THE PRICE OF FREEDOM

PART FIFTEEN:

Dino Scarletti sat in the kitchen of the Vilaslavevics' home, their three-year-old daughter, Andrija, sitting on his knee, happily drawing pictures with her crayons. Their other children were playing down the street with friends, Miro had been called away to the phone and Marja was kneading dough for a pie for the evening meal.

It wasn't the first time that Dino had sat in a room with bullet holes in the wall, but it was the first time he had been part of a happy, family routine in such a bullet-ridden building. Miro had done a good job of filling the holes, but the plaster stood out white against the grey stone.

The other rooms had been redecorated. The kitchen walls, though, had been left uncovered. It was, Marja had explained, a reminder to her every day of how lucky they were to still have a home and a family. Not everyone in Slavakrajina had been so lucky…

Dino had found himself thinking about Dushan Vojtulek…

Right now he was thinking of Ljiljana Bukuvecs…

Over the past weeks had had found himself wondering what he would have done in Ljiljana's position, if the shoes had been on the other feet. He had an uncomfortable suspicion in the back of his mind that would probably have chosen Ljiljana's path and not Miro's…

Now that things were almost worked out and Terry was going to be okay, he wanted to meet the woman… and, right after he punched her squarely in the face, he wanted to sit down and talk to her. He wanted to find out who she really was. He wanted to warn her that her Uncle was a slimy grease-bag who was skimming money off the top of the charity funds. Granted it was all circumstantial evidence, there was no definitive proof, but it stank of fraud.

What Ljiljana and her people were doing was wrong, but what Gervaise Armande was doing was downright underhanded and selfish…

Miro came back into the kitchen and Dino could tell from the look on his face that something was wrong.

"We need to leave…"

Marja turned, rattling something off in Slavakrajinan. Miro shook his head, answering her, kissing her cheek. She sighed, but nodded, wiping her floury hands on her apron and moving over to lift Andrija off Dino's knee, gently hushing the little girl's protests.

"What's wrong?" Dino asked.

"I tell you as we drive, but we have complications…"

"Complications?" Dino repeated, getting to his feet, his stomach crawling.

"There was accident this afternoon," Miro explained as he headed out into the hallway, lifting his jacket from a hook by the door. "Stolen van being chased by police runs through traffic lights, hits SUV."

He opened the front door, ushering Dino outside. "SUV driver badly injured, taken to hospital. Police have no identifications at the time, but SUV is hired, so they contact hire company," he went on, unlocking the car door and climbing in.

Dino got into the passenger side.

"Hire company lease SUV to computer company of Obligrad, NetExcel," Miro continued, switching on the engine, checking the traffic and pulling out into the street. "Obligrad police got to NetExcel offices. There is nothing there. Empty office, no computers, no workers…."

Dino said nothing, simply listened as Miro continued to explain. "Control room also give informations to my sergeant because three weeks before I ask about SUV hired from same company to NetExcel…"

He glanced at Dino, "I see SUV drive past hotel when I leave you on the night Julia Thorne arrived…"

"You think it's related to her coming here?" Dino asked, refusing to jump to any sort of conclusion or get himself wound up until he had heard the full story from Miro.

"Worse," Miro told him.

Dino swore.

"My sergeant ask for all informations about SUV crash," Miro went on, "and see there was jeep abandoned at site of crash. It was not involved in crash, so why abandon it? It is registered to burnt-out house in village to the North. He also call Obligrad police and they try to find more informations on NetExcel."

Miro turned on his siren and lights to get through a build up of traffic ahead. "At same time, hospital give to police personal belongings of injured SUV driver. There is driving licence, so now we have photograph of driver. Licence has different name but my sergeant, he think it is Bracic Malnar…"

Dino swore again. This was not happening. This could not be happening. Everything was set to go…

No… Bukavecs wouldn't go back on the deal. The money was there, ready and waiting… They'd let Terry go…

The truth, however, was that Dino had no idea how Ljiljana and her people would react.

