Aras

At that moment Natalia, presumably, knocked on the door, and Yuri turned and called over his shoulder, “Come in.”

I was grateful for the distraction, and even more grateful that I was sitting when Vlad walked through the door.

Hatred, revulsion, it leaped off me, but I did my best to keep it in check.

Worked even harder to keep myself glued to the seat.

He walked in, his shoes polished, suit impeccable, expression one of annoyance already.

I didn’t look at Ezekiel, but I knew his expression would be as neutral as mine.

Keeping your thoughts to yourself was one of the things that kept people alive, and even this little unexpected drop-in from Vlad wouldn’t break my cool facade.

“Who the fuck are they?” Vlad asked.

Natalia froze, then quickly turned to scurry away, closing the door behind her.

No doubt she hadn’t ever heard anyone talk to the boss that way, and from the boss’s expression, he didn’t like that she had now.

“The people who are going to solve your problem,” Yuri said.

I somehow managed to distance myself from my hatred of Vlad and instead tried to watch this situation unfold objectively.

Clearly, Vlad had something Yuri wanted.

That was the only reason he would tolerate the disrespect.

The Yuri I knew, the one who had maintained control for over fifteen years, would have met an even milder slight with death.

Even someone like Vlad, who was connected, wouldn’t have been spared that wrath. Yuri was many, many things, but chief among them was a proponent of respect.

Someone who stepped out of line would be dealt with.

But not Vlad, apparently.

“Well, how will you fix it?” Vlad asked.

“Can you explain what the problem is?” Ezekiel asked.

Vlad looked at Yuri, incredulous.

“You should explain it yourself. You have all the details,” Yuri said.

Vlad frowned.

“Somebody stole a shipping container. And that container has my guns. I want them back, and I want the people who took them handled,” Vlad said.

I wanted to curse myself.

I had been so distracted by Lake that I hadn’t checked in recently to see how Warren was handling the missing shipment and Vlad’s reaction.

I had only let a few days go by, but that had been enough.

Warren had clearly screwed up, and Vlad had reached out for assistance.

“Where did they go missing from?” I asked.

It was difficult to push the words out around the disgust, but I did, and managed to sound completely normal.

“Off the coast of Greece, apparently. But who the hell knows?” Vlad said.

He spoke directly to me, and I looked at him, wondering if he might recognize me.

He hadn’t seen me that night, but I was certain that he had seen me at some point before he’d killed my family.

He looked at me now, and unless Vlad was a very, very good actor, the best I had ever come across, he didn’t recognize me.

I tried not to let that anger me, but it did.

He had destroyed my life, snuffed out my family, and he didn’t even recognize me.

I hadn’t expected any less, and in truth, hadn’t expected to ever be in a room with Vlad where I wasn’t killing him, yet here we were.

“Have you discussed it with your people?” I asked.

“What the fuck do you think?” he tossed back.

I didn’t say anything else, but Yuri stepped in.

“These two will get to the bottom of it and see that your merchandise or its value is returned,” Yuri said.

“I want the people who took it. I have plans for them,” he said.

Thinking of those plans apparently amused him, something he didn’t bother to keep off his face.

“We’re on it,” Ezekiel said.

“Don’t disappoint me,” Vlad said.

He was looking at Yuri, and after a moment, turned and left.

“One more minute, and I would have disemboweled that fucker where he stood,” Yuri grumbled.

“Why didn’t you?” Ezekiel asked.

Yuri laughed, the sound hearty, full-bodied.

“There’s no guarantee I won’t, but not yet,” Yuri said.

“He has something you want,” I said.

“He’s a piece of shit, but he’s a connected piece of shit,” he said.

“And you want to take those connections for yourself,” Ezekiel said.

“It’s good to have friends,” Yuri said.

“How far do you want us to take this?” Ezekiel asked.

“Don’t do anything that puts us at risk, of course. But it’s a shipment of guns. You can track it down without a problem,” Yuri said.

“And the people who took it?” Ezekiel asked.

“You’ll deliver them to Vlad and whatever he has in store for them.”