These Are Very Dangerous and Difficult Times [dated to 10/31]

[chesspolitik]

By the day of Halloween, Anatoly was completely convinced that danger was lurking around every corner and that no corner of the island was safe. There was simply no telling where Molokov or de Courcey could be and he was afraid that if he stepped outside, even for a moment, that they would find a way to snatch him. He could only begin to imagine what sort of things they would have in store for him and he did not want to find out how the reality matched with his fears.

But as inconvenient as it was, he did need to do things like shower and eat and for that, he had to leave his hut. If Lex had not been there to act as his faithful bodyguard, he would have been content to remain a hungry and rather ripe grandmaster. Their trip to the compound passed without incident and after being reassured several times that Lex would be waiting in the rec room for him, Anatoly went to take a shower.

When he emerged and headed to the rec room, clean (if not exactly clean shaven), he found not Lex but a note in his handwriting. Opened, it simply said that Lex had spotted Molokov lurking about and advised him to leave the compound as soon as possible. He would be waiting outside and then the two of them could go to the IPD.

Without thinking or even stopping to pack up his chess set, Anatoly fled the rec room, heedless of the startled looks around him. He burst outside of the Compound and turned the corner, expecting to see Lex waiting for him. Instead, he found Molokov with de Courcey besides him with a nasty smirk. There was a burst of pain as Molokov's fist connected with his face and then he knew only blackness.

When his consciousness finally returned, he found himself tied to a palm tree on a deserted stretch of the beach. Lex was tied to a tree beside him, looking rather worse for the wear. Molokov and de Courcey weren't in sight but he had no doubt they were near, concocting some devious plan.

"Molokov, you Chekist bastard!" he shouted in Russian as he struggled futilely against his bonds. "What do you hope to accomplish by this?"

Comments

[lysistrategic]

"Arthur." Joan's voice is warm, despite edging sharp with her impatience. "Toly knows that I'm with the Agency. He's never bothered to ask about my skill set or my training. De Courcey's from a very different era in Agency operations. In addition to that, as far as we've been told, they've not actually been on the island before today, so they probably know next to nothing about me."

There may be two people on the island who know Joan's physical training besides Arthur. Auggie and Ms. Freelander who has an uncanny knack for showing up in the middle of Joan's training. Possibly Auggie has mentioned to Annie that she's skilled with Krav Maga, but beyond them...

"They'll expect talking and tricks, if they know anything at all. Lies, not physical assaults."

[carriesabigstick]

Arthur took that in. He'd assumed that they'd come with Toly's knowledge since they came from Toly's fears and Arthur had further assumed that Toly knew more about what Joan was capable of than he did apparently. That actually made him feel better because the Cold War tactics were very antiquated from what they have now. Granted there wouldn't be eyes and ears on the ground like they would have had back in their world with satellite imagery. But they would also underestimate Joan.

"You know I trust your instincts and how to read a situation." Arthur's gaze met hers, "but I am always your husband and I will always worry."

[lysistrategic]

Joan's gaze softens fractionally; her hand finds his for a brief squeeze of reassurance. "This is all supposed to go back to normal tomorrow," she reminds him, though she's not entirely certain she believes it, even with everything she's experienced so far on this island. "At worst, I need to keep them occupied that long."

In all likelihood, he'll be within shouting distance, her a distraction on the inside while Arthur finds a way to eliminate the threat of violence from the outside.

[carriesabigstick]

Arthur squeezes her hand in return. "I wouldn't put too much confidence into the timeline of events." He said sincerely. "As much as I'd like for them to disappear at the stroke of midnight like Cinderella's coach, I wouldn't want to depend on it. On the other hand, keeping them occupied while the clock runs out is good strategy."

[lysistrategic]

"The longer we stand here talking, the more danger Anatoly's in," Joan replies. It's not disagreement at all. Arthur knows her well enough to read her taking his assessment into account and moving on.

She leans in and up to kiss him, not quickly. There's danger here and she is willingly putting herself in its way for a man who isn't her husband. If he loses her, she doesn't want his last memories to be that she ran off to save a friend without a thought for him.

[carriesabigstick]

One of the many things that he loves about Joan is her capacity to care for those she considers friends. That she would do with for Anatoly doesn't surprise him and makes him love her more. He cups her face and returns the kiss, letting it linger a minute more.

"Then I guess it's time to match wits with the Cold War." Arthur says with a soft caress against her cheek before he lowers his hands.