“Since when?”
“Since our intel indicated that we could do the most damage to this family from there.”
I looked over at Giselle.
She studied me back with an inquisitive gaze. “I’m hoping you can pull this off. Yuri said you could.”
My mind raced at the suggestion. From headquarters’ perspective, it made sense. I knew I wasn’t more than a chess piece in a much bigger game, but even as a seasoned undercover agent, marriage and moving to another country made me balk.
“What is your role in Vancouver?” My voice sounded calmer than I felt.
“I have proprietary software that helps coordinate shipping for multiple family organizations, including the Volkov family.”
“Grisha doesn’t use your software, does he?”
She shook her head. “No, but if you took over in Vancouver, it would give us a legitimate reason to be seen working together. People already expect to see me everywhere and I can make a lot of introductions.”
Yuri cut in. “We think that between her intel on their shipments and your restraint from escalating violence, we can cover a lot more ground.”
“What about all the work we’ve done here in Moscow?”
“We still have enough to convict, but we’re hoping to get a slam dunk if you can marry the niece and get to Vancouver.”
Marry the niece.On paper this plan made sense, but I was the one who had to leave this meeting and actually get married.
To Mila. Someone who had made it clear I belonged in the same category as Sergei. From her perspective, she probably didn’t see a difference.
The thought depressed me. “Tell me about the immunity.”
Giselle gave me a kind smile. “It’s the same type of immunity you have here. Any crimes committed while undercover in Canada, you’re protected.”
I thought about Mila, who’d stood in a field of burning rubble and told me to my face that I was bad news and that she wanted nothing to do with me. “What about Mila?”
Giselle and Yuri exchanged looks but she answered. “You’d be protected legally. Mila isn’t by default. Any immunity for her would have to be negotiated after the fact, and it would depend on what she knows.”
“I’m Russian. When I commit crimes on Canadian soil, I have immunity. Mila’s Canadian and has nothing to do with the business, yet she’s the one who could be prosecuted?”
Giselle had the grace to look embarrassed. “I promise I’ll look into securing immunity for her.”
I thought about how Mila had tried to run away from this mess and I had been the one to find her in that train station and drag her back. The guilt felt heavy on my chest.
I hated people who played hardball, but this was one hill I was willing to die on. I didn’t question it too closely, but I alsowouldn’t budge on this. “It’s a requirement for me that she be guaranteed full immunity.”
She gave a short nod. “I understand. I’m going to need some time chasing this up the pole, but I’ll make it happen.”
I ignored Yuri’s bewildered expression. “I need to go.”
She stood up to shake my hand. “I hope we get to work together. We really could use some help taking down these families.”
Her handshake was firm. I still hadn’t processed what they were asking me to do. “Keep me posted.”
The shove cameout of nowhere, throwing me slightly off balance before I twisted to face whoever was coming at me.
Sergei’s thick face loomed before mine.
“I know what you’re up to,” he snarled, pointing at my chest.
Was my cover blown? I instinctively defaulted to aggression. “What the hell, Sergei?”
