TWISTS AND TURNS
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MONDAY - A week later – Zoya's Home
Zoya was reviewing files and action reports. She was still thinking about those pages she had translated last week, but refused to let it bother her. Feeling a bit restless, she decided to go for a run. When she returned an hour later, the light on her answering machine was blinking.
This is Catherine Gale, calling for Ms. Nassar please call me.
Zoya, it's Uncle AJ. Give me a call when you can. Nothing important, just checking up on you.
Ms. Nassar this is Catherine Gale, from the Company legal department please call me as soon as possible.
Hello Zoya, this is Harold, now that tax season is behind us I was wondering… Zoya couldn't hit delete fast enough.
Ms. Nassar, this is Catherine Gale again, I am waiting for your call.
Zoya, this is Jerome would you call the Catherine Gale please.
Zoya deleted the messages, kicked off her sneakers and flung herself on the couch. She was searching for the remote, which was probably between some cushions when the phone rang.
"Nassar," Zoya answered.
"Ms. Nassar, this is Catherine Gale," Catherine stated. "I am legal counsel…"
"I know who you are, I work in legal." Zoya cut her off. "What can I do for you?"
"You didn't return my calls." Catherine stated in an official tone.
"I just got them and I figured it could wait until I was in the office next week." Zoya said. God I hate this woman.
"I have some questions regarding your most recent assignment," Gale informed her.
"What now?" Zoya asked obviously aggravated.
"It appears that you offered legal counsel to some of the detainees." Gale stated.
"No, I advised them of their rights as prisoners in accordance with the Geneva Convention before I got the information I needed." Zoya replied. It didn't take much for Catherine Gale to set her off.
"That's not how we do things." Gale stated.
"What would you know about how things are done, you little twit!" Zoya snapped. "You have spent your entire career working in an office, never leaving Washington and trying to be a bad ass. When you actually get out into the field and do some real work, feel free to question my tactics and methods. Until then go to hell." With that Zoya slammed down the phone. Not ten minutes past when her phone rang again.
"Nassar," Zoya snapped into the phone.
"I see we are being delightful." Jeremy stated.
"Sorry, Jeremy, what can I do for you?" Zoya asked.
"You can start by not pissing off legal counsel," Jeremy stated. "Why does she piss you off anyway?"
"She's breathing," Zoya muttered.
"Zoya, be nice. I know you don't like her, but you aren't making any friends by telling her off." Jeremy replied. "She is legal counsel after all."
"I am part of the legal department too and I have seniority over her." Zoya reminded him. "That's one of the reasons I was hired. If I recall, you wanted a lawyer out in the field."
"So you've reminded me before," Wellington sighed. "Zoya, she's a nice person."
"She has no reflection," Zoya said sarcastically.
"Now about this email you sent last week." Wellington said ignoring her comment.
"Well, do I get what I want?" Zoya asked.
"Out of the question," Jeremy snapped.
"Jeremy, you said I could have what I needed," Zoya said firmly.
"I said to let me know and I would see what I could do." Jeremy responded.
"You know I think that maybe I will just stick with what I am doing now." Zoya said.
"That's blackmail," Jeremy replied.
"Blackmail is such an ugly word. I prefer to call it leverage." Zoya stated.
"It's not going to happen." Jeremy said.
"Fine," Zoya grumbled. "Oh Jeremy, remember I'm going away this weekend, can you keep that pain away from me?"
"Zoya, have a good weekend and try to cool down a bit before you come back to the office, I don't want to have to run interference between you and Gale." Jeremy stated. "And please be careful."
"Well if she wasn't such a…" Zoya began.
"Don't finish that statement, everything still needs the final approval of the DCI." Jeremy warned.
"That's just a formality," Zoya stated and hung up.
JAG OFFICES
"Admiral, has Zoya given you any details about this weekend?" Harriet asked.
"You know as much as I do." AJ stated.
"Did she mention where the train is going?" Mac asked.
"No where, was all she would tell me." AJ sighed. "I hate surprises."
"She isn't getting us involved in some CIA mission?" Harm asked.
"No, she's on vacation this week." AJ replied.
"Agents get vacations?" Bud asked.
"Apparently they do," Sturgis smiled.
"Harriet, who's watching Little AJ for the weekend?" Mac asked.
"My parents," Harriet replied.
"I'll have to deprogram him when he gets back." Bud groaned.
"Before I forget, Zoya said to meet at Union Station at 4 on Friday." AJ announced.
They left AJ's office wondering what Zoya was getting them into.
UNION STATION - FRIDAY
Everyone met at Union Station with packed bags and curiosity. Zoya just smiled.
"Ok, dish what's going on?" Mac asked.
"It's a surprise," Zoya replied in Russian.
"You speak Russian?" Mac asked.
"Could we have some English please," AJ asked.
