Chapter 20
Chapter Twenty
Natalia
It all happens so fast.
One moment, I’m walking down the stairs to leave the building, and the next, the door opens and in run several FBI Special Agents in SWAT gear. The man escorting us is taken down, and the Special Agents grab Gramps and me and practically drag us out of the room and down the stairs.
Before they have us out of the building, I hear a loud bang and know they’re breaching the inner office.
For a moment, I’m afraid Harrison will be hurt, but I can say and do nothing.
They take Gramps to the ER to be checked, and the Special Agent who transports me to the FBI HQ tells me that Harrison is safe and on his way to the ER for minor wound stitching.
“Are you sure he’s okay?”
The Special Agent nods and waves his hand. “A superficial wound.”
I try to relax and watch the streets of Brooklyn pass by on the way back to Manhattan, but my nerves are still all on edge.
We arrive at the FBI HQ, and an agent escorts me inside through a rear entrance.
Before I know it, I’m sitting in a small room, waiting for news of the operation.
My nerves are all on edge. Beside me is a door, and across from me is a mirror.
I know there’s a viewing room on the other side, and someone, some FBI Special Agent, is watching me.
I exhale and try to calm myself down. Gramps is safe and was taken to a nearby ER to be checked over, simply because of his age. I’m fine, just anxious about Harrison.
I exhale heavily and lean back in my chair.
Harrison’s safe.
That’s what I’m told as I sit and wait, a bottle of water in front of me.
Harrison’s safe…
A Special Agent comes in and sits down in front of me, a file in hand. He asks me if I’m feeling okay to talk, and I nod, wanting to get whatever this is over as fast as possible so Harrison and I can be reunited, and I can see Gramps and make sure he’s okay.
For the next hour, we talk about everything, and it seems like they’re just confirming what I’ve already told both McDonald and Fogarty about my involvement with Harrison and my own family.
Finally, the Agent closes his file and gives me a perfunctory smile. “That’s everything, Mrs. O’Connor. You can go.”
“I can go? Where’s Harrison?”
The Agent stands and opens the door. “You’ll have to ask Special Agent Fogarty about that.”
I leave the room, following the Agent down the hall, and we pass a door. Inside, I see Fogarty and stop. Across from his desk is Harrison, and he has a bandage on his cheek.
I go inside, not caring what anyone thinks.
“Harrison…”
We embrace and then kiss and hug, as if neither of us can get enough of each other. Finally, Fogarty clears his throat.
Harrison and I end the embrace.
“Please, have a seat.” Fogarty motions to the chair beside Harrison, and so I sit, and the Special Agent who brought me here closes the door behind him.
“How are you?” I ask and look at the wound on Harrison’s cheek.
“Just a few stitches. Superficial.”
“How is Andropov?” I turn and look at Fogarty.
He smiles. “He’s in custody, along with several of his men. I hope you know I was able to stop Harrison before he succeeded in killing Andropov…”
I glance at Harrison, who nods his head, smiling as if he’s proud that he at least tried to kill his family’s archenemy.
“Harrison?”
He holds up his hands as if he were helpless. “I took the opportunity to show Mr. Andropov how upset I was that he killed my family. That’s all. He may have a few bruises around his neck, but he’s alive, thanks to the premature intervention of the FBI SWAT team.”
I take Harrison’s hand and realize how angry he must have been to be with the man whose family was responsible for the deaths of Liam, Ethan and Ronan and who kidnapped both Gramps and me. I can’t imagine how hard it must have been for him to be facing the man without trying to kill him.
I would have wanted to choke the man, too.
“I’m sorry they used Gramps to get to you,” I say and squeeze his hand.
“I’m sorry they used you and Gramps to get to my family. It’s over, for now at least, according to Special Agent Fogarty.” Harrison turns to Fogarty, who sits watching us, an impatient expression on his face. “Isn’t that right, Special Agent Fogarty?”
“Not quite over yet. I’m ordering a big operation to take down their network.
It’s being undertaken as we speak. I would be out there, but I have you two here instead, to finish off our business.
Then, I can go down and see what my Agents have accomplished.
First things first. Natalia — I understand you and your father have reunited and are on good terms now.
I want his cooperation going forward to help clean up whatever’s left of Andropov’s organization and I want him to be my man inside if he’s willing.
And you,” he says to Harrison. “I need you to continue to work with us if you want to remain in our good books.”
“You want Harrison and my father to work with the FBI?” I make a face of pain. “I’m not so sure my father would be willing. And Harrison wants out completely from the underworld. He wants to take O’Connor Enterprises free…”
I turn to look at Harrison, who shrugs, like it’s beyond his control.
Fogarty shrugs, like it’s no big deal to get a Russian Mafioso to cooperate with the FBI.
“If not, he can go to prison for a few decades. We have enough on all of you to put you away, you included, so this is the only way out. I hope you understand I did the best I could to get you all a deal that involves no prison time…”
Harrison squeezes my hand. “We should meet with your father together, and relay what’s happened and see how he responds. Tell him what’s at stake.”
