Chapter 4
“Da?” the man whispers into the phone. He sneaks a furtive glance around him to make sure no one is nearby. But he knows from experience that even if someone were to stumble upon him, they wouldn’t ask too many questions.
The new Bratva leader has his estate locked down tighter than a nun’s snatch, but once he found his way inside, no one questioned him. And even if they did, he’d silence them. There’s plenty of room on the ground to bury a body. He’d know. There are already three unmarked graves in the trees.
It had only taken him a week to infiltrate compound and insert himself with the other men.
In all the confusion following Boris’s fall from power, it had been easy to pretend he was just one of the other soldiers.
At the time, the Bratva’s security had been in shambles, and he’d walked right in, given a fake name and fake connections.
Even Alexi’s elite team didn’t suspect him to be anyone other than a new, eager recruit.
He lets that thought be a soft stroke to his ego. They have no idea who he is or why he’s here.
Since he infiltrated the new pakhan’s compound several months ago, he’s been awaiting orders that he knew were coming. Orders from a man much more powerful than the new self-proclaimed upstart leader. Just thinking about Alexi has him sneering in derision.
“Have you located my missing product?” a commanding voice says from the other end of the line. The voice is ruthless and domineering. The voice of a true leader.
“Da,” the man confirms.
“Is she being guarded?”
“Within the compound, no. But it will be no small matter to get her out. Elimination would be much easier than extraction.”
“No. I must have her back, alive and undamaged. Do you understand?”
“Da.”
“If I find out you’ve touched what’s mine, or even so much as looked at her, I won’t hesitate to remove your head from your shoulders.”
“Of course, Commander.”
“And what is your plan for extraction?”
“The new pakhan has set up a training program and a series of competitions to see who will lead his organization. This will allow me to get close to his team and the product. It will also provide a cover and distraction. I will acquire the product and smuggle her out during one of the challenges.”
“See that you do. I am growing impatient. Ulayna is my greatest success and my greatest failure. It is past time that she be brought home to properly learn her place within the Program.”