An adult stories – Long Blonde Hair, Sky Blue Eyes Pt. 07 by Texican1830,Texican1830 Cedars-Sinai Hospital at Marina del Rey was across Lincoln from the marina. Their car let them off at the entrance, where they were joined by a security team that knew no more than they. Carl’s familial status got them past hospital security and to the waiting room on the fourth floor, but no further.
Erik noted that signage showed that the trauma center, where he believed gunshot victims would be treated after leaving the ER, was on the second floor. He found the hospital directory online and determined fourth was the medical trauma unit; that didn’t lower his anxiety for her welfare but did provide a modicum of reassurance that death was probably not imminent.
‘Something bad happened, but she likely isn’t physically injured, or at least not badly injured’ he deduced, which made him even more impatient. Spotting a young nurse with a pleasant demeanor, he wandered over to her. “Hi! I’m Erik Swahn, and my fiancée is Annika Olsson. I flew in from Minneapolis with her father, and we just arrived at your hospital. We were told to stay in the waiting room, but we’ve been told nothing else! Nothing about her condition, and nothing about when we can see her.
“All we were told is that she was in a gunbattle and she, her security officer, Andi MacLeish, and others were taken to this hospital. Is there anything you can tell me?”
A smile lit her face. “So, you’re the one! I’ve been wondering what ‘the most wonderful man in the world’ would look like. Hi yourself! I’m Allie McGraw – before you ask, I’m not kin to the actress, although my mom was a big fan. I’m one of Annika’s nurses, and I can tell you that she’s in treatment right now; when she gets out, she will be allowed visitors.”
“So, she wasn’t badly injured?” Erik inquired hopefully.
“Physically, she was hit by flying glass and has superficial wounds on her arms, neck, and chest. Emotionally… well, we’ve treated Los Angeles County law enforcement officers who have been involved in shootings not nearly as traumatic as the one she was in, so she is injured and does need treatment. Being shot at and shooting other humans is not quite as trauma-free as TV and the movies portray it, even if you shot in self-defense.
“That’s all I’m going to say about her condition because you need to hear it from her. But I will tell you that the investigating officers agree that if she and Andi were cops, they would receive commendations for their actions! She’s pretty much a hero, to go along with being a supermodel and political influencer!”
He smiled about the ‘political influencer’ description and the relief he felt at knowing she wasn’t badly injured, but then remembered Andi. “Do you know anything about Andi’s condition? Andi MacLeish, her security guard?”
“I saw her but had no idea she was a security guard: I assumed she was another model or actress! Yes and no, to answer your question. She’s not my patient, but nurses do talk, so I know she suffered a gunshot wound, but my understanding is that it was not considered serious. She’s in a different unit, where the other injured security officers are patients. Their wounds were adjudged ‘critical’ when they were brought in, but I don’t know their current conditions. All four are in the trauma center on second floor.”
“What are my chances of seeing Annika in less than an hour?” he asked, when his stomach growled. “Somewhere between zero and none – the treatment just started,” she replied with a grin. “You might want to go feed yourself first, because she’s going to need your attention and support when you do get to see her. The cafes and cafeteria are at level 0, and the food is surprisingly good.”
Erik grabbed Carl by the arm and said, “Come with me. Her nurse says her wounds are superficial and she will be in treatment for at least another hour, so we should eat something now.”
Carl was frowning at being urged toward the elevator and froze in place after Erik stopped talking. “Wait, you said she’s alright? They were only superficial wounds?”
“I did,” he answered with a smile. “And I also said it will be at least an hour before we can see her, so we need to go eat something. It’s been a long time since we did.”
Instead of celebrating, Carl slumped and began sobbing. Erik wrapped his arms around him in support and comfort, and they stood, hugging each other while Carl cried it out. The others in the waiting room watched with smiles, knowing these were tears of relief, and their smiles broadened when Carl managed, “I had just gotten her back after all those years, and then I thought I had lost her for good!”
“I know,” Erik replied quietly. “My heart has been in my stomach since we heard. The good news is, she’s physically okay; the bad news is, she’s suffering from PTSD or something like it. She’s going to need our love and support, and we need to be strong enough to provide it. Let’s go eat, hydrate, and then check on Andi and the three Security First guys who were shot. By then, we should get to see her.”
The food was surprisingly good, and Andi was allowed to have visitors. She welcomed Erik and Carl, who found her sitting up in bed beaming her bright smile. Carl stood just inside the door; Erik stood beside her bed, blatantly looking her over. Her legs were mostly exposed in the hospital gown, and he winked after he ogled them for a moment. “You look fine to me – very fine! I don’t see any wounds; catching up on your bed rest?”
She grinned in return. “You’ll never see my wound, you hound, but it’s just above my left hip. Had it been two inches wider it would have missed, but it did go straight through and do minimal damage. The scar will show in a bikini, but otherwise, in few months no one will know!”
Erik grew serious, bent over her bed, and hugged her. He stood up and proclaimed, “You girls gave us a scare! Send you out here to make a movie, provide all kinds of security, and then we get a call telling us you were in a gunfight, and both were transported to the hospital, along with several others. We flew directly out here and have been isolated in the 4th floor waiting room since we arrived. Annika is in treatment, so do you want to give us a rundown on what happened?”
“Yes, but before I do, I must tell you two – no, three things: first, I’m really, really, REALLY glad Annika and I trained at Bill’s course; and second, that girl has ice water in her veins! She was heroic! Without her quick thinking and action Tommy and I would both be dead, and she’d be in Russia!
“And talk about a quick study! She saw a truck pull in front of us and a van pull up beside us, recognized that as a carjacking maneuver, warned me, and pulled her gun. Tommy saw it developing and tried to swerve into the van to escape, but the truck hit its brakes too soon and he had to stop. The van’s sliding door flew open, and men poured out. The first thing they did was open fire on our driver, and rush to Annika’s door.
