AN: Sorry about the long hiatus... between health issues and writers block just haven't been able to get this out. Hopefully wont be so long to next chapter.
Chuck versus Piranha – Chapter 20
The next day was Wednesday, Mary flew back to Russia that afternoon. She reported to Alexie as soon as she arrived.
"Welcome back Mary… what did you find out?"
"As far as my contact knows, Orion will be in Europe next Monday… in Bilbao, Spain."
"BILBAO? Where the hell is that?"
"Bilbao is on the north coast of Spain, on the Bay of Biscay, near the French border."
"Do we have any contacts in the area?"
"None… but I'm thinking that's a good thing. I believe he choose the location precisely because we have no contacts there, so he may let his guard down, just a trifle, thinking that the locals he is contacting, will know if anyone new is in town. I also believe that he knows our people, or at least a majority of them, and that he MAY have a contact in our organization."
"A contact? You mean you think we have a traitor who is feeding Orion information? That would explain why he seems to constantly be one step ahead of us."
"Yes. That is why I have put together a special team completely outside our organization. The team I have put together will not only capture Orion, but work with him on creating an intersect for you."
"Is this wise… using people from outside of the organization? Can you really trust them?"
"Trust? Alexie, how much do we trust any of our people. They are all in it for the money after all. Just as with all of our people, this team will only get half of their 'wage', we hold the other half until they leave our employ, either by retirement or death. Of course, if they die, they can't collect the other half, but their families do."
Alexie looks amused. "Are you telling me you actually pay out the hold half to the families?"
"Absolutely. All of our people know that we keep our word. Surviving family gets everything due them. It solidifies the bond between our people and the organization. Trust? No. But they know we keep our word. Why we even have three people who we have 'medically discharged'. They were injured so badly that they were useless to us. I paid them off and now they are another shining example to all our employees that WE KEEP OUR WORD."
"Interesting. But enough about this. Is this special team of yours ready? What's the setup?"
"Um… I don't want to sound paranoid, but I'd ask you to keep this between you and I. You know what I'm always saying… 'Just because I'm paranoid, doesn't mean they are not out to get me'. I have no idea who the traitor is and I'd just as soon not let Orion slip away again. Once we have Orion in our hands, he'll tell us who it is… trust me… he'll tell. As for this team… right now they are scattered across Europe, doing their own things. I will send a message this afternoon, activating the team and having them all gather at a safe house I have set up outside of Lyon."
"You have a safe house in France? You've never mentioned this safe house."
"Actually, I've only recently gotten it ready for use. You should see it. I call it a safe house, but really, it's a castle, sitting on a bluff overlooking a river. Just as this is your Citadel… that is my Fortress. It has an armory, intelligence center, command center, barracks, well quarters really, everyone gets a room… everything we need."
Looking a bit dejected, Volkoff says "Do you really have to leave again? I… um… I get lonely when you're gone." When the Volkoff persona was originally created, a connection to Mary Frost was intentionally built in. Steven did this as another layer of protection for his wife. The connection mainly manifests itself as Alexie's compete trust of Frost. Over the years she has built on this and now Volkoff is highly connected to her, wanting her to always be near him. When she is off on a mission, he gets extremely agitated and restless.
"Alexie… we've talked about this. We both know that for any important operation, either you or I must be present. You won't leave the Citadel, so that means I go… alone. And don't for one second think that I don't miss you as much as you miss me, but…"
Mary could see Volkoff's paranoia battling with his wish… no, his need… to be with Frost. His paranoia is fully justified… there really are people out to get him. Conversely, Mary has worked for years to amplify his dependence on her as much as possible. While no physical relationship has ever come about, she has worked tirelessly to solidify an emotional and mental dependence in Alexie for Frost. Could he… no they would never get that lucky… damn… it really looks like…
"Um… maybe I could go with you, at least to the Fortress. That should be safe enough, then we'd only be separated for a day or two when you go to Bilbao. What do you think?"
Mary gave the appearance of being in deep thought… inside her head, she was jumping and dancing, screaming and yelling. After all these years, something is finally going her way… their way, now that she was working with a team. "Well… we have an airstrip less than a kilometer from the Castle." Mary gave the appearance of being in deep thought. "Yes, that should be safe enough. But I'll have to put together a VERY special security team, some people I really trust… as much as we trust anyone. I should say people I know."
