Episode 2
“We have to get their trust, figure out their structure, gather evidence, find out who in government is covering for them. Russia is a civilized country.”
“Russia is Russia,” Sevastyan retorted. What did his father not understand about that? No country was particularly civilized. Some of them just had fancier toilets and more doors.
“Russia is what we make her.” Anton looked across the bed at Sevastyan. “You saved me today.”
Sevastyan shrugged.
“That’s how I know you’re not like the rest of them. You’re not ruined, not yet.”
Why does it sound like I’m a breath away from being ruined? “I’m your son,” Sevastyan said.
“But is she your mother?” Anton lifted his chin as if he were really asking: “Who are you loyal to?”
Sevastyan adjusted the zipper on his bag. “Let’s just hope your other son has a better mother. Because Raska . . .” Sevastyan shot his father a sardonic look, “was one fuck I’d rather you had missed.”
“Raska was an arranged fuck I couldn’t refuse.” Anton crumpled up the bottle. “That’s what we’ll do, then. Gain their trust, unravel their network. Find out how deep the corruption goes. Eliminate.”
Sevastyan’s world tilted sideways without moving a centimeter. “You want to fight the Merchari?”
“We have to.” Anton nodded emphatically. “It’s our duty.”
“It’s Raska.”
“Raska without a leash.” Anton threw the crumpled up plastic at the wall. “This isn’t the first time I’ve run into the Merchari. The worst of the worst. Traffickers. Drugs. Money laundering. Monetarily motivated assassinations. If we have a chance to take them down, we have to take it.”
Sevastyan swallowed, suddenly wanting a drink. “Okay.”
Anton looked at Sevastyan as if surprised.
“I said okay,” Sevastyan repeated. “As long as we’re together.”
Anton nodded. “I’m home, son. It’s been a long damn time. But I’m home.”
Once Anton was asleep, Sevastyan let himself strip off and get into the shower.
The memory of his mother putting the gun to his head played over and over again.
He slid down the tiles and curled up, knees to his chest, arms around his legs, and bowed his head, letting the warm water beat down on the back of his skull.
Raska. Not Mother. Never Mother.
Raska. Raska. Raska.
He beat his forehead against his knees and hugged himself tighter, cold on the inside despite the hot water filling the bathroom with steam.
Sevastyan
Present day
“Twelve years,” Sevastyan said. “How much longer do you think we can do this?”
Anton shook his head again, not meeting Sevastyan’s eyes.
Are you even trying? Sevastyan kept his doubt behind his teeth. “Collin and Alice still think you’re dead.”
Anton grunted. He poured himself another drink.
Sevastyan sipped at his brandy, breathing it in.
Better than the smell of the layered-in stale stagnation of old cigars in the room.
It was making his fingers itch for a cigarette, but smoking made Rei cough.
He’d given up cigarettes the same night he’d dragged Rei out of the fire.
“Collin’s done more toward our goal than we have. ”
“Don’t tell me you’re thinking of involving him. Collin and Alice are off limits.”
Sevastyan glanced up. Anton was glaring at him.
Sevastyan shook his head and gave a scoffing laugh. “My mission is to contain the fallout from Gang not being a cooperative victim. He’s sleeping in the same condo as Collin right now.”
Anton just stared back at Sevastyan.
Sevastyan shook his head and looked away, wiping his nose with his thumb. “Richard and his protégée are ready to burn bridges over him.”
“Don’t tell me . . .” Anton rolled his eyes and reached for the bottle again, topping up his cup.
“We haven’t had this kind of a chance to make such a powerful ally.”
“And put everything else at risk,” Anton snarled. “Your brother almost died two months ago.”
Because of you, Sevastyan thought. Rei’s steady presence burned against the side of Sevastyan’s leg.
It wasn’t fair, exactly. The entire situation that had put Collin at risk had been old and centered around Richard and Linda Reevesworth’s inheritance from their uncle, or rather their refusal to continue the criminal ties their uncle had cultivated when they took over his businesses.
As Richard’s lover, Collin had just been a convenient hostage. Not that Anton would believe that.
Anton closed his eyes. “There’s too much attention. Lie low. For heaven’s sake be quiet. If you’re already drawn in, it could smear over to you as well. Make sure your numbers are good. Don’t slip. Don’t give them a reason to doubt you.”
“We haven’t had a chance like this in two years.”
“And the last chance I thought we had blew up spectacularly. I’m tired, son.” Anton fussed with a cigar box and found his lighter in the mess of things on the side table beside him. “Now isn’t a good time.”
Sevastyan forced himself to sit back on the couch and cross one ankle over the opposite knee, his wrist resting on his knee.