Under "normal" circumstances he would have said that he had a fair of idea of how Ljiljana Bukavecs ticked. He knew her as well as any Kidnap and Ransom operative knows their hostage takers, but this was different… This all depended on what had happened in the crash.   If the injured driver was Malnar and if Bukavecs had also been injured in the crash but somehow got away before the police arrived, they could simply cut their losses and run… and put a bullet in Terry Thorne's head…

"I need to get back to the hotel, Miro…"

The big Inspector nodded, "I take you there then go to police station…"

~*~

Dushan and Micah were safely away. Ljiljana sat in the living room, a mug of coffee going cold in her hands as she scrutinized a street map of the city and listened to the police frequency, trying to pick up any more information on Bracic, giving Dushan and Micah enough time to get out of the city before she made her next move. There were others, sympathisers living here in Prasjeka, who were helping her now: keeping a lookout from outside to warn her of any impending police presence. There was a car waiting too, should she need it.

It took longer than she expected, but not as long as she had hoped, before she heard Bracic's name followed by an alert for all units to be on the look-out to apprehend and detain herself, Dushan and Micah.

Roadblocks were being set up too, throughout Prasjeka and especially the roads out of the city… but it was going to be difficult for the police to monitor the myriad alleys and wynds that ran the length and breadth of Prasjeka. Granted, there would be nowhere to hide in those narrow, little streets that often weren't wide enough for more than four people abreast, but Ljiljana had an idea that the police wouldn't expect the Lieutenant to be moving willingly…

She doubted that Thorne would put up any sort of protest, even after the incident earlier… not when he knew that he was going home. In his position, she would much rather go straight to the American hostage negotiator and a comfortable hotel room than end up being taken to an unfamiliar police station, surrounded by unfamiliar people and facing a barrage of questions about his captivity.

She wasn't from Prasjeka and although she knew the city well enough, she wasn't going to leave anything to chance. Folding the map, she stuffed it into a backpack then lifted the Lieutenant's socks and shoes before heading up the stairs.

She unlocked the door, going in. Terry had dressed in his shirt and trousers, his jacket and tie still lying on the bed.

Ljiljana looked at him, slightly taken aback. She had acknowledged that he had to have lost weight over the past few months but, until now, she hadn't realised how much he had lost. The shirt still fitted, but the trousers were too large now by a couple of inches, sitting loosely on his hips.

"I…" she began, walking across to him, "There may be a belt you can have… Here," she went on, handing over the shoes and socks.

"Thanks," Terry managed, unable to take his eyes off of her. She had changed into jeans, boots and a long-sleeved blouse that almost matched the colour of her eyes. She was wearing make-up too and she was breathtakingly beautiful.

Swallowing hard, he forced himself to remember that she had been the mastermind behind his abduction and incarceration. Ten years ago she had physically beaten and tortured him. She, and her colleagues, had done much the same mentally and emotionally over the last few months. The dull ache in his head reminded him that, not a half hour before she had pistol-whipped him.

Yet… she was letting him go.

They were letting him go.

He was going home and they had nothing to show for it.

Conflicting emotions washed through him and he gave up trying to make any sense of them, asking instead, "Have you heard any more about Bracic?"

Ljiljana looked at him. She could see in his eyes that even after everything that had happened, he was genuinely concerned about Bracic…

It made her feel sordid… Dirty…

"No…" She turned away, telling him, "Put those on. Then I try to find the belt…"

He sat on the bed, pulling on the socks and slipping his feet into the shoes, tying the laces before standing back up, lifting his jacket and shrugging it on. He retrieved the tie, folding it carefully and slipping it into his jacket pocket.

"Come…" Ljiljana told him.

Taking a deep breath, Terry followed her, his military training dropping into place as he took in every detail of the house that he could, filing it all away for later, in case he needed it at whatever sort of debrief Dino might have arranged.

He followed her down the stairs and into the living room, realising that the house was empty. If she was the only one here then he could take her down and make a run for it…

Except that he was being released...

She was rummaging in a kit bag. Finally she stood up and turned back to him, a black woven belt in her hand. She handed it over and he took off his jacket to thread it through the loops of his trousers, pulling the jacket back on when he'd fastened it.

"Here," she said, handing over a cap. "To hide dressing," she continued, indicating her own forehead.

Terry took it, pulling it carefully into place. "So how do we do this?" he asked her, "Do I just walk out the front door?"

"I will take you back," she told him, "To the American Dino. I gave my word."

