CHAPTER 10: The Russians

Mark awoke in the middle of the night feeling refreshed he stretched his body letting his muscles uncoil from the lack of use. He looked around seeing that it was dark outside the alarm clock told him it was 2 in the morning he had been asleep for over ten hours no wonder he felt so much better. Walking out of the room he remained quiet as he walked through the house, there was no sign of life in the hotel. He found the kitchen in the dark and turned the light on. Hunger making his stomach ache he found a plastic Tupperware container in the fridge labeled with his name on it. Chili inside, he laughed to himself Jack wasn't joking when he said that was about all he knew how to cook. Heating the food up he quickly ate it even as the warm chili burned the back of his throat going down. Where was Bobbie if she wasn't asleep in her bed?

Mark wondered into the living room finding her sleeping on the couch. He frowned instantly feeling bad for having slept in her bed for so long. He should have woken up earlier so she had it for the night. Walking up to her he gently shook her awake.

She smiled as she opened her eyes and focused on him. "Hello sleepy."

"Thank you for loaning me your bed. Why don't you go up and sleep up there."

"No problem Jack." It had been a simple slip of the tongue but she notice him flinch, not him but his eyes seemed to flinch in a way she couldn't explain. "Thanks. I'll go up and sleep than. I have a meeting with the boat owner tomorrow morning. I'd like it if you would come along he likes to think he's in control of choosing who works on his ship, but he always goes along with my recommendation." it was a slip of the tongue he reminded her so much of Jack.

She didn't know who he was, it had to be a slip of the tongue that's all. "Sure no problem as long as your recommendation is going to be a good one." Mark smiled at her watching her get off the couch.

"Sleep tight." Mark said watching her walk up the steps trying to calm his own nagging voices in his head that told him to run. He didn't want to run right now. He felt comfortable here, welcomed. Something he missed, it was nice to be in an environment with people he felt like he could trust and enjoyed their company. They were all decent people, but a person like him didn't deserve this maybe he should leave now before anyone got hurt, and someone he cared about would because it always happened when he finally got back to feeling at ease in his life something had to happen.

Fresh air, he needed to go take a walk and get fresh air calm himself down, and than make his decisions. Finding his shoes he put them on and walked out of the house not looking back. The first thing he noticed was the cold air biting at his skin. He hadn't expected it to be cold outside, but he hadn't thought either. He shut that part of his mind down and just walked aimlessly through the town. It was dead outside, as it should be at 2 a.m. in the morning everyone was asleep. The only people besides insomniacs that were awake at the time were the type of scum that society didn't want around, and the town seemed to be lacking those people. Besides the two Russians, that was a reason he should leave too. The Russians weren't good news, even if they weren't here for him, there was something about them.

Pushing it all out of his mind he was just being paranoid something that came with being the living dead without being a zombie. Maybe he would have been better off as a zombie he began to wonder as he walked down the dark road towards the marina without thinking. He could have gotten his revenge on the Chinese for being such bastards by eating their brains and no one would have thought twice about it because that's what zombies do. Even ex federal agent zombies. (a/n: sorry had too)

Focusing back on something serous he heard the sound of people talking ahead. The Russian accents told him it was his friends the Russians, but the other voice was too soft. Before he could react they heard him when his foot hit a soda can on the ground kicking it across the cement. He was getting rusty they had their attention on him quickly. The person he had yet to identify took off into the shadows the two Russians came towards him.

"What are you doing here?" One of them asked getting closer to him.

"I was just walking." Mark answered trying to back away slowly but one of them pulled a gun and aimed it at his chest. He raised his hands up showing them he wasn't going to give them a problem. "I didn't hear anything."

One of them walk over to him, staying out of the aim of his buddy who had the gun drawn on Mark. "You American's always so nosy putting your nose into other countries, other peoples business." The man sent a hard right hook into Marks head a ring caught on Marks skin ripping it drawling blood that quickly trickled down from his scalp.

Another punch came hitting Marks groin sending him to the ground gagging. He lay there unwilling to fight the man and give his friend a reason to shoot him. His body would be a hard one to explain to the world. A kick knocked him onto his back he lay there looking up at the night sky knowing now they weren't after him at least. Who was that other person talking to them though?

The man stomped on Marks stomach knocking the wind out of him and causing him to gag, almost vomiting the chili he had just eaten. A few more kicks and the man was finished sure that the American had learned his lesson. "I wouldn't tell anyone about this we do know where you are staying." The Russian with the gun said walking to where Mark lay on the ground clearly in agony.

A small smile covered the Russian with the guns face as he smashed the butt of the gun down into Marks head smashing his head against the ground with the force. Both blows more than enough to make the darkness overcome him.

"Should we throw him in the water?" The man who hid in the shadows asked worried about the new guy identifying him.

"No he won't talk and he didn't see anything or hear anything. We got him early enough. We are leaving town though. Call me when you are ready."

"ok." The man said from the darkness wondering if he should throw the body in the water after the Russians left, they would be leaving town now, and would never know. Just an idiot new person who got too drunk and fell into the water, except the beating he took wouldn't happen from the waves. He'd just have to hope the Russians were right that the new guy hadn't seen or heard anything, and if he did there was always later.

