CHAPTER 1

Friday, April 25th, 1986 5:45pm Oakville, Canada

They sat in her car outside The Queen's Head. It was a clear evening, with the evening sun still in the sky. Vicky looked lovely with her blond hair held back with a clip, and her make-up just at the right level to show off her beautiful blue eyes. Ed was always impressed with Vicky's ability to make the most of an awkward situation, and he needed her to lead the way now. It was his personal circumstances that had led them to where they were today, and he didn't want to seem rushed. Both were nervous and unsure how to get their required roles in motion. Finally Vicky closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and opening her eyes wide turned to Ed.

"A few comments before we proceed, if I may?"

Ed nodded and took her hands in his to help her begin the plan they had agreed upon eight weeks earlier.

"So, Edwin William, my favorite bloke, here are a few comments about our relationship that we are about to end; blow into the air; toss into the wind or any other flippant expression you might suggest."

"Reluctantly accept as inevitable," Ed quickly added.

"That's nice," Vicky smiled. "Thank you. I appreciate that. But we must! So here I go." She leaned across and kissed him gently on his cheek. "In the two months we've been boyfriend/girlfriend, we have cruised the Caribbean; visited both New York and San Francisco; been bird-watching several times; eaten at some lovely restaurants; spent some time getting to know each others' strengths and weaknesses, and made love twelve times. A wonderful time, bloke, and one I will never forget. Now please start the process and let's get this over and done with."

Ed raised his index finger.

Vicky nodded. "Okay, just the one comment please."

"Every time I said I loved you, Vicky, I meant it."

Vicky gulped to hold back a tear. "You can be so nice, bloke. Now go!"

Ed leaned across, gave her a quick kiss on her lips, got out of the car and walked into the pub. Vicky looked at her watch. Five minutes was their agreed-upon time.

Ed entered the pub and walked to his regular spot at the bar. Seana was working the bar and waved hello to him. Seana had worked at The Queen's Head for several years, and was a friend of Vicky's. Like Vicky she was five-eight and slim, but with long dark hair, tied up in a pony-tail tonight. It was always a pleasure to be served by her. Ed nodded for his regular pint of Double Diamond, and said his hellos to his fellow regulars.

Seana delivered his pint. "Is Vicky joining us today?"

"I'm not sure," Ed replied with a shrug. "She said she might."

Several minutes later Vicky walked into the pub and headed for Ed. Her tall slim figure always attracted attention, but this was a different Vicky from just a few minutes earlier. Her hair was hanging loose around her shoulders, her lipstick was gone and her eye make-up was smeared. There was no smile on her now serious looking face. Seana couldn't believe her eyes.

"Ed, outside!" was all Vicky said, and turned back toward the exit. No wave to Seana, no recognition of friends she knew. Ed followed quickly.

Outside Vicky turned to Ed and immediately started waving her finger at him. "This makes me feel pretty stupid," she said, but her actions were not related to her words. She continued pointing, waving and gesturing to Ed and motioned as if she was shouting. "Okay, I'm going to jab you now, and then I'm gone." She jabbed Ed in the chest, threw up her hands in frustration, turned and left.

Ed motioned as if he was calling to Vicky to return. "Speak to you later," he said. Looking down at the ground, he turned and walked back to the pub entrance.

Those watching through a window from inside the pub quickly returned to their places and went back to their own conversations. They would discuss what had just happened later.

He walked back to the bar, ran his hands through his dark too-long hair as if searching for answers, picked up his drink and took a long swig of beer. Putting his nearly empty glass back on the bar, he looked at Seana and motioned for a second pint. Seana pulled his pint but didn't rush to deliver it. She could see he was upset.

"What was that all about?" she asked, sliding his beer across the bar.

Ed shrugged and frowned. "I think it could be said that Vicky just dumped me. In no uncertain terms, I might add."

Seana leaned closer and spoke softly. "Vicky? Dump you? She's crazy about you. She told me so last week."

"Things change, I guess. Whatever happened to that shy, unassuming Vicky you were always telling me about?"

Seana nodded her understanding. "When her ex-fiancé dumped her and she met you, that changed everything – and mostly for the good. I can't believe she would do it right here and right now. Yikes!"

Ed finished his first beer, took a mouthful of his second beer and shook his head. "I think I'll finish my beer and go home," he said. "I don't want her to come back and finish me off."

Seana nodded. "I understand. The beers are on me. Go home and relax."

Ed did as he was told and was home by six-thirty.

* * *

Seven-thousand-four-hundred-and-eighty-seven kilometers to the east, just outside the town of Pripyat in the northern area of Ukraine SSR, at 01:23 local time, Saturday, April 26th, the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, Reactor Unit 4, reached 33,000 MW thermal and exploded. The 2000 ton upper plate of the reactor was blown up and through the roof of the building. Several seconds later a second explosion, the equivalent of ten tons of TNT occurred. This explosion released super heated lumps of graphite, reactor fuel and fission products that resulted in unprotected workers receiving fatal levels of radiation in less than a minute.

