Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 67534 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 338(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67534 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 338(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
“Does anyone suspect me?” I ask.
Sergei hesitates, which, in itself, is answer enough.
“There are whisperings,” he finally admits. “Especially among the smaller families. They’re saying you’re the only one ruthless enough to gun down three of Grinkov’s men in the street and leave the bodies for him to find. They’re saying Malenkov doesn’t have the stones for that kind of public insult.”
“They’re panicking,” I say. “They have no proof, so they just have to point the finger somewhere.”
“Normally, I’d agree. Except you did do it. So, in this one case, they’re right.”
“Is anyone else taking as heavy of losses as I am?” I ask.
He looks down at his notes to confirm. “Just you and Ivan,” he answers. “No one else has the manpower to spare. The smaller families are going underground, hoping this all blows over soon.”
I nod at this. They’re wise to batten down the hatches. It’s been decades since Brooklyn has faced such a threat. Mikhail, Ivan, and I are the three biggest players in the game, which means Mikhail is going to set his sights on me as soon as he realizes Ivan didn’t double-cross him.
I think through the board. If Mikhail is aiming his narrative at Ivan, then he wants this to be a familial dispute. He wants everyone to take sides, knowing most of them will choose him out of fear. As far as I know, he’s ruled me out completely, and he’s hoping I stay out of it.
That’s such a best-case scenario, it’s probably delusional. If Mikhail isn’t already watching my movements, I’d be shocked. I can almost hear the timer ticking down on me, and I know what has to be done.
“How long do you think we have for a relocation?” I ask him.
“Ideally, a week. Realistically, three days.”
I nod once, thinking through what needs to be done to get us ready to move in three days. The hardest part will be convincing Anya. She’s not going to like this one bit, but she doesn’t get a say in the matter.
“Start the preparations,” I tell him. “Which safehouse is our best bet?”
“Do we stay in the borough?” he asks. “That limits our movements considerably.”
I nod. “I don’t think we can cross the bridge now. I’m sure he’s got people watching”
“Dyker Heights then,” he echoes what I was already thinking. “That place is basically a fortress, and the neighborhood adds security on its own.”
“Prepare the transfer,” I tell him.
“That’s the easy part.” He chuckles to himself. “You’ve got to tell the girl.”
I don’t laugh back. Anya is going to be pissed that we’re leaving, and it’s not going to be pretty. He leaves to start planning the move, and I stay in the control room a few minutes longer, cycling between feeds. The SUV is gone now. There’s nothing on the street to suggest any level of danger, which is unsettling in itself. I suddenly feel exposed here.
I check the interior hallway feed outside of Anya’s door and see that it’s shut. She’s been locking herself in her room since her failed escape, so that’s nothing new. It’s the mental lockdown that’s been concerning.
I sigh and leave the control room, ready for a fight. When I reach her door, I knock once, but don’t wait for her to answer before I enter. She’s sitting on the bed with her knees drawn slightly toward her chest. There’s a book in her lap, but she isn’t reading it. She’s staring out the window, lost in thought.
“What?” she asks, not turning her head toward me.
“We’re moving,” I tell her. “As soon as possible.”
She doesn’t ask me any questions. She doesn’t even look at me.
“Fine,” she says noncommittally. “I’ll be ready.”
“You’re not going to argue?” I ask, surprised.
She finally meets my gaze, and her eyes seem hollower than I’ve noticed them being before.
“What’s the point?” she asks. “We’re going to do whatever you want us to do.”
I nod, resigned to her indifference. She’s gotten used to being told what to do, and I can’t change that. I have to maintain complete control if I’m going to get us out of this alive.
14
ANYA
Idon’t pack much. There’s so little in this house that belongs to me anyway. I’m sure Viktor will replace the books and the puzzles and whatever inane activity is meant to keep me entertained, but none of it is really mine. Still, as I lace up my shoes and zip up my jacket, I feel the familiar tightening in my chest.
This is the last time I’ll ever see this room. It’s become my sanctuary over the last month-and-a-half. It’s not much. There’s still just the barest of furniture and a handful of clothes Viktor brought me after we arrived. He’ll probably replace all of that too. What I’ll really miss, though, is the familiarity.
I know this was always meant to be temporary. If anything, I stayed much longer here than I ever thought I would. I resent that when I’m finally able to leave, it’s with Viktor. Where did my will to fight go?