Four Days Earlier

“Yeah, right,” Novak scoffed as he cut his eyes at Antonio Wayne. “So, all of the sudden the almighty Ramirez brothers need Bratva to do them a fucking favor?”

“Fuck you, Novak,” Antonio Wayne snarled, his dark eyes flashing. The tension that always crackled between the two men prompted Glazov to close his eyes and slowly shake his head. Glazov and Ricardo exchanged a look of unspoken commiseration, then scowled at their respective kinsmen.

Ricardo spoke first after an impatient sigh. “That’s enough, brother. What we are proposing is an exchange of sorts, in the best interests of both organizations.”

“Yes, let’s all play nice and try to get along,” Glazov drawled as he sent a withering glance in Novak’s direction. After a brief phone call with Ricardo the previous evening, Glazov had decided that this was one time he was willing to set old differences aside and go the extra mile because the matter at hand involved, albeit indirectly, the love of his life. His Ptichka. His beautiful wife, Kathleen.

As a young man, he had never imagined himself ever being besotted with a woman. He had scoffed at the mere idea of it, regarding all such lovesick fools with thinly veiled disdain. But Kathleen had changed all that when she walked into his old New York gambling house, The Firebird. She forever changed his way of thinking, with her glossy mane of auburn hair and those womanly curves that had made his fingers flex restlessly while he imagined discovering every sweet, naked inch of her. No, he wasn’t ashamed in the least to tell every man in the room exactly what he was about to do and why he was doing it. But first, he would let Ricardo explain the situation.

“Ricardo, you called this meeting. The floor is yours,” Glazov said with a slight wave of his hand.

“Thank you, my friend. You see, the cartel’s black-market lead, Guillermo Chavez, has long used his unique position to move up within the Colombian cartel. He recently had the good fortune to obtain the elusive canary diamond in a discreet transaction, only to have it stolen by Amicus, a guerilla fighter who, I think, aspires to a position beyond his station in life.”

“So, the canary diamond has been lost?” Glazov asked, straightening in his chair, nostrils flaring. “What the fuck is going on, Ricardo? You led me to believe the diamond was there for the taking. What does this mean? Some fucker’s stolen it and you want us to steal it back?”

“Not at all, not at all. I prefer to think of this as free enterprise in its purest form,” Ricardo responded with a smile that didn’t quite reach his dark eyes. The movement drew attention to the deep scar that ran down the length of his cheek. At 6’5” and 275 pounds, Ricardo was an imposing figure under the best of circumstances. When shit got real like this, though, he radiated danger and his swarthy, handsome looks transformed into cold, smooth granite. Glazov knew better than to rush him. “We know who has the diamond,” Ricardo continued, “but to add insult to injury, the thief also took Chavez’s son and daughter as an insurance policy of sorts and is holding them deep in the jungles of Colombia until he can unload the diamond himself. Considering the history of this particular jewel, I, of course, thought of you first.”

 “Yes, it is rumored to have belonged to Tsar Alexander II,” Glazov said. “He understood that brutality had its usefulness, and yet he brought about many reforms before he was cut down.

“I am pleased that you have come to me with this opportunity, Ricardo…Antonio Wayne,” Glazov murmured with a nod to each. “You know me well, it seems. The canary diamond is very important to me, gentlemen. I have searched for it for many years. It is well worth any chaos that securing it may cause. You see, I am a fortunate man. Business is good. My family is strong and growing. And for more years than I deserve, I have had the devotion of a remarkable woman.” He looked from one Ramirez brother to the other and back again, his eyes knowing and sure. “I have no doubt that you can understand my gratitude better than most.”

“Indeed,” Ricardo agreed. “As I said, I thought of you first. When the diamond was stolen and Chavez’s son and daughter were taken, Chavez came to us for help. Of course, such assistance comes with a price, and he has agreed to surrender his rights to the diamond, to you, in exchange for help in finding his children. Sometimes the black market can be a beautiful thing.”

“It can get you killed, too,” Glazov said.

“True, as in the case of the villain in our story. Oh, Amicus is ambitious as hell, but he’s not dead yet. That, too, is part of the reason for our visit.”

“Hell of a way to save for retirement,” Novak muttered.

“Assuming he lives that long,” Ricardo retorted. “This brings me to the purpose of today’s meeting. Amicus has made a grave error in judgment, an error that could attract governmental attention that my Colombian friends do not want. Under normal circumstances, I think we could have worked out an arrangement with Amicus, but I suspect that he is obsessed with Chavez’s daughter and has dug in his heels. If that is the case, and I think it is, there will be no reasoning with him. Her mother is Sinaloan, so you can see how the situation could become…complicated.

