Everything you need
Kelly. 21
Chapter 21- Family Ties
Frank sat in silence after trying and failing for the past half-hour to make conversation with his unnaturally silent brother.
When Joe's voice finally did break through, Frank jumped at the sound of it. "Who do you think that guy actually was, Frank?"
"Which Assassin, specifically, you mean?"
"Well, yeah, I guess. Didn't he sound different to you?"
"You mean his accent? Yeah, it was definitely different than the others. I guess I didn't give it a lot of thought."
"What if we have the wrong guys here? What if it isn't the Assassins after all?"
Fenton piped in at this point "What are you getting at, son? Do you have other suspicions?"
Frank panicked at this point, feeling like they were so close to a solid lead only to lose it, "But the train station! I KNOW it was the same one, I know it!" Frank's voice betrayed him though and he really didn't sound all that certain after all.
"No, Frank, Dad. I still think we are on target with the station, I trust you on that, Frank. I just, that accent, it sounded almost…Russian! Who ever heard of a Russian Assassin! Oh, I don't know anymore!" Joe slammed fist against the side of the car door.
"How could I have missed that! I was so distracted by the sounds in the background! Dad!" Frank smacked the steering wheel with his palm.
"I know son, I know. I am right there with you! I think I had better make a few quick calls before you two wreck what's left of my car!"
"Sorry, Dad," Frank mumbled, his face reddening a bit.
Joe's mind was whirling at 100 miles an hour though, "What! Dad is 'right there with you' where, Frank! What are you guys talking about?"
"Easy, Joe, just let me make a few calls and we'll explain everything to you."
Joe sat and stared out the window of the passenger seat stiff with tension. He did his best to try and piece together information from the one side of the conversation that he was able to hear while his father was on the phone. Frank chanced a glance at his brother and reached over to squeeze his shoulder. Joe was too distracted to even notice though.
Finally, Fenton concluded his calls and turned his attention back to the two men in the front seat of his car. "Well Joe, that accent was an astute observation of yours. Frank, it is just what we thought, and more." Both men gave Fenton their full attention as he continued. "Joe, there is a little-known branch of the Assassins that is indeed made up of Russians. Their agenda is the same as all Assassins and they are just as ruthless. Actually, we are finding pockets of Assassin activity in more and more parts of the world, unfortunately."
Fenton paused a moment and Frank prompted him. "You said there was more, Dad?"
"You are never going to believe this, but Al Rousassa had a brother. A Russian brother."
"What! How?" Joe was the first to find his voice.
"Well, it turns out that Alexander Rousassa is the half-brother of Al Rousassa. They share the same father, but his mother was a Russian woman their father had an affair with. Alexander is ten years younger than his brother and was raised by his mother in Russia. Apparently he favors his mother's side aesthetically and is in all sense of the word, Russian. The brothers found each other as adults and Alexander has worked with a small Russian faction of the Assassins for the past twenty years now."
Frank gripped the steering wheel a little tighter. His mouth opened and closed a few times, but no words came out.
"So it IS me he was after for revenge!" Joe spit out angrily "I am the one who killed his brother! Why kidnap Sam!"
While the thought did guiltily play itself across Frank's mind, he dismissed it immediately and turned to the more important job of reaching out to his brother right then. "Joe," he began softly, "we have been all over this, Kiddo. First of all, you did NOT, I repeat, DID NOT kill Al Rousassa! I was there, remember? I saw it. I saw everything, Joe!" Frank continued with a shudder.
"As to why he kidnapped Sam as well as Liam, I'm not sure. Maybe it was a mistake. Sam looks an awful lot like you, Joe." Frank couldn't help the little grin he threw at his brother as he said this. Joe was too busy beating himself up to appreciate it though.
"It's an awfully big mistake for a trained professional, wouldn't you say!"
"He's still human, Joe. Humans make mistakes. Maybe his plan was to kidnap both boys all along – getting back at both brothers for his brother's death. Hell, I don't know, Joe! Does the 'why' really matter here? We are going to get them back and we are going to deal mightily with Alexander Rousassa!"