Russian Doomsday Page 5

  This was what she’d been waiting for and her heart surged with fear, a tingle racing across her skin. She could finally put her skills to work. Her own personal wants and desires had no place here; they never had, never would. She was an asset and had a job to carry out, nothing more. Now that she had the go ahead, she’d start the slow flirt: a look here, a smile there. And it started today.

  There was an art to being both innocuous and seen. Each had their subtleties, and only a true professional knew how to exploit them.

  She looked at her hands. They were shaking. She had to get herself under control. She pulled out another cigarette and lit it, her hands shaking as she did so. She took a deep draw on the cigarette and blew out slowly. A hand went to her face, where moisture had formed. She needed to pull herself together. She wasn’t just going to rush out there and jump him. That thought helped steady her and once more she took a deep draw. Slowly, her heart rate began to slow.

  Time to prepare. She placed the cigarette on the ashtray. She wouldn’t rely on makeup just yet, but she would up her game to get his attention. She took out her compact and looked in the mirror. Gazing back at her were vibrant jade eyes, reminding her of a deer’s caught in headlights, set in a too-pale face. She supposed that was normal; this could end badly for her. Her luxurious thick blonde hair was scraped up in a tight bun, making her look quite unattractive, she thought wryly.

  Reaching up, she undid the tight bun. The relief when it came down almost made her groan. She’d lived with headaches for years now. Closing her eyes in ecstasy, she ran her nails through her hair, raking them along her scalp. It felt so good. She shook her head and fluffed her hair, then let it hang loose. Much better.

  She’d been told early on that Borin was partial to blondes, so was confident he would notice her. Especially considering she would be wearing her hair down from now on. However, that didn’t mean a thing if he didn’t pick up on her hints or if they didn’t have chemistry. One never knew, but most men didn’t turn away a beautiful woman. She hoped for all their sakes that Alexei Borin was attracted to her. She’d been here too long to fail before she got started on her true mission.

  Next, she tucked her blouse in for a defined hourglass figure, then pulled her skirt up a few inches to show off her long legs, toned and shapely with small ankles. She had average feet, neither too large nor too small, and wore flat heels. Going over to her desk, she opened the bottom drawer. From the back, she pulled out a pair of three-inch black pumps. Kicking off the flat-heeled shoes, she replaced them with the pumps.

  Turning back to her compact mirror, she dabbed on some lipstick, pale pink. Though she was really twenty-nine, she looked twenty-two: nice and young. She’d heard Borin liked his women young.

  Taking a last drag of her cigarette, she stabbed it out, took a deep breath, stood, and pushed out her chest. Her hands had stopped shaking, for which she was thankful.

  She had practiced this look enough times at home. She hoped it was enough.

  Borin had to think it was all his own idea. She couldn’t be seen as the aggressor, since actions could later be looked at, scrutinized, and motives questioned. Not only that; she’d sized Borin up. He was a man’s man and would not be easily manipulated.

  Picking up a random pile of paperwork, she went to her office door and looked out and around. Borin was seated on a couch by one of the other offices, reading through some documents.

  Without any further ado, she set off in his direction, using her long legs to advantage and swaying her hips in gentle measure. Too much and it would be obvious, but the gentle shift and sway was a siren’s call to men.

  She did not head directly for him. Rather, she angled to the left, slightly away, neither looking at nor acknowledging him. As she walked, nerves made her insides shake, and her heart slammed in her chest. She hoped it wasn’t discernable to an observer. Strange. She’d never thought of herself as a nervous woman. She mentally bit down. She had to get herself under control.

  So much relied on her attracting his attention. Her mouth went dry and she fought the urge to lick her lips. She wasn’t used to doubting herself, and cursed silently for it. As she moved along the hall, off to one side, she knew she wasn’t being obvious, but at least in his line of sight.

  Cutting her eyes toward him surreptitiously, she saw he was indeed watching her. It was now time to draw attention to herself. She pretended to trip and dropped her papers. Pivoting, she bent down, extending a long leg behind her to hike up her skirt just a bit. She picked the papers up, taking her time; not too fast and not too slow.

