A hard slog

…

Surveillance wasn’t easy.  Some thought it was a doddle, just sitting around waiting for something to happen, and, in the meantime, filling up on takeaway and endless coffee.

Some thought it boring because in all likelihood little happened over a long time.

Quite often the funding ran out long before a result was available.

David had nothing else to do, so it was his only option, other than finding a way to annoy the new security.

He found premises near the Featherington London residence, then when the place was least populated, planted listening devices in various places, some to be found, others not.

He tracked the limousine, now driven by the head of security to see where it was going promptly every morning, with the mistress of the house.

Located other premises to be watched, a result no doubt of being able to go through documents at the main residence.

Got an accurate guide to how many men were in the security team, where they went and what times they performed basic duties.

And watched Susan as she slept in her room, making him feel almost like a stalker.

But it didn’t take long for several revelations to surface, the first, Susan had a new relative that he had known of before, but only by sight, and second, someone he thought he could trust was not what he appeared to be.

Time to throw the cat among the pigeons.

…

Words written today, 2,041, for a total of 43,264

Let the fun begin

…

Today we’re dealing with problems on all fronts.

After the assassination attempt in Russia, it was up to Boris to save them from the local security services and ensure their return home.

Alisha had not fully recovered and arrived back only to be sent to the hospital.

Prendergast and David have a very loud argument over several matters, the main one that he has been associating with a high-ranking FSB officer – Boris.

It ends with David being sent to a debriefing that was tantamount to torture, conducted by the department’s two best interrogators, oddly nicknamed Boris and Natasha.

David survives and a free to go home.

Only home is no longer the place it used to be.

There’s a new security team in place, and by accident, his name was left off the list of those with access to the Featherington London residence.

A number of broken bones and dishevelled security guards later, David makes it very clear what he thinks of them, and the fact he will not be staying with Susan. He is also sad to discover the new head of her security team is both the man he saw in Monaco with Jos, the one Susan was covertly observing before he derailed their meeting up, and the same man appearing in a set of revealing photographs of the two of them together.

Susan will, in the very near future, have some explaining to do.

There’s no doubt that despite what she might have done with the other man, David takes their relationship to another level, and makes sure his rival knows his place.

And there’s equally no doubt that rival was going to be very, very dead if he was not more careful.

…

Words written today, 2,561, for a total of 38,173

Again, why am I doing this?

…

That notion of conducting surveillance on his spouse seemed strange to David when he spoke out loud about it.  Of course, the face looking back at him from the mirror didn’t have a reply, but there was a wry expression.

The thing is, he would not have contemplated it if two rather interesting events had not taken place,

Firstly, the photos of her new lover turning up in his email, and that very same man was now her new head of security, and,

Secondly, he had not gotten into a scrape with several of the new security team, just trying to access his own house, or what he thought was his.

He had no doubt Susan would welcome him with open arms, and in fact, does ask him to stay, but they both knew he would probably end up killing one or all of them.

And there was the fact she didn’t know he knew about her secret affair, not that it really bothered him, just the fact it was an arrogant mercenary, and not really her type.

But there again he didn’t really know all that much about her.

What better way to find out than to observe and learn.

In the meantime, he could visit Alisha in the hospital and check on her progress.

…

Words written today, 3.050, for a total of 41,223

A new edition of the Spanish inquisition

…

At what point do you stop ignoring the signs and start considering the possibility that:

1.  Susan is no longer the woman he married, or
2.  Susan has undergone such a transformation after the traumatising time her father put her through that she has completely changed, or
3. The demands of running the Featherington commercial empire are such that there is no time left for David and Susan to spend time together in a meaningful way, or
4. Susan is not his Susan, but another of the clones.

David certainly doesn’t want to believe the last option was the case.  There is enough from their current interactions to convince him that his Susan is in there somewhere, but those photographs he received in Moscow before the assassination attempt convinced him that it was possible the damage done by her father had changed her.

He never expected she would have an affair.

The thing is, did he know here all that well given the little time they had spent together?

Still reeling from the assassination attempt in Yaroslavl, and the fact it nearly cost Alisha her life, David decides it’s time to do a little investigating into the woman that is his wife.

For now.

And being on the inside, that surveillance job was going to be easy.

Except…

He just has to get past the new security detail Susan has hired.

…

Words written today, 1,923, for a total of 35,612

Let the fun begin

…

Today we’re dealing with problems on all fronts.

After the assassination attempt in Russia, it was up to Boris to save them from the local security services and ensure their return home.

Alisha had not fully recovered and arrived back only to be sent to the hospital.

Prendergast and David have a very loud argument over several matters, the main one that he has been associating with a high-ranking FSB officer – Boris.

It ends with David being sent to a debriefing that was tantamount to torture, conducted by the department’s two best interrogators, oddly nicknamed Boris and Natasha.

David survives and a free to go home.

Only home is no longer the place it used to be.

There’s a new security team in place, and by accident, his name was left off the list of those with access to the Featherington London residence.

