Don't Look Like a Seal Pt. 05

Thanks to Devir Ginator for his editing skills. Any errors found are all mine. One more chapter to go then back to the New Girl world.

****

"How are you feeling?" Alex asked as he met Michelle and myself as she pulled to a stop at the main house.

"Tired, it's been a long day." Michelle quipped. "Oh you meant him, well his butt is sore from getting it chewed on by his pals for the past hour but otherwise you're good right?"

The look that blossomed on Alex's face was the look that one would get if their dog just started talking to him out of the blue. I couldn't help but chuckle.

"We went to see Scott after I got checked out because someone thought I hadn't been beat up enough in one day," I joked.

"I take it T. J. and Ramon were there?" Alex shook his head.

"Of course and they were playing their favorite game of Pile on Grayson," I shared.

"Shame that I missed it," He answered. "You sure you're okay?"

"I'll get there eventually. The cuts sting and my head feels like it's been used to stop bowling balls but I'll be fine," I told him.

"That's probably from you not eating anything today." Michelle pointed out. "I could make you something if you want."

When she yawned between the you and something I shook my head.

"You need to go to bed, Slim. You've had a busy day," I told her.

"Maybe so, Steve, but I need to eat too. Do you have any preference?"

"I'm afraid with the way my head is right now, I wouldn't keep anything down," I answered.

"Are you sure? I can cook, Kenny," She told me.

"I'm sure that you can. I already know you can quote old movies, swim, sing, dance, play volleyball and order me around. I have no doubt cooking is in your repertoire as well," I smiled.

"All right but if you want me to make you something I will," She told me.

"I appreciate it and I'll take you up on that later," I assured her.

She nodded and I watched as she headed to the kitchen. I turned and saw a bemused look on Alex's face.

"What?" I asked him.

"Slim and Steve?" He asked.

"It's from To Have and Have Not. It's what Bogart and Bacall's character's called one another in it," I shared.

"From some old movie," He sighed. "Why am I not surprised. You have got it bad for her."

I was too tired to argue the point with him so I just nodded.

"She's pretty amazing that's for sure and I fuck around and damn near get her and Karly killed today," I muttered.

"Yes you did," He stated. "You got very lucky that it turned out how it did."

"Yeah," I nodded.

"Maybe that luck will hold on a little longer," Alex said. "Mr. Voss wants to see you."

"Can't you just fire me?" I groaned.

"I was told not to," He shook his head. "He's in his study."

"You could shoot me," I offered.

"And have that hot blonde there come after me? And Karly too. Not a chance, pal," Alex nodded his head toward the kitchen. "Go take your medicine like a good boy then come find me. I'll be out by the pool, there something I want you to look at."

"If Mr. Voss doesn't shoot me," I sighed as I made my way to Mr. Voss's study when it hit me that he knew more about what was about to happen than he let on.

"That son of a bitch got me again," I thought but I was already at the door so I knocked.

"Come in," Mr. Voss' called from inside.

I opened the door and peeked in.

"You... uh... wanted to see me sir?" I asked.

Mr. Voss looked up from the papers in front of him then nodded.

"Yes, Ken," He said. "Please come in and close the door."

"Yes, sir," I nodded and did as he asked while I wondered if I had misread Alex.

"Drink?" He offered.

"I shouldn't," I said. "I had some pain pills so I shouldn't mix the two."

"Pills from the hospital I take it," He said. "What did the doctor there say?"

"He confirmed the concussion as a mild one, complimented Chloe's stitch work and told me not to sleep for the next ten hours same as she did," I related to him. "Sir, about what happened earlier with the story you were first told and all..."

He held up his hand to stop me.

"As far as I'm concerned that's all just water under the bridge," He said.

"Sir?" I asked confused.

"Son, I raised Karly and I've known Michelle for so long that she may as well be from my flesh so when one of them stands up for someone, which doesn't happen very often, I take notice," He paused and took a drink. "They didn't have to lie for you today. I know that you did what you thought was best at the time but when someone comes along and tells you that your youngest is in danger you get worried and angry. I had a lot of time to think and I decided that the reason they lied for you is that you're not just someone here to guard them you've become their friend. Most people in your profession don't get close to their clients as I understand it."

