Now Stepan was very alarmed and exclaimed, “What are you saying? Who is making such accusations against me?”
Missy saw from his reaction that he was panicking and she didn’t even need to use her empathic ability to determine that. Stepan was very worried. She said, “I have documents which prove that you three men were in Beijing. I also have documents showing how you were paid one million euros. Nikolai was willing to betray you in order to save himself. The authorities have not arrested him yet. They are watching you now, of course. My purpose in coming here first was to get a good look at your face when you learned about this. You see … I was not happy when those car bombs exploded, killing Yury and the others. The authorities here have agreed that I am entitled to some revenge.”
Stepan was still standing, having only followed her partway into the room. Now he snarled, “You bitch! I don’t know how you managed to survive but I won’t make that mistake again. I’m going to kill you right now!” He started towards her but she hopped out of the chair and moved so it was between the two of them.
“Really? You think you can kill me right here in your apartment? What will your neighbors think?” Missy began to laugh and enjoyed the way Stepan’s frustration was affecting him. She saw him glance towards a desk drawer where she knew, from her earlier visits in her spirit form, that he kept a loaded revolver. Before he could get to that, she quickly raced over and pulled out the revolver which she then aimed directly at him. “Whoa, now, Stepan! I know this revolver does not have any safety and at this range, I cannot miss. If you come any further, I will shoot you.”
Stepan stopped and realized he was in trouble. She sure looked as though she knew what she was doing and he didn’t want to risk that she wouldn’t pull that trigger. He said, “Okay, you’ve seen me and you’ve had your say. But if the authorities really know all about this, I think they would have come here rather than just you.” He was trying to determine whether or not he could believe her.
Missy smiled and said, “Well, you’ve found me out. I was lying about the authorities. I can easily convince them that my shooting you with your own gun was in self-defense, if I need to do that. But, perhaps we can discuss some other options. Take a seat over on that couch.”
Stepan slowly backed away and then sat down, as she had instructed. He asked, “What other options?”
“Well, how about my not going to the authorities with all the evidence which I now have?” asked Missy with a smile. She moved closer but kept well out of range for any sudden leap which he might attempt. She continued to point the revolver at his chest. Then she said, “Perhaps I won’t do that in exchange for your taking care of Nikolai for me.”
“You want me to get rid of Nikolai?” asked Stepan. He was making no pretense about knowing exactly who Nikolai was and he was now rather astonished at hearing this request.
Missy nodded and said, “Well, as pissed off as I am at the three of you for planting those bombs and killing Yury, I’m guessing you can appreciate how even more pissed off I am at Nikolai for hiring you guys to do that. I was in that car with Yury when it exploded but, miraculously, I survived.”
“I see. Okay. What guarantee do we have that you won’t go to the authorities later?” asked Stepan.
Missy smiled and said, “None whatsoever! What would be the fun in my guaranteeing that?” She watched as he processed this and realized that he had no choice, regardless.
“You really are one coldbitch, aren’t you? I can understand why Nikolai wanted you dead, despite how good looking you are and everything.” Stepan sighed, resigned to doing whatever she was asking.
“And, now we understand one another. I will leave you to consort with your two co-conspirators. You might want to hurry, before Nikolai gets away.” Missy paused and then added, “Don’t even think about going after me. You three idiots already had your chance in Beijing and you blew that. You won’t be getting another chance again.”
Stepan believed her and Missy was able to sense that. She walked over to the entrance door so she could let herself out. She first emptied the revolver including the round that was in its chamber. She tossed the bullets and the revolver on the floor and went out the door, closing it behind her. Then she quickly made her exit from the building and walked several blocksbefore again calling for a ride share on her Yandex Go app. A half hour after that, she was back inside her own apartment.
She undressed and then Shifted to her spirit form. Then she teleported back to Stepan’s to learn what he might now be up to.
Stepan had called for his two buddies and they were now with him and discussing both her visit and how they needed to dispose of Nikolai. She then teleported to where Nikolai was and found him to be at his home, packing some bags for a trip. She noted he was taking his phone with him and she knew she could keep updating Stepan with his location.
Then she returned to her apartment and checked that her phone and laptop were both on and connected to power supplies. She also checked her wards once more. Satisfied that her work was done, she then teleported back to Team Twenty-Two’s headquarters making sure to expend enough energy so she was once again in her Boston body when she Shifted back to her human form in a burst of energy in her room.
She was very pleased to find that Mike had now arrived there and had already made himself at home in her room, unpacking all his things in there. She noted his scent on the bed and figured he had already spent one night there as well. After getting dressed in her fatigue uniform, she went to the Communications Center where Mike was having a conversation with Major Grimes and Master Sergeant Town.
When she walked in, Missy said, “I know my husband isn’t really in the army but since he’ll be with us for a few weeks, we figured he should wear fatigues like the rest of us. That way, he won’t stick out the way he would in civilian clothes.” Mikewas wearing the uniform and army boots which he had worn back when he had been with the team in Kabul, Afghanistan.
Master Sergeant Town said, “We’ve already taken care of getting him some more stuff, Missy. More uniforms and another pair of combat boots will be delivered later today. Since he’s such a big guy, we had to have those items shipped over here from the Incirlik Air Base.”
Missy knew that was where most of the US Army folks stationed in Turkey were located so she was not surprised. She said, “Great! We figured it would be easier to get him outfitted with more stuff over here rather than doing that back home.” She went over and let Mike give her a hug and a kiss.
“How are things in Moscow?” asked Major Grimes. “What did you decide to do about those people who tried to kill you over in Beijing?” Missy had told him earlier how she had identified them.
“Well, I’ve set the three men who actually did the bombing on a chase after Nikolai, the guy who ordered the bombing. I warned him not to run but of course he ignored that. Lisa will keep me informed on where all these guys are and we’ll keep texting Nikolai’s location to the guys who are chasing after him. Those texts won’t trace back to us, of course, so there won’t be any evidence that I’m involved.”
Master Sergeant Town said, “That sounds rather ominous for that bastard Nikolai. If I were placing any bets, it would be on those guys who are chasing him to win this race. Once they do, what will happen to them after that?”
“I guess we’ll have to wait and see,” answered Missy. “If the Fabulous Fates lend a hand, perhaps those guys will leavesome evidence behind that might get them arrested for whatever they end up doing to Nikolai. As Mike has often heard me say, sufficient unto the day …”
“… are the problems thereof,” finished Mike with a chuckle. “Missy won’t worry about stuff in the future when there are so many things she must deal with right here in the present. I think she’s got the Yury assassination situation handled well enough for now.”
Just then Staff Sergeant Morgan came in and said, “Major Grimes, sir? Captain Petrova is here. Is it okay to bring her into the Operations Center?” He knew the major was planning to brief the captain all about Team Twenty-Two.
Major Grimes looked up and said, “Sure, that will be good, Sergeant. Thanks!”
Missy noticed how the major’s pulse had suddenly quickened on hearing the captain had arrived. She looked at him and asked, “Sir, does the captain have clearance to go in there?” Since, amongst other classified documents, there were a few pictures of her as a mountain lion on one of the walls, this was one of the many areas in the team’s headquarters where only those who had been cleared to know about supernaturals were allowed access.
