Logan's Salute

Chapter 9

Kristin's POV

Kristin wakes up in a hospital, feeling like a part of her soul has died. Her parents and Matthew felt that she should remain institutionalized for a while, to help her cope with Logan's death, as she has shipped into a deep depression. Kristin stayed there for six weeks, mostly heavily sedated, as she would cry for hours in a day otherwise. What made it even worse, was seeing Blake. Blake was the spitting image of his father and seeing him made her even more sad. 

Her mother came to visit her alone the week before the doctor gave his final evaluation. She made Kristin understand the need for her daughter's presence within Blake's life, and theirs. Kristin listened and prayed for the rest of that week, for strength. She began to get stronger day by day and soon enough, the next week, Kristin was home with her family. She focused all her energy on Blake and his needs, leaving nothing for herself, so when Matthew asked for her hand in marriage once again, she was completely shocked. She did begin appreciating him as he became her best friend, but could never love him, not like she did Logan. Kristin also did not want to leave her parents alone, so she told Matthew she would only marry him once they had passed on. Matthew was not happy with her decision but grinned and nodded. 

When Blake was four, her parents tragically died in a car crash. Her sister, Paula along with her little family, came back home for the funeral and to help wind up the estate with Kristin. Kristin met her beautiful little niece, Adeline, who looked like her father and not Paula. Jacques beamed when people told him this and Paula hated this. Kristin laughed at Paula's angered face each time this occurred. They stayed a few days after the funeral, keeping Kristin busy, before they left for Paris again. Paula insisted that Kristin inherit everything their parents left behind. The house then belonged to Kristin, along with her father's car. Kristin then sold her father's car to start her own business, as her career in the medical field was no longer an option, however the money she received for the sale of the car was not nearly enough for what she wanted to do. Matthew then makes her a deal that she cannot refuse. 

"Marry me," Matthew said, "and all your money problems will be gone!" Kristin was not keen on the idea, but needed an income, for Blake. "You did say that you would marry me once your parents are gone." Matthew's words sent a cold shiver down her spine, but she brushed it off with a smile. Kristin finally agreed, but made it clear that it would be a business transaction. 

"I am not nearly ready for anything more than just friendship," She explained to Matthew. "I can not promise anything, but maybe with time I will learn to love you, someday. Blake will know who his father is and until I decide otherwise, my home is here. Not your parents house, but here." Matthew's eyes dimmed at her words, but agreed to her terms. They were married the next month, at the courthouse, with Melanie and Matthew's father as a witnesses. 

Logan's mother died two years after, when Blake was six. Besides the fact that she was never recovered fully after Logan's death, she cut all ties with Kristin after she married Matthew. Kristin still sent pictures of Blake monthly to her and with Gabriella's help, created unscheduled visits with Blake. Gabriella and Kristin thus became close. She mentioned how Blake reminded her mother of Logan, so much so, that she calls him by his father's name, instead of his own. 

After the funeral, Gabriella and Kristin became each other's anchor's, and soon they were best friends. Kristin invited Gabriella to join her team and created a second B&B with the Logan house. Kristin's first B&B was her parents house, called Kristin's Cottage.

Eleven years go by, Kristin is 36 and Blake 17. Being married to Matthew had its perks, as all of their fourteen years together, Kristin saw the world and so did Blake. However, Kristin wanted Blake to have the best of both worlds. Matthew wanted Blake to attend an upmarket private school in Plattekloof, near his home, Kristin wanted Blake to attend the same high school, all his parents did years ago. After a lengthy discussion at a holiday resort in the mountains, with her son and her husband, Matthew eventually gave into her demands once again. 

Kristin has just finished with registering Blake for his final year of high school as she makes her way back to Kristin's Cottage, her first B&B, that once used to be her parents house. Along with this, she and Gabriella now owns a Bistro for delicious Cape Malay dishes along with BBQ and Pizza bar and Gabriella's B&B. Business is good.

