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The ride is long hauling this much product. We’re headed to a shipyard about an hour out. Every minute feels like ten. Separating on the highway so we don’t look suspicious is common practice – because we’re easy targets for a trooper with all our windows tinted black. I think of how introductions to Vlad will play out since my father’s passing. Then I think of what we’re walking into. The outside of the building is going to be as ugly as can be. But the Russians have a knack for creating a palace on the inside for their investors.
Once Ellie is safe, I’m going to stick to Vlad like white on rice. Where my father intended to sever ties with him tonight by whacking his main investor, I intend to keep the cash flow moving.
On the fifty-fifth minute, we arrive at the shipyard and see a do-not-enter sign around a slightly-ajar gate.
“This it?” Scar looks over at me.
“Must be. Squeeze through.”
The gate is open just enough for our biggest SUV.
There’s a balding man with long hair and a trench coat waiting at the bottom of a steep ditch. Vladimir. He’s leaned up against an abandoned building – well, it can certainly pass for one at any rate. He’ll be doing the inspection personally, as expected, and he’s already playing the part to a T. My car kicks up dirt on the way down the hill.
Scar pulls up beside Vlad so I’m facing him. He’s a middle-aged man with so many lines of age it looks like his soul has been sucked from his body. His grin is devilish, and his eyes are crystal blue.
I lower the window.
“Special delivery. I’ll need your signature.” I smirk at Vlad and hold out my hand.
He cackles and grabs mine. “The boy wonder. Hah. Good you can make it. You’re competing with the Albanians tonight. Whose snow is more pure, I wonder?”
Once the pleasantries pass, he leans in and speaks low. “Sorry about your father, comrade. He was a good businessman. We’ve had many dealings.”
I nod solemnly. “Appreciate it. He’s probably running the same gambits somewhere down there.” I point to hell. “Old bastard.” I laugh and look far away, pretending I miss him.
“If we could all be that lucky.” Vlad hits my shoulder. “Right then, onto business.”
“Ten kilos and a bird in my car. Forty in the SUV. Getaway car in the back, as scheduled.” I roll down the window to show Ellie.
“Spasibo,” Vlad says in Russian, and his eyes light up upon seeing Ellie. “Oh my, Triano is going to love her. She’ll go for a high penny.” He reaches in to touch her face.
“Careful,” I say, pretending to be frustrated. “She bites. Been acting up every step of the way.”
Vlad cackles. “Of course. She’s Italian. High breed, from what I understand of your world. Your father really outdid himself this time. A present from the grave.”
My blood remains cool. He doesn’t know that I would cut his throat if he tries to fondle her. It’s in my best interest to coach him away from that scenario.
“Yeah well, she’s been more trouble than she’s worth,” I say. “One more outburst and I’ll do her myself.” I plant the seed that she won’t be arriving.
“Oh, oh.” Vlad keeps his eyes on Ellie. “What in the world did you do, little birdie?” His accent is strong and menacing. His eyes are predatory – just like my father’s were.
Ellie shows her teeth and threatens to spit on him.
“Hey!” I yell at her to back down, rolling up the window and slapping the car, grabbing his attention. “Sorry about that. We’ll have to tie her up good.”
I hop out of the car and show him to the SUV. “Here’s the real prize. Forty kilos of clean product, as promised.”
Vlad nods as he pokes around. He takes a knife and stabs a hole in one of the bags, then sticks his grimy fingers inside to taste it. “Yes.” He nods, then stakes a device inside to test its purity. “You Valentinos continue to live up to your reputation. Very good. Very good. Right this way.”
The Sicilians rush to start the process, following Vlad to the door.
I nonchalantly head to the other side of my car and open the door, beckoning Ellie out. I point her in the direction of Sal’s car and keep watch. Vlad is completely occupied, and the camera stationed above would never notice a blur amid all of this movement.
When the door of Sal’s car clicks shut, she’s safe. I give the signal for the getaway car to get a move on, and I analyze the scene.
My coolness is disturbed a bit when I realize there’s no good spot for my snipers to create a nest. We’re pretty deep in a ditch, and the fenced area is too far for them to post up. I might be defenseless in here. And I’m sure the Russians have their own gunmen readying in the warehouse.
Now I have to break Vlad the bad news that I broke a bird’s wings before the auction. It’s going to cost me more than two million… The bastard is going to think I’m a hothead. But that’s the price of getting Ellie out of this.
