Chapter Six
“Maybe we should just follow this jackass for now?” Artem suggested. “See where he goes, where he lives, who he’s in contact with. But we keep eyes on him.”
Sergi thought for a moment then nodded. “Da maybe. At least until we know who he is. But we have to get Pavel and soon. I don’t want him to escape, not now. Not when he’s this close.”
With a nod from Viktor, one of the Ghosts left the room.
When the guy staring at the hotel turned to leave the Ghost was right on his ass.
Sergi couldn’t see the Ghost anymore but he had faith in his team and he knew Viktor would hear from him soon.
Briar showed them again where Pavel lived. “It’s this old motel with no real signage. It’s perfect for lowlife drug dealers and couriers. Indistinct and shabby, out of the way by the dock area.”
Viktor and his team then left as well. The rest of the Ghosts were right there with his team.
Now the security team was all there was between Sergi and the outside world.
Time passed slowly after this. No one else came forward to disrupt the hotel or make any more threats. But everyone’s nerves were strung tight.
It was early afternoon when Kirill’s computer pinged with a facial match. The photo matched a passport that had been checked by the international council.
Sergi came over to look at the screen and pressed his lips tightly together as he studied the passport.
Nikoli and Felix growled from behind Sergi.
Sergi just stared at the screen as the name flashed. Fidelo Dmitricoff. Pavel’s brother. The passport information told its own story. He’d been here for three months. “Blin,” Sergi swore under his breath.” He glanced over at Briar. “These two are brothers.”
She slowly shook her head. “I never guessed that. Like I said I never heard them speak to each other and they were awfully cutthroat about their knife bouts.”
“So now I have to wonder.” Sergi shook his head. “How many of his siblings are in on this? He has four brothers.”
“Damn,” Briar swore.
Sergi looked up at her.
She looked upset. “That’s what I found strange too about this guy. Besides the knife guy, there are three more men that were always around him at that hotel.”
“And you didn’t tell us this before?” Felix asked.
Briar shot her gaze over to Felix. “How would I have guessed that? Him having four brothers here.”
“My dear, we keep hearing these new details from you,” Sergi noted. But only in bits and pieces. It seems odd.”
She kept staring at him then asked, “Are you accusing me of something?”
Running his hand over the back of his head, Sergi sighed in frustration.
Briar huffed as she looked stone faced. “So, you don’t trust me now? Like I’m in on this? Ok, I see how it is.” She flipped around and stormed out through the door.
“Briar!” Sergi called after her then he glanced at Serenity.
She focused her gaze down at her screen, not saying a word but her eyes filled with tears while trying not to let them fall.
Nikoli didn’t say a word as he just backed up against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest.
Nicky didn’t even look at his father, instead he continued working on his computer.
Sergi texted Viktor to inform him of the Dimtricoff brothers possibly being with Pavel, probably as guards.
Serenity finally punched the print button on her PC.
When the printer stopped, she got up from her chair and walked over to the machine.
Gathering the pages, she stacked them carefully and then she walked them over to Sergi and shoved them into his chest. “Here’s your proof.
” Her words were harshly spoken then she turned around and went back to her seat.
She sat down and began clicking her keys with her lips pressed tight.
No one dared to say a word.
Sergi removed the papers from his chest and began reading them.
The Kastonovic Family Trust had indeed been paying for the Crusaders upkeep. A huge chunk of the trust was used to set things in motion and every payout went straight into the Crusaders fund. He handed the papers to N.
He was looking at them now too.
Sergi had the power to shut this part down, so he walked through the door and down the hall to make the calls to Russia.
An hour later...
Sergi returned to the security room and looked around.
Serenity wouldn’t look at him and Nicky just ignored him as well.
He then asked aloud, “Where did Nikoli go?”
No answer.
Finally, Kirill replied, “He left right after you did.”
Sergi shook his head as he went over to the far side of the room to where Felix sat and asked, “Any movement from Viktor’s group yet?”
Felix shook his head. “Not yet, but you know they are watching and waiting for the right moment to go in.”
“Da, I know this takes time. Time we might not have too much of.” Sergi sighed.
“What does that mean?” Felix asked. “Did something else happen? What did Russia have to say about all of this?”
Sergi shrugged. “They were happy as hell about getting evidence of the betrayal. They were more than happy to start shutting the money down. But they also said something for us here...to be careful because there were a lot of the Crusaders crew they couldn’t find and they haven’t found any of Pavel’s siblings either.
They believe that the whole Dmitricoff bunch were already here. ”
“Yes, we know that now, thanks to Briar,” Nicky stated as he looked troubled.
“How soon before the money is cut off?” Felix asked Sergi.
“Not long,” Sergi admitted. “They are freezing both families’ funds. They didn’t know that the ambush forty years ago was a scam either.”
Felix turned back to the security screens.
Now, Sergi looked over at a very silent Serenity and asked softly, “Do you think Briar is okay?”
Serenity looked up at him. Her eyes were completely blank.
The look in her eyes gave Sergi pause.
“Briar will be fine,” she stated emotionlessly. “Maybe not today or tomorrow but she’ll be fine.”
Sergi nodded. “I’ll check on her later.”
Serenity huffed but didn’t say a word to his announcement. Instead, she went back to her computer and clicked on her keys.
Nicky leaned closer to her and they spoke in whispers for a long moment. Nicky then went back to his own computer to shut it down. Then he stood and left the room.
When he left, Sergi’s gaze went to Serenity.
She still wouldn’t look at him.
He walked over to her station and sat down beside her. “What is going on?”
Serenity finally turned her head and glared at him. “Not a thing, sir.”
Sergi felt confused. “Kakogo cherta? What the hell? Why are you calling me sir?”
“You are the boss here and that means you are a sir.” She turned back to her computer and tapped her keys.
“I am the boss, but you aren’t an employee, Serenity. And neither is she. I will try to have a talk with Briar soon. I know she wouldn’t betray us.”
“You made her feel like she had already.” Serenity kept typing on her keyboard.
Sergi shook his head. “I will fix it. Talk to her. I never meant to accuse her of anything. But in the meantime, please, for the love of all that is holy, do not call me sir.”
Kirill had remained silent but now, he snickered.
The security door opened as Nicky returned with Artem. Both men looked troubled.
Sergi stood and asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Briar is not here anymore,” Artem told him. “I searched for her. I have no idea where she went.”
“This city is about to explode into a war we may not be able to stop,” Nicky said. “And if the Dmitricoff brothers have been watching us for three months, they know who comes and goes. They might go after her because of her connection to us.”
The whole room went silent as his troubling words sunk in.
Serenity stared at Nicky. Tears fell down her cheeks as she worried about her friend.
Nicky rushed over and sat down next to her, taking her hand. He felt concerned about her pregnancy with all this stress going on. “Baby, you look tired. Let’s go and rest up for a bit.”
“B-but Briar—”
“Will be okay,” Sergi cut in.
The young couple looked up at him.
Sergi nodded as he raised his cell phone. “I got Nikoli’s text here. He says he went out after her. He’s with her now and he told me to tell you, Serenity...That he has her back.”
At this unusual and unexpected message, her eyes rounded. “No.”
Sergi chuckled and replied, “Yes.”
“Well, damn,” Nicky muttered in surprise.