One Joke Too Many.

"To me you aren't. You're abused, that's very different and doesn't make you less beautiful than you are, to me."

They stood in each other's arms for a long time when Peter said softly, "I need to check my mail now." and he gave her a soft kiss on her forehead. With a light heart Alyana took Petra back to the village and Peter started to check his inbox.

There was a lot of crap which he deleted immediately and after that there were about a dozen emails left. The first one was from Meredith.

Dear Peter.

And yes, this is a dear John letter. We promised to be honest with each other and how hard I find this to do I need to keep my promises.

I met a man and he rocks my world. Just as you, he is very good with Tobias too.

We are going to be married in a few months. When you get back, I hope I will be allowed to introduce Frank to you.

I know you told me that I had to live during your absence, but we had something good going even though we knew we weren't compatible as a couple in the long run.

Meanwhile I have been promoted to 'head of security' and with that comes very nice benefits. More importantly, I also now know why and where you were sent. If you need information don't hesitate but only use this address.

With love.

Meredith.

He felt a pang of nostalgia but Peter was very happy for Meredith. He wrote back.

Dear and beloved Meredith.

What wonderful news. It made my day.

I sincerely hope that you two-three will be very happy with each other for the rest of your life.

Of course, I will come and meet your husband. But not in the foreseeable future. There is a lot of work to do here and it will take time.

I will email soon about my progress.

With love.

Peter.

Ps. Please give Tobias a hug from me.

There were 2 mails from Victoria and one from Elizabeth. Both asking to stop the divorce and talk. Peter just deleted them without answering. Some letters of his children, most were from Miranda. She missed him terribly and kept him in the loop of the family shenanigans. She wrote that everybody was blaming everybody for the situation they were in, especially the fact that two uncles were in jail now and aunt Elizabeth let go because she failed to warn the company of the imminent attack on him.

One of the last emails had a rather large PDF attachment to it and it came from his lawyer. He downloaded the PDF files and started to read them. Then he sat back, tears welling in his eyes.

The divorce was a fact and he was single again. Peter started to sort the documents. The lawyer did a good job. Because Victoria had a well-paying job, maintenance/alimony was reasonable and only for five years.

She got the house and a large chunk of their savings. The lawyer wrote that the judge demanded counseling at first but due to the fact that Peter was abroad and it wasn't sure how long he had to stay there counseling was off the table. There was one last document titled; 'Please read me to the end. I beg you.' Peter opened it. It was a letter from Victoria, handwritten and scanned into a PDF-file. He sighed deep and thought, 'Why can't she just accept NO, for an answer?' and started to read. It said;

Dear Peter,

By now I'm convinced that you immediately deleted everything I sent without reading and I can't blame you. You must hate me with a passion now and I understand that too.

The divorce papers delivered as a present cut deep into my soul and made me take a hard look at myself. On top of that both Miranda and Elizabeth chewed me another hole and Miranda forced me to seek counseling.

The last three months of counseling were brutal but finally opened my eyes.

Dear lovable Peter. I have so much regret and I'm so terribly sorry for how I treated you the last ten years that I can't put it in words. I regret every prank I pulled on you and I can't even start to imagine what I have made you to endure.

That said, I now realize that there is no way back and reconciliation is out of the question for you.

When I finally realized that the sight of me with Kevin burned away the remnants of love you still had for me, I decided to sign the divorce papers.

The only thing I beg you to believe is that I didn't cheat on you. He never even touched me.

My counselor and I have come to the conclusion that I suffer from a strange kind of self-destruction. I destroy what I love the most in order to destroy myself. It sounds weird but it's the only explanation we can come up with.

I (still) love you with all I have.

When you are back from wherever you are, can we please have a talk for old (Longer than 10 years) time's sake?

I sincerely hope that I didn't do so much damage that you aren't able to trust another woman. I hope that you will find happiness in the future with someone you can love without being afraid of what she will do to you.

I will hold you in my heart forever.

With love.

Victoria.

