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

[molokovcocktail]

"I did know him before," Molokov answered easily as he kept an eye out for any unwelcome witnesses. "I was honored to be chosen as his second at his chess matches."

It was supposed to have been a cushy job, a stepping stone on his path to power. Instead, it had been the job from hell and had nearly led to his downfall. Oh, Sergievsky would pay.

[lysistrategic]

Now she has to be careful, choose a path, and stick to it, and if she's wrong, it will all fall down. Knowing too little could challenge the illusion as much as knowing too much.

Deciding, she lets a small shadow creep into her eyes and her smile turns wistful. "Then you know how hard it's been for him. Everything he went through," she says quietly, but without any implication of recognizing him as part of 'the troubles'. "I'm glad I'll get a chance to know you." That's brighter, eyes warming, and "We'll have to play, if you don't mind winning all the time," is filled with playful self-deprecation again.

[molokovcocktail]

"Oh yes, his very difficult time," Molokov said, managing to hide his sense of outrage. Sergievsky had brought all of his troubles onto himself and he really should not be surprised that he would tell an revisionist version of what happened to others.

"I should be happy to play," he lied effortlessly as he steered Joan over to a more deserted section of the beach. A few more feet and then they would be out of view. "Whenever you would like."

[lysistrategic]

"Another teacher, then," Joan decides with a grateful nod of her head. "Maybe by spring I'll manage to do something Anatoly doesn't anticipate ten moves ahead."

Problematically, even though he knows she's CIA, he's not going to anticipate this move. How could he? He has no idea what she's capable of.

She glances around the beach, expression tightening somewhat, the first hints of suspicion creeping into her face. "Where did you say we were going again?"

[molokovcocktail]

"I don't believe I did," Molokov answered smoothly, gripping Joan's arm as a precaution. "All will be explained shortly but you will need to come with me."