Anton puffed on his cigar. “Give it up. They’ll just come after you.”
Sevastyan narrowed his eyes. Rei was going to struggle with the smoke.
“We have the lists. We have the crimes. We have the evidence. What we need is an ally. Gang Junseo has those allies. They’ve already closed ranks around him.
Reevesworth Industries threw their entire weight behind his extraction.
If we don’t take this opportunity, then what kind of opportunity are we waiting for? ”
Anton avoided Sevastyan’s eyes. “It’s timing, Sevvy. Not just opportunity. It’s not good timing.”
Sevastyan let out a puff of disgusted air. He sank back into the couch and tapped his hand against his knee, looking away. “So we lie low.”
“Just for a few years. Let people forget about things. Refine our lists.” Anton sounded relieved.
Sevastyan forced himself to visibly relax. If he showed surprise, anger, anything, it could turn on him. If Anton had lost his edge, he was one step away from betrayal.
He’d given Ellisandre up for this mission. He’d done unspeakable acts for this mission.
“Well, then.” Sevastyan nodded. “That’s it, then. I’ll do my best to keep Collin and Alice out of it.”
Anton nodded, even more relief spreading to his eyes.
“What can’t be done is walk away from the assignment. What if they order me to eliminate Gang?”
“Collin doesn’t know him well yet. Do what you have to. Off him if it’s required. It’s . . . a regrettable sacrifice.” Anton sighed.
Easy for you to say. You’re not the one who has to look the dead in the eye.
Against Sevastyan’s leg, Rei’s body tightened. Nothing Anton would notice, but a reaction nonetheless.
Sevastyan stared at his father for a long time. Then nodded. “Understood. If I have to, I’ll make sure Collin doesn’t see the actual execution.”
“Do that.”
Sevastyan stood. “There’s a box of Cee’s candy coming. Enjoy.”
Anton’s face lit up at the name of a local candy store from the US west coast. “Toffees?”
“All of your favorites.” Sevastyan stood and smiled, buttoning up his coat. “I should go. Flight to Berlin. Have to pay my respects to Alexi.”
Anton winced. “Better you than me. Are you seeing your mother?”
Sevastyan chuckled. “Not that I know of. Don’t worry. If she’s dragged her boy toy to Berlin, I’m prepared. I brought bribes.” He reached into his pocket and swirled a sapphire and silver necklace around his finger.
Sevastyan waved off Anton’s demand that he take the private driver to the airport. “I need some exercise today. Don’t worry. I won’t summon a ride anywhere near here. I need to stretch my legs.”
Gods help me, I need to do something other than hold still.
Rei
Anton’s words played over in Rei’s head.
“Do what you have to. Off him. It’s . . .
a regrettable sacrifice.” He had heard it, had felt it down into his bones.
Every part of him rejected the sentiment and the direction.
And now he was thinking of Jun—Gang Junseo to the world, Junni to him.
They’d been the oldest, Jun and Rei, but Rei had still been Jun’s elder.
Late at night in their agency’s trainee dorms, Jun had fallen asleep more than once in Rei’s bed, music and concept art spread out around them as they fought to debut as idols.
They’d been kids together, long limbs, uncertain smiles, desperate to grow up and become something.
Jun had. Sevastyan had let Rei witness it.
He’d seen Jun’s dreams come true, at least in part.
Watched him dance to stadiums packed to the sky.
Seen him smile and hug the other members, lead them, praise them, and dance for their fans.
Jun had become everything—a bright, shining star.
All the pieces of Rei that had fought, and cried, and sacrificed, and trained, and even broke bones to become had not been for nothing.
They had gone on with Jun. He’d shared his knowledge and passion with Jun, as close as brothers.
Closer. Brothers didn’t breathe together, cling to each other, train in the dance studios together until they were covered in each others’ sweat, drinking from the same water bottles, laughing in a single pile on the floor from sheer exhaustion.
Rei had disappeared from the stage, but Jun was still using moves they’d created together, still singing songs they’d written together.
Rei lifted his head and met Sevastyan’s eyes. “Jun is no one’s sacrifice.” It was the first thing he’d voluntarily said since Sevastyan had slid a gun through his teeth.
Sevastyan met his gaze and nodded.
Rei dropped his eyes. The pain in Sevastyan’s gaze was too great. It was going to draw him in, a match for his own torment. But they were in Kazan, in broad daylight, where anyone could see even the slightest crack in their facade.
The taxi stopped in front of them and Sevastyan reached for the door handle. He opened the back door of the taxi and waved Rei inside.