Page 140 of Fire and Ice

"Gavlik's bratva is being dismantled. Your FBI had been working for years to weaken it. With Gavlik and Reznikov gone, no one is keen to take over," Volynsky said. "As for GAV-VOL Pharmaceuticals, I had legal proceedings started to have it renamed Volynsky Pharmaceuticals and plan to restore the business to respectability. Any board member who had supported Gavlik in the development of the Rave-IX will be prosecuted."

"It's over then," Maia said as peace came over her.

"Thanks to you," Volynsky replied as he clasped both of her hands and brought them to his lips in gratitude. "If you need my help for anything, anything at all, Agent Pierce, you know how to contact me."

Jack came up to them and looked at Maia. "You ready?"

Maia nodded and hugged Volynsky goodbye.

They landed in Kumuroch Airport at noon.

They were lingering in a private hangar waiting for their plane to pass flight check; Maia eyed the Gulfstream 550. "So who did you bribe to get this?" she asked Viktor.

"Compliments of the State Department," he answered with a grin.

"I'm feeling honored," Maia laughed.

Viktor threw his arm around her and walked her away from the other Guardians. Jack was watching them surreptiously.

"Katerina, you gave me a fright with this one," Viktor told her. "I wasn't sure how to get you back."

"How were you able to find us anyway? Not even Erik's men knew the location of Gavlik's fortress," Maia said.

"You have your boyfriend to thank for that one. He is still your boyfriend, right?" Viktor asked with a sly grin.

"Hmph, not so sure yet. We have a lot to talk about."

"Remember the vaccination you received in December?"

"Yes?"

"Well, it wasn't for the flu. That was a tracking serum that MDI had developed. It's a biological tracking device. The signal is in your bloodstream."

"What? Who makes shit like that?" Maia asked in amazement. "Wait, I'm not going to be trackable forever, am I?"

"It's like a self-kill virus. It disappears in six months. That stuff saved your life. Jack was so worried about protecting you, he offered it to AGS for free. We're definitely going to place an order for our agents. It's untraceable by other devices."

Maia was impressed. She stole a glance at Jack, who was still watching them anxiously.

"Maia, I've always thought you can take care of yourself," Viktor said gently. "But Jack McCord is a good man. We may have had our differences and I know you had that recent blow-up, but give him a chance, I think he gets you. He may be an overprotective ass sometimes, but you do need that. Actually, I saw his point earlier."

Maia scowled as she remembered the two of them hauling her to the chopper.

"Can't believe you're defending a man in my life," Maia grumbled.

Viktor snorted. "Come on, we're leaving soon."

They approached the rowdy group that was now filing onto the plane. Maia guessed the huge success of the mission had put everyone in a celebratory mood.

Jack came up to her and pulled her aside.

"We're not going with them," he informed her.

"What do you mean? I don't want to stay here."

"Babe, what do you think of Paris?"

"What?"

---