  Standing, she masked her face in pretty annoyance with her eyes cast down. Borin was watching her intently. She walked on, pretending she didn’t even know he was there. It wouldn’t do to acknowledge him at this point; all she wanted to do was catch his interest. She could not afford to be blatant. Subtle, she’d been taught; always be subtle. A smile curved her lips. She’d done that well enough. A slow breath came out, and her body began to relax. The shaking had stopped. That was good. She didn’t need that physical nervousness; he’d pick up on that. He was a predator, and predators always saw the weaknesses in others. Tomorrow, she’d cross his path again and see if it had taken.

  St. Marys, GA, 30 July 2018

  Pike had his truck loaded and ready to go. Walking into the building, he found Nancy, the receptionist, at her desk. He grinned. She’d always been nice to him. She reminded him a lot of his mother: lots of energy and friendly.

  “Hi Pike, this your last day?” she said, smiling up at him.

  “Yeah. Heading out in a bit. Just stopped by to pick up my check.”

  “Sure, no problem. Let me go get it for you.”

  Nancy got up from her desk and headed into another office. Pike looked around. It was neat and tidy, and welcoming. He guessed it should be that way for incoming customers. It was too bad some of the agents weren’t as nice as Nancy. He smiled when she walked back into the office with an envelope.

  “Here you go, Pike. Have a safe trip.” She smiled, kindness in her eyes. He nodded, and left, heading for his office. Opening the envelope, he looked inside. It wasn’t much, but it would get him to Maryville. Arriving at his desk, he sat down. He wanted to check on a bit of information about the area. He let out a breath. No one was about. Logging in, he opened up a browser and brought up Maryville, it seemed really nice, and was situated near several big cities. He was glad of this, not too close. He scrolled around, looking at the highlights.

  He would swing by the bank to cash the check before he left town. He had his savings but was loath to touch them. He had a feeling he’d be needing them soon enough if Margo agreed to pool resources on the property he’d found. He went to the fax machine and uploaded his resume. He waited, looking around nervously. He knew he shouldn’t be using it, as he no longer worked here. But he figured he’d shoot a copy to the realty company and hope for the best.

  When the fax was sent, he went back to the computer. He pulled up Missouri’s real-estate laws and licensing. Good. Doesn’t look like it will be too hard, he said to himself. He filled in some information on the online application. He pulled out a thumb drive and copied the files to it for safe-keeping.

  He checked his email quickly. To his surprise, the company had already acknowledged receiving his information and said they would get back to him. They also said they looked forward to seeing him. That was a good sign, he guessed. It was more than most companies did for prospective employees these days.

  He looked around for a few minutes on job sites. He wanted an idea of what was out there in general, as he knew they would need good money fast. To his surprise, he saw a few things that were promising. One was a job at a hardware store. He typed in a few inquiries and sent them out. Then he called up his bank account and looked at the balance. All looked good. He smiled. he’d been saving for a long time. For what, he never knew. Now he did.

  He was looking forward to saying goodbye to Bev and Johnny. He wouldn’t
miss them and their constant tormenting. There was nothing here for him any longer. He was ready for a change for sure. He pulled up the property once more and looked at it. The more he thought about it, the better he liked it.

  If the SHTF, then it would be every man or woman for themselves. He could not carry the burden of everyone; he could only take care of his own small world. For those who’d not prepared, they’d be the first to scream for help and more than likely be the first to die.

  He hated thinking about it, but he knew he needed to get his head into that mindset. He wondered if it was selfish. He was pretty sure he’d kill to get food if he’d not taken precautions. That was why he was trying so hard to get his act together. He wanted to be independent and feel secure in his own world. Have a small amount of control in a world out of control.

  “So, slinking off without telling anyone? Too ashamed to let everyone know you’re leaving?” Johnny said as he walked into the office.

  Pike didn’t bite the bait. He stuck out his hand instead and smiled. He didn’t want to, as he knew Johnny would crush his hand. “Looking for greener pastures. I figured I wasn’t doing so great here.”

  Johnny shook his head. “So, you think it will be different someplace else?”

