Critical Play (Michael Cailen Book 3) Read online

  Critical Play

  By Mel LeBrun

  Text copyright © 2016 Mel LeBrun

  All Rights Reserved

  Dedicated to all my friends and family for their support and encouragement. I would especially like to thank my friends, Marcia and Amanda. I could not have finished without your support.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  About The Author

  Connect With Mel LeBrun Online

  Chapter 1

  Dimitri Kirsanov was a Russian special agent and a close friend of Michael and Jessica Cailen. It was that friendship he was now counting on as he ran for his life through a forest in the Ukraine with two of his teammates, Ivan and Timur. Their pursuers were members of the SVR, Russia's foreign intelligence service. Dmitri and his teammates were members of a highly classified branch of the SVR. Only a handful in the government were even aware it existed.

  Charged with crimes of treason, they had been given two options: Spend the rest of their lives in prison or die as traitors. The choice was presented to them in darkly lit, barbaric interrogation rooms where they were shown the evidence against them. Though they had done exactly what they were being accused of, they were innocent.

  Just three days earlier, they had sold a nuclear weapon to a group of Syrian extremists. It was part of a top secret sting operation that was designed to expose the group's leaders. The weapon was supposed to be fake, but made to look like the real thing. The mission went down flawlessly, or so they believed, until they were subsequently arrested when they arrived back in Russia to debrief their superiors.

  The nuclear weapon they sold was no fake, but the real thing. There was also no tracking device on it as they had been led to believe. The evidence against Dmitri and his teammates was indisputable. They had sold a nuclear weapon to terrorists. They tried to explain the mission they had been given but there was no record of such a mission. Worse yet, their commanding officer had been murdered. Dmitri and his team were suspected of killing him to cover for their crimes. There would be no trial. They could either die or give up their nonexistent criminal contacts and go to prison.

  Knowing he and his teammates were innocent, Dmitri couldn't accept either option. He decided to take a third option, escape. He told the investigators he didn't want to die. They took that to mean he would turn on his criminal cohorts and serve his time in prison.

  Dmitri reluctantly admitted to the agents interrogating him that he was supposed to meet up with a suspected arms dealer near the Ukraine border to get instructions for another weapon they were going to sell. Knowing his agency had been trying to gather evidence on that arms dealer for years, Dmitri knew they would jump at the chance to catch him in the act. As expected, the agents insisted that Dmitri assist them in setting the dealer up. Though it was exactly what he wanted, Dmitri made a showy protest. After more threats and intimidation from his interrogators, Dmitri pretended to cave. He then insisted that Ivan and Timur go along, otherwise the arms dealer would get suspicious. The agents eventually agreed and soon arrangements were made to transport the three men to the meet.

  When Ivan and Timur heard that Dmitri “confessed” and gave up the meet with an elusive arms dealer, they knew what Dmitri was planning.

  Heavily guarded, Dmitri, Ivan and Timur were being driven to a secure site in Russia near the Ukraine border before then being transported to the fictitious meeting with the arms dealer. This would be their only opportunity to escape. Once they reached the secure site there would be significantly more security and their chances fell dramatically. Still, escaping would not be easy. They were each in a different vehicle and outnumbered two to one on top of being handcuffed. But they were good at what they did.

  Dmitri rode along silently in the backseat of the first Range Rover with a guard sitting next to him watching him like a hawk. Dmitri waited patiently for one of his men to cause a distraction. One of the other drivers radioed to Dmitri's driver that they needed to pull over. Ivan had just thrown up all over the backseat of their vehicle. Dmitri restrained a smile as he recalled how Ivan had once used the same tactic to get out of a blind date with a gluttonous woman who never learned to chew with her mouth closed.

  The three cars pulled over and everyone vacated the truck with puke all over it. Cursing and swearing the guards were not happy. Ivan slumped to the ground next to the truck and leaned against the side appearing still very ill.

  While the driver and guard with Dmitri looked back at the other truck to see what was happening, Dmitri lifted his right foot up while trying to move as little as possible and pulled a pin from the sole of his boot. He put his foot back down and tried to look like he wasn't doing anything. He took the pin and slowly picked the lock on his cuffs. His heart raced as he felt them release, knowing his one shot at escaping was nearly here.

  Dmitri knew Timur was performing the same trick with his boot and cuffs while Ivan continued to hold everyone's attention. One of Ivan's guards tried to stand him up. Ivan staggered to his feet. Miraculously regaining strength, Ivan grabbed the guard and put him in a choke hold. The driver had his back turned to get back into the vehicle and didn't see what was happening behind him. The men in the other car saw and began scrambling to get to Ivan. No longer restrained, Timur and Dmitri took on the guards in the seats next to them while the drivers had left to help Ivan's guards. In no time, the guards with Dmitri and Timur were unconscious.

