Finding any report of the camp Tracker had been captive of was easier said than done. It was as if someone had wiped the internet clean of the event. Eli wasn’t one for conspiracies, but the evidence – or rather lack of evidence, was suspicious. Most countries release information on events like Tracker’s kidnapping and imprisonment after a time. Once on one involved could reasonably be held accountable for any wrong doings in the name of the greater good. He still couldn’t find anything. This supported Valentina’s theory that Tracker’s abduction happened far more recently. Any government documents were still classified, and considering Valentina’s talk of the camp’s population, someone was worried about international diplomacy.
Eli recently found researching on his own to be boring. It was a task that had never bothered him before. This work wasn’t his alone anymore. He wanted Valentina to be there with him. It was as much her journal as it was his. At the same time, he was glad she wasn’t with him today. His methods were about to take him to dangerous places. He’d exhausted all publically available information. Eli was nearly ready to resort to sealed databases.
Of course, Eli would still rather have Valentina abetting him, than where she was. Miss Lytton was currently off with Billy Duke, doing Christmas shopping. Despite six inches of snow on the ground, assuring both Billy and Valentina were fully dressed, Eli couldn’t see them in anything other than Billy’s slung-too-low sweat pants and Valentina’s silk camisole and shorts.
With a sigh he reviewed his work. Eli searched abductions, and found a lot. In fact, he found too much. Eli leaned back in his chair and ran a hand through his hair. He wasn’t sure what he had meant to type, but the screen currently read, “Valentina M. Lytton.” It was several more moments before he realized he was just staring at the screen.
Finally, Eli decided to put Valentina out of his mind, and focus on the research. He started with what he knew: Tracker was Russian; He’d been abducted from St. Petersburg, and taken to Sweden; Tracker was gifted; Tracker was approximately nineteen years old when he was taken. And… that was about all he knew. It wasn’t much to go on. He didn’t even know if Tracker made it out. Valentina hadn’t translated that far into the diary, and Eli couldn’t go on without her.
Another sigh. Eli pushed himself forward. No more stalling. He’d start with Sweden and go from there. He took a scrap of paper from his pocket and logged into a program on Utkin’s computer. He wasn’t sure why Utkin had access to international intelligence networks, but he did. And right now Eli wasn’t going to question it. He entered the numeric identification, and then the password: Yuri0827. Eli waited nervously while the codes authenticated, and let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding, when it connected.
Furiously he typed in his search parameters, as if he’d looks access at any moment. The screen lit up with results. “United States Extends Refugee Status to Escaped Russian,” the first promising article. Eli began to read it. Twenty four years before, the United States Central Intelligence Agency received a fugitive from a Swedish concentration camp. She was a twenty-two year old Russian female, name redacted, and admitted to killing two guards to escape. She was made ward of the state, and her case was assigned to a specific agent, name redacted, and admitted to a hospital to care while the situation was investigated.
The story fit so closely. Everything matched but the gender. Although, they only assumed Tracker was male. Also, in Valentina’s dream Tracked had told her that he had never been to New York, and she was convinced to take that by extension that he had never been to America. Eli printed the story just the same, and continued on his search. The headlines alone started to form a time line: US CIA proposes rescue, brass denies. Lone CIA contact foreign intelligence for support: Canada, deny; France, deny; Germany, deny; Switzerland, no response; Russia, in consideration; United Kingdom, meeting scheduled. Unsanctioned mission planned by MI6, CIA. MI6 agent files report on largest gifted rights violation on record. The last article looked promising.
Special Investigations Agent, name redacted, deployed with master at arms and volunteer, name redacted, in cooperation with CIA agent, name redacted, to liberate prisoners held in a commune in a heavily wooded area in the north of Sweden. All intelligence had been provided by CIA agent, name redacted, by his contact, name withheld. Upon arrival, the party was greeted civilly by armed members of the community, serving as a militia. Shortly after their arrival, the captain and leader of the militia and commune took his own life, leaving his right hand to take charge. Name redacted, was taken into custody by MI6 Special Agent, Abraham Horowitz, and made ward of the state. All prisoners were given full mental and physical health evaluations, and returned to their country of origin, with the exception of name redacted, who was escorted to London by Agent name redacted.
It took Eli a moment to believe his luck. The person tasked with processing this document forgot to redact one of the names. Eli had a lead. A lead! A traceable lead! He immediately grabbed his phone. As his thumbs raced across the keys, he composed a message to Valentina. Before he hit send, he remembered that she was busy. Of course, this news would beckon her to him, but that’s not how he wanted to get her attention. With a sigh, Eli threw his phone down. Instead of messaging Valentina, he printed the document and leaned back in Utkin’s chair. His eyes fell on the books that sat on shelf over his head. He’d seen the books many times before as Utkin reviewed his research, or they spoke about various matters, but he’d never really noticed them. Curiously, one of them did not have anything printed on its spine. Before stumbling on Tracker’s journals, a book like that wouldn’t have meant anything to Eli, but now it set off a signal in mind. Eli stood up and took a closer examination. The book was a light tan hard bound book, with faded ink. Eli took the book off the shelf. The cover featured a familiar M.C. written in the corner and larger in the center, some words in Russian and in English, “Abe Horowitz.” He ran his finger over the lettering. Of all the days for his luck to come up.
After a moment, Eli began to worry about who might find him in Utkin’s office. While he was perfectly allowed to be in the office, he was getting anxious. Quickly, Eli logged off of Utkin’s computer and grabbed the documents from the printer, and tucked the book under his arm as he rushed from the room. He was thankful that no one saw as he ran down the fourth floor hall, the heels of his oxfords echoing all the way. His heart was racing. Eli couldn’t wait to show Valentina what he’d found.
YOU ARE READING
Looking For A Legend (Book 1)
Mystery / ThrillerA young telepath is unexpectedly left with leading his class when his teacher takes leave. One of Elijah's new students Valentina leads him down a path where mysteries only get more mysterious and nothing is as simple as it looks.
