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EAGLE'S NEST—CHESAPEAKE MARYLAND
"Henry, you old matchmaker, you." Victoria smacked Henry softly on the arm. "Did you really?"
Henry chuckled. "I gave Coop the ‘they don't make them like they used to' line." He leaned closer. "And then later I told Frank that Cooper looked pretty tough." Henry took a sip of his tea.
"Henry, that was inspired." Victoria filled her teacup before sipping her own perfectly brewed tea.
"Frank noticed Cooper's cute hair all on his own though."
Victoria coughed and cleared her throat. "Well, I believe Ivan also tried to help in his way, but those boys..."
MCMILLAN AIRPORT—LAS VEGAS
The blood dripped down his shoulder. It itched underneath his jacket, but Frank didn't have time to mess with it yet. At least Coop'd only creased him on the left side, and by doing so, they both walked away clean this time. He drifted past the coffee shop, ducking his head to avoid the security camera. Frank only had a few more minutes free unless he could find a distraction. Glancing from the cookie shop to the busy game show slots, he gave a tiny smirk in the direction of the guards.
Crossing the aisle, Frank leaned against the slot machine carefully and placed his hand—hiding the small gadget—against the side. The young woman looked at him a bit warily, but he smiled at her winningly, rubbing the back of his bald head with his right hand. She melted a bit. He nodded for her to hit the max bet button. She frowned but did it anyway. Her eyes widened in surprised joy as the machine lit up and jangled at her winnings.
He ducked his head again at the attention, melting back into the crowd. The guards that had been trailing him derailed by the sheer number of people who wanted to gawk at her win. Frank smiled until fire spread through his shoulder as a passerby jostled him. Swallowing a grimace, curled his fingers into the handle of the carryon passed into his hand. The drop was smoother than usual. He'd have to thank Coop for getting him in touch with Dylan. She was doing much better with the practice, but the shoulder thing was unnecessary.
Frank slipped into the bathroom and washed his hands while waiting for the largest stall to be empty. A younger man walked out of it and nodded in Frank's general direction before heading to the sink. Frank entered the newly vacated stall leaning hard against the bar bolted to the wall. Hanging the handle onto the hook, he opened the side of the case Sarah had passed off. Frank couldn't complain overly much because the case was fully stocked with first aid gear. So he was pleased but still clenched his teeth as he waited for the footsteps to retreat and the door open and shut. Stripping off his jacket and shirt, Frank gently pulled on a pair of latex gloves, avoiding the snap against his skin. He examined the wound before sterilizing and slapping gauze over the top. It was annoying, but it wouldn't affect his mobility. He'd live anyway.
He tilted his head briefly at the changing air currents and shitty cologne. He taped everything down and put his supplies away. Slipping on a clean button-down shirt from another section of the case, he forewent the jacket and rolled up his sleeves. Opening the stall door, he exited only to have to duck quickly as the other man swung a mop handle at Frank's head. Frank sucker punched the guy in the crotch and dropped him to the floor with an elbow to the back of the neck. He looked at the unconscious kid's face. He didn't look familiar. Frank secured him into one of the smaller stalls with his feet taped to the wall. He locked it and crawled under the door, careful to touch as little of the floor as possible. He stripped his gloves and rewashed his hands.
Three bullets in the chest…when I woke alive, I knew she still loved me.
Frank wondered if a shoulder crease counted.
ROGUE CIA BLACK SITE – OREGON
The heavy metal door creaked open. An expensive heel entered his line of sight followed by a petite handgun. Sarah's petite handgun. William let out the breath he'd been holding. She smiled at him sunnily from beneath a stereotypical French beret.
"Hello, Sarah."
"Coop." She nodded to his raised arms. "Little tied up, there?"
He looked behind her shoulder, but she was the only one there. "Where's Frank?"
She moved behind him, but he kept her in his peripheral as she unlocked the shackles. "Kabul. Han's on the plane. No pick?"
