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The grandpakhanrolls into a stream of rapid, old-school Russian I can’t begin to translate. He’s looking directly at Oleg, who quickly responds in kind. After a few exchanges like this, he turns to Tolya and me, an expectant look on his face.
I glance at Tolya. He’s as lost in the conversation as I am. It’s a thick, archaic form of Russian he’s speaking, and hard to process.
“Speak up,” Oleg grumbles under his breath.
“Apologies, grandpakhan,” Tolya suddenly says with a slight bow. “I’ve been stuck inside an American prison for fifteen years with no one to practice our mother tongue with. And this one—” He flicks his thumb at me. “—just never has much occasion to speak it. American kids; what’re ya gonna do?”
The men stare at us for a long, silent moment.
“Americans,” GrandPakhanZakrevksy mutters in accented English. Then he laughs, and is quickly joined by his men. “Fine, fine. Your father tells me there are problems in the States that you need help with. I am asking for your experiences, since he’s been here for the better part of the last decade.” His gaze shifts to me. “You, Demyen, have settled there quite nicely. Do you truly need such assistance?”
I give him a slow nod. “Tensions with the local Yakuza have led to threats against the general public, including a massive shooting at an elementary school.”
This earns a widespread wave of disapproving murmurs. I take that as my cue to continue.
“As you may already know, we discovered the truth behind my brother’s imprisonment and the involvement of his arresting officer, who has since gone on to live his life unchecked and unpunished. He thrives in his career within the police department and continues trafficking women from the jail cells into the same Yakuza leader’s international ring.”
“So clearly,” Oleg interjects, “it’s imperative that we gather reinforcements to end this struggle once and for all. With your permission, grandpakhan, we will sever ties with this treacherous ally and destroy their enterprise. Let Raizo Watanabe be an example to anyone who dares move against our family.”
“Actually…” I open my jacket and pull out the folded stack of papers I’ve been keeping tucked to my side since printing them off last night. “… Raizo’s not who I had in mind.”
GrandPakhanZakrevsky accepts the papers I offer him with a quizzical stare. I step back and give him a wide berth to peruse the information.
Silence again. Dense. Impenetrable.
“Is this true?” Zakrevsky snaps at Oleg once he’s done reading.
The old man sputters. “Forgive me, grandpakhan,but I don’t?—”
“You don’t know anything about these funds? Siphoned from what I recognize to be my own trusted men sitting here with me right now?” He snorts and reads the first page. “Lev, did you know about this? Apparently, you gave this man two hundred and fifty thousand American dollars.”
“The fuck I did!” One of thevorssprings to his feet. Lev, I presume. “I swear?—”
GrandpakhanZakrevsky holds up a patient hand and silently urges him to calm himself and sit down. “And Ilya, it seems you’ve been quite the benefactor to our guest. I’m sure you noticed nine hundred and fifty grand missing from your accounts recently?”
Another man seated near him frowns. “I was told there was an accounting error.”
I glance over at Oleg. He’s just standing there, stunned.
Stunned… and terrified.
“If you turn to page five, you’ll notice something quite interesting,” I suggest. “I believe those are the mercenary groups my father financed to falsely masquerade as the Yakuza. Now, my informants have confirmed the involvement of RaizoWatanabe’s men, but it was with the understanding that both parties were working in tandem.”
Oleg spins on me. “You shut your fucking mouth?—”
“Including,” I continue, raising my voice to be heard over him, “the school shooting at the school in Vegas.”
He stops in his tracks.
The room grows deathly silent.
I now have the room’s undivided attention. I take a deep breath, and a step forward, fully aware that what I say next may quite literally mean life or death. “GrandPakhan, I hold true to our ideal that family is everything. Unfortunately, my father does not honor this code. He attempted to kidnap, assault, and murder my girlfriend. He sent mercenaries to terrorize my daughter’s school and then to kidnap her, which in turn cost the lives of many loyal Bratva soldiers. I have had to issue formal apologies and gifts of condolences to the families who are now widowed and fatherless because this man cares for nothing and no one but himself. All this, compounded with several attacks deliberately designed to misdirect my vengeance against Watanabe. But to be honest…” I sigh. “I’d sooner surrender everything I have than lose my family.”
The grandpakhanlistens intently and broods in silence for a long time after I’m done.
After a moment and a few quick glances to either side of his entourage, he nods to the guards standing by the doors.
“What? Wait!” Oleg shouts when they lunge in to grab him by his arms and yank him forward. “Wait! This is madness! I must speak in my defense against these lies!”