"I suppose not but then I'm just a mere private investigator and not a full time bodyguard anyway but that's not to say that I won't take a bullet for your family," I assured him. "After today I'll be looking to shoot first."

"I'd expect nothing less," He chuckled. "Speaking of investigating, any news?"

"A few leads here and there as I understand it," I told him. "I was invited to visit the coroner's office this morning. They had a body that might be related to the case."

"Whose body and how was it related?" He asked.

"They aren't sure but they think it might have been the person that tried to get to Scott at the hospital and assaulted T. J. when he tried to stop him," I shared.

"He fought with your friend and the hospital has cameras. How do they not know if it's the same person?" He asked.

"Sir, I don't want to be indelicate or anything but if you want to know the truth..." I allowed the question to linger.

"Go ahead," He said.

"The man's face is gone. Someone put a high caliber bullet in the back of his head and well... you get the horrible picture. They are running DNA but that will take a few days even if this guy is in the system. Fingerprints would be good but they cut the man's hands off too so the cops couldn't run them," I told him.

"My God," he breathed out.

"That is the type of people that we are dealing with, I'm sorry to say. It wasn't a complete dead end however. The man had some tattoos, Russian from the looks of it," I told him. "Det. Young is hoping that Interpol might be able to help with identification."

"That explains why Mr. Navarro was looking into my shipping companies overseas business," Mr. Voss commented. "You can tell Alex that I know about that and any further inquiries can be brought to me directly. I understand why he had Mr. Navarro sneaking around but I have people who have dedicated their whole lives to this line of work. They alerted me the moment Mr. Navarro hacked his way in."

"Yes sir, I'll let him know," I stated.

"If they come across anything I want them to come straight to me, understood?" He asked.

"Understood, sir," I nodded.

"Go get some rest, Ken," He dismissed me. "I'm glad that you're all right."

"Thank you, sir," I nod.

He nodded which dismissed me. I nodded and headed out to find Alex.

****

I found him seated at a poolside table. He was thumbing through a stack of paperwork and looked frustrated.

"Glad I'm not the one that had to wade through all that," I commented as I slumped into the chair opposite him.

"This is just the first stack. Grab a file and make yourself useful," He said as he plopped another stack onto the table.

"That's a big negative, Alex," I said as I leaned back and closed my eyes. "My head hurts enough as it is without looking at a ton of numbers that make no sense to me."

"Some help you are," he grumbled.

"You could just go ask Mr. Voss for help. He already knows what you and Joe are up to," I shared.

"There's no way that he knows what we're up to," Alex said. "He would have fired my ass by now if he knew I was snooping."

"I told you that he's a smart guy Alex and smart guys employee even smarter guys," I said. "Do you think he doesn't have someone at his business that's not as good as Joe is on computers?"

"I mean, when you say it like that..." Alex sighed.

"Look he knows and he's cool with it as long as you ask him first next time and keep him in the loop if you find anything," I assured him.

"And if he's trying to hide something," Alex queried.

"Then he shouldn't have hired a busybody like you then," I commented with a smile.

"Funny," Alex sighed. "If he doesn't like what I find then I suppose that he could just have Cassidy shoot me."

"I'm sure you could take him," I told him.

"I don't know about that, Ken," He said. "He's done a lot of work in a lot of nasty places."

"Military?" I asked intrigued.

"Nothing remarkable there," Alex said. "He did basic then rode a desk until his time was up. Then he went to work overseas in security."

"Blackwater type security?" I asked.

"Very much like that," He nodded. "He worked in a lot of the same places that we were. I'm surprised we didn't run into him at some point."

"Did you check into the unit or squad or whatever the private security firms call it?" I asked.

"Joe is good but he's not that good, Ken," Alex told me. "The encryption companies like that use are better than the Pentagon."

"That's comforting," I sighed. "Maybe I'm just being paranoid because of today."

"I don't like hearing that," Alex sighed. "Your paranoia tripping usually meant that we were about to be shot at."

"Not today, please," I sighed. "I've had more than enough for today. What time is it anyway?"

"Check your watch," He grumbled as he pushed another stack of papers to the side.

"Can't," I told him. "It broke when I crashed onto the pavement."

He looked at his watch.

"It's a little after eight o'clock," He told me. "Why?"

"I've got someplace to be," I said.