She had given her word? To Dino? He didn't try to query it. He was going home and that was all that mattered. He nodded, telling her, "Okay…"

"But we must walk," she warned. "There are roadblocks in the city waiting to catch us…"

Terry frowned, completely thrown, "You're going to take me to Dino…past police roadblocks?" The frown deepened, "I could turn you in…"

Ljiljana nodded, "Yes, you could… but I give my word that I would take you to the American." She shrugged, continuing, "And if I don't take you, how will I know that you made it safe?"

Terry tilted his head, looking at her then shook his head in bewilderment, muttering softly, "Women!"

She laughed lightly, pulling on a backpack before turning and heading towards the door, "We go now…"

She walked past him, heading towards the door, leading the way out and down the stone stairs to the back entrance. Pulling a phone from her pocket she dialled a number, speaking briefly to whoever was on the other end. Then she opened the door, tucking the phone back in her pocket, telling Terry, "All clear!"

Terry followed her through the back alleys and wynds of the city, but before long he was tiring, the physical strain and lack of nourishment over the previous weeks catching up on him. The dull ache in his head was beginning to pound, thudding painfully through the wound on his temple. Ljiljana dropped back slipping an arm around his waist, letting him put his arm over her shoulder and use her for support, but even so, their progress grew progressively slower.

They saw two police patrols and various roadblocks that appeared to be causing commuter chaos, but weren't stopped, Terry's difficulty being mistaken as drunkenness. Finally, they reached a small park area with seating and Terry sank onto one of the benches, breathing in deep, even lungfuls of air. His muscles burned from the effort of moving and his head was beginning to pound more forcibly.

For a brief moment, he wondered if he was going to be able to stand up again, let alone walk any further.

Ljiljana had sat on the bench beside him, pulling off the backpack. She produced a bottle of water and chocolate bar. He took both gratefully, asking quietly, "How far to go?"

"We are, perhaps, half way there," was all she would tell him.

He nodded, groaning inwardly, finishing the chocolate and washing it down with the water. She let him sit for a few more minutes before taking the bottle of water from him. She put it in the backpack before grinning at him, ordering softly, "Okay, soldier, get up! We need to move!"

She stood up, hauling him to his feet. His muscles protested, but he stayed upright, slipping his arm back across her shoulder. Then, slowly, they started off again.

~*~

Dino Scarletti prowled the hotel room, caged and impotent, but refusing to give in to the frustration of this hanging around. Patience was something a K&R operative needed to master. Dino, however, had never been good at the waiting aspect. He dealt with it because it was part of the job, but he hated the inevitable delay while all the essential pieces of information were collected, collated and finally disseminated to him, letting him move forward and do what he did best.

There was paper strewn across the bed and on the floor, apparently haphazardly, but Dino could identify every single hand-scribbled sheet of A4, each one a plan to deal with a potential scenario, should it indeed turn out to be Bracic Malnar in hospital and Bukavec's group that were holding Terry hostage.

The half-formed plans would probably never be used. In all probability the actuality would be something he hadn't even thought of, let alone planned for, but sketching out the ideas had helped keep him sane and focused over the preceding few hours.

The telephone rang and he whirled round, snatching it up, announcing simply, "Scarletti."

"Miro," the Slavakrajinan policeman identified, "The news is not good, my friend."

Dino swore softly but said nothing, letting Miro continue, "The injured man from crash is definitely Bracic Malnar. He is badly injured. I do not think we will talk to him soon… We get records from hire company for NetExcel bookings. They are very good. They go back many years. All dates are good for other kidnappings. Always two or three weeks before hostage release, there is hire from Obligrad to Prasjeka, then local in Prasjeka for few days before until day after hostage release…"

Miro paused then continued, "I am sorry, my friend. It looks very much like they have Terry…"

Dino was keeping his anger tightly controlled. "And now it's all gone to hell because some crackhead decides to boost some wheels…"

Miro had no idea what the American had just said, but he heard the vehemence in the quiet comment. He wasn't particularly thrilled with the information either. It was evidence, but only circumstantial. It brought them no closer to securing Terry Thorne and apprehending Bukavecs and the rest of her crew. The SUV he had seen driving past the hotel, the night Julia Thorne had arrived in Prasjeka, had been impounded for the forensic team to take apart, but the vehicle had been cleaned the week before and Miro had no idea if they would find any solid evidence to prove a definite link between Bukavecs, the SUV and Terry Thorne.

