Russian Roulette

Chapter 48 : Short-lived victory

Baltimore, Maryland (Present day)

"His name is Ivan, Ivan Diburov." James said. "We know that his father is Mikhail Diburov."

"He's former KGB." I said. "According to the source we have, he's a good old socialist that Joesph Stalin would have been proud of."

"You have been digging into the CIA's servers?" 

"No." I say. "My Russian source told me that." I said. "I'm not sure that I can even trust my source now."

"Sean Adamson has been apprehended by her Majesty's government." the MI6 chief, Roland Churchill, walked in. "We'll have him extradited back to the United Kingdom to face justice." But I sighed.

"What about Ivan Diburov?" I asked. "We obviously can't let him walk free."

"We can go after him but Diburov will walk free even though we have the evidence needed." said the MI6 chief. "Corruption is still a problem in Russia."

"That's what I'm worried about." I said as Victoria gently yawned in my arms.

The White House (A week later)

"There hasn't been a murder of our citizens abroad since we apprehended Sean Adamson and his friends from the FSB." the intelligence report submitted by the Director of National Intelligence Catherine Eckhart replayed in my mind as I dressed myself up in my blue military service uniform. "But the CIA and MI6 are working to track down Ivan Diburov. The Russians don't know what he did yet but I have a feeling they would." buttoning the last button in place I took a glance at my ribbon bars in full display on the dressing table. Per Tatiana Volodin's request her husband Sergei is buried in a private ceremony with her as the only family member present at the funeral besides the graveyard workers and the priest in charge of the rites. After pinning all of the bars I slipped on the military peak hat, part of my uniform, and picked up the white gloves. Grandfather arrived in the States last night, asking for us to meet him at Arlington National Cemetery before enjoying his five days stay to meet his great-granddaughter. Brian, Jun-myeon, Chan and Baek will be there along with me but I'm not sure whether Bruce and company would join in as grandmother will babysit Victoria for the day. 

President Reagan has given me several days off which I chose to use the days for this week. Stepping out from my room in the Executive Mansion I headed downstairs to the West Wing to check on with my chief of staff for any updates. Most of the staff in the White House gave me a polite and quick nod when I passed by them and met with Oliver just outside my office. "Morning Oliver." I greeted.

"Morning Madam Vice President." he greeted. "I thought you had the day off."

"I know Oliver." I plucked the hat off my head. "I just want to see that all my agendas are taken care of before I rest."

"Not much. By the way, Timothy's wounds allowed him to walk and the doc cleared him for duty."

"Better." I said. "He'll heal, I know." Oliver nodded and headed off just as the White House Chief of Staff led a man down the halls of West Wing. "Jack?" I called.

"Yes ma'am?" he asked, stopping to a halt.

"Mind if I talk to your guest for a while?"

"No, no, it's President Reagan's guest." he said.

"I know that Jack." I said. 

"Yes of course." the chief of staff dipped his head low. "Take your time."

"Appreciate it." I say. "Hello Coulson." I greeted the man I knew to be a former colleague in SHIELD when the chief of staff is out of earshot. "It's been a while since we last met."