He gestured to his bloody forearm. "Found it three days ago."
"I don't want to be his kind of paranoid, you know?"
William looked at her blankly.
"I want to eat at a restaurant, topple governments before breakfast," she waved the hand holding the key carelessly, "adventure, romance. It's not that much to ask." She finished removing the chains around his wrists and started on the ones around his legs.
William stood up rubbing his wrists absently, his body protesting from being chained for most of a week, but he didn't say anything.
"He wants a power washer." Sarah kept complaining as she peered around the doorframe.
"He still does a few jobs. He was in Vegas last month. And isn't there something coming up in South Dakota?" Coop countered, stretching his body before taking the clothing she shoved back at him.
"Tennessee. And a grill." She didn't bother to turn around. "A grill, Coop."
Coop didn't have an answer for that, because he didn't really see a problem with grilling your own food. "It's not propane, is it?" That the propane could be weaponized was ideal, but it could--and probably would--be used against Frank at some point.
"Not the point." She sing-songed and shot the guard coming around the corner.
"What is the point?" He pulled on the shirt, socks, and pants. Bladed weapons and holsters before picking up the boots. "You're getting better." He was NOT going to get into relationship advice with her. Neither of them deserved that. He had the divorce papers sitting on his kitchen table to prove it.
"Han is a capable teacher."
"Not Victoria?" As far as Cooper knew Han was good, but Victoria was the better shot. He finished tying his boots, which were definitely from his closet, and shifted the various holsters stowing all the guns except one. Checking the H&K, he nodded towards the door.
She cleared the door before speaking again. "She's been visiting Ivan."
"Ah." His eyes widened at her bitterness, but he did recognize the tone of the terminally single person when contemplating a happy couple. It was ugly. With everything they went through and all the time apart, Ivan and Victoria deserved their happiness. He wanted nothing but joy for them. Coop wondered if Frank didn't actually want Sarah to spend time with Victoria, or if it was Victoria's idea. Coop shook his head. If it were Victoria's idea, Sarah would be more terrified and less blasé. But the newly single... He'd heard about Paris and Moscow, but she and Frank were fine in Caracas. He spun backward and shot three more guards. "You didn't clear the building?"
Ignoring his question she strode forward, the echoing clack of her heels making him scan the halls more often. "C'mon, the helo is on standby in the parking lot."
He nodded before pausing. "In the—"
"It's eleven-thirty at night, twelve days after your housewarming party." She tapped her mic a few times. "Han's crew called in a chemical spill, and they're keeping the airspace free."
"HazMat?" Cooper asked as they made their way to the loading docks.
"Marvin's leading them around the city." She pressed the button to open the first bay.
SILVER CENTER SQUARE – OZARK MOUNTAINS
Frank crossed the open courtyard to the family-friendly hotel Marvin had picked for the South American general's take-down. The week had been entirely too long and filled with too many assassins and bought cops. Frank figured Marvin chose this place because it was generic, but the colors were bright, and the shaded glass door had a cheerful summer special painted across it good for the next six days.
Marvin opened the door first and waved Frank through. He stopped right inside the door, causing Marvin to bump into him.
"Marvin."
"What?"
"Maybe take that knife out of my back?"
"It's insurance."
Frank stepped to the side pushing Marvin's wrist down. "Insurance? Marvin, we're working together."
"Right, like you've never wanted to leave a job," Marvin muttered but slipped the knife into a cargo pocket before giving Frank his most innocent look. "We are working together, Frank. I stopped by the hardware store before I met you at the fountain." Marvin spun Frank back towards the check-in desk.
"Why is there a water park in the lobby of this hotel, Marvin?" Frank didn't pause but did glare over his shoulder at Marvin. A group of children ran across their path, and Frank wanted to cross himself.
"Relax, Frank." Marvin pushed him to the line in front of the desk. "It's not like you're going to use it."
"There's a waterslide and kids." Frank flung his arm towards the towering yellow slide. "Kids, Marvin!"
