Chapter 17

17

May 12, 7:22 A . M . MSK

Sergiyev Posad, Russian Federation

In the hotel bedroom, Gray whistled appreciatively as he eyed Seichan up and down. "I like this look on you. It's not a wedding dress, but it's definitely flattering."

She scowled and ran her palm down the black clerical robe that enveloped her body. She also wore an apostolnik, a cloth veil that covered her head, neck, and shoulders.

She tied the latter under her chin. "I've worn Muslim hijabs that were less constrictive."

"I'd be happier if we could cover your face, too."

"So you want me in a burqa?" She glanced over to the rumpled state of the bed. "You wanted me in far less clothing last night."

Gray reached an arm around her waist and pulled her close. "I'll take you however I can get you."

She drew against him, showing him exactly what was hidden under all that wool. The curves, the softness, the suppleness. She kissed him, at first gently, a brush of lips, then more passionately, bruising and rough.

Gray pulled back, still tasting her on his tongue. "Is that any way for a novice of the convent to behave?"

"After last night—and again this morning—you know I'm no novice at anything."

He glanced over to the bed. "I may need more convincing."

Gray's attempts at levity poorly masked the tension inside him. His fingers still held Seichan's arms. He didn't want to let her go. When she had appeared at the safehouse after the firefight at the embassy, his relief nearly felled him. Fear for Kowalski and the others had also tempered their reunion. Not that they'd had much time. Fearing any further exposure, the group had quickly vacated the site in Moscow and traveled the seventy kilometers to Sergiyev Posad.

Once here, they had checked into a two-century-old establishment: the Staraya Gostinitsa Lavry, or Old Lavra Hotel. It was ideally positioned, overlooking the front gate into the Holy Trinity Lavra. Due to the hotel's proximity, the sprawling, yellow-plastered building had served as a pilgrim's rest stop since its founding—and continued to do so today. According to Bishop Yelagin, many priests, monks, and nuns took up residence here, offering convenient access to the Lavra's many churches.

Yelagin and Sister Anna had secured the group's suite of adjoining rooms, then helped whisk the others inside—even Kane, who posed as a seeing-eye dog.

A knock at the door interrupted them. "Commander Pierce," Tucker called through, "Anna returned. Along with three of her sisters. We need to head out."

"We'll be there in a moment," Gray answered him.

He and Seichan shared a long look, and he kissed her again. "Keep your head down," he whispered afterward.

"I'll do my best to stay out of trouble."

"No, I mean really keep your head down." He pointed to the floor. "While you're all covered up, we don't want anyone spotting your face."

The plan was for Seichan to pose as a nun. With her head piously bowed, few should note her presence. The Russian Orthodox Church was staunchly patriarchal, even more so than its Catholic counterpart. Gray hoped Anna was right about people taking little notice of nuns. According to her, most people's gazes glossed over a nun's black garb, ignoring the woman under the habiliment.

"I should get going," Seichan sighed out, looking equally reluctant to leave.

After so short a time together, it was hard to separate again. She would be accompanying the trio of nuns, burying herself amongst them. The cloaked group would be trailed by Yuri and Tucker, along with Kane.

Their goal was to circle the Lavra's grounds. Archpriest Sychkin maintained a residence in an old family mansion on the far side. Seichan's group would circumspectly inspect the site, looking for any evidence that their captured members—Kowalski, Dr. Stutt, and Marco—had been taken there. According to what Seichan had overheard on her stolen radio, the botanist was to be hauled here, taken to Sychkin. The hope was that the other two would also be close at hand.

Gray had instructed Seichan's group not to engage, simply to surveil. Once confirmation was made that the others were at the mansion, then they'd put an extraction team together and attempt a rescue.

Until then...

He studied Seichan. In the dark of their room last night, he had sensed a desperation in their lovemaking, as if Seichan were trying to eke out every last moment with him. With the lights on now, he recognized the hard cast to her eyes, guarded and wary, and from the pinch at their corners, also anxious.

After reaching the safehouse in Moscow, she had explained why she had left on her own, describing both her tactic to try to ambush Valya and her suspicions about the others in their party. But Gray knew that her act of running off had been as desperate as their lovemaking.

She's fighting for her life—and not just to keep breathing, but to keep the life she made with me, the home and son they shared, for everything .

Valya threatened it all.

Seichan broke eye contact and turned toward the door that led to the suite's salon. "Do you trust that we're not still compromised?"

Gray studied the stiffness in her back, recognizing that she continued to lean on her paranoia, rather than addressing what truly troubled her. He tried his best to assure her. "Both Yelagin and Anna have given us information freely. Intel that we had no access to. From a strategic standpoint, such cooperation makes no sense if they were turncoats."

"What about the Russian?"

"Yuri?"

She looked back at him. "He has no loyalty to us."

"True, but during the embassy attack, he helped rescue Tucker versus simply running off or aiding Valya." Gray shrugged. "Still, I suspect he's keeping cards close to his chest. But I think that's just him being Russian."

Seichan frowned, clearly not satisfied with his assessment.

"The mole might not be any of us," he argued. "Father Bailey admitted that there were a select few in the Holy See who knew we were using their embassy as a safehouse. Not to mention the ambassador himself. And we already know that Monsignor Borrelli dispatched his photos only to us, possibly due to his own suspicions concerning the Vatican."

She stared pointedly at him. "And Bailey hasn't informed anyone in Rome about our location here in Sergiyev Posad or our intentions."

"No. I was adamant with him that we stay dark, and he didn't disagree—though, plainly our suspicions left him unnerved."

Seichan shook her head and concluded this discussion with a warning. "Still, watch your back."

"You do the same."

With the matter resolved for now, they headed toward the door. He wished he could go with her. After arriving at the hotel, Monk had administered a steroid injection and applied a soft splint to Gray's ankle. His mobility was much improved, but he was not at his best.

Still, that wasn't the only issue.

Those remaining behind had their own task to address: to solve a centuries-old puzzle. If the Golden Library was indeed hidden somewhere within the sixty acres of the Lavra, they needed to pin down its location.

But how?

As tired as they all were, no one had the verve to tackle that confounding riddle of ancient scrawls, small pictures, and strange scientific nomenclature. It remained a baffling mystery. But one member of their team had sought to clarify it as best he could, working throughout the night.

Then again, he's a decade younger than any of us.

Gray reached the door. "Let's see if Jason has made any headway."