The Gambit (39 page)

“Seriously?!”

“Son, you were the one who told me the FBI threatened you. If you stay here, it will risk all of this.” He walked over and grabbed my box of information.

“I don’t even know when the next bus leaves back to Boston.”

“That doesn’t matter,” he said. I saw sweat beading on his forehead. “My driver will take you back to Boston. It will be safer, and a lot quicker.”

“Dad, you realize I’ve already fucked up by coming here, right? They could be barging into your office door any second. They are smart enough to know I would come here.”

“That’s exactly my point!” he gasped, rubbing his forehead.

“What are you going to do with my data? How will you keep everything safe? Do you know when you will talk to Rachel next?”

“No, I’ve secured a line for her when she calls, but I don’t know when that will be. I have people. Intelligent people. People who could put up walls high enough to keep them out…but for now, you must leave. Get up, Son.”

I stood up out of the office chair with my mouth agape. What a quick visit.

“But Dad, I want to be with you when you’re figuring all of this out. I can’t even go within one mile of the campus. I am trapped up there. They didn’t say I couldn’t come visit you…”

He paused as if he was contemplating something.

“Do you still have the keys to the house?”

“Of course,” I answered.

“Okay, my driver will take you there.”

“Can’t I stay a little longer? So we can discuss the plan?” I knew how dumb my question sounded when it came out.

“
They
could be listening, you know that.”

“I know…” I mumbled.

He ushered me to his door and pulled my shoulder back before I could grab the door handle.

“Stefan, you’ve done your part. You are one of the pieces of the puzzle that Rachel spoke of. If they come to the house, play dumb. I will do the same if they come here. I doubt they will.”

“How can you be so sure?”

He laughed. “Think about it. If they shut down the biggest newspaper in the country, people would know something is wrong. They most likely don’t want to draw any attention to what they are doing before the election. They would want everything to remain transparent. If they take me, I will shut everything down, and I will make sure they are aware of that.”

“Damn, good fucking point,” I admitted.

“Watch that sailor’s mouth of yours,” he said with a chuckle.

“Like father like son,” I said, smugly.

“I have to say, excellent job, Stefan. I am proud of you. With your evidence, this thing may actually have a shot at being a real story. Now we just have to wait.”

“For what?”

“For Rachel’s phone call.”

This was it.
Today
was the day. We pulled up to the departures drop-off and the car stopped. My stomach dropped as it did so.

“Well, Owen. It’s been a pleasure having you…and hiding you. Yeah, that’s a little more accurate,” Vinny chuckled. I snorted at his humor but appreciated the sentiment.

“Thank you, both of you. I mean it.”

“Anytime, man. Rachel is
familia
. You came with her, so you are
familia
too,” Luke said.

Rachel and I were in the third row of the Tahoe, and Briana and Grey were in front of us. Briana grabbed the handle to the door and craned backward to face us.

“Let’s go over the plan one more time,” she said. “I want to hear you say it.”

No one answered.

“Owen is going to go through TSA and board his flight. Grey is going to do what he needs to do, whatever that may be, and I am going to wait outside for him. When he comes out, we will get a cab back to the location Vinny has chosen,” Rachel spoke up.

Briana nodded. “Good, now let’s get the show on the road.” She popped the door open and held it there like she was our chauffeur. Grey got out first, then Rachel was next. I shook the open hands of Vinny and Luke. They were saying goodbye…

“You’ll fit in in Russia just fine,
gringo
,” Vinny said with a grin.

“I know man, I’m white as hell,” I laughed. Their throaty guffaws filled the air.

“You got that right!” Luke added. “Take care, man. Be safe out there.”

“I’ll try.”

“We’ll take care of Rachel, don’t you worry,” Vinny said.

They better
…

I stepped out of the Tahoe. Immediately, I was swathed in the Florida heat and humidity. I was wearing a pair of khaki pants and a polo t-shirt. Although it was almost eighty degrees, my final destination was Moscow. I assumed that Russia in late October wouldn’t have been the most pleasant weather.