“In addition to the matter of the diamond, there are peace treaties at stake between the cartel and the guerilla forces. And besides, we are in the middle of a sensitive phase in our emerald mining business, which involves the shipment of the emeralds you have been waiting for. We can’t afford that kind of attention now.” Ricardo’s face grew grim, his voice taking on a flat, emotionless timbre that Glazov recognized as pure malevolence. “That is why our response must be efficient, yet discreet; I know I can count on you for both.”

“Ah, I see. You need a buffer.” Glazov’s steely gaze pinned Ricardo with its intensity.

“Yes. I am prepared to give you your heart’s desire, but you must take Amicus out. Such treachery cannot go unanswered. And in return, my friend, you will get the canary diamond, free and clear. Eighty-seven flawless carats for your lovely bride.”

A slow smile lit Glazov’s face. He and Ricardo had forged an unconventional friendship of sorts over the years, although he hardly considered them close. This situation worked perfectly with his plan for Kathleen; Ricardo couldn’t possibly know how perfectly.

Glazov leaned back in his chair. “The Taj Mahal was built as a tribute to love, a memorial to one man’s obsession. I wish to do the same for my wife, albeit mine will be a more intimate gesture. The canary diamond will be the crowning glory in a priceless jewelry setting I commissioned several years ago as a tribute to my wife. And long after I pass from this world, it will be handed down to future generations as an heirloom befitting the Bratva legacy. It is only right that by working together to accomplish our mutual goals, we shall solidify the ties that bind our respective organizations. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Each man in the room nodded their assent. Each knew all too well what the right woman – the one fate had destined to bind each of them into eternity – could do to a man. No matter how cold a man’s heart was, no matter how deep-seated his bloodlust, the right woman would bring out his tender side or, as in the case of the men gathered in Glazov’s office, spark an obsession in its purest form. Love and obsession were one and the same to these men.

Novak looked down at the Russian coin he was twirling through his fingertips, his lips pressed into a thin line. “That’s all well and good, Ricardo,” he snapped, “but the agreement was that we wouldn’t step on each other’s toes. You two are supposed to be in the media business now. The jewelry business is ours. Or did you forget? The peace treaty is contingent on us leaving the other’s business interests alone.”

“Who died and made you the fucking cartel police?” Antonio Wayne said, straightening in his chair as he met Novak’s unwavering gaze.

“Boys!” This time Glazov’s voice was far less accommodating. “The emeralds are being sold to us – at a most competitive price, I might add. No lines have been crossed, no verbal agreements broken. We’re much stronger when unified in a common cause than we could ever be separately. Power is the ultimate purpose of the peace treaty.”

“Agreed. However, I must insist on one contingency.” Ricardo’s voice was resolute. “You will send one of your men to secure the diamond from Amicus and see to it that Amicus dies in a tragic accident. You get your diamond, Chavez gets his son and daughter back, and your man will see firsthand how we do things in Colombia. You can build rapport with the men who work in the trenches of Colombian cartel.”

“Yeah, and they’re some real fucking beasts so you better send someone with balls of steel,” Antonio Wayne smirked.

“Hey, fuck you!” Novak snarled as he leaned in, jabbing his finger at Antonio Wayne. His piercings and tattoos made him look even more intimidating. If Antonio Wayne had been a private citizen he would have been pissing his pants. Being that he wasn’t, his only response was the shit eating grin of a Cheshire cat. Other than fucking his wife, there was nothing he enjoyed more than getting under Novak’s tatted skin. Usually, Novak did a fine job of getting under his—so this was a nice change of pace for the Colombian gangster.

This wasn’t the first time nor would it be the last that the two men would almost come to blows. But in the end, the peace treaty would prevail and both men knew it. Novak and Antonio Wayne had cultivated a love/hate relationship over the years, but each would be the first to have the other’s back if called upon. Call it what you want – cartel, mafia, take your pick – but it was a lot like blood family: it was okay to fuck with each other but outside interference was never tolerated.

“I have just the man in mind and I can assure you he has the requisite balls of steel.” That statement from Glazov caused Novak to frown and jerk his head in his cousin’s direction. But his questions would have to wait; Glazov wouldn’t reveal his thoughts about the plan until the Ramirez brothers departed.