Peter said out loud, "Maybe there is some hope for her, but it isn't with me."

He decided to allow himself a small funeral celebration and poured himself a stiff drink and sat for a long time looking out of the window at the rugged landscape.

<><><><>

The next morning Alyana came to find a gloomy Peter. Immediately she became afraid that he had reconsidered what he promised yesterday. She silently opened her laptop and started to work.

She was checking the bank accounts the company used when after an hour Peter came out of the kitchen with a cup of coffee. He put the cup in front of her but still looked gloomy and occupied.

She took a deep breath and asked, "Something is bothering you. I can see that. Is that what happened between us yesterday?"

Peter, shocked, looked at Alyana and stammered. "No, no. It has nothing to do with you. I had some disturbing news yesterday."

"Oh dear, sorry. Can I help?"

"No, it was good news, actually. My divorce is a fact. But there was a letter from my now ex-wife and that's what bothers me."

"She wants you back?"

"Yes, but she knows that that isn't going to happen. I'll never go back to her again."

"May I ask why you divorced her?"

Peter nodded and he told her about the treatment his wife and in-laws gave him. The prank that was the proverbial straw. The betrayal of his sister-in-law not telling what her brothers were up to. The subsequent divorce his ex-wife tried to fight.

With growing amazement and later on anger Alyana listened to Peter's story and when she heard that Peter's nemesis was working here as paymaster for Global Constructions and that he was most likely the one who scammed her fellow villagers she resolved to double her effort to bring him down. When she said so to Peter, he gently told her that she has to take the backseat.

Peter explained, "I got another mail. This was from a dear friend. She mailed me to tell me that, among others, she was going to be married. She also wrote that she was promoted to head of security of GC so now she knows my mission here. I can trust her just as I can trust you, so I'm going to ask her for resources that are unknown to the GC people here. I suspect that someone in Headquarters is involved too."

Alyana asked with surprise in her voice, "You trust me? You hardly know me."

Peter smiled when he said, "With my life. Why? Simple; no mother in her right mind, who is planning to betray her employer, exposes her daughter to him in the way you do. On top of that I suspect that the feelings I have for you, are mutual. At least a bit."

Alyana looked long and hard at the man in front of her. Finally, she dared to ask, " And what are your feelings for me?" Immediately she blushed and looked at her feet from embarrassment.

Peter took her hands and said softly, "Alyana, I love you. I intend to marry you as soon as this mess is solved and have permission from you father. That is, if you want to marry me of course."

It was silent in the room, save for the clock ticking away the time when:

"Alyana, will you be my wife?"

Alyana didn't comprehend the question at first. When it dawned on her what Peter asked, her knees buckled. She leaned against him and when she felt herself steadied by the man, she had fallen for and she spoke. "Yes. I never expected to be someone's wife. But with all I have. YES!"

Immediately she had second thoughts. She stammered, "But, but you kept your distance all the time. We didn't even kiss and you asked me to marry you. I don't understand.

"Alyana, I will avoid anything that can discredit you. If you tell me that we can't kiss until we're married, so be it. I will not say that I like that idea. but your people have different standards and values and I just have to respect that."

Alyana snuggled into his arms and mumbled into his chest, "You are a wonderful man. Sex has to wait until my father gives you permission and we're married. And I'm absolutely certain that he will not stand in your way."

That same day Peter started an email to Meredith. Using his satellite uplink. Peter explained what, he suspected, was happening here and that there had to be help from the main office.

He attached everything he found so far. He made a list. Supplies and he needed someone unknown to employees of GC who can follow people around. When done he thought, Now we wait.

Late in the evening he went to the office of Global Constructions. It was one of the things he had avoided until absolutely necessary. He now needed to know the layout of the building.

Arrived there he noticed another discrepancy. GC had a local security company employed for a 24/7 service including a doorman. There was no sign of a doorman and in the 2 hours he waited and observed the building there was no movement of guards at all.

Well after midnight he took the plunge.

