Lisa's relief they were gone. She closed the door and then turning round leant against it closing her eyes in relief.
"You all right?" Bodie had emerged from the bedroom.
Lisa opened her eyes and managed a lopsided grin, "Yeah, I'll be okay. Think they'll be back?"
"I would." Bodie replied grimly, "nowhere else to go. And they know my partner's injured."
"Damn!" Lisa swore and Bodie raised a dark eyebrow. She shook her head and then said, "Right, I'll fetch the car battery – can you wire it up?"
Bodie nodded quickly, "Yeah – what are you gonna do?"
"I've got to get back out there," Lisa replied, "connect the electrical cord to the blasting cap. I'll wait while you connect the wire to the battery, all right?"
Bodie screwed the last terminal into place and then looked up at Lisa, "Now what?"
"I go out there, attach the wire to the blasting cap, and then run like hell." She gave him a wry grin, and then her expression became serious. "As soon as I go out the door count to ten – and then detonate. Promise?"
"He'll – he'll kill us all!" The voice was a wail of misery and both of them turned to see Pyotr standing in the doorway, a look of anguish on his face. Lisa stood up and approached the man warily, her nose wrinkled in disgust, "What are you drinking Pyotr?"
She was aware of Bodie at her shoulder and heard the man's dark voice say, "Smells like whisky."
"Oh great," she closed her eyes in exasperation.
"I'll deal with this," Bodie said quietly, his voice warm behind her. "Go."
As she turned she felt Bodie's arm snake around her waist, and then he was pulling her towards him in a hard, fierce kiss. He released her just as quickly, and then he was manhandling Pyotr into the dining room. Lisa glanced at the space they'd left, and then opened the front door and slipped out into the darkness. As she stepped away from the door she began counting, "One… Two… Three…" She had reached five by the time she got to her makeshift explosive device; quickly she set the blasting caps and wound the exposed wire around the connectors. "Seven… Eight… Nine…" Realising that she was almost out of time, she rose to her feet and began to run towards the house. The explosion when it came, knocked her forwards throwing her face first onto the path. Her last conscious thought was to wrap her arms around her head to try and protect her face.
Someone was shaking her shoulder, hard, forcing open heavy eyelids she stared up into the pale face of William Bodie. "Damn," she muttered. "I mistimed that one."
For an answer he helped her to her feet and as she turned she saw the results of the explosion, "Iesus Khristos!" She murmured. Rubble was everywhere, and huge flames lit up the night, for a moment she thought she could see three bodies lying amongst the debris and then Bodie's arm was around her waist and he was helping her back into the house.
"Did it work?" She asked looking up at him as he dressed the wound on her temple.
"I've never seen anything like it," Bodie replied, "the whole road went up in a sheet of flame. If anyone was caught in that-"
Lisa managed a wan smile up at him, "It was them or us, Mr Bodie."
He didn't respond, merely bent down and kissed her again. This time it was gentle and tender and she felt Bodie's hand gently cup her cheek. He straightened up again regarding her quietly, and Lisa had the strangest impression that he was embarrassed. "You were amazing." He said.
"Nah. Not really." She grinned back up at him, all flashing eyes and teeth. "Major Cowley would have eviscerated me if I'd let anything happen to you." Bodie didn't respond merely flopping down on the settee next to her.
"Now what?" He asked.
"Well, I think the immediate danger has passed." She responded, "so I suppose it's a cup of tea and bed. We can work something out in the morning – because I don't think we'll be hearing anything until then."
At that moment there was a hammering on the door and a very familiar voice shouted, "Captain Ananyeva, are you in there!"
Both Bodie and Lisa looked at one another and Lisa gave the dark-haired man a wry grin, "Guess I'd better go and face the music," sighing she rose to her feet and went to open the door. Cowley burst in on them with such alacrity, that Lisa was sure he had been concerned about them. When he saw they were safe his taut expression relaxed, "Well I can see you have the matter well in hand, Captain."
"I couldn't have done it without Mr Bodie, Sir," she replied. "Glad you could make it – although you missed all the excitement."
