Events

Lucien

He was in his study in the house, surrounded by the familiar sounds, albeit muted, coming from outside.

He had been studying the reports sent by his second in command, Schwartz. Both he and Aiyana had settled into a small, inconspicuous apartment that had been arranged for by one of his colleagues in Slovakia.

Now they would smoke out the man. Lucien had wanted to be there to cut to the chase but his wife and family were top priorities.

*

His children were running about on the lawns, laughing, shouting and screaming.

Thrusting his fist into his pocket, he stood at the wide windows, bulletproof as they were, staring outside. Ria and Piers raced about with Paddy bumbling around. The twins took care to see he was included in their game, he noticed absently. They had begun to include him and treated him like a sibling.

Lucien Delano had never had the luxury of playing in such a carefree way, he mused. He had had to take care that he was not exploited sexually by any of his mother’