Taboo: Bittersweet Revenge (Sequel)

Livin' on a Prayer

..............................................

Adjusting my glasses in front of my eyes as I walk down the hall, I felt a sense of relief that my hard work had finally off. In my hand were the death reports of the murdered scientists from Europe. I believe I finally had a conclusive connection between them and I knew this lead was big. Because it meant I actually did something right and I had managed to retained some of my sanity.

After everything that's happened, there's been a large rift between me and Christian. I felt like we've lost our connection, even though the flames are hot. The only thing we seem to be talking about lately was the murder cases and how their linked to Argent. And even that was kept to a minimum.

What's more surprising, everytime the baby cries at night, he's the first one up. I didn't expect that from him at all. It's like he's adjusted to the idea of having Raeven, but I see the emotion in his eyes, or the lack there of. We're both waiting for the other to give in first. But, stubbornness is a funny son of a bitch.

He hasn't really bonded with Raeven the way I'd hoped, even though I knew the chance of that happening were slim to none. Yet despite all that, why is the baby always quite when Christian tends to him, but won't stop crying with me?! That is so not fair. The only way I calm him down is through nursing. All Christian has to do is look at him and kid shuts up. How is that possible?

With my rejuvenated eyes still firmly glued onto the papers as I paced down the hall to find Christian. After months of insomnia, I'd finally managed to find a normal sleeping pattern. I'm not healed by any stretch of the imagination, but I'm definitely not as fatigued as I was before.

But being the distracted and clumsy idiot I am, I found myself running into Christian instead of running into him. It's the equivalent of hitting a brick wall, a really large brick wall. I stumble back as the papers fly out of hands and scramble across the floor. Typical! He's not the one that falls, he doesn't even budge.

"Slow down kid, before you tumble over the caution tape", he comments, with a hint of playfulness. I bend down and gather the jumbled pile off the floor, keeping my gaze low.

"You and I both know grace isn't one of my redeeming qualities. I just found another possible connection. All these scientists had an invitation to the Ball last month, and all attended".

"Flight tickets and surveillance shows them landing in Toronto about a month ago", he added.

"And all 5 of them were murdered inside their homes, same m.o. They report stolen items from their lab, then they're killed shortly after", I explained.

"Any leads on another potential victim?", he asked. Shuffling through the mismatched files, I pull out a single file from a document.

"Ivana Litvinenko, nuclear geneticist, and a former soviet spy. She reported some of her findings stolen. A few days later, she's lying in a pool of her own blood outside her apartment in Moscow, barely breathing".

I hand over the document for him to take a closer look. "If she survived then we can find out what happened. Get her protection before this thing  becomes an international incident", he suggests.

"Then we need to move fast. If these records are anything to go by, she could dead before we already get there", I concluded before we both hastily walk down the hallway. But before I could get ahead of myself, I hear Raeven's cry from down the hall, a reminder that I already had a more pressing responsibility here.

"Why don't you...uh.. go ahead without me. Just...call me when you land", I offered. Even though I wanted to be by his side, I knew I had to bite my tongue on this occasion. And only this occasion.