Zakhary #2
I pace the private visitation room meant for meeting lawyers and such, waiting for my inner circle to arrive.
It is time to figure everything out. I need concrete proof of Mack’s actions to approach the warden.
Sending me away when I approached him after speaking with Maddox was not right, but I understood it.
I pause my steps as the door opens and in walks the four people who would help make this work. Cas, Mylo, Ollie, and Zak. By keeping this operation small there was less chance of someone talking.
As we all sit around the table I look to Zak. He was responsible for making sure that Kai got out of the southside and moved to an undisclosed location.
“Apartment is all set and paid for first year. I move him Wednesday. He need family time before move. Andrei got position for him starting next Monday. Kai is safe and guarded,” Zak said as I cracked my knuckles.
I looked to Ollie, “Did you get more?”
Ollie looked around the room nervously, fidgeting in his pocket before he pulls a burner phone out, placing it on the table, spinning it around as he asks, “I’m protected too, right? I can’t just disappear, Mack’ll get suspicious if I quit comin’ home.”
Placing my hand on top of Ollie’s nervous tapping fingers, “Kai has Andrei, so no need for Tomas and Grigory. They watch you,” I answer, watching the kid relax, he nods, sliding the phone over to me.
I turn on the screen, clicking to the voice recording app.
He has been secretly recording conversations with Mack.
‘With this, we have so many confessions,’ I think as I press play on the first one.
Mylo and Cas’ eyes go wide as Mack admits to the hit and run on Kai, the probation violation set up of Maddox, the missing drugs, and beatings of his children. I find there are even things we were unaware of as I pause a recording when he asks about the abortion Melody had.
“Ollie, explain. What is this? It is not what I think? Is it?” I ask, watching him look down at where his hands are playing with the hem of his shirt.
Mylo holds his hand up to stop my questions as he moves beside him. They have a short whispered conversation and the horror on Mylo’s face confirms what I was afraid of when this recording played.
Mylo has him speak up as he asks, “Was Mack the baby’s father?”
Ollie looks at him and nods, shame showing on his face. Knowing what this means, I see red, my nostrils flaring. Zak grips the arm of the chair tightly, knuckles white. “Syn, calm yourself. No rash movements on this. If you do, we lose chance.”
He bites down on his knuckle, jerking his head in agreement. He knows this has to be done right. Looking around the room I say, “Nothing leaves this room. Not unless I say.”
“Ollie, you go home. Check in with Mylo every Sunday for your job for week. Mylo, be there for boy. Cas, get me to warden,” I order.
Finally, I look at Zak, sitting patiently as he waits for his assignment.
I can see that he is ready to kill Mack, but I need him level-headed when I tell him what he has to do, so I wait for him to calm.
Zak takes a deep breath, rolling his neck. When he meets my gaze, the fire in his eyes has lessened, “Okay. Ready. What you need for me to do?”
I smile wickedly and in a cool tone, I tell him, “You follow him. Mack doesn’t so much as take a shit that I don’t know about. This will take time, so you make sure we know where he is.”
I look to Cas and Mylo, “You help Zak. He needs to see Kai too. Maybe even bring Kai here. So, help,” I tell them.
They all nod at their orders. I call the meeting to a close and Zak speaks, “Wait, Andrei still coming in a few weeks?”
I stop, looking at him, I answer, “Da. We three talk then. Now go.”
I watch the room empty and feel satisfied knowing that we are about to make a huge difference in the life of these two young boys.
Zakhary
It’s been a few weeks since I was last in this room and I look around as Andrei and I wait for Vanya to be brought in.
It was time to discuss the boys and the plans for them.
Kai had been answering phones for Slavic Skin and it was working out well.
The apartment we set up for them above the studio was perfect.
The relationship between Dax and Kai was well on its way to being fixed. We just needed to figure out the next steps to get Dax out. We also needed to know what the warden said about the new evidence discovered with those recordings.
Andrei sat idly on the bed, flipping through a magazine as I paced the room. I did not like taking up their limited time, but this was important. I paused my movements as the door opened and Otets walked in. I hung back as he moved toward Andrei.
The way Andrei stood, enveloping him in a tight hug, I knew it was needed for Otets as much as it was for Andrei. It was not fair that this is how they had to live a life together, but this was the way it had to be.
Once they had greeted each other, Andrei sat on the bed, his back against the wall and I watch as my Otets crawls onto the bed next to him. Looking between us, he asks, “So, what is news?”
