The Merchant of the Black Market, A Lex Jackson thriller: Book two

Chapter 33: I grew accustomed to walking the knife-edge

She grabbed the envelope from the curator. The curator looked worried not sure what was going on or going to happen to him. He had done what she had asked of him. But he had stories about Ruyan and how ruthless she was so that him made more nervous and afraid for his life.

"I'm done what you asked Miss Ruyan," The curator remarked.

"Yes You have and did you I will have one of my men fly you back to St.Petersburg after I done," Ruyan told him.

She walked out of the study and down the door grabbed the door strolling out of the safe house. Strolling over to the helicopter, she looked back and knew that she would put a round into the curator because he knew muchTo about were her safe house.

The armed GRU agent grabbed the door on the helicopter, for her. Ruyan climbed in The GRU agent slammed the door closed. The helicopter lifted up int the sky over the city.

She slipped back on her dark sunglasses, Like the phoenix, she had risen from the ashes to be better and more dangerous.

In a little, while she would be landing outside, the Sovereign Military Order of Malta and all hell break loose once she revealed the truth about the Knights. She had big plans for the Order.

The helicopter landed outside the Archway, of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. GrandMaster Milano got up fro where he was sitting walked over to the window looking out and saw the helicopter.

The pilot stepped out and grabbed the door for Ruyan as she climbed out carrying the vanilla envelope making way her over to the archway where suddenly Eight Knights stood on guard with swords gripped.

"I'm here to see GrandMaster Milano on a serious matter that has to do with Russia," Ruyan snarled.

The Knights didn't move at away from the archway .the look on their faces was dead serious. Ruyan was going to pull out her suppressed Glock but decided not to. Grand Master Milano walked out of his office, ventured down the corridor, and the staircase into the courtyard.

"We are the Order of Malta, why do want to see me for?" GrandMaster asked in a firm voice looking at his Knights.

"Because you're supposedly Knights did, flee to St Petersburg after when Paul 1 took over as GrandMaster I have proof that," Ruyan stated holding up a large envelope and handed GrandMaster Milano it.

GrandMaster Miano pulled out the files from the envelope as he studied them closely, flipping through the pages. Yes, He had known about the Knights that fled to St Petersburg after Paul 1 the emperor. He started to wonder where this woman got these secret files from? And how that was the question? After he was done looking over the file, he handed them over to one of the Knights.

May I ask you who you are and how did you get these files?" GrandMaster Milano questioned.

"Madame Ruyan, Let's just say from a helpful curator at the Catherine Palace," Ruyan remarked in a calm cool voice but still in a threatening way.

"These files belong to the Order Miss Ruyan and are part of the Knights of Malta archive, They are never to be seen understand," GrandMaster Milano demanded

"You don't know if you're dealing with GrandMaster Milano I'm not just some lady, Have you ever heard of the White Nights and also I ordered people killed so be careful what you say GrandMaster Milano," Ruyan snarled.

"The Order isn't afraid of you madame Ruyan we have been around for centuries, it's you should be afraid," GrandMaster stated.

"Indeed, You have but you're just a bunch of old Knights but The Order needs a new powerful GrandMaster that is me," Ruyan snapped as she withdrew her suppressed Glock.

"It certainly is not you Madame Ruyan I can promise you that," GrandMaster Milano remarked walking away as he strolled into the building venturing the staircase to his office.

"It's not over GrandMaster Milano I will be the new GrandMaster of the Order either I have to kill all the Knights you hear," Ruyan yelled.

Ruyan stalked back to the helicopter, as the pilot jumped out grabbing the door for her as she climbed in and the pilot closed the door. The helicopter lifted into the sky over Rome.

GrandMaster Milano strolled back into the building ventured up the staircase to the third floor where his office was. He knew that far was coming that Victor Kenton was leading it with his Knights of Hospitallers. He only hoped that Leslie would see that she was meant to be a new GrandMaster. His time was coming to end.

That's why he sent his best Knight Malta to watch over her when she and the Raptor docked there. He walked into his office sitting down in the chair behind his desk. He had known about that chapel her grandfather and Knights had built for her. Everything was coming together now for him. His only was Victor.

But he did have an asset inside the MI6 that was Winston Kenneth. He had known Sir Aflano Gateno being killed but there was Nothing he could do it about it. He wondered if she would remember from when he came to see her mother at their home. There was so much at risk right now. The future of the Sovereign Military of Order. She was the answer to everything.

For years he had kept the Order secret safe as the GrandMaster but their new forces at play here that was the Sandino family that Victor was working with. Sooner or later the truth had to come out and when it did Victor wasn't going to be happy. He looked up at the pictures hung on the wall of all the old GrandMasters going back centuries he wondered if he remembered for this doing his part.

Time would tell he thought.

It all depended on that chapel he knew about. The only question was she would do the right thing or not. He knew what was in the chapel and the ancient sect wanted it so did the Knight of Malta. As along the two Papal request were kept safe that was he cared about. Truth be told he never liked Victor. So he had his put t plan into action and hoped that it worked. There were secrets he could never anyone.

He would take them to the grave or tell Leslie. There was an old saying that he went by that the Sovereign Military Order of Malta alive that was.

" I am nation I am in his plan action and hoped that it worked. million faces formed together I am soldier, I never surrender"

He and Raffaele had been friends since they had been Knights defending Malta like the Knights had done in the Great Siege.

But this ancient sect threatens what they represented and stood for. He couldn't believe that Victor was going to the most loved and famous painting in the world the Beheading of John the Baptist.