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“What are you doing?” Kadyrovic asked.
Novak waved him away in annoyance. “Mr. Gray! Or should I call you Harrison? No, no, wait, let me put you on speakerphone. Everyone should enjoy this.”
He touched the screen, then held the phone out. Harrison’s voice came through with only minimal static. “I said, who the fuck is this?”
I spoke as quickly as I could. “Harrison, we’ve been captured by Anton Novak and—”
The butt of Kadyrovic’s pistol hit me in the back of the head. I fell to my hands and knees, groaning.
“Your limey fuck of a partner is correct,” Novak said into the phone. “We have him and Mr. Mackey here. We would love for you to join the party.”
“Oh, I’ll be there all right,” Harrison shot back. “Should’ve killed you in Prague when we had the chance, rather than trying to take you alive.”
“Too bad you were busy getting your dick wet with Karina,” Novak replied. “I was afraid you three had become more disciplined since then, but I can see you’re as sloppy as ever. Come to the office. Alone. If you bring anyone else, we’ll kill your partners. And then we’ll track down yourdaughter.” He said the word slowly, drawing it out. “But if you do as you’re asked, we will leave her be. It’s you we want.” He glanced at his watch. “See you in ten minutes.”
The last thing we heard was Harrison shouting a curse before Novak hung up.
“What do you want with us?” Jordy demanded.
“He’s going to kill us,” I said weakly. I was still on my knees. There was no use fighting. Not yet, at least.
“Oh, I’m not going to kill you!” Novak teased. “We havemuchbigger plans for you. I’m selling you to Kadyrovic. Along with all the evidence of the contract to kill him. He’s going to take the three of you back to Moscow, where you will be paraded in front of the televisions for the crimes you’ve committed. An example of illegal NATO and American interventionism.”
“We don’t represent NATO, or America,” Jordy said. “We’re freelance mercenaries. Hell,you’rethe one who hired us to come after Kadyrovic!”
“It does not matter,” Kadyrovic said with a smile. “We will get the propaganda we desire.”
“And I will become a wealthy man,” Novak said. “Maybe wealthy enough to get my brothers out of prison. We will see. Aldi? My money?”
Kadyrovic scowled. “You get the money when the job is done.”
Novak walked over and kicked Jordy in the shin. “I’ve delivered two-thirds of them. Surely I deserve two-thirds of the cost. Come on. Money makes mehappy. Even happier than seeing these two on their knees, begging for their lives.”
I sneered at him, but said nothing. We hadn’t begged for our lives. Not yet. We still had our dignity.
Oh, Kaylee. I’m so sorry.
Kadyrovic sighed and pulled out his phone. “As you wish. I will initiate the transfer…” He trailed off as his phone rang. Frowning, he answered it. “Da?”
It wasn’t on speakerphone, but the volume was loud enough for me to hear. “Place your weapons on the ground.”
Kadyrovic grunted. “Excuse me?”
“Place your weapons on the ground. Then stand over in the middle of the helipad with your hands in the air. Do this, and you will all live.”
“Who is it?” Novak demanded.
Who indeed?I wondered. I didn’t recognize the voice. It sounded foreign.
Kadyrovic began turning in a circle. “I do not take kindly to threats.”
“This is your last warning,” the voice warned.
“Who is it!” Novak repeated. He snapped his fingers in the air. “Aldi. Who is it? Answer me, damn you!”
“Is the perimeter secure?” Kadyrovic asked.
The bodyguard with Jordy tensed. “It was when I last checked. Twenty minutes ago.”