She had just the people in mind. When she and Alexie first set up shop, they were smuggling items from the west into Russia. Clothes, electronics… anything they could think of to make money and get established. Being relatively benign items, some people joined the organization who could be classified as 'good guys'. Yes, technically they were breaking the law, but they hurt no one. As the organization changed, switching from smuggling into Russia to running guns and drugs out of Russia, these individuals were trapped, more or less forced to continue with Volkoff Enterprises. Thanks to Mary's effort, these four individuals have managed to keep their hands relatively clean. They are aware of what she been doing for them and in return are HIGHLY loyal to her. None of the four know of the others, but that doesn't matter.
Frost leaves Alexie's office and returns to hers. She immediately places a video call to Sarah on a secure internet line that Chuck has set up for them to communicate safely.
Smiling, Frost initiates the call to Sarah. "By the smile on your face, I take it that Alexie went for it."
Actually laughing, Mary responds… "Oh better than that wait till you hear this. He's going with me to Lyon."
"WHAT? How the hell did you pull that one off. My god… this is tremendous. Wait till I tell Chuck. We'll have to modify the plan. No need to go to Bilboa we can all just meet here. WOW!"
"Okay… now we have a lot to do to get ready. The security team that will be traveling with Alexie are all my people. One of them will be flying the plane, so all we need to do is get him to the 'Fortress'. Is it ready?"
"Not yet… we still have a couple of days work, but it should… no… it WILL be ready first thing on Friday. We also will have to get the equipment for the procedure installed and ready… but that shouldn't be an issue in that we were planning on carrying it to the Citadel anyway. Still coming out late Friday as planned?"
"Yes. I'll schedule to land in France late on Friday night. By the time we get to the Fortress it will be late and I'll talk Alexie into going straight to bed. As soon as he's asleep, we can trank him and run the procedure."
After solidifying a few more details, they sign off. Mary next contacts the four individuals she is taking as the 'security team.', and has them report to her office.
Her selected four report to her office. She closes and locks the door, then activates a white noise machine to confuse any bugs. "You need to prepare for a mission leaving late Friday. This is a VERY special mission. You four will be close bodyguards for Mr. Volkoff for a trip to France. As you know, Mr. Volkoff NEVER leaves the Citadel, so he will be exceptionally nervous. We will be flying to my Fortress in France which we will use as a base. My mission is to capture Orion… your mission is to keep Mr. Volkoff safe." She smiles and winks, taking all four by surprise. "Yes. my friends… if my mission is successful, we should all be free, this time next week. That is all you need to know… just be prepared to do as I say. Oh… I want you to get to know one another… learn to trust each other as you trust me."
The four looked at each other realizing what she is saying. None can or will say anything explicit… but they now knew that each of the four were in the same situation and that the only way out was to trust Mary Frost… and each other."
Just before dusk on Friday, Frost and her four agents escort Mr. Volkoff to the airstrip near the Citadel. The jet had already been prepared, and Mary and her four would be the crew. Simon and Dimitri would pilot and co-pilot the aircraft, while Vasyli and Nannette would act as stewards. Alexie and Mary boarded the plane with the team and less than ten minutes later were airborne.
Mary sat next to Alexie, helping him to remain calm. He even managed to sleep. Hours later they landed at an airstrip literally within sight of Mary's fortress. They had barely exited the plane, heading for the limo, when another aircraft buzzed the airstrip then circled to land. Mary and her team immediately produced heavy weapons. Simon had a rotary grenade launcher, Vasyli a light machine gun with ammo tank, and the rest AK-74's… with extra clips. Mary began pushing Alexie toward the car. Alexie had a huge grin on his face.
"Mary… Mary… please… it's alright. That's MY security team." A door slammed open in the hanger and a three man team stepped out. One had a launcher which he hefted onto his shoulder and took aim at the aircraft. The other two had reloads. Alexie looked worried when he recognized the missile on the launcher as a Stinger.