"You have some place to be? Where are you going?" He asked.

"Club Violete," I answered.

"The strip club?" He asked. "Why in the hell are you going to a strip club when you have Michelle right here?"

"That's not why I'm going to the club and Michelle and I aren't like that. I'm going there to see about getting some information," I answered.

"From who, Holly the Helpful Hooker," He asked.

"They're dancers not sex workers, moron. I have a source there that's... helped me before during some P. I. stuff. They could be helpful again," I answered evasively.

"How do you know?" He asked.

"I don't that's why I'm going there," I said as I got back to my feet and stretched. "I'll be back in a while."

I headed into the house and thanked my lucky stars that Alex was so engrossed in his work that he didn't ask any further questions. If he knew who I was going to try and get the information from he'd never let me go. Hell, he would have probably shot me for not letting him know who was operating in his backyard but that was a worry for another day. Tonight I just had to concentrate on not getting myself killed.

* * *

I could hear the pounding of bass as I got out of my car in the club parking lot. It was not helping my head in the least but it did put me in the right mood for what I was about to walk into. The bouncer gave me a cursory glance then nodded before opening the door for me. Inside the sound of the loud music was broken only by the occasional shouts from the drunken but enthusiastic crowd as they cheered on a raven haired dancer that was onstage gyrating to a song from the glam metal band Poison. The smell of cheap perfume and stale beer permeated the air as I made my way to the bar area. I paid little attention to the dancer on stage or the various ones that were mingling among the crowd. That didn't go unnoticed by the bartender.

"You lost?" She asked as I leaned against the bar.

"The boss in tonight?" I asked.

She looked startled but tried to mask it with a friendly smile. I watched as her hand slid ever so slightly under the lip of the bar. I wondered if she was reaching for a panic button or a sawn off shotgun. I was hoping that it was the former.

"Who's asking?" She asked.

Her eyes darted from left to right as she asked and I could almost feel the bouncers closing in on me.

"Tell him the akyna is here to see him. He'll understand." I told her as a meaty hand of a bouncer closed over my shoulder. "Make the call."

I produced a fifty from my pocket and placed it on the bar. She raised her hand to the bouncer who released his tight grip but kept his hand on me.

"This only buys the call," She said as she pocketed the bill. "If you don't check out you get thrown out got it?"

"Calls used to be so much cheaper," I complained but with a smile.

She smiled back then spoke into the phone.

"I've got a guy here asking for you. Said to tell you that... how'd you say it?" She asked.

" Akyna ," I said.

She repeated it into the phone then nodded. After a moment she looked at the bouncer.

"He said to show him right up," She stated and sounded surprised.

"Thank you," I nodded at her.

"This way," The bouncer said then steered me to a door to the right of the bar.

I heard a faint buzz before the bouncer opened the door.

"Go on up," He stated then pointed toward the stairs that were in front of me.

I nodded and made my way up them. The smell of cheap perfume and stale beer was replaced with the pungent odor of Cuban cigars with an underlying odor of vodka. A huge guy met me at the top of the stairs. His stern look softened as we recognized each other. He was the behemoth that tossed me out the window just a few hours ago.

"We meet again my friend," He said in a thick Russian accent. "Arms out please."

I nodded and did as he asked because being launched like a dart once a day was my limit. He frisked me thoroughly then turned to the center of the room.

"He's clean," He announced in Russian then stepped out of my way.

I walked into the large open office and started counting the number of goons that were up here.

"Three on my left, two more on the right, the big guy behind me and of course Yuri with his Spetsnaz Surprise knife always within reach. Clever guys, the Russians, they incorporated a firing pin and trigger into the knife handle so it can fire one shot. Really catches you off guard when you see a guy with a knife and suddenly he shoots you with the damn thing. Yeah, this is going to be loads of fun." I thought to myself.

I recognized at least two of the guys that I had fought with earlier at the aquarium.

"Comrades," I nodded at them as they glared at me.

Yuri Gorgovin sat behind his ostentatious desk with a cigar in one hand and his other under the desk. He had a look on his face that I knew well. It's the one a cat gets when it's playing with its prey before it sinks its teeth in. I wondered what caliber of bullet I was about to shot with.

"Comrade Grayson, the feared akyna . You still have very large balls my friend." He stated. "Walking into my place without a weapon..."

