The Soviet Comeback by Jamie Smith (best ereader for academics TXT) 📕

bit temperamental.” An older and more battered Betamax player was on the floor next to the desk, humming slightly. He picked up a box of the tapes on top of it and handed it to Nikita. “I never bother to label them; don’t even watch them, not much to see out there. The day you’re looking for will be in there somewhere.”

Nikita said nothing, only pocketing the tape and bullets and taking the box of tapes from Larry before walking out of the shop. It would be days before Larry relaxed from the visit, and weeks before his nose stopped hurting.

As Nikita walked out of the shop, a man bumped heavily into him. “Hey, guy, look where you’re going,” the man exclaimed angrily.

Nikita threw his arm up angrily, but once he was around the corner pulled the piece of paper out of his pocket that the man had deposited there.

For information: Petr Chrastek, Apartment six, Ridgeon Court, 14th Street.

Nikita memorised the name and address before chewing the paper bit by bit and swallowing it. The KGB taking such bold action must mean that Brishnov’s move was close on the horizon. He didn’t have much time to gather the evidence to lead the CIA to the Soviet assassin.

He began walking back towards the car, deciding how to proceed. As he walked past the Greek church, he heard voices talking loudly in Greek and a group of women came out through the doors of the building. He carried on walking back towards the car to wait for Sarah to return.

Suddenly a voice tentatively called, “Nathan?”

He froze. That voice was tattooed into his memory, but he could scarcely believe it.

CHAPTER 19

Nikita turned around and saw her. Her golden eyes were wide with surprise, but her eyebrows quickly dived into an angry frown as her suspicions were confirmed.

“Elysia,” he whispered.

She was about thirty yards away, standing with a group of women aged from around fifty upwards. They were all staring curiously at him, wondering how Elysia knew this haughty black man.

“Elysia, páme,” said one of the women, a stern-looking lady with light brown skin and a steely grey perm.

“Tha se piso,” Elysia said distractedly, waving them away. I will catch you up.

The woman clucked disapprovingly but walked off with her fellow churchgoers, throwing looks over her shoulder the whole while.

Nikita looked nervously over his own shoulder at the car. He couldn’t let Chang know he was anyone other than Jacob.

He walked swiftly towards Elysia, whose face was settling into one of serious anger.

“Elysia…” he said, putting his hands on her arms. She shrugged them off. “Hi,” he finished lamely with a smile.

“Hi?” she responded caustically.

“This is so… I mean… what are you doing here?” He asked, reverting to his Floridian drawl with a stutter.

“I don’t see how that’s any of your business.”

“No, you’re right. It’s good to see you though,” he said earnestly. “I just didn’t expect…”

“I told you I was thinking of coming back to Greek Town. But then I don’t know why I would imagine that you would remember any of our time together as it was clearly so meaningless.”

“Meaningless? Elysia, it meant more to me than you could know. I’m sorry I left—”

“Without so much as a note,” she interrupted. “Just as my uncle had died.”

“I’m so sorry—” he began.

“Sorry you used me?” she said, her dark eyes burning into him. She had never looked more beautiful to him.

“Elysia, I wish I could explain,” he said, desperately trying to think of the words, still stunned at bumping into her so far from the place in which he knew her. “You… you are the most amazing woman I’ve ever met. Our time together was so perfect I was afraid I would only ruin it by staying.”

“Oh please,” she said rolling her eyes.

“Elysia, I’m bad news,” he said, gazing intently at her. He again put his hands to her arms, “Men like me can only hurt women like you.”

“Men are so stupid.”

He laughed. “I’m not arguing with you there,” he said, noticing that her expression had softened just a little. “I don’t tell the truth enough, but believe me when I say that what we shared was the most real experience I’ve ever had.”

“You talk as if I’m some weak little flower that will break. I was perfectly fine with you and perfectly fine without you; I can make my own mind up if you’re bad news or not,” she said, lifting her chin. “You hurt me; you really hurt me,” she added, softly, her eyes liquid.

“I’m so sorry,” he sighed. “And I’m sorry that I underestimated you.” He couldn’t help himself and asked, “Did it mean something to you too?”

She let her arms fall to her sides, and cocked her head to one side. “What it meant to me isn’t something you deserve to know right now. Why are you here?” she asked. “We’re a long way from Florida.” Surveying him properly, her eyes noticed the gun at his hip for the first time with alarm.

He heard a door shut behind him and closed his eyes briefly, knowing he had another argument ahead of him. He glanced behind him and saw Sarah sitting in the car, staring coldly in his direction.

“I have to go, Elysia,” he said.

“Well, this is more of a goodbye than last time,” she said, colour returning to her face as her temper rose once more. “Does your girlfriend know about us?”

“Not my girlfriend,” he said, “my partner,” and tapped the gun at his waist.

“Am I likely to see you loitering outside my church again?” said asked directly.

“I… don’t think that would be a good idea,” he said, hating himself.

She laughed cruelly. “Why am I not surprised? Another man who wants only one thing and then