Chapter 25 – Ivan #2
But more troubling was the possibility that they had known about Grey’s operations all along and only acted when he became too volatile to control. How much had they overlooked over the years? How complicit were they in his crimes?
The Paraskia wasn’t some kind of institution built on moral high ground. We’d messed up and manipulated situations. Dirty hands and all. But at least I thought there was some kind of line the Paraskia wouldn’t cross.
“Maybe they couldn’t,” I said, even as doubt crept into my voice. “Or maybe they’re building a case.”
Isabella shot me a skeptical look. “Is that what you need to believe?”
Before I could respond, she reversed out of Grey’s files and opened another one labeled “Operation Legacy.”
“What’s this?” I asked.
She opened it, and it revealed decades of surveillance reports on the Salvini family.
“This dates back to shortly after Vince was born,” she said, scanning the earliest reports. “Grey told me they were monitoring all of us even before I was born,” she said and looked at Matt for the first time. Her voice grew quieter. “But he focused on me specifically after I turned eight.”
Matt growled.
“He told me he was in love with my mother before she married our father,” Shorty said, her voice distant. “He said the Paraskia ordered him to stand down when Alfredo pursued her.”
She fell silent after that but started extracting data.
“Since Nonno was one of the founding fathers of the Paraskia Syndicate, this means he was the one ordering this surveillance,” Matt murmured.
We all looked at him.
“Was this his way to keep tabs on us?” he said and looked at Shorty who shrugged. “Maybe, or maybe he really didn’t trust his own son, and it was his way to keep us safe?”
Matt nodded and hummed, and we focused back on the screen just as something unusual flashed across the screen—a message appearing briefly then disappearing again.
>
Isabella froze. “Did you see that?”
I nodded, then looked at Nina who’d already checked the system’s security logs.
“What does it mean?” Shorty asked.
“A trap?” Matt suggested, hand moving subtly toward Shorty’s shoulder.
“Or an ally,” Nina countered.
I recalled the message, trying to make sense of it. The Paraskia operated on strict hierarchical protocols. Unauthorized assistance would be nearly impossible without high-level approval.
“This changes things,” I said slowly, the implications sinking in. “The Paraskia Council must have already opened an investigation into Grey.”
“And they know what we’re doing,” Shorty murmured.
And they knew what we were doing. All of this information wasn’t on Grey’s private computer; it was in the Paraskia database.
Did that mean all of his operations had been sanctioned? Or did it mean they were investigating him?
Everything was possible.
“Containment team ETA 3 hours. What does that mean?” Shorty asked.
“That means, let’s get the data and get our asses off this island ASAP,” I decided, the weight of the implications settling like lead in my stomach.
Shorty looked at me sharply. “You’re trusting an anonymous message? That’s not like you.”
I stared at her. “I’m not trusting anyone,” I replied. “Especially not with my family’s life, or yours.”
The acknowledgment of my concern for her created a brief moment of connection despite the tension between us. Something softened in her expression before she returned to the task at hand.
“I need five more minutes to finish,” she said, already copying the most damning evidence to a secure drive.
The room fell silent except for the sound of her typing. Matt remained vigilant at the door while Nina monitored external communications. Anton kept his eyes on the security feeds, alert for any sign of trouble.
I watched Shorty work, struck again by the duality of her nature. The woman who had surrendered so completely in my arms last night was now all sharp edges and clinical precision. Both versions were equally real, equally compelling. Both versions made her the woman I wanted.
“Done,” she announced finally, removing the secure drive. “We have what we came for.”
Despite her words, the victory seemed hollow. Her hands trembled slightly as she held the drive though her face remained composed.
“We should take this directly to Vince,” Matt said, gesturing to the drive.
“No,” Nina countered immediately. “We should head to the airport. Get everyone off the island before Grey returns, or whoever else arrives.”
Isabella’s expression shifted, determination replacing shock. “I need to hack into Grey’s computer, as well. If these are just the official records, imagine what he keeps in his personal files.”
“No way,” Matt said.