He made a tsking sound as I walked forward.

"I didn't come here to fight, Yuri," I said as I held my arms out. "I just came for some information."

"Information he says, Ha!" Yuri chuckled as he turned to his crew. "This man was the scourge of my old bosses. They started calling him the akyna, or the shark if you prefer because he was silent, deadly, could strike without warning and not a bad swimmer if I recall correctly. You know, Grayson; I still think they have a bounty out for you and your friends."

"Not as large as the one they have for you, Yuri. How much of their money did you manage to smuggle out before they took notice?" I asked him.

His eyes grew dark for a moment as he stared me down. I started doing calculations in my head as to how much force it would take for me to bust through the most likely bullet resistant glass that looked out over the club and my odds of surviving such a fall. They aren't great. Then Yuri bellowed with laughter.

"I left them a little something for a rainy day," He stated to me then shouted. "Ivan, bring my finest vodka. Grayson and I must share a drink."

A man to the right headed off and soon returned with a bottle of some Russian vodka whose name I'd end up butchering if I tried to say it. Yuri poured us each a glass then raised his. I clinked my glass to his and nodded.

"Tva-jo zda ro vye ," I said in Russian.

Yuri echoed the toast and we drank.

"You remember well my friend," He smiled.

"I remember the things that could get you killed if you screw them up. Those I remember well," I told him.

"Speaking of screwing up, I suppose it was you that had a run in with my boys this afternoon?" He asked.

"Yes, that was me they worked over," I nodded.

"You boys are lucky to be alive then," He called out to them.

"I think I was the lucky one today, Yuri," I said. "I'm not as young as I used to be."

"None of us are and yet you walk right in here anyway. Huge balls on you, I tell you," He chuckled. "What can I do for you?"

"A couple of things if I may," I said as I reached for the bottle.

I poured us both another shot and we toasted again.

"What can you tell me about the people that hired you for today?" I asked.

"You will have to get me drunker than this for me to tell you that. My clients pay me a lot for my, how you say, discretion," He told me.

"I'm sure that they do, Yuri, but they killed one of your men and I know all to well Russian loyalty to ones comrades." I stated.

Behind me, the big man shouted a Russian curse and then everyone started to talk at once. It was so fast that my brain couldn't pick up half of it. This went on for several minutes until Yuri slammed his palm down hard onto the table.

"Enough!" He shouted.

The men all quieted down but there was a tension in the room now that you could cut with a knife.

"You had better be sure of what you are saying, Grayson," He warned me.

"The body I saw in the morgue had a church with five steeples and an executioner tattooed on his chest. Russian prison style tattoos. I'd tell you more Yuri but the bastards that hired you didn't leave much else," I shared.

Yuri cursed softly and I heard a sob from behind me. I was surprised that it came from the giant.

"Nikolai. His name was Nikolai Porskovich, he is... was Dmitri's cousin," Yuri explained.

I turned and nodded at Dmitri.

"I'm sorry for your loss, Dmitri, if there's anything I can do for you or your cousin let me know," I told him.

He looked at me with sad eyes and nodded his head.

"Can you help see that Nikolai is returned home?" Yuri asked me.

"I'll make a call and arrange for Dmitri to be able to pick up his cousin and take him home," I assured him.

"We would be indebted to you," Yuri shared.

"That makes this next part hard, Yuri, but I have to ask," I said. "I'm going to ask that you not take it upon yourselves to seek retribution."

"You cannot ask me this! These men are my family and they killed a member of my family. Would you not do the same?" He growled at me.

"I would and I know I'm asking a lot but there's another family that could be caught up in this. They're good people, Yuri, and I can't have them getting caught up in a war between you and whoever hired you when the shooting starts," I told him.

"You cannot stop me, Grayson," He stated and I watched as he his hand had drifted back under the desk.

"No I can't but starting a war in the streets is just going to get more people killed, the wrong people. You don't want that," I said.

He thought for a moment.

"He was my man but this is not my call to make. He was Dmitri's blood. He will tell us what he wants done and we will all abide by it," Yuri stated.

I nodded knowing I couldn't ask for more than that at this point. Our eyes turned to Dmitri who looked at us, his face a mask of sorrow and determination.