Red Ice

Jim and Blair accompany Miki Kamierov (introduced in Red Dust) to the steps of City Hall where Russian poet, former Gulag prisoner and Nobel Prize Winning activist Dimitri Gordievski is to open the Cascade Russian Arts Festival with a reading of his work. As he is being questioned by the assembled media, Gordievski is shot and killed by a sniper.

The incident receives international media coverage and Simon assigns the case to Jim who is puzzled that he didn't see or hear anything. Simon makes the case a priority, wanting to make some headway before the Feds turn up and take over the investigation. Right on cue they are interrupted by Agent Mulroney who introduces Inspector Major Katrina Vaslova of the Moscow Metro Militia. Although the Bureau don't want to take over the investigation, Mulroney insists that Vaslova work with Jim on the murder.

Vaslova is able to identify the bullet that killed Gordievski as Russian military issue and while she confirms that these have been used in other killings in Russia she is 'unable' to provide any further information.

When Miki and Father Kasporev come to see Jim to organize performing religious rights on Gordievski's body they are stopped by Vaslova who has a warrant for the possession of the body.

Jim and Blair return to the murder scene to try and figure out why Jim didn't hear the gunshot. Jim spots "tell tale" rags tied to overhead wires, which were used by the sniper to judge the wind direction. Following this signs more than half a mile from City Hall, Jim spies the building used by the sniper.

Making their way the top floor room, they find a heavily padded and insulated room, which explains why Jim didn't hear the shot. They also find a Russian coin which Jim explains is the signature of this particular sniper - Yuri. When Blair asks if Jim knows Yuri, Jim explains simply that they tried to kill each other in Peru.

At a briefing in Simon's office, Vaslova reveals Yuri's identity as Lieutenant Colonel Pietr Gregorovich Borakov, one of Russia's finest, and now a freelance assassin for hire.

The autopsy on Gordievski reveals the Dimitri had a number of raw, uncut diamonds in his intestines. Vaslova comments that the value of the diamonds, when cut would be $2 million and finally reveals that part of the reason she is in Cascade is because diamonds are being smuggled from Siberian mines to Cascade. She claims she could not say anything until she had proof that Gordievski was involved with the smuggling.

Leaking the information that Gordievski's body is to be shipped back to Moscow, a trap is laid to force his local contacts to reveal themselves when they come looking for the diamonds.

On stakeout outside the warehouse, Blair prompts Jim for information about Yuri and Peru. Jim reveals that Yuri came to Peru to assassinate any public figures that stood up to the rebels - judges, priests, politicians. Jim's unit was assigned the task of stopping Yuri and Jim admits that they never got close. One of those publicly assassinated by Yuri was Jim's best friend in Peru, a local judge named Hector Fernandez. He was killed on the steps of the cathedral at his daughter's christening after Jim's men lost Yuri in the mountains.

The trap is sprung and it catches Miki and the priest. As they are escorted to the waiting police vehicles, Miki is targeted by Yuri. This time Jim hears the trigger being pulled and managed to pull Miki and Vaslova to safety but the priest is shot and killed.

Jim and Simon head for Yuri's location but he again manages to evade them. Yuri, has recognized Jim and when Jim and Simon enter his vantage point they find only a bomb. Jim grabs Simon and throws them both to the ground, but when the timer goes off there is no explosion, Jim cautiously finds a personal message on the digital read out on the timer - "ELLISON".

Vaslova takes great delight in questioning Miki, using threats and intimidation, but when she strikes Miki Jim bursts into the room demanding to see Vaslova outside. They engage in a heated argument before Simon breaks it up, sending them both to cool off.

Outside, Blair tells Jim that he has a theory about Yuri, that he is a technological Sentinel, using his gadgets to enhance his sensory capabilities in much the same way Jim uses his natural senses. He also postulates that Yuri's bomb didn't explode because he sees Jim as something of an equal, making a 'ritual display' before combat.

Yuri, meanwhile is on the roof of a nearby building and calls Jim on his cellphone. When Jim spots Yuri he sends Blair back to the station for reinforcements. Yuri tells Jim that Miki is his next target and that he will stop the smugglers and that Vaslova has all the answers. He also promises Jim that next time they meet he will kill him.

Yuri escapes capture once again, and Jim demands Vaslova come clean. She finally explains that the diamond smuggling is affecting the Russian economy and that Yuri has been hired by the Russian power brokers to put and end to the smuggling.

Miki leaves the station on bail, refusing protection but as they cross the street, Jim, Blair and Miki are abducted by Mulroney's men and taken to an isolated safe house where Mulroney and Vaslova have a plan to use Miki as bait for Yuri. The operation is now under the jurisdiction of the FBI and the CIA. The compound is protected by the latest satellite surveillance, infrared, heat seeking technology and Mulroney withdraws leaving only two agents with Jim, Blair, Miki and Vaslova to wait for Yuri.

While Jim explores the grounds, Yuri gets into position in the woods, and Miki explains to Blair that the diamonds were to be used to provide funds for those back home, struggling for a free Russia. She finds an almost sympathetic audience in Vaslova.

Still convinced that Mulroney's security measures are inadequate, Jim returns to the house. Yuri has concealed himself in a foxhole and is using a thermal blanket to avoid detection by the satellite while uses his own equipment to tap into the satellite and target the occupants. He emerges from cover briefly to allow his heat signature to register on their display.

As everyone inside is clusters around the security monitor, Yuri opens fire. Mulroney's two agents are shot as the others dive for safety behind the couch. Pinned down while Yuri peppers the safe house with rifle fire, Jim contacts Mulroney and has him shut the satellite down. Yuri then switches to explosive rounds and begins firing blind.

Jim demands Mulroney come to their aid, but Mulroney's back up forces are taken out by a landmine enroute to the compound and he refuses to send in air support, effectively withdrawing any assistance. Realizing that Yuri is also listening in, Mulroney cuts all communication as well.

Jim leaves Vaslova in charge as he heads outside to find Yuri as Jim now has the sensory advantage. When Jim has been gone for some time, Vaslova decides he is lost and leaves the house, only to be wounded when Jim is forced to give away his location to warn her that Yuri has her in his sights.

Dragging herself back into the house, she tells Blair and Miki to run. They flee into the forest as Yuri enters the house, pausing only to refuse to kill the wounded Vaslova - Miki is his target.