Pulled out the keys he received together with his authorization. He checked thoroughly if there were security, or other kinds of cameras aimed at the building and tried the keys. The second one opened the door. With a sigh of relief, he took his flashlight and went to investigate.

He looked for and found the office of his nemesis Kevin Rhodes who was the site manager here. He looked around. Next to that office was a room with a counter and a backdoor to the backside of the property. This was the room where the people were paid.

On Rhodes' office desk was a laptop. It wasn't closed down or even locked. Carefully he inspected what was on the hard-drive and found the 'local' database. It seemed to him that Rhodes kept a double-entry bookkeeping and also skimmed off a lot of the company's resources.

Peter could discern that it was connected to the worldwide intranet from GC. Still as lazy as ever. Very nice to know. Thank you. Peter thought and immediately he saw an opportunity. Next time he would bring a flash drive and copy the database.

An hour later he was done. He let himself out of the backdoor after checking for cameras again. Finally, at 4am he wrote another email to Meredith requesting if it was possible and legal to clone the laptop in Kevin's office. And if that was possible, he wanted it done. It made also an extra, nightly visit to the offices unnecessary because he didn't have to copy the database.

He had one private question. 'What would be needed to make it possible to take Alyana and Petra back home with him.' And he wrote that he wanted to marry her. He also included a copy of her birth certificate and other documentation Alyana had for him.

Two weeks later.

The answer came in the form of an address, a digital cargo airwaybill and two sets of numbers. He checked the document and noticed that he needed a bigger car. A minivan would do. Peter asked Alyana to rent one in a city nearby to avoid being noticed in the village. The next morning very early he was on his way.

The trip went smoothly. He picked up the mini container at the designated warehouse and had it loaded in the van. The container was heavy and locked. At his house he, with the help of Alyana, manhandled the container out of the van and into the house. Late that evening he returned the van to the rental office and his very tired head made a touchdown on his pillow just after midnight.

The next day.

Peter was having his coffee. He was now six months in Azerbaijan. The investigation began to bring results.

He was waiting on Alyana so they could unpack the container when she arrived.

The sets of numbers were needed to open the locks. The container opened like an old-fashioned toolbox. The top drawers were used for the cameras and one was used for the tools to install them. The bottom was used for two laptops, one with a satellite receiver attached, a lot of documentation, a thumb drive, another receiver and a sealed envelope addressed to Peter with a stamp personal. And a Glock, complete with a permit!

They went to work. The laptop with the attached receiver was the clone of the one Rhodes used and the receiver to keep it updated. The other laptop was for the results of a keylogger installed and for encrypted communication via the GC intranet. On the thumb drive was a message.

My dearest Peter and dear Alyana. She said in the message, I'm so happy you two found each other. In the envelope for Peter are all documents needed for the visa for Alyana and Petra when you are married. Alyana, it helped a lot that you are already well versed in English and have a good education. We already informed the consulate too.

Now to business; As long as the laptop in Rhodes's possession is officially property of GC there is no legal objection especially so because it's also connected to and using the GC-intranet. It enabled us to clone it and install a keylogger. Don't use the clone laptop other than looking into it. Everything you do with it will show up on the original too.

I've arranged someone to shadow Rhodes. That person will not reveal himself until the investigation has proven results. That person has far-reaching powers in Azerbaijan. That's why we could provide you with the weapon. When I explained your suspicions, they immediately agreed to the job. Please be careful. Rhodes has indeed someone in GC head offices. We know who it is and will take him/her down as soon as you can prove Rhodes' scamming.

Please be careful. Rhodes is dangerous. He is the one who probably arranged the shooting and landslide when you arrived. We still don't know why he didn't follow up on that. Probably because of Alyana's uncle who doesn't want the boat rocked on his turf.

With love Meredith

A week later, Sunday, just after midnight.

Peter started at the most dangerous part of this job. He arrived at the offices from GC and let himself in through the backdoor. This time he was very happy with the absence of the security company.

He used the week to ensure that there was a fixed routine and that the security company was slacking after hours. Their last round was always well before 6 pm. He also made certain that there were no cameras or that other security measures were taken.

