Looking For A Legend (Book 1)

Looking For A Legend Chapter 57 - Elijah

            The members of the Spetsgruppa Drakon Pushki stood by as Eli said good bye to his brother.  The three of them work their dress uniforms as they stood on the marble floor of London’s St. Pancreas station.  Gregori and Vikenti both stood tall in their black suit jackets, black pants and polished black shoes.  Their grey shirts were pressed, and their red ties, knotted neatly. 

Viktoriya’s hair was brushed to a jet black shine, and then twisted and tied at the back of her head.  Her makeup was applied neatly and subdued, her lips still painted red, and her eerily light eyes rimmed in black, but her eye shadow was a tame shade of brown.  Viktoriya wore her black jacket and trim skirt, grey blouse and red tie.  Her black heels were polished to a shine, and she held the leads of Ceres and Dinah in her gloved hand.

Eli was rarely the most casually dressed in a group.  He wore his favorite oxblood shirt and black tie with a pair of grey slacks tailed to his legs.  He hugged Levi good bye, as Lin stood behind them.

“Are you sure about this, Eli?” Levi patted his little brother on the back.

“I already sold my Benz and gave up my lease.  All my clothes and books are in those bags.  I’m sure, Levi.” Eli told him.  He wore a smile, but his eyes searched the station.

“I sent the message to her, Eli.  I didn’t get anything back.” Levi told him, meeting his brother’s eyes. 

While Valentina had completely walked out on Eli, she’d kept contact with Levi.  When Eli decided to leave his apartment, he’d asked Levi to let Valentina know that he was moving, and selling anything he wasn’t required to give back or needed to take with him.  Is she had left anything behind, that it would be her last opportunity to get it.  After that, he’d asked Levi to send a message to let her know that he was leaving London, and England all together, and it would be her last opportunity to see him.  She was noticeably absent.

“I guess you were wrong, Levi.  It wasn’t love.  I don’t know what it was, but it wasn’t love.” Eli shook his head with a sigh.

“I thought it was. I don’t know who sits by a hospital bedside for eight weeks, and then walks out over a night out.  I even told her that you didn’t do anything.  I don’t know what happened, Eli.  But you deserve better.” Levi shrugged.

“I know.  I’m still broken hearted over it, but I’m moving on.  We’re going to start getting active with this investigation. This is…  This is the right thing to do.  This is what I am meant to do.  And I think these are the people I’m meant to do it with.” Eli told him.  His brother was starting to tear up.

“Good luck, Eli.  I’m going to miss you.   I love you.” Levi pulled him in for another hug.

“Thanks.  I’ll miss you too.  And I love you.  Good luck with Lin.  And I’ll try to come home for New Year’s.”  Eli promised as he hugged him back.  Levi nodded as they parted.

Eli didn’t look back as he walked back to Viktoriya, Vikenti and Gregori.  He wanted to look back at Levi, but he was afraid if he did, he wouldn’t have the courage to get on the train.  Viktoriya handed the leads over and gave him a smile.  She looked beautiful in her dress uniform, and if he hadn’t already seen it, he’d never think that she might have a tattoo spanning her entire left arm.

“Ready to go, Coates?” She asked. The other men boarded ahead of them.

Eli gathered the courage to look back at Levi and Lin, at London, at the life he’d cowered from, run from, hid from, denied, sacrificed for, built, torn down and embraced.  He looked back to Viktoriya and nodded.  Eli had not held anyone’s hand in what seemed like an eternity, so he was surprised when he felt her hand slip into his. 

They found their seats easily, and departure wasn’t long after that.  Eli’s eyes watched as they pulled out of the station.  He watched London rush past.  Soon it was gone.  In a few hours they’d be in Paris.  In a few hours his new life would begin.