Marvin pulled Frank's arm down but gave him a sympathetic look. "Kids who will not understand being blown up by a drug cartel. I hear you, Frank. Gas leak?"
"It's better than the exploding toilet."
"The exploding toilet worked."
They stepped forward in line. There were only a few people ahead of them in front of each. A young man covered battery of phones on a desk to the side. Picking one up, he had a bored look and monotoned the hotel's greeting. He became more alert, glancing around the lobby before zeroing in on Frank and Marvin. Nodding to himself, he came from behind the desk and crossed the room.
"Excuse me, Francis Eller?"
"Yes?" Frank exchanged a look with Marvin.
"Phone call for you, sir."
"Sure, here Old Man Frank." Marvin took the phone and surreptitiously attached an anti-surveillance bug to the back.
Frank made an effort not to roll his eyes, snatching the phone from Marvin. He did make sure the bug was still in place, however. "Hello?"
"Room 2291. Key's in the ice machine near the elevator. Starting evac now. You'll have about 30 minutes."
William's pre-recorded message ended with a final click.
"Who was it, Frank?"
"We just caught a break."
It was nice to hear Coop's voice. Too bad it was recorded, Frank thought, but the man had been spooked since Oregon.
WELCOME CENTER—ATCHAFALAYA BASIN
"Thanks." William Cooper grabbed his pack and gingerly climbed down hanging on to the passenger door of the rig while making sure to put the bulk of his weight on his good leg. He wasn't going to get too far on his busted up knee, but he was sure he could hitch another ride from here to Houston.
Kordeski loved Visitor Centers. All different kinds of people, so no one really stood out, public washrooms, gift shops, and the staff generally knew the best places to eat. And since he hadn't eaten anything but a shitty protein bar and a bag of chips yesterday, he wanted something decent to eat. He checked his pack and revised his calculations, something decent to eat for a buck twenty-five. Cooper sighed. Maybe the vending machines would have trail mix or something.
He moved slowly up the walkway to the vending machines. And he was in luck. There was a single bag of trail mix, and this one at least had a few chocolate candies mixed in, so even though it wasn't much, at least it had salty-sweet going for it. He took a piss first, and then fed the last of his cash into the machine. The plastic ring inched around, Cooper just knew it was going to stall, but his luck held. He grabbed the bag once it dropped, and tore it open. Pouring half of it into his mouth, Cooper limped through the tinted glass door. Finishing it off, he tossed the wrapper at the bin and missed.
He reached for the wrapper to try again when he heard a quiet whumpf and the dull sound of brick shattering. The glass above his head sported a neat little hole with starburst cracks surrounding it. He dove toward the bushes, and a moment later he heard another whumpf and more brick crumbling. He crawled back into the building. He cursed as he rolled to the side. There wasn't any cover at the vending machines, but he wedged himself in the corner between the two doors next to a metal bin.
Were the Gambinos' troubleshooters waiting on him? He mentally calculated the hitters Joe had taken out over the years, versus the ones he handled in the last week—only one goon in this area unless they brought in someone from another organization or a freelancer.
Coop crouched lower and peeked around the wall through the broken glass. Scanning the parking lot, he saw the jackass on top of the rig at the other end of the lot. Looked like a quick setup, but not only was he low on cash, he was pretty damn low on ammo, added to that, his knee still hurt like a bitch. He scanned the area again. The metal tables with the attached chairs were absolutely no cover. The memorial was still too fucking far away, and everything else was closed since it was after five. He really didn't want to use the grenade he had left in his bag for one guy.
He leaned against the side of the bin. And paused. There was another H&K that matched his, with two full mags beside it. And a note on a thick envelope with familiar blocky print—I TRAINED KORDESKI xx
Cooper grinned.
UNDISCLOSED LOCATION
"Well, she kissed the Frog, and he let himself get knocked out by his Russian ex-girlfriend. They haven't spent a day together in the past year. True love it ain't." Marvin poked him in the back towards the door with a Swedish K. "Move."
