Page 24 of Fire and Ice

Deep in the underbelly of the stonehouse, Maia was in videoconference again with Viktor. She couldn't be happier with the setup here, a view of the North Carolina coast topside and a high tech facility below. It was almost midnight when Viktor texted her to set up an urgent meeting.

"Our data centers picked up data searches on your name originating from your location. The Westcove Police Department in fact," Viktor informed her.

"Shit. Tanner," Maia muttered.

"You neglected to tell me that you've run into a detective," her mentor said softly. The comment carried a touch of censure.

"It didn't occur to me."

"Maia, you've become increasingly careless."

"Oh, shut it Viktor. You're beginning to sound like Derek."

"I think McCord is becoming a distraction."

"He is not even here. I'm just finding out that a small town isn't a good place to hide out. Everyone knows everyone. A newcomer is big news and attracts too much attention."

"I think your problem is getting on the radar with the local police the first day you got there."

"I had no control of that." Maia told him what happened at the beach and at the tavern. Viktor started laughing instead of getting mad at her exposure, much to Maia's annoyance.

"You're too pretty for your own good. I can't imagine you acting all damsel-in-distress, either. I can't really blame you for standing out, you'd do that anywhere which is why you're our top agent for seducing dictators."

"Gee, thanks, I think," Maia grumbled. "I'm pretty good with guns and knives too, you know."

"Yes, you are," Viktor said with some pride.

"Oh, another thing has been bugging me," Maia said. She told Viktor about the incident with Kyle and his mom. She always had great intuition and her gut told her not to ignore this.

"I think there's more to those three guys terrorizing Westcove. They've been talking to shop owners and I don't think it's extortion. I think they're trying to hook them into something illegal with threats of violence for non-compliance. And Rick Tanner is more than a detective, I think. He mentioned getting transferred from somewhere, something about trouble trickling down from bigger cities. Can you find out for me? What's on my cover right now anyway?"

"You're thinking this has something to do with Raul Vergara's organization getting shutdown and the remaining products having no where to go?"

Maia nodded. "It's almost winter. Kids are back in school and it's going to be slow to move that stuff."

"I'm on Rick Tanner. I've already looked into his creds. Looks good first go, but something doesn't add up. I'm having forensics look at the data. And your cover has been updated, you are still a traveling marketing executive for a pharmaceutical company, your phone records, bank accounts and credit card charges have all been updated and you still have that little Federal house in DC. I'm sending you the file right now. Memorize the changes, Katerina."

Maia smiled warmly. Viktor had called her by her real name. It slipped out whenever he was feeling affectionate, which was rare.

A phone was beeping behind her. It was the house phone; whoever wanted Jack at this time of the night or morning could leave a message. She ignored it and continued talking to Viktor. It stopped, and then rang again.

"You might want to get that," Viktor said.

"Hold on," Maia muttered.

The phone's caller id blinked Jack McCord. Maia sighed in irritation, lifted the receiver from the cradle and said, "What do you want?"

"Hello to you too, sweetheart," Jack drawled in greeting.

"Do you know what time it is?" Maia asked. "What if I was asleep, did that occur to you?"

"Ahhh, but you're not asleep, you are right now in a videoconference with Viktor." Jack said.

"Hold on," Maia told Jack, pressed the hold button, and turned back to Viktor. "I'll get back to you in the morning. This is gonna take a while."

"You look like you are about to blow," Viktor said in amusement.

"You are not wrong," Maia voiced irritably.

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