Susan Grays (book 1)/ The tale of trust

Chapter 12: The answers and an alliance

Susan had sat on a sofa in a lovely little living room. A glass vase full of different color roses were on the table. Zaytsev had sat in front of her. His wife came in with a tray. A pot and three cups had been placed on it. She was distressed. Her hands were trembling and her face was pale.

Zaytsev stood and took the tray and placed it on the table. "It's alright, honey. It's alright. Just sit down." He said and helped her to sit on the sofa. He then took the pot and poured tea in three cups and placed one in front of Susan and one for his wife. He took the last cup and sat next to his wife.

"Now you can ask your questions. I know you have some." Said Zaytsev.

"One or two. Yes." Said Susan while eyeing the couple up and down. "I can imagine how you survived." She said and glanced at Daira. 

"Actually, I don't have any memories. Your aiming is well. the flow of the river had taken me to the shores of a lake. Daira found me there and took me to her summer cottage next to the lake. She is a nurse so she saved my life, of course not easily." He said and looked at Daira lovingly.

"Were you not afraid to help a stranger wounded man?" asked Susan questioningly while gazing at Daira.

Daira held her head up proudly. "No!" she said. "He was a man who needed help. It's our duty to help those who need our help." She said strictly.

Susan raised her hands in surrender and laughed. "Wow, wow." She said. "Just for your information, sweetheart, your dear husband is the bad guy here, not me. I usually don't shoot innocent people."

"Maybe he was." Said Daira and dropped her head, but then she raised it again and looked up at Zaytsev lovingly. "But he is not the same man." Zaytsev smiled and pecked her lips. She then looked at Susan. "He told me everything when he gained his conscious. I was afraid of course, but I could see that in his heart he is not a bad man although he tried to be one. He realized this himself and promised me to not do bad things ever again. He is a good man. We have a little restaurant and he ..." 

Susan cut her off by raising her hand. She narrowed her eyes at Zaytsev. "You want to say that you were not in Brazil two weeks ago?" she asked.

Zaytsev frowned. "No. he was not. I can swear." Answered his wife. "What do you mean?" asked Zaytsev. 

Susan pulled out her phone and brought the image of Manaus and gave the phone to Zaytsev.

The couple looked at the picture. Daira was completely amused. "But Vasily ..." she wanted to say but he didn't let her. He leaned back with a thoughtful face. "Now I understand." he whispered. Susan just stared at him. Daira touched his arm. "Vas!" she said worriedly.

Zaytsev came out of his thoughts. He gave back the phone. "I was not there. I have some daily customers. You can ask them. But I think I know who it is." 

"Who?" asked Susan. 

"A years ago, one of my old partners saw me in the café quite by chance. He was shocked. He asked me how could I come from Brazil to Romania in less than a day. I asked him what did he mean but he didn't answer me. He said that it's nothing and went away. Now I understand. There must be someone out there who has stolen my identity." Said Zaytsev.

Susan leaned back and thought for a moment. "Is it possible? How can we be sure that he is not lying?" Susan heard Harris's voice. She could imagine him sitting on his throne, watching everything from the embedded camera in Susan's clothes. Susan looked up and stared directly at Zaytsev's eyes. When someone was lying, Susan would understand without any exceptions. No lies were in his eyes. 

"I'm not lying." Said Zaytsev. 

Susan nodded. "What's the name of your partner?" asked Susan.

"Andrew Parkinson." he answered.

"Harris!" said Susan. "I'm on it." said Harris from the other side.

"I will help you to find him." said Zaytsev suddenly. Susan and Daira looked at him sharply. "I know his hideouts better than anyone."

"Vasily! You can't." said Daira worriedly and grabbed his arm. 

"Trust me, Daira." He said and looked back at Susan. "I will help you find him. you can't find anyone better than me. but I want something in return." 

Susan laughed bitterly and leaned back with folded arms. "I can kill you right now, Zaytsev. You are not in a position to ask for anything in return." She said.

"Please! I ..." Daira began to say but Susan silenced her. "With all due respect, Mrs. Popescu," said Susan and emphasized her last name mockingly. "Your dear husband was not like this all the time. Just five years ago he was a ruthless killer who had killed so many innocent people. Even if he has changed he must still pay for what he has done in the past. He must pay for the families he has sent to grief. Some people say that the past is past, but they are wrong. Our past is hunting us all the time."

Daira's eyes welled up. "Please!" she said. 

"Honey!" called Zaytsev gently and tried to hug her but she stopped him. 

"He has changed. He is ashamed of his past but he can't change it. He is helping poor people everywhere he can as a recompense. He is not the man you encountered five years ago. He has changed and I'm ready to give my life to prove it. you are right. Our past can affect our future but everyone deserves a second chance. We should give him his chance. You should give him a chance." She said with a shacking but firm voice. 

Susan glanced at them for a moment. She then sighed defeated and closed her eyes and massaged her temples.

"Parkinson's information is ready!" said Harris and brought Susan out of her thoughts. "Okay!" she replied to Harris and then stood. 

Zaytsev and Daira stood as well. "You will help us in this case." Said Susan to Zaytsev. Immediately she heard the loud objections of her captains in her ears. She closed her eyes and repeated herself again. "You will help us." she said and her captains silenced. 

She then opened her eyes and stared at Zaytsev. "I can't deny it. you have great skills that can help us a lot. Now it's up to you. You can either help us and in return, I will put you out of the GSS blacklist but of course, you will be monitored in the future, or you can reject me and I will arrest you right now. But remember that your help will not end up when we found Parkinson. You should stay to the end and let me say that it's not an easy mission at all. Betray us and I won't hesitate to kill you even for a second." she said seriously.

Something shone in Zaytsev's eyes. "I will help. But I want protection for my wife too." He said. 

Susan nodded. "We will protect your wife. Don't be worried. I will stay outside. You have 20 minutes." She said and then took her coat and turned to leave but Daira's voice stopped her. 

"Agent Grays."Susan turned to her. "Thank you." said Daira. Susan smiled at her slightly. "You are so damn lucky." She said to Zaytsev and then pointed to Daira. "You owe her a lot. She has saved you from certain death twice." she then went outside. 

Bishop was waiting for her in the sidewalk in front of the house and he didn't look happy at all. "I wish you know what you are doing." He said strictly.

"I know." said Susan. "Will, bring the car. We go to the airport."

"yes, Ma'am." She heard Will's answer. 

"Believe me, Tom. This is not the man that we once chased." Said Susan and gazed at the house. "The previous Zaytsev has died five years ago." A faint smile formed on her lips. Sometimes you wonder what love can do to you and your life.