Alexei pressed his hand against the wall, glaring into the camera. “Then talk. Ilisten.”
“I’m willing to consider this all a misunderstanding for an introduction to Mr. Pavluhkin. He’s a difficult man to reach, even for those with myreputation.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Alexei saw Kyle disappear back down the hallway, out of view and sound pickup. Alexei hoped he was calling into headquarters. “You get introduction, I get Riley. Thatyourdeal?”
“I don’t think I need to impress any further upon the Wolcotts how much their business is not desired in New Miami after tonight. So, yes. That isthedeal.”
On screen, Sean didn’t react in any way to the conversation at hand. Alexei ground his teeth, wondering why in the world Sean hadn’t just phased his way out of danger before it got to this point. But then he remembered London and the spy work they’d done to grab Stanislav’s attention. If Sean was refusing to get clear of the threat, that meant something else was going on, something the MDF couldn’t afford for Alexeitoruin.
Fucking hell, but he hatedspywork.
The director should have told us,he thought furiously tohimself.
“I come tomorrow. Give you contact information, you give me those three.Alive,” Alexei stressed. “Send location to thisnumber.”
“You’re not in anypositionto—”
Alexei cut the uplink, swearing loud enough and long enough that Kyle stuck his head around the corner, light brown hair sticking up in all different directions from his interruptedsleep.
“>” Kyle asked in Russian, the usual language they conversed in when together. Kyle had learned it after Alexei’s family adopted him when he was a youngteenager.
“>” Alexei growled, still pissed off enough he wasn’t sure if he was talking about Sean or Antonovich. “>”
“>”
Alexei glanced at the chrono on his wrist, 2346 shining brightly through his skin. He rubbed hard at his eyes until he saw spots. “>”
“>”
Alexei didn’t argue, if only because he knew Kyle was right. Getting woken up and having to talk his way out of a tight spot without any relevant intel, in English no less, was not something he enjoyed. Alexei dodged past Kyle and returned to his bedroom. It took less than a minute for him to change into a clean uniform and lace up his boots before re-joining Kyle in the living room. His brother had the code-keys for Alexei’s car in hand, and they locked up the apartmentbehindthem.
The Washington, D.C., megacity burned against the night sky as they drove through the urban valleys between skyscrapers. The drive to the Arlington district, where the MDF was headquartered, was quicker than usual because of the late hour. Cities never slept in this day and age, and traffic could appear in the dark hours before dawn, but luckily, they encountered no delays on thestreet.
They scanned their way through security at the perimeter of the base, and Kyle took the quickest route to the subterranean parking garage located under the main building. MDF headquarters consisted of three connected buildings: Medical, Building Two, which housed the R&D labs, and the main building where all command decisionsweremade.
Once in the sublevel, Kyle parked as close as he could get to the secured elevators and the two got out of the car. A minute later they were stepping into the first elevator that opened when a familiar voice echoed through thesublevel.
“Hold thedoors!”
Alexei pressed his finger to the sensor circle that would keep the doors open as Madison Chan, Alpha Team’s demolitions specialist, sprinted their way. Her long black hair streamed behind her as she ran to catch up, sliding into the elevator secondslater.
“Thanks,” shehuffed.
“Do you know if we’re the first ones to arrive?” Kyleaskedher.
Madison shrugged, hiding a yawn behind her hand. “No idea. Got woken up about an emergency and then recalled. That’s allIknow.”
“Is Russian mafia problem,”Alexeisaid.
Madison looked up at him, a frown on her pretty face as she yanked a hair tie off her wrist and swiftly knotted up her thick hair. She was the youngest and shortest on the team, even if at times she could be the loudest. A die-hard cable stream junkie, Madison consumed shows and movies the way most people consumed food—like they needed it to survive. Alexei always thought it was due to her growing up in Los Angeles, still the entertainment capital of the world, that made her binge-watch shows whenever she got thechance.
“Are we talking about the Pavluhkins or something new?” sheasked.
“Little of both,” Kyle replied. “Alexei took a call from Sean in the guise of his cover from January, except it wasn’t Sean. It was some asshole down in NewMiami.”
“Christov Antonovich. Still Russian mafia problem,”Alexeisaid.
Madison groaned as the elevators opened up on the ground floor receiving lobby. “Shit. Why weren’t weinformed?”
