NERVES OF STEEL

CHAPTER 17- HELL ENOUGH

                Why did it always have to rain at funerals? Why did the sky always have to take a gloomy look? It drizzled outside whilst Diane and her mom were seated with a heavy grief inside the Greenhaven Funeral Home. With friends gathered to bid farewell to the late Warner Alvarin.

              The chapel's plain wooden pews were filled with mourners, their faces etched with sorrow. Diane, her eyes red-times with tears, held her mother's hand, comfortingly. She wasn't that close to her father in terms of emotionally and all the more hurt it made her.

            What if he had lived longer and they ended up being close? That monster, Russo Fedorcenko. He could have helped. He had all the finance to help but no. He had to be a monster instead. She kept staring back at the door. Hadn't Shadow said that he would come? Maybe he couldn't make it. She thought, disappointedly.

         A plains pine casket rested atop a simple metal stand, adorned with only a few white roses from the family's garden. The absence of elaborate flowers or ornate caskets underscored the hash reality. This was a funeral borne of necessity not luxury. Her father didn't deserve to be buried like a pauper. Not after all his years of service to the country. Oh well, that's what you get for when you give your all to bastards!

              A minister took over the service and everything went according to the usual order. At the end of the service, they all moved to the cemetery where his casket was laid to the earth after a round of prayers and usual rites. The media was present taking pictures as Diane hugged her mother, both wallowing in tears and pain.

               Just then a small commotion could be heard as the crowd gave way for the military Jeep that drove in at that moment. Diane let go of her mother In surprise as she watched with fury the personality that highlighted from the car. She immediately lost her cool as she walked up to him, anger steaming from her head.

"What the hell are you doing here?" She asked in anger. The crowd watched in surprise while the media started doing what they do best.
"Have you come to insult us any further or have you come to seem like an angel in the eyes of the public when you're actually a fucking demon!" She ranted.
"As you can see, I came without escort to show my sincerity. He was one of my men. I'm only fulfilling my duty by being here." Russo said, coolly.

          This however, didn't go well with Diane as she slapped him hard across the face causing a gasp from the onlookers. She almost couldn't believe her own actions just as much as he didn't. Hell, she just hit the next Army General of Russia.

Screw it all.

Russo was stunned for a second. He stared at her in surprise.
"Get the fuck out of here, Russo Fedorcenko. Your presence is hell enough for my Father's soul. You're nothing but a despicable bastard! Now leave! You're not welcomed here!" Diane yelled with tears streaking down her face.

                All eyes were now on Russo, watching how he would react but instead he moved closer to her, leaned down and whispered into her ears, his words sending odd chills down her spine. He spoke calmly, etching out every word with a stern strictness.

"Do you have any idea what you've just done, Major Alvarin and what your actions will inevitably cost you?"

'Major'

He addressed her by her title. She was so screwed but Diane braced herself for the worst.
"Damn the consequences, Commander." She said to his face. "Now leave!"

                   With a jaw clenched, He returned to his car and drove out of the scene. Diane having no more strength left in her to stand, slumped to her knees in an outburst of tears. Tanya immediately rushed to her daughter and wrapped her arms around her in a hug but nothing would help. Not right now anyway. She was heartbroken. They both were.

            Russo returned to his home that morning, slamming the car shut as he walked into the house, clearly upset by the event of a few minutes ago. In all his years, he had never been humiliated that way. Not by anyone much less a woman and certainly not in front of so many people.

                He got to his bedroom and tossed his suit on the bed, upset. No doubt, the media would be streaming with video clips of that moment. He paced in his room as the scene played over and over again in his head.

"Get the fuck out of here, Russo Fedorcenko. Your presence is hell enough for my Father's soul. You're nothing but a despicable bastard! Now leave! You're not welcomed here!"

                  He rubbed his hand over his face, all of a sudden stressed out. He had to rectify this and get the incidence of the media and fast. Just then, a knock could be heard coming from the other side of his bedroom door.

"I don't want to be disturbed. Fuck off!" He yelled from the inside but the door came open anyways and it happened to be Felix.
"Chill, Man. What the fuck is up with you?"
"I had no idea it was you."
"Why the hell are you so tense?"
"Am I?"
"It's written all over you like a bad weather."
"Fuck, I...." Russo trailed off, letting out a regretful sigh.
"Okay now I'm sure as hell interested in knowing what the fuck got you like this." Said Felix, with a slight chuckle.
"Shut up." Russo frowned.
"I've never seen you lose your cool like this before. What exactly happened?"
"I attended Warner's funeral."
"I'm guessing......shit went south?"
"You have no idea. His daughter hit me across the face and she had the audacity to walk me out afterwards."
"What the hell?" Felix asked, eyes wide in surprise.
"My thoughts too."
"Who the hell is that fiesty bitch? Imma be needing to give her a fucking hug."
"Exact......wait, what?" Russo stared at his best friend, confused but Felix was only laughing.
"Whose side are you fucking on?" He growled, angry.
"Chill...." He smiled. "....you know I'll always have your back, brother but damn! I loved it that someone finally put your ego in place."
"The door's open, Felix." He frowned.
Felix in turn only chuckled. "I'm sorry."
"You can shove your apology up your ass." He said, walking out the room, Felix hurried behind, still chuckling.
"Why are you here by this time anyways?" Russo asked as he sat by the wine cellar, pouring himself a glass. "Do you care?"
"Don't mind if I do." Felix replied, taking the wine bottle from him and he equally poured himself a glass. "Remember how you told me you were found with an odd device on the ship?"
"The bastard insisted that I had something to do with it."
"I didn't want to say something about it at first but...."
Russo's interest was immediately piqued as he sat upright. "Yes? Go on."
"That device is one of my creations."
"I'm sorry, what?"
"It's a recorder."
"Then how the hell did it end up in my pockets?"
"Someone was clearly trying to sabotage the peace making."
"I know that already."
"The thing is, I've been extra careful selling these things only to the right authorities but I might have deviated a little the past few weeks."
"What do you mean by 'deviation'?" Asked Russo, suspiciously.
"I've been selling them to an anonymous person a not-so long while back."
"How could you?"
"Damn it, Man. I needed the extra cash. I guess I wasn't thinking."
"Do you have an idea on who this person could be?"
"Only that it's a female."
"A woman..." Russo furrowed his brows in curiosity. "....and has she contacted you recently?"
"Not at all."
"Well then, keep your eyes peeled. If you happen to hear from her again, find a way to track her down."
"Not a problem."
"This might be the mole we had amongst us all these while." Russo said and he wasn't going to spare whoever it turned out to be. He gulped down the remaining contents of the wine and set the empty wine glass down on the counter in a hurry as he made his way out.
"Why the sudden rush?"
"I've got somewhere to be. I'll be back soon."