Pulling out onto the main road, his phone cut through his thoughts.
“Speak,” he barked at the person on the other end.
“Matty,” his brother Cristian’s voice filled the cab. “We have a problem.”
“What now?”
“A woman showed up at my house. She says she knows who has our lithium.”
“What’s the problem then?”
“She won’t tell us. She said she will only talk to you. She’s…” He paused as if he was searching for the right word. “Difficult.”
“Fuck,” Matias grunted. “I’ll meet you at your house. I’ll talk with her there. Tell her she better not be lying, or she won’t like what happens.”
“Ok. I’ll try to get her in the car and be there in twenty.”
Matias disconnected the call and white-knuckled the steering wheel.
What the fuck was going on?
Who was this woman and how was she tied to the theft?
Matias pressed his foot against the pedal, speeding the car up. He needed to get home and get answers. If this woman wasn’t telling the truth, she would be dead by morning.
If there was one thing he hated more than thieves, it wasdefinitelyliars.
Aweekago.
Katya stood behind the slightly opened door with her ear pressed to the cold wood. Inside, she could see her father speaking to a man she didn’t recognize. When he summoned her to his office, he said it was important, but she didn’t expect to see the unfamiliar stranger sitting in the chair. His hair was dark, and his olive tone and strong features gave him more of a Hispanic look, not Russian. They were discussing some mining company in Chile. From previous conversations she overheard, Katya knew her father wanted control over the rare material exported from Chile. That control was being blocked by a powerful family that already controlled all the mining there.
“The shipment is ready now. I can get you inside the yard, but your men will have to handle moving the goods,” The man said with a heavy Spanish accent.
“You’re sure they won’t be waiting on my men? I can’t afford an ambush.”
“No. They don’t have any idea you want the lithium.”
Katya gasped, causing her father to jerk his head toward the spot where she was hiding. “Who’s there?” His hand moved to the gun on his hip. His knuckles whitening as he tightened his fingers around the grip.
Taking a deep breath, Katya stepped out from behind the door. “It’s me, Father.”
“Katya?” He raised an eyebrow at her. “Why are you hiding behind the door?”
“I wasn’t hiding, exactly.” She stepped closer to her father, her heart beating against her chest as she did. “You were busy, and I didn’t want to interrupt.”
“Jorge.” Her father turned to the man standing beside him. “This is my daughter, Katya.”
“Katya.” He grabbed her hand, pressing her knuckles to his lips. “A beautiful name for a beautiful woman.”
“Thank you.” Katya pulled her hand free, laughing nervously. “Father. You asked to see me?”
“Yes. Jorge and I are talking business, and it involves you. Jorge is going to help us gain lithium.”
“Lithium?” Katya ran her fingers through her hair. “What does that have to do with me?”
“Jorge is going to help me with this project, and I’m going to help him.”
“Help him how?” Katya glanced between the two men. “I don’t understand.”
