Lichen spread across the stone steps leading down to the rock-strewn beach.
“Gorgeous.” Lila stood for a moment admiring the view of the sun setting behind them before quickly gazing around for the next sign of where they should go.
She saw what looked like a map tied to the metal railing with string that she tugged loose.
Ian crowded in next to her to hold the map flat against the wall.
“Los Angeles?” Lila rolled her eyes. and quirked her eyebrow at Ian. “After driving all the way up here, we’re supposed to drive right back down?” She squinted and tapped at the map. “Where is this place?”
Ian leaned closer. “Looks like LACMA,” he said referring to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
Ian yawned hugely. “How about we head over to Trader Joe’s and pick up some food – I know you’re hungry – and then stop over at a motel in Seaside.”
Lila nodded. “Sounds good.”
They drove over to Trader Joe’s and picked up some wine, cheese, bread and chocolate before wending their way over to the motel.
“Sweet.” Ian said. He held out his hand for the Slinky-key as Lila had mentally dubbed it.
He examined both parts of the key and snapped off the key part from the bottom half of the Slinky. Inserting it into the entrance lock, Ian opened the door and they began walking up the hallway to the elevator.
After arriving at the third floor with a quiet ding from the elevator, Lila cautiously poked her head out and tugged Ian’s arm to get him to walk with her to the stairwell. “Remind me again why we’re walking up from the third floor instead of taking the elevator.”
She looked at Ian for clarification.
“Because it’s far easier for people to wait outside the elevator doors since they would expect us to come up that way instead of walking.”
“What people?” Lila asked in a frustrated tone of voice. “We still don’t know who’s behind this. If it were in the Soviet days, then I wouldn’t be surprised to see our comrade KGB friends waiting inside the door for us.”
They paused outside Room 432 and Ian once again snapped off a key-containing piece of plastic from the upper part of the Slinky. “Pretty handy, actually.” He murmured. “I’ll have to remember this if I ever have to hide a key in plain sight. Who‘d ‘a’ ‘thunk’ it.” He joked to break the tension.
Ian motioned for Lila to stand on the hinge side of the door and he bent low as he inserted the key into the lock and turned to knob. Pushing the door open slowly, he kept to the side. “Welcome.” They heard the voice and immediately recognized it was the box delivery person from the restaurant.
Lila and Ian looked at each other warily. “To quote you, WTF.” Lila said so only Ian could hear.
“Come inside,” The dark haired man – Charlie, as Lila had nicknamed him – motioned them to have a seat on the plush couch. They eyed him guardedly and took a seat next to each other, but not too close in case they needed to separately dive for the door.
“I’m sure you’re wondering why you’re here. By the way, good job on figuring out the key. I’d heard from some friends that you were skilled at your jobs, and now I know they were not lying.” He spoke with a slight Central or Eastern European accent. “You do not need to know who I am, but I certainly know who you are. Your exploits are well known in my field.”
“And that would be?” Ian lifted an eyebrow.
“That is for me to know…” The corner of the man’s mouth turned up in a small smile.
“And us to find out.” Lila finished for him. “You have us at a disadvantage. Perhaps you could fill us in.” She pointedly looked at her watch. “After all, as you say, we are such well known and busy people.”
“All in good time,” the man replied.
Lila barely stopped herself from rolling her eyes. This whole evening was turning into a bad 1960’s spy flick.
“So what’s with the dosimeters,” she said crisply.
“What if I were to tell you that Fukushima is not the only radiation leak going on right now.”
Lila began to look interested. “I would say that I’m not surprised.”
“That is good because it is so.” Charlie paused, “I know Ian has worked with nuclear disarmament, and that you have a stellar record in the science world.” He addressed the last half of the sentence to Lila. She waited for the other shoe to drop.
“And?” She once again prompted him impatiently.
“As you know, the Los Angeles area has become quite a hub for the space industry. While this brings lucrative contracts, it also presents opportunities for those wishing to push the limits of science.”
Lila began to look interested. “Are you referring to El Segundo?”
“You are good,” Charlie praised. “Yes, there’s been quite a lot of research into the space time continuum.”
“You’re talking ‘Beam me up, Scotty’ stuff?” Ian asked mockingly.
Lila gave him a reproving look.
“What? We’ve already got the shirts.” Ian said innocently.
Charlie continued. “There’s been a mishap at one of the research facilities that has led to unintended consequences.”
“People died, you mean.” Ian said tightly.
‘Unfortunately, yes.” The man looked aggrieved. “Sergey and Anna were two of our best employees.”
“I’m really not interested in getting involved with Russian security services,” Ian stated flatly.
“This is a special case,” Charlie spread his hands beseechingly. “Your employers detailed you to us on special assignment.”
