The final stretch of sidewalk was finally before him as Matthew Webb limped down the city street. The sun was beginning to set on Moscow, and the town had a reputation of being a dangerous place after dark. Especially for an American.

He carefully checked to make sure no one was following him before heading down the alley towards the familiar door of the safehouse,.It had been nearly two days since the attack on the hospital, just two days since he nearly faced capture from the police. But luck was still on his side, and from the most unlikest of sources.

Webb briefly thought back to the young woman who risked her life to save his. "She could have let me die...But she saved me...An American, and a terrorist no doubt..."

The whole spin of events still seemed surreal to him, just the way it happened, almost too perfect. Webb was already careful by nature, and every situation he fell into called for a degree of suspicion. But for Anya, he felt different.

He knew she worked for Vladimir Makarov, and even found out she had direct contact with him. Whether this was truely fact or fiction, it still remained to be seen. Even so, he felt like she had been sincere in their conversations, and just from brief talks, her relationship with the violent and world known terrorist was less then friendly. Maybe on the borderline of hostile...

Webb looked down at his bandaged wound as he limped down the alley. "...She could have killed me after finding out I wasn't any use to her...Is she really that bad of a person, or is she just like me, someone trying to find meaning to all this chaos..."

Despite their differences, he and Anya had found one thing they agreed on. This entire conflict had to end. And the only way it could would be for both sides to stand down. Webb was certain that he could stop Makarov, and Anya was set on finding the Patriot. He had his reasons and she had hers. And together, they would stop this, once and for all.

Webb had already memorized what places and times they would meet. Anya was organized and skilled enough to set up locations that wouldn't attract attention or suspicion. All Webb would have to do was keep it a secret from the others...

Suddenly, a shock of actualization hit Webb. "How the hell am I going to explain my disappearence to the others, especially Miller?..."

Webb stood silent and still in front of the safehouse door, staring at the rusted metal in thought. He knew they would ask, but what would he say? They had barely escaped on their own, what story could he come up with to sound convincing? Webb knew Miller was violent and sadistic, but he wasn't stupid either.

Webb sighed as he raised his hand to knock. "I'm going to regret this..." He muttered to himself as he knocked on the door.

He knocked the door in the correct pattern only he and the others knew. There was a brief silence before the door creeked open just enough for someone to peer out.

"Webb?" A voice asked in disbelief. He instantly reconized it.

Webb gave an awkward smile. "Hey Cl-

Clay nearly tackled him to the ground as he burst outside and hugged him, causing Webb to gasp for air.

"Clay!"

"Matt!" Clay exclaimed, grinning and spinning Webb around. "Your alive! You lucky son of a bitch, your still breathing!"

"Ya..." Webb said weakly, trying to get air. "But I don't think I will for long..."

"Oh..." Clay said, relasing his grip. "Sorry bout that, just get in here!"

Webb happily agreed and quickly stepped inside the safehouse. The familiar smell of faint mold and dust caused him to relax. Home sweet home.

"Well, look who it is."

Webb turned to see Chloe, her arms on her hips, and a cross look on her face.

"Chloe!" Clay beamed. "See, I told you he'd be-

"Shut up." She snapped, not taking her eyes of Webb. Clay knew to it safe around her and silenced himself instantly.

Webb watched as she walked over to him, her eyes cutting into him like knives. He glanced away as she neared him, her eyes making him feel more and more uncomfortable and gulity by the second.

"Listen, Chloe..." Webb started. "I know you probably have-

A sharp slap hit him across the face, causing Clay and even Webb to stare in complete shock. He didn't even no how to respond. This was a side of Chloe he had never seen. Or felt for that matter.

"Damn!" Webb cried, clutching his face in pain. "What was that for?"

Her eyes were filled with a rare mix of anger, relief, and joy, accompanied by tears. "You idiot..." She managed before she flung her arms around his neck.

Webb's ankle stung in pain as he put his weight on it, causing him to flinch.

Chloe was quick to notice his pain. "Oh, sorry." She apologized , trying to wipe tears from her eyes before anyone noticed. "I forgot, you nearly had a buliding fall on you..."

Webb managed a smile. "Something like that. Nothing that didn't kill me thankfully."

Clay too eyed the bandage around Webb's ankle. "Its good to see your still in one piece. It's a miracle we made it out of there. I can only imagine the luck you must have."

"Yes...Luck..."

All three of them turned to see Miller walk out of the shadows behind them. Webb noticed his hand was bandaged, his right middle finger gone, no doubt caused by the bullet the brief firefight back at the hospital.

Miller smoked a cigerette as he carefully studied Webb. "Matthew. It's good to see you 'completely' unharmed."

"Not entirely unharmed sir." Webb said, staying cool and calm. "My ankle." He added, pointing at his bandage.

"Yes, so sorry to hear that." Miller said with the slightest hit of sarcasm. He paced around towards him, like a wolf circling it's prey.

"Enlighten me Matthew," He continued. "There is something on my mind that i'm having difficulty fathoming."

"Of course sir."

"You were wounded, left on your own, and stranded with nearly half of the FSB in Moscow looking for you..."

"Yes sir."

"Then tell me how the hell you are able to just waltz in here like the fucking thing never happened!" Miller exploded, throwing his cigerette in anger.

"It was a combination of training and good tim-"

"You expect me to believe that lie!"

"Then how do you explain me standing in front of you!" Webb shouted back. "You know the police, they would have shot me on sight!"

Webb's fists tightened as he held his breath. "I can't even hint the slightest detail about Anya...It would be my death sentence..."

Miller responded in more outbursts. "Williams had severe burns on her leg and thighs!"

