Page 55 of Russian Rescue

“I don’t disagree. However, the leaders of Ukraine don’t want to start a war over it, so they haven’t pursued going after the Russians to get their nukes back. So, from the looks of it, Petro and his followers have gone rogue trying to get ahold of the locations of the nukes.”

“To what end?” She dragged her fingertips along the back of my neck, and I had to fight not to slide my hand up her skirt.

Focus.

“That’s what I don’t know. I’m as deep as I can get into their servers without physically going in.”

“Physically going in? What do you mean?”

“I need to get my hands on their computers physically. Their walls are too strong for even me to get through remotely. I don’t know who their computer guy is, but he’s good. Really good. Better than the government I hacked into that got me in this shit.”

Piper glanced down, and I saw the worry in her eyes. “Please don’t tell me that we have to breach physically to get the proof to save your family.”

I gave her a sheepish smile. “That’s exactly what I’m saying.”

“If we know the Ukrainians are trying to fuck with the Russians, then I say we reach out to the Russian government and turn this shit in. Let them handle it. You know they won’t sit back and let Ukrainians hack their nukes.”

“And if they don’t? Or if they fail? My family members are still sitting ducks until Petro and his people are taken down. If we are going to the government for help, we need actual proof. All I have right now is speculation. And to get that proof, I need to get into their server.”

She let out a lengthy sigh. “Okay. Then we’ll bring Marcus and Knox back. Once we figure out where those servers are, we’ll go in and get the info.”

“I know where the servers are. My program found them. They are right here in Moscow. Looks like Petro has a house just outside of the city. Well, a huge mansion, actually. But that’s where my trail takes us.”

“Good. Then let’s—”

“But it has to be me who does it. This is too advanced for you guys to do it with me in your ear. I need to get my hands on those computers so I can break into them.”

“No.” A piece of her dark hair dislodged from her messy bun when she shook her head. “I’m not bringing you into the house of the people trying to kidnap you and force you to locate nuclear weapons for them.”

I tightened my grip around her waist. “It has to be me, Piper. This is too complicated for you to try to attempt. One wrong keystroke, and you’ll set off alarms.”

“And if you trip the alarm and you’re sitting there in their house primed and ready to be captured again? Or worse?”

“Their computer guy is good, but not as good as me, or they wouldn’t be going to all this trouble to coerce me into helping them. So, I know I can do this. I can break his walls... but I have to get into the server room.”

She shook her head harder. “No. Absofuckinglutely not. You’re not even trained in tactical breaching or any of that shit. It’s a disaster waiting to happen. And do I need to remind you what also happens if they get their hands on you?” She slid her finger across her neck.

“We don’t have to breach.” I clicked away at my computer until I was in Petro’s emails. I pointed at the screen. “They’re throwing a fundraiser for their dummy foundation in two days. And he’s hosting it at his place.”

Piper leaned forward and read the email. “What the hell kind of terrorist throws a fundraiser?”

I laughed softly. “This is actually pretty brilliant. In Russia, Petro lives as Mikhail, a philanthropist who runs foundations to help needy children. It has allowed him to throw tons of fundraisers over the past few years to solicit money from some of Russia’s most elite. But in reality, there is no Children’s Welfare Foundation, and he’s using the money to fund his terrorist cell.”

Her eyes went big. “Are you saying that Petro, or Mikhail as he’s known here, is throwing fundraisers in Russia and having Russians donate money that is actually funding his terrorist plan against them?”

I chuckled and shrugged. “Yep. Pretty fucking brilliant. I mean, super shitty that these people think they’re helping kids and they’re not, but brilliant. He’s taken in hundreds of millions of dollars of Russian money that I’m sure he’s spending on arming his people.”

Piper scoffed. “And they are well armed from what I’ve seen. Wait. How have the Russians not figured out who he really is?”

“Because they aren’t looking for him.” I quirked a smile. “And also, because they don’t have me.”

Piper chuckled. “Valid. But it also shows he’s a really smart guy, and that means we aren’t going to go head-to-head with him just you and me. They’ll catch you for sure.”

“They won’t,” I said with certainty. “I’ve got you to make sure I get out of there alive. And you’re the best in the world at what you do.”

She pursed her lips and leveled me with a knowing stare. “Flattery isn’t going to get me to agree to this.”

“We don’t have a choice, Piper.”