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“You too and in one piece I see.” Roman added and winked.
“Somehow yeah.” Commerce said and then approached Ivan.
He drew him in for a hug and back slap.
“Good to see you in one piece.”
“Good to be in one piece and home.” Commerce replied and stepped back.
They stood eye to eye, standing at exactly the same height, same built with large upper body of muscles, except Commerce was a bit slimmer with a martial artist’s build, where Ivan was thick and solid. A man who intimidated not only by stature but by that dark, serious expression, and the eyes of a killer.
“What can I get you?” Dante asked after they shook hands.
“What the boss is having.” He said and winked at Ivan.
Ivan remained straight face and looked around them. They bullshitted about regular stuff. Life, liberty and the latest mission Commerce came back from not so unscathed. Of course he couldn’t give details but what little he said was enough for Ivan to know that things went badly. Ivan squinted his eyes at him and moved closer. Dante and the others gave them space.
“How bad was it really, and are you ready to come work for me or what?” Ivan asked.
This time Commerce squinted, then took a slug from the glass of imported vodka. He thought about this for nearly six months. The offer on the table. The opportunity to run a new security firm for Ivan Sokolov, a made man, a professional business man who worked both legit and not so legit businesses. Commerce was a soldier, a man who worked for the government. Not saying that what he did was always legit shit for the government. That would be a plain out lie. What he did was kill, and got paid for it.
He eliminated threats, relocated vulnerable people the government needed out of harm’s way into safety and in some cases, back under the government’s thumb. Commerce wasn’t under anyone’s thumb and lately his commanders were putting extra stress on him and his team of soldiers. All good men. All men who took hits, survived bullet wounds, knife wounds and even being held prisoner for periods of time under terrifying conditions. Was it enough? It could be getting to be. For all eight of the men on his team and not just Commerce.
Ivan was family, and he knew that Ivan would do anything for him to help him and even the team. Commerce couldn’t help but to think that Ivan created this new business avenue in hopes of getting Commerce and the team out of the military and under his payroll. A lot safer for the most part and more lucrative, plus they were trustworthy, and Ivan trusted very few people.
“Talk to me Commerce. I sense the time is drawing near. How bad was this last mission, really?” Ivan asked, his voice low enough but still heard despite the loud music of the club.
“I should have been back here six weeks ago.”
Ivan squinted at him.
“Some shit went down. Several of us took some hits.” He clenched his teeth, and looked away from Ivan.
“How bad were your injuries? Why didn’t you contact me? What about the team?”
He glanced at him.
“I was out of it for the first week. The rest of the team came out on top. Falcon, Malloy, Credence and Cole were out within the week.”
“Shit.” Ivan said and looked him over.
“What were the injuries?”
“Let’s just say our friendly little sprawls you and I engaged in in the past were helpful to saving my life. Even used that sneaky fucked up move you would get me with years ago.” He smirked and Ivan snorted. He dow
ned the rest of his vodka and placed the empty glass down on the bar. Commerce did the same thing and the bartender Dmitri filled them up again.
He was silent, and then Commerce looked at him.
“Things are changing. The troops are restless, uneasy, and about ready to stop working for the government, for organizations that don’t have our backs.”
Ivan nodded, his expression hard, focused, and Commerce knew he would speak the truth. Commerce trusted Ivan.
“I understand. You need to remember that this opportunity I’ve mentioned to you before, entails both legit and non-legit business. That working for me, for my organization means you instantly become targets. You’ll gain my enemies. You’ll accept my orders whatever they may be.”
“Sounds an awful lot like working in special operations for the US government.”
Ivan held his gaze with that serious, firm expression he constantly had. “Except the pay is a lot better and so are the benefits. I expect more than a hundred percent. I expect respect from you and whomever you decide to take as fellow employees under your command. I want great results with this new security business, and I will always have your back, my friend. Always.”
