Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 78587 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78587 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
I stepped over to him and handed him the addresses Lev had given me. He glanced down at the addresses and asked, “What do you need?”
“Access to their security footage.”
He nodded, but I could see the wheels turning in his head. He was still trying to find something on the men who’d taken Lina, but right now, this took precedence. He took the paper and started doing whatever it was that he did. I turned and headed to the vault. I put in the combination, and seconds later, the lock disengaged. I opened the door and stepped inside.
I grabbed my bulletproof vest and slid it over my head, cinching it tight beneath my pullover. It had been years since I’d put it on, but there was still a familiarity to it. I didn’t overthink it. I simply reached for my gun and holster and put it on. I shoved a couple of clips into my back pocket before I reached for my blade.
My movements came so naturally, like I was stepping into my old skin, but this time, I wasn’t going to war for my father. This was my war, and the blood I was about to shed would be on me and me alone. The thought didn’t dissuade me. If anything, it fueled me.
I walked back into the office and over to Jenson. “What did you find?”
“Looks like an old system. Probably just using it for monitoring. Not sure it’s recording.”
“Can you shut it down?”
“Absolutely. I can kill the power, too.”
While the dark would offer me some cover, it would serve as a warning to Korolenko and his men. I couldn’t take that chance, so I told him, “Leave the power. Just kill the security system when I give you the go ahead.”
“You got it.” Jenson inhaled a quick breath, gathering the courage to ask, “You really going after these guys alone?”
“I am.”
“You sure that’s a good idea?”
I didn’t respond. I just glared at him, letting him know that it wasn’t up for discussion. But that didn’t stop him from saying, “Preacher’s gonna be pissed.”
Damn. I hadn’t even thought about Preacher. I hadn’t thought about anything except getting to the man who’d given the order to take Lina. Getting to him and ending him was the only thing on my mind. But there was more to it than taking out Korolenko. I had to find out where they’d taken her, and in order to do that, I was going to need him and the boys.
I paused in the doorway just long enough to say, “Call him. Fill him in and tell him I’ll be back as soon as I’ve dealt with Korolenko and Zadora.”
“You got it.”
“I’ll text you when I’m ready for you to kill the cameras.”
“I’ll be ready.”
Without saying anything more, I walked out of the office and down the back hall. As usual, the casino was packed. I didn’t want to take the chance on anyone seeing me, so I took the back exit. Calm moved through me as I made my way out to my car. I didn’t think. I just let my instincts take over. It was the only way I was going to get through this alive.
I drove over to Korolenko’s place first. I parked across the street and pulled my gun from its holster. I slipped on the silencer and took a moment to take in my surroundings. Korolenko lived in a middle-class neighborhood where some of the houses were well-kept while others were rundown and completely trashed out. The yards were overgrown, and various cars filled the driveways and more spilled out onto road.
His wasn’t all that bad. It was tidy in a sad, meager way. It was in decent shape, but it needed to be painted. There were hedges and trees, but they needed to be trimmed, and the yard was full of leaves. There was a car in the drive, and while I couldn’t see the man sitting inside, I could see his cigarette smoke as it billowed out the window.
There would be another guard inside. Maybe more.
I didn’t care. I was ready for whatever laid ahead.
I took one last look, making note of the security camera on both corners of the house, and the motion light above the garage. Everything looked so ordinary. Parked cars. A trash can tipped over against the curb. A cat sitting on the stoop. Ordinary could hide not-so ordinary people, just like it had with Korolenko.
I took out my phone and sent Jenson a text, letting him know it was time. I got out of my car, and by the time I made it across the street, the blinking light on the camera had gone dark. I stepped up to the driver’s side of the car, and the guard never saw me coming when I placed the barrel of my silencer against his temple.