Chapter 7
Briggs stayed next to Kestrel all day long, talking quietly to Elena and sometimes addressing his best friend, telling him everything would be all right and urging him to heal fast and wake up soon. But his teammate didn't react, his breathing controlled by machines, and Briggs felt rage and dismay rising in him. It wasn't fair, he dimly thought. After all Kestrel had already been through during the forty years of his life, now he would've earned a happy and quiet life with his new family. But now his life was hanging by a thread.
Around 5 pm Elena got up and said:
_ I must fetch Aliosha. I will see him later.
_ Do you want me to stay with him? Briggs asked her gently.
_ No need, Elena said with a weak smile. He need rest, and coma is deep. He cannot hear yet.
_ You sure about that?
Elena pursed her lips but didn't answer, and Briggs saw she was completely upset. She had no certainties. So he rose too and told her kindly:
_ Elena, we don't know you since long, but be assured we won't let you on your own. You're Mishka's fiancée, and our family, just like him. You won't be alone. And Sam promised Mishka to take care of you. He'll keep his word.
_ Mishka... asked Sam?
Elena's eyes filled with tears, and Briggs only nodded, wanting to shove off her worry and disarray, but she had to know. So he explained:
_ Just after Fedorova shot him, he told Sam: "Daddy... Elena... My children...". So Sam promised him he would take care of you and your children. And so will I. Mishka is my best friend and like a brother to me. He saved my life so many times, we've shared so much that I can't let him and his family down.
Elena dissolved into tears, and Briggs embraced her. It was so hard, he thought as she sobbed on his shoulder. But he had to be strong. He knew Sam wasn't accepting the situation and was already depressed, so he had to step up and be the leading man. He would do all he could to help his family and support them until Kestrel woke up, or died.
As this thought crossed his mind he felt a shiver down his spine but quickly warded off the bad thought. Kestrel wouldn't die, of that he was sure. His best friend would make it. There could be no other alternative.
After a long minute Elena pulled away and took deep breaths to regain composure, then she said:
_ Thank you for everything, Briggs. Will you come tomorrow?
_ Yes, he acknowledged. I'll come. I don't know when yet, but I'll come.
_ Okay. Say hello to Molly and Rachel.
_ Will do. Molly says hello, too. And give Aliosha an extra hug.
_ He will miss his daddy so much!
This time, Briggs couldn't force down his own emotion. Kestrel had wished to adopt Aliosha as his own son, and he and Elena would have a baby together in a few months, and the ops had been so happy at this perspective! But now, everything was in jeopardy. However he soon wiped his cheeks and told Elena reassuringly:
_ Don't worry, Elena. Aliosha will have his daddy back very soon. He needs time to heal, and then he'll wake up.
_ Briggs?
She was staring at him with a devastated but firm gaze, and he only waited. The question she was going to ask would probably be painful. And predictably:
_ Has he left last wishes? Do you know what he want in case like that?
He took a deep breath, forcing down the rising emotion and fear, and said:
_ Yes, I know. Five years ago, he wrote his last will, or rather Sam wrote it for him as he dictated it. It was necessary before he had some bone marrow taken to cure James from leukaemia.
He saw Elena crying again as she murmured:
_ He is so much good man. He saved so much people!
I couldn't agree more, he thought inwardly. But he went on:
_ He told us on that occasion that if he fell into a deep coma, he wanted his life support to be switched off. And he asked Sam and me to carry out his last wills. We are his trusted persons.
She nodded and said:
_ I do not think he write something else about that. You and Sam will decide. You know him longer.
_ But we won't decide without you, Elena, Briggs told her seriously. You won't be left aside.
_ I will do what he want, she said, shooting a sad look at Kestrel and her voice breaking. Maybe he die, but if that is what he want, then we do that.
_ We'll see about that later, he said, masking his dismay. First he needs to heal.
_ Yes.
Briggs walked next to his best friend and lightly touched his arm, saying:
_ Rest, mate. Take some time for you. And fight. You need all your strength and force of will for that. But you'll soon be okay and with us. See you tomorrow, Mishka.
Then he exited the room, giving some privacy to Elena with her fiancé, and waited patiently for her. When she went out, wiping her eyes, he said:
_ Mishka's car is at my place. Would you like me to drive you so you can pick it up?
_ Yes, please, she nodded. I have keys, the nurses give it to me.
_ Good.
They set off, Briggs lost in his swirling thoughts, and in no time he was parking in front of his house. Sam's car was there too, so he would have to phone his boss about it. Elena thanked him but politely declined his offer for a drink and she sped away, obviously wanting to be with her son and go back next to Kestrel as soon as possible.
With a sigh he entered his house, remembering that the two CIA agents had asked him to call them when he would have time to discuss about the events in the morning, and decided to do it right away. Rachel soon ran into his arms, shouting delightedly:
_ Daddy! You're home!
_ Yes, darling, he said, moved. Daddy's home.
He hugged her tightly and she soon squirmed, saying:
_ Daddy! You squeeze me!
_ Sorry, darling, he said, letting her go. Daddy needed a hug.
