CHAPTER SEVEN

I wanted to explore the asset – Ekaterina – a bit more because she is my attempt at symbolising Sasha's mother.

Entering the dingy housing block again, Sasha shook away his tiredness. The day was the same cold and grey type as yesterday. He adjusted the earpiece in his right ear.

"Alpha Two will be following behind you Alpha One. Call if you need back up." Leo's soft voice sounded through the tiny speaker.

"Affirmative. I'm going in." He replied. Picking the lock again, Sasha silently slipped through the dirty cream door of apartment 412. Drawing his gun from its shoulder holster he moved towards the kitchen where he could hear someone cooking.

Peering through the archway from the hall he could see the back of the girl's red hair. She was dicing potatoes with a large chopping knife. Sasha raised his gun and directed it at her neck.

"Put down the knife." He commanded. The girl froze. As commanded she placed the knife on the bench and turned to face Sasha.

"You're FSB." She replied. Her face was pale, her lips soft red. She looked relaxed, almost confident with her hand resting on her hip in spite of the gun aimed at her face.

"So you know our policy with British spies then, Ekaterina." He remained still.

A slight smile played across her lips. She stepped forward,

"Call me Kat."

Sasha frowned. He raised his gun higher.

"You know there's only one reason you're ali-"

"Because you want information from me" She cut him off. Again she drew closer.

"Well, you can have it." She continued. Sasha lowered his gun slightly, confused.

"I want to come in. To work for you guys." The girl concluded.

Her deep brown eyes were dark, almost black, but soft. Like my mother's. He shook his head. Forcing his mind to the present.

"I want in." She restated. Sasha was unconvinced. She was overconfident. Usually when confronted by the FSB most people cowered and pleaded leniency.

"I don't believe you." He said.

The girl nodded. She reached into her pocket. Sasha raised his gun again but she pulled out a small black pager.

"This my distress phone. I am to call my handler if I am threatened." She placed the phone on the ground and kicked it towards Sasha.

"I also didn't mention to them that you stole my files from behind that picture." Ekaterina added.

Her eye stared directly back at him, her thin lips formed in a slight curve. Sasha searched her face looking for a trace of falsehood, there was none there, but her hands had begun to quiver. She was masking her terror. That was good. Fear produced answers.

"Who is behind the assassination on Ilya Gavrik." He demanded. Ekaterina did not pause to reply,

"MI5."

Sasha nodded, unsurprised.

"Why?" He asked. She gazed at him and said matter-of-factly.

"They want to back out of the intelligence partnership with Russia. They need to break down relations by raising suspicion against themselves. Killing the person who worked the hardest to ensure the deal would do that aptly."

"Who is the assassin?" Sasha asked. Ekaterina made a coy smile again. She looked at her feet hoping to delay her answer.

"Me."

Well for once I wanted to make MI5 the bad guys (at least from the Russian perspective).