Things were not going well. Well, not for the Restorationists. Searzy had returned without information about Elijah, and without Valentina. Almost without his sister. Searzy had done the Restorationists no favors with his plan, and wasted their resources. Horowitz was not happy. He was still deciding what to do with Searzy. Until the verdict was made, Searzy was to be kept in a cell – the one across from Yuri’s.
The shooter team, led by a man named Kirkker, garnered no more favor. Kirkker, just like Searzy had only half succeeded. He did put three bullets in Elijah Coates, but was unable to return with the body. He hid in the shadows just long enough to learn of his failure. Elijah had survived, by some miracle. Kirkker shared Horowitz’s ire with Searzy. He was thrown in the cell across from Mischa’s.
There was one other detail threaded between both failed missions. The spotting of the same officer. A Russian, they presumed. Neither got a good look at the big blonde, wearing a Spetsgruppa jacket, similar to the ones Yuri and Mischa had worn, but with different colors and patches. Kirkker called him a lieutenant, and spotted a gun on him. Searzy called him a crazy monster, and had to be rescued from the situation by Jovana. When she was called in for debriefing, she could only tell Horowitz that he was dangerous, and should be avoided. She did see his patch – a green dragon wrapped protectively around a hoard of gold, featuring a golden egg. Jovana had given Horowitz something to run with. She might have given him something more. Kirkker argued that her body was the only reason she was not imprisoned along with he and Andrej.
Yuri had discovered a new pass-time for himself. Trying to discover what – if anything Searzy had learned about Valentina or Elijah during his time in New York. As it turns out, he knew nothing. Valentina earnestly thought he was Eli, so naturally, wouldn’t divulge any details she assumed he already knew. In fact, they didn’t talk much at all. With Andrej’s English terrible, and unable to sign, he played the mute. Valentina was far more interested in talking about herself. He usually just sat in silence, nodding to Valentina until the mood struck her – which was often, and she stripped her clothes away. Andrej did know her body intimately well. Yuri had once changed Valentina’s diapers, he wasn’t interested in seeing her in that light.
The most interesting thing Yuri learned in Searzy’s head was that his vlast’ was to change his appearance. That was how he convinced Valentina that he was Eli. When you can look like anyone, who are you really? A concept that Searzy struggled with frequently, placed high value on his mental identity. And Yuri found high value in picking it apart. Crucial details of Searzy’s life would go missing, replaced with information that was familiar, yet wrong. Just out of place enough to bother Andrej.
Kirkker was less interesting, thus less worthy of Yuri’s time. Raised in the Restorationists’ ways, his vlast’ was mostly useless – a simple ability to taste and smell things more intensely. Yuri wasn’t even sure if it was truly a vlast’. He had no obligation to his family like the Searzy children did, or a loyalty to Horowitz. He wasn’t even particularly interested in the promised reward, or the cause. Kirkker was just a killer. An attempted killer. Yuri thought about killing him, but Kirkker’s mysterious death would point right back to Yuri, and he didn’t need that kind of attention right now. Instead he just let Kirkker write his own death order.
There was a knock on Yuri’s door. He didn’t need to use his vlast’ to know it was Arne. He was the only one that considered his privacy enough to knock. Soon enough, the young guard was inside with a tray of food. There were footsteps behind him.
“Hello Utkin.” Arne said, no longer afraid of Yuri. Though some times, Yuri did still scare him. Like this time when Yuri pulled Arne inside and slammed the door shut.
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Looking For The Light (Book 2)
ParanormalElijah's life has been thrown for a loop. His girlfriend left him, he's leaving his home behind, and setting off into the unknown. Doubting his mission and himself, the young telepath struggles with many of the great questions of life.
