“Things change, and people move on, though we’re certainly not here to discuss me. We have a bigger problem at hand, Ivan. I filled you in on the phone, so you know how serious this is. I need you to get in touch with someone that could loan me some weapons until I have the chance to pay them back. If you have any on hand right now, that would be great too,” I said, cutting to the chase.
“I’m a doctor, Stephan not an arms dealer.”
“You’re a man of many talents, and I’m unfortunately very desperate,” I said, and Ivan sighed, leading Annika and I into the back room so he could let us into his weapon supply.
“If I don’t see a return on these, Volkov I’m going to hunt you down and kill you myself, got it?”
“I hear you loud and clear,” I replied, and he nodded, opening up his cabinets to reveal a variety of different guns, bullets, and knives that would all be useful for what we were about to do.
“If I give you some of these things, and get you in touch with my contact, you have to make sure you do everything you can to keep this here lady safe, okay? She’s wrapped up in your mess, and the last thing I need right now is another innocent life lost.”
“Yes, I know. You’re a doctor, and you hate seeing people go. I can assure you that no harm will come to Annika. She’s a strong girl, and we’re going to get through this,” I responded.
“It’s going to be okay, Ivan. I’m ready for this. Stephan has trained me well enough, I believe. I just have to make sure I keep my head on straight.” Annika glanced over at me to share a comforting smile.
“I’m hoping to see that, dear. You two better get going, if you really want to get a move on stealing from the men that are going to be spending their nights out at the strip club. Try not to ruffle too many feathers, and make sure you don’t go dropping my name. There are some men that you might hit tonight that are customers of mine,” said Ivan.
“Don’t worry, Ivan. Your secret is safe with me.”
I satbehind the wheel of my car, hoping that Annika was up for what we were about to walk into. I pulled up outside a small home that exuded European flair like it was stripped right out of a different century. It was a quaint space, one that made Annika even more confused as I put the car in park, glancing back at her while she tried to figure out what we were doing there.
“Now, this is certainly not the place I had in mind,” she said, and I knew what she was thinking. For a moment, she was trying to convince herself that we weren’t going to face any real danger, but she would’ve been mistaken. The house may have looked quiet from the outside, but it was crawling with armed men waiting to take a shot at whoever tried to disrupt their peace.
“I know it may not look like much, Annika but the men in there are as much a threat as anyone else that we’re going to have to deal with. They’re only here while their boss is out at a strip club somewhere, drinking himself sick, much like Ivan said. We’re going to have to be smart about getting in, grabbing as much cash as we can, and getting out. Thankfully, men like him want nothing more than to flaunt his wealth to anyone he comes into contact with, so it isn’t exactly hidden anywhere,” I said, and she stared back at me, wondering what the catch was.
“Who are these people?” she asked.
“These people work for a man by the name of Markov, and he’s someone I once borrowed money from when I had first left home, in need of a bit of cash to get myself off the ground.
“The thing about making deals with men like him is that they always find something to hold over your head, making it so you can’t leave even after you’ve paid them back in full. Eduard, Feliks, and I managed to get out a long time ago, but I always promised myself I would pay Markov a visit and take enough back to soften the blow of how much I suffered under his hand,” I explained, and she nodded, understanding that this was in some regard, rather personal for me.
“I’m right by your side, Stephan. I just need you to tell me what to do,” she said.
“I need you to stay close behind me, get your gun ready, and shoot at anyone who tries to come at you. Hopefully, we’ll be able to get in there without making a sound, but something tells me that isn’t going to happen,” I said.
“These men aren’t the type to give up very easily, are they?” she asked.
“Not in the slightest. They’d shoot before even taking a second look at you, and that’s why you always have to get the first shot. Are you sure you’re ready for this?
“I’m ready, Stephan. Lead the way,” she replied, and I could see it on her face just how firm she was in her decision.
It made me feel quite proud to see just how far she’d come, and all that she was willing to do to stand by my side, even while knowing that things were bound to get so much more complicated once she finally had the chance to introduce me to her parents.
That is a problem for another time. Right now, I need to focus on getting us both in there, getting what we need, and making our escape before one of us ends up with our head blown off.
Annika and I approached the house, peering into the porch window to see what we could about who was inside and what their positions were like.
We were able to make out two men in the living room, bonding over hard liquor, trying to find something to pass the time while they swung their guns around, probably waiting for something exciting to happen, like us breaking in to take everything we could from their boss.
I was able to look further into the small kitchen behind where they were sitting to see a young woman in the back washing dishes, her apron tied neatly around her waist, and when she turned to face them, I could see the fear in her eyes.
She’s probably here to take care of the house, but I have to make sure that she doesn’t get hurt in all of this. She’s innocent, I can already tell.
I nodded at Annika to indicate that it was time to get moving. We both noticed the trash bins outside at the far corner of the lot, and if we were to kick them hard enough, it would certainly alert the men inside. Annika and I both took one each, slamming our feet into the metal until they fell over, and we disappeared into the bushes waiting for them to take the bait.
“What the fuck was that?” I heard one of them ask, getting out of their seats to look through the screen door, trying to see if anyone had been out there. For a moment, I began to worry that he was just going to shrug it off, go back to wasting time, making it through another long night with no action. I tilted my head upwards to get a better look at him, realizing that he was starting to open the door, and I nudged Annika to get ready.
“When I say so, I need you to fire off the first shot into his leg. The more men we can lead out here, the better for us, okay?”
“Just say the word,” she said.
“Now.”
