Chapter 20
Sklad . . .
Orrin had no idea what day it was or the time. The small room had no windows. Then there was the fact that he’d been knocked unconscious so many times he could’ve slept for days and not known it.
Yuri was becoming impatient. The torture sessions were coming more frequently, but he could take them. He would tell Yuri nothing.
He dimly heard something. He cracked open his good eye and saw that the door wasn’t shut all the way. He saw the boots of one of his guards.
But that crack allowed in sound. The two guards were talking. Or rather, one was giving his not so pleasant thoughts about someone in power while the other merely grunted in response.
He was about to disregard them when he heard mention of the Saints. That name had come to his attention years ago when he was on another mission. He’d learned nothing about the faction, and sadly, soon forgot.
But, apparently, the sect had quietly worked behind the scenes.
A thread of unease wound through him. Shadow organizations were always the hardest to bring down, because finding the head of such a nefarious group was nearly impossible.
Orrin closed his eyes and concentrated, blocking out the closest voices. Until he picked up another voice, one that he recognized—Yuri’s. Yuri was speaking in Russian, and by the profanity-laced rant, things weren’t going well.
“What are they doing at Baylor?” Yuri demanded, half in Russian, and the other half in English. It was a habit of Yuri’s when he got upset.
The question caught Orrin’s attention. So the boys were at Baylor. Most likely, they were attempting to discover what was in the biochemical. It was the smart thing to do.
He knew without having to wonder that Callie was right in the mix of things, as well.
She was like a daughter, and he worried endlessly about her.
Callie was strong, but she had a soft heart and a driving desire to be wanted and needed.
She was more than competent in the field, but he knew firsthand what could happen to people in their profession.
He hadn’t wanted it for Callie. It’s why he’d turned her from the FBI. It was also why he kept her at the base, away from the danger.
Not so much now.
Yuri was speaking again, but it was too fast and fading in and out, as if he were pacing, for Orrin to hear everything. He did pick up a few things, though.
Whoever Yuri spoke with must be in Texas. He also heard something about Dallas and Russians dying. He inwardly let out a shout. His boys were doing damage to the group and taking them out one by one.
It wasn’t until he heard Yuri say the name Natalie Dixon that Orrin drew up short. She must have found something about Ragnarok. That’s the only reason she’d be involved.
He knew the boys and Callie would take care of her, but it was another life he had to worry about. Still, he wondered how Owen was taking it. Perhaps it would force his middle son to realize one of his biggest mistakes and rectify it.
The men were coming at his boys from every angle. Not that it would slow his children down. If only he could be there, helping them kick some Russian ass.
His sons were prepared, though. All three were the best of their branches. They hadn’t gotten there by chance. They did it because it was in their blood—and because no Loughman knew how to fail.
Yuri ended the call and then proceeded to yell at anyone near him. That temper of his was going to get him one day. Yet Yuri played the political dance within the military excellently, enough to get him where he was.
Orrin had enjoyed that dance once. Now it sickened him. All the deceit and backstabbing left a bitter taste in his mouth.
A phone rang. Yuri stopped yelling mid-sentence. The quiet told Orrin that whoever was calling wasn’t someone Yuri wanted to speak with.
“Da?” Yuri’s voice was filled with reverence. And a heavy dose of anxiety. “I understand, sir. It is perfectly clear. I know how important it is. I will find Ragnarok.”
Orrin wished he knew who it was on the other end of the call. He made a mental list of all the officers who outranked Yuri. There had been a couple through the years who didn’t exactly like Yuri.
But which one?
“He is not talking,” Yuri said. There was a long beat of silence before Yuri replied, “I will get it out of him one way or the other.”
If Orrin had the energy, he’d snort. Yuri was good at what he did, but Orrin’s family was at stake. He hadn’t been able to protect his wife, but he was going to make damn sure his sons, Natalie, and Callie were spared.
The door to his room slammed open and hit the wall. Yuri’s heavy footsteps stopped inches from his face, but Orrin didn’t so much as flinch.
“Wake him,” Yuri ordered.
Water was unceremoniously poured atop his head once again. Orrin blew out, spraying water. He rolled his head so he could look up at Yuri with his good eye.
“I have been nice,” Yuri said. “That stops now. I know you are hurt. I know several ribs are broken as well as your wrist.”
Orrin didn’t bother to tell him that his right shoulder was dislocated from falling on it at the last beating. It wouldn’t have happened had his hands not been bound.
“I can end your misery. Just tell me where the vial is,” Yuri urged.
Orrin closed his eyes. He couldn’t be too eager, lest his plan not work. Yuri had to think he’d managed to get the information on his own.
“No matter how good your sons are, Orrin, they will not be able to withstand what I am sending their way. Three men can only do so much against a dozen of my men.”
He had faith in his sons. He’d seen them in combat situations. He’d seen them training, and he’d seen them on missions. He knew just how good they were. They were ten times as good as he was at his best—which had been damn good.
“One more punch to your ribs and you could have a punctured lung,” Yuri said. “Do not go out like this. The vial does not belong to your country. It is ours. Give it back, and I will leave your family alone.”
He knew that for the lie that it was, but he opened his eye and met Yuri’s gaze. “You swear no one will come after my sons?”
“I give you my word.”
How many times had Yuri said those words to him? And how many of them had been laced with the same lie? He didn’t want to think about that now. He’d consider it later once Yuri was dead.
“Tell me,” Yuri said. He squatted down beside him and smiled. “We share a lot of good memories, stariy droog. Let us be friends again. You were only following orders, as am I. There is no reason this has to end badly for either of us. This is for our countries to bicker about, not us.”
Orrin hesitated, darting his gaze away from Yuri. He had to make it look convincing. Because the one thing Orrin wasn’t was a traitor to his country or his family.
He’d had plenty of beatings before, and he was prepared to withstand much more of the torture Yuri had already doled out. But if he could give his sons even a few more hours, then it was worth what this small lie was going to cost him.
“Come, Orrin. Your sons will be spared.”
He released a long breath. “I have your word, right?”
“Da.”
He swallowed hard, then let a lengthy pause stretch between them. Finally, he said, “I sent the vial to Mitch Hewett at the Pentagon.”
Yuri’s smile was tight. “See? That was not so hard.”
“What now?”
“Now I check what you have told me.”