Pulling up in the driveway, Kristin receives a call from a client on her cellular phone, an apparatus that was created just over fifteen years ago. It is one of Kristin's most important belongings, apart from her darling son. 

"Mrs. Alexander? I am on my..." She goes silent as the client cancels a reservation at her B&B. "Okay, I understand. Thank you for calling me." She switches off the phone and exits her car. Kristin walks in through the back of her house, and finds Blake in the kitchen eating muesli with yoghurt and fruit.

"Morning, ma!" He says, smiling at her broadly.  

"Good morning, son." She says, placing a kiss on the back of his head and walks over to the fridge to take out the milk. "I am finally done with your registration and you begin on Wednesday," she says making herself a cup of coffee. "You need to be there at eight." Blake nods and finishes breakfast. She watches him as he gobbles up the contents of his bowl and then reaches for his water bottle. Blake had Logan's jawline, hairline, eyes as well as his build. Blake was on the under 18 provincial rugby team as a fullback, making him very muscular for his age. Kristin has no knowledge of what that really means, but supports Blake in his rugby career and never misses a match.

Blake has his mother's hair, besides having mostly his father’s features and he is very handsome. She feels lucky that he has not brought a girl home as yet. "Girls are too much drama. I need to focus on my rugby, if I want that scholarship," is what he said when she asked him if there was anyone special yet.  His head was screwed on right, she thought. He did not get that from his mother, at all. 

He looks up at her, catching her staring at him with a creepy smile on her face. Blake shakes his head and says, "Ma, you are daydreaming again!" Blake moves to the fridge and grabs an apple. Kristin goes to sit down at the counter as Blake places his bowl in the wash basin. He kisses her on the head and walks towards the door. "I have to run!"

"Wait, now?" She asks.

"Yes, now. See you later," he says, places his iPods in his ears, smiles at his mother and leaves.

The landline rings minutes later, making Kristin jump. Kristin hurries to answer it. "Kristin's Cottage," she answers the phone. 

"Hi. Do you have any room?" The lady on the phone had an American accent.

"No, sorry," Kristin says and then remembers that Mrs. Alexander cancelled on the last minute. "No wait! Yes I have one," she says, correcting herself.

"Well," the lady says, "which is it? Yes or no?" The lady asks with some attitude.

Kristin pulls a face and says, "Yes I do have room," Kristin says, ignoring the attitude. "I have a room." 

The lady sighs and then says, "Is it a suite?"

Kristin smiles proudly and answers, "Yes and breakfast inclusive. For how many days will you be staying?"

"It’s not for me, miss." The lady says hesitantly. "I am arranging this for my boss. All the hotels in your city are fully booked due to an Ed Sheeran concert and found your number on your website." The lady says. Kristin loves when international artists come to Cape Town, as it is good business for her. "So, he will probably stay there, till the concert is done," the lady finishes her thought.

"No problem. When can I expect your boss?" Kristin asks, grabbing a pen and register from the drawer the phone was standing on.

"Mr. Connor Deveroux is his name. He will be there by Wednesday evening," she says and Kristin writes down the information into the register.

"Can I get his roaming number, in case I need to call him?" Kristin asks.

“That will not be necessary,” the woman says, adding, “I will forward his contact information, along with mine to your business email, if that still works.”

“Go right ahead, miss,” Kristin says.

“Gallagher,” the woman says, “Natasha Gallagher.” The woman then stops the phone. Kristin opens her mouth to speak, but soon close it when she heard the line was dead. 

With a sigh, Kristin makes her way the suite and begins to prepare it for the gentleman.  

Connor's POV

Later that morning, in Manhattan, New York, the buzzer in Connor Deveroux's apartment goes off. Connor takes one more look before reluctantly walking away from his amazing view, to answer his door. 