_ Mommy told me uncle Mishka is ill, Rachel said seriously. Will he be okay soon?
_ I hope so, darling, he said, forcing down his anguish as Molly entered the hall, looking distraught. But don't worry, uncle Mishka is strong, he'll be okay very soon.
_ Good! the little girl rejoiced before running away, resuming her playing.
Briggs straightened and Molly threw herself in his arms, sobbing. He kissed her hair and hugged her tightly, sharing her worry, as she murmured:
_ It's so unfair! He won't die, will he, Isaac? Tell me he won't die!
_ I can't tell you for sure, my love, he said, his voice cracking at long last. But I don't want him to die!
He sobbed, letting out his emotions at last after containing them for a whole day, and they both wept in the hall, embracing each other as to give one another some badly needed comfort. But soon he regained composure and took deep breaths. He said gently, kissing her:
_ I love you, Molly dear.
_ I love you so much, Isaac! she said, still crying. Are you hungry?
_ Starving, he admitted, not having eaten anything since in the early morning. But I have two phone calls to make.
_ Sam? she guessed, wiping her cheeks and exhaling deeply, a hand on her swollen womb.
_ Yes, he nodded, caressing her belly and feeling a kick from his baby, making him chuckle weakly. And the CIA agents of this morning.
_ Why you, Isaac?
_ Because Sam can't do it, my love, he explained patiently. I doubt he even remembers about them. He is feeling so bad, I'm worried about him.
_ But he's with Anna, she said reassuringly. He'll be all right.
He nodded, not convinced altogether, but she pulled away and told him:
_ I'll warm the dinner, then. Go make your phone calls now.
_ Okay.
He kissed her once more then went to his office. He sat down and called the CIA guy first. The line was picked up almost immediately:
_ Agent Yamato.
_ Isaac Briggs here.
_ Ah, yes, Mr Briggs. I was waiting for your call. So, I have a few questions for you. But first, how is your friend, Mr Loskov?
_ Between life and death, he managed with a constricted voice. It's wait and see for now.
_ I'm sorry to hear it, the agent sympathised. I hope he'll get well soon.
_ Me too.
_ Now, I'd like to know exactly what you were doing at the airport this morning, if I may?
The agent's voice was back with a serious tone, even slightly angry, and Briggs decided to lay cards on the table.
_ A friend of ours told us about Fedorova being set free this morning. We are the former Fourth Echelon team.
_ That I've learned, Yamato said, a little softened. And I've also learned this Fedorova caused you much trouble before you arrested her five years ago.
_ That's a mild way to say it, Briggs said, resentment towards the awful Voron agent growing in spite of her death.
_ But why were you there?
_ We wanted to see her leaving our country, and be sure she wouldn't escape.
_ So, to get things straight, you didn't trust the CIA.
_ Not really, he admitted calmly. We've had problems five years ago with your agency, agent Yamato. Supervisory agent Zeller in Langley could tell you, if you know him.
_ Yeah, I know him. And to tell you the truth, I wouldn't trust him either.
Briggs felt a smile on his lips. Some things never changed, he thought dimly. But the CIA agent went on:
_ But that doesn't explain how you learned about it. That transferring was top secret, nobody was supposed to know.
_ If you're expecting some info from me about how we learned about it, and who told us, then I'm afraid you won't be satisfied, agent Yamato. Fourth Echelon was a powerful intel gathering agency, among other things, so let's just say we know a lot of people.
_ You don't understand, Mr Briggs. Only ten people knew about it, and it was such a classified operation that if you, whose agency has been dissolved, learned about it nevertheless, then it means that we have a deep and very dangerous security breach within the CIA. You were a CIA agent yourself, you can understand that. We have a mole within our ranks, and maybe passing much more sensible intel than this Fedorova release to who knows who.
Briggs felt uneasy. He knew the CIA agent had a point. But he also knew he couldn't betray Kestrel by giving his Russian friend Kossiak to the CIA. It had helped them a lot to be in contact with Voron, even if sometimes it was difficult to maintain the link. But what now? Briggs asked himself. Are we really out of the game? Do I tell the CIA everything and wash my hands clean?
He took a deep breath and said, making up his mind:
_ I assume you'll tell me that if I don't tell you you're going to arrest me for betraying my country?
_ No, Mr Briggs. I know I don't have to. But it would be better for you, and the rest of your team, if you could tell us indeed, so we wouldn't have to take drastic measures. But I know you and your team are very loyal people.
_ I see, he exhaled slowly. Then I can tell you the truth: I don't know.
_ What?
Briggs smiled hearing the incredulous voice in the phone. He explained:
_ We learned about it from a foreign source. So I won't be able to help you with your mole, agent Yamato.
_ Which foreign source?
_ All I can tell you is that it's an old friend of Mishka's.
_ Russia, Yamato guessed in fury. We've suspected somebody passing intel to Russia since a long time ago now.
