"Are you okay?" Fyodor asks, and I realize he's looking at me.
"We're not hurt…." I assure him, but that, too, is a lie. Some pain isn't physical and things like this have a tendency to scar a soul worse than a bullet scars flesh.
Sasha's crying fades to hiccups and then to silence, and eventually his body relaxes against Fyodor's and his breathing evens out. He's asleep, exhausted by fear and adrenaline and I cling to him and his father because I'm not able to stop myself from shaking still.
When will this nightmare be over?
25
FYODOR
The motel is nicer than the last one, which isn't saying much, but at least the sheets look clean and there's a small kitchenette where Lazar made coffee that doesn't taste like potting soil in water. After three hours Sasha has finally stopped shaking and the color's come back to his face. Noemi got him settled on one of the beds with a blanket wrapped around his shoulders.
She sits with Sasha on the bed across the room telling him a story to calm him and I wish I could sit with them and learn from her. But we've got work to do, and I can't afford to get distracted by how much I want to be over there.
"The safehouse is here," Lazar says, tapping a spot on the map he's spread across the table. "Two guards on rotation outside, another two inside from what our contact says. Of course it's state security, not Koslov's people, so they're gonna be better trained than the idiots who've been chasing you around the city."
"But they won't be expecting an attack," Vasili adds, leaning over to study the layout. "They have no clue someone's coming forhim here. Koslov's men have kept you busy so long the cops with Marat think they've dodged the bullet."
I study the map, tracing the streets around the safehouse with my finger. It's in a residential area, which means neighbors who might hear gunshots—civilians who might get caught in the crossfire if things go wrong. We'll have to be surgical about this, get in and get out before anyone knows what's happening.
"We'll go after midnight, when the guards are tired and the streets are empty. Hit 'em hard and fast, take out Marat, and disappear before they can call for backup."
Lazar nods. "I can get us what we need—weapons, vehicle, the works. Just tell me when."
"I'm not sure about weapons yet… But I want this finished by tomorrow," I tell them, and I mean it. We can't keep dragging this out and I want to go home.
My phone buzzes, and I pull it out to see Yuri's name on the screen. It's been long enough without an update, so I'm not surprised that he's calling me. He's probably wondering where we're at on this mission he gave me months ago. Standing as I answer, I step away from the table and answer and keep my voice low so Sasha won't hear anything he shouldn't.
"Tell me you have good news," Yuri says without greeting me. His voice is wound up with tension. I can tell immediately that means things are getting worse on his end and he's running out of patience. "I'm getting tired of waiting, Fyodor."
"We had some hurdles, but it will be done by tomorrow when you wake up." I hope he thinks I sound as confident as I project. If Marat slips my fingers again tonight, I'll have hell to pay.
"It needs to be done yesterday, but I'll take tomorrow." There's a pause on the line, and when he speaks again, his voice is even harder. "Inessa's attorney just called me. The investigator's going to issue a warrant any day now, maybe even by the end of the week. She's pregnant, Fyodor. I can't let them put her in handcuffs and drag her off."
"That's not going to happen, Boss. You have my word on that."
"Your word is all that's keeping me calm right now," he growls, but he doesn’t sound calm to me. Especially when the line goes dead.
I shove the phone back in my pocket and feel the press of his expectation on my already stressed body. He's counting on me to get this done the right way now. I can't let him down.
I walk back to the table and sit down with Lazar and Vasili. They've followed me into hell more than once and never asked for anything except their paycheck. Loyalty like this can't be bought. Without them, I don't think I could pull this off, and when this is over, I'll owe them massively.
"We gotta finish this in twenty-four hours, boys," I tell them. "That's what I told Yuri and that's what's going to happen, one way or another."
"We'll be ready," Lazar says, folding up the map. "I'll work on clean transportation for you."
"Good. Make the call."
I glance over at the bed where Noemi is still telling her story. She looks exhausted. Dark circles ring her eyes. She's been strong for Sasha all day, holding him together, but I see how much strainshe's under and I know she needs a break from this, which is exactly what I'm going to give her.
"I need you two to stay with Sasha for a few hours," I say, turning back to my men. "I'm going to take Noemi out and give her a chance to breathe. Do you think you can handle that? Take turns sitting up and keeping watch?"
Vasili raises an eyebrow. "You're leaving in the middle of planning an operation?"
"The planning's done. We know what we need to do and when we're doing it. Right now, she needs me more than you do."
Neither of them argues, which is another of the things I appreciate about these two. They know when to push back and when to keep their mouths shut. Lazar grunts at me and glances at my son, now fully calm, but probably really bored. We didn't stop to get his game system, but by the looks of it he'll be asleep as soon as they put food in his belly.