"It’s me," the lady says and Conner sees Natasha waving up at him on his CCTV. He buzzes her in. Soon after, the elevator door opens up and Natasha walks into his private apartment. She had red hair, a very pale complexion, emerald green eyes, like the shape of a lioness, and a very slim but healthy body. She was wearing a red snug fit dress with a black coat over her arm. Her hair was pulled over to one side and hung over her one breast. She looked amazing in the heart of winter.

"Good morning, Mr. Deveroux," she says as glides towards him.

"Good morning, Natasha," Connor says, allowing his gaze to scale her as she approaches him. Connor was tall, dark and handsome. He had a strong, dark brow with the most amazing blue eyes that stood out, strikingly chiselled features and jawline and black hair sleeked to the back with gel. His apartment is as big as a house. He bought the whole top floor of the building, even the roof and renovated it just the way he wanted it to be. It was spacious and luxurious.

"Coffee?" He asks her and she nods.

"I did as you asked, made the arrangements as per your specs," Natasha says dropping her bag on the large sofa, followed by her coat. "Except for the hotel," she continues, ”Ed Sheeran is in South Africa and all the hotels are fully booked. But, lucky for you, I am on the job. I got a very quaint little B&B that had a last minute cancellation. It is not in the city, as you wanted, but it is pretty close. Here are your itinerary," she says, handing him a file as he brings her coffee. He takes it from her and takes a seat, to go through the details.

"A B&B?" He says, scanning the documents in front of him. "I guess it will have to do." His flight from JFK airport to Newark international airport was at 8 am Tuesday morning. Then a connecting flight to OR Tambo international in Johannesburg is at 10 that same morning. There is another additional flight from Johannesburg to Cape Town is at 18:25.

"Cutting a bit close aren't we with the flight to Cape Town?"

Natasha smiles and says, "It was either that or overnight at the airport. There was no hotel available there either." Connor tenses up at the sight of the B&B's address. "What is wrong?" Natasha asks, noticing his jaw clench.

"Was there no other place at all?" He asks sounding agitated, placing the file down beside him on the sofa and standing up.

She sips her coffee and shakes her head, saying, "Sorry, no. That was it. But I did tell the owner that you will be only staying there while the concert is running."

"It will have to do!" He says, gritting his teeth, and moves back to his window, where he stood before she arrived. It is a spectacular view, overlooking the bridge and New York City and it normally calms him, but not today. Connor then allows his mind to slip back to the day Logan was killed.

 In fact, Connor Deveroux was once known as John Logan. The same John Logan who died eighteen years ago at the hand of a suicide bomber. John Logan, however was declared legally dead on the scene, and so Connor was born. 

Thirteen years ago

Logan remembers waking up in the hospital, unable to speak or even move for that matter. He looked around, not recognising his surroundings and within minutes of him waking up, a man in a long laboratory coat followed by Steve entered his room. Steve flashed him a broad smile as he approaches.

"Hello there, Logan," Steve said, stopping at the foot of Logan's bed. "Boy, did you have me worried. The doc here, however, said I had nothing to worry about." Steve gestured to the man in the laboratory coat. Logan took another glance at the man and noticed that the man was no older than him. He had acid white, blonde hair, soft feminine features, striking blue eyes and naturally soft pink lips. He was not muscular, but he was tall. The doctor eyed him in silence as Logan stared back. "So, how are you feeling?" Steve asks, bringing Logan's attention back to him.

"Where am I?" Both Steve and the doctor's face breaks into a satisfying smile. Logan looked at them, from one to the other, unable to understand how his thoughts were uttered over a mechanical voice in the room. 

"Well," the doctor said, still looking at Steve. "Looks like that Mr. Hawking's really is a genius." Logan could not quite place the doctor's accent. Steve chuckled at the doctor's words.

"What is going on?" Logan asked, confused. "Who is that talking?" Suddenly, a loud beeping sound alarms the doctor and he makes his way to Logan's side.

"Je moet rustig worden," the doctor said.

"Waar ben ik?" Logan asked and the doctor gives him a shocked look. 