"I said it's a surprise," Zoya told AJ.
"Where did you learn Russian?" Bud asked.
"From my mother," Zoya replied. "She was Russian."
"I didn't know that," Harriet said.
"Actually Zoya has a very interesting family history." AJ stated.
"Really, I would love to hear about it." Harriet said.
"After we board," Zoya said walking to the train.
They boarded the train and made their way to the assigned compartments. They took up one car, the last one, and laughed as the porters brought their bags for them.
"I feel like I am on the Orient Express," Meredith said.
"I just hope there are no murders," AJ laughed.
"Don't be too sure," Zoya smiled. "Why don't we all go to the dinner car and I will fill you in."
DINING CAR
"OK, so what's the mystery?" Gunny asked.
"You got it," Zoya said.
"What has he got?" Tiner asked.
"The mystery," Zoya replied.
"What are you talking about?" Harm asked.
"This is a murder mystery train ride." Zoya announced. "Sometime between here and Montgomery there will be a murder. We will have the ride back to solve it."
"Oh wow," Coates said. "This is going to be fun."
"So are we one team?" Harm asked.
"Well, we can be one team or we can pair up and go against each other and the other passengers." Zoya stated.
"I say we pair off," Harm suggested.
"But that leaves one of us without a partner," Harriet commented.
"I'll go it alone," Zoya smiled.
"Are you sure?" Coates asked.
"Yeah, it's fine with me." Zoya said. "Besides anyone teamed with me would have an unfair advantage over the others."
"Oh please," Mac laughed.
They filled out the roster and gave it to the coordinator. They ordered something to eat and started chatting. The train departed the station and they were off to Montgomery. The cars were designed in a 1930's style. The different members of the 'cast', dressed in period costumes, mingled with them. They were setting the stage for the murder yet to come.
"It's so nice we finally get to spend some time together." Meredith said. "AJ talks about you all the time."
"He talks about you too. It was nice to have dinner the other night." Zoya smiled.
"Zoya, what is this interesting family history the Admiral mentioned." Harriet asked.
"I guess he was talking about my lineage." Zoya shrugged.
"Well are you going to tell us?" Coates asked.
"Sure, it's really no big deal." Zoya smiled. "My great, great grandfather was Alexander III Tsar of Russia, or you could say I am the great, great niece of Tsar Nikolai II, his sister was my great grandfather."
"You're a Romanov?" Meredith said in surprise.
"You could look at it that way," Zoya replied.
"Do you have a title?" Tiner asked.
"Yeah, Special Agent," Zoya remarked.
"Good answer," Gunny laughed.
"Seriously," Harm said. "Would you have a title?"
"I guess, my great grandmother was a Grand Duchess and my grandfather was a Prince Romanov. By the time my mother came a long, she wasn't given a title."
"So you don't have a title," Coates said.
"Well, had the Bolsheviks not killed off Nikolai and his family, we might still be in Russia, then again, if they remained in Russia, my parents might have not met so I may not have been born." Zoya laughed. "If I had been born and everything was perfect, I guess I would have been a Princess or Duchess."
"So we are in the presence of royalty." Sturgis teased.
"Yes, you may bow." Zoya joked.
"Your name is Russian, right?" Bud asked.
"Zoya is a Russian name. Nassar is Lebanese, my father was Lebanese." Zoya said.
"You know the only other time I have heard that name was in a book." Meredith said.
"Oh I read that, it was by Danielle Steele." Harriet said. "It was such a beautiful story and so much like yours."
"Harriet, you're right." Meredith said and told the story. "A cousin of the Russian Royal family, Countess Zoya, escapes the revolutionists and ends up in the States."
"Where she finds love and becomes very successful." Harriet sighed. "What was the name of her true love?"
"I couldn't tell you," Zoya said. She had read the book when it first came out. Years later, one of the details made her laugh.
"He was in the military. Bruce Boxleitner played him in the movie." Harriet said. "Oh, what was his name?"
"I don't remember," Meredith smiled "But, it was so romantic."
"So, anyone want to order dessert?" Zoya asked, changing the subject.
"Zoya, you said you would have been a duchess or princess, how come not a countess like in the book?" Coates asked.
"I guess because my great grandmother was a duchess and my grandfather was a prince." Zoya said. "I never really thought about it."
There were laughing and enjoying themselves, when Meredith looked at her watch.
"Oh my look at the time," Meredith said.
"It's 11:12," Mac stated.
"I don't know about the rest of you but I am beat," Harm said and stood up.
"What about the murder?" Tiner asked.
"I guess it hasn't happened yet." AJ suggested.
"Why don't we turn in and see what happens." Bud said.
"I agree, let's call it a night." Harriet said.
The group returned to their compartments and got ready for bed. Hopefully something would happen and get this show on the road.