A number of broken bones and dishevelled security guards later, David makes it very clear what he thinks of them, and the fact he will not be staying with Susan. He is also sad to discover the new head of her security team is both the man he saw in Monaco with Jos, the one Susan was covertly observing before he derailed their meeting up, and the same man appearing in a set of revealing photographs of the two of them together.

Susan will, in the very near future, have some explaining to do.

There’s no doubt that despite what she might have done with the other man, David takes their relationship to another level, and makes sure his rival knows his place.

And there’s equally no doubt that rival was going to be very, very dead if he was not more careful.

…

Words written today, 2,561, for a total of 38,173

Third time’s the charm

…

There are three things going on here, well, that’s going on in Yaroslavl.

The first is that David’s old handler is losing it over the fact he had upped and gone to Moscow, Russia.  Old handlers always suspect their charges that go to Russia are looking to defect.  That isn’t David’s intention, but he knows Prendergast is never going to see reason.

The fact he sent one of his minders along, presumably to drag him back home is reason to suspect a major breakout of paranoia.

The second was a visit to the palace ruins, but it was going to take someone with more imagination than he had to see what the attraction is.  Whatever had been there, in that peaceful, tranquil spot must have had an air of magnificence about it.

Of course, Susan turns up, and they have words, and things might have gone smoother if it had not been for Prendergast’s minder.

Enough said, for the moment.

Back at the hotel, having missed the flight back with Susan, David gets to relive some of those lingering thoughts of Alisha, though he doesn’t act on them.

The third event, it was nearly a case of third-time lucky as the assassination attempt was almost successful.

Sadly, Alicia is nearly killed, and they need Boris to rescue them.

Two spies, a major injury and a dead body in a hotel room spell trouble in any country, but more so in Russia.

Could things get any more complicated?

…

Words written today, 2,125, for a total of 33,689

A new edition of the Spanish inquisition

…

At what point do you stop ignoring the signs and start considering the possibility that:

1.  Susan is no longer the woman he married, or
2.  Susan has undergone such a transformation after the traumatising time her father put her through that she has completely changed, or
3. The demands of running the Featherington commercial empire are such that there is no time left for David and Susan to spend time together in a meaningful way, or
4. Susan is not his Susan, but another of the clones.

David certainly doesn’t want to believe the last option was the case.  There is enough from their current interactions to convince him that his Susan is in there somewhere, but those photographs he received in Moscow before the assassination attempt convinced him that it was possible the damage done by her father had changed her.

He never expected she would have an affair.

The thing is, did he know here all that well given the little time they had spent together?

Still reeling from the assassination attempt in Yaroslavl, and the fact it nearly cost Alisha her life, David decides it’s time to do a little investigating into the woman that is his wife.

For now.

And being on the inside, that surveillance job was going to be easy.

Except…

He just has to get past the new security detail Susan has hired.

…

Words written today, 1,923, for a total of 35,612

Three stations

…

After seeing a film called Gorky Park with a Russian detective named Arcady, I read a few more in the series that feature him, and one of those had a reference to three stations.

These three stations are the Leningrad station, the Kazansky station, and the Yaroslavl station.

The latter was the one that interested me the most.

The story has Susan having a Russian father, a KGB agent who had an affair with her mother, and a man who had roots in the imperial past, from a rich family pre-1917 revolution, who lost everything after the revolution.

I needed a place for the ruined palace, and that was Yaroslavl.  It is tucked away off the main road on the banks of the Volga River, and according to legend, was once visited several times by the Tzar himself.

Legend also has it it was given to the family by Catherine the Great for services rendered.

Anyway, David gets himself to Moscow, does his version of the Cook’s tour, thanks to an obliging taxi driver, and then to the station to catch the train.  Why not drive?  Well, that’s an interesting question.

But ensconced in his hotel making plans for the next day to visit the ruins, an unexpected visitor lands on his doorstep.

…

Words written today, 1,907, for a total of 31,564

Third time’s the charm

…

There are three things going on here, well, that’s going on in Yaroslavl.

The first is that David’s old handler is losing it over the fact he had upped and gone to Moscow, Russia.  Old handlers always suspect their charges that go to Russia are looking to defect.  That isn’t David’s intention, but he knows Prendergast is never going to see reason.

The fact he sent one of his minders along, presumably to drag him back home is reason to suspect a major breakout of paranoia.

The second was a visit to the palace ruins, but it was going to take someone with more imagination than he had to see what the attraction is.  Whatever had been there, in that peaceful, tranquil spot must have had an air of magnificence about it.

Of course, Susan turns up, and they have words, and things might have gone smoother if it had not been for Prendergast’s minder.

Enough said, for the moment.

Back at the hotel, having missed the flight back with Susan, David gets to relive some of those lingering thoughts of Alisha, though he doesn’t act on them.

The third event, it was nearly a case of third-time lucky as the assassination attempt was almost successful.

Sadly, Alicia is nearly killed, and they need Boris to rescue them.

Two spies, a major injury and a dead body in a hotel room spell trouble in any country, but more so in Russia.

Could things get any more complicated?

…

Words written today, 2,125, for a total of 33,689