Chapter 18
EIGHTEEN
VLAD
War is for brute strength and outsmarting your opponent, and I’ll have no trouble with either one.
“They have all locked down in their clubhouse,” Nikolai informs me. “They have guards patrolling and their security person has been updating and putting up new cameras throughout the night. They have also pulled in the K9 trainer with her dog, their group’s various children, and as of an hour ago, their known allies, the Heaven’s Misfits MC also joined them and have started patrolling as well.”
I’m furious that my men have failed. Again. They had the perfect target to get the entire lot out of our way in one go, and they fucked it up. “One more club means nothing,” I tell him curtly. “It just means more bodies to deal with before we’re done.”
Nikolai holds my gaze, and despite it being empty of any kind of emotion, I can still sense the disapproval aimed my way. But he doesn’t voice it as he says, “I have the men already getting to work on getting information on them quickly so we know what we’re dealing with. I will now have to adjust my plans depending on the information that they provide me.”
“Just go in and blow the fucking place up! They’re all in there and you can get rid of them at once. You’re supposed to be the fucking expert at that kind of thing.” Do I have to think of everything?
“An explosion of that size that would take out what is surely to include an underground bunker as well, would require time and stealth that is not possible in that space currently,” he informs me. “I need them all off the grounds so I can get in and do what I need to do, but considering the turn of events, that’s unlikely for a while. In the meantime, while I make a new plan, we will need to start shifting our stash houses. Some of our men spotted a couple of them sneaking around close to house fifty-seven, and though they didn’t find it, they’re too close for it to be a coincidence.”
“You think they’ve figured out where some of our bases are? Impossible. They haven’t found any other than a couple of the businesses and that was mostly just luck or stupidity on the ends of our men.” I don’t believe for one minute these stupid bikers will ever be able to find all our operation bases which is exactly why we’re always going to come out on top. They’re merely a few speed bumps in the way of us taking over this part of the country for ourselves and the Pakhan’s operations.
“Not yet but they’re starting to sniff them out. They managed to figure out the pawn shop, and that was a secure operation, despite none of the men reporting any of the bikers being around, which means they’ve figured out how to get in and around undetected.” Now his eyes go hard. “A fact that is unsurprising considering what they’ve done in the past. You would do well to remember, Vladamir, that they are not your run of the mill MC that you can boss around or buy off. They have their own moral compass, and the training of one of the best militaries in the world. If you are not careful, more cautious in your approach to how to handle them from here on out, you will lose the war you’re waging.”
Then without a word, he leaves the room.
I’m furious, and I have half a mind to follow him out and put a bullet in his head and be done with it. How fucking dare he come in here and act like he knows better than me? That he has any right to give me any kind of order or suggestion. He’s a solider, and he has to follow the orders, not give them.
But I don’t move from my chair, instead, I pull out my phone. If he is correct and these sons of bitches are getting too close, then it’s time to make sure that there is nothing for them to find but a few surprises. Nikolai might want to be cautious, but the time for caution is over.
War has never been won by being cautious. War is for brute strength and outsmarting your opponent, and I’ll have no trouble with either one.