_ Agent Yamato, Briggs said calmly, I want to make myself very clear. Mishka has already been suspected of being a spy for Russia five years ago, and cleared. By us. With full apologies from the CIA and the President of the United States Caldwell herself. And I can assure you that nothing has changed. Mishka's old ties with Russia don't mean anything else than what they are: old friendships, but nothing more. We don't have anything to do with your problem. The case of Fedorova was a special one because of what she did to us, and to Mishka in particular. I guess you've read all about it.
_ Yes, I did, Yamato said on a softened voice. And I know that Mr Loskov has conflicted relations with his former country. We have his old file, and Fourth Echelon's one. We know he's been betrayed painfully, and tortured by Voron for years. I'm absolutely certain, like the rest of the team who's investigating, that he's not a spy for Russia. Zeller was an idiot, suspecting him. Mr Loskov has proved many times since that he's a loyal American citizen who has protected his new country's interests well. Don't you worry about it, Mr Briggs.
_ Good, Briggs exhaled in relief, sensing that he could trust Yamato's word.
_ And I understand that some ties with Russia can't be severed like that, the CIA agent added, and it wouldn't be wise either. I don't ask you to tell me the name of Mr Loskov's friend, Mr Briggs, even if you knew it. And I can't ask Mr Loskov, and I won't either. But we must find the mole and arrest him or her.
_ I agree with that, he acknowledged. But I'm afraid that's all I know. And Mishka wouldn't know either, of that I'm sure. His friend didn't tell him how he learned about it. As we are from different countries, that's quite understandable, and wise.
_ Yes, it is. Well, knowing that we have to focus on Russia is a start. But where in Russia, Mr Briggs?
_ I don't know, Briggs said with a meaningful voice, but I can make a wild guess.
_ Yes? Yamato asked, catching up at once. And what would be your guess?
_ I'd say somewhere around Moscow, if I had to bet.
_ Well, thanks for guessing, Mr Briggs. Now, I have a lot of work.
_ Bye, agent Yamato.
He hung up, exhaling deeply and wondering if he had done the right thing. Maybe Kestrel would resent him having hinted to the CIA that his source was an old friend in Moscow. But he knew that he hadn't had any choice. It was either that or being arrested for treason, and Briggs certainly didn't want to be arrested after nearly twenty years serving faithfully his country. And Yamato had understood, and even hinted that keeping a link with Russia, and with Kossiak for instance, could be useful.
He sighed deeply, rubbing his face, then dialed Sam's number. The ringings echoed, but the line wasn't picked up. He called twice more, then dialed Grim's number. And she answered quickly:
_ Briggs? Was it you trying to phone Sam?
_ Yes, Grim. Isn't he there?
_ Yes, he's here, she said with a worried voice, but he's lockep up in his office again and don't want to talk to anybody, not even me. I heard the ringings through the door.
_ Give him time, he told her reassuringly. He must accept the situation, and it's very difficult for him. Mishka's between life and death because he saved him, and for Sam it's just the last straw.
_ I'm worried, Briggs, she confessed seriously. I've never seen him so depressed. He took a bottle of bourbon with him. And where is his Five-seveN?
_ In your kitchen. I put it in the top drawer of the cupboard under the oven.
_ Good, she exhaled, obviously relieved. One less thing I have to worry about.
_ I wanted to ask you when you would pick up Sam's car?
_ I'll ask him.
He heard shuffling in the phone and soon Grim's voice rose again:
_ Sam, honey? It's Briggs on the phone. He asks when we'll go fetch your car?
_ Tell him I'll go tomorrow, he heard Sam's rumble. Now I just want to be alone, my love, please.
_ Okay.
More shuffling, Briggs guessed Grim was walking back to the kitchen. And she said at last:
_ The pistol is here. Have you heard him?
_ Yes. It's okay for me, Grim. Your car doesn't bother us.
_ I'm sorry. He's not in his normal state, but he didn't sound drunk.
_ No, Briggs acknowledged. Keep an eye on him. I hope he'll be better after a good night's sleep.
_ Me too, she sighed. Well, thanks, Briggs...
_ Wait, Grim, he cut her softly. I have bothersome news.
_ Tell me, she said, steeling her voice.
_ The CIA agent I called a few minutes ago about this morning told me we've learned about Fedorova thanks to a mole within the CIA. He's going to investigate.
_ I see, she said in concern. Have you told him about Mishka's friend?
_ No. And he hinted to me that if we could keep that link it would be useful. But the matter is still sensitive.
_ That's certain, she said thoughtfully. I'll try and talk to Sam about that. Some good questions are rising now.
_ Do we keep the link with Russia if Mishka dies?
_ That, and other things. But we'll talk about all that tomorrow.
_ Okay, Grim, he sighed. Have a nice evening, then.
_ You too, Briggs. I'll call you tomorrow morning about the car. Bye.
The line went dead and he hung up, more worried than ever. The situation looked bad enough, and the worst of it was that he couldn't control anything. But at least, Briggs, he told himself firmly, you can keep control over yourself, which is quite a good thing at least.
Then, sighing deeply, he went to the kitchen and kissed Molly, hugging her tightly and caressing her belly. He needed to be with his family for a quiet evening.
