Rescued

Chapter 3

A harsh wind blew in from the east as Remus and Ilya dismounted their horses and joined a slow-walking group of nomads, the outline of a modern city beginning to form in the dusty red horizon. The boy took a sip from a bladder canteen as Remus laid a firm hand on his shoulder, turning him towards civilization.

"Ilya, is that it?" Lupin's voice was as harsh and as dry as the climate they had ridden through the past three days.

"That is Leninsk, but that's not where she is," the boy replied, wiping his mouth on the back of a dirty sleeve and smiling broadly to reveal yellowed teeth.

"Explain, Ilya." Remus pulled his weathered fedora closer, trying to block out the whipping winds.

"That," the boy pointed at the town, "is the Soviet city of Leninsk. But she is in Baikonur."

"Leninsk is the Communist name for Baikonur," Remus said, grabbing the reins of his horse and leading him forward.

"Ahh." Ilya raised a dirty finger. "By now, Jahad's party is in the original Baikonur, a few kilometers northeast of this town. It was a rocket launch site during the Soviet era. That's where this caravan is going." Then climbing on his horse, he looked down at Remus and smiled. "We are almost to your woman, Mr. Remus."

Lupin smiled slightly. His woman. Dear gods, how we wished that were true.

As dusk fell on Baikonur, Remus insisted they leave their horses behind. He could tell that the boy was torn on leaving the fine steeds for marauders, but for some inexplicable reason, the young man was extremely faithful to Lupin's orders. Or perhaps to Lupin's purse.

"Ilya, take us to the finest hotel in Baikonur," Lupin said assuredly.

The child gave him a surprise look.

"Go on," Remus prodded. Ilya sighed and in ten minutes, Remus Lupin was face-to-face with the concierge of the finest Baikonur had to offer, which was surprisingly luxurious.

"One room, and send up your finest tailor."

The small, dark man looked at the worn professor dubiously. "And how do you plan to pay for your room, Mister…"

"Aleksis Lushkin. And I plan to pay with this." Lupin coolly placed a stack of four gold coins on the counter.

The concierge quickly covered them with his unusually large hands and politely nodded. "That will do. How soon do you request the tailor's presence?"

Remus pocketed the room key, chin high. "Immediately."

Ilya clicked at his heels as he followed Lupin across the ornate lobby and into a huge golden elevator.

"Mister Lupin, we are here. Your woman?" The child's face was obviously distressed.

"Ilya, I've decided to take precautions."

The boy looked confused and somewhat panicked.

"I cannot go into Jahad's tents with guns blazing. Do you understand?"

The boy relaxed against the mirrored elevator. "You are going undercover."

"I am Aleksis Lushkin, a Russian thief."

"Not a thief," the boy waved his hand. "You are a Russian drug trafficker and smuggler. High end goods." Then looking Lupin from head to toe, he sighed. "I hope they send a good tailor, and I…" The boy finally smiled, taking out a pack of smokes from his back pocket and packing them against his hand. "I will cut your hair."

Two hours later, Remus had scrubbed off the desert dirt, shaved off his thin mustache, and allowed Ilya to shear his graying, overgrown hair. Finally, he donned a very fine grey suit and crimson tie.

"Well," Ilya said, leading him to a mirror. "Meet Aleksis Lushkin."

Lupin gasped as he was met by a very handsome and somewhat austere man that would easily pass for a Russian mobster.

"Wait!" Ilya rustled through his pockets, finally producing a gold signet ring that he easily slid onto Remus' left- hand pinky finger. Then turning back to the reflection, Remus nodded. "That is definitely Aleksis Lushkin."

He looked at the ring and then back at Ilya, his heart twisting with the concern he had begun to develop for the boy. "Do you have family? You told me you were an orphan."

Ilya smoothed down Remus' tie. "I am, but that ring bears the crest of my family."

Lupin fingered the gold band that held an engraving of a bird rising from a flame. "A phoenix," he whispered, his thoughts turning back to the Order and to Dumbledore. He closed his eyes, feeling a sense of betrayal.

"A rising phoenix. Much like Mother Russia, no? But your thoughts are elsewhere, Mr. Lushkin, are they not?" Lupin, unsteady and unsure for a moment, looked at the child. "Your woman is but minutes away from here. The time of rescue is at hand."

"Yes," nodded Lupin and reached for his wand. "But I think…" He paused and leaned his forehead against the wall. I should have told Albus where I was. I should have told Arthur. Thoughts of regret filled his heart and beat upon his conscience. "I think I have acted too rashly, Ilya."

A hand pulled on his sleeve and he looked back at the boy, whose blue eyes glittered warmly. "You doubt your decision to be her hero, Mr. Lupin, but do not do this. It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities."

Somehow, the boy's words produced in Remus a peaceful calm…and the eerie feeling that he had heard those words spoken somewhere before.

Ilya turned and opened the hotel room door. "Now Mr. Lushkin, don't worry. I will have the driver meet you in an hour."

"Thank you, Ilya," Lupin said, winking at his young companion as he left the hotel and went to find his woman.

tbc

Thank you to my incredible beta reader-editor-verbiage maid & friend, Mercurio-Rane for cleaning up my messy writing. I've saved a little Thewlis dessert just for you!