  When the drivers saw Dmitri and Timur free and armed, they took cover behind the third vehicle and began firing their weapons at them. Dmitri and Timur returned fire to keep them at bay as they slowly worked their way to the first Rover. They climbed in and drove off. The other men piled into the second Rover, as the third had taken one too many bullets.

  “Well, that was exciting,” Ivan remarked from the backseat as they sped away. “Can I get some help?” He held his hands out to Timur in the front passenger seat.

  Timur picked the lock on his cuffs and soon he was free of them.

  “Ivan, can you slow them down?” Dmitri asked as the guards advanced on them.

  “Can I have a weapon?”

  Dmitri passed his gun back. Ivan rolled down his window and fired at them, slowing them down a little but not enough to make a clean break. The agents returned fire and Ivan had to retreat back inside.

  “We're going to have to try something else,” Ivan said.

  “Everyone buckled?” Dmitri asked.

  Ivan and Timur took that as their cue to strap in. With everyone
secure Dmitri let the agents catch up a little. They began taking fire again. Bullets shattered the back window and whizzed past their heads. Dmitri stomped on the brakes. The sound of tires screeching was followed quickly by the sound of metal crunching as the Rover behind them plowed into them. The airbags deployed in the second Rover, stunning the agents and hindering their view of anything in front of them.

  Dmitri hit the gas, leaving the disabled vehicle behind.

  “They probably have already called it in,” Timur said.

  “Yes,” Dmitri agreed. “We need to ditch the truck. They could be tracking it. We'll have to go the rest on foot.”

  “So what's the next part of the plan?” asked Ivan.

  “I have a friend in the Ukraine who can get us out of the country,” Dmitri answered.

  “Where are we going?” Timur asked.

  “America,” said Dmitri.

  “What are we going to do there?” Ivan asked.

  “See an old friend,” Dmitri replied.

  Chapter 2

  Michael stepped onto the back porch of his rented condo on St. Thomas holding two beers and clothed only in a pair of swim trunks that showed off his chiseled body. He looked out on the beach a few steps away where his wife Jessica, sat soaking up the rays in a cute blue one-piece and chatting with Hank and Gloria, the young couple who were staying in the condo next to them.

  Six feet and three inches tall, with short brown hair and brown eyes, Michael was just as handsome as he was almost four years ago when he and Jessica first met.

  Jessica was five feet seven inches with an athletic frame, beautiful long brown hair, and amber eyes. She turned heads nearly everywhere she went. Though Michael was used to it, he still didn't like it. It took constant effort to quell the feelings of jealously aroused when he saw the way other men looked at her. Today was no exception. It was the fourth day of their vacation and the looks he caught Hank giving his wife were beginning to severely grate on his nerves.

  If anyone had seen the expression on Michael's face as he watched his wife interacting with the neighbors, they would have known exactly how he was feeling. Yet the only reason he even allowed the look to cross his face was due to the fact that no one was watching. With years of experience in covert ops, Michael was extremely adept at masking his feelings. Though that was no longer his life, he retained the skills he had picked up from that occupation.

  As he walked to them on the beach, he put on a smile. He handed Jessica one of the beers and happily resumed his position in the seat next to her.

  Jessica was oblivious to Hank's lustful gaze which he managed to hide from Gloria. Michael could see it clear as day though and it was a struggle to pretend he didn't. Jessica carelessly carried on a lively conversation with the pair. Michael silently grit his teeth and tried to avoid looking at Hank. After another hour, Michael decided he had enough.

  “Well, hon,” he said to Jessica. “How about a dip?”

  Jessica scrunched her face. “Not right now. Maybe in a little bit.”

  Michael grinned and stood up. “That wasn't a request.”

  Under the guise of being playful, he lifted her off her chair and threw her over his shoulder.

  “Michael!” she shouted. “Put me down!”

  Despite her protests he carried her into the water. When he was waist deep he let her down but didn't let her go. He held his arms around her so she couldn't get away. She responded by punching his arm as hard as she could, which did actually hurt him though he would never admit it.

  “I love you.” He grinned playfully at her.

  One look at that devilish smile and she couldn't stay mad. She shook her head and rolled her eyes.

  “Why do I put up with you?” she asked.

  “Because you love me,” he replied.

  She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his lips. “That I do.”

  He squeezed his arms tight around her back and glanced at Hank on the beach, relishing the unhappy expression on Hank's face as he and Jessica embraced. After some more passionate kissing and embracing, Michael suggested they retire inside to share a shower and spend some quality time together.

  After an extended workout that began in the shower and ended in the bedroom, they dozed off for a few hours in each other’s arms. When Michael woke he found himself alone in bed. He called out to Jessica and she stepped from the bathroom with half her hair curled.

