“He can’t bring you,” I say. “I need him on Rosalie.”
Percy coughs several times. Old man cough. “Don’t worry. I’ve got Rosalie covered all night.”
“Excuse me?” I murmur.
“Yeah, I have Wally who’s ex-MI6, and Kenny who’s an ex-spy for the U.S. I’m pretty sure it was the U.S. Anyway, they’re fully loaded, man. No one’s getting to Rosalie tonight, and she said goodnight a couple hours ago.”
I rub my eyes. Did she not doonebackground check on these people she let into her life? My girl needs protection around the clock. “All right, Percy, I’ll meet you there.”
This will be a good detour before I surveil Howard Fissure for the night. I already miss Rosalie, and that just won’t do. Ignoring such thoughts, I make the drive as quick as I can and approach the block carefully, driving around several times but not seeing any cars that should alarm me. There’s only one dark town car, and it’s parked right out front. This could be a setup.
Garik and Percy roll to a stop, and I get off the bike and head toward them.
“You armed?” I ask Percy. I already know that Garik’s wearing a small armory.
“Of course.” The old man looks at me like I’m crazy.
I walk into the diner to note the two men sitting at a table in the corner. I look around, trying to sense any threat. It’s pretty much all around me. Two men emerge from the kitchen, one eating a piece of bread, both armed. I recognize them as Alexander’s nephews. The eldest nods to me, walks over, and locks the door. The shades are already drawn, and I note another younger soldier in the far corner. I don’t recognize him.
I move forward while Garik and Percy both take point. If somebody starts shooting, they’ll be able to take out at least the two men at the table with me. I sit down. They’ve aged. Of course, I probably have too.
“It’s good to see you,” Alexander says.
I nod. “Same. I hear you haven’t been paid.”
“No. We don’t know where the money is. I think they’re putting more and more into that social media company they own.”
“It’s not doing well?” I ask.
Andre sips on what smells like coffee. “Not as well as it should be.”
Concern for the amethysts and my servers roughens my voice. “I’m trying to consolidate the organization again. Are you in? I don’t have time to dick around.”
Alexander nods. “Only if you can guarantee you won’t be going back to prison. If you do, any agreement we make with you would end with us being dead.”
“I’m not going back to prison. I was already granted a new trial, and there’s a chance that won’t occur. If it does, believe me, I’ll take care of the matter.” I was too cocky before. I should have at least bribed a couple of jurors, but now I know better. “I give you my guarantee, there’s no way I’ll lose another trial.”
Alexander reaches across the table. “We’re in then.”
We shake hands, and I shake hands with Andre as well. Relief filters through my chest, but I don’t show any emotion. I stand, nod at Garik, and stride toward the door.
“You can’t do this,” the man from the corner yells. “I won’t let any of you.”
He points a gun at me and fires. I dodge to the side and reach for my own weapon. Percy tries to push in front of me. Damn it. I pull my weapon just as the guy in the corner shoots again, and I nudge Percy out of the way. Pain rips along my right arm.
Then everybody fires at once, hitting the guy in the corner. He goes down with more bullets in him than I can count. I look over my shoulder.
Alexander shakes his head. “I knew we shouldn’t have brought him.”
“Who was he?” I ask. There’s no doubt the guy’s dead.
“Name is Yaroslav. He’s Draboski’s second cousin and just arrived in the country a month ago.” Andre shoves his gun back in his holster.
I study the dead man. “Is Draboski going to be a problem?”
“I’ll take care of it,” Alexander says.
“Good.” In fact, it’s the least he can do to appease me right now.