Ian looked skeptical. “And why wouldn’t they have communicated that to us directly? Why all the cloak and dagger stuff?”
“It’s a delicate situation, as I’m sure you understand.”
“Screw this.” Ian stood to leave.
The man pulled out a small 9 mm pistol. “Please, stay for dessert.”
“Perhaps we’ll stay a bit longer.” Lila tugged at Ian’s sleeve and pulled him down beside her on the couch. She slid her arm underneath his jacket around his waist and placed her hand over the holster strapped to his back.
“That’s what I see all those billboards for, right?” Ian pointed outside to Sunset Boulevard.
“Yes,” Lila replied. “I wanted to go last year, but you were out of the country — again.”
Ian flashed her a smile. “Occupational hazard.”
“I know, that’s why I was hoping this year,” she gestured toward the piece of paper, “we would be able to go together.”
“We still don’t know who sent this note, or what they really want.” Ian’s voice trailed off as he took a closer look at one of the photos. “I know this guy.” He pointed to the photo of a red haired man with a big grin. “I’m not sure where, but…” Ian paused. “Wait.”
He stood up and walked over to a box in the corner and began rifling through a bunch of papers. Picking up a dented Altoids box and flipping it open, Ian pulled out a stack of business cards. “I knew it!” he said triumphantly. He showed Lila a card with the man’s photo and company name on it. “We met last year at a disarmament meeting.” Ian looked puzzled. “So what does he want with a hayride?”
“A hayride?” Lila ventured to guess sarcastically.
“Hardey-har.” Ian joked. ”I mean besides that.”
“A visit to purgatory obviously. Here, check out this website.” Lila pulled up the Haunted Hayride website and showed it to Ian.
“Wow, ‘one of the most paranormally active sites in all of California,’” Ian recited from the website. “Sounds like our kind of place.” He gave a quick grin.
“I’ve been wanting to go for ages, but just under different circumstances.” Lila’s mouth twisted.
Pearson jumped onto her lap and settled in for a nap as Lila began sorting the photos and info pages into piles. “Did you see this one?” She showed Ian a picture of blond girl who looked to be about twelve. “Why would they — whoever they are — have photos of kids?”
Ian’s eyebrows rose. “I don’t know, but maybe,” he paused to rearrange the photos, “these go in families.” He nodded. “Yep, check it out. One set of parents per two to three kids.” He looked over at Lila’s laptop and nudged her shoulder. “Let me take a look.”
She picked up Pearson and moved to the chair beside him so she could watch the screen after he seated himself and began typing. “Russian families spying?” Lila read aloud his search query. She looked puzzled and then her face cleared. “Like in that Magnum episode when he meets up with the woman who was a plant. Her family had been stationed undercover in the U.S.”
Ian pointed to the screen. “Or a few years ago, those ten spies that got sent back to Russia. Eight of them had kids. What better cover than being a nice family?” Ian sat back in his chair. “When I saw this guy,” Ian touched the red haired man’s photo, “he looked much older than in this photo.” He turned to Lila. “What’s his name?”
“Sergey Ivanov.” Lila read, and then quickly began sorting the photos by name. “Good idea,” she muttered, “each of these is tied together by last name.” After she finished, they had four families and one individual.
“I’m hungry,” she announced, “and I think better with food.”
“Tacos?” Ian inquired.
“I’ll get ready.” Lila pushed back her chair, set down Pearson, and went to change out of her work clothes into something more casual.
As they left the building and walked up the street toward their favorite taco place, Ian had the feeling that someone was watching him. He took a casual look around as they were crossing the street, and murmured to Lila, “Don’t look now, but we’ve made some new friends.”
Lila’s eyes widened subtly and her breathing sped up. She pulled Ian to a stop in front of several shop windows, using the reflections to spot whoever might be following them. She took a quick breath as she saw a dark haired man who appeared to be studying an apartment building across from them.
Sometimes it takes the dark to highlight the light
Ian and Lila have been through some pretty tough times the past couple of years. It has been no picnic on some of their adventures and the ending was never certain. It still isn’t. Focusing on what they do have helps them overcome the obstacles they face.
Happy Friday, everyone! If you have to “MacGyver” it a little bit to get through today, that’s fine. Remember to use what you’ve got! Sometimes there’s a little bit more dark to frame the light, but the light is still there…
Currently Ian works two assignments and Lila pushes to finish her project before deadline, so each night they fall into bed exhausted. “It’s only __ more days,” Ian says with tired determination.
Today the past months of work and travel caught up with Lila, and she spent much of the day resting. Ian quietly sipped coffee and prepared for the week ahead and a special assignment for which he will be traveling during the next two weeks.
Ian yawned hugely. “How about we head over to Trader Joe’s and pick up some food – I know you’re hungry – and then stop over at a motel in Seaside.”
