Chapter 4
Matteo had been following the news out of the Republic of Lutsia closely. The election was hotly contested, a tight race between the long-term incumbent, Anton Vasile, and his opponent, Victor Trane. Each was laying the blame for the terrorist attack at his opponent’s feet.
When Matteo got in this car at the airport, he’d been surprised to find Vasile’s security advisor, General Talia, waiting inside—ostensibly to brief him on the leader’s security concerns for his daughter. But it was clear to Matteo the other man was really here to assess him.
“We have no definitive evidence on who blew up the pedestrian bridge,” said the advisor.
“I saw the coverage. It was horrible.”
“Yes. One hundred forty-five people gone in the blink of an eye, with twenty-two still unaccounted for.”
“Have any terror groups taken responsibility?”
The older man fingered the brim of his hat in his lap. “Only one. A group claiming to be in support of Vasile.”
“They’re trying to make you look bad.”
“Yes.”
“Or they are telling the truth.”
“Are you insinuating President Vasile would plan a deliberate attack on his own people?”
“Someone did.”
“Trane’s team is the one that did this. They are attempting to stir up unrest among the citizens as a way to show Vasile is incompetent.”
“Is he?”
“How dare you suggest such a thing?”
“He’s a legend, and one of the most influential leaders of this century. But he’s also old. You know as well as I do there is open speculation about his health.”
“From the opposition, yes. But not from within his own camp.”
“You resent them bringing in an outsider.”
“Yes.”
Matteo was failing the security advisor’s test, and he knew it. The other man’s disdain permeated the car like a bad smell.
“Your only responsibility is to protect the president’s daughter. You would be wise to keep your political ideations to yourself.”
“Why does she need protecting?”
“That’s not important.”
Matteo leaned forward in his seat. “I need to be in the loop. I need to know what you know.”
“These matters are of the highest security clearance.”
“And I’ve been brought in by the highest-ranking security official in this country, who’s trusting me with his daughter. Don’t you think that warrants some consideration on your part?”
The men faced off. After a beat, the security advisor looked down at his hat. “Someone broke into the presidential mansion. They gained access to Grace’s son’s room and left a threatening note.”
“What did it say?”
“Bastard.”
“You’ve kept the birth out of the news?”
“Completely.”
“Someone knows. How did they compromise the existing security?”
“We don’t know. Anyone who could have been responsible for the breach has been let go.”
“Which means you have all new people working there. That’s dangerous in and of itself. Who’s the father?”
“Grace has chosen to keep that information to herself. We can only speculate. Before leaving for Switzerland, she was known to have been dating Mason Petrovich. On the surface he is an upstanding businessman, but our intelligence agency believes he works for Ten Komanda.”
“What’s that?”
“It loosely translates to shadow team. They’re a covert organization. Little is known about them, except they work for the highest bidder doing the unimaginable. We believe they are responsible for the explosion that brought on the pedestrian bridge collapse, but we can’t prove it.”
“You said you didn’t know who did it.”
“I have been working for the first family my entire career. I’ve watched Grace grow up from a baby herself.” He took a deep breath. “You were right when you said you needed full disclosure to take care of the presidential family. I have decided to give it to you.”
“Why?”
The slightest shine on the other man’s eyes told Matteo there was real emotion there. He knew General Talia had a long history with the Vasile family. Clearly they were close.
“Because I can’t save them myself,” said Talia.
“Is Grace aware of Petrovich’s associations?”
“No one is privy to Grace’s mind except Grace herself.”
Matteo looked out the window and tapped his fingers on his knee, his eyes scanning the lush grounds of the Vasile mansion as his mind worked to frame the situation.
He was a kid from the projects, and he’d only seen places like this on TV. Now he was marrying the president of Lutsia’s daughter, even though it would be a marriage in name only.
Jax explained Matteo would be required to accompany Grace Vasile in public, but his life behind closed doors would be his own. His presence here would do much to secure the election for Vasile, and Matteo understood the importance of that for world events.
The limousine slowed as they rounded a corner, a massive structure Matteo found difficult to call a home appearing in the distance.
His assignment was simple. Marry Grace Vasile for three months and keep her and her baby safe from harm. He suspected the latter part of that sentence was going to be far more difficult than the first.
He’d only seen one recent picture of her, a grainy shot, clearly taken from a distance. He’d been struck by the sadness in her eyes even more so than her beauty, which was great.
It was a sham, a false marriage. But at the same time, it was legally real. Someday when he met the woman he truly wanted to marry, he would need to explain why he had chosen to do this for Grace.
For her country.
For human liberty.
“There’s one more thing,” said the general.
“I believe there is a mole close to the administration. The pedestrian bridge that was destroyed was going to be mentioned in Vasile’s speech tomorrow as an example of things this administration has done to help the people.
Before that, an office building in the capital city burned to the ground.
It was slated to be the site of a rally focused on job growth. ”
“Whoever it is wants you to know they are there.”
“Exactly. I fear there will be more terrorist attacks. Every time we discuss a venue or a past initiative, I fear for the safety of those at that location.”
“What places are you most concerned with right now?”
“The subway system that runs beneath the city, and the baseball fields that were built on the site of an old munitions factory.”
“Have you beefed up security at those locations?”
“To the best of my ability, yes. But I don’t want the public to suspect we are concerned, either.”
“I understand.” The idea that this was an ongoing terrorist situation, with a potential mole so close to the president, was alarming. “I appreciate you letting me know.”
The car pulled up in front of wide stone steps that led to an ornate front door and portico. The door opened, the first daughter herself appearing in the entranceway.
Grace.
“What’s she like?” Matteo asked.
For a moment he thought the other man wasn’t going to answer. “Stubborn.”
Matteo grinned. If you only had one word with which to describe someone, stubborn wasn’t a bad one to choose. At least these months were going to be interesting.