For Hire (NaNoWriMo13)

IX: Time To Pursue My Own Inquiries

In the end I wasn’t able to ask the Director about Salahov.

For almost a week after that fiasco at the trade, I’ve been reconstructing my inquiry inside my head over and over again, but in the end I didn’t have the guts to actually ask it.

I don’t know why I can’t seem to voice out my questions, it feels like something is stopping me deep inside.

Maybe Salahov was just trying to stall time and he spouted random words to get me. But it seems pretty direct to be coincidental. Why would he even bring up my father if he knows nothing about it?

I stand up from my bed and go over to my research room. I can stand not knowing. I need to atleast shed out some light behind it. Just as what I have come to realized yesterday, maybe it’s time to pursue my own inquiries and earn answers to it.

As my first recourse, I hack into different websites to find information about Salahov. I go over the FBI, CIA and Interpol files, but they all seem to be nothing but information about his weapon cartel group.

I sigh heavily. I don’t even know what I’m looking for or to where I should even start.

I stare at the computer’s screen dejectedly and listlessly, my eyes glazing over the massive amount of nugatory information flaring up at the screen.

I suddenly sit up straight electrified.

I grab the mouse and start to skim over the pop-up tabs and uncover the one that got buried by the incoming tabs.

1989, January 27. Alaska,

ALASKA.

My mind clings to that word like an octopus’ suctions.

My eyes travel further down the window and read its contents.

‘Salahov used to be in the Russian Military after some altercation with his commander, he was dismissed from the service with full honors. The he went to Alaska together with a group of men. Some say that was where he first build up his forces and later on when he gained power once again, he returned to Russia to create a huge network of weapon cartel. While on Alaska, he became acquainted with several people and got engaged with different illicit businesses.’

I stop from there. There’s nothing that links him to Byzantine or to anything that might hint at it, so I continue to scroll down. Until I see a black and white photo of a destroyed building.

I read the caption of photo, it says: The destroyed building of Romanum, 1996.

And right beside the photograph of the destroyed building is a grainy picture of Salahov and three other people.

‘Accordingly, Anton Salahov was believed to have died in the explosion in Romanum. However his return to Russia disproved the notion and-‘

Wait a minute…what the hell is Romanum?

I scan the whole article again and Romanum didn’t turn up again.

I stare at the screen in bewilderment. You’ve got to be joking me. This is a frigging CIA website, how come they put something vague on their files without even explaining what the hell it is?

I slap my forehead in realization of my stupidity. Well of course they won’t put anything sort of that, after all, these are private documents and not meant for public eyes. The one who reported this must know what the deal is with Romanum.

Before I close my connection to the site, I check back the picture of the building. And then suddenly, something sparks my sense of familiarity.

The picture of Salahov with three other strangers-the man at the middle looks terribly familiar. I look closely and realize it. There’s no doubting it.