“It’s settled, then,” Ricardo said. “You have my thanks, old friend. Let me know when you’re ready to proceed and we will finalize other details. In the meantime, I will secure the manpower and resources to back you up.” Ricardo stood, reaching across the desk to shake Glazov’s hand. The other two men barely acknowledged each other. The Ramirez brothers left, secure in the knowledge that the peace treaty remained intact.

As soon as the brothers left, Novak wasted no time giving his opinion. “That fucking diamond is stolen.”

“I know that. Otherwise, he would have included it with the load of emeralds we’re buying.”

“I’m just saying, it’s a risky plan, especially with you recently entering the diamond import business.”

“I’m aware. However, you don’t look a gift a horse in the mouth. It’s a show of respect for the Colombians to give it to us.”

“What the fuck does that mean anyway? What the fuck is a gift horse? It may be a sign of respect but we both know those crazy fucking Colombians just don’t want to get on our bad side. Develop rapport, my ass. I don’t like it; putting one of our men in danger to settle cartel business for the sake of an oversized yellow rock isn’t worth it. Who are you sending, anyway?”

“Kodiak.”

“Kodiak? What the fuck?!” he asked, his eyebrows lifting toward his spiky blonde hairline. “Well, I hope you’re ready to send Logan, too. There’s no way she’d let him go without her.”

“Agreed,” Glazov said with a small, indulgent smile at the thought of his spirited daughter-in-law. “They’ll take good care of each other, and they’ve been itching for an adventure. This will be right up their alley, and it will give us an inside view of the Colombian cartel’s operation.”

Novak grinned. “You’re always one step ahead of them, you know that?”

“As much as I hate to agree with Ricardo, handling the situation this way will give us unprecedented insight into how they operate. Should the peace treaty ever be broken, such insight could prove invaluable.”

“True, but you’ll be sending them into a fucking warzone. I don’t like it, G. There isn’t just the matter of the drug wars; there’s also the issue of the guerrilla forces. There’s a fucking civil war going on down there.”

“At present, there’s a ceasefire and no immediate threat to keep it from holding.”

“You’d never forgive yourself if something happened to those kids. Nothing and no one could bring you back from that abyss and you know it. I don’t like it.” Novak clenched his jaw as he shook his head. “Just don’t like it.”

Glazov sighed, losing what little patience he had left. He studied his cousin with narrowed eyes before responding. “Yeah, I get that. The canary diamond is important but we both know it’s a smokescreen. The Colombians need us for the hit. They don’t want to risk doing it themselves because of the ceasefire they have going on with the guerrillas. It’s a good plan. Plus, I get my emerald shipment, and the canary diamond will serve as payment for our services. Not to mention what it will do to solidify our peace treaty. It’s simple, really: the Colombians can’t do this kill. They want the best, so they came to us.”

“It’s a story that’s got it all: betrayal, theft, fraud…”

“I don’t need to know anything more than the most basic of details. Not my concern.”

“And you’re sending Kodiak because he’ll fit in better because of his dark features. Plus, no one would suspect him with his little wifey coming along.”

Glazov didn’t acknowledge the comment, just continued to talk and as he did, the plot thickened. “It’s an interesting situation, really. The only people who have any idea what’s going on are you, me, and the Ramirez brothers. I don’t have to explain to you that the Colombians are our main source of emeralds and emeralds are a huge part of our assets. Only the best for our new business venture.

“As I understand it, this Amicus guy has been heading up one of the guerrilla factions for years. He’s been an important cartel contact. But now he’s gone rogue, so to speak. Ricardo’s right; if Amicus isn’t taken out, he’s going to cause problems with the Colombian government that even the Ramirez brothers won’t be able to stop.”

“And now Kodiak and Logan will be in the middle of the action. Shit,” Novak muttered. “Should you send a bodyguard with Kodiak? Instead of Logan?”

“The women around here are as capable as the men. She’s made good use of her time since she arrived. She’s been training, knows how to fight, how to shoot a gun, and most of all how to kill. She’ll do fine.”

“So, we’re basically sending them on a covert operation, to a foreign country that’s less than stable, with backup provided by someone else, to kill a double agent. When the fuck did going straight get so damn complicated?”

Glazov rose from his chair and went to stand by the window, his arms crossed over his chest. “I don’t know, Novak. I don’t have the answer to that question.”

It was the first time Novak could recall the Pakhan not being quick with an answer. The Russian coin slipped from Novak’s fingers and landed on floor, rolling off the rug and onto the glossy wood floor. Both men watched silently as the coin twirled around on its edge as if being manipulated by the Bratva gods themselves. Of course, that was just a legend…or was it?