Peter sat silently behind the desk of Kevin Rhodes thinking where he could place the cameras so that nothing that happened at that office would be missed and where he would hide the transmitter. He made his decisions and started to work.

It took Peter three nights to complete the installment of 6 cameras. Four in Rhodes' office and two in the annex where the wages were paid. When he tested the installation, he noticed that he could read what was shown on the laptop and he could exactly see what was happening on the desk where the money was handled and put in the envelopes for the work crew.

The third night. Early in the morning.

As usual Peter meticulously was removing all traces of his handiwork when he heard a key inserted in the front door. Lightning-fast he removed the last traces and turned off his flashlight. Softly he let himself out of the backdoor and disappeared in the dark. With a thudding heart he sat in his rental. That was too close for comfort. You became too sloppy and careless. Luckily you were done. Now we wait and see what shows up.

Just after eight, Peter returned the rental, walked a few miles to his own car when he noticed that he had a follower. Someone with an unidentifiable gender, thickly clothed, was hobbling a few dozen feet behind him. Peter walked past his car into a little square.

There he noticed a small shop with a few tables outside to accommodate people wanting breakfast.

He took a seat at one of the tables and ordered coffee and a simit. He learned to love the round bagel with sesame seeds. When he was sipping his coffee, his follower took the other seat and a woman's voice said, "Meredith sends her regards."

Elated Peter could only just nod before she continued, "You did very well back there at the office but you did cut it very sharp. Don't worry, nobody but myself noticed. And I only noticed because I was checking on that door."

"Thanks," Peter said. "Meredith didn't tell me that you were a woman. Nice touch though. I don't presume you are here to give me my report? Must we meet somewhere or can you come up to my house?"

The woman looked at Peter saying, "You just trust me now? Only because I gave you the regards from Meredith?"

"In Azerbaijan there are three people who know of a Meredith in connection with me. Myself, my wife to be and you. Rhodes knows of my past but was out of the loop before I met Meredith. Yes, I think that I can trust you. Do you have a name?"

"I can give you one but it would be a false one. I work for the Azerbaijanis government. That's why I am involved. One other thing and don't be insulted, I did a background check on your housekeeper and her family as well. They are all legit except her uncle. He and Rhodes are deep into each other pockets. I'm not sure what his goal is. Be careful with that man. He is dangerous."

Peter absorbed the information and stored it for later use. He replied, "Can you come this evening? I need some rest first."

That evening the woman sat in Peter's office. Alyana was in the village with her parents and Petra. The Azerbaijani official found out a lot more.

She told Peter, "Rhodes used two banks beside the bank Global Constructions. He withdraws the money for the salaries from GC's bank. Then he visits another bank where he exchanges half of the money for Manat. Finally, he deposits the rest at a third bank into his own account. The latter bank is a foreign bank that we cannot touch. However, I did find out the account number. Maybe you can do something with that."

She handed him a log, camera footage and a notarized transcription of what was said, complete with an English translation. Peter thanked her profusely and she left. The woman promised to shadow Rhodes one last time and to keep in touch if something else arose.

With a light touch Peter began interfering with the daily business of the project. He wanted to make a start with getting the project on the rails. He asked the CEO to announce that very soon there would be someone assigned to the project to find out why it was progressing so badly.

Peter's reasoning was twofold. He wanted to force Rhodes into making mistakes and he wanted to start with managing the project.

Payday was Saturday. The woman followed Kevin Rhodes for the last time on Friday when he went to the bank to collect the salaries. Again, she caught it all on camera.

Sunday morning, Peter, Alyana and the anonymous woman were looking at the footage of the spy-cams in the office. There they saw Rhodes and a hooded Azerbaijani distributing the money into the envelopes. The images were high definition. They could exactly discern how much money went into the envelopes. The Azerbaijani stood and for a second looked straight into the camera and Alyana gasped, "That is my uncle! The one who raped me! He is into it too!"