"You speak dutch?" the doctor said in English. The doctor takes out a syringe from his pocket and emptied the contents into his IV. Logan feels every muscle in his body tense and eventually go limp.

"Doc!" Steve shouts at the man, who watches Logan still, with a shocked expression. "Is everything okay?" Steve asked when the doctor made eye contact with him eventually. 

"Ja," the doctor said, and added, "Yes, he is stable. But he will be unresponsive for now, should you want to bring him up to speed." Logan watches the doctor as he walks out of the room, leaving Steve and Logan alone. 

"Well," Steve said awkwardly. "I certainly did not expect our reunion to be that dramatic." Logan stared at him in silence. "This is a facility in Switzweland. Interlaken to be exact. When you died in Iran, I brought you here. Doctor Matteo Schmid helped putting you back together. You were a mess, but I..." Steve goes silent and looks down as he grips the bar at the foot of Logan's bed. "Let's just say that you should not have died that day." Steve glanced at Logan but refused to make eye contact. He released that bar of the bed and Logan noticed that the imprint of his hands were on it. "You have been here, in a coma, for five years. Induced coma to help with the healing process. Most of you are not even you anymore. Your voice will return, once you learn how to talk again and so will your legs." Steve turns back to look at Logan's legs and then his face. "I got you a pair of new eyes too, blue ones. You hardly look like yourself." After an uncomfortable silence, Steve spoke again. "I, er we are still investigating what happened that day. We will get to the bottom of this. I promise." Steve walked to the door and stops, with his hand on the door handle. "Rest now. We will continue tomorrow with your debriefing." Steve said and left. Logan had so many questions and did not want Steve to leave, but the drug the doctor injected into his veins, did not allow him to make any kind of movement or sound.

The rest of the day, Logan played that day in Iran over and over in his mind until he thought he would go mad. As he was unable to sit up and feed himself, a nurse returned later with his food and fed him. He learned later that the nurse was Natalia Alexandrovna Romanovskaya, who he now knows as Natasha Gallagher. He later learned that she had a very violent past and was found on the road to Norway, half dead, by Steve himself as he finished a mission in 1999. She did not speak much as she cared for him, but her eyes carried unspeakable pain and suffering. 

The doctor made a turn, early the next day, to check on him.

"Your vitals are good," Doctor Schmid said, after examining Logan.

"Doctor," the automated voice speaks, as Logan wants answers. "What happened to me? My body?"

Doctor Schmid eyes him for seconds before explaining everything. He has a new heart, 3D copy of the one her originally had, as his was damaged beyond repair. His corneas were replaced as well, due to the extensive damage Logan's eye underwent during the blast. Part of his skeleton and vertebrae were replaced by titanium, thus he is unable to walk. His endocrine and digestive system was also severely damaged and with the use of nanorobots, they were restored what was lost. Logan was a new being. 

"What about my family?" Logan asks and his room door slides open. Steve walks in with a shocked expression as he makes eye contact with the doctor.

"Well, hi doc," Steve says and smiles. "I have been searching for you all over the facility. I should have known that you would be here with our latest creation."

"I am not a creation!" Logan said and both the doctor and Steve looks at him.

"I apologize," Steve says at Logan adding, "your newest patient." Steve turns his attention back to the doctor, who cowers at his glare.

"He only filled me in on the work that has been done to my body," Logan says, direction Steve's attention away from the fearful doctor. 

"It wasnt his place to tell you!" Steve said, raising his voice in anger.

"I asked him!" the automated voice goes loud, causing the lightbulbs to explode. All three men look up. 

"I see," Steve said as he made eye contact with Logan again. 

"And I want to know more," Logan said. "Where is Sam? My team?"

"I sent them home," Steve said, moving towards Logan's bed. "Samantha is back in South Africa and the others are back in America."

"Why didn't you just let me die?" Logan asks. 

