Chapter 15 #4
Alexei rapped his knuckles on the apartment door and waited, automatically glancing down the hallway on either side of him every few seconds.
The residential apartment building was in a decent DC neighborhood, about twenty minutes in light traffic from his own.
He’d never been here before tonight, but automatically noting exits was an ingrained habit of his.
Less than a minute later, the door unlocked and slid open, the sound of a news stream spilling into the hallway. Sean eyed him for a moment before stepping aside to wave him into the apartment.
“You know, the mission is over for now. You don’t need to keep an eye on me anymore,” Sean said.
“Not turn in after-action report yet,” Alexei replied, glancing curiously around the one-bedroom apartment.
The place was clean, well-kept, with holopics and framed prints hanging on the walls. The furniture looked comfortable and seemed to all match in some way. The windows facing the street were shaded dark for the late hour.
“I’m still writing it. I’m waiting on some CIA files. I need them for corroboration purposes.”
“Good.”
Sean pressed his palm to the door’s control panel, locking it behind Alexei. “Why good?”
“Want to talk to you about mission.”
Sean ran a hand through his short brown hair, tugging on it a little.
He was barefoot, in sleeping pants and a worn-thin band T-shirt with the faded red words Atomic Grace printed across the gray fabric.
Alexei vaguely recognized the rock band as one his sisters had liked for years.
Off the clock, Sean didn’t seem to carry himself much differently, but the softer edge that came from being home was enough to catch Alexei’s attention. He tried not to think about why.
“You could’ve talked to me back at headquarters. We work in the same building. No need to track me down after hours at my home,” Sean pointed out a little testily.
“Not something we can talk about at headquarters. Here private. Is better.”
Sean eyed Alexei speculatively. “You want to talk about your brother and Jamie.”
Alexei scowled, annoyed that the other man had figured out his reason for coming over so quickly. “Da.”
“Okay.” Sean gestured vaguely in the direction of the kitchen. “You want something to drink?”
Alexei wanted to say no, but he could hear his mother’s voice in the back of his head, berating him for ignoring another person’s hospitality in their own home. “Water is fine.”
Sean headed for the kitchen, keeping up the conversation as he dug through his cabinets for a glass.
“Look, Alexei, I already spoke with Jamie about this in London. I’m not going to talk about what I saw happen in the office.
As far as I’m concerned, it was for their cover, and it doesn’t even merit a footnote in my after-action report.
You don’t need to threaten me to keep my mouth shut. ”
“Not threaten you,” Alexei said, bristling a little at the accusation. “Just make sure we all on same page.”
“You’re doing a great impression of protective older brother. Trust me, I remember it from when I was a kid. I did my share of it as well.”
Alexei rolled his eyes, attention caught by the trio of news anchors talking about the DOD press conference from earlier in the day.
He moved farther into the open-plan living area, half listening to the talking heads give their opinion on General Herrera’s statement about Richard and Jamie Callahan.
The framed prints hanging on the wall over the comfortable-looking couch were Atomic Grace band posters, separated by holopics that cycled through numerous photos of people that looked a lot like Sean, even if he wasn’t in the pictures himself.
“Here.”
Alexei turned to face Sean, taking the proffered glass of water. “Thanks.”
“I know you don’t have any reason to believe me, and I know you don’t like my background, but I’m an MDF agent. I’m not going to betray the agency, and I’m not going to betray your team’s confidences. I don’t know how to make you believe me, but I’m not going to beg you to,” Sean said.
Alexei took a sip of water, looking away from Sean as the news stream switched to a replay of the statement. Sean didn’t try to keep up his argument, merely waited Alexei out.
“You think that hold up?” Alexei asked once the replay was done and the newscast had switched back to the anchors.
“I think they chose the excuse they did because it can be twisted in a number of ways they can at least try to control,” Sean replied slowly.
“Thought I leave propaganda behind when I come here as kid.”
Sean snorted. “All news is propaganda to some extent in this day and age. People choose what bubble they want to live in, and that’s the world they’ll fight for.
There is a big gap between what the public has the right to know and what actually comes out.
The truth will always get twisted in some way. ”
“And you think that’s good?”
Sean’s gaze was measured and even as he stared at Alexei.
“I think what we’re trying to stop is more important than giving in to a media feeding frenzy.
I’ve learned over the years that if you want to control the narrative, you need to get your own story out there first, whatever that may be. That’s what we’re doing here.”
It made more sense when Sean explained it rather than Kyle.
His little brother’s explanation had consisted mainly of swear words as Kyle slammed around the apartment last night.
With Jamie beholden to the brass and his family for the next week or so, at minimum, Kyle had gone home with Alexei Sunday night once they’d arrived back in the States.
Too many eyes were looking their way for Kyle to stay at his and Jamie’s place right now, especially alone.
That was the main reason Alexei had come here tonight.
Things had been too hectic in London for Alexei to corner Sean at the time and extract a promise from the other man not to jeopardize the team and his brother’s happiness by reporting Kyle and Jamie’s fraternization to their superiors.
Alexei could grudgingly admit that if Jamie was going to trust a spy, then he would have to as well.
Just this once.
Alexei handed the glass of water back to Sean. “Thank you for keeping secret.”
Sean shrugged, a wry smile twitching at his mouth. “Keeping secrets and telling lies is what I do. No need to thank me for it.”
“Then I take back.”
Sean jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “Door’s that way.”
Alexei barked out a laugh as he walked past the other man, heading for the door in question. “Like Kilyusha. Asshole.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment. Good night, Alexei,” Sean pointedly said.
“Dobroy nochi,” Alexei said as he left, satisfied for now with the answers he’d received.