“One fired downward into the door lock, yanked the door open, yelled something, pointed the pistol at us, and Annika opened fire. He fell out of the doorway, and another took his place; she shot him too! I saw one standing by the driver’s door pointing his gun at Annika between the door and frame, and I fired, hitting him in the shoulder. He fired back and hit me in the side. I fired again, and he fell away from the car. I knew I was hit, but it wasn’t painful enough to override my adrenaline.
“We heard more commotion behind us and saw men exiting another van and running toward us. One fired through the back window with a damn cannon and glass flew everywhere! We had no choice but to hunker down and fire back. I know I hit one or two, but all three went down, and then we saw the van driver try to force his way between the stopped cars in the middle lane. The van beside us started to move, so I leaned forward and snapped a shot at the driver through the driver’s window. The van lurched and came to a stop. I don’t know if I hit him or he hit another vehicle, but that van stopped moving.
“Annika yelled something and fired three times at my window; I turned and saw a man holding an AR of some kind. He had blood on his shirt, and he dropped the rifle while falling over backward. I pushed my door open and jumped out, scanning for shooters. Not seeing any more, I yelled for Annika to get out and crouch down, and then started down the sidewalk to get a look into the truck that cut us off.
“The truck then started moving, pushing the car in front out of his way, and drove onto the sidewalk. I ran toward the building to get a better angle and fired through the passenger window and windshield several times but couldn’t get a good enough angle to hit the driver.
“I heard more firing, turned, and saw Annika firing at the driver of the van behind us, who was spraying the back of the limo with an automatic pistol. Luckily, because he was forcing the van into the stalled middle lane of traffic, he was turned sideways and couldn’t see her cleanly. She kept shooting until he slumped over and fell out of the seat, and then she looked around and crouched down behind the car again.
“I rejoined her, and she breathlessly asked if I saw any more. She was so composed, as if we were on the course rather than in a firefight! I pointed at the truck bulldozing its way down the sidewalk and back into the street and told her we had to be careful because some of those we wounded might still be armed and dangerous.
“In the still, it finally dawned on me that drivers abandoning cars and running away kept the traffic stalled, that there were people lying on the sidewalk wailing, and that others were screaming as they ran away from the scene, which suddenly became quiet. We were on Hollywood Boulevard – that area where stars are embedded in the sidewalk – so it was a crowded tourist area, and I was afraid some of them were hurt.
“Annika said she heard sirens, and right after that some bicycle cop ran up and pointed his gun at us. He’s a very lucky man, because as anyone with training knows, that’s a good way to get your head shot off! He identified himself as a police officer and demanded we lay our guns on the sidewalk and push them away. We complied, and another cop came running up.
Without knowing the situation, she yelled for us to drop our guns, saw that we had, and yelled for us to put our hands behind our heads and stand up. We did, but then she saw the blood on my dress and called for an EMT. I remember collapsing onto the sidewalk, and my next recollection is waking up in a hospital with medical personnel hustling about. I stirred and mumbled, a nurse pushed something into my IV, and the next time I woke up I was here.”
“Helluva story!” Erik proclaimed. “It’s no wonder they’re treating Annika for post-traumatic stress! Anyway, it sounds like you both handled yourselves well. Very well, in fact! Her nurse told me the police investigators said you would both get commendations if you were on the force!”
Andi shook her head. “Believe me, what we did might appear commendable, but we were just searching and shooting, like on the course. The moment the shooting stopped I realized that I was terrified but adrenalized, and my hands were shaking! Annika was too, but she was worried about the blood on my belly, which overrode her fears. I told you – she was heroic!
“Erik, will you please do a couple of things for me? Call Bill and tell him we’re all right and tell him his training course saved us. Then check on Tommy’s condition and the condition of the team that was following us. Last I heard, all three were alive but in critical condition.”
Carl stepped forward. “Hello, Andi. Thank you for accepting this job, and for saving Annika. No matter how brave she was, she wouldn’t have survived without your training and help. I’ll find out about your driver and the other Security First team members and come tell you. Erik can talk to Bill after we see Annika, assuming he’s not on a jet coming here. He was terribly upset when I talked to him. He’s very fond of you and my daughter.”
Andi replied, “I know he is, and I’m very fond of him too!” Then she chuckled. “I hope he does show up! He always gives me a hard time, so I’m going to act like I’m dreadfully injured, and then I’m going to give him a hard time about the ‘plumb’ assignment’ he talked me into!”
Andi didn’t ask, but it was on the mind of all three: what was the condition of the men they shot? A gunbattle affects the psyche of trained, experienced soldiers, which neither woman was. However, knowing you killed people, even if they were trying to kill you, is much worse than knowing you wounded people. Erik had no sympathy for the would-be kidnappers or killers, but he wanted to lessen the blow on Annika.
They said their goodbyes and headed back to Annika’s floor but encountered a group of hospital administrators getting off the elevator who were loudly discussing preparations for the press conference an hour from now. Carl and Erik followed them to a conference room, eavesdropping as they walked. The press conference was to address the parties injured and killed in what one claimed the press was calling “The Shootout on Hollywood Boulevard.”
The door was pushed shut by the last one in but didn’t catch; it bounced and slowly swung open a few inches. The administrators each took a chair and faced a whiteboard at the other end. Carl leaned against the wall across the hallway, raised his phone as if reading something, and began recording. Erik walked around the corner, hit the ground, and bellycrawled back to the edge of the open doorway where he could hear.
The upper portion of the conference room wall was glass, but the bottom three feet were made of a plastic material coated with black paint, behind which Erik was hiding. Fortunately, the press liaison launched right into the sticky issues, and how to abide by the police chief’s request while appearing forthcoming to the press.