Tony spoke informed Michelle about his conversation with Heller as they prepared supper together. It was more Tony cooking and Michelle watching, as it always had been the way they liked it.

"Do you think Heller knows Jack is alive?"

"No. He would have said something. I think he wouldn't like the fact we went behind his back on this one."

"We weren't working for him than, technically we were, but you know what I mean." Michelle said pondering what the Chinese were working on. How did they all of the sudden start to argue that Jack wasn't dead. Did they find out from someone? No they couldn't have it was Chloe, Tony, and herself and none of them would give Jack up. But what if they had already got Jack and were trying to hide it.

As if he was reading her thoughts, "They don't have him they would parade him around showing the world and telling them what happened." God willing they never will find him or we all might be joining him in exile.

"What about Kim and Chase?" Michelle asked.

"I really am uncomfortable around Chase. The kid is just like Jack he can read a person so well and every time I wonder if he's going somehow find out without me telling him verbally that Jack is alive. He questioned me a lot about how Jack had died, I swear I felt like Jack was interrogating me." Tony said with a small smile on his face.

"Well Jack was his mentor." Michelle giggled feeling bad that she was laughing when they had a friend out there all alone in the world. Hopefully Jack had found somewhere to settle down and find peace.

"Do you think they'll accept the offer?"

"Maybe. Kim only has Carol left and she hasn't had a great relationship with her. And you know Chase he's dying to get out of the private sector back into the action of the government." Michelle answered grabbing a carrot from the chopping board and taking a bite.

"Did you call them back?"

"Yeah they are coming down tomorrow. There flight should be here about the time we get off work for the weekend."

"Good. I guess I can set up a lunch with Heller Saturday and you can take Kim shopping with Audrey."

"Speaking of which she is coming over for supper tonight."

"I know you already told me." Tony said almost in a groan.

"Be nice."

"I will I just don't know what to think about her."

"She lost Jack too, and you can see she loved him by how bad it is tearing her up."

"I know but she treated him like shit while he was alive."

"Just that day, otherwise she made him happy."

"Until he had to save the world."

"He tortured her husband Tony, and than he was sort of responsible for his death. If I remember correctly you had acted the same way towards Jack when Saunders had me."

"I know." Tony groaned why did Michelle always have to be right in everything.

"Maybe we could have a big supper Saturday night. Invite Audrey, and some others from work over to meet Kim and Chase."

"Sure remind Kim that her father isn't there. Show them all the traitors daguther."

"Ok maybe not people from work. How about the neighbors they are nice people and we hardly ever talk to them. It's not very neighborly. Audrey, and Heller?"

"Whatever you want my darling." Tony said kissing her while secretly pulling the carrot out of her hand. He pulled out of the kiss and popped the carrot into his mouth.

"That so was not nice Mr. Almedia."

"Sorry I knew it would taste good after having your lips on it I got jealous." Tony said smiling but it quickly broke away as the doorbell rang. "Weren't you picking Audrey up?"

"I was suppose too." Michelle said getting up to get the door. She saw Audrey standing outside looking better than she had earlier that day. Michelle opened the door smiling, "Come in."

"Sorry I got a little crazy sitting around the house." Smelling Jack's shirt and pillow I still have.

"oh it's fine. Come on in Tony is whipping up dinner now."

"Thanks."

"You want a drink?"

"Sure what do you have?" Audrey was very uncomfortable being here. Jack should be with her, these were his friends, but he was dead. What did that make her to them? Probably just a pity case, she did turn around three times before finally driving to their house and knocking on the door.

"How about a margarita?"

"yes please." Alcohol good, Audrey's brain said as she looked around the house. It was a nice place, she had no doubt it would be, it was welcoming almost.

Michelle returned with the drinks and the two sat down talking about the weather, news, work, anything but the obvious connection they had.

Tony called them into the dining room where dinner was already waiting for them. They ate talking about everything but the obvious.

Finally Audrey brought the subject up, "I heard Jack's daughter is coming into town with her boyfriend?"

"Husband. Yes Chase and Kim will here tomorrow." Tony said softly not sure how Audrey would react. He was expecting her to fall apart at any moment.

"My father called me because he wanted to offer Chase a job."

"Yeah he told me." Tony said, wanting to say more, he had been pretty quiet throughout the meal very unlike him, but he didn't have much to say.

Michelle filled in though easily, "We were thinking of having a welcoming supper for them Saturday night. We would love it if you could attend."

"Thanks." Audrey said softly, "I have a thing."

"You can bring a someone with Audrey." Michelle said surprised that there was someone else.

"Are you sure it'll be fine?" Audrey asked.

"yeah of course. We were going to invite Secretary Heller also give him more of a chance to get to know Chase."

Audrey just smiled. "Chase sounded like a good guy, and lucky to have Kim from how Jack described her." Audrey said feeling the tears wanting to come out of her eyes. She blinked pushing them back.

"Yeah they are both good people. You'll get to meet them Saturday than." Michelle said smiling she could see the pain Audrey was in. But she had someone else already? How could she be in so much pain, was that just an act?

Tony was finished his anger flared, Audrey didn't miss Jack she wasn't even morning him probably just that time of the month for her the way she was acting. She had someone else already and wanted to bring a date to a party with her dead ex's daughter there. Great class, he was being unfair and he knew it.