Makarovia! Yes, I Know Where That is! Sophomore Year - 10. Chapter 10

Yuri heard Boris’ comment and rushed back to his husband and pulled him to himself kissing Boris quickly and then did a quick physical assessment and smiled at Boris.

Peter was looking uncertain, but seeing it was over for now as he looked at me as I did him. No blood, no bruises forming…he chuckled in relief and hugged me.

“Is everyone alright?” Yuri asked visually checking on all of us.

I helped my grandmother up and then Mom. Olek got up doing the same as Boris had, brushing his clothing to get rid of the debris of bits of crystal, china, and particles of food that exploded. Peter had been hugging Mom, saw his brother and grinned as he hugged Olek.

Boris walked over to his cake and frowned at what the few bullets had ripped apart. He looked at me. “I will bake another cake, I promise.”

Olek smiled not too unhappy, more pleased with what hadn’t happened. “We’ll have the whole thing again.”

Then I grinned at them both. “Are you kidding me!?” I waved at the house. “This has got to be the most thrilling birthday I have ever had!!! We all are alive and well…and this was…very exciting!! What can you possibly do to outdo this next year?”

What was really good, we had no deaths! Okay, some of the bad guys died, but no one else! Inside or outside. Opening the front door, we saw four of our American Security hold guns to two remaining men with faces covered in black makeup to attempt to conceal themselves at night. They were from this consortium leaning against an SUV they had driven in with. There were two SUVs and they were leaning on them and had “spread ‘em” as instructed. I saw one of the American Security rub his chest. “Are you okay?”

The guard looked at me, nodded with a laugh. “Me? I’ll be fine.” He opened his suit jacket where I saw there was an impact of something, but a little hole or tear. “Kevlar,” he rubbed the underlying white vest, “it stopped the bullet.” He indicated the mark over what would have been his heart. “The impact…I know I’ll have a nasty bruise in the morning.” He looked at me puzzled. “Am I supposed to bow to you or something?”

I chuckled as I shook my head. “Oh, please don’t.”

Olek went to the first man, pulling his hair jerking the man’s head back. Olek was again a little upset. “Talk.” He demanded in English. That got no response, he went to Ukrainian. “Говорити.” Then Russian, “Поговорить.”

Yuri came up behind Olek. “You’re Majesty…” he began softly and then switched remembering. “Olek…” he pulled Olek back gently. “They won’t be ready to talk now. We’ll handle it. Please. I’ll try.” He looked back at the two men. "Возможно, нам придется вернуть старые русские пути.”

We all spoke some Russian. Yuri’s comment about bringing the old Russian ways back did cause one of these men to react. He spoke Russian, that was a start. By now, the sounds of sirens could be heard coming.

Yuri watched as a few cars stopped, coming in the gates that were now open. The officers were getting out with hands on the butts of guns that were in place in holsters. “Now, the police. I’ll handle them.” He reached in his pocket and pulled his identification out and walked over to the officers that were…demanding to know what happened.

Peter came to Olek and put his arm around his brother’s shoulders. “You need to relax.”

Olek looked at Peter surprised. “That’s sort of difficult right now.”

I nodded as I came over to Olek’s other side. “Let’s make a promise. Right now.”

Olek looked at me puzzled. “What kind of promise?”

“You do everything possible to give us forty or fifty years more,” I said.

Olek chuckled. “I will promise to do my best, but ninety-three!?”

Peter nodded. “It is possible. We want you here that long.”

That was a looonng night. The endless questions. There were the United States’ government people here now. There were arguments about jurisdiction. The problem was we…Makarovians were foreign. The house was an embassy, sort of. It was a house that Peter and I resided in to go to school. There were no politicians here, no policies being laid out, no ambassador. Yet it was Makarovia, inside. The attackers were…foreign, but the deaths were in Makarovia. That Olek had made the laws of Makarovia were obeyed. Even as that was the case, we were still in the United States. Meaning this crime needed to be investigated. It was the police of Boston that came. It was the coroner from Boston that came. The law in Massachusetts didn’t mention sovereignty. A group, the invaders entered unlawfully, they knew we’d be home, they were armed which anyone could see watching the recordings. If Olek did kill Ms. Baldwin, they might question it. They might have even charged Olek, but he didn’t and Ms. Baldwin was in enough trouble in Great Britain to make a complaint about what Olek might have done. The two drivers were taken to be questioned. Now came the removal of the dead from the foyer. I didn’t want to look, but…there wasn’t a lot left of the dead to see. Not of their faces anyway. Boris in his ever-present dark suit pants, vest over a white shirt was…just standing scratching the back of his black and grey head of hair. He was out of the way but was looking at everything as photos were taken and the scene was assessed. When Yuri was leading these…men through explaining what and where…he passed close to Boris and his face got a look of understanding sympathy for his husband. He didn’t care if those men saw it, he pulled Boris close, kissed him…and I mean…not a deep kiss, but a tender, heartfelt kiss and buried his face in Boris’ neck and said something to him, caressing Boris’ face I heard him say in Makarovian. “It will be fine.”