That was fortunate because a nurse entered the hallway within a few minutes, and asked what they were doing there. Erik got up and explained he was just resting because they were up all night. Carl told her he was texting his physician at home about his daughter who is in treatment on the fourth floor. She continued to look suspicious, but gestured toward the elevators and ordered them to the proper floor.
“Two gunmen killed, six injured, three critically. Andi is satisfactory, and the three security officers are critical but stable. The physical injuries suffered by the ‘celebrity’ are relatively minor, but she is recovering in the medical trauma unit from the stress and anxiety of the…gunbattle, shootout – they couldn’t decide what to call it.
“That’s what I heard; well, that and how to spin it so the police spokesman addresses the difficult questions. They were even considering just giving the press the gross numbers: eleven injured, two killed.”
“That’s consistent with the numbers I saw on the board. In my opinion, Annika and Andi don’t need to know more. For sure, they don’t need to know which ones were killed and by whom!”
“Right!” Carl agreed. “They were all criminals engaged in felony criminal activities, and the use of deadly force was necessary and proper in defense of their lives! If asked, that will be our mantra, but I have a team of attorneys meeting with a team of attorneys here, just in case. There will be those who question why so many were shot and killed, and why Annika was armed.
“Andi has a permit to carry in California, but this state does not accept permits from Texas, or much of anywhere else, so that will be a bone of contention where Annika is concerned,” Carl concluded.
“Unless Andi had Annika’s pistol in her purse and gave it to Annika when they saw the carjacking begin, or when the first shots were fired…?”
“I guess that’s possible, Erik. It would be a good question to ask of both, with a preface, rather than by it first being asked by the police investigators.”
“We can ask Annika as soon as she returns to her room; should I text Andi or run back down?”
“Texts are bad. Take the stairs right there; her room is one down.”
Back in Andi’s room, Erik said, “We forgot to ask when we were here. Since Annika doesn’t have a California permit to carry, was her pistol in your purse, or what?”
“I was carrying it as a backup, of course,” she replied with a straight face. “When we saw how many were involved, one of us got it out of my purse. I don’t remember who.”
“Okay, just wanted to confirm. Y’all may be heroes to the cops, but there are probably a few officials who will question the necessity of bullets flying all around the tourists on the boulevard, and I happen to know Koslov has an import/export business in LA, so there are likely allies and partners to consider.
“I just hope the cops tie him to the kidnappers. That would certainly be enough to guarantee he doesn’t get bail or released to the Russians!”
Running back up the stairs felt good; he had been idle too long. Annika’s door was open, and she was talking to her daddy when he burst in. He hurried to the other side of the bed while her smile covered her face, he leaned down, and they embraced. Having his strong arms wrapped around her felt so good and she felt so safe that she began sobbing, letting go of the pent-up emotions she had been awash in since their limo was cut off and the van doors flew open.
Erik held her tightly and spoke soothingly to her, letting her cry it out while quietly offering solace and assurance. When she calmed down, she didn’t want to talk about it, asking instead about her family, friends, the projects in which Erik and Johnny were involved. She knew it was avoidance, as did they, but she needed to remove herself, if only momentarily.
A nurse entered and said, “Miss Olsson, the police are here to get your statement. Are you feeling well enough?”
Everyone looked at Carl, who replied, “My client needs a little more time. Please ask them to return tomorrow.” She nodded and left.
“Andi gave us a replay of the incident, but I have a few questions, Annika,” Carl said with unusual formality. “First, given that you don’t have a California permit to carry and there is no reciprocity with Texas, where you do, was Andi carrying your pistol in her purse, or how did you get it?”
Annika turned her puzzled head to face Erik, whose nod was almost imperceptible. She turned back to Dad. “She was carrying it in her purse.”
“Is that what Andi said, Erik?” “Yes, she said she was carrying it as a backup, and is really glad she did, or they would both be dead.”
They looked at Annika, who nodded. “Anything else?” “Yes. Just to clarify, neither you nor Andi fired until the men fired at the driver; is that correct?”
“Actually, neither of us fired until after they had shot the driver, shot the door lock, yanked the door open, and pointed a revolver at us while yelling for us to get out of the car. I fired then, and Andi may have too – I don’t remember. Too much chaos from that point on.”
“I know you’d like to forget about it, but your legal team will be here soon, and we need you to tell us everything you remember. Your lawyers and I will be with you tomorrow when you give your statement, so we need to know every detail you can remember.
“At Bill’s request and with Andi’s approval, another team will be representing her. Both teams should be here soon. Are you up for this?”
“No, I’m not, but I guess I don’t have a choice. Can Erik stay?”
‘Unfortunately, no. Only your legal advisers, or we lose attorney-client privilege.”
“No problem; I can check in with Aila and see what she learned about this bunch. Hopefully, she can tie them to Anatoly Koslov and we can end this nonsense of bail being considered, or him magically becoming a Russian diplomat!”
The legal teams arrived a few minutes later. Erik had been lying on the bed holding Annika, who was wearing a new set of hospital scrubs that were the length of culottes on her. They moved to a reserved conference room and Erik went to get his laptop from the trunk of the Security First vehicle.
Aila had been a busy girl, and very successful. There were ties galore between the would-be kidnappers and Koslov, and also among them, Koslov, and members of a certain law firm: specifically, Charles Bryan Ellinger, III and IV. He was going to enjoy deconstructing that den of snakes! Meanwhile, he and his helper would keep finding the loose strings and tying them together for the prosecution.
But first things first: how to anonymously provide relevant information to law enforcement. The answer came from Bill Hammer, who had just arrived with his wife, former top model and entertainer, and now PhD psychologist, Milly. After the hugs, kisses, and updates, Erik asked for advice. Bill suggested he put the findings in the hands of Security First, Los Angeles, which, due to the injuries to its personnel, was engaged and sharing with the Hollywood PD.
Bill called, a packet was sent, and Erik took Bill and Milly to Annika’s room to wait for her return.