  “Hope so. Take care and good luck.” Pike looked around, more for a distraction than anything else. “Where is Bev? I wanted to say goodbye to her as well.”

  “She’s got a showing, but she’ll be real sad she missed your goodbye. NOT.” Johnny brayed, his big teeth white and shiny. Pike thought he could nearly see down Johnny’s throat.

  Johnny reminded Pike of Gary Busey, and now he had the image stuck in his head. His heart squeezed. This poor bastard had no idea of what was coming. Maybe that was for the best. Hopefully, if and when it did come, he’d be dead before it even registered. There was nothing he could do for Johnny or Bev. He’d tried his best.

  As expected, Johnny squeezed the hell out of Pike’s hand. Pike pulled it away and shook it, which just made Johnny laugh harder. No, he’d not miss them a bit. He hoped he was wrong about POSEIDON and he hoped Johnny and Bev lived long lives. They weren’t bad people, just kind of annoying. They didn’t deserve to die, but he couldn’t help them. He was just sorry that they’d not listened to his warnings. But, deep in his gut, he knew something was coming. He didn’t know when, but he knew, just as he knew his love for Margo would never die. Yes, he was that certain.

  Johnny slapped Pike on the back hard and then drew him in for a rough bro-hug. Pike wasn’t sure he’d survive. He pulled himself away and smiled. He stood for a moment and took another look around the office. He sighed. He’d miss it only a little.

  Heading out, he got into his truck and pulled away. He saw Johnny standing outside to wave him off and was hit by a small pang. That poor bastard was a dead man and didn’t even know it. Pike swallowed the sudden lump in his throat. He silently wished Johnny well, then pulled out into the traffic. He kept telling himself he couldn’t save everyone. But he could save himself and Margo.

  That would have to be enough. He couldn’t carry the burden of guilt for all those left behind. He hoped Johnny and Bev would maybe think about it a little more. Maybe see something on the news that would motivate them to take some kind of action. Sometimes ambivalence was deadly.

  Hamburg, IA, 30 July 2018

  Kalvin Raffa and his buddy Mikey Buttes sat in a dark, dank beer dive, The Blue Monkey. The odorous combination of beer and urine permeated the small establishment situated on the outskirts of Hamburg, IA. The music was overly loud, the cheap booze watered down, but it was a place both men were comfortable in.

  “How’s work going?” Kalvin asked. He took a drag off his cigarette and blew a long blast of smoke.

  “You know, same ol’ same. Got a bead on a new avenue for a score for some Fentanyl. I’m working it out and’ll let you know,” Mikey said, wiping the beer from his lips with the back of his hand.

  “Damn, that’s sweet. You amaze me, son.” Kalvin laughed and smacked the table.

  “Not bad for a janitor. Shit, nobody looks at me sideways. You know, they always underestimate the help.” Mikey laughed, his blue eyes crinkling.

  “You should become a nurse or a doctor. Then you could get your hands on some sweet stuff.”

  “Fuck that. You forget, working in the hospital as a janitor, you see all the horseshit. Those goddamn patients are whiny and needy. I’d rather put a pillow over their fucking heads. No, I’ll stick to sweeping. Nobody hassles me, and I come and go as I want.”

  “Yeah, you’re right. I never thought of that. That would suck having people puke or shit all over you.”

  “No shit. I have to clean it up, but at least it isn’t on me. How’s the construction biz going?” Mikey asked.

  “Pretty good. I got a line on a house. Figured we’d maybe go scope it out. I got the info third hand, so nobody can trace it back to us. It’s a sweet fucking deal too,” Kalvin said.

  “Hell yeah, brother, whatcha got?”

  “So, there’s this family doing renovations on a large fucking estate, a ritzy place on Fifth Street. The owners are on vacation in Mexico during the renovations. Man oh man, must be friggin’ nice,” Kalvin said.

  “Yeah, well, they’ll get a little bad news while they’re on vacation,” Mikey sniggered. He crushed out his cigarette and lit up another.

  A waitress came by and asked them if they needed refills. Both men shook their heads and waited for her to get out of earshot.

