Chapter 31: Ash and Snow
Secret Base of Luigi Volskey, Italy.
The strategy room that usually buzzed with activity was now dead silent. The main lights were turned off, leaving only the dim blue light from the giant monitor screen displaying the signal loss sign.
Luigi Volskey stood frozen. The wine glass in his hand was already empty, but his grip was so strong that the glass creaked, threatening to shatter.
"Repeat your report," hissed Luigi. His voice was low, trembling with rage he suppressed with all his might.
An adjutant stepped forward, swallowing hard. "Sir... Red-Eyed Wolf... has lost contact. Life signals from all units... zero."
"Zero?" Luigi turned slowly. His eyes glowed red. "You say zero? Combat helicopter, five armored cars, and twenty elite members of the Red Wolf... just vanished?"
"They... were slaughtered, Sir. Radar shows... no survivors."
CRASH!
The crystal glass finally hit the floor, shattering into pieces.
"Impossible!" roared Luigi. "They were my best troops! How could two people wipe out a platoon?!"
Luigi pulled his own hair, his breath panting. Disappointment began to creep behind his anger. The image of Agatha was no longer an ordinary weak girl, but a monster ready to swallow his ambition.
"Pull everyone back," ordered Luigi with a trembling voice. "Close access to this base. Do not let any traces lead here. If Cardios knows I used the family secret unit for this, I am finished."
"Yes, Sir. What about the next plan?"
Luigi's face turned cruel. "Prepare Petrov. We cannot hunt them anymore. We must lure them into our cage. Make Petrov live bait."
Safe House, Alps Mountains.
The blinding morning sunlight reflected off the expanse of eternal snow, penetrating the thick glass wall, and falling right on Agatha's face.
Agatha blinked, dazzled. Her head still felt heavy from the fever, but the cold that bit her bones last night was gone. Replaced by a solid warmth.
Agatha realized her position. Her cheek was not touching a pillow. Her ears caught the sound of a slow and strong heartbeat.
She opened her eyes wide.
The first sight she saw was a bare broad chest with faint scars. She looked up slightly. There, sound asleep, was Xavier's face.
The man hugged her like a bolster. One of Xavier's arms served as a pillow for Agatha's head, while the other arm wrapped possessively around Agatha's waist under the blanket. And the worst part... their skin touched directly without any fabric barrier.
Agatha's face heated up instantly.
"Damn," thought Agatha. "This is too close."
Agatha tried to shift her body back slowly, holding her breath so Xavier would not wake up.
Moving back just one centimeter, the arm on her waist tightened.
"Where are you going?" a hoarse sleepy voice sounded right above her head. The vibration was felt in Agatha's chest.
Agatha looked up. Xavier's green eyes looked at her groggily, half-open, but his lips curled into a thin smile.
"You are awake?" asked Agatha stiffly. "Let go. I want to go to the bathroom."
"You are lying," muttered Xavier, his eyes closing again. He instead pulled Agatha closer, rubbing his nose against Agatha's hair. "Your heart is beating so fast. Are you nervous sleeping with me?"
"I am not nervous! I am short of breath because of your weight!" denied Agatha, pushing Xavier's chest lightly. "And you smell like sweat."
Xavier chuckled softly. "The smell of a manly man's sweat who saved your life last night. You should be thanking me."
"Thank you," said Agatha sarcastically. "Now move."
Xavier finally opened his eyes fully. He stared at Agatha intensely, his hand moving to tidy the stray hair on his wife's face.
"Your fever is down," said Xavier softly. "My method worked."
"Perverted method," sneered Agatha, looking away to hide the red flush on her cheeks. "Where are my clothes?"
"I threw them away. I cut them, remember?"
"Then what do I wear? Leaves?"
Xavier got up, sitting on the edge of the examination table. The blanket slipped to his waist, showing off his athletic body under the morning sun.
"Wear my shirt in the closet. I want to shower first."
Xavier got off the table, walking casually to the bathroom without any shame.
Agatha let out a long breath, holding her chest which was rumbling. "Manipulative devil."
Thirty minutes later.
The aroma of coffee and toast filled the room. Xavier, now neat in a gray knitted sweater, was pouring warm milk into a cup.
Agatha came out of the bathroom, wearing Xavier's red flannel shirt which was oversized down to her knees.
"Sit," ordered Xavier. "Eat. You need protein."
Agatha sat down carefully. "You cooked again?"
"No servants here. Eat."
Just as one bite of sausage entered Agatha's mouth, a brutal banging sound was heard at the front door.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
"HEY! OPEN THE DOOR!"
Agatha flinched, almost choking. Her hand reflexively reached for water.
