Love Is for Tomorrow by Michael Karner, Isaac Newton Acquah

Antoine knew, Rose was the only person he could trust. He might as well confess to her.
    “We ran into unidentified agents.”
    “What case were you on?” Rose said.
    “I wouldn’t call it a case,” Antoine confessed. “Let’s just say there was a little reunion that got crowded. We ran into unidentified agents.”
    Turning to Kovac, Antoine continued, “I guess I was right about who they were.”
    “Well at least I know what caused three corpses to be fished out the of the Seine,” Rose said. “If I had known I would have gotten the list of people at the funeral. Did you find out anything about the agents?”
    “I’m on it,” Antoine said.
    Rose gave him a poisonous look. Shaking her head, she sighed. “I can’t allow anything to interfere with our current mission. You should have told me sooner, Antoine. “Truth is like fire, it cannot be hidden under dry leaves.”
    Kovac shrugged. “You can’t even hide Schnietz under dry leaves.”
    Rose clenched her jaw.
    “It’s my life we are talking about here,” Antoine said. “I messed this one up, I know. But there is a bomb in play and we should focus on it. No more secrets from now on.”
    “Agreed.” Kovac rushed in to say, delighted that the focus had shifted.
    “Agreed,” Rose said.
    Antoine used the opening to go on the offensive. “Do you want to tell us your history with Tanya, because it feels like you have dealt with her before. It seems we all have a secret or two.” 
    “All I ever got about her was her name,” Rose said. “Priya’s hack picked up some minor things about her.”
    Antoine was not convinced but Rose changed the subject.
    “Khabib mentioned the fortress of Belgrade. Bellic was using a storeroom in its cellars. Assuming the painting is there, we can get Khabib. Priya will be watching traffic cams and get a tail on Khabib as soon as he arrives in Serbia.” She looked to the Serb. “This is your city. If anyone has the best chance to get him there, it’s you.”
    “Kalemegdan,” Kovac said. The display table showed an aerial view of the fortress. Kovac zoomed in on certain entry points.
    “I know this place well. He won’t try to break in there by day. We need breaching charges, some fast wheels and guns with suppressors, and sniper support to cover our extraction. By that I mean Smith.”
    “We need Khabib alive,” Rose said. “Expect close quarters. Khabib has a long rap sheet. I am going to send your sidekick with you. Hopefully this time there will be less of a body count.”
    “Hey we are not the ones planning to detonate a dirty bomb,” Kovac said.
    “Regarding that bomb,” Rose said. “I hope they are still far away from it.”
     
    ***
     
    Moscow, Russia
     
    Olga sat tapping her fingers on the table in front of her. The room was dark with a taste of history. Tense faces lined with wrinkles surrounded her. She already had so much on her plate, not to mention both the planning and burden of being part of Team Tanya. Their grey hair was testament to the life they’d led. These were the men who’d led the KGB through the Cold War and before the Berlin wall fell. She hadn’t been a top level official for long, so she usually kept her mouth shut and her ears open. She could learn a lot from them. Olga looked to Dimitri, who began speaking from the other side of the table.
    “I have come to believe there is an imminent terrorist attack with target St. Petersburg. A mafia tie or Chechen separatists.”
    Olga could not believe her ears.
    “What is the source?” someone else said.
    Could they know about her bomb? Her sure way to the top? Was Tanya hedging her bets?
    “Credible, comrade,” he replied.
    “How credible?”
    Olga knew she had to take control before other people became involved.
    “Very credible,” Olga said. “I know about it too, so that makes two sources. I’m onto it. My people are already tracking the transfer.”
    Murmurs of surprise went through the room.
    “Do you need