  “Screw ’em, they got insurance,” Kalvin said, leaning back in his chair. He scratched his belly and lifted his rump to let out a loud fart.

  They kept their public lives separate, meeting only when planning a job. It was prudent, and Kalvin liked prudent. Each had a burner cell with only calling capability. No texting, no information kept. They switched out phones every three months.

  “You think we should get new phones?” Mikey asked, pulling his spare out and looking at it.

  “Maybe, after this job. Just make sure you take the chip out when you destroy it. I’ll pick up a couple more next week.”

  “I got a line on a new fence,” Mikey said.

  “Yeah, well, the one in Lincoln is pretty good. Give me his name and I’ll ask around. You can’t be too careful.”

  “You’re always so fucking paranoid.”

  “Hell yeah, I am, why d’you think we haven’t gotten caught in all these years? I don’t take anything for granted.” Kalvin laughed. He knew Mikey was trying to get the upper hand. Mikey didn’t like playing second fiddle to planning or getting rid of shit.

  “How the hell’d you get your hands on all those drugs, dude? I mean, they are friggin’ stringent when it comes to that.” Kalvin changed the subject.

  Mikey laughed, a large smile creeping up his handsome face. Mikey had the face of an angelic choir boy. People trusted him like no other, but Mikey was as rotten as they came. Yet, he’d never been arrested, he’d come close, but had talked his way out of it. Kalvin shook his head. He’d watched the kid do his thing from time to time. Mikey in action was a thing of wonder. That kid had mad skills. People were suckers, they both knew that, and Mikey knew how to exploit that weakness well.

  “That’s my little secret. And I have enough connections to keep us fat.”

  “Fine, but don’t think about looking for another distributor. The last fucking time, you almost connected with a fucking undercover nark.”

  Mikey’s face flushed deep red, his mouth turning down. Kalvin knew he didn’t like being reminded of his near disaster. He’d come so close to walking into a trap. It was only sheer luck that Mike had got away unseen.

  “Whatever, man. Fuck it. I’ll leave the goddamn plotting and planning to you,” Mikey grunted.

  Kalvin laughed and reached over to smack the man on the back.

  Mikey grudgingly grinned. “So, what the hell’re we going to get from this next gig?”

  “Heard that the guy is some kind
of high muckity-muck in technology. Figure he’s got a lot of good shit in his home. TVs, computers, all that shit, plus any jewelry and so on. I got a line on a van we can use. An old beat-up piece of shit. I got some plates we can put on it too.”

  “Sweet. I’m friggin’ in, dude,” Mikey chortled.

  “I think tonight’ll be the perfect time to hit it. It’s Monday, and everyone’ll be tired from the weekend. They’ve more than likely worked a long day today. You know how it is,” Kalvin said, sipping his beer.

  “Yeah, you know, those boys party hard over the weekends. Monday’s hangover day. Tonight they’ll cut out early.” Mikey laughed, his blond brows high on his forehead.

  Mikey was thirty-three but looked sixteen. He had pale blond hair, bright blueberry eyes the whitest teeth you ever saw, and slightly rounded cheeks. That combo made him lethal. The girls, young and old, smiled at the man. It was amazing to watch.

  “I still can’t believe that bitch carded me,” Mikey said, looking over at the waitress.

  “I know, and how long’ve we been coming here?” Kalvin laughed.

  “You’d fucking think they’d remember my face.”

  “Hey, take it as a compliment. You look like a kid, and you know you get away with more shit when you do,” Kalvin said, laughing. He knew Mikey hated being carded.

  “Yesterday I stopped by to pick up a bottle of Jack. Same goddamn guy I always see at the liquor store, and he fucking asks me for my ID. I think he does it just to be an asshole.”

  “Maybe it’s because they have cameras all over and he might get busted selling to a kid. You have to admit, you look like a fucking sixteen-year-old,” he sniggered.

  Mikey shot him a dirty look, which made Kalvin laugh harder. Then his handsome face cleared, and he grinned and shrugged. “I just hate when they give me a ration of shit,” he grumbled.