Briana looked me up and down. “You look like a Swede if I’ve ever seen one.” She pulled a clutch bag out of her purse and popped it open. From out of it she pulled a small, red booklet. On the bottom left corner were the words,
Europeiska Unionen Sverige.
I touched the edge of the book.

“Don’t open it,” she placed her hand on mine. “It’s photosensitive, remember? Don’t want to risk it not working when you’re this close to boarding.”

“Got it,” I said. Her onyx-colored eyes scanned me up and down, and she revealed an affectionate smile.

“I know we haven’t known each other long, but…I’ll miss you, Owen.”

“You too, Briana. Please, don’t let anything happen to Rachel,” I whispered.

She nodded firmly. “I would never.” We gave each other a quick hug and she stepped to the side. Behind her was Grey, and he was still in his fancy button-up from last night at the hotel. His eyes sank as they met mine. He was always some version of reserved. Seeing him stand there before me made me emotional. I quickly pushed those feelings deep inside so that they wouldn’t surface. Grey was the only reason we had even made it this far. He was the first person to go out on a limb for me. Everything else that followed was secondary. If he wouldn’t have stolen the money and helped me rob the bank, I wouldn’t have met Rachel. I wouldn’t be leaving the country…and I would most likely be in handcuffs, or worse, dead.

“I hate that I have to leave, man...” I mumbled as I approached him. He could barely look me in the eyes.

“I know, dude. It’s rough.”

“Grey, come on man. What’s wrong? Are you all right?”

“Yeah, just anxious to get this over with.”

It hit me what he was referring to. His plan—everything he had worked so hard for.

“Do you think it will work?”

He finally glanced up at me, and there was a smugness behind his eyes.

“Yes,” he muttered.

“Okay. Bring it in, brother,” I said and embraced him in a bear hug. “I love you, man. Thank you for everything.”

“Love you too, man.”

When I released him, Rachel was standing a few feet ahead of us. Briana handed me my carry-on bag, and I had a brand new backpack on. She had gone shopping for some warm clothes and belongings I would need.

“Are you not going to say goodbye?” I joked with Rachel as I reached her.

“I’m going to walk you in,” she said.

There was an uneasiness about her disposition. Her face wasn’t glowing, and she seemed extremely nervous. I knew the feeling.

A plane was taking off overhead, and the loud drone of the turbines caught me off guard. The thought that I would be onboard in less than thirty minutes scared the living shit out of me. I had to go, but I wasn’t ready. I would
never
have been ready.

The automatic doors slid open, and the chill of the ice-cold AC hit me. Inside, the airport was bustling—hundreds of people walking in either direction. My steps were measured, and I felt myself begin to tremble. Rachel grasped my hand and interlaced her fingers with mine.

“Relax,” she restrained the volume of her voice.

I nodded nervously. I reached into my right pocket and unfolded my boarding pass.

Gate 31 – Terminal A

I glanced up and saw a few hundred feet away was the TSA checkpoint. Rachel tugged at my hand and ushered me forward. I was wearing sunglasses, just as I had at the hotel, but I was nonetheless petrified to approach the agents. I wondered if there was still a bounty out for my capture. Back in Raleigh, Larry had said it was fifty-thousand. What was it up to now?

My stomach was in knots. As we neared closer, I stopped and turned around to say my goodbyes to Rachel.

I squeezed his hand as he stood there in front of me. I wanted to hold onto the sensation of his touch, his skin…

“So…” He mumbled.

Don’t cry. Don’t cry, Rachel. Hold it together.

“So,” I managed to get out.

He revealed a halfhearted smile, with teeth so white they gleamed in the sunlight that poured in from the floor-to-ceiling glass.

“I’m sorry we didn’t have more time together, Rachel…and I’m sorry we didn’t meet under better circumstances.”

I thought I was going to lose it.

“If it weren’t for those circumstances, we wouldn’t have met.”

He shrugged. “You’re right.”

I looked him up and down, trying to soak in this moment, to remember every little detail. It was killing me, knowing that I had no idea when I would see him again. I kept adjusting my fingers that were interlaced with his, caressing them gently. His skin was warm and rougher than mine. I dreaded the moment we separated. The moment I had to walk out of here
alone
.