  “Yeah, babe?” she said.

  “What are you doing?” he asked.

  “Oh, I told Hank and Gloria we would have dinner with them tonight. I just thought I should start getting ready.”

  She stepped back into the bathroom to finish curling her hair. Michael closed his eyes and sighed. The last thing he wanted to do was go to dinner with Hank and Gloria.

  “You should have checked with me first,” Michael said loudly.

  She came back out of the bathroom. “Why?”

  “I don't want to go to dinner with Hank and Gloria.”

  “But I already said we would.”

  “Well tell them we're not.”

  “I'm not telling them that,” she said somewhat miffed by his attitude.

  “We're not going.” Michael sat up and grabbed his boxers.

  “I'll go without you then,” she said defiantly.

  “No, you won't,” he said firmly. He slid his boxers on and left the room.

  She followed him into the living room. “Why are you like this?”

  “I don't like the way he looks at you,” he finally admitted.

  “What do you mean?”

  Michael sighed and looked at her, his expression pleading with her to just let it go.

  “He has been nothing but nice to us. What is it you think you're seeing?”

  Michael shook his head and looked away. He didn't want to have this conversation with her. She never believed him when he told her that men were gawking at her. She never saw it.

  “I see what I see, Jess," he said.

  “You're paranoid.”

  He shook his head and laughed. “I'm not paranoid.”

  Jessica crossed her arms, stewing over the situation.

  “I'm not going to dinner with them, Jess. And I don't want you going without me.”

  “What am I supposed to tell them?” she asked.

  “Whatever you want to tell them, as long as it includes us not going to dinner with them tonight or any other night.”

  She shook her head. “You're unbelievable.”

  Jessica went to the bedroom to get dressed before delivering the bad news to Hank and Gloria. She didn't say another word to Michael as she left the condo to knock on their door. Michael sat on the couch and turned on the TV. Jessica returned a few minutes later. She shut the door loudly, slumped down in the recliner and grabbed her magazine from off the coffee table. Anyone looking at her would assume she was angry with Michael for having to cancel her dinner plans, but Michael knew better. He read her like a book and knew it was something else.

  “What happened?” he asked.

  “Nothing,” she replied curtly. “I did as you asked.”

  An enormous grin crossed his lips. “What happened?” he asked again.

  She clenched her jaw and buried her nose in her magazine, refusing to answer him.

  “Jess, you're not mad at me. I can tell the difference.”

  “You were right, OK?” she blurted sharply, never taking her eyes off her the words in front of her.

  “I'm sorry, what was that?” he said. Feeling intensely amused at finally being proven right he wanted to make her say it again.

  Her eyes slowly moved to where he was sitting. He continued to grin wildly despite the icy glare she gave him.

  “You heard me,” she said flatly.

  “He hit on you?”

  Indignation poured off her tongue. “He asked me to go skinny dipping with him tonight after you go to sleep.”

  Michael restrained a laugh. Jessica began to grow aggravated wit
h Michael as he gloated.

  “It's not funny, Michael.”

  “You have to admit, it's a little funny,” he said, still smiling.

  “It's not funny at all!” she growled. “I don't even want to be here anymore. I can't go outside knowing that creep it ogling me.” She crossed her arms and turned away.

  Michael wiped the grin off his face. “I'm sorry.” He held his arm out to her. “Come here.”

  She refused to move so he stood up and took her by the arm and sat her next to him on the couch. He put his arm around her and kissed her cheek.

  “Sweetheart, I'll take care of it,” he told her.

  “No, Michael. Please. I don't want to be bailing you out of jail on our vacation.”

  Michael laughed. “You make it sound like you've had to bail me out of jail before. I've never been arrested.”

  “There's a first time for everything,” she replied. Still visibly upset, she sat silently staring at her lap.

  Michael took a deep breath. “Baby, look at me.”

  Reluctantly she looked up at him. She was met with the same compassionate, reassuring smile she had seen many times in the past.

  “I will take care of it,” he assured her. “And no one is getting arrested. At least not me.”

  “How?”

  “Don't worry about it. I'll take care of it.” He brushed her hair away from her face and kissed her lips. He looked deep in her eyes. “I love you.”

  “I love you too,” she softly replied.

  Though still mildly concerned about how Michael was going to get rid of the neighbors, she began to feel more at ease about the situation, knowing he was going to do something about it.

  Michael got dressed as dinner time approached. He went out to the car as Hank and Gloria were preparing to leave and pretended to do something in the trunk. As Hank and Gloria exited their condo Michael shut the trunk and walked over to them.

  “Sorry we can't make dinner tonight,” Michael said. “But Hank, if you still want to go swimming later, I can go with you.”

  Hank didn't seem to know what to do with that statement. Clearly getting nervous, he pretended he didn't know what Michael was talking about.