Russian Roulette

Chapter Forty-Eight: Not So Happy Smiles

---Isador---

Isador may or may not have enjoyed the kiss a little too much, and as he watched Aleksei leave the room he spoke quickly. "I love you too, Aleksei." He knew what Aleksei was going to go do. Aleksei had to tell his mother they would be leaving, even if deep down they both wanted him to stay. Isador snatched his own phone off a bedside table before scrolling quickly through the contacts. This was a war that would not be easily won, he could tell that. He'd learned enough about Jerome to know that man didn't really have boundaries-- or really any moral code. Isador may not of had many cards to play in this, but the ones he did just might be enough to give them an edge. It also may get him killed faster, he wasn't quite sure which.

It didn't take him long to find the contact he was looking for. Tapping it, he selected call. It wasn't his favorite way of communicating with his 'team', but it would be one to prove how urgently he wanted to talk.

"Isa--Benjamin, long time no talk." A female voice, slightly accented, came through the phone's speaker. "Either is fine, I'm safe. Look I may... may need back up... with some things." Isador was unsure of how to say it, or what to say even for that matter. Here he was trying to get aid for the man he was supposed to be working to putting behind bars. *But you love him, and do not want that for him. He deserves better. He deserves the world.* Isador shook his head. Even with that being the truth, he needed to focus on getting this worked out.

"Isa.. it's bad over here, we don't have much to work with or ground to start on since you went to Russia." The woman spoke in a confident tone given her words weren't filled with confidence. "Mia, look, Aleksei is waaay better than anyone could of ever thought, ever. Okay? I may have messed up... gone off plan and mission, but..." Isador sighed, but before he could continue the woman, Mia, spoke. "Isador I am well aware. You practically split from the operation. Honestly? I don't..." Mia paused a moment, "All your reports point to you having feelings, I don't blame you either, and they also point towards Aleksei... not being as corrupt as previously thought. But I am not the one that needs convinced of that. I'm also not the one that put him on the list."

"I'm aware of that, Mia... I... We have a chance to end this, and we should..." Isador's breath caught for a moment. *Just say it. Maybe in the end of this maddness--if you survive that is-- you can work something out for Aleksei... although he most likely won't love you afterward.* "We should capitalize on this while we have the opportunity." Mia was quiet a moment, seemingly thinking it all over. "Do you have a plan?" She spoke in a whisper now, meaning Marcus or Bennett may have been nearby. "I don't, no, but I think Aleksei might. I just need you to talk with them, and... well... wait for a signal or call from Aleksei or I?" He knew he was already asking a lot out of Mia, especially considering she would end up in the crossfires at some point in all this, if she wasn't already. Mia sighed before responding, "I'll see what I can do. Travel safe Isador." With that she hung up, and Isador cleared his app history from his phone and sat on the edge of the bed. This was not what anyone expected, he was sure of that.

The rest of the week came and passed quite quickly, and Isador did his best to communicate as best he could with Mia, and did his best to just simply be there for Aleksei. The plane ride over felt tense and full of nerves, and it was easy to tell why. They were entering what was basically a war zone. Isador was happy to be with Aleksei, that was for sure. Being near him helped ease any anxieties Isador had of the coming days. He gave Aleksei a nod, "As I'll ever be..." and stepped off the plane with him. He went silent after that, primarily trying to focus on Aleksei, trying to range how he felt about everything. He of course could guess that he didn't feel great. It took everything in him to not grab and hold his hand. That seemed a bit unprofessional, especially given their company in the car. The small jokes Aleksei made didn't seem to phase the men escorting them. The quiet they presented truly hit Isador deep in his chest. This was nothing like the very open man who drove them to the hotel in Costa Rica. *That seems like an eternity ago...* And truly for Isador it did. It had been months since then but felt so much further away.