“Technically, yes!” replied Sean shifting uncomfortably in his seat.
“Jesus,” and I’ve taken you on this trip. “I’ll get crucified by the press!” The Governor had put his grief aside until after Moscow and as such was very much back in work mode and work mode at that time meant campaign mode.
“I can explain,” offered Sean.
“I’m tough on crime, especially drugs. It’s why they love me, Sean. I can’t help you with this!” he said shaking the sheets of charges.
“I’m not asking you to,” replied Sean indignantly which caught the Governor’s attention.
“OK, go, explain!” he suggested, taking a seat opposite Sean.
Governor Rick Brown stayed silent throughout, although his facial expressions gave away plenty. Sean detailed everything that had happened to him since arriving home.
As Sean stopped talking, the Governor remained speechless, not knowing what to say. Sean sat in anticipation before the Governor finally spoke.
“Holy shit, that is some explanation!” he offered shaking his head. “I’m not sure a jury in the land will believe it, mind you,” he added.
“But do you?” asked Sean.
“Yes!”
“Thank you,” replied Sean.
“Sean, they’re going to throw away the key!” he offered as a friend.
“We’ll see. What will, be will be.”
“And this Torres guy, the new boss, he still wants you dead?”
“Yep, I believe after they missed me in Mexico, he raised it to $30 million bucks. I don’t think I’m his favorite person,” smiled Sean.
“These guys come and go,” offered the Governor as some reassurance.
“This guy’s smarter than average. Trust me, he’s ensured that even when he’s dead they’ll still be hunting me down!”
“Sorry?”
“Escrow fund, pays on proof of my death!”
“Jesus, he is a smart cookie, so even you killing him doesn’t stop it!”
“Exactly, in fact killing him ensures it can’t be stopped! I think that’s one of the reasons the government’s so pissed. I’ve put this guy in charge and he is way smarter than them.”
“You’re remarkably calm for a man with one of the world’s most dangerous cartels after his head,” said the Governor.
“They have to be alive to collect and they’re going to get one hell of a fight from me. We’ll see how their resolve holds up after I’ve stopped a few!” replied Sean confidently, leaving the Governor in no doubt that he meant it.
The Governor got up. The chat was over. Sean got up and as he walked to the door, the Governor added. “Obviously, with all this, you can’t possibly accompany me to the Kremlin. We’ll get you a flight back when we land!”
Sean had the handle of the door in his hand as the Governor delivered the news. News that meant he’d get nowhere near Surkov nor be able to keep an eye on the Governor.
Sean released the handle and returned to the Governor’s desk.
“Do I just dial normally?” he asked as he picked up the phone.
The Governor nodded. Sean was, after all, a big powerful guy. If he wanted to use your phone, you’d let him.
Sean spoke first before handing the phone to the Governor. A heated conversation ensued before he thrust the handset towards Sean and stormed out of the room.
“Vincent, are you still there?” asked Sean.
“Yes, he doesn’t like not getting his way,” he said with a laugh.
“So what’s happening?”
“You’re back on. I told him if he refused I’d inform the Russians your plane had been hijacked and was going to be used as a weapon against the Kremlin!”
“Bit extreme?”
“So’s worry about fucking votes with Surkov around!” exclaimed Vincent.
“You realize when we land, the threat’s gone?!”
“Don’t worry about that. I also suggested I’d release details of a sordid affair to the papers!”
“Jesus,V, is that why he stormed out!” realized Sean.
“Partly, it was when I mentioned it would be with a guy that he lost it!”
“He’s going to be the next President!” reminded Sean.
“And if we’re right, it’s a presidency he would never want to win!”
Chapter 76
Thanks to Vincent’s foray into team building, the remainder of the flight was uneventful. The Governor went to his room and didn’t surface until the captain announced they were twenty minutes from landing. Sean similarly crashed out. Having slept little, he fell into a deep and all consuming sleep. He had imagined a tap tap tapping at his door at some point during the night but it wasn’t until he received an exceedingly cold reception from Katherine that he realized it hadn’t been a dream. He had missed out on, he admired the view, something truly exceptional. He dropped hints about how deeply he can sleep when he is in safe areas but she wasn’t biting, a woman scorned.
As the wheels touched down, Sean took up his position next to the Governor. A position he would remain for the next twenty-four hours.
“Sean!” said the Governor.
“Governor,” replied Sean.
“Would he really have done it?” he asked.
Sean didn’t know whether he was referring to the terrorist threat or the affair. “Definitely!” replied Sean. Vincent would have done both in a heartbeat.
“Jesus, he’s some guy,” replied the Governor, shaking his head.
“To have on your side!” defended Sean.
The Governor considered Sean’s point and smiled. He clapped Sean on the back. “Let’s do it!” he said exiting the plane to a sea of photographers.
Katherine breathed in the Moscow air as she exited at the back of the entourage. After all these years, her motherland. She wanted to bend down and kiss the tarmac but smiled warmly just in case any of the paparazzi caught her. She had an image to portray and as much as her heart leapt, she had to remain calm and lady like.
Sean had instructed the other bodyguards to fan out. He alone remained next to the Governor. If anything were to happen, he didn’t want anyone getting in his way; particularly guys he didn’t know. The drivers took a circuitous route to the Kremlin; obviously the impressive route, as each building outshone the previous before they finally reached the Kremlin.
Katherine sat and soaked in the images that her mother had described to her as she grew up. It was everything and more that she had promised. Katherine was home, her real home. Her part meant she would never get to know her home. Her sacrifice to her homeland was never knowing her homeland. As Katherine’s breath was caught by the beauty and splendor of the Kremlin, she almost asked herself if it was worth it.
“Have you been before?” asked Sean, as Katherine’s face lit up.
Katherine was too engrossed in the view and didn’t hear Sean.
The Governor, nudged her, “Sean’s asking if you’ve been before!” he repeated.
“No but…” she caught herself. “I’ve read about it, it’s beautiful.”
Sean thought he was getting the serious silent treatment when she hadn’t answered but the twinkle in her