Mary looked as Alexie with a glare for a moment, then waved the Stinger team to stand down. The plane landed and four very large, determined and dangerous looking individuals exited rapidly, spreading out. Alexie calls out… "STAND DOWN. Everything is green." The four holster their weapons and calmly approach. Alexie stares at Mary till she lowers her weapon and nods to the others that it was okay. All the heavy hardware is immediately stowed in the trunk of the limo.
Looking absolutely disgusted, Mary gets on her phone and informs the Fortress op center on what's happening and that they needed another car.
Barely containing her anger Mary says… "It will be a few minutes for another car… MR. VOLKOFF. If you will wait in the car please. Two of YOUR security team may accompany you while the other two watch the exterior."
"Mary… please join me in the car. The others may wait outside."
"No.. MR. VOLKOFF. Your PICKED security team should be with you… the team you TRUST above all others."
"Mary… please… don't be cross with me. I thought you'd understand."
"Yes, I understand… basically you don't really trust me. I did not choose these people. I have not cleared them. But you trust them over me… fine. Please wait in the car. When the other car comes, YOUR people can drive you to the Gate House outside my Fortress. I'm giving orders to have the house prepared for your exclusive use… you and YOUR security team. It has a completely separate security system from the Fortress so you can be in complete control of your surroundings."
Alexie sees that he has deeply offended his primary agent and most trusted lieutenant. Or at least that is what she wants him to think. He turns to his security team. "Mikhail… please take your team and return to the Citadel." Alexie quickly moves and enters the car alone.
Looking round, Mikhail realizes he is in the middle of a dispute between Volkoff and Frost. This could go really bad for him… he really does not want to be on Frost's bad side, any more than he wants to be on Volkoff's shit list. Trying to look professional, he moves to Agent Frost. He comes to attention before her then bows.
"Yes Mikhail… what it is?"
"Um… Agent Frost… my apologies. If I had known what this was all about, I would have contacted you to coordinate our efforts. I was just told to follow your aircraft… not why. Again my apologies. We will return to the Citidal."
Before Mikhail can turn away… "One moment Mikhail… let me check in with my op center." Walking away a bit, Mary calls Sarah in the op center.
"Hi Sarah… what's our status."
"The MI6 team you requested is here and settled in to the Carriage House. The Gate House is ready but we have a problem in town. It seems the other team has a group there that appear to be getting ready for an op tonight."
Mary had been afraid of this. She was positive that Fulcrum had agents in Alexie's Citadel, spying on him. As soon as he said that he was leaving the Citadel to go with her, she began working on the assumption that Fulcrum would make a try to kidnap Alexie. "How big is the group?"
"Ten that we are sure of… possibly four more."
"Alright. I'm going to keep the four bodyguards Alexie brought. Put them in the Gate House. Alexie goes in the Fortress as we originally planned. Is another car on the way?"
"Should be there any minute."
"Thanks Sarah. Have everyone stay out of the way when I give Alexie the tour… then we'll meet in the conference room. I 'll get Alexie settled then we'll come up with a new plan. Have a sedative ready for him."
"Roger… out."
Mary turns back to Mikhail. Another limo pulls in just as she gets to him. "Mikhail… I want you to stay. This car will take you to the Gate House. It looks like we have uninvited visitors coming and I'll need you and your team to help take care of them. Be prepared for an op tonight, probably around midnight."
Bowing deeply, Mikhail is profoundly grateful that he can be of service to Agent Frost. "Yes Ma'am, thank you."
Mary waves him off then she and her team enter the first limo with Alexie. She looks at Alexie, scowls at him really, then orders the driver to go. The ride to the Fortress is done in dead silence. They enter the Fortress through the main gate, into a courtyard, and stop at the front door.
"Alexie… please allow me to give you a tour of my Fortress." For the next hour, Mary, Alexie and her four agents wander around the Fortress. She's taking a very circuitous route, making him climb up and down stairways as much as she can. With as little exercise as Alexie normally gets, this tires him completely. Ending the tour at his room, Mary points to the four rooms around his for the bodyguards and leads him into his room. Waiting is his normal two fingers of Scotch. She has him ready himself for bed before she has him drink his scotch. He lays down and immediately falls asleep. The sedative in the Scotch should keep him out for the next six hours. Add to that his exhaustion, she figures he'll be out for nine or ten hours.