Boris nodded, smiled and waved at the bodies. “Yes, but there’s such a mess!” Making Yuri chuckle and kissed him again lightly.

The sun was coming up as the bodies were taken away and questions for now stopped, I looked around.

“Where’s Olek?” I asked Peter who also looked and became puzzled. I asked Boris who told us he’d gone toward the kitchen a few minutes ago.

Looking, he wasn’t there, but we saw the light was on for going downstairs. Going down we saw Olek removing his trousers and underwear. His shoes, socks, and shirt tossed to the side. Nudity was never a problem with Olek. Most Eastern Europeans…Europeans, in general, have a wide tolerance toward nudity. Olek just wasn’t bothered at all and Olek was beautiful! He looked back at us.

“Hi!” He greeted smiling. “We got kind of busy, so I didn’t get to see this and well…I wanted to see.” He shrugged. “I’m going in.”

“We could have been Mom or our grandmother.” I chuckled.

Olek looked amused. “They’ve both seen a naked man before…you’re both here.” He shrugged. “I could have gone for a suit like you promised me, but…”

I grinned and pulled my shirt out and kicked my shoes off. “Can we join you?”

Olek spread his arms. “I insist!”

The pool was warm and it did relax us. I was happy to see Olek was now, more like Olek. Only once did he look seriously at us.

“This isn’t over,” Olek said as we tread water.

Peter nodded. “We figured that out. Do you think we should move?”

Olek smiled at the pool room. “I don’t see why.” He shrugged. “The house is perfect. Yuri’s on top of things and I can’t think of a place more suited for our needs.” He looked at us cautiously. “You need a press secretary. For what she did…” he frowned as he didn’t want to think about it, “but she did a good job. I’ll find someone else.”

“Olek, I’m sure there’s another,” I said. “We’ll be fine.”

We heard footsteps as Yuri came in saw our clothes on the ground and grinned at us chuckling. “I’m pleased you’re all doing well.”

Olek nodded. “Is everything okay? Am I needed?”

“Are you needed?” Yuri asked. “Definitely, but not right now. I was just coming to tell you there are Agents ready to take Ms. Baldwin and hand her and Nelson Carter over to British Authorities.” He turned to leave. “Just thought you should know.”

“Will you finish soon?” Olek asked.

Yuri turned smiling. “I’m pretty much done after this.”

“You and Boris should join us,” Olek suggested. “It will help relax you.”

Yuri smiled. “I might.” He nodded. “The idea of swimming with my king…that’s fine…but…”

“We’re friends, Yuri,” Olek said simply. “Family. Remember? So? We all men.”

“I just don’t want to excite anyone.” Yuri smiled now more.

“You won’t excite us, Yuri,” I said smiling.

Yuri shook his head grinning more. “Not you three, me.” He pointed at Olek. “And not by you, but me by Boris!” He chuckled and had this…dreamy look as he thought of his husband. “He always gets me excited and has for almost twenty years.” He said and walked upstairs.

Olek nodded laughing with us. “That’s why they're married!”

It was Sunday night when we tried again to celebrate my birthday. Boris, Yuri, (which we insisted they sit at the table with us) Mom, Olek, and my grandmother were there. Boris had help this night and he and the other help cleaned the place pretty well. Of course, there were bullet holes and the broken china, the china that had been cleared away but would have to be replaced. Bullet holes were in the dining room table and chairs. We were all sitting when the doorbell rang! I’d never heard it! Yea, it wasn’t just ding-dong, but a soft melodic chime.

“They were allowed to the door!?” Mom asked as Yuri went to answer it.

“They wouldn’t just let someone drop by,” Yuri said logically.

He came back grinning. “I think it’s for you, Olek.” He brought this person in.

“Olek!!” Helga cried rushing to him who was standing surprised. “Ich war so besorgt, ich nahm den ersten Flug konnte ich!” She said hugging him tightly, pulling their bodies closer as her hands ran over him to feel he was there and well. She then kissed him more than a simple hello. Olek didn’t mind at all but returned it equally with as much feeling.

Peter chuckled as he translated to me. “She was worried. She took the first flight.”

“I thought it was along those lines.” I grinned as she kissed Olek again at her relief in seeing him again.

“I thought you had things you couldn’t get out of,” Olek said to her.