Remembering, retelling, and being questioned about the carjacking/ kidnapping/ shootings had not improved her mental or emotional health; she looked wane, tired, and on the verge of collapse as she approached her room. Seeing her fiancé, Bill, and Milly helped her rally a bit, but she kept looking at Milly as if she needed help.
Bill and Erik saw that and went to the waiting room to talk, and to head Carl off if he tried to go into her room. She needed time with Milly, and no further interrogation about the traumatic events of the previous afternoon.
Erik’s tablet showed Aila’s continuing search had borne more fruit; he reviewed it, deemed it relevant, and sent it to his contact at Security First. He wasn’t sure what the DA would consider it “tied with a bow” but he had supplied enough to satisfy any normal human.
Ellington and Ellington LLP solidified their place in the criminal enterprise by rushing in wearing combat boots and making demands for gag orders and suppression of everything from eyewitness statements to video footage from security cameras along the boulevard. No judge, even one under Koslov’s0. control, could issue such orders and not have them at once overturned on appeal, yet here they were making very public statements about illegally obtained evidence being prejudicial to their clients.
Their actions were laughable but showed an element of panic he had not expected; perhaps this second failed attempt and the prospect of Annika again going on national TV elicited that response. Had they been successful, had their target been silenced, and had they escaped, Koslov would have been in a much different position. As things stood now, however, his chances of release on any grounds were headed straight to hell in a handbasket, and an appearance by Annika could seal his fate.
Erik realized Koslov was a cornered wolf, and therefore even more dangerous; he dialed Bill’s number and expressed his fears, but Bill was way ahead of him. Carl returned, but after speaking with Erik, began phone conversations with colleagues. Bill showed up a little later, and he updated Dad before beginning a phone conversation of his own.
Erik read the file Aila had accumulated on Ellington IV before beginning his own search of records tying Koslov’s gang to the law firm. Aila was thorough, but Erik noticed clues in the data that he could pursue.
Hours passed before Bill, Carl, and Erik heard Milly’s voice softly calling them. Annika had been given something to help her sleep and they could see her tomorrow, after everyone had eaten and slept. Bill assured them that the IDF would have a problem getting into this hospital with the security now in place, and insisted they join him and his wife at a nearby restaurant named The Warehouse, which was on the water by the marina.
They had a beer, ate fresh seafood, and retired to rooms Security First had reserved at the Marina del Rey hotel, which was within walking distance from the hospital. Erik had no idea what Carl did, but he checked on Annika and Andi, was told there was no change, and got the same answer when he asked about the other wounded. He went to bed, slept like a log, and awoke refreshed and ready for the trying day ahead.
“Good morning, Angel! Did you sleep well?”
“They gave me something that zonked me, but I didn’t awake refreshed, like you!” she said with a saucy smile. “Tell me what’s going on in that big brain, Mister Smarty Pants.”
“Nope, not until I’ve had some kisssin and huggin and snugglin! They we can talk!”
The doctor making her morning rounds found Erik in her patient’s bed, with her snuggled in his arms. She watched for a few moments before clearing her throat and laughed when Annika refused to let him untangle. “No! This is the first time I’ve felt safe since this mess started! I can answer questions like this!” If came out muffled, since her head was against his chest, but Dr. Watkins chuckled.
“Okay, we can do it that way. How do you feel this morning, and how did you sleep?”
“I slept like I was drugged and felt stupid and afraid when I woke up, but Erik holding me took away my fear – now I just feel stupid from the drugs. Couldn’t he just sleep with me? Then I’d sleep well and feel safe!”
“I spoke with your friend Dr. Hammer last night. We agree on your treatment and the prognosis, if you fully engage in the treatment, so let’s focus on that this morning. Come with me now, so you can confer with Milly before giving your statement to the police at noon.
“Mr. Wonderful,” she said with a grin after Annika went into the bathroom to put on a new, longer pair of scrubs, “You can wait here or do whatever it is that you do that’s going to change the world until she gets back in about 70 minutes, but you need to give her private time with Dr. Hammer. She’s making remarkable progress, but there is no quick fix for the kind of ordeal she’s suffered through. The treatment I provide is proven effective for post-traumatic stress syndrome patients, but we’re trying to prevent the syndrome from developing.
“Milly offers the counseling aspect she needs to fight the anxiety and depression that commonly develops after being in such a violent event, and you, Mr. Perfect, distract her from the whole damned thing and refocus her on the perfect future she envisions with you. We each have a role to play, and I suggest you be close by when she has to face the police, and then the press. I’ll also suggest to the staff that you spending the night with her is a thing to be encouraged and supported in lieu of drugs.”
“So, in your medical opinion, am I Mr. Wonderfully Perfect, or Mr. Perfectly Wonderful?” he asked with his best shit-eating grin.
“Neither: however, in my medical opinion, you’re probably the luckiest man in the world. She’s a uniquely brave, strong, smart woman, in addition to being other-worldly beautiful, and her bond with you is preternaturally powerful. She actually told me, and Dr. Hammer, that when it all began and the terror began to overwhelm her, she blocked everything out of her mind except her future with you and fought to save that! Not herself – her future with you! Think about that.”
He did, after they left, and then he took more measures to ensure that future. Koslov was relentless; therefore, he had to be more relentless, and he was familiar with the marketplace of relentlessness. It might require a loan from Oliver, but he already had the line of credit.
As incredible as Aila had been in finding and gathering the loose ends of Koslov’s empire, it was his intuition that would bring the Ellingtons to their knees. The college stories of Chas’ misuse and abuse of girls and women near and abroad offered an avenue of exploration that yielded more than he had hoped, and unearthed evidence implicating father and son in Koslov’s sex trafficking and blackmail schemes. Erik didn’t have proof positive by the time he joined Annika and her legal team, but Aila stayed hot on the trail while they met.