* * *

At exactly eight-forty-five Ed's phone rang and he picked it up immediately. "How are you doing?" he asked.

"Not bad for a broken-hearted ex-girlfriend. The tears have stopped flowing." Vicky paused. "Just kidding, I'm doing fine. Seana phoned to say you left early and heart-broken." She laughed. "We agreed it was because you had only two pints instead of your regular three."

"Thanks, I'm sure," Ed replied. "So when did you take acting lessons? Everyone seemed impressed, and most likely felt quite sorry for me."

"I'm not just a pretty face," Vicky said proudly.

"No you're not for sure. But you are most certainly pretty."

"Okay quit that nice-bloke stuff. It's going to be sad enough not spending my Friday nights with you watching 'Heartbeat', and then having you seduce me into your bed."

"Me seduce you? That'll be the day."

She thought for a second before she replied. "Not now it won't, not now."

He cringed at his poor wording. "Sorry. I wasn't thinking. Bad choice of words."

Vicky responded quickly and firmly. "Hey, I knew the rules of the game when we started all of this. In fact I made most of them up. Next weekend after Pat and Roy's wedding in England, you're going to ask your lady-friend to marry you. We'll always be friends, as they say, and that's fine with me."

Ed closed his eyes, not quite sure how things had happened as they had. He was sad but happy at the same time. His main goal had been to ensure Vicky's feelings were not hurt, which had not been the case when her ex-fiancé had ended their relationship with a note on her birthday card several months earlier. She was obviously fully accepting of their new relationship as of tonight. "Thanks, friend," he smiled.

"Good night, Ed."

"Good night, Vicky. I meant what I said in the car."

They hung up.

Ed turned on the TV and sat back to watch 'Heartbeat'. Alone.

Fifteen minutes later his phone rang again, and Vicky spoke before he had a chance to speak. "You're on the nine-thirty Air Canada flight on Monday, right? Well I'll pick you up at six downstairs and drive you to the airport. And don't tell me I don't have to, because I want to. Bye."

Ed hung up without speaking.

Vicky hung up the phone and then pointed to it with a devilish grin. "Just you wait, 'Enry 'Iggins, just you wait."

* * *

At 4am, Sunday, April 27th, Oakville time, 11am local time in Pripyat, Ukraine hundreds of buses were arriving to start the evacuation of the town. Residents were told that the evacuation would last only three days. Most would never return. By 3pm, 53,000 people were evacuated to various villages of the Kiev region. There was a 10km exclusion zone set around Pripyat. Eventually the exclusion zone was expanded to 30km and has been in effect ever since.

CHAPTER 2

Monday, April 28th, 1986 6pm Oakville

A stretch limousine pulled up in front of Ed's apartment block, where he stood with his luggage. He didn't realize it was for him until Vicky exited as the driver held the door open for her.

"Jump in, bloke," she said enthusiastically, "Charles will get your luggage."

Ed entered the passenger area that was built to hold ten comfortably. Vicky sat at the back of the area and patted the seat next to her. Ed joined her and they buckled up as the driver stored Ed's luggage.

"Gees, Vicky, you didn't have to ..."

She slapped his leg. "Hey, it's my father's limo. My pleasure; actually our pleasure. My father asked me to use it since he knows we're not going out together any longer, or not 'a team' as he likes to say, and he wanted you to know that he has a high regard for you. Besides, I don't get to use it very often."

Ed picked up her hand and kissed it gently. "You're a very sweet person, young lady. Thank you."

"Hey, I'm sweet to all my ex-boyfriends."

Ed raised an eyebrow. "You only have one ex-boyfriend, Miss Kilgour."

She shrugged. "Whatever! I suppose he is technically an ex-fiancé and now enjoying his new life in San Francisco with his boyfriend."

"Partner is the correct terminology, Vicky."

"Partner, smartner! Sounds more like a cowboy thing to me."

Ed jabbed her with his elbow. "Moving on then?"

"Yes," Vicky agreed, "moving on then. Do you have your best-man speech ready for the wedding? You know the wedding between your best mate Roy and your, shall I say, 'good friend' Pat, and where the maid of honor is your lady friend whom you intend to ask to marry you ... that speech!"

"If you put it that way, yes I do. Thank you for clarifying the situation so clearly."

Vicky took his hand in hand in hers. "Seriously I do hope the wedding goes well. I like Pat, and not just because she's my client." She paused and then smiled sweetly. "Don't forget you'll need to review your life insurance needs if Carolyn accepts your hand in marriage."

Ed tried to remove his hand, but Vicky held on. "Okay that was unnecessary," she added. "Let's just relax. We'll be at the airport in twenty minutes."

Little was said during the last few minutes, with Ed feeling quite uneasy about the fact that Vicky was with him on the way to the airport. The personal inter-relationships Vicky had touched on were messy enough, and he was looking forward to getting on the plane to somehow allow the distance make it all easier to accept.

