Keisha’s tremor spiked, stress winning.“Why hide this?”she asked Sergei.
“The last person I told died.”He pulled her to the stairs.“Not again.”
Nadia pressed a key into his palm.“The warehouse was stocked last week.”
“They’ll know you helped,” Sergei said.
“They already do.”She fixed her scarf, tattoo hidden.“Go.”
“I like her,” Nadia whispered, for Sergei alone.
The words struck him as he pulled Keisha into the Miami heat.
Thankfully, it didn’t take them long to reach the warehouse.It smelled of dust and stale coffee.Sergei bolted the door—three heavy locks.Keisha stood in the center, arms wrapped tight, breathing fast from their sprint.A mattress sat in the corner, medical supplies along one wall, a table with Sergei’s sketchbook on the other, its black cover catching dim light through boarded windows.
“Check for bugs,” Sergei said, sweeping outlets, vents.“Small black devices.”
Keisha didn’t move.“This where you keep your secrets?”
“I’m making sure no one followed.”He faced her, ignoring the jab.“We’ll be safe till morning.”
“Safe.”Her laugh cracked.“Not with tattooed killers hunting us.”
She reached for the sketchbook.“Don’t,” Sergei snapped, too sharp.
Too late.
She flipped it open to study the vines, stars, circles, labeled with names, dates, places in his tight handwriting.
“Society codes,” she said, tracing the brick’s symbol.“You’ve mapped them.”
Sergei shut the book, sliding it away.“Evidence.To end them.”
“Or your next job.”Her eyes challenged.“How do I know your side?”
“If I were theirs, you’d be dead.”His voice was flat.“They don’t keep witnesses.”
“Except you and Nadia.”She stepped closer.
“We paid in blood.”He checked the locks again, needing distance.“Svetlana.Nadia’s brother.”
“You killed them,” she said, voice tight.
“I hesitated.”He leaned against the door, forehead on cool metal.“Svetlana threatened to expose Kryvaya Stal.They ordered me to kill her.I didn’t.Someone else did.”
Her breath caught, feet shuffling back.
“Nadia’s brother was collateral,” he continued, facing her.“In the way when I hit a target.”
Keisha’s face paled, tremor shaking her hand.“So you tracked them.”
“Two years.”He nodded.“Names, codes, kids moved.”
“Until me.”She moved to the table, steps heavy.“I brought them to you.”
“I didn’t know they were watching you,” he said.“Not till the brick.”
“Tiana’s just collateral in your fight?”Her voice cut.
