Zero Day, стр. 30

Chapter 27

The more Kelvin assisted law enforcement agencies in Europe, the United Kingdom, and the United States, the more prison time he was able to chip away. As another year progressed, he became more confident that it would be over soon.

Then he could fly home to the United States to put some flowers on his mother’s grave.

His modified house arrest was going well. It was the best deal his attorney could negotiate for him. Five years served in prison and two years under house arrest.

The last two years of his five years at the prison had been some of his busiest years. If the CIA didn’t want something from him, the FSB did. If neither did, then MI6 or INTERPOL had questions. And the cycle continued for twenty-four months.

And then he was under house arrest.

That was a big deal to Kelvin because he could work for Dmitri—right in the same office that Yona worked in. Dmitri had vouched for him, which meant all the world to Kelvin.

Every day, as long as he was either at his small flat or at Dmitri’s office complex, he was fine. Once a week, he could take Yona out to a dinner and theater or concert. Other days, he ate his meals either at work or at his apartment. They let him walk along the river and on the bridges as long as he didn’t leave the Prague city limits.

In spite of all that, he still had to check in with his CIA handler every day, not to mention his assigned prison officer. He got used to that fast, because breathing fresh air out here was better than inhaling stale air inside that prison, as historic as the place might be.

The rest of the time, Kelvin was busy working for Dmitri, who had feelers in many governments. Even though he had rounded up Ulysses’s colleagues for the CIA and FSB, they still called him for other things. It gave Kelvin a chance to ask them if they had found Reuel.

Speaking of Dmitri, he had moved his entire European operation to Prague. His business partner remained in the States, but Dmitri hardly went home anymore.

Kelvin liked Dmitri’s new office complex in Prague. He could see Yona almost daily. Sometimes several times a day when she was in town.

This early spring morning was special because Kelvin had finished praying about it and felt in his heart that the timing was right.

It had been right for a while now.

He was especially grateful to God that Yona agreed to have dinner with him once a week. Sometimes they ate lunch together at the office. Takeout from the cafeteria.

Yona had given Kelvin the impression that they were an item. He enjoyed their strolls by the river and the sweet kisses that followed.

Yona had not judged him based on his criminal past, but had been fair to him. She had focused on his present-day redemption and what he did with the second chance that God had given him to lead a new life.

Kelvin wasn’t going to let God down.

Or Yona. Who respected him as a human being, in spit of his past foibles and foolishness.

Kelvin could tell that Yona had warmed up to him over the past year, not because they were two lonely people in Prague or that they had a history together, but perhaps because they both wanted to start over and have new lives.

And at this moment in time, God had seen it fit to bring them together.

There must be something more than coffee and kisses.

Would she have kissed someone she disliked? Probably not.

Kelvin glanced at the clock. It was 7:50 a.m.

Five more minutes and Yona should be coming through the elevator doors and heading to her office.

At precisely 8:00 a.m., she would be at her desk, logging in to her computer.

Kelvin wondered how she would react to the multicolored tulips on her desk and the note he’d left for her. He had bought the flowers and delivered them himself.

Kelvin started to get nervous, which was highly unusual.

He hadn’t been nervous when they sentenced him to seven years in jail and three years of house arrest.

He hadn’t been nervous when his cooperation from behind prison walls reduced his sentence to five years in jail and three years of house arrest.

Now he was nervous to the bones.

The elevator door opened.

7:55 a.m.

Kelvin braced himself.

From his cubicle, he had a direct view of the hallway and the bank of glass walls. In the middle of the row of offices, Yona unlocked her door. She was carrying a cup of coffee in her hand and a backpack on her back.

She was dressed in all black leather, and her hair was tied up in a bun behind her head. She was dressed to leave.

Kelvin’s heart sank. He was hoping to talk things out at lunch, but she looked like she might not have time for him today.

Yona put the coffee down and stared at the flowers and note. She opened the envelope and pulled out the note.

Kelvin held his breath.

She turned and faced the glass wall and looked directly at Kelvin.

He froze.

He shouldn’t have been staring. Now he had no chance to pretend like he wasn’t.

Yona crossed the hallway in her combat boots, Kelvin’s note in her hand.

Her lips reached his before their arms intertwined.

There must be some office policy, but Kelvin couldn’t remember what.

When she came up for air, she said, “My answer is yes. Now ask me properly.”

Kelvin looked around. There were at least half a dozen people staring at them.

“Now?” Kelvin could feel the shudder in his own voice. “I was going to ask you at lunch.”

“I’m leaving in thirty minutes.” Yona stepped back. “If you don’t ask me face to face, is it even valid?”

“In private?”

Yona waved her arms. “There is no privacy here. It’s an open space.”

“Uh…”

“It’s okay if you want to wait three months.”

“Is that how long you’ll be gone?”

Yona nodded. “Or longer.”

This is it! Help me, Lord.

Kelvin knelt down on one knee. A ring