The limo pulled up at the departure gates and Ed and Vicky waited while the driver walked around to open the trunk. He seemed to be taking a long time. The trunk lid finally opened and Ed looked down with a feeling of unease. Beside his well-travelled basic black and battered suitcase was a new looking pink-colored hard covered case that looked like it belonged in Hollywood.

Ed looked sideways at Vicky. "Going somewhere?"

"Oh, yeah. You're not the only world traveler, Mr. Crowe."

The driver removed both bags, tipped his hat, got in the limo and drove away.

Without speaking they entered the airport. Ed moved the bags to one side and turned to Vicky for direction or support, he wasn't sure which.

Vicky stood her full five-feet eight inches. "But I'm flying first class."

Ed nodded. "Very nice for you. May I ask ...?"

"You're flying first class also. You're sitting next to me, my treat."

"Can we sit down for a minute?" Ed asked.

Vicky held her confidence. "Sure, why not. Let's have a coffee at Tim Hortons, just over there."

Five minutes later they sat at one of the few empty tables drinking their coffee, their bags dragged up beside them.

"So what's new?" Ed asked politely.

"You're mad at me aren't you?" She was losing her bravado.

Ed shook his head. "Vicky, I promise you I am not mad at you. Confused as all- get-out maybe, but not mad. You have to look after yourself first, pretty lady. Obviously I have been doing that lately, so you must do the same. Can I, may I, simply ask you to explain what the story is? I'll shut up and listen."

Vicky closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and told the story that she knew she had to tell – hoping that Ed would understand.

"About three weeks ago, I received the invitation to the wedding. I couldn't believe it! Pat and I are good friends, but an invitation to her wedding? Like wow! I immediately phoned her. Now she knows you and I are good friends and all, but I wasn't sure how much she knew. I tried to touch on the issue, but she quickly reminded me, as only Pat can, that the invitation was for me and a guest. Obviously that wasn't intended to be you. I thought about it, Ed. I was worried sick for a while. And then Pat phoned me to help make arrangements for me while I'm in England, and then it just happened: I accepted! She was excited, I was excited, but I asked her not to tell you. I told her I would tell you – which I just did. I know I'm a coward, but I so much wanted to be there, to visit England, to meet your friends, to meet Roy and ..." she licked her lips nervously, "and to meet Carolyn. God this sounds awful, doesn't it? You must think I'm so selfish."

Ed nodded his understanding. "One question then."

Vicky closed her eyes and waited.

"Will you have the third dance with me?"

She threw he arms around him, almost spilling both cups of coffee. "Oh God, yes! The third dance, the tenth dance, whichever dance numbers you want!"

Ed stood. "Then let's get going. We've got a plane to catch."

CHAPTER 3

The plane was forty minutes into the flight, they had reached the flying altitude and the 'Fasten Seat Belt' sign had been turned off. Ed and Vicky were sitting in row one, with Ed on the aisle and Vicky by the window. The seats were wide and comfortable, something Ed was not accustomed to. Vicky had not upgraded their seats when they had flown to San Francisco and Miami. She had explained to Ed as they had taken their seats that she wanted this trip to be special. Ed was sure it would be special, but that had nothing to do with the seat selection. He couldn't decide how to explain the full circumstances of the personal relationships between himself, Pat, Carolyn, Roy, and eventually the circumstances of the wedding being held at Stonebridge Manor, the home of Lord and Lady Stonebridge. It wasn't just the actual location, but the fact that Lord Stonebridge was the head of the British Secret Intelligence Service – better known as MI6 – and complicating matters more was that that Carolyn Andrews was the daughter of Lord and Lady Stonebridge. Andrews was her mother's maiden name; the name Carolyn used as a mid-level MI6 representative, with her business card simply identifying her as a representative of the Foreign Office. He shook his head and decided to let things take their natural course. Vicky was suspicious that Ed was more than 'just a simple travel agent'. He knew that and she knew that he knew that.

The stewardess offered a variety of drinks, but they decided on a pot of hot tea.

"This is so much fun, Ed," Vicky giggled. "I feel like a teenager on her first date with an older man."

"Hey I'm only a couple of years older that you, young lady."

"I know," she whispered, "but you're so much more experienced in worldly affairs, aren't you now?"

Here we go, Ed thought.

The stewardess delivered the tea and biscuits, and Ed decided to take the lead.

"So tell me, where does Pat have you staying in London to befit your expensive First Class approach to this once-in-a-lifetime trip?"

"I was wondering when you would ask that. Actually I'm staying in a nice part of London, not far from downtown so I can do some shopping before the wedding."

"Oh, do pray tell." He sipped on his tea.

"I'm staying with your mother."

Ed spilt his tea and gasped. "You're what?"

"Yes, your mother has agreed to let me sleep in your room."

"Never! My mum would never ..."

"Of course not," she grinned. "You're staying at the Polish lady's house down the street."

"I don't believe it," Ed groaned. "Actually, I do. Pat does have a way of organizing matters to her own taste." He laughed a little. "Good for Pat. You and my mum will get along very well, of that I'm sure."