“How did you know?”
“I saw you on TV. That's the reason he wanted to help free your brother, because he took a fancy to you. Now it may have cost him his life.”
“What happened to him?”
“I fled New York after Hyka came for us, but Igor is crazy sometimes. He thinks he can take on the world. He went to Hyka's residence and tried to kill him. Needless to say, it was he who was almost killed.”
“Jesus.”
“Cassy, you are in grave danger. You should go back to London and hide out until we've finished the job.”
“What do you mean finished the job?”
Dima waited until a passing nurse was out of earshot. “Nothing will stop Hyka until we have killed him. Nothing. When he knows Igor is alive, he'll send someone. And he may well come after Michael again. You really aren't safe. Go back to London and let us finish the job.”
“But what makes you think you can? Look at you. You had to flee, and Igor's half dead.”
“We're Russians. We've got a lot of friends to call on, and that's what I'm going to do. Very soon Hyka will be floating face down in the Hudson River.”
“But what about Igor? Who will look after him?”
“Go back to London. Igor will contact you when he gets better. If he does.”
Cassy thought about what he'd just said: “If he does.” There was a chance Igor would be a vegetable, but if Michael was in danger, she would go back to London.
*****
Jesus, what was wrong with me? Cassy thought as she leaned over the flower border and threw up. She'd taken Michael for a walk in the garden of Igor's London home and had suddenly felt ill.
“Sick?” Michael asked.
“Yes, I feel a bit sick. Shall we go inside?”
Michael nodded. “Inside. Yes, inside.”
Cassy went to the bathroom and threw up again. “Shit,” she muttered. She took off her top and felt her breasts. She hadn't noticed, but they were a little sensitive to the touch. She was in a foreign country with the responsibility of an autistic brother, and she was more than likely pregnant, she thought.
“Michael, we've got to go for a walk again,” she said.
They wandered slowly down to a drug store and went inside. The old woman behind the counter gave her a tester kit and Cassy paid.
Cassy didn't know what to think when the display showed “Pregnant.” She wanted to cry. She was thousands of miles from home, and the father of her child was unconscious in a hospital. She put her hand on her belly and closed her eyes. Suddenly she was overcome with tender feelings for Igor that were so strong, she picked up her cell phone and called Dima.
“Great timing,” he said. “I'm at the hospital. They called me and told me he'd woken up. Do you want to speak to him?”
“Oh yes,” she said enthusiastically.
“Hello,” he said.
“How are you feeling?”
“Okay. The doctor says I'll be out in a few days. They were a bit worried about me, but the swelling in my brain has gone down.”
“Thank God. Igor, when are you coming to London? I need to talk to you.”
“What about?”
“I can't tell you on the phone, but I need you to come here as soon as you can.”
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Yes, perfectly. Michael is okay as well. It's just that I...I need you.”
Igor smiled. He was pleased she'd said that. He'd realized in the few hours he'd been awake that he needed her very much as well. When he thought of her, he knew his days of womanizing were gone. There was only one woman for him now. “Cassy, Dima and I have one last task, and then I will come to London.”
“What task?” she asked.
“We have to finish what we started.”
“No, Igor. You were almost killed. My God, you're lying in a hospital bed and talking about going out to fight. Are you insane?”
“Insane or not, Hyka is going to pay. This time we're going with our friends.”
“No, Igor. I forbid it.”
“And who are you to forbid me anything? If you remember, I helped you when I didn't have to. Without me, Michael would be dog meat. Never talk to me like that again.”
Cassy wanted to tell him about the baby. That was why she was so worried. She didn't want her child to grow up without a father. “Sorry. Do what you have to do. But come back to me in one piece, and soon. Okay?”
“All right,” he said.
When he'd hung up, Cassy called a friend of her late father's.
“Dennis, it's Cassy.”
“Cassy. How's Michael after what happened to him?”
“Okay, I think. There doesn't seem to be any bad reaction. Maybe in the future, but who knows.”
“Margery and I were so sorry to hear what happened. But at least he's home now.”
“Actually, we're in London, but it's a long story. Dennis, I need your help. I want to sell everything—the business and the house.”
“Wow. Are you sure?”
“Perfectly sure. I was never really interested in the toy business, and I don't think Dad would have minded me selling it. What do you think it's worth?”
“About fifteen billion dollars.”
“Really?”