"Marvin." William looked over his shoulder. "Is this really necessary?"
Marvin pulled open the door and shoved Cooper through.
"Damn Joe for being right." Frank was sprawled across the bed underneath the barred window. He had his reading glasses on, a pen and a small notebook open next to the book he’d been reading.
Cooper rolled his eyes. “For being right about what, Frank?”
“Marvin is still not right in the head.”
Cooper took off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves, his tie long-gone two drinks ago in the hotel bar. He piled up the pillows on the other side of the bed and slouched into them. “Ivan got me over—“
“A trip to Moldova?” Frank’s smile grew.
Cooper snorted. “Chicago. That hotel where you grabbed Stanton.” Cooper kicked off his shoes and placed them neatly out of the way but still within reach. “I’m surprised Victoria hasn’t killed me over that.”
“She likes you.”
Cooper raised an eyebrow. “No, Frank, she likes you. I just made some of the red tape disappear.”
“Coop.” Frank sounded unusually serious. “She’s the one that convinced Han to take Sarah to Oregon while I was still in Kabul. Trust me, she likes you.”
“Ivan gave me a lift to Vegas and the details on the cluster in Tennessee.”
Frank winced. “Marvin gets the credit for Hernandez, but thanks.”
“Did Marvin say how long we were stuck here?”
“No,” Frank tossed his book at the vent cover near the ceiling, “but we can ask him.”
“It takes time to buy a house on the East Bank, Frank,” comes a muffled voice from the vent.
Cooper mouths the words East Bank Frank before asking, “Jordan?”
Marvin’s muffled response of New Orleans caused them both to smile.
“Either let us go, or leave Marvin.”
“Frank!”
“Now, Marvin, or I’ll remind the CIA where you live.”
Cooper didn’t feel the need to chime in. Frank would convince Marvin, or they’d move to plan B. Luckily for them both, breaking out of a hotel room was much easier than breaking in. Marvin’s muffled shuffling signaled his retreat. Cooper rolled to the side and picked up Courting Danger. With a raised eyebrow he handed it back to Frank.
“Shut up.” Frank marked his place with his pen and pushed the notebook and book to the side.
“What about that Family hitter?” Cooper sat back down on his bed, leaning forward to look Frank in the eye. “For that matter, where was the blowback?”
“That was me.” Frank blushed. He moved towards the mini-bar to pour himself a drink. “I took care of your order with Accounts Payable.”
“Frank?”
“You wouldn’t have had the hitter in Louisiana if you hadn’t creased me in Vegas. I convinced them to reconsider the contract after you left town.” He gestured with his glass and poured Coop a drink at his nod. “That guy was just late to the party.” Frank handed Cooper the drink and sat back down on his side of the bed. “New Orleans is neutral now.”
“What?“ Cooper fumbled with his drink, finished it, and placed the tumbler on the side table.
“We cashed in favors with Winston.” Frank idly ran his fingers up and down the spine of his book.
“Frank.” When Frank refused to elaborate, William scrubbed a hand through his hair and asked, “Who’s we? Do I need to do anything?”
“Victoria, Ivan, and Marvin. And no.” Frank pulled William’s hand away from his hair and interlaced their fingers. “You need to rest.”
“I—“
“Don’t make me call Marvin back.” Frank pulled William more firmly into his side, smiling as he leaned his head on Frank’s shoulder. “We’ll spend a few months on neutral ground then take a look at dismantling that Cell with the shitty accommodations.”
Frank pulled his hand loose and wrapped his arm around William’s shoulder as he finally slept. Frank’s favorite Sig was behind the headboard, and the H&K was in a holster attached to the side table at his other hand, but he didn’t expect any trouble in this hotel. Winston had his own assassin to keep safe, and extending their professional courtesy in avoiding one contract was worth it. Frank kissed William’s hair softly, careful not to wake him. It was worth it.