"Remember that contract you signed," Steve said softly, allowing Logan to recall his words. "The one linking you to the secret OPS COR? This is what we do." Steve gestures to the room. "Do your believe our meeting was an accident? We scout the world for people with unique and amazing "abilities", if you like, and use them for the greater good of the world. I was watching you for a while before I finally decided to approach you." 

"So, this blast was planned?" Logan asked

"No by me," Steve said with intrigue. "However, it did speed up the process I wanted to enforce. I am just unhappy by the way you had to end up here."

"Who is behind the blast?" Logan asked.

"That, my dear boy, is the million dollar question," Steve said with a broad smile. "And you and I will find him and,"

"Kill him!" Logan finishes Steve's sentence. The doctor looked on in horror as Steve chuckled.

"You took the words right out of my mouth," Steve said with a smile. 

Two years go by before Logan was able to speak and sit upright in a wheel chair. Steve assigned Natasha to Logan as part of his recovery. She assisted in his physiotherapy and joined him in his speech therapy. They become very good friends. As the next two years go by, Logan was walking, running and learning Ju Jitsu. Even though it appeared to the world, that Logan has moved on with his life, his curiosity with regards to Kristin and his family, got the better of him, and he snuck into Steve's designated office and hacked his computer. He searched for anything with regards to them and to his horror, he finds a wedding photo of Kristin and Matthew. This devastated him, so much so that he ran out into the Alps, just to clear his head. 

Hours later he returned to a very concerned Natasha and livid Steve. 

"Let me talk to him, " Natasha said, when Logan and Steve stood face to face, glaring at each other. Steve left them alone, angrily stomping out of the room. "What happened?" she asked him softly. "We were all very worried." Logan never told Natasha about Kristin or his family, or even where he was from. He eyed her in silence, like a wounded bear. She reached for him and he flinched.

"Relax," She whispered and reached for him again. "I'm not going to hurt." Her hand touched his shoulder and trailed down his back. The mere touch, made him emotional and he wept. Both of them collapse onto the matted floor as Logan poured his heart out. 

Logan wakes up hours later, holding Natasha close in his arms. She was still asleep. He carried her to his bed, and covers her with a blanket. The sun had already set and he wanted to take a shower. Logan stepped into his warm shower and stood with his face up, unaware that Natasha had entered the room. The feel of her fingers on his shoulder makes him turn around and face her. She was naked. His eyes takes in her beauty, lingering on certain areas in awe.

"What?" Logan begins to speak and she places her forefinger over his lips to silence him. Her hand then trails down his cheek, chest and abdominal muscles. She reaches for him and begins to stroke him. Logan pulls her hand away.

"I can't have s*x with you," Logan said.

"Why?" She asked, pressing her soft body up against him. "Don't you want me?" She began kissing his chest and suckling his n*****s. 

"Stop!" he said, pulling her away from him at her neck. She winced at his touch. "Sorry," he said and releases her.

"ooh, I like it rough," she says and reaches for him again. 

"Don't, please," he said, grabbing her hand. "I don't want to hurt you!" he spins her and pulls her towards him and up against the wall. 

"Why?" she asked as he pinned her to the wall. "I know you want me! I see you checking me out whenever we meet. Besides you don't have a girlfriend, fiancé or wife!" The image of Kristin and Matthew posing for  their wedding photo resurfaces in his minds eye and he releases Natasha again. She turns around to face him and finds him staring into space. "It's fine, I will just leave." Natasha begins to walk away.

"Wait!" Logan shouts at her and she stops but does not turn around. Logan walks over to where she stands and took her hand, turning her back to face him. "I do want you," he said, swiftly gathering her up into his arms. Very gently he kisses her cherry coloured lips. Natasha envelopes his head neck with her arms and pulls him closer. He groans as she kisses him, pushing her tongue into his mouth hungrily. He moves back into the shower as he begins having s*x with her. Natasha was a very loud lover, screaming with each exploding orgasm. Logan found himself a few times breaking the sound barrier, as the nerve endings in their bodies were very sensitive, making s*x a highly addictive and enjoyable pass time. 