“Who cares about that?” Helga said. Was she crying now!? “You’re more important than those things.” She turned to the rest of us. “Sorry, but I had to see him.” She said as Olek was too pleased with her being there. His mouth rested on her forehead.

Mom smiled. “It means a lot that you did.”

“You told me what happened and…I had to see you.” She said to Olek. “I hope you don’t mind me just coming.”

Olek just smiled more, running fingers in her hair as he shook his head. “No.”

Then I realized something. She was speaking Makarovian! “You speak Makarovian now?”

She chuckled. “I could sort of speak some before.” She nodded. “I insisted he teach me and uses it with me. I’m getting better.” She smiled at me. “Happy Birthday.”

“Thank you.” I nodded. I liked what I saw. The beginnings of real love between them.

Peter had opted to take a shower, so I heard it start as we didn’t close the door. I had one earlier, but…what the hell? I laid my textbook down and began stripping walking in and joined him in the shower. He grinned as my arms went around him and kissed him gently.

“I think it’s serious with Olek and Helga,” Peter said wrapping his arms around me under the spray.

“I really hope so.” I said sincerely. “Her flying here at a moment’s notice tells me it could be for her. I know it is for Olek.” Then I thought. “Will she have to go through the proposal, too?”

Peter looked surprised. “Yes. Of course.”

“It will be Olek’s first marriage, but her second.”

“So?”

I rolled my eyes. “I’m not rushing them, but…there is the whole heir thing.”

“She’s thirty-eight! There’s time.”

I nodded. “It will take the pressure off us!” I grinned pulling in kissing him deeper. “Try as I might, I can’t get you pregnant.”

Peter chuckled. “No more than I can you.” He kissed me on the neck again. “Let’s keep trying, though.”

Classes began again, but Olek, Helga, Mom and Grandmother remained there. There were still questions from…a lot of agencies and people. Yuri and Olek answered all the questions that they were given to them. The recordings made available of the attack and all was revealed. No crime on our parts, but clearly those men were the aggressors.

Then the news speculative coverage came. Peter and I sat together in our room to study. Exams? Resting in our preferred positions, as he and I read; he was relaxing against me. His back against my chest and the couch was more a love seat, not that big. He was tall, but a leg was thrown over the arm and side, slouching with his head just below my chin on my chest. We liked being close and my arm was thrown over him I had access to his head, absently kissing his head of hair. We just continued our touches and both enjoyed each other’s company as there was a fire now in the fireplace crackling in the background. He looked up at the screen as pictures of the house and then of Peter and me appeared as we were together at school…I don’t know when that was taken, but we were talking about something in the shot. We had on with the low volume to study. He hit the remote to turn the volume up.

“…after an attack on the royal residence of Prince Petro Ivanov of Makarovia and his American Fiancé Eric Richards, who is now the Earl of Stryia. This is the first same-sex marriage to involve a member of any royal family. It was said that King Olek Ivanov of Makarovia and Queen Alla Ivanov of Makarovia were also present during the attack. None of the family was hurt, but reports of foreign attackers are being blamed. Who the attackers are is still being investigated…”

Peter hit the mute.

“I wonder who this consortium is?” I said to Peter.

“The bad guys,” Peter suggested with a shrug from his position against my chest.

I chucked kissed him on the head gently. “The man I love is also the master of stating the obvious.”

“That’s what they are!”

I nodded. “Yes, but from where!?”

“Why ask me? I don’t know any more than you do.”

“I’m not asking you, I’m just asking,” I said to him simply.

“Oh.”

That’s when I heard my phone let me know of an incoming call. I looked and frowned. “Drew,” I said to Peter with a sigh. “He’s a reporter.” I opened the phone. “Hi, Drew.”

“Are you okay?” Drew’s voice came softly and not his usual vibrancy.

I smiled, he was a reporter, but he called as a friend. “We’re fine.”

“Peter is good, too.”

I chuckled. “We’re all fine, Drew.”

“Good.” He said with a sigh.

“Thank you for asking that first.” I grinned to the man that couldn’t see that.

Drew chuckled. “There is that part of me dying to ask about it, but…” I could see him shrug…in my mind, “we make our priorities. You two are a story, but first, you’re my friends.” I heard Wayne’s voice object. “Sorry, you’re our friends.”

“Thanks for making us the priority.”

I could see his grin, I mean I could almost see it in my mind. “Do I have to ask?”

“Some group that calls themselves the Consortium was responsible. They stormed in to get to Olek, or one of us.”

“The Consortium?” He said puzzled. “They might as well call themselves the Organization, or Union or even Syndicate.”

“They are good at kidnapping and other things said. Yuri told us they were responsible for the kidnapping of a Saudi princess that took less than four minutes.”

