Killing fathers in front of their families and drinking until he passes out.
What a life.
I can’t say it surprises me, but there has got to be something different about his daily life. Something that can help me scootch in and get the information I need.
I show up just outside the underground entrance, watching until I finally see Aleksandr emerge. He’s dressed much different than he was the night before. Not all in black with his head and face covered. No rifle on his back.
No, he’s dressed in black slacks, a dark red button-up shirt, and matching jacket. His long dark hair is combed nearly back with just a few strands hanging over his forehead. It doesn’t look accidental though. Every part of his look appears precise and almost manufactured.
I follow him in my car, until I realize he’s heading to the Bianchi estate, which is about an hour out. I don’t have the time to follow him all the way, and if they catch me anywhere near there, it’ll be a problem.
So, I call up two guards to meet me where I am.
“I want you to keep an eye on this car, and this man. His name is Aleksandr Volkov,” I order them.
“I haven’t heard any of this from Carmine,” one of them, Toby, says.
I glare at him. “And you won’t. I don’t want a word of this spoken to anyone but me. You keep me updated on where he is at all times. Got it?”
They nod. I don’t know if they’ll keep their word, but if they don’t, they’ll be in a world of trouble.
The two of them get back in their car and stay parked by the side of the road where I am.
Meanwhile, I have to get back to the estate to teach two little boys how to fight.
Fantastic.
I drive back to the estate just in time. Carmine is out, but that doesn’t remove me from my duties and I know it.
“Alright boys, in the gym,” I tell the two teenagers who are sitting the the family room.
Nikolas, Soren’s blood cousin, and Beau, one of the stragglers that Eivor brought in. Probably after he got his family killed.
“Do we have to do this today?” Nikolas asks.
“Yes,” I reply sternly. I’m already not interested in his attitude. “If you don’t like it, talk to Soren. But I’m here so we’re going to get this done.”
I lead them down into the basement, into the gym where equipment for both weight lifting and cardio are set up. I see a rack with one hundred pounds set up on it and figure someone must have been down here working out earlier. Whoever it was made sure I’d know they were down there and would know if anything changed or not before they left.
Carmine.
“Look, I’m not going to sugarcoat things. The two of you look real fuckin’ weak,” I tell them as I cross my arms and look down at them. “You need to build some muscle before you’re going to be able to really fight anyone.”
“I work out every day,” Nikolas insists.
“It’s not enough clearly.” I step over to some of the free weights and grab the fifteen-pound ones, two in one hand, without even flinching.
“You usually use the ten pound? Today we’re using the fifteen, and next week we’ll be using twenty. Get used to it.”
“Actually—” Beau starts, but I cut him off.
“Be careful what you say, or you’ll be using the twenty this week,” I tell him.
He closes his mouth and I hand the weights over to them.
They both hold them with no problem, but I can tell it’s going to be an issue once they start actually working with them.
“Ten bicep curls on both sides, start with the right,” I order.