Logan leaves a very exhausted Natasha naked in his bed one night, as he makes his way to the canteen for water. Only in his briefs, Logan enters the kitchen and grabs two bottles of water. 

"I hear you and Natasha are hitting it off," Steve says, as Logan hears his voice behind him. Logan smiles and turns to face the man.

"I wouldn't call it that," Logan said as he opened one bottle of water and sips.

"Well, whatever you call it," Steve says, walking closer towards him. "You need to be careful with that one. She is very dangerous."

"I will keep that in mind," Logan said and begins to walk away.

"You need to choose a new name for yourself," Steve said and Logan stopped in his tracks. "John Logan died eleven years ago. For your new passport, I need your new name."

Logan turns to face Steve again and says, "I have always liked the name Connor."

"Connor?" Steve repeats. Logan takes another sip of his water and nods.

"Yeah," Logan said and turns to walk away again. "Connor Deveroux!" he bellows as he leaves the canteen. 

The US has been his home for the past eight years, as his recovery basically took place in Switzerland for they eleven years prior. In those eight years he has also seen the world, but never dared to go near South Africa. Until now.

Present Day

Natasha touches his shoulder, lovingly and trails her hand down his back. 

"I know just how to ease that tension," she says and moves around to face him. His troubled eyes looks at her, and notices that she has removed her dress. She is in a Victoria Secret teddy, red, and her knee high Italian leather boots. Such a beautiful female specimen, he thought to himself as his gaze flashes over her beautiful body. Once she had her back to the window, she leans close to him, as if to kiss him, but instead loosens his belt and slips her hand inside his silky boxer. She slowly strokes him, arousing him. Connor then close his eyes with pleasure, as his desire for her grows. He grips her hair and kisses her hungrily, fondling her body relentlessly. His brutal touch makes her whimper and groan. In one swift movement he lifts her up and pushes himself within her, pinning her up against the window. They have hard, cold s*x for minute and  pulls away from her, almost immediately, once he was finished, zipping up his pants. Breathless, she picks up her dress and makes her way to the bathroom.

Connor makes his way to his kitchen and grabs a bottled water from the refrigerator. Thoughts of Kristin clouds his mind again and he close his eyes in an attempt to block her.

"If you need me, call me," he hears Natasha say and he turns slowly back to face her. He flashes her a look as she takes her coat and bag from the couch. After blowing him an air kiss, she was gone. Connor watches his monitors, seeing Natasha leave the building and eventually drive off. He dumps the empty water bottle into the bin and gets his suitcases ready for travel as his flight was in less than twenty four hours. With each moment, thoughts of Kristin still lingered in his mind. 

All remnants of John Logan were gone from his features, except for the square jaw, piercing eyes, sleek hair and hairline. Connor removed most of the tattoos, but kept the one on his left shoulder down to the elbow, in memory of his old team. He and the team went for matching tattoos as to set themselves apart from the other platoons. When he returned to America, he ensured that they would never need anything ever again financially. All he needed to do now was contact Samantha. As is his plan when he reaches South Africa.

The flight to Newark was smooth and there were no delays. Soon he was in the air again, making his way to South Africa. He landed on time in Johannesburg and made the next flight to Cape Town with no problems. However, when landing in the Western Cape, he realized that he was over dressed as it was in the middle of summer. Even though he arrived in the evening, it was still quite warm. Connor grabbed his bags from the depot and removes some layers of clothing. The sight of the sun setting behind the iconic Table mountain, catches his eye and he moves to the window. 

"She is beautiful," a voice beside him says. A man, a little younger than him, dressed in shorts and a golf t-shirt, matching blue, stood there and was also eyeing the mountain with a dreamy smile.

"Yes, she is," Connor says, refocusing on the mountain. "I never knew how much I missed it until today."

"Ah, your American," the young man says.

"Yeah," Connor says with a smile. 

"Okay, sir," the man says and grabs his bags, "Let us get you home."