The Masterful Russian. Cordelia Gregory

injured body could manage.

      She was getting no help from the man huddled in the corner with his family as he tried to protect his two small children and wife from the scene. Gabriel frowned and leaned out of the helicopter feeling the wind blow at his face to get a closer look at the wheel as Antonia knocked the gun from the man’s hand when his grip relaxed after she’d kneed him. He waved at the pilot to move as close as he dared. The capsule moved up into its next position making it third from the top. He leaned forward ready to risk his life and jump onto the top of the glass capsule.

      His heart beating fast and his breath ragged, Gabriel put his trust in his capability leaving no question in his mind that he would make the jump and then executed it without hesitation. He grimaced as the weight of his body fell flat across the top and started to slide down the glass covered side making him quickly reach out and hold on to the lever on top of the trap door to stop himself sliding over the edge.

      “Gabriel,” the pilot shouted in his mic with concern noticing he couldn’t move for a moment.

      “I’m fine. Just getting my breath back,” he said with a trace of humour in his voice. He grinned at the pilot and waved at him before heaving himself up to a standing position and trying to open the trap door on top of Antonia’s capsule. Once more his heart thudded like an express train careering down the track as his body swayed in the wind that threatened to push him off the side. He loved the power surge it created in his body allowing him to operate at optimum strength. It made him feel alive as the morning sun beat down on him and the London city landscape hovered below. He glanced down, hearing the sound of police sirens scream and echo down below.

      As he twisted the door lever and the safety mechanism he could hear the muffled sounds of fighting and angry shouts. He wondered how much longer Antonia could last and hurried to get the damn door open. Every thought in his mind was clear, every movement made with precision and expert calculation to maintain his balance yet lose none of his speed. This was how he functioned on a mission just as he had been trained previously by the Russian secret service, the GRU. And later by United Global Defence when they had asked him to work for them as an operative after he’d shown excellent leadership and skill on an army exercise that went terribly wrong. The trap door opened and he jumped inside to join the fight.