Xavier sighed long, massaging his temples. "Ignore it. It is just noise disturbance."
BANG! BANG! BANG!
"XAVIER! YOU ARE SO CRUEL!" shouted a voice from outside, muffled by the thick wall but still clearly audible. "I KNOW YOU TWO ARE HAVING FUN INSIDE! BUT I AM FREEZING OUT HERE, XAV! MY NOSE IS ALREADY LIKE OLAF'S CARROT! OPEN UP!!"
Agatha held back laughter seeing Xavier's annoyed face. "That is your best friend. Pity him."
"Let him become a snowman out there," grumbled Xavier.
"Open it, Xav, or he will keep being noisy," said Agatha amusedly.
Xavier snorted, stomping towards the door. He pressed the open button.
The door opened. Frans stood there, his body covered in snow from head to toe, his lips turning blue, and his nose running. He hugged his assault rifle while shivering violently.
"F-finally..." Frans entered, immediately hugging the lit fireplace. "You are so mean, Xav. I guarded the post all night in the storm, you were busy making out."
"Your job is guarding the perimeter, Frans. Not interrupting our breakfast," said Xavier coldly, sitting back down.
"I am hungry, Xav! The ration pack in the car tastes like cardboard!" Frans stared at the dining table with twinkling eyes. Without permission, he snatched a piece of Agatha's toast.
"Hey!" protested Xavier.
"Share a little, don't be stingy with your own best friend," Frans devoured the bread in one bite. He looked at Agatha. "How are you, Tha? Feeling better? Last night Xavier's panic beat a woman about to give birth."
"Shut up, Frans," threatened Xavier, his ears turning red.
Agatha smiled crookedly. "Oh really? He panicked?"
"Totally! He almost hit a tree three times while walking up the stairs because he kept looking at your wound," Frans tattled enthusiastically.
"Frans," called Xavier with a dangerously low tone. "You want me to kick you out again?"
Frans immediately went silent, raising two fingers forming a V. "Mercy, Boss. Peace."
Xavier threw a tablet on the table, changing the topic.
"Focus. The analyst team has sent the scan results of that tattoo."
The relaxed atmosphere immediately turned serious. Frans swallowed his bread quickly.
"The result?" asked Agatha.
"Nil in the official database," answered Xavier. He slid the tablet towards Agatha. "But this is an old archive photo from the Cold War. Shadow unit 'Lupo Rosso' or Red-Eyed Wolf. An elite Sicilian mafia squad that was disbanded twenty years ago."
"Sicily," muttered Agatha, her forehead frowning. "That tattoo... I have heard rumors about this unit."
Agatha looked at Xavier sharply.
"Luigi Volskey," said Agatha coldly. "Only he is crazy enough and rich enough to resurrect a ghost army like this."
Xavier nodded. "Our guess is the same. The thugs at the construction site also mentioned his name."
"That Old Geezer..." hissed Agatha, her hand clenching. "His name is a legend in the black market as a cold-blooded killer. Rumors say he even killed his own brother for the throne."
"You know a lot about him?" asked Xavier investigating.
"Every hitman knows who Luigi Volskey is. He is the dirty King of the Jungle," answered Agatha cynically. "But what I don't understand... why is he targeting me?"
Agatha pointed at herself in confusion.
"I am a solo hitman. I never disturbed his business in Italy. I never stole from him. Why would a Don of his class send a battalion of elite troops just to kill one woman?"
"Or maybe he is targeting me," said Xavier coldly.
"Maybe you are more valuable than you know," added Frans while chewing a sausage. "Or maybe you have something he fears."
Agatha was silent. Her hand subconsciously touched her waist, where her rose dagger usually was.
"He wants your life because maybe you are a threat to him. He is also famous for being greedy, Agatha."
Agatha laughed shortly, a laugh devoid of humor. "A Mafia Leader scared of a girl? What kind of joke is that?"
Agatha stared at the snow outside the window, her hazel eyes flashing coldly.
"What is our plan?" asked Frans. "My food stock is only enough for three days. We cannot hide here forever."
"We will not hide," answered Agatha firmly. "He sent an invitation to war."
"You want to attack him?" asked Xavier, staring at his wife with an interested look.
"He thinks I will run in fear," said Agatha softly, squeezing the fork in her hand. "Big mistake. If Luigi Volskey wants my head, he has to come get it himself."
Agatha turned to Xavier.
"The news about this attack must have spread, Xav. Let that be a reply message for him."
Xavier grinned broadly. He liked his crazy wife's courage.
"Open provocation? I like your style, Mrs. Valois."
"Let him know," hissed Agatha sharply. "I am not the prey. I am the hunter."