I take in a deep breath, not really believing that my father will agree. What choice do we have?
“I’ll try,” I say.
“You can tell your father that with Andropov gone, he can take over the legitimate shipping business part of the empire, and if he continues to cooperate, I’m sure it will mean much cleaner revenue for him.”
“Like I say, I’ll try. I can’t promise anything. I barely know my father. The fact that he’s been involved in the underworld for decades doesn’t bode well for any cooperation. We’ll see.”
“Tell him it’s that or all of you go to jail, and from what I understand, so will his new grandbaby.” Fogarty wags his eyebrows and appears to enjoy being able to reveal that he knows I’m pregnant.
“What about my grandfather? How is he? Can I go see him?”
“He’s at the hospital but will be released soon. He said he’ll be fine. He and your brother will have 24/7 protection as well, until this is over. We ask that the four of you remain in your homes until we give the all-clear.”
“I want to see Gramps,” I say in protest. “I need to know he’s okay.”
“Do a FaceTime or something,” Fogarty says. “Until the operation is over, you’re all at risk, so I want you to be protected. Once it’s all clear, you can reunite.”
I nod, although I would prefer to go and see him right away and make sure that he’s okay.
With that, he closes the folder on the desk in front of him. “Now, if the two of you don’t mind, I have a huge takedown operation ongoing and would love to get out into the field and watch it take place.” He stands behind his desk, so Harrison and I do as well.
“I’ll escort you out. Please go home and stay quiet for the rest of the day.
I’ll be in contact to let you know how it’s gone and will release the Agents watching you when it’s safe.
Until then, there will be two squads outside your apartment to watch the front and rear of the building.
Don’t want Andropov’s relatives to get any revenge ideas… ”
He walks us to the door and nods at one of the Special Agents standing outside. “Take Mr. and Mrs. O’Connor to the van.”
“Yes, Sir,” the Agent says and points down the hallway.
“Oh, and Harrison?” Fogarty says. “Keep your anger in check. I don’t want any hint of you taking the law into your own hands, understand? Let the system do its work.”
Harrison nods and squeezes my hand. “Understood.”
“Follow me,” the Agent says and leads us back to the underground parking garage, where a van is waiting to take us home. We walk hand in hand and get into the van, fastening our seatbelts and waiting to be taken home.
Harrison exhales heavily and turns to me. “I’ll be glad when this is all over, and we can finally live our lives.”
“Me, too,” I say and smile. He leans over and kisses me briefly before turning back to face the front. We drive out, and I think about how my stepfather and mother left this very parking garage one fateful day and didn’t survive the night.
I still have to decide what to do with the information I have about that betrayal.
Someone in the FBI knows and has decided to let it slide.
I could have raised it with Fogarty in the meeting, but I’m just too damn tired, and if I could never see another FBI Special Agent again, it would be too soon.
The reckoning will happen, one way or the other. It’s just a matter of time.
We drive through the streets of Manhattan back to our apartment near Central Park, and I see that there is a squad car outside the building.
I imagine there’s another one in the back, watching the alley and entrance to the parking garage.
It makes me feel somewhat safer, but given what happened to my family, I can’t ever be too sure.
I squeeze Harrison’s hand. “Can you hire your own security team to monitor things? I don’t really trust theirs, all things considered…”
Harrison nods, and I know he understands what I mean. “I’ll get right on it. I’ll feel better as well, all things considered.”
He kisses my hand, and we leave the van and take the elevator to our apartment, the Special Agent in tow.
As we’re exiting the elevator, I see another agent is sitting at our kitchen island, and I wonder how much searching they’ve done.
Probably gone over every inch of the apartment.
That’s how they knew I’m pregnant. Probably found the pregnancy test in the trash can in the bathroom.
“Welcome home,” the Special Agent says and comes over to us. “I’ve checked the place out, and it’s clean. There will be a Special Agent posted outside, front and back, to make sure nothing happens. We’ve been watching the building for twenty-four hours and feel pretty sure it’s safe.”
“Thanks,” Harrison says, always the gentleman. “Appreciate it.”
The Special Agent leaves the apartment, and finally, we’re alone.
Harrison puts down his jacket and removes his shoes as I do, and we go into the living room. He pulls me into his arms and kisses me, and I can’t help but melt into his arms. Tears fill my eyes, and I can’t help but indulge myself for a moment, letting myself cry.
Then, when Harrison wipes a tear off my cheek, I get hold of myself.
“I want to Skype with Gramps,” I say. “Just to make sure he’s okay.”
“We will. Right now, I want to order some food. What do you say to some Korean Barbecue?”
I laugh at that, my tears finally clearing. “Korean sounds perfect.”
It’s going to be a long night waiting for the operation to finish so we can finally go back to the way things should be.