I pulled a chair from the table across the room and sat down, rubbing my chin as I thought about how to word this. “They need out. This not life for them.”
Andrei cocked his head sideways to look at Vanya, “I agree. Kai good kid. Answer phones, keep office clean, respectful. I like him. They need out,” he says.
Vanya cracks his knuckles, “That too bad. I like Dax, he could be helpful. But, you both right, they need to get away. Not built like us.”
I look to Otets, “Any news from warden?”
He shakes his head, “He say he look into it. But we have other problem first. Dax. What we do with him?”
Andrei speaks up, “His drawings good. Kai hangs them on his desk. You think he want to learn?”
I chuckle as my Otets plants a loud smacking kiss on Andrei’s cheek, “Solnechny Svet, that is perfect! Did Kai pick school?”
Zak shakes his head no, “He is still thinking. I think he need help from friends. But he is happy right now, so not pushing.”
He nods and we move to discussing plans for getting Dax out and what he will do after. He will be given an apprenticeship from Andrei at Slavic Skin. It works out, he will be living with Kai above the studio anyway.
As we talk, I notice Andrei fidgeting, “Everything okay, Drei? Did you not want to do this?”
Andrei sighs and explains, “Not that. Dax’s birthday coming up and Kai want to make special, he is sad that he cannot. Milyy, can we do something like this for them? They have not had, how you say, alone time, for long time.”
I rub my temple, he is right and the look on Otets’ face is priceless. “So you want to give them the room? Is this what you are saying?” I say unable to keep the smirk from my lips.
A grin spreads across Andrei’s face and he nods excitedly, “DA, DA!! That! Give them room.”
Vanya
I chuckle at Andrei’s excitement, “Okay, we make happen. Zak, you talk to Kai. I get Cas to help and we let it be surprise for Dax. Now, that this business done. The warden.”
I am ready to get rid of Zak and to start my time with Andrei, but I have to get this out of the way first. “When I spoke to him earlier this week. He took recordings and said he would be looking into. He asked time to make things happen. So we be patient. Zak, you stay on Mack with help from Tomas and Grigory. How Ollie?”
I take Andrei’s hand, stroking the top with my thumb as a shy smile appears on his face. I chuckle when Zak rolls his eyes.
“Ollie is okay. We check with him daily. Mack? Still a tupitsa and unaware what coming for him. Nik is coming back around but told boys to hold off on making move for him. We could get both?” Zak says, subtly asking to take them both down at the same time.
I stroke my chin with my free hand while thinking about this development. I like Zak’s idea. “Syn, that sound like plan. Taking Nik before could tip Mack to our watching. Keep eyes on both. No moves if Ollie not in danger. Now get out of here,” I say with a sly smirk.
Zak grins, shaking his head as he stands and moves towards the door.
As the door closes I turn my attention to Andrei.
‘It has been too long and I need him,’ I think as I crawl on into his lap.
He reaches for the zipper of my jumpsuit and my last thought is, ‘All thinking and planning can wait. For now, I am pretty occupied with climbing my mountain of a man.’
Zakhary
Stepping outside the prison to head for my car, I pull out my phone and scroll to Kai’s number. ‘We have to move fast if we want to get everything in place for next week. First thing to do? Tell Kai the plan,’ I think as I press the call button.
The call barely connected when I hear a frantic Kai asking, “Is everything okay?” knowing I was dropping Andrei off at the prison today.
“All is okay, Molodoy. Can tattoo girl watch phones for you?” I ask, lighting a cigarette.
“Maddy? I mean, yeah, probably, why?” He asks with a hint of caution.
“I have news, good news. Want to share in person. I buy lunch. So Maddy answer phones, you come eat. Yes?” I say, leaving no option for him to say no, as I turn onto the interstate.
“Okaaay?” He drawls, questioning, frustration in his voice.
“Molodoy, you want to hear this. Trust me,” I tell him, rolling my eyes at the constant battle I have with him. “We have plan for Dax birthday. A surprise. You want to see him for more than hour visit, right?” I ask knowingly.
A squeal comes through the speaker and I grimace, pulling the phone away from my ear. When the squeals die out, I put the phone back to my ear in time to hear, “Really, you mean it?” Kai asks excitedly. Hearing this happiness almost makes up for him nearly blowing my eardrum. Almost.
“Be there in hour,” I say, disconnecting the call.