Chapter Twenty-One

It was not quite mid-morning when Violet wandered into the control room, where she immediately caught her mother's eye. She watched as a wide range of emotions struggled for supremacy on Helen's face, but what finally settled in was a resigned smile. She sighed and said, "Hello, Vi. You feeling okay?"

"Yeah. Lots better than I did, anyway." She was very glad her mother had decided not to pick a fight.

"Have you eaten?"

"Just a grapefruit and a little yogurt. I wasn't hungry." She walked over behind the console. "Got another assignment for me yet?"

"Could be. That kind of depends on you. We haven't seen much of you the last couple of days. Thought you might be a little under the weather."

"No, just tired." And depressed, but that's my fault, and I'd really rather not go into that just now. "We … covered a lot of ground in a few days, and it wore me down some." She sat in one of the monitor chairs. "I feel pretty good this morning, though."

"Well if you think you're up for a challenge …"

Violet grinned. "Them's fightin' words!"

"I'm glad you feel that way." She punched a few buttons and a map came up on the large main screen. "This is the eastern border of the Kyrgizsti Soviet, where it butts up against China. The place is a real hotbed of discontent. Abject poverty. Warlords run most everything. No individual rights to speak of. Lots of the separatist movements recruit the locals, and they never seem to have a shortage."

"Sounds like a barrel of laughs."

"Right. You'll fly in to Bishkek, drive around the southern side of Lake Yssyk-Kul to Karakol, and head up into the mountains." She gave Violet a level look. "You wanted to see some snow when we got to Russia? Here's your chance. Be very sure to take your parka."

"Cold, huh?"

"Yes. We're talking permafrost."

"Ouch."

"And don't forget it. You'll be looking for a warlord named Avakri. But he usually goes by his nickname, Avasi."

"They sound a lot alike."

"Yeah, to us they do. But Avasi translates as "Voice" or "Orator". He's a very persuasive fellow, and he's amassed quite an impressive militia, especially for that area. Some of the CCK's spies think he might know something about the murders."

"Really? How would he?" She pointed to the area of the map in question. "That's waaaay off the beaten track. How would a tribal warlord way the heck over toward China know anything about …"

The intercom chimed and the departmental secretary's voice came over the speakers: "Agent Shield, call 3634. Agent Shield, call 3634. Please to pick up message."

The two women looked at each other. Violet asked, "You know what that's about?"

"Nope." Helen offered her daughter a handset. "Why don't you call 3634 and find out?"

She did, and was shortly speaking with a very agitated Erkki.

He'd had an exceedingly bad time these recent days. Through his various secure avenues of information he discovered that Derevenko had already left the Soviets. He was en route to, or had possibly already arrived in, South America. Which of the hundreds of "Liberation Front" or "People's Front" or "Other Lunatic Front" rebel groups they were currently holed up with had yet to come to light. Ivan didn't have spies in all of them, or even many of them. It would have stretched his organization too thin, and it usually wasn't very high on his List Of Important Things anyway. He lumped that part of the globe in with Australia, much of Asia, and the vast majority of Africa, insofar as what happened there could have little effect on his plans. But this wasn't the first time Lord Tar had surprised him, and he reflected bitterly that it likely wouldn't be the last. Unpredictability was one of the more frustrating things about working for a madman.

He had labored feverishly, pushing his information-gathering power to its limit, but the answers he wanted just weren't there. He had no way to discover what no one else knew, and it threw him into an outside loop. Time and again, in his quest for a solution to this riddle, he had come to the same conclusion: through Violet, he would have to inform Team Incredible, make them understand that the President's safety was in jeopardy, and get them to convince the NAU government to do something about it. This, he ardently did not wish to do. It would throw a major glitch into his plans for Violet, because it would introduce an element of distrust that hadn't, up to this point, been there. But the alternative was total war between the world's two major military super-powers. Even given his utter lack of empathy for the rest of humanity, he really didn't have to think too hard about that decision.

"Erkki, slow down! What was that last thing you said?"

"A threat, Shield, there is large danger. I must talk you! Please!"

Violet, noting the combination of concern and dislike on Helen's face, said, "All right, Erkki, but if you've got something you need to tell me that's that important, I want the Team leaders there, too."

"… Very well. They also need to know."

"Where are you?"

"In the reception area."

"Let me speak to the guard." Violet got a few specifics from the man on duty and arranged to use a meeting room close to the entrance. The guard assured her that he would see to it that Reckoning was there.

The room itself was small, maybe three meters by five, and the four of them made it seem full. Ivan rose when the three members of Team Incredible filed in. He continued standing after they took their seats.

"Okay, Erkki, what's got you so worked up?"

"There is … there are several items." He seemed inordinately nervous to Violet, and his general appearance was very much bedraggled, as if he hadn't slept in quite some time. This was truth in advertising, since he'd had perhaps four hours of rest in the previous three days. "The first is a confession I must make."

