The Darkness Below

Chapter Seventy - 1970

Vince arrived at the old wooden front door which was the only barrier between him and killing Smith and Grace. Vince didn't have time for subtlety so he used an old technique and forced the lock and splintered the wood. It was quiet and effective but obviously left clear evidence of forced entry.

Vince climbed the stairs silently with his arms up, ready in the prone position of the mixed martial arts all recruits in the KGB are taught. Vince had fond memories for a moment of the instructor who taught him at the sprawling concrete complex of buildings outside Moscow. The instructor had been a sadistic man but matched this ruthless streak with a calm head. This prevented him from allowing his desire to inflict vicious injuries on his opponent to compromise efficiency in getting the job done.

Vince paused at the top of the stairs and could hear the woman, Grace, talking on the telephone. Good she was distracted Vince thought.

Vince sees no sign of Smith so sneaks up behind Grace as she is talking on the phone at the end of a long cable whilst stirring pots and pans on the cooker. Vince reaches for the knife in the holster under his arm.

***

Grace is tense. Tense because she has a strange man in her house, Mr Smith, who she rescued from the clutches of a Soviet spy. The tension was heightened further as Smith had no recollection of the events in which he very narrowly avoided death and what would happen when or if he finally remembered that occasion. Smith could become violet and suspicious of Grace.

Grace felt the floor board beneath her feet shift which struck her as odd and then in a flash it struck her as suspicious. She tightened her grip on the frying pan in front of her and spun around whilst dropping the phone. The hot oil in the pan flew out and Grace saw a man behind her, he jumped back just in time to avoid being hit by the boiling oil.

Grace looked intently at the man and he stared back sizing her up but obviously cautious of the hot and heavy pan Grace was brandishing. Grace was puzzled as to who it was then realised it must be Vince Taft based on the description she had been given by John.

Smith hears the commotion and comes walking awkwardly into the kitchen behind Grace and looking at Vince.

***

Vince looks at the scene which has unfolded in front of him and a wry smile passes across his face. Vince gets his first proper look at Mr Smith since he murdered him at the Redoubt, or thought he had murdered him. Vince is perplexed by the expression on Mr Smith's face.

'Run!' Grace shouts over her shoulder at Smith who looks back with confusion.

Vince is starting to piece things together. Smith doesn't recognise Vince. He must have lost his memory as a result of the attack and Smith still held his head at an unnatural angle which must be as a result of the damage Vince dealt upon his neck muscles.

Vince draws the knife from its holster and steps toward Grace with ruthless precision. Grace waves the boiling hot pan and Vince dodges whilst keeping one eye on Smith.

Grace screams at Smith 'run now, jump out the back window onto the flat roof!' Smith continues to stand in place looking gormless and confused. Vince is pleased as it looks like killing them both will be easier than he had anticipated.

Vince starts to enjoy himself and makes an easy stab toward Grace which she reads and dodges. Vince is toying with Grace whilst Smith looks on as if lost in his own mind.

Vince watches Smith's face and watches the expression that had seemed so permanently fixed there begin to change. Smith appeared to be remembering something...but what?

Smith's expression changes to anger as he looks furiously at Vince and Vince now knows what it is Smith has remembered. As quickly as the look of anger flashes onto Smith's face it passes and is replaced by fear as Smith obviously remembers the outcome of his last meeting with Vince.

In an instant Vince sees Smith's muscles tense and then Smith darts in the opposite direction having finally comprehended Grace's instructions.

Vince is angry with himself as he has delayed too long in dealing with Grace and now Smith is attempting to escape. Vince cannot allow Smith to escape and must deal with Grace quickly.

Vince steps forward and stabs for Grace's heart whilst raising his arm to take the blow from the sauce pan she is holding. He feels the heat of the pan on his jacket but turns his arm to deflect the force and the pan glances off him. Vince is surprised by the strength and wits of Grace. Killing her might take too long!

Vince lashes out with his other arm and catches Grace in the ribs with his arm and she pants as the air is force from her lungs. Vince manages to subdue her and she crumples on the floor and Vince runs out to the bedroom to find an open window and Smith has gone.

***

Vince returns to the kitchen to find Grace still crumpled on the floor. Vince is angry. Angry because Smith has escaped but also because it now means he will not be able to kill Grace...well not just yet.

Vince stands Grace up and slaps her face to get her focused and speaks in a low, calm and menacing voice 'We're going for a walk Grace and I will have my arm around you and my knife resting against your rib cage, in line with your heart. Make one false move and you will be dead before you hit the ground.'