"How can you be sure?" the second Elder asks. "Moretti knows a ship is coming. He knows it’s critical."
"He knows it’s critical," I agree. "But as I said, he doesn't know what is inside."
I lean forward, lowering my voice. "Moretti thinks we’re moving drugs? Gold? Cash? He’s guessing. He knows the ship is the lifeline, but he’s blind to the nature of the asset."
I reach into my inner jacket pocket and pull out the black industrial tablet Ivan prepared. I set it on the table, keeping my hand flat over it. I don’t slide it across or let them touch it.
"TheLady Anastasiais the delivery truck," I say calmly. "This tablet is the shipment."
Sokolov stares at the device under my hand.
"The containers we're picking up in Venezuela use military-grade encryption," I explain. "They self-destruct if you try toforce them. This tablet holds the decryption keys, the return coordinates, and the bypass codes."
I tap the screen once.
"Without this tablet, those containers are just heavy steel boxes. Even if the Italians hijack the ship, kill the crew, and tow it to their own harbor, they can't access a single crate without these codes. As long as I hold this, we control the outcome."
"It’s a master key," Sokolov murmurs, eyeing the tablet.
"It’s the only key," I correct him. "Moretti can stare at the shipping routes all he wants. He can guess what we're hiding. But he can't open the box."
I slide the tablet back into my pocket immediately. It rests against my ribs like a second heart. I won’t let let it out of my sight.
Sokolov signals to his men. He stands, wincing as he puts weight on his cane.
"Goodnight, Konstantin. The Council will wait for the ship to dock. Don’t make us regret backing you."
As they move toward the doors, Sokolov pauses.
"And Konstantin?"
I look up.
"Your wife," he says softly. "She’s an asset now. But remember, if the Italians cannot get the ship, they will look for the Key. Keep her close."
I sit alone in silence for a moment, staring at the empty chair. The threat hangs in the air like smoke.
"Lev," I say, not looking around. I know he’s there in the shadows.
"Boss." Lev steps into the light. He looks tired, hand resting casually near his holster.
"We move to phase two," I say. "Sokolov is right. The Italians have the schedule. The Founder Key breach confirms it."
I walk to the digital wall map and tap the console. A blue line representing theLady Anastasiaappears, pulsing in the middle of the Atlantic.
"How long?" I ask.
"Based on currents?" Lev checks the data. "Five days to reach Venezuela. Two days to load. Five days to return. Twelve days total."
"Twelve days," I repeat. It feels like a death sentence. "We have to hold the line for twelve days, Lev. That is a lifetime in a war."
"It's too long," Lev says, shaking his head. "If Moretti knows the ship launched tonight, he's already calculating the return. The Italians will be watching the harbor by the weekend. They'll have snipers on the cranes. They'll have boats in the water."
"I know," I say. "We can't bring a shipment this size into a hot zone. If they're looking at the water when she docks, we lose."
I stare at the map, mind racing. I need to blind them. I need to make them look away.
"We need a diversion," I say.