Despite the limitless ‘what ifs’ her lawyers had raised among themselves over the last twenty-four hours, the only issue anyone could come up with was why she had the gun, and Erik couldn’t understand the consternation over that.
“She brought the pistol because her freedom and life has been in jeopardy since the kidnapping! She is fully trained to use the pistol and is licensed to carry it in Texas. She wasn’t carrying at the time: her pistol was in Andi’s purse as a backup, but she took, or was given, the pistol when the carjacking maneuver was executed and men with guns ran toward them firing at the driver and at their door. They were in fear for their mortal lives!
“Their success in fending off the carjacking/ kidnapping/ murder attempt was predicated on the training they got at Bill Hammer’s course, and Bill will testify to their use of the course. Neither fired until after they were in imminent danger and their driver had been shot. The evidence shows – and understand that I’ve watched the security tapes from the nearby buildings – that the van behind them opened fire on the security team trailing them and swerved in front of their car several seconds before the maneuver that pinned them against the curb was executed.
“It’s clear on the tapes that every action they took was in self-defense! So, explain why we’re so worried about the police statement and report?”
Carl nodded at Amos, the top defense lawyer on his team. “The FBI has inserted itself into the mix. Two special agents from Minneapolis and two from Texas met at the local office the morning after, and they were joined by agents from Homeland, the DOJ, and the State Department. We suspect – well, fear – that the effort to free Koslov has more to do with their involvement than the attempt on Annika’s life and the injuries sustained by her security team.”
“I don’t think so – they can’t be that stupid! If that is the case, then shoot this down. ‘Due to overwhelming demand’ we set up a press conference for a few hours after she gives the statement. If this is legit, she provides only basic information, asks for prayers for the injured, etc. If it isn’t, she lays out the whole damn thing and the public and press go after them. She did it once; she can do it again!”
Amos looked bumfuzzled; the LA attorney’s both smiled, and Carl shook his head: “We’re not used to dealing with celebrity clients in Minneapolis.” Carl chuckled and then nodded at the local attorneys. “You guys are: what do you think?”
“Two thumbs up from me!” one answered. “She tore them a new one last time, and this time she will have a world-wide audience and an even more powerful tale to tell!”
Her partner nodded enthusiastically. “We might need more than two hours to prepare the script, though. Maybe set it up about 5:30?”
“I didn’t use a script last time, and I won’t this time! We can outline my response either way, but I won’t go up there with a teleprompter or a written script! This isn’t a movie – this is my life!
“Now, let’s get back to the statement. I assume it will be bare bones if it looks like a legitimate investigation, but do I tell everything if it doesn’t?”
Erik looked up from his tablet. “The agents from Texas are the two who came to the lake house. I can’t see them taking part in the kind of subterfuge we suspect, but we know nothing about the rest. Perhaps we should read the room and then you can have a brief consultation with your client before she begins, Amos.”
“Do you want us to set up the press opportunity?” asked Joyce, the lead attorney from the local firm. They did, and then Carl asked, “Are you ready, Angel?”
“Give me five minutes with Erik first, and make sure Milly is close by, please. I’m determined, but I’m also anxious.”
They spent their five minutes in an embrace, with whispered words and sighs and promises, then joined the others in the walk to the large conference room in the administrative wing of the hospital. Annika wore tailored pants with a sleeveless top that showed the cuts and abrasions on her arms, neck, and face from the flying glass. Her face was neutral, as was her fiancé’s; her father’s was bordering on angry before they even went inside.
They took six seats on the near side of the oblong table. Facing them were the investigators from the Hollywood PD, flanked on one side by four agents wearing FBI identification badges, and on the other by a man wearing a Homeland Security badge, a woman wearing a United States Department of Justice pin on her lapel, and another woman with a pin bearing the Department of State seal.
The investigators looked hopeful; the agents from Minnesota looked abashed, and Don Helms and Sam Jackson beamed welcome smiles. Homeland looked dour, but DOJ and State were anxious, in an excited way. Carl introduced those on our side of the table, and the lead investigator did the honors on their side.
Amos began, “My client…” but the woman introduced as the Undersecretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights, Consuelo Fernandez interrupted him. “Mr. Mosley, if I may, I believe Miss Olsson will feel more comfortable if I clear something up regarding Mr. Koslov.
“Miss Olsson, the Russian Federation ended their effort to award diplomatic status to Mr. Koslov earlier today, after the Secretary of State clarified the position of the United States government in relation to Mr. Koslov.
“Likewise, the Department of Justice has officially taken the position that, due to Mr. Koslov being charged with crimes that carry a life sentence, it opposes the grant of bail. Since several of those crimes violate federal statutes, he is being moved to a highly secure federal facility to await trial. His contact with the outside world will be severely limited due to evidence we have received that indicates he was behind the attempt on your life two days ago.”
Erik’s unwavering eyes remained affixed to the Undersecretary, who turned to him. “Mr. Swahn, would you like to ask something?”
“Secretary Fernandez, I have reason to believe that Koslov’s attorneys are a part of and instrumental to his criminal enterprises in the United States and Europe. Should they continue to have contact with him, I fear they will continue to act as liaisons to his gang of criminals.”
Assistant Attorney General Mary Simpson gave him a knowing smile. “It is interesting that you raise this issue. We began receiving information to that effect and evidence to support it, this very morning. Although we have not had time to process, verify, and confirm that information, we have a team committed to that purpose. Mr. Koslov will not have the benefit of said counsel until we have come to a determination regarding their involvement.”
“Thank you, Madame Secretary.”
“No, thank you Mr. Swahn,” she replied with an enigmatic smile.
Amos leaned over to speak to Annika, who was gently pinching Erik’s leg, and then rubbing and patting it. She easily discerned his role in the undersecretary’s words and was letting him know she had.