Another man entered behind Cowley a slightly awed expression on his face, "What the bloody hell happened here? It looks like you set off a couple of Claymore mines out there!"
"Home-made Fougasse," Bodie clarified, his eyes flicking sideways to the young woman. "Stopped our pursuers in their tracks."
"Yeah, I'll say," the man replied, "there's at least three bodies out there – that we could identify coming in. Christ almighty – what branch of the military were you in Luv? Demolitions?"
"Captain Ananyeva is a decorated member of Russia's Special Forces Unit – and I expect her to be treated with the respect she deserves. Do you understand Murphy?" Cowley's voice dripped acid as he reprimanded his operative.
The man blanched and nodded, "Yes – yes Sir," Murphy stuttered. Vasilisa watched with mild amusement as others bustled in, two of them going straight through to the bedroom to kneel next to Doyle's's unconscious body; the other three gently easing her and Bodie back down onto the sofa and carefully examining their injuries. As Doyle was wheeled from the bedroom, Bodie lurched to his feet, "I'm going to the hospital with him," he said firmly.
"You're all going to the hospital," Cowley informed them, "I have every faith in your medical abilities Lisa, but you wouldn't begrudge me a second opinion would you?"
"No sir, I wouldn't." Lisa replied, "Good to see you sir."
Cowley didn't respond, merely gave her a quick nod and then said, "Right, let's get going, people. I don't want to be hanging round here all night."
Lisa gave Cowley a quick nod and allowed him to escort her out to the waiting ambulance. Bodie noticed that Cowley's hand rested in the small of the young woman's back, making him wonder about the relationship between Vasilisa and his superior. Doyle was already settled on the gurney across from her, and then Bodie was clambering into the ambulance to sit next to her. He looked across at the young woman, "What a night," he murmured.
"You can say that again," Lisa replied. Sighing she leaned her head back against the ambulance seat and closed her eyes, "it has been – exhausting."
Bodie laughed softly, "Mr Cowley said you were Russian Special Forces; thought you'd be used to this."
Lisa opened her eyes and turned her head to look at him, "I am. I was. But I changed to the regular army for a reason, the reason being that I didn't want to do it anymore."
"It doesn't detract from the fact that you were Special Forces," Bodie replied. "And I cannot think of anyone I would rather have had with me tonight."
Suddenly the noise of someone shouting and cursing emerged from the open door of the house, "Oh bugger," Bodie muttered, "I forgot about Pyotr." The man wrested himself from the arms of the paramedics escorting him and staggered towards the ambulance, he was screaming something in Russian and Bodie saw Lisa wince.
"What's he saying?" He asked.
"You don't wanna know," Lisa replied. "It isn't complimentary. What did you do?"
"Knocked him cold and stuffed him in a closet," Bodie admitted.
Lisa leaned forward to regard Pyotr's haggard form, "I think I'm going to be on the next Aeroflot Flight back to Moscow – I don't think I'm going to be able to stay in this country for very much longer."
"I wouldn't worry too much about that," George Cowley was standing in the ambulance doorway, "I have friends –"
"In low places?" Lisa raised an eyebrow.
Bodie laughed softly and then cupping Lisa's neck pulled her towards him for another hard, fierce kiss, he released her and then grinned, "Christ, woman, you unman me."
"Will you two shut up?" A tired voice murmured from the other side of the vehicle, "what does a man have to do to get any sleep around here?"
Almost in the blink of an eye Bodie had moved across to the stretcher on which his partner lay and had taken his hand, "Ray! How you feeling?"
"Sore. Tired. I hurt everywhere." Green eyes opened a fraction to stare up into Bodie's blue ones. "You found me then, Sunshine?"
"Yeah. We found you." Bodie flicked a quick look across at Lisa, "get some sleep, all right?" But Doyle's eyes had already closed, Bodie gave his friend's hand a final squeeze and then tucked it back under the blanket. He moved back to sit next to Vasilisa and took her hand giving it a warm, reassuring squeeze as the ambulance engine started up and they moved off into the night.