Gunslinger

Charlotte hurried along the corridor, her heels against the stone floors the only sound as she headed down towards the library. The stack of books and papers in her arms was stubbornly deciding whether to fall on the floor or work its way out behind her. With one hand she steadied it again, the other pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose. She was nervous, not every day that a Harvard Professor came to call.
Moscow was not her ideal location, as a girl in London Charlotte had always wanted to travel and see the world despite her love of learning and natural introversion. She had wanted an exciting life and though some would say this wasn’t it, her chance to study in a country with so much history and drama was not to be ignored. If she could impress this man however, maybe a job in America was not so out of the question.
There was a loud crash as the stack of books landed on the ground and Charlotte knelt to pick them up and transfer them to a nearby rosewood table. She adjusted her glasses again, pulling her skirt down and adjusting her blouse before looking in the huge picture mirror that hung in the gallery. A slight disappointment as always, her long brown hair tied up into a neat bun, minimal make-up and sensible clothes that made her look older then her twenty five years. She had often wondered whether she consciously made herself look like a librarian because she was one or whether it was vice versa. Whatever, this Professor Zachery Baker was probably an old man, not exactly like she had to impress in that way although his qualifications were outstanding.
Again she picked up the books and hurried along, rounding the corner to the massive main library with a few minutes to spare and cutting down one of the side aisles to deposit the books with one of her students. The boy smiled up gratefully, the good lady doctor was a fantastic teacher and much admired by student and faculty alike. She smiled shyly back, heading back into the middle of the room to where her boss, a small stout Ukrainian lady by the name Ulyanov was talking to an unfamiliar man.
“Ah, Charlotte. Dr Charlotte Bingham, this is Professor Baker.”
Charlotte felt her mouth drop open and quickly shut it again. This man was certainly not what she had been expecting. He was tall, dark hair combed back and the most amazing green eyes she had ever seen, hidden a little behind dark rimmed glasses. She would put him in his late twenties, the full lips framed by gleaming snakebites that glittered more as he smiled, his dark suit finished with a bow tie. Her face flamed and she looked down, instantly embarrassed as he shook her hand warmly.
“How wonderful to finally meet you. Your thesis on The Purges was quite remarkable.”
Charlotte flushed a little more, his accent was intoxicating.
“Thank you. It’s very kind of you to stop on your lecture tour to talk to me.”
“I will leave you two to your conversation.”
Ulyanov smiled and moved away, Charlotte really didn’t realise how attractive she was and the romantic in her had already sparked off. The American was rumoured to be important and she had already wormed it out of him that he was single. She went out of the library quietly hopeful.
“I need your help actually. Your boss said you are an expert on the Nazi caches in this part of Europe. My friends and I are also researching and hoping to visit those areas. Especially the last one from Warsaw in late ’44.”
Zacky turned on the smile again, watching the blush rise in her face and allowing his eyes to drift a little further south. The girl had good curves although she seemed to be trying her best to hide them and he let himself imagine her naked before pulling his attention back to her face. Maybe this mission should have waited until he got over being locked up without female company for two long years.
“Well how interesting, I had another gentleman from the Ministry saying the same thing. I take it you are hoping to find the gold ?”
Zacky laughed quietly and nodded.
“The papers are so new, bound to be interest. I thought the Russian government was honouring the intention to return it to the relatives ?”
Charlotte paused, looking around her. She had spent enough time in Moscow to know that even now the government could be relied upon to listen to every conversation. There were pictures rumoured to be on that shipment by some of the great Masters, lost works that would far outweigh the value of the gold. Jewellery and precious metals, manuscripts even. Everything that the Nazis thought they could salvage as the Red Army started to draw in from the east and now she was one of the few that knew roughly where it could be.
“Of course. What is your interest ?”
“Academic of course, although I can’t deny the urge to go looking for it. I think in every historian there is an Indiana Jones trying to get out.”
Charlotte laughed at the infectious grin on his face as he gently took her arm and they walked along towards her office. He was warm and engaging, Charlotte found that her usual nervousness around strangers was eased and by the time they reached her door they were joking like old friends. She noticed the tattoos on his warm hands and the way they peaked from under the cuffs of his crisp white shirt. Zacky knew she was looking and turned up the charm. If there had been longer he would have been tempted to seduce her into bed quite apart from the mission but now he knew that the government had found her it meant there was so little time.
“So you would really pack up and go out there ?”
“Hell yeah I would. It’s got to be well hidden if it’s still there after seventy odd years.”
Charlotte glanced up into his eyes and smiled, there was a boyish enthusiasm there that was so unusual among the men she normally dealt with and she didn’t hesitate to point up at the ancient map on her wall. It was pre-war, a lot of the land borders had changed and now she pointed to an area that encompassed the border of Russia, Belarus, Lithuania and even Latvia. It was a vast area and a long way from their current location.
“It is. There are many caves and valleys that you would need to search and even then you may need mining equipment.”
Zacky made a mental note to get Jimmy to locate some decent explosive before looking closer at the map. Mountainous areas made getting a plane in and out more difficult and they would need some rugged vehicles. He added a note to his black bound notebook before smiling again at Charlotte. Time to reel her in.
“If I got an expedition together, would you come with me ?”
Charlotte turned back from the map and almost into his arms, gasping a little. He was close, so close she could feel the heat from his body and again she gazed at his sensual lips before blushing and pulling away.
“I’m a historian, I wouldn’t be much use in the field.”
“You would be amazing. So amazing in fact that we should discuss it over dinner.”
Now she really did stutter and he laughed, reaching out to run his thumb over her cheekbone as she searched to find some words. There was no doubt that a field trip with such an eminent man would be good for her career and Charlotte couldn’t lie to herself and say that she didn’t find him attractive, want him even. Men didn’t usually have that effect on her, or if they did they weren’t normally interested.
“T-that would be lovely.”
“I’ll pick you up here at eight.”
Zacky leant in, his lips brushing her cheek before he left the office. The reflection in the door of the office had showed him another set of visitors and now forced his hand. The act dropped away and a cold focus set on his face as he ducked into the back stairs and down towards the gate that led outside. The new guys looked like thugs but even they couldn’t attempt to take Charlotte out of the building by force in broad daylight. He removed his phone and pressed speed dial.
“Johnny, it’s Zack. Place is crawling with government and mob. Target is acquired but I need evac and soon. Put Syn and Ana in a fast car and get them here. This bitch knows where that cache is and she’s gonna take us there.”
He lit a cigarette, the call disconnected once he was sure the message was received and instead the gun now firmly settled into his left hand. Zack had never been one for unnecessary risks but if he had to kill to get Charlotte out the building then he would. The bow tie was loosened and the glasses back in his pocket as Zack waited in the cold air for his backup to arrive.

Notes

two chapters in one day....I have a headache lol