“Wait,” Drew said quickly. “Consortium or K.U.R.T.Z.I.R.T.M?”

“Kurtzirtm?” I asked. “That’s not even a word…in any language, I know of. There is a difference?”

“Oh, there certainly is, no one really knows what those letters mean, but it’s said they are a group of people from many countries. Consortium was easier to say…whose goal is…making a lot of money.” Drew said. “Laws aren’t even considered with them.”

“Nelson Carter?” I asked.

“Who? Never heard of him.” Drew said.

“Penelope Baldwin?” I asked.

“Sorry.” Drew now had another tone. “This kurtzirtm or consortium took that Saudi princess and demanded a billion for her return…in Euros. When her father didn’t pay at first…they sent part of her to him.”

“Part of her?” I asked.

“Her left hand,” Drew said. “Not a finger…but the whole hand. He paid. At least they sent it on ice or nitrogen or something, thinking the hand could be reattached. Very nice of them. It was reattached, but it doesn’t work as well as it did as it had begun having damage in the length of time of her return.”

“Jesus,” I said.

“Yep,” Drew said sadly.

“Do they ever fail?” I asked.

“When the target dies.”

I rolled my eyes. “This has just been a lovely conversation,” I said sarcastically making Peter look at me questioning.

“I won’t lie to you, Eric,” Drew said. “If it was really them…they deal in billions, not millions.”

“All because of the uranium.” I said a little distressed. “There’s more than one country involved!”

“And a little country in charge…Makarovia is a little country…that’s not…that well known. Hit it quick and fast to get it before the other countries become more involved. There is a king that has never been tried against an enemy like this and has been victimized in the past. He could bend! They need to find out.”

“So, this was more than some woman that wanted to be queen.”

“What!?” Drew asked and he blew an exasperated breath. “Either tell me or don’t speculate out loud. Some woman wanted to be queen!?”

I told him about what Penelope and Nelson Carter did without saying their names. As I was explaining I knew Drew giving the nods and heard the slight uh huhs. “That sounds right. That’s what this consortium does. It is said, they find people in key positions to ferret out targets. They will even fund training to get the person in place. They see it as an investment for their future. Even if she had tricked Olek into marrying her, she would have been used to get to the money and the uranium…for them…not her. It would be a continuous cash cow!”

“How do you know all this?” I asked.

“I work for the BBC?” Drew reminded. “The big news broadcasts? I know you’ve heard of it.” He said sounding like himself now. “Wait, you were just here a few weeks ago!”

“Shut up, Drew.” I chuckled. “I got that, but you do all that fay, fag and fairy shit, remember?”

“News happens,” Drew said simply. “We catch it. I hear about it.”

“I’m sure Yuri knows this,” I said more to myself. “I’ll…just mention it.”

“Yuri?” Drew asked. “I’ve never met him. He sounds Russian.”

“Most of Makarovia is Russian or Ukrainian descent,” I said. “Olek, Peter and Mom are pretty much all Russian.”

“And this German,” Drew said pointedly.

“Give my love to Wayne. We do hope you come soon.” I said not taking any bait. I grinned. “I have Russian and Ukrainian in me. Grandmother’s mother was from Russia.”

“Not even a hint?” Drew asked and I heard Wayne call his name. “I had to ask!” He said off the phone to his husband. “Cassie is returning next week. I have some audio clips done, I’ll send those with translations in English. Give Peter our love. We’ll be in touch. We love you two.”

“Peter and I love you and Wayne. Talk soon.” I closed the phone. Peter looked up at me.

“I heard,” Peter said quietly.

“Which part?” I smiled putting my phone down. “About the consortium?”

Peter nodded. “This will be a problem in the future.”

I nodded. “It could, but I think Yuri and Olek showed what they are capable of repelling an attack. The next time will be more involved.” I looked at where he was in his textbook as I closed it. I pulled it out of his hands. “There were other instructions from Drew. I think I’ll do it.” I said pulling him down in front of the fireplace.

Peter grinned. “I heard that, too.” He smiled as I kissed him deeply. “We have exams coming.”

“We can use a study break.” I got some pillows off the sofa. “I always wanted a warm, cozy fire and a beautiful man to love in front of one of these,” I said kissing him gently, again delving in his moist mouth, pulling his shirt over his head. My hands coming down bringing him close to me as we kissed. “I do love you, Peter.”

He smiled. “I know you do.” He pulled me out of my shirt and his hand came across my chest. “I love you so.” He said as his voice was a little hoarse with emotion and the love in his grey-green eyes.

I nodded. “Yes,” I said kissing him even deeper and more. “You do.”