They were infuriatingly close… and yet still so far…

"Look," he told the American, "I make copies of what informations I can and I bring them to you… Maybe it will help, maybe not, but if we have information all together we make better decision, yes? And then, maybe, I have more news of Malnar."

"That," Dino told him, "sounds like a good plan. I doubt I'll dig up anything else, but I'll see what I can do at this end…"

~*~

It was almost midnight before they reached the hotel. Terry was exhausted, his head pounding, the chocolate bar sitting uncomfortably in his stomach. He concentrated simply on putting one foot in front of the other and staying upright, paying little attention to his surroundings. He stumbled on the hotel steps and only Ljiljana's grip round his waist stopped him from falling.

He was aware of walking into an elevator, relieved that for a short time, he wouldn't have to move. He leaned up against the wall as it began its ascent, closing his eyes.

Ljiljana shook him, looking into the green eyes as he opened them. "Not yet," she told him. "You relax soon, but not yet."

He nodded, pushing himself upright, letting her steady him.

Ljiljana guided him out of the elevator as the doors opened, helping him down the corridor, checking the room numbers, stopping, finally, in front of a door.

Dino Scarletti shook his head. "We can only wait," he told Miro, pushing himself to his feet as someone knocked on the door, "and see if they make contact tomorrow as planned. If it's not just coincidence," he went on, crossing the room, "they may still go ahead…"

He peered through the spy-hole in the door, not immediately placing the familiarity of the woman standing outside, "And even if they…"

He trailed off as he placed her. Swearing, he yanked open the door.

For a brief moment Ljiljana looked into the astonished blue eyes of the man she recognised as the Lieutenant's American hostage negotiator.

Terry Thorne lifted his head, seeing the red-head, murmuring, "Dino…"

Dino swore again, stepping forward and pulling Terry's free arm over his shoulder, helping Bucavecs keep Terry upright as his legs gave way. Together they got him into the room, half dragging-half carrying him over to the bed.

They laid him down and Ljiljana stood back, only to find someone catching her by the arm, spinning her round and pushing her up against the wall. The business end of a handgun was shoved into her back. She turned her head, resting her cheek on the wall, lifting her hands unbidden and putting them behind her head.

She felt the cold metal of handcuffs being snapped round one wrist then she was ordered to turn around and drop her arms. She turned, obeying the order, letting the man snap the cuff around her other wrist, securing her hands in front of her.

Inspector Miroslav Vilaslavevic looked into the face of the woman he had been hunting for over four years. She was taller than he had imagined and far more beautiful than her photographs showed. She looked back at him calmly.

"Ljiljana Bukavecs?" he asked.

"Yes…"

It occurred to her that she should be scared, or at least apprehensive about what was about to happen. Instead she found that she was calm, almost at peace…

"You are a difficult woman to find," Miro told her.

She shrugged, telling him, "You should have sent an invitation…"

Miro looked at her for a long moment before commenting, finally, "Perhaps..."

Then he continued, "Ljiljana Bukavecs, you are under arrest…"

Terry drifted in semi-darkness. Slowly, reality began to assert itself again. He started making sense of the noises around him. He could hear Dino's voice.   The American was telling someone that they needed an ambulance. Terry dragged his eyes open, looking up, reaching out to catch Dino's shirt, telling him, "No…"

Dino shrugged him off, putting down the phone. He turned, telling the Aussie "You look like crap. The ambulance is coming."

"I'm fine…"

"And you got your medical degree from where?" Dino shot back. "Lie still!"

"I'm okay," Terry protested, trying to sit up but Dino restrained him gently, ordering, "Damn it, Thorne, will you stay put!"

Unable to fight against Dino's superior strength, Terry lay back. He turned his head.

Miro Vilaslavevic was there. He was holding a handgun trained on Ljiljana whose hands were now cuffed in front of her.   Ljiljana was looking at Miro, but her eyes drifted slowly towards Terry. She locked gaze with him for a moment then shook her head slightly.

"Miro…"

The big Slavakrajinan policeman glanced at him, shooting him a smile before turning his attention back to Bukavecs. "It is good to see you, my friend…"

"Don't," Terry tried. "Miro… She was the one who got me out…"

Dino blinked, glancing across at the women then looking back at Terry. Miro frowned, but didn't take his attention away from Ljiljana, wondering if perhaps he had misunderstood.