“Too dangerous,” Nina continued.
“We gather everyone and leave immediately,” I said, my tone leaving no room for debate. “With a containment team en route, this island will soon become a battleground. If Grey comes back before then, he won’t go down without a fight.”
And if Grey and the Paraskia were on the same side, I didn’t want to wait to be the only ones on the other side.
As we prepared to leave the communications room, Isabella hung back, waiting until the others had exited before addressing me privately.
“We need the information from Grey’s computer,” she insisted. “We could just take it with us.”
“We’re leaving, right the fuck now,” I replied, checking my weapon.
“But—”
“You have enough evidence to destroy Grey ten times over,” I barked. “Let it go.”
She studied my face, suspicion darkening her eyes. “Are you really concerned about everyone’s safety, or are you trying to hide the fact that the Paraskia sanctioned all of this?”
The accusation stung more than it should have. “We’re on the same side, Isabella.”
“How exactly are we on the same side?” she challenged, her voice rising slightly. “The Paraskia knew what Grey was doing. They let it happen. You are the Paraskia. And once we leave, when this is over, is there really an us?”
The question hung between us, impossible to answer honestly. Was there an us when this was over? I had no promises to offer her, no guarantees that made sense in either of our worlds.
My silence was answer enough.
“So much for being on the same side,” she said, the hurt in her voice carefully masked by coldness.
She turned away, the drive clutched tightly in her hand, leaving me watching her retreating form.
Words caught in my throat—explanations, justifications, perhaps even truths I wasn’t ready to acknowledge.
Instead, I remained silent as the door closed behind her, the ghost of what might have been lingering in the empty room.
I caught up with Isabella in the hallway, unwilling to leave things as they were. The others had moved ahead, giving us a moment of privacy.
“Shorty, wait,” I said, my voice low enough that only she could hear.
She paused but didn’t turn. “Unless you’re about to tell me something useful about how you plan to stop Grey’s operations, we have nothing to discuss.”
“You asked what happens when this is over,” I began, choosing my words carefully. “The truth is, I don’t know.”
Now she turned, her expression guarded. “That’s not good enough.”
“It’s all I have,” I admitted. “My siblings and I have been planning our split from the Paraskia for months. But after what we just discovered…” I gestured toward the drive in her hand. “I don’t know what organization I’m even leaving anymore. And if they’ll even let us leave.”
Something in my tone must have reached her. Her posture softened slightly.
“You really didn’t know?”
I shook my head. “We filed a complaint yesterday. Standard procedure. But we didn’t know about Grey, and we didn’t know they had all this information on him.”
The realization still burned. Years of loyalty and they’d kept me in the dark. Used me as an asset rather than trusted me as an operative.
“So what now?” she asked.
“Now we get you and your family off this island,” I said. “Before Grey returns. Before the containment team arrives. Before this becomes even more of a shit show.”
She studied me, searching for something in my expression. “And after that?”
The question carried weight beyond the immediate crisis. I couldn’t offer promises I wasn’t certain I could keep.
“One problem at a time,” I said.
Her jaw tightened. “That’s what I thought.”
Before I could respond, Anton approached from the end of the corridor. “We’re all clear for now. Vehicles are being prepared.”
I nodded, grateful for the interruption despite the unfinished business between Shorty and me. “Get everyone assembled by the Jeeps. Twenty minutes.”
As Anton left, Isabella moved to follow him. I caught her arm gently. “Whatever you think of me, of the Paraskia, my priority is keeping you safe,” I said, meaning it more than I should. “Trust that, even if you can’t trust anything else.”
She looked pointedly at my hand on her arm until I released her. “I’ve learned to be careful about what and who I trust, Zotov.”
The formality of her using my last name stung.
Had last night been a mistake that had only complicated an already dangerous situation?
Yet watching her move down the corridor, head high despite everything, I couldn’t bring myself to regret it.
We had what we needed to destroy Grey and shut down his operations. The evidence was secure. Everything was on track.
So why did it feel like I was losing everything?