“I know what you’re thinking. I’ve thought it too. Is it a setup? Misha Turov plotting revenge for his father? It could be. Even though Yuri wouldn’t likely work with the Turovs, he might not know they’re involved. Assuming they are.”
That was the problem right there. They didn’t know what the hell was going on or why this kid was suddenly on the move, visiting the places that made him seem like he was trying to find answers about his past.
The door opened and all Mendez’s thoughts about conspiracies drained away as Dr. Butler entered the waiting room. She didn’t look as relieved and happy as Mendez had thought she would. The hairs on his neck prickled.
“Is something wrong, doc?”
“First of all, the baby is fine. Healthy, and everything’s as it should be with her.” She frowned. “But Kat’s bleeding a bit more than I’d like. Blood is normal and expected, of course, but this is a bit excessive. It can happen with precipitous births so it’s nothing to panic over, but we’ll need to monitor her closely over the next few hours.”
A chill rolled over him. He’d learned the term precipitous birth just today. It meant that labor and delivery went much faster than usual and it could be dangerous, though complications were rare. “You can fix this, right?”
“I’ve given her something to control the bleeding. It should help the uterus contract again, which is where the issue stems from. The birth happened very, very fast, and that can cause hemorrhaging. But she’s here with us and we’re trained for this. I expect her to recover just fine.”
Mendez drew in a breath and tried to will his heartbeat to slow down. This was a situation report he didn’t like, but he got bad sit-reps at work all the time. They dealt with the situation when it went sideways. Dr. Butler was dealing with this one. “Can I see her?”
“Of course. I’ve given her a sedative along with something for pain, so she may be groggy. But you’re welcome to sit with her as long as you like. And you can see your baby, too.”
His baby. A lump formed in his throat. He’d known for months, obviously, that he had a daughter coming. But seeing her for the first time, holding her, had shifted something deep within him that he hadn’t known was there. He was a father. For the second time, actually, though he’d never been able to see or hold his son.
“All right. Thanks.”
The lump grew bigger and Dr. Butler grew a bit wavy as she took her leave and walked to the door. Emotions swelled inside him, battering his heart and brain. He loved Kat with everything he had. Loved Elena, too. He would do anything to keep them safe. He would have done the same for Roman, if he’d known about him.
“You okay, John?”
“Yeah, fine,” he said.
“Kat’s tough as hell,” Ian said softly. “She’ll be okay.”
“She’s a fighter.” Mendez swiped his sleeve across his eyes. He didn’t cry. It wasn’t what he did. “Thanks for everything you did to get us here, Ian.”
“I’m glad you called me.”
Mendez pulled in a breath. Let it out and pulled in another. Then he made a decision. He liked to think he used the same cool logic he always used when making mission decisions, but he knew deep down he was being controlled by an emotional need for answers. He’d lost Kat for twenty years. Lost his son. He wasn’t losing her again, and he wasn’t losing Elena. If there was even the remotest chance that Roman was still alive, then he wasn’t going to squander the opportunity to find out the truth. He needed to know. If it was a revenge plot by his enemies, then he’d end it. But if it wasn’t, my god, what a miracle that would be.
“I want you to bring Kazimir Rybakov to the US. I want you to do it as soon as you can.”
Ian didn’t seem surprised. He stood with hands in pockets and smiled. “You got it, mon general. With pleasure, I might add.”
Mendez would have laughed if circumstances were more normal. “You expected that, didn’t you?”
“I’ve been waiting for it. I was pretty sure you’d change your mind eventually.”
“Hell, I didn’t know I was going to change my mind. What made you think so?”
“You hadn’t held your newborn then. You have now. Changes one’s perspective, don’t you think?”
“If there’s a chance he’s my son, I want to know. I want Kat to know. Life is too damned short and too unpredictable to wait for answers.”
“Couldn’t agree more. If you will excuse me, I have an abduction to arrange…”
15
It was dark when Kat woke. She was groggy and sore, and her breasts hurt like hell. She lay in bed and remembered everything that had happened since they’d come to the hospital several hours before. It had all been a whirlwind, but she remembered Dr. Butler and the nurses sounding a bit worried. She remembered holding Elena and trying to feed her, but they’d had troubles with latching on at the time.
A sound beside her made her turn her head. Johnny lay back in the recliner by her bed. In the dim light she could see his eyes were closed and he had a day’s growth of beard on his face.
So handsome, her man. So protective and determined. He’d delivered their daughter like a pro and he’d talked her through the whole thing. She’d been scared and in pain, but she’d put her faith in him taking care of everything, and he had.
She shifted, wincing, and his eyes opened. He sat up.
“Kat?” His voice was soft in case she was still asleep. She loved him so much.
“Yes, honey. I’m awake.”
He sat up and took her hand in his, pressed a kiss to it. “How are you?”
“Sore. Tired. Where’s Elena?”
“She’s in the nursery right now. I’ve been to see
