Oleg

Within the structure of the organization, Oleg was several positions down from Arthur in the hierarchy of the Disciples. He was leaning against the side of the car near the front end over the driver’s side tire having a cigarette, the sky darkening as twilight slowly faded to night. The sound of a shrill scream ripped through the air, distinctly feminine and very loud, and coming from Arthur’s direction. Oleg cursed and dropped his cigarette before reaching inside his suit jacket and withdrawing the Glock 9mm from his shoulder holster. There was still enough light lingering in the sky that he was able to navigate back up the trail back toward Arthur. Coming out of the bush at a near run, gun poised, he was surprised to see a beautiful nude woman smaller than himself, back to him, kneeling alone in the clearing. Of Arthur there was no trace, save for the tattered remains of material similar to the color of Arthur’s suit lying in pieces about the clearing. She turned her head to face him, hands covering her naked breasts but nothing else. Her eyes appeared normal but the irises were golden and held him fast.

He muttered the words, “Sweet mother,” in Russian as he looked at her.

She replied in Russian, “Help me,” her voice melodically sweet, though contained an edge of panic.

“Where is Mr. Thelwell?” he asked, still speaking in his native tongue, pistol aimed at the woman.

“I don’t know anyone named Thelwell,” she replied in Russian, turning her head to look back toward the center of the clearing.

“Who are you?” he demanded in Russian levelling the gun at her as he circled around to her front, close enough to ensure a kill shot but far enough away to get the shot off.

She paused a moment, as if she were looking for the answer. “I don’t know,” she answered again in Russian, lower lip starting to quiver. “Where am I?”

He frowned. “You speak English?” he asked in English.

“Yes,” she replied, on the threshold of tears, eyes fixed on the weapon pointed at her.

“Where are clothes?” he asked in English

She shook her head from side to side.

He took a couple steps closer, stopping a dozen paces from her. Reaching into his pocket with his free, he pulled out a cell phone and checked for reception. There was no signal. He muttered.

She brought her hands to her face and looked as if she might weep.

He had seen enough atrocities and brutality toward innocents during war to be unmoved by sympathy for her situation. He cursed softly to himself. He wished he had been better briefed on the mission, the parameters and variable outcomes. Because he didn’t know what the mission was, didn’t know what to expect, he wasn’t prepared for this outcome. He closed the distance between them, removed his jacket and placed it around her shoulders. At 6’2” his suit jacket easily wrapped around her. She pulled it close to protect against the cool night air.

“Thank you,” she said in English, grateful for the kindness, moist eyes wide

His instincts told him to put two bullets in the back of her head and be done with it, but because he couldn’t reach anyone and didn’t know what to do, he decided to take her back to the car. Placing her in the back seat, “You wait with car, I will return shortly,” he said in accented English, closing the door behind her. He tucked the pistol back into his hog-leg holster before grabbing a flashlight from the glove compartment and walking back down to the clearing and exploring it thoroughly. Elements of the two circles were still visible, and there was an odd scent he couldn’t place hanging in the air, but Arthur Thelwell was gone. Pulling a cigarette out of the foil package, he lit it and took a drag before gathering up the clothing remnants and returning to the car.

She was still sitting where he left her in the back of the car, enjoying the scent in the jacket wrapped about her, it smelled masculine and virile. The driver had surprised her, caught her unawares after her tryst with Arthur. His body was lean, but nicely muscled. He moved with an animal grace, a predatory litheness. Much had changed since she had been here last, and as eager as she was to play with him, at present he might be better suited helping her adapt to this new environment. When he returned, he dumped the remnants of Arthur’s clothing in the front passenger seat before circling around and climbing into the driver’s seat. Starting the car, he smelled faintly of smoke.

He turned in his seat to look at her. “Oleg,” he said tapping his chest with the index and middle finger of his right hand.

She smiled, “Oleg,” she repeated.

Putting the car in gear, he began the drive back to the hotel called The Rocky Mountain Lodge where he and Arthur each possessed a room interconnected via a doorway.

“Where are you taking me?” she asked.

“You are quiet now, we will talk later,” he advised, refusing to engage in conversation. She frowned, leaned back in the seat, and remained quiet for the journey back to civilization.

Back at the hotel, he bade her remain in the car. Climbing out of the sedan, he pulled out his cell phone and checked the signal again, strong, three bars this time. Dialing Sebastian’s number, he put the phone to his head.

“Mr. Vickers, this is Oleg Grigori. Mr. Thelwell has vanished, in his place, a young woman.”

On the other end of the phone Sebastian frowned. “Vanished? What happened, be detailed,” he instructed.

“I helped bring materials to clearing, Mr. Thelwell tells me to go to car. I go and wait. Maybe one hour passes, I hear lady scream, when I get there, he is gone, only girl. From him, I see only pieces of clothes, but no blood. There is smell in the air, how you would say, yedkiy, strong maybe?”

“Describe the woman for me,” ordered Sebastian.

“Pretty girl, Caucasian, maybe 170cm, 55 kilograms, long dark hair, strange yellow eyes, late teens early 20’s. She says she doesn’t know her name or how she got to clearing, she appears uninjured, no clothes, and she speaks Russian and English.”

“Are you still at the site?” Sebastian asked.

“No service for phone, outside the hotel right at moment,” replied Oleg.

“What about Arthur’s book, did you find the book at the site?” Sebastian asked.

“No, just torn clothes, two circles, symbols in circles,” replied the former Russian commando. “I think book might be in room, I do not remember seeing it when Mr. Thelwell was setting up.”

Sebastian didn’t like it. “This woman is to be considered an Alpha level priority for the moment, exercise extreme caution, she may be a significant threat,” advised Sebastian.

“Alpha? Girl was naked,” replied Oleg, looking at the woman through the windshield of the car.

“Until I can figure out what happened to Arthur, she will remain Alpha. I want you to secure any materials from Arthur’s room. I am sending additional resources to your location to provide assistance, they should be there within the next fourteen hours or so. Reporting protocols are in effect,” added Sebastian.

“I understand and comply,” replied Oleg, ending the call and putting his phone back inside his jacket.

Connection severed, he walked around the car and opened her door. “We go into hotel now,” he advised.