staring down the sun

[9] but the shadows still remain

Elena met Paul Smecker while undercover as a Russian escort in New York City. Following an FBI raid on the Russian mob's ecstasy ring, she had been detained with the other girls working that night. She kept her cover going, speaking nothing but fluent Russian as the federal agents handcuffed her. The accent continued to fall from her mouth as Smecker tried to interrogate her. But then he asked, in Russian, "How did you get that bruise on your cheek?" She didn't say anything, just looked down at her hands, her wrists turning red from the metal rubbing her skin raw. "A little bird tells me it's snowing in Moscow," Smecker added, and Elena shot her eyes up at him. It was code, a signal that he knew about her, who she really was. "A sparrow," he whispered, the Russian translation sounding like vorobey. Sparrow—her code name.

The gold earrings arrived three years after his funeral, with the Russian translation of sparrow typed on a notecard, along with a date and time to be at the Church of Saint Christopher in Boston. There, Paul fucking Smecker appeared from the confessional booth to reveal he had faked his death and why. She cursed at him, much like she heard Eunice Bloom did later, but she quickly crossed herself and recited a Hail Mary. Smecker smiled, "That's why I chose you, my Catholic sparrow." She still called him a motherfucker after that.

"Fucking Smecker!" Connor and Murphy simultaneously cheer as they enter the office.

Bloom approaches Elena as the men hug each other, her southern accent low and measured with a curious smile. "You told them, didn't you?" Elena bites her lip, and Bloom beams with laughter. "Oh, of course you did."

"Boys!" Smecker boasts like a proud uncle. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you two."

The twins glance at each other and then back at Smecker, with Murphy sounding so incredibly relieved. "Aye, us too."

Smecker shakes his head, placing his hands on his hips like always. "Yeah, I'm sorry about that whole fake out. I know you've had enough of the real thing lately."

Elena studies the boys' reactions respectively, hoping she is right in assessing their mental well-being. As Murphy nods in agreement, Connor swallows hard but still manages to mirror his brother's nonverbal response. And then, without a word, they both sandwich Smecker in a long, tender hug.

"Well, I can see where I stand in this little reunion," Bloom teases, nudging Elena with her elbow. The boys look over at the two women, smiling as they both move to embrace Bloom with a chaste kiss on the cheek. "Y'all sure know how to make a woman feel appreciated," she smiles, winking at Elena before turning her attention back to Connor and Murphy. "As much as I would love to catch up, we all have work to do. I'll let Fucking Smecker explain everything, but first, I wanted to ensure you get these." She hands them each a burner cell phone. "These will be how we'll communicate with you now that payphones are not as common as they used to be."

"Not to mention we can send encrypted text messages," Smecker adds, winking at Elena.

"Sometimes telling you to find a payphone," Elena retorts, half laughing at how she's had to communicate with Smecker for the past couple of months.

Bloom laughs and waves both hands. "With that, I'll leave you to it. Glad to have you boys back."

Connor and Murphy thank Bloom as she turns on her Christian Louboutins to leave. She whispers in Elena's ear, "Come find me if you need to talk later." While the sentiment is sweet, the statement leaves Elena confused and anxious about what's coming next.

As Bloom shuts the door, Smecker motions for Connor and Murphy to have a seat. He leans against the front of his desk, crossing one foot over the other as he looks through a file folder. "Your first target is a drug trafficking ring in New York City. Feds haven't been able to get someone inside, and they haven't been able to get enough evidence for a warrant, so this is perfect for you. Get in, take out the thugs, and we'll tip off local law enforcement on the contraband left behind."