"I knew it," Helen breathed to herself. Violet frowned at her.

"I am not … that is, I do not … my battle is not … a solitary one."

Violet raised an eyebrow. "Huh? You lost me."

He began to pace back and forth in the limited space available. "I gave the impression that I … always work alone."

"And you don't?"

"No. I apologize for the deception."

Bob was confused. "So you have a partner? Big deal. What's so weird and unusual about that?"

"Ah … I, ah … that is to say, I do not have a 'partner' in the way you mean. It is … I mean, the group is more like … a business. An organization."

Violet asked, "What kind of organization?"

"Ah … well, they are … you could call them … that is, they, um … gather information … for me."

"… Like spies?"

"Ah … yes. Like spies."

Bob shifted in his chair. He didn't care for the direction this was headed. "So what has your spy organization told you?"

Ivan took a deep breath and blurted out, "They have uncovered a credible threat to the life of the President of the NAU."

Violet hadn't really been sure of what she was expecting, but that wasn't it.

Helen asked, "Who?"

"The President of the …"

"No, I mean who, as in 'Who is after the President?' Or did your source know that?"

"That is what I have been working so hard to find out. I had to be certain."

Violet held up a hand. "Wait a minute. Just how big is this 'organization' of yours?"

"Ah … well, that is to say …" He made a quick decision and told the truth. "… I am not really sure."

Helen sat forward. "You mean you have so many people working for you that you don't even know all of them?"

"I know my top men. They … have others working for them. So, no, I do not know them all."

"Top men?" Violet mused. "Okay then. How many 'top men' do you have?"

"Eighteen."

"I see. Eighteen. Well, well. And they all have others working under them?"

"Yes … I believe so."

"Uh-huh. Very interesting." Violet's tone was, to Ivan's thinking, altogether too understated for his taste. "And you pay for all of them?"

"Ah … yes."

She stood and took a step toward him. He noted that her personal shield was flickering on and off and he backed into the wall, sputtering, "I … I am … sorry that I did not tell you sooner, but it did not seem to be that important and there were other things we were trying to accomplish and …"

She was mere centimeters from his face when she asked, "Just how do you meet the payroll for all these people?"

"I … ah … what?"

"You called it 'your' organization. How do you pay them? You rich or something? You into some shady deals?"

"No!"

She ignored his protest. "You're awfully good with those pistols of yours. Maybe you got a little assassination on the side? Something like that?"

"No!" That hit entirely too close to home for his comfort. Suddenly he wondered just what she might and might not truly know about him. He spoke quickly. "Is not like that at all! As you know, I got large sum of money from government after my family was killed. Plus, I do many freelance works for some big corporations, and it paid very well. Plus, I have invested and it do also well. That is how I can pay all people who do my legwork for me." He pulled an indignant face. "Is it now crime to have money?"

She considered him narrowly for a few seconds and said, "Those leads you had …"

" … Leads?"

"The reason we went gallivanting all over southwest Russia last week. You gave me the impression that you'd dug up those leads yourself. But you didn't." Her stare could have drilled holes through the wall behind him. "Did you?"

"Oh. That." He thought furiously. "Ah … well, that is, to be totally honest …"

Helen remarked, "That would be a refreshing change."

"I am sorry!" He threw up his hands in frustration. "I made mistake! Is my fault! But I tell you now and I not have to. Is because now I trust you." He drew a deep breath and stood straighter. "Yes, I not am, as you say, 'up-front' about my spies. I was wrong. If you not want me here now, I go. Gospodin Kreshcheyev would be just too happy. But that not important thing. Important thing is NAU President."

"Yes, about that," said Helen. "You didn't say who was trying to kill him."

"Is Russian military leader. Name is Derevenko, and he has his own army. They are very good, a force to fear."

Helen said, "Derevenko?" She turned to Bob. "You ever hear that name?"

"… Nnnnno. Doesn't ring a bell."

Ivan thought it time to drop the other shoe. "Derevenko is working with a crime boss. They are cahooting."

"What?"

Violet said, "I think he means they're in cahoots." She asked him, "Are they working together?"

"Yes. Is just so."

"What's this mobster's name?"

"Is Achmedjan. He is, as you say, nutcase. Very dangerous."

"Achmedjan? Taruz Achmedjan?"

That response surprised Ivan. He hadn't been aware that they knew of The Demon. "Oh … yes, I think that is name. His name, I mean."

Team Incredible looked at each other. Helen said, "That puts a whole new perspective on things."

"Right," agreed Bob. "If this Derevenko is getting weapons from The Demon …"

"Yeah. Bad news. Very bad."

Helen pointed and said, "Reckoning, have a seat."

Ivan pulled out a chair and sat.

"All right. I want you to tell me everything you know about this Achmedjan character and his association with Derevenko."

"Everything?"

"Everything. Let's start with how your … men came to know of this pending attack and work out from there.