Page 23 of Warlord’s Empire

He punched in the door code and pressed his finger to the biometric scanner, letting himself inside. Cool air brushed over him. The sterile rooms, bare walls and state-of-the-art equipment felt more like home than anywhere else, but he was hoping Saskia would change that for him.

“General,” Nuani greeted him, his expression serious.

“I want to speak with Vincent.”

“Yes, General. He’s expecting your call.” Nuani picked up a tablet and hit the contact number for the commander of Radik’s DRC mercenary group.

“General Radik.” Vincent answered, his rugged face filling the screen. “I understand you had trouble in Pretoria.”

“There was an unexpected complication that forced me to move up my plans for Ms. Koba. I want everything you can get on the men who attacked my future wife and murdered her colleague. Send someone to the medical examiner’s office. I want the autopsy results.” He paused, then added, “Take charge of the remains. We will make sure Aurelia gets back to her family.” He knew without a doubt it was what Saskia would want.

“Yes, General,” Vincent said, his expression unchanging. “I have people in South Africa now, waiting on your orders.”

“What numbers do we have available to bring to Marifiya?” Radik paced the room, his mind whirring. He didn’t think Koba could find the compound, but he wanted additional security anyway.

“We have seventy-two here, the rest are out on missions.” Radik operated one of the largest mercenary groups in the world. Though there were a few hundred at Marifiya, he had thousands posted around the world, including the 500 in Vincent’s unit, which was located in the East of the DRC.

“Send thirty,” Radik said. “Recall a few reconnaissance teams. I want access to more if needed.”

“Are you expecting an attack?” Vincent rarely questioned Radik, but Radik knew it was unusual for him to send so much security to the well-hidden compound.

“There will be no compromise on Saskia’s security.” His tone suggested the line of questioning was unwelcome.

“Understood,” Vincent said. “I will send our best to secure Marifiya.”

Radik ended the call, staring at the screen as it darkened. Exhaustion was creeping in. He’d been awake since finding out Saskia was in Pretoria. 56 hours. He needed sleep, but there was something he should do first. For Saskia.

“Get Jozef Koba on the phone,” he growled at Nuani.

Nuani hit Jozef’s contact on the tablet while also bringing up the feed Radik had of Jozef’s office. Not something the Koba boss knew about, of course, but Radik was nothing if not resourceful.

Jozef was alone in his office. He checked the contact number then picked up the phone, engaging the robo greeting. “Hello, you have reached Jozef Koba.”

“Koba, it’s Radik.”

The crisp image of the Czech mafia boss showed him stiffen in reaction. He tapped at his keyboard, swiftly typing out a message for Radik. “Where is my cousin?” The robotic voice was calm, though Radik knew Jozef was anything but. A savage sense of glee went through Radik at rattling his adversary, then he reminded himself Saskia wouldn’t want her cousin to suffer.

For her, he would be a better man.

“She’s safe and unharmed except for a bump on the head and some bruising to her ribs, which my personal physician has assured me will heal quickly.”

Jozef’s fingers flew across the keyboard. “Where is she? Why hasn’t she contacted me?”

Things were about to get tense. Though the last thing Radik wanted was to upset Saskia, he didn’t think he could keep from pissing off her cousin. Not without letting her go, which wasn’t going to happen.

“I have her,” he told Jozef. “And I’m keeping her. She will remain safe with me.” It was all he was willing to give the other man. He nodded at Nuani who disconnected the call as Jozef was frantically typing.

Radik watched the video feed. The moment Jozef realized the call had been dropped, he grabbed his keyboard and threw it, storming around his desk to the door. Yanking it open, he signed at someone in the hall.

Radik had learned the rudiments of sign language, but he didn’t know it well enough to understand Jozef’s furious movements.

Jozef then paced his office until Havel showed up a few minutes later. They had a signed conversation. Radik caught enough to know they intended to send two teams of mercenaries to Pretoria to search out Saskia’s whereabouts. One of the teams would include Jozef, Havel and Saskia’s sister, Leeza. Radik would have to tread carefully with them. Saskia would never forgive him if he or any of his people injured a member of her family.

“Watch them,” Radik said to Nuani. “Let me know what is said when they interrogate my sister. I want every word.” He was positive they would talk to Ayaan about his whereabouts, but they wouldn’t get anything out of her.

“Yes, General.”

Radik had expected this response from his rival and wasn’t particularly worried about the Kobas flying to South Africa. His compound was several thousand kilometers away and virtually untraceable.