Despite the mind-blowing seriousness of having Ilya Stornovich in his living room, something primal in Bas awakened when Gary acknowledged their seating position with a raised eyebrow and a smirk.That’s right, fucker,Bas thought, pulling Drew more firmly against him.Mine minemine.
“So. What brings you by?” Drew asked, as though this were a social call. Mary Alice McMann would be so proud of the ingrained manners that had him treating Russian criminals with the same polite deference as Boston’s socialelite.
“I called Ilya earlier this week and told him what you’d told me - that Alexei has plans to kill all of you tonight, that it’s become a personal mission for him. Ilya is prepared,” Gary said, leaning forward and knitting his fingers together with the polished charm of a high-powered defense attorney. “To make your problem goaway.”
“Make it go away?” Drew looked at Gary, dumbfounded. “How?”
“Mister Seaver,” Ilya told Bas. “First, let me tell you condolences on loss of your father, yes? Levi was a good man. A very good man. We work together for many years. He did not always like me, I will not lie. And I did not always like him. But we were same in many ways. Both men with… with…chest.” He looked to Gary impatiently. “Garik, what is this word inEnglish?”
“Er…honor?” Gary saidquietly.
“Da!” Ilya agreed, giving Gary a fond smile before turning the weight of his stare onto Sebastian. “Honor. Both men who did what must be done to make our families strong. You understandthis?”
Didhe understand that? Honor was not the first word that came to mind when thinking of his father. But by Ilya’s definition, he supposed the word applied to bothmen.
“Yes,” hewhispered.
“Yes,” Ilya repeated with a more confident nod. “Yes. But my son, he is different.” Ilya’s voice was low. Sad. “He is…” He waved a hand before him, as if searching for the correct word. “Ruthless. He thinks this shows power,yes?”
Bas inclined his head. It certainly seemed thatway.
“When I came to this country, I wanted to give power to the powerless. A voice to the voiceless. That was idea forSILA.”
“You committed a lot of crimes along the way,” Bas commented, not willing to fully exonerate Ilya, no matter how tempting itwas.
“Crimes,” Ilya scoffed, smiling broadly. “Means many things to many people,da? Government takes money from poor people, uses it to make rich men richer. Is not a crime. I take money from rich men and use it to help people.” Heshrugged.
“Yes, you’re a regular Robin Hood,” Drew saidwryly.
Ilya’s laugh was loud, booming, and unexpected. “If Robin Hood had lovely home in Florida and a sports car!” he chuckled. “I am not a saint, Mister McMann. I have never claimed to be. But I am not a killer of innocents.” A shadow moved over his face. “Never onpurpose.”
Drew shot Bas a look he couldn’t quite interpret, then turned his attention toGary.
“This is all very interesting. And I admit, enlightening, as well. But… how can this helpus?”
Gary looked at Ilya and raised a singleeyebrow.
Ilya smiled and patted Gary on the knee. “Yes, yes, Garik. I’m coming to the point.” He rummaged in the chest pocket of his coat and removed a flash drive. He turned it over in his hand thoughtfully. “This is information I retrieved last night from the server in my son’s home. On here, you will find the information you need to connect my Alexei to several of his alternate identities. This is a service he runs, providing immigrants and others with the names and identities of deceased individuals.” He shook his head like he was disappointed. “Alexei does not use this service to help the desperate, you understand. Only those who can pay. Men who have killed and raped, women who have sold children like livestock. That information is on here, as well.” He sucked in a deep breath and let it out, then set the flash drive on the coffee table with a decisiveclick.
This time, it wasn’t difficult to read the incredulity in Drew’s expression. Bas knew ithadto be mirrored on his ownface.
“Is one of the names Michael Paterkin?” Drewwhispered.
Ilya nodded. “Yes. That is one of his favorite…aliens?” He turned to Gary as if checking theword.
“Aliases,” Gary corrected, and Ilyanodded.
“Yes,exactly.”
Drew moved to retrieve the flash drive, as though he worried Ilya might change his mind. Bas didn’t blame him, but he was too stunned to move,himself.
“Why?” hewhispered.
Ilya watched him for a moment, his mouth turned down in afrown.
“Garik tells me that you wish to make repayment for the sins of your father,” he said at length. “That you feel responsible in some way. But this is not so. Sons should not be held responsible for their fathers’ crimes. Fathers, on the other hand…” He spread his empty palms before him. “I believed I was doing the right thing in leaving my organization to Alexei. I moved to Florida, refused contact with my lieutenants, so that my power would never overshadow his.” He looked up once again. “I had not realized how that power would corrupt him. How it would make my son lose sight of importanttruths.”
“You understand that we are going to use this information to have Alexei arrested?” Drew asked. “That, between this and the information we have already collected, we have enough for aconviction?”
