Champion of Death

Chapter Two

                                                                                        Godric

    The line rang out as I sat at my desk, waiting. “Volkov.” A deep voice rasped through the phone.

    “Privet, old friend.” I said through a smile.

    “My boy! How are you?” His thick Russian accent was so familiar, it almost brought tears to my eyes.

    “I miss home. America is exactly what I expected.”

    “Nothing stops you from coming home, Ric. Viktor is dead and Dominic is in wind. Pack up Ellie, Nicolai will follow.” His concern bled through the phone, and I wished desperately that I could do as he said.

    “I wish I could, friend, but this is not reason I called. I call because of Dominic. We have been searching for him and are seeking any information you may have. Can you contact your old buddies at FSB?” 

    Volkov sighed heavily, the static making me think his mouth was too close to the speaker. “For you, I try.”

    “Thank you, Volkov. I will owe you one.” The line disconnected, and I set my phone down with a sigh. “Hopefully you come through.”

    A light knock on my door pulled my attention away from my black phone screen. “Ric?” Ellie’s voice called from the other side.

    “Come in.”

    “What did Volkov say?” She asked as she stepped into the room.

    “He will ask around for us. I am not sure he will have any luck, though. He sounded very uncertain.” I sighed, leaning back in my chair.

    “Yeah, that’s about what I expected.” Her fingers locked and unlocked around each other as she tapped her foot anxiously on the carpet.

    “Sestra? Is everything okay? You seem nervous.” 

    “Hm? Oh, yeah. Fine.” She let out a long exhale, closing her eyes tightly. “Blade called me. He was wondering if there was anything we could do to help.” She chuckled darkly. “He’s still not entirely sure what it is we do here, but he knows this isn’t a normal business.”

    “Did you offer our services?” I c****d an eyebrow, examining her face and trying to read her emotions through our link.

    “What the hell am I supposed to say, Ric?” I scoffed. “Yeah, let me help you track down your father's killer. Side note, I killed a man named Marvin Jackson for what essentially amounts to embezzlement, and didn’t find out he was your father until days later. Whoops.” The sarcasm in her voice was heavy enough to sink the entire office building below sea level.

    “He deserves truth, Ellie.”

    “And I want more than anything to tell him, but how would I even begin to explain it? He’ll hate me.” Her fear blasted through the link, crystal clear.

    “Tone down terror, you are going to give me headache.” I smirked.

    “Sorry. I need a break.” She sighed, rubbing her temple.

    “Then take one.” I shrugged.

                                                                                        Blade

    The grass under my shoes was too green. The world was too bright. “Hi, honey.” An elderly woman stood over me, smiling down. I squinted my eyes against the sun, noting that her features were sharper than her voice caused me to expect. “May I sit with you?”

    Looking around at the empty benches, I shrugged. “Sure. Have a seat.” I slid closer to the armrest, giving her plenty of room.

    “Do you remember me?” A slight frown creased her forehead as she closed her eyes for a long second.

    “No, sorry. I don’t.” I murmured as I examined her face. She looked vaguely familiar, but not in any way I could place.

    “I didn’t expect you to.” She chuckled humorlessly. “Marvin is my son.”

    Maria Stagg Jackson. Realization dawned on me as memories crashed down. One in particular stood out. “When I was five... You took me from my parents and told my dad you wouldn’t bring me back until he left mom or she got clean.”

    “He didn’t speak to me after that... Not for many years.” She shook her head. “Nevermind, though. That’s not why I’m here.”

    “Okay, then why are you?” My dad had been devastated when she finally brought me back after nearly two weeks. My mom had packed up and left in the middle of the night. The only thing she left was a note saying she needed to become someone I could be proud to call mom. Little did she know, I loved her no matter what, and nothing was better than growing up without her.

    “Your father hasn’t called me back in a few weeks. I got worried and came to check on him.” 

    “He’s missing.” I sighed.

    “Missing? He wouldn’t leave you.” The color drained from her face, and she swayed back slightly. “Do you have any idea what happened to him?”

    “Not yet. The cops came up with nothing and think he just ran off with some woman.”

    “Have you called your mother?” Her voice was barely more than a breath as she asked.

    I laughed bitterly, startling her. “Yeah. Yeah, I called mom. She said she was too busy planning a wedding to come up here and pretend I ever meant anything to her at all.”

    “I see...” She slapped her palms on her thighs and grimaced. “We will just have to find Marvin ourselves, won’t we?”