Ljiljana's face was unreadable, schooled into calm indifference, but her heart was racing...

"She got me out, Miro," Terry tried again, struggling to sit up.

"She got you out?" Dino repeated almost as if he could make the comment more believable by saying it aloud. "Are you trying to tell me that she rescued you?"

Finally making it upright, starting to swing his legs off the bed, Terry pushed, "Why else would she have brought me here?"

"She is wanted for many things!" Miro told him, refusing to lower the handgun.

"I don't care what the hell you want her for!" Terry shot back, getting to his feet in a surge of anger. "She's just walked me across half the city to get me back here!"

He swayed slightly, sinking back down onto the bed as his vision swam and his legs threatened

to give out on him again. He ran his hands over his face, trying to clear his head, finding it suddenly hard to concentrate. "Water?" he asked. "Any chance of some water?"

He heard Dino swear and apologise. He lifted his head to try to look at Ljiljana again, but reality warped and he sank back, lying back on the bed, suddenly and totally drained. He was aware that Dino was back beside him, talking to him, but it sounded far away. He turned his head, looking up into Dino's worried eyes.

Then darkness swept in, drawing him down.

~*~

The youngster swallowed, trying to take reassurance from the wide smile that his Housemaster gave him. He walked over to the desk, picking up the phone, asking tentatively, "Hello?"

"Henry?"

"Yes…" Henry replied, frowning at the unfamiliar accent.

"Henry," the voice at the other end of the phone began, "my name is Dino. I think your Mum has told you about me…"

Henry nodded, oblivious to the action, recognising the name, telling the American, "Yes, sir… You're trying to help my Dad…"

"Well, Henry," Dino told him, "We've made some progress on that and I have someone here who'd like to talk to you…"

Dino grinned, handing the mobile phone over to the man sitting in the hospital bed.

Nervously, Terry took the proffered phone, swallowing hard. "Henry?"

The yell of delight from the other end of the phone made him wince as well as laugh.

"Dad? Oh my god, Dad? Is that really you? Are you okay?"

Laughing, Terry assured him, "It's me, alright, son. And I'm okay. Dino's making sure I get checked out thoroughly… but I'll be back in London in a few days…"

He could almost see his son bouncing on the other end of the phone. "Dad! That's brilliant! I'm so glad you're okay. I was so worried. So was Mum… She's only just back too! She'll be so cross that she missed you!"

Henry's delight was infectious and it took Terry a moment to realise just exactly what he'd said. He frowned, "Missed me?"

"Yes," Henry told him, "She's been in Prasjeka for the last three weeks or so…"

Terry turned his head, fixing the American with a look as he asked, "Your Mum came over here?"

"Yes!" Henry told him. Dino had taken a sudden interest in the view out of the window. "She's only just back," Henry repeated. "Are you really okay? They didn't beat you up or anything?"

He stopped and Terry could picture the flush of embarrassment that would be pinking his ears when he went on, "I'm sorry… I shouldn't have asked that, should I?"

Swallowing down the constriction that had suddenly appeared in his throat, Terry assured his son, "Henry, you can always ask me anything you need to. And yes, I'm really okay… The beard's a bit shocking," he smiled, "but nothing a good razor won't fix…"

There were so many things he wanted to say to his son, so many things he needed to tell him, to explain to him, things that he would never have thought about sharing with him if he hadn't been forcibly separated from him… but now was not the time, not at the end of a phone over two thousand miles apart.

"Now, look," Terry went on, blinking back emotion, taking charge of the conversation, worried about how long his voice would actually hold out before he broke down, "Your Mum's coming up the school. The Headmaster has given you leave to go home for a few days. I'll phone you again tomorrow and I'll see you soon, okay?"

"Yes, Sir," Henry told him. There was a pause then, more softly, he went on, "It's so good to hear your voice, Dad…"

Terry swallowed hard, forcing himself to think about the words he was going to have with Dino for omitting to tell him that Jules had come out to Prasjeka, using it to fight back the emotion. "It's good to hear you too, Henry. Now, off you go. I'll see you soon…"

"Good bye, Dad…"

"Good bye, Henry…"

Terry switched off the phone, taking a moment, brushing away the tears that spilled, finally, down his face. He took a deep breath, then another… Then he lifted his head, fixing his attention on his read-headed friend. "What the hell did he mean, Jules was here???"

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