"Which didn't hinder me at the time Miller." Chloe interjected, trying hard not to intervene.

"Beckett suffered a concussion curtsey of a stray brick!" Miller continued, ignoring Chloe. "Leaving us to carry him while still trying to outrun the police!"

"Which did hit me very hard sir..." Clay pointed out.

"Shut up!" Miller snarled, causing Clay to cower back into a corner.

Miller turned his attention back to Webb. "And I lost my finger! Thanks to that bitch and her friend!"

"The two police we enountered in the hallway back at the hospital..." Webb replied calmly, thinking back. "She said she was from some special investigation group I believe sir."

"The OSI." Chloe added. "Office of Special Investigations."

"And the woman's name was Lelend." Webb replied back, slowly remembering. "Ellien Lelend was the name. And that man with her?"

"We don't know." Clay replied, crossing his arms. "I didn't get a good look at him."

"Thats not the point." Miller said, his anger slowly retreating. "She a threat, the entire operation was put in jeopardy because of her. And from research I've done, shes definately in a high position of power. She somehow has complete control over the FSB and the police. And she uses them without regard protocol.

"No wonder the FSB charged in earlier then we anticipated..." Webb thought. "...The rules must not apply to her...Very Dangerous..."

Miller shook his head. "Either way, it still doesn't change anything. The weapon did what it was expected to do, kill a single man without harming anyone else..."

Miller's eyes darkened. "Now we can proceed to the third trial...The final trial..."

"The third trial." Webb asked, surprised. "Theres going to be another test?"

"I suppose being persume dead for two days causes one to be left out of a many of things..." Miller said quietly.

"What test?" Webb demanded, still not believing what he was hearing. "That last one was suppose to be the end, the public is already scared-

"No." Miller said, silencing Webb. "Not yet."

Webb looked at Clay and Chloe for answers. Both were staring at the ground in silence, avoiding his eyes. No doubt they had already been told of Miller's plan.

Webb looked back at Miller, who had returned to his cigerette, staring of into space.

"We've proved it can specific people..." Miller said, almost translike. "So ask yourself, what stopping us from taking 'him' out?"

Webb lowered his voice. "Him? You think we can take him out?"

"Everything will be explained in good time." Miller said, a calm smile. "All In good time..."

Chloe glanced at her wristwatch. "It late." She said in attempt to change the topic. "We should get to bed."

"Sacktime sure sounds good." Clay added, slowly retreating towards his room "I think I'll hit the hay too."

"You do that..." Miller said, still off daydreaming, thinking about the future.

Seeing everyone leaving, Webb slowly began to turn his back on Miller and head to his room, when a hand suddenly stopped him in his tracks.

"Hold on Matthew..."

Webb slowly turned his head to see Miller staring down at him, his icy blue eyes chilling him to the bone.

"I thought it might be nice to let you know..." He said in a cold tone. "That I'll be keeping a close eye on you."

Webb stared into his eyes, not blinking or looking away. This was a side that even he had never seen in Miller before. His eyes had a different feel to them. Calulating. Watching. Planning.

"It would be wise to have that the forefront of your thinking Matthew..." He added, putting his wounded hand in front of Webb's face. "It would be unfortunate for you to have another accident..."

Webb didn't say a word. Only a slight nod before Miller turned away.

"Perhaps keeping Anya secret will be harder then I thought..."

"He's been sitting in there for the last hour..."

Sedusky continued to stare at Vasily through the one way mirror as he sat in the interrogation room, watching his every action. Despite his recent outburst, he seemed quite calm, almost expecting such an action to be taken against him.

He turned his head over to Ellien. "You going to conduct the interview now?"

She had been standing not even an inch away from the glass, staring at Vasily for the past hour like a curious child at the zoo. She had not uttered a single word in the full sixty minutes they had been sitting, and Sedusky patience was wearing thin.

"Ellien!" Sedusky tried again. "Are you or are you not going to conduct the interview?"

Silence filled the room.

"No." She uttered simply, not moving an inch as she said it.

Sedusky hand flew into his face in frustration. "Why have we been sitting here for the past hour wasting time?"

"Correction. You have been sitting. I have been observing."

"Observing what?" Sedusky demanded, his frustration growing. "He's just been sitting in there."

"Yes, but I find something odd." Ellien replied quietly. "He was in near panic when you detained him. Now he's calm. Too calm..."

Sedusky sat up slowly and walked over to the glass. "I noticed that as well." He replied, staring at 'Vasily' through the mirror. "He had to of planned that hit, but you don't think he could have planned being detained as well?"

"Everything is still a possibility, Inspector, many things are. The possibility that the man that sits in this room really is Yuri Vasily, or Makarov."

"Pretending to be a different person." Sedusky added.

"And thats the part I can't understand."

Sedusky looked over in genuine surprise, almost shock that he had just heard Ellien admit not knowing something.

"Now theres something you don't hear everyday..." Sedusky said with as much sarcasm as he could muster.

"Why does he continue this ploy?" She continued, still deep in thought. "What is he searching for? Who is he searching for?"

"She does have a point..." Sedusky thought to himself. "If the man sitting in that room is Vladimir Makarov, then why is he going to all this trouble? This isn't like him..."

They stood in suspended silence, observing before Ellien finally made her move.

"Well, I suppose it's time." She said finally, removing herself from the glass.

"You think you can get a confession?" Sedusky asked.

"If this is Vladimir Makarov, no." She replied. "However, that's not what I'm looking for."

"Then what are you looking for?"

"Something more important." She replied as she heading to the door. "Whether or not the man that sits in that room really is Yuri Vasily, or Vladimir Makarov."

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