She nodded at Amos, who stated for the record that his client was now prepared to offer her statement. Annika then recounted the events with unerring accuracy and in remarkable detail. When she finished, Sam Jackson spoke up, his face split in a grin, “We told you! Now, just go ahead and test her! Check the video and eyewitness accounts – she will be very close to 100% correct! Darndest thing we’d ever seen! Almost photographic recall of events and faces both times!”
Annika quietly answered, “As I explained to you and Special Agent Helms, Mr. Jackson, in the worlds of modeling and commercial modeling, forgetting names, faces, or sequence of events can cost you jobs and money. I have a lifetime in that business, and I don’t forget those things. I especially don’t forget the kind of traumatic events that have plagued me since Anatoly Koslov came into my life!
“As some of you already know, I have a press event scheduled for later today. They will want information the police haven’t yet provided; what am I to tell them? I can provide the information in detail, as I have provided it to you, and, as I was prepared to do, include information that has come to light proving this second attempt on my life was also Koslov’s doing. I can also continue my efforts to ensure that Koslov is still behind bars when Satan calls him home!
Her voice had grown stronger, but now she spoke quietly. “Or… I can be complimentary of the work of the various law enforcement agencies and defer to you for details, Lt. Kasper and Detective Charles. After you and the agents finish your statements, I can introduce Ms. Fernandez and Ms. Simpson to update Koslov’s current status, instead of continuing my crusade against him and those trying to aid his return to Russia.
“Ladies, Gentlemen: which do you prefer?” she asked in a challenging tone.
Gesturing to Annika and Erik, AAG Simpson said, “I don’t know why the two of you bothered to bring attorneys with you: you are a most formidable pair!
“I think I speak for everyone on this side of the table when I say we prefer door two, where you are complementary and defer to us to update the press. We’ve all seen and heard you speak from the steps of the Texas capitol building and choose not to be in your crosshairs again, Ms. Olsson. There are still bleeding ulcers in Washington from the last time, although your words did prove prophetic, and you did force what was not previously the preferred outcome.”
Amos intervened at this point. “To confirm what I’ve heard today in this room – Miss Olsson’s statement is acceptable to you, Lt. Kasper and Detective Charles, and to the FBI special agents also involved in the investigation. Is that correct?”
After receiving affirmative responses from all parties, Mosely continued. “The State Department will not be granting diplomatic status, and immunity, to Anatoly Koslov, who is now in federal custody in a secure facility. Are those correct statements?”
After affirmative responses, he asked, “And you will be so informing those present at our media opportunity in a few hours, is that correct?
“Let the record show that all present affirmed my statements.
“Miss Olsson, your physician has agreed to allow you to eat a late lunch with us, if you aren’t too tired. We’re walking across the street to the T head, where SALT restaurant serves fresh locally sourced foods. Mr. and Mrs. Hammer will be joining us; would anyone else like to come along?
“Mr. Olsson is buying,” he added with a smile.
No one declined, and they walked over as a large and well secured group, what with both federal and Security First escorts hovering. Upon arrival, they were escorted into a separate dining room, and the door was closed.
Annika was glad the ordeal was over, she was glad to be with her dad and fiancé, and she was glad to see Milly and Bill; but she was unnaturally subdued, quiet, and tentative. After completing the meal, Milly invited her to the restroom, and then they adjourned to a quiet table off to the side while the others continued their wide-ranging conversation.
Erik tried to stay on the edge of the conversation and keep an eye on Annika, but Simpson and Fernandez would have none of that. While the men discussed their hopes for the Rams, Chargers, Vikings, Texans, and/or Cowboys, he was queried about the logistics program and about rumors of another breakthrough program using AI more expansively.
He was open to discussion about the logistics program’s potential for improved efficiency in government and military planning/ logistics, but he was dismissive about the rumored program, calling it ‘pie in the sky, a dream at best.’ They looked less than convinced but accepted his preference for talking about the logistics program, which was proving highly effective.
He knew these were potentially humongous clients, though, and he knew that at some point in the not-so-distant future, government assistance would be necessary to protect the ‘green module’ in development and production. But not yet; there was little to protect beyond his emerging vision.
The more immediate, admittedly first-world problem he faced, was that these potential clients were too large and demanding for Greenlight in its current iteration. It would be like a farmer who developed the perfect tomato on his 25-acre farm, and Walmart came calling, wanting millions for its stores.
The last thing he wanted was to move production overseas, but building a plant of sufficient size with sufficient production capability was beyond the scope of their financing at this time.
None the less, he agreed to talk to representatives, but asked for at least sixty days to get things sorted out and prepared before meeting, to which they agreed. He was given contact information for the government/ military point men, and Erik promised to contact them before the new year began.
Annika’s countenance had slowly morphed as her informal counseling session with Milly continued. She appeared less tense and anxious, her posture was better, and her mouth and eyes looked more relaxed in profile. A little more than two hours remained before the press opportunity, but she had done nothing to prepare. Maybe she had forgotten, maybe she didn’t see it as a problem, or maybe she and Milly had a plan. In any case, he wasn’t going to intervene in whatever they had going.
At his table the planning was well underway, and included Annika’s publicist, Amanda, and her manager, Cal, via teleconference. But they were present only in Carl’s earbud. Consensus was moving toward Annika describing the trucks and vans pinning them in, and turning it over to the police spokesperson, who would gloss over Andi and Annika’s roles in the shootings. Simpson would then state that the government had determined Koslov was not now and never had been a diplomat, and the Russian Federation had withdrawn its request for diplomatic status.
Fernandez would inform the press that the Hollywood PD and FBI had uncovered evidence that Koslov was behind the kidnapping attempt in Minnesota as well as the events on Hollywood Boulevard. Whether that was another attempted kidnapping or attempted murder was uncertain, but they were making progress toward a determination and should have an announcement within a few days. Meanwhile, Koslov had been transferred to a secure federal facility and was being held without bail.
Annika and Milly rejoined the group at 3:28pm, and Annika asked to be briefed on the plans. She listened, and then her questions began “Why are we not telling the truth? It’s going to come out anyway, including that Andi and I shot the bad guys. There are too many witnesses and too much security tape the media can get through open records requests. Why don’t we get in front of this and tell the full story? My actions may end my career, but they were trying to end my life! I have no guilt, and I feel no need to lie to cover up what I did.
“And if she is able, I want Andi beside me. She’s the reason I’m alive and free, rather than dead or enslaved in Russia!”
The lawyers and law enforcement officials entered into a hot discussion about the many ramifications of telling the whole story, or not telling the whole story. Annika laid her head on Erik’s shoulder, wrapped her hands around his arm, and listened; neither spoke. Bill Hammer was also silent, until the others had talked themselves down a bit.
“If I were still a Ranger and this was Texas, I’d put the two young ladies up there and let them tell the story. There may be some legal issues that get raised about firearms, and there will be some editorials, but those are going to occur whenever the story gets told. But the editorials won’t include charges of ‘coverups and lack of transparency’ like they will a few weeks from now if we don’t let them tell their story.
“Just my two cents, and that’s what it’s worth. I won’t have to face the heat either way.”
Milly then spoke up. “Annika is traumatized, but telling the story won’t make it worse. Citizens of this country deserve to know what happened and who was behind it, and no one can tell the story like she and Andi can. Everything else you have planned still makes sense, in my opinion, but obfuscation and half-truths serve no one in this case.”
Andi, strapped into a special wheelchair, did join them forty minutes before the media conference began. She and Annika went over their respective outlines, and then she was introduced to the ones she didn’t know and greeted those she did.
She was on just enough pain medication to be verbally fluent, but perhaps without some of the filters she might otherwise employ in such a situation. She wanted to tell the story, let Annika fill in or add as she saw fit, and then summarize and close. No one disagreed, but Erik smiled; he had heard her version, and it was vivid. He could see the movie script being written as she spoke.
Sitting in her wheelchair, covered by a light blanket, with Annika sitting in a chair beside her, Andi told the story to the horde of media just as she told it to Erik and Carl: with vivid imagery and with a smidgen of black humor as she described bullets spraying the limo, breaking windows, and whining past their heads as they fired back to save themselves.
She pointed out that Annika spotted the truck and vans hemming them in, that she took the handgun she had been trained to use on Bill Hammer’s course in Texas, and that she fired with unerring accuracy – but only after their driver had been shot, their door blasted open, and guns extended into the back seat toward them. She credited Annika with saving them and called her the bravest person she knew and a modern American hero.
Annika added to the story from her perspective, and credited Andi for their survival, both for training her and for Andi’s cool courage and leadership while under fire. There was a firestorm of questions after they finished, but the police spokesperson said they would take no questions today and introduced the HPD investigators to provide more information.
The rest of the show went as scripted, although Simpson and Fernandez went out of their ways to acknowledge the courage and heroism of the young women with whom they were honored to share the stage, and rather dramatically spelled out the efforts of their respective agencies to further protect Annika.
She smiled wanly throughout, letting her fatigue and anxiety show while keeping a still upper lip, like British royalty. Had it been a publicity stunt it would have won awards, but it was a true story, and it dominated the airwaves and internet for days upon end. The California governor and the President vied to give them the greater praise and more prestigious proclamations, and the Texas governor named them honorary Texans.
Amanda and Cal had to rearrange and reorganize Annika’s schedule, and sort through scores of offers for appearances and speeches as well as commercials, photo shoots, and endorsements. Annika, however, disappeared from the national stage. Rumors had her in various places in Texas, including Hondo, Canyon Lake, Austin, San Marcos, San Antonio, and even Dallas.
They weren’t all wrong. She was near Canyon Lake, staying with Bill and Milly, and she was in Hondo, with Erik, his family, and her family. She was also at the Lost Pines Resort, with Erik in the woods east of Bastrop, at Honey’s Pizza and Amy’s Ice Cream in Smithville, and at a Family Crisis Center benefit dance at the Knights of Columbus Hall in LaGrange.
But, more than anything, she spent her time in counseling and therapy with Milly and Sally, a specialist in post-traumatic stress whom Milly had brought in to help. Erik was in Minneapolis, he was all over Texas, and he was holed up on Canyon Lake with two members of the development team working on the comprehensive version of the green module while Annika and Andi were with Milly and Sally.
October flew by. Erik got premium tickets to Longhorns’ home football games on two Saturdays, and Annika experienced the feeling of 103,000 screaming fans rabidly supporting their football team. She also met ‘the Minister of Culture’ himself and was impressed that an Oscar-winning actor loved teaching and football as much as his craft.
Matthew McConaughy was impressed that someone could look that good in a burnt orange minidress and boots, and told Erik he was a lucky SOB, to which he agreed. Matthew and Camila wrangled them an invitation to an exclusive after-game party, where they met Sark and the other coaches, and many the wealthiest and most powerful people in Texas.
Knowing the names, Erik was impressed; they, however, were impressed by his “beautiful and courageous” fiancée, who heard over and over from the men that her appearances on TV and social media caused them to contact their respective elected officials in protest of her treatment. The women focused on her ill-treatment and bravery, exclaiming that they could not even imagine being kidnapped and then being involved in a gunfight!
For once, Erik understood the value of seeing and being seen, and of meeting and having conversations with women and men of great means. He also was known to a few, mostly those in the transportation or tech sectors, and by several investors. They left exhilarated, without benefit of alcohol or drugs.
They dressed in Halloween costumes to go trick or treating with Erik and Johnny’s siblings in Hondo, another new experience for Annika. She enjoyed trick or treating but loved handing out treats at the Lone Star Transportation offices more. She was giddy on sugar and new experiences when Halloween came to an end, but Erik removing her black wig and witch costume and eating her like candy brought a much stronger sugar rush.
Soon it was Thanksgiving, and the Lundells and Swahns joined the Olssons in Minnesota to celebrate their first snowy Turkey Day. Loyalties were divided that afternoon when the Vikings played the Cowboys, but it was all in fun. There were the side bets that Annika and Hanna happily paid off that night, before receiving as good as they gave.
Erik was certain the only thing better than his beautiful fiancée on her knees looking up at him with his cock in her mouth was her luscious blondness lying spread-eagle on his dark sheets, looking down at him with hooded eyes as he kissed, bit, and sucked his way up her lovely legs. Johnny thought the same as his eyes locked with Hanna’s while she swallowed his substantial cock, and when she locked those muscular legs around his head and cried out in ecstasy, he knew his heart was forever lost to her.
On Monday, Annika flew back to Texas with the Lundells and Swahns to resume her counseling and recovery; Hanna went back to teaching; Erik and Johnny went about reorganizing Greenlight, LLC to address their evolving situation. That began by selecting from among a group of over-qualified MBAs with too much successful experience to be taking the job they offered, but the word was out, and young lions wanted to be a part of what was to come.
Though seemingly not the best choice on paper, or the most well connected, Cassandra (Cassie) Saunders was the ultimate choice. She had already helped shepherd one emerging tech company into prominence, and she had a JD specializing in Business/Corporate Law from the University of Chicago atop an MBA from McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas. What separated her from the others was that she was a human dynamo – insightful, brilliantly intelligent, irrepressible in conversation, and an instinctual and effective leader of other brilliant young minds.
That she was from Katy, just west of Houston, and that her family had generational success in manufacturing certainly didn’t hurt. And to top it all off, she was as gorgeous as you would expect a former Texas Pom captain to be.
They knew Annika and Hanna would be worried when they saw her, but they also knew that being introduced to her NFL all-star quarterback husband would resolve that rather quickly. As hunky as they were, neither Erik nor Johnny was on his level of hunkiness – or wealth!
Cassie accepted the contract on December 1, and her duties as COO began January 31, after serving her notice. At that point, Johnny would become the head of the Engineering and Maintenance sector of Greenlight and Erik would be head of Research and Development. As envisioned, all would operate in the Olsson building until construction in Texas allowed R&D to transition down there, where the manufacturing would likely take place.
They had to acquire space for an executive suite and office from Carl for Cassie and her four-person staff, all of whom came with her, but that was easily accomplished; Carl wanted them there as long as possible!
With Annika’s consent, Amanda, Cal, and Carl had cancelled, delayed, or rescheduled all contracted appearances until the new year, giving her time to heal and rehabilitate. She did, however, make periodic appearances, usually with Andi, to talk about why a woman should be trained in self-defense, be ready and able to meet challenges and danger, and develop the mental toughness to stand up for herself in any situation – including family or relationship violence.
Even with minimal advance notice, these were SRO events and YouTube sensations. Annika’s stand against a powerful criminal and those who would abet him, and then her actions for self-preservation when attacked, made her a ‘cover girl’ of a very different type – the “Empowered Woman” movement.
When she and Andi learned the Halloween costume most favored by high school and college girls this year was the “Dynamic Duo,” they were embarrassed. Erik laughed. “So, Andi’s costume was Casper the Friendly Ghost, and Annika was dressed in a pointed hat with black wig, a ground length witch’s dress, and black booties, when you could have been strutting around in your mini-skirts and fishnet hose with high heels, carrying water pistols, and been a whole lot cooler! You girls are out of touch with pop culture and getting old!”
They talked it over and decided to continue the ’empowerment talks’ but focus more on education, cultural and gender issues, and acceptance of differences, while holding true to the ‘stop abuse in its tracks’ theme they had developed.
Admittedly, their new status appealed to the ego, but Annika had extensive experience in the effects of egocentric decisions and lifestyles; she kept them grounded.
There was a downside, however: as has become true throughout American society, the “Zero Sum” notion that empowerment of one group results in the demeaning of another reared its ugly head. Suddenly, there were protestors at their events, and they began receiving threatening mail, emails, and social media posts.
It was a motley opposition composed of ‘religious leaders’ seeking notice by quoting obscure biblical text from an era when women were chattel, to ‘moms in opposition to the use of violence,’ to men carrying Nazi flags and chanting filth about a woman’s proper place. They were badly outnumbered, booed, and widely reviled, but ‘they’ posed a new physical danger that their security teams and the FBI took seriously.
Annika and Erik took a break beginning in mid-December to be a part of family Christmas and New Year celebrations, which again included spending time in south Texas and Minnesota. Annika let Erik know that she wanted only one Christmas present: a date for their wedding! He gave her two: the first was her choice of June dates and locations, with notice that she had no scheduled appearances during the entire month! She was ecstatic and gave him memorable gift after gift from Christmas Eve through the New Year celebrations.
The second involved a brief trip to see the progress on development of their land in Bastrop County, and a right turn as they pulled out the gate to leave. Erik followed a freshly topped, winding road among the trees until he arrived at a three-story house with an observation tower and a ‘widow’s walk.’ The house was surrounded by scaffolding, workers, and equipment, with supplies and lumber stored in the four-car garage just behind the monstrosity.
“What… where are we?” she asked. He climbed out, held the door for her, took her hand, and walked toward the imposing house. “Where are we? We’re at our first home! Yes, it needs some work, but it will be everything you want it to be by July! But before we do any more, we need your guidance.”
I decided shorter chapters were in everyone’s best interest as this part of their tale winds down. There is just too much going on in my life as the holidays approach to